"Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice low but composed.
Konohamaru's eyes flicked to her — her scarf hiding most of her face — then back to Tatsu. Suspicion rising.
"…Who are you?"
Tatsu gave a calm shrug. "Just a villager."
"From where?"
"Here. I've lived here for years."
Konohamaru narrowed his eyes. "You're not a shinobi. I can tell. But something's off."
Kona stepped slightly in front of Tatsu — not enough to be obvious, but just enough that her body angled toward Konohamaru.
Tatsu gently reached and touched her wrist — a signal.
"It's fine," he said simply. "We were just shopping."
Boruto raised a hand, confused. "Okay, can someone explain what's actually happening? You bumped into the guy and now chakra doesn't work? That doesn't make any sense."
"It shouldn't be possible," Konohamaru muttered.
Boruto glanced around, wary. "Maybe it's genjutsu? Or something in the food stall?"
Konohamaru's eyes stayed locked on Tatsu. Then he closed them, inhaled.
"…It's starting to come back," he murmured. "Faintly."
Tatsu realized — distance. The further Konohamaru moved from him, the more stable his chakra felt.
Tatsu didn't understand it, but the pieces were starting to form.
He swallowed, face neutral. "I'm sorry if I caused anything. It wasn't on purpose."
Konohamaru opened his eyes again, studying him. Then he stepped back one more pace.
"…I'll be watching this area. If anything else strange happens—"
Tatsu nodded politely. "Of course."
With a last glance at Kona — unreadable — Konohamaru turned and walked off.
Boruto followed, still chewing his snack. "That was weird."
When they were gone, Kona adjusted her scarf slightly.
"…That wasn't normal," she said quietly.
"I know."
She looked up at him. "You didn't feel anything?"
"No," Tatsu answered. "Nothing at all."
A pause.
— Return Walk – Late Afternoon —
They walked side by side.
The path back home was quiet — only the sound of birds in the trees and the soft crunch of their steps on dirt.
Tatsu said nothing.
His expression was calm, but distant. Like he was still turning over what had just happened in his head.
Kona walked close beside him, the bag of greens in her hands, her scarf still hiding most of her face.
Then, after a long pause, her voice broke the silence. Soft. Even.
"Keep distance from shinobi," she said.
Another pause.
"They're dangerous."
She didn't look at him when she said it. Her eyes stayed forward, watching the path ahead.
Tatsu nodded as they reached thier house.
— Team 7's View —
The forest began to thin as the team walked back toward the village path. Birds chirped above. The wind rustled the trees around them.
Boruto walked ahead, hands in his pockets, still finishing his snack.
"I'm serious," he said, frowning. "Sensei looked pale. Like, really pale."
Mitsuki tilted his head. "Was he low on chakra?"
"No," Boruto said, more serious now. "It was strange. One second he was fine, and the next—boom. Something hit him. But not physically."
Sarada pushed up her glasses. "You mean when that guy bumped into him?"
"Yeah," Boruto nodded. "Right then. It was like his chakra just shut off. He didn't say it, but I saw it — he panicked."
Mitsuki looked thoughtful. "That doesn't happen from a normal touch. Maybe a sealing jutsu or some high-level technique?"
"Exactly," Boruto said, snapping his fingers. "But I didn't sense anything. No hand signs. No chakra build-up. Nothing. It felt like that guy… just drained him."
Sarada frowned. "Who were those two anyway? I've never seen them before."
"They said they lived nearby," Boruto muttered. "Maybe it's true. But something felt wrong."
Up ahead, Konohamaru had been walking in silence. Then he stopped.
The three looked at him.
He let out a slow breath. His face was serious.
"It wasn't genjutsu," he said. "And it wasn't a trick."
"Then what was it?" Sarada asked.
Konohamaru glanced back. The trail behind them had already vanished behind thick trees.
"…I don't know," he said quietly. "But when he touched me, it was like my chakra… stopped knowing itself. Like everything inside just collapsed."
Boruto's eyes widened. "That's… not normal."
"No," Konohamaru agreed. "It's not."
They stood in silence for a moment.
Sarada spoke carefully. "Should we report this?"
Konohamaru didn't answer right away.
Then he looked at them.
"Not yet," he said.
Boruto frowned. "But—"
"You three should go back to the village," Konohamaru said, already turning toward the trees. "I need to check something."
Sarada stepped forward. "You're going alone?"
"Yes."
His tone was firm.
"But what if it happens again?" Boruto asked. "What if that guy touches you again—?"
"I'll stay away," Konohamaru cut in. "Just go."
He gave them a last nod and vanished into the trees — fast and silent.
The three watched him disappear.
Boruto scowled. "I hate when he does that."
Sarada crossed her arms. "He doesn't want us involved."
They turned back toward the village path.
— Deeper in the Forest —
Konohamaru moved fast and quiet, heading back toward the place where it happened. His senses stayed sharp, feeling the wind, the air, and the faint traces of chakra around him.
He closed his eyes.
The strange feeling was mostly gone now — but a trace of it remained.
Snap.
A twig broke behind him.
Konohamaru turned quickly.
From the trees, a tall man stepped out. He wore a black cloak. One arm was wrapped in cloth. Under his wide hat, the red Sharingan eye shone.
"…Sasuke," Konohamaru said, surprised.
Sasuke didn't answer right away. His eye scanned the area, then looked at Konohamaru.
"I felt something strange here," Sasuke said. "Like chakra was interrupted."
Konohamaru nodded. "You felt that too?"
Sasuke walked over and touched the ground briefly.
Konohamaru spoke again, more quietly now.
"There was a man. He looked normal — no headband, no weapons. But when he touched me…"
He shook his head. "My chakra just disappeared. Not blocked — gone. Like it never existed."
Sasuke's eye narrowed. "What did he look like?"
"Tall. Quiet. Calm. He wasn't threatening. A woman was with him. She wore a scarf and didn't talk. They said they lived nearby."
Sasuke stood.
"Where are they now?"
"They walked back into the woods. Probably have a house nearby."
Sasuke stayed silent for a moment.
Then, coldly, he said:
"Show me."