The sharp wind howled forward, like the roar of a wild beast released from its cage. The air split, creating a shrill, piercing sound that stabbed at the ears.
Leaves flew wildly into the air, forming a chaotic whirlpool, while small branches snapped, thrown aimlessly.
The ground beneath Aoki's feet cracked—shaking violently from the explosion of energy that Aoki unleashed. The earth creaked as if trying to withstand a force too great to bear.
Under the dim light of the moon sneaking through the gaps in the foliage, two figures emerged. They leaped from behind the shadows of the trees, their silhouettes moving swiftly, almost like shadows themselves detached from their bodies.
Their bodies curved in the air, evading the deadly gusts of wind in mere fractions of a second.
As they landed, the leaves that had previously concealed their presence were swept away by the earlier gust.
The ground they had stood on now revealed neatly split tree trunks—its wood charred at the edges, a mark of the precision slices from a wind-based attack capable of tearing through steel.
They stood tall before Aoki, unmoving. As if the night wind shaking the trees could not disturb their calm.
Each wore a long, heavy black cloak.
The cloaks billowed slowly, like black curtains before death.
Their faces were hidden behind cold, lifeless animal masks—one resembling a rhinoceros, the other a snake.
No emotions.
No signals.
Only the empty gaze from the eye holes of the masks, piercing like ice needles.
Aoki stared at them, his eyes narrowing. The moonlight faintly reflected in Aoki's vigilant irises. Aoki's body slightly crouched, as if his muscles were preparing to explode into action. The night wind blew, carrying the scent of blood and wet earth.
Anbu?
No… not them.
Too quiet. Too cold. Too… wrong.
Though their appearance was similar, something was off. The masks—did not bear the Konoha symbol. No identity. Just an animal mask.
Root…?
The realization hit like a hard blow to the stomach. Aoki's breath caught for a moment. His heart raced, but not out of fear—because Aoki knew. If those standing before him were truly members of Root, then this was not just an ordinary battle. This was a silent execution.
Aoki had heard stories about them—ninja trained without hearts, raised in darkness, taught that compassion is a weakness and death is a tool. They were not soldiers. They were instruments. And tonight, two of them stood right before Aoki.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Aoki's temple, tracing the tense lines of his face. Though the night air pierced to the bone, Aoki's skin felt burned by the tension. Aoki's hand moved slowly, gripping the hilt of his sword, which felt heavier at his waist.
Damn… I really didn't expect to encounter them in this cursed place.
...
...
...
"Who are you really?" Aoki's voice broke the silence of the night, flat but containing embers. His gaze pierced, as if he were searching for a crack in the two figures still standing like stone statues.
No immediate answer.
They merely exchanged glances—at least that's how it appeared to Aoki—then the man in the rhinoceros mask finally stepped forward. Each step of the man thudded against the ground, slow, heavy, filled with an invisible pressure.
"That's none of your business," said the man in the rhinoceros mask in a low, cold voice, like iron being struck in an empty room. "We only have business with the girl who escaped. So you'd best not interfere."
The tone of the rhinoceros-masked man carried no anger, but it was also not a threat. Just a statement, as if there was no possibility of any other outcome.
Aoki exhaled slowly, his eyes igniting with determination.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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