"Karin-san...," Sakura said, looking curious. "I was thinking...."
"...you told us you live in the Hi no Kuni, near the Daimyo-sama's place. But if you live there, why don't you have a forehead protector? Weren't you trained as a ninja for the nation?"
Karin felt her heart jump. She felt a cold sweat on her neck that had nothing to do with the snow.
Karin thought, 'Oh no! I forgot about that. I told them I live in the Hi no Kuni so they wouldn't find out I'm actually from Otogakure."
" If they knew I worked with Orochimaru...the 'Konoha traitor' then they would never trust me. I have to make up a lie right now!'
Karin's body went stiff. She quickly pushed her glasses up her nose and looked down at the snowy ground. She tried to make her voice sound a bit sad and shy.
"Oh... that," Karin said, fidgeting with the sleeves of her shirt. "It's because of where I grew up. Even though the orphanage was near Daimyo sama's land, it wasn't a ninja school."
She looked up at Sakura with wide, innocent eyes, but inside her head, she was panicking.
Karin thought, 'Please believe me. Please don't ask any more questions. I just need to sound like a normal girl who had a hard life.'
"In that orphanage, they only raised us to be normal citizens," Karin explained, her voice shaking a little.
"They didn't give us any specified ninja training. I was never a genin, and I never went to an academy. I only learned how to sense energy and heal because I had to protect myself while growing up. I never had a village to give me a headband."
She hugged her arms and looked away, pretending to be embarrassed. "I'm not a real ninja like you guys. I'm just... me."
Sakura face softened. She felt bad for asking such a personal question. "I'm sorry, Karin. I didn't realize. I guess I just assumed since you're so talented, you must have been a genin somewhere."
Karin let out a tiny breath of relief. Her body relaxed just a little bit. "It's okay. I just want to get to the shop and get warm."
The next problem hit them right away.
"Money," Sasuke stated simply. "We need the local money for the shop."
Naruto looked down at his own pockets. "Uh, I don't carry much cash, Sasuke. I spend it too fast."
Lee looked disappointed. "My spirit is rich, but my pocket is sadly empty!"
Neji frowned. "We didn't plan to go buying stuff on this trip."
Sasuke closed his eyes, thinking hard. Then he stared directly at Naruto. He was trying to remember something.
Naruto's heart sank. He knew what was coming next. He reached back and felt the lumpy shape of Gama-chan in his pocket. He looked at Sasuke, who was already staring at him with that 'I know you have it' look.
"Wait," Sasuke said, his voice flat. "Naruto. You have that silly green frog coin purse you use."
Naruto's face turned bright red. He quickly covered his back pocket where the frog wallet lived.
"Hey! Don't look at my Gama-chan!" Naruto cried out. "It's my savings! For all the monthly living and ramen I'm going to eat later when I get back! dattebayo. "
Sakura shook her head. "Naruto, stop. This is about staying alive. We need the money."
Reluctantly, Naruto pulled out the iconic, lumpy Gama-chan.
"Okay, okay," Naruto mumbled, handing the frog purse over to Sasuke. "But every coin is special, Sasuke! Don't waste even one! Spend wisely dattebayo."
They quickly entered the small shop. Sasuke handled the talk with the tough shopkeeper. They bought thick scarves, gloves, wool cloaks, and a canvas sheet.
As Sasuke paid, Naruto watched his coins disappear, one by one.
Naruto's eyes were wide. "Wait, was that a big coin? A large silver one?"
Sasuke, ignoring him, pushed a few more coins across the counter.
Naruto gasped, hitting his knee. "No! Don't spend the one with the hole! That's my lucky coin, Remember! !"
Lee looked sad for his friend. "The pain in his heart is truly great!"
Neji, however, stayed focused. "Warm clothes are more important than luck, Naruto."
Sakura patted Naruto's arm. "Be quiet, Naruto. We need to stay warm."
Naruto slumped, watching the last of his money go. He whispered sadly to the empty frog purse: "Gama-chan, you gave your life for a warm blanket."
But once they had the heavy wool cloaks on, the complaining stopped. The warmth was immediate and strong.
"This wool feels great!" Tenten whispered, pulling her new scarf up over her face.
Sakura checked the canvas sheet. "This will help keep the heat in. It was a necessary purchase."
The journey reached its most difficult point as they pushed into the high mountains. By the morning of Day 10, the world had turned completely white.
The light snow from the previous days had turned into a thick, heavy blanket that reached up to their knees, making every single step a massive effort.
Naruto thought, 'This isn't just a walk anymore. It's a fight. The air feels like it's made of ice, and my lungs hurt every time I breathe in.'
The weather conditions were harsh and unforgiving. A powerful wind screamed through the mountain passes, blowing snow directly into their faces. It was so thick that Naruto could barely see Sasuke's back, even though he was walking only a few feet ahead.
The sky was a dark, heavy gray, and the sun was completely hidden.
"Stay close!" Sasuke shouted over the wind, his voice barely reaching the others. "If you fall behind, you'll get lost in the whiteout!"
The air was so thin and cold that it felt heavy.
Walking uphill in the deep snow was exhausting. Even Lee, who usually never got tired, was moving slowly, his head down as he fought against the wind.
Everyone was wrapped tightly in the wool cloaks they bought, with their scarves pulled up to their eyes, but the biting chill still found a way through.
By the afternoon, the temperature dropped even further. The moisture from their breath was freezing onto their scarves and eyelashes, turning into tiny bits of ice.
They had to stop every few minutes just to catch their breath and make sure everyone was still there.
Naruto looked around at the jagged, frozen peaks. There were no trees here, only giant rocks covered in ice and deep piles of snow that looked like white traps.
Naruto thought, 'We haven't seen a single animal or a bird all day. It's like the whole world has frozen solid. I hope we find a place to stop soon, or we're going to turn into ice.'
As the afternoon light began to fade into a dark, scary purple, the wind grew even louder, sounding like a howling monster. They were exhausted, hungry, and shivering uncontrollably.
It was exactly then, as the evening shadows stretched across the frozen wasteland, that everything changed.
The sun began to set, and the sky turned a dark, scary gray. The group was still walking through the deep snow, moving very slowly.
Each step was a struggle.
The wind howled louder as the sun disappeared, making the group walk in a tight formation to stay safe.
Sasuke led the way at the front, carrying Mini-Sasuke on his back in a piggyback ride to keep the young boy out of the deep snow.
Right behind them, Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata walked together in a line on the right side. They were holding hands tightly, using their combined warmth to fight the freezing air.
On the left side, tucked behind Sasuke and walking beside Hinata, were Ino and Karin. They were also holding hands, leaning into each other as they struggled against the heavy wind.
At the very back of the group, Lee, Neji, and Tenten followed closely. Neji walked in the middle of the three, placing his hands firmly on the shoulders of both Lee and Tenten.
He did this to keep the line steady and make sure no one slipped on the icy path or got lost in the whiteout.
Everyone moved as one single unit, their heavy cloaks flapping in the storm. They looked like a chain of shadows against the bright white snow, trying their best to reach a safe place before the night became even more dangerous.
Ino stopped for a second. She was rubbing her hands together very hard, trying to make them warm. Her face was red from the freezing wind, and she looked very upset.
"I can't stand this!" Ino shouted over the wind.
"Why did we have to take this hard path through the freezing winter? It's the worst!"
She looked at the others, her eyes narrow and cold.
"It would have been much better if we went toward Sunagakure," she complained. "In the desert, the weather is hot and dry. I would rather deal with the heat than this. At least there, I wouldn't feel like my fingers and toes are about to break off like ice! I hate this cold!"
She pulled her cloak tighter, but she was still shivering. "I would take a hundred sandstorms over this frozen mountain. At least in the heat, you can feel your own body!"
Sasuke stopped in the deep snow. He turned his head slowly and looked back at Ino.
His eyes were very sharp and cold. He did not say anything, but his face looked very angry.
He stood tall with Mini-Sasuke on his back, not moving even when the wind hit him. His eyebrows were pulled down, and his mouth was a tight line.
Ino stopped talking and felt scared when she saw him. Sasuke's body was stiff. He stared at her with a look that showed he had no more patience for her complaining.
Sakura noticed the silent fight between Sasuke and Ino and decided to step in. She let go of Naruto and Hinata's hands and walked forward until she was just a few inches away from Sasuke.
"Ino, stop it," Sakura said firmly, looking back at her friend.
"Look at Sasuke kun's younger self. He is just a small child, and he isn't saying a single word about the cold. If he can be brave and stay quiet, then you should be able to do the same."
Ino bit her lip and looked away, feeling a bit ashamed but still frustrated.
'Ugh, Sakura is right, but it still hurts! My feet feel like blocks of wood. I just want a warm fire and a bed, not this endless white mountain.'
As Sakura stepped closer to Sasuke to check on the group, she looked up at the little boy on his back. Her heart stopped for a second. Mini-Sasuke's face was very pale, and his lips were turning a dark, scary shade of blue.
'Oh no! His body is getting too cold. His circulation is slowing down. If we don't get him warm right now, he could be in serious danger!'
"Sasuke kun!!" Sakura said, her voice sounding very panicked. She grabbed Sasuke's arm to make him look at her. "Look at him! His lips are blue! We have to stop and warm him up right now!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. He quickly looked over his shoulder at the small boy clinging to his cloak. Seeing the blue color on the child's face sent a jolt of fear through him.
'How did I miss that? I was so focused on reaching Tetsu no Kuni that I didn't see him. If anything happens to him because of my arrogance, I'll never forgive myself. I have to find shelter immediately!'
The anger he felt toward Ino disappeared instantly, replaced by a deep, sharp fear for the young boy's life.
Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the howling wind from the back of the line.
"I CAN'T SEE YOU! WHERE IS EVERYONE?"
It was Lee shouting at the top of his lungs. He was panicking because the blowing snow was so thick he couldn't see the people just a few feet away.
Tenten jumped at the noise and squeezed her eyes shut. "Lee! Don't shout!" she yelled back. "We are right here, and so are the others! You're going to cause an avalanche with that big mouth!"
But as they were talking, Tenten and Lee both felt something change. The steady, strong hands that had been resting on their shoulders were gone.
Neji had let go and stopped walking. He stood still in the deep snow, his head hanging low as he tried to catch his breath.
'What was my brain thinking when I agreed to this path? I must be losing my mind to choose a route through this frozen wasteland....' Neji thought.
'....And look at me now—my stamina is a joke. I'm stopping every two minutes just to breathe, like I've never walked a day in my life. My legs are acting like they don't belong to me anymore. I'm standing here huffing and puffing while the wind laughs at me. Great job, Neji. Really great job.'
Neji let out a shaky breath, feeling deeply annoyed with himself. He was frustrated that his body was giving out and that he had let himself get into such a miserable situation.
Sasuke was already sitting on the snow floor and carefully made Mini-Sasuke lie across his lap. He held the small boy close, trying to share as much body heat as possible.
The rest of the group quickly gathered around them. Sakura sat on her knees on the right side, leaning over to look at Mini-Sasuke's pale face. Her eyes were filled with worry as she checked his breathing.
On the left side, Naruto was also on his knees. He had quickly removed Mini-Sasuke's sandals and was rubbing the boy's cold feet with his hands, trying to get the blood flowing again.
Ino and Hinata were squeezed between Naruto and Sakura, sitting right in front of Sasuke. They stayed close together, forming a human wall to block the freezing wind from reaching the small child.
Sakura's eyes widened as she leaned closer to the small boy. "Sasuke-kun! His breathing is getting too slow!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear. "His heart beat is dropping!"
Sasuke immediately grabbed the boy's small, cold hands. He began to rub them vigorously between his own palms, his face pale with worry. "Hey! Hey, look at me!" he said urgently.
"Stay awake! Hey! Don't you dare close your eyes! Hey, can you hear me? Wake up!"
----
✍️ AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Chapter 33-The Chaos of the Evening 🏔️
This chapter highlights the high price of survival. From Karin's desperate lies 🤫 to Naruto's heartbreaking sacrifice of Gama-chan 🐸, the group is losing their past comforts just to stay warm. The "lucky coin" 💰 is gone, and the "Eight-fold Shield" plan is officially in motion!p
The mountain environment has become the ultimate enemy. 🌬️ The transition to the "human chain" ⛓️ was meant to show their unity, but even their bond is fraying under the cold. Ino's frustration 💢 and Neji's exhaustion 😰 prove that even elite ninja have a breaking point when the world turns white.
The climax is a true nightmare. 🩺 Seeing Mini Sasuke fade away with blue lips is a terrifying reminder of what's at stake.
Sasuke's cold mask has finally shattered into pure panic. 💔 The mission to reach safety has officially turned into a race against a slowing heartbeat!
TALK TO ME 😎
The journey has turned into a fight for life! Let's talk about those heavy moments! 👇
Gama-chan's sacrifice! 🐸 Poor Naruto had to give up his hard-earned savings and his "lucky coin" for wool cloaks. Do you think he'll ever forgive Sasuke for spending that silver one? 💰🍜
Karin's Secret! 🤫 She managed to dodge Sakura's question with a lie about an orphanage, but how long can she hide her ties to Orochimaru? Do you think Sakura actually believed her, or was she just being polite? 👓🌸
The Frostbite Crisis! 🆘 Mini Sasuke is in serious danger. With Neji exhausted and the storm howling, how are they going to find a way to warm him up in the middle of a whiteout?
Share your theories on how they survive this night! ❄️🔥
📜 TEASER FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
A flickering spark 🕯️ against the deep frost,
A life-force shared so a soul isn't lost. ⚡
With the breath of the dragon 🔥 to keep the child warm,
They fight for the heartbeat amidst the dark storm. 🩺
But the emerald spirit 🟢 meets a jagged descent,
A staggering fall as his power is spent. 📉
Yet as they move downward, the biting teeth cease, 🌬️
And the air brings a whisper of tolerable peace. 🌫️
The Iron border 🛡️ draws near in the gray,
As the "unbearable" winter finally gives way.
SNEAK PEEK LINES 💬
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"Good thinking, Hinata!"
'This is all my fault for pushing everyone so hard through this storm.'
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—With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
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