"Oh no…" her mind screamed. She knew exactly whose arms she was in. "Hinata…"
A familiar, low voice said her name — quiet, almost unsure.
With a sudden rush of panic, Hinata pulled away quickly, stumbling backward.
She fell to the ground with a soft but clumsy thud.
Her face turned bright red, burning with embarrassment from both the fall and the closeness she had just experienced.
She stared at the ground, unable to look up at him.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," she whispered, her voice small and shaky. "I… I tripped on a rock by accident."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "You should…" he began, his voice calm but firm, carrying a quiet authority.
But Hinata, too caught up in her own embarrassment and fear of looking foolish, cut him off right away. 'Oh no, he's going to scold me! He must think I'm so clumsy!' her thoughts raced.
"I'm sorry!" she blurted out quickly, her voice rising with nervousness. "I know I shouldn't trip over something so small. It's just… my vision is blurry because I'm low on chakra, and it's so dark in here!"
Her heart pounded with worry. 'He must think I'm useless… stupid… embarrassing…' she thought, her face turning an even deeper shade of red.
Sasuke looked at her silently, his face hard to read. 'She didn't even let me finish… and said it all herself,' he thought. There was a tiny flicker of amusement in his eyes. 'I wasn't even going to scold her. I just meant to tell her to be more careful.'
And somewhere deep down, though he didn't say it out loud, he was still quietly thankful — for the way she had protected Mini Sasuke earlier. He felt no judgment. Just… a quiet understanding.
"No, it's okay," Sasuke said softly, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "I understand."
They both sat there in the dark, the earlier awkwardness still hanging in the air between them. The shadows of the cavern were so deep, they could barely see each other's faces — just the faint gleam of their eyes reflecting the distant, dim light.
Hinata was the first to break the silence, her voice soft, barely above a whisper. "So… is your younger self alright?" she asked, genuine concern in her tone. "I mean… he was quite scared back then."
Sasuke's dark eyes met hers in the gloom.
"Yeah, he is alright," he replied quietly. He paused, then added, almost reluctantly,
"I mean… he managed it by himself."
Hinata's brows drew together slightly, her pale eyes thoughtful. 'Managed it by himself? What does he mean?' she wondered.
As if sensing her unspoken question, Sasuke met her gaze again. Her pearlescent white eyes with their faint lavender hue shimmered faintly, glowing in the darkness like delicate moonlight.
He dropped his eyes to the ground between them, his voice lowering. "I mean… I also got unconscious. Along with you."
Hinata's eyes widened slightly, then softened.
A warm, gentle smile curved her lips, even if he couldn't fully see it. "I see," she murmured, her voice kind. She understood the quiet vulnerability in his admission.
For Sasuke, saying something like this wasn't easy. But the silence that followed was different now — not awkward, but calm. Even comforting.
Then, Hinata inhaled deeply, and spoke again, her voice a little steadier. "Umm… I just wanted to thank you."
Sasuke, still staring at the ground, slowly looked up again. His dark eyes met hers, a flicker of curiosity in their depths.
Hinata's cheeks flushed lightly, but she didn't back down this time. Her sincerity broke through her shyness. "I… I mean, I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for you, Sasuke-kun. If you hadn't been there, then I would ha—"
Sasuke cut her off gently, his voice firm but not cold. He shifted a little closer, only an inch or two, his gaze fixed on her.
"No," he said quietly, shaking his head. "I didn't do anything that meaningful. In fact… you did me a big favor by—"
"LEEEEEEEEE!!!!"
The sudden, thunderous cry shattered the quiet like a kunai against stone. Both of them jumped slightly, startled by the voice echoing down the cavern walls
Hinata's eyes opened wide. A quiet whisper came from her lips, full of surprise and worry.
'Neji Nii-san...?'
Suddenly, a loud voice came from the darkness. It was Neji — his voice full of panic and confusion. "Has anyone seen Lee?! Is he with someone?!"
He sounded confused, like he had just woken up from a dream. But his worry was real.
From another side of the cave, a sleepy voice answered. It was Sakura. She couldn't see anything in the darkness, but she knew it was Neji shouting.
"Neji-san!" Sakura called back. Her voice was still sleepy, but now full of fear. "Hinata is missing too! And Lee-san is not here!"
Then, another voice shouted. It was high and scared. "Sasuke is gone too!" It was Naruto. His voice was shaking.
Suddenly, fear filled the cave. Naruto's voice, usually loud and cheerful, now sounded afraid. "Sasuke! Where are you?!"
"Hinataaa!" Ino cried. Her voice was full of panic. Neji stood still, his heart beating fast.
'Hinata-sama is missing... where is she?' he thought. "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted again, his voice breaking.
Sakura, Ino, Neji, and Karin moved closer to each other. They looked around, eyes trying to see through the thick darkness. Little Sasuke clung to Naruto's jacket, too scared to speak.
They began to whisper quickly. "Where could they be?" Sakura said, barely loud enough to hear. "Did something take them away?" Ino asked. Her eyes were full of tears.
"Or did something bad happen right here?" Karin said. Her voice was shaking.
Fear was all around them. Just when they thought they were safe, something terrible had happened again.
Their friends were missing — and after everything they had already gone through, this felt worse than before.
Some of them started crying. The dim light in the cave made their tears shine.
"NARUTO!"
Everyone turned quickly. A calm, deep voice broke through the tension. It was Sasuke. Their fear started to fade, replaced by relief.
Naruto, switching fast from panic to irritation, marched up to him. "Teme! Where were you?! You scared us all half to death!"
Neji, focused only on Hinata, stepped closer. "Hinata-sama, are you alright? Where were you?" His voice was filled with urgency, something rare for him.
Hinata opened her mouth, but Sasuke spoke before she could. "She was with me."
Sakura froze. Those words hit her like a punch. 'With me…'? What does he mean? Were they together this whole time? Talking? But they never talk—why now? Why in private?' Her thoughts were spinning.
But she didn't have time to think more. Karin suddenly called out, sharp and serious. "Someone's coming!"
Everyone turned to look at her. Karin's eyes were locked onto the darkness ahead. She slowly raised a trembling hand and pointed.
What they saw next sent a shiver down their spines, a sight that echoed horrors experienced by others long ago.
The cavern had changed. The rough stone walls were gone. Now, smooth, strange surfaces surrounded them—cold and unnatural.
"What the heck is that?" Ino whispered, eyes wide. "How is this possible...?" Neji said quietly, scanning the space with his Byakugan.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He looked just as confused as everyone else. "What in the world is this?" Naruto stepped forward, staring in disbelief. "The cave walls… they vanished? But how?"
Then Sakura, putting it together, whispered in fear, "A path..." She stepped back, her voice rising. "That's a pathway!"
From beyond the smooth, strange walls, the clear sound of footsteps began to echo. Each step grew louder, filling the cavern with a heavy, eerie beat.
Everyone fell silent. The tension was thick. Each shinobi stood ready.
Without a word, their hands moved to their weapons. Naruto quickly pulled out his kunai. Karin held a shuriken between her fingers. Ino raised her hands, ready to form a jutsu.
Sasuke's Sharingan and Hinata's Byakugan activated at the same time. Their special eyes scanned the darkness ahead, trying to sense what was coming.
Then, two voices were heard, faint but clear, cutting through the air.
"So they all are here?" one voice said calmly.
Another voice replied, one that sounded strangely familiar. "Yes, just around here. You must be wondering how we ended up here, but it's a long story."
The footsteps kept getting louder until three shapes appeared in the distance. Two of them were easy to recognize—Lee and Tenten. Lee's green jumpsuit was dusty, and Tenten's hair was messy, but her eyes were alert.
They were helping a third person walk. A stranger. Someone no one in the group had seen before.
"Lee...?" Neji's voice was full of disbelief and relief. He could barely believe what he was seeing.
Tenten looked up. Her face showed how tired she was, but also how glad she felt. "Neji... you're awake."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and looked at the unfamiliar person. "Who is he?"
Lee answered. "Me and Tenten found a way out of the cave," he said, turning to point at the wide hole behind him—where the cave wall used to be.
That strange smooth surface ended at a massive opening, a path leading into unknown darkness.
"We went outside and saw this man," Lee went on, nodding toward the stranger. "He was standing there, maybe guarding something."
Everyone looked closer at the unknown man. He had short, pale blond hair that stood up in small spikes. His face was thin, with deep dark circles under his eyes. He wore a dark red outfit—long sleeves and pants—but one sleeve was torn off. A brown vest was strapped to his chest, the kind shinobi often wore in battle.
There was no forehead protector that they could see—or maybe it was just hidden by the shadows.
Tenten added, her voice tired but steady, "We told him we were trapped. He said he would help us."
Because it was so dark, no one could fully see the man's face or clothes. They could only make out the reddish shade of his outfit. The man couldn't clearly see their faces either.
Then, suddenly, from the far edge of the cavern, a glow appeared.
It was faint at first, but quickly grew brighter. A deep, strong red light began to shine—crimson and unmistakable.
The man, who was just starting to wake up a little, blinked hard and then opened his eyes again. His gaze went straight to the red light that was glowing nearby.
He noticed that the light was moving—like someone was carrying it. Then he saw something even stranger: a pair of pale whiteeyes, glowing faintly with a light lavender color.
And not just one pair. Two. Two people were standing in the dark with those strange eyes.
'What in the... How can they have both the Sharingan and the Byakugan?' he thought, his heart racing. A cold fear spread through him. He whispered to himself, "Don't tell me?!"
Fear filled his face. He quickly raised one hand into the air, like he was about to perform a jutsu.
Lee didn't notice the man's panic. He was still talking, trying to explain what had happened.
"So isn't that great? We got hel—"
But his words were cut off by a sudden, loud scream.
"AHHHHHHH!!!"
Lee turned sharply, shocked. The shinobi was on the ground, clutching his hand in pain. The scream had come from him.
Just then, a low voice filled the air.
"Don't think you're the only one who can recognize others."
Sasuke stepped forward. He bent down slightly and stared right into the man's terrified eyes. In the dark, the stranger could clearly see Sasuke's glowing red eyes—two black tomoe spinning inside the red Sharingan.
"We can recognize you too," Sasuke said coldly. "IWAGAKURE SHINOBI."
The man groaned in pain. When he had tried to raise his hand for a jutsu, Sasuke had thrown a kunai. It had hit the man's palm, slicing it deeply and pinning it to the ground. He couldn't move.
Everyone stood frozen, shocked by how fast and precise Sasuke's move was.
Sasuke had made the first attack.
"What did you do, Sasuke-kun?!" Lee shouted, full of anger. He stormed forward, fists clenched tight. "He was trying to help us! Why would you hurt someone who offered help?"
Sasuke didn't even flinch. While Lee spoke, he calmly stood up and brushed the dust off his hands.
"In this whole world," Sasuke said flatly, "you could only find an Iwagakure shinobi to help us?"
The man had just started to get up when Lee shouted again, "So what if he's from Iwagakure?!" His voice rose. "At least he was helpi—"
Suddenly, Lee's words stopped. A sharp flash of light cut through the air. A shuriken had come flying fast, slicing through Lee's hand and then sticking into the cave wall. Lee stared at the blood dripping from his palm, eyes wide. He looked at the Iwagakure ninja in shock.
The man gave a smug grin and quickly began forming hand signs. Neji's voice was sharp and clear. "Don't try anything. You're already surrounded. There's no way out." His Byakugan was already active, veins bulging beside his eyes.
The man, still pinned by Sasuke's kunai, looked like he had given up. But then, quietly, he placed his other hand on the ground. "Doton: Taju Doryuheki (Earth Style: Multiple Earth Walls) ," he whispered.
Naruto's face changed. "Damn it!" he yelled. "He's using the Earth Style—he's making walls!"
The ground shook. Stone walls exploded from the earth, forming thick barriers between them. It was like a maze had suddenly grown around them, cutting them off from each other. In moments, the enemy had disappeared into the chaos.
Fueled by anger and betrayal, Lee moved first. "Konoha Goriki Senpu! (Leaf Strong Whirlwind)" he shouted. His powerful kick smashed into one of the walls, breaking it apart with a loud crash.
Sasuke quickly slapped an explosive tag onto another wall. "Kai!" he called, and the tag blew up, sending chunks of stone flying.
Naruto wasn't far behind. With a few shadow clones beside him, he ran straight to the wall and yelled, "Let's go, dattebayo!" They punched together, cracking it until it finally collapsed.
Amid the crumbling sounds, the Iwagakure shinobi ran deeper into the maze. He was desperate, wounded, and running out of chakra. All he could do now was try to heal his hand and escape further.
Then, a calm but urgent voice cut through the noise. "Neji-nii-san...!" It was Hinata. Her Byakugan was glowing, her eyes focused. "Behind the third wall on your left—two o'clock! He's crouching down, five meters!"
Neji didn't wait. "Got it," he said. He dashed toward the direction Hinata pointed. Even though he was injured and tired, his speed didn't slow. He turned into the narrow space—
The Iwagakure shinobi stared at Neji, eyes full of panic. He tried to stand and run, but Neji was already there. A precise strike from Neji's finger hit a chakra point in the man's leg. His leg gave out, and he fell hard to the ground—defeated.
Sakura's voice rang out, followed by Lee's shout: "Is he okay?!"
Everyone gathered around—but their hope turned into horror. The shinobi wasn't moving. His eyes stared upward, blank and wide with fear. He was dead.
Naruto looked shocked. "What...? If he's dead... then how are we supposed to get any information from him?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He turned to Neji, his voice sharp. "Did you kill him?"
Neji didn't blink. "You think I would kill our only source of information?" he asked coldly.
Lee stepped next to Sasuke and lowered his head. "Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry. I trusted him. I was wrong. Please forgive me."
Sasuke didn't answer directly but gave a small nod. That was enough. Lee knew he was forgiven.
From the half-broken maze, Ino's voice echoed. "There's still darkness out there…" She had reached the edge of the collapsed walls, eyes scanning ahead.
Everyone stood still for a moment, taking it all in. Then Naruto finally asked, "Okay... so what do we do next?"
Neji, clearly frustrated, repeated, "'What do we do next,' huh?"
A small smirk tugged at Sasuke's lips. His eyes were sharp and determined as he stepped forward.
"GETTING OUT OF THIS DAMN PLACE," he said simply, "is what we're going to do next."
----
Author's Note: Chapter 19 - "Sasuke's First Move" 🎯
After the storm of emotions, we got a brief, quiet moment between Sasuke and Hinata in the dark. It was a rare, vulnerable exchange where they showed gratitude and understanding towards one another, and their mutual concern for Mini Sasuke. ❤️🩹
What an intense chapter! 🤯 The sheer panic and terror when Lee, Tenten, Hinata, and Sasuke were suddenly 'missing' was a fantastic moment of pure suspense. 😱
But that peace was short-lived, as the chaos of the arrival of an enemy shattered the calm. 💔 This chapter was all about that crucial moment of choice—between Lee's trusting nature and Sasuke's cold, calculating suspicion. 🧐
Sasuke's decisive 'first move' was the catalyst for all the chaos, proving that a sharp mind and deadly precision can be just as important as brute strength. 💥 The frantic battle against the Stone Maze was a true test of their teamwork, and they finally cornered their foe. ✨
But the shocking discovery at the end... a victory that feels hollow. Their informant is dead, leaving a mountain of unanswered questions and a growing sense of dread. 😨One thing is certain: they are no longer just lost; they are now hunted. It's time to get out of this damn place! 🚪🌌
📜 TEASER FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
The cavern's exit leads to a bitter fight, ⚔️
A frantic race from shadows in the night. 🏃♂️
A distant waterfall, a whisper and a gleam, 🌊✨
A sight glimpsed first, as if in a bad dream. 🌙
But with the dawn, the colors start to show, 🌅
A place they've reached💦🌊 , but where will they go? 🗺️
---