Aoki took a deep breath and calmed himself. He smiled and looked at the girl with a friendly expression.
"Heh... Come in!" Aoki said, his voice sounding lighter than before. "Do you want food?"
The girl remained silent. However, the aroma of ramen still wafting in the air, along with the sudden loud growl of her stomach, made her blush with embarrassment.
The girl hesitated for a moment, but slowly, with small and cautious steps, she finally stepped into the old wooden hut.
Aoki smiled, knowing that he had just found something far more valuable than just a new recruit.
...
...
...
In a dense forest, just southeast of the Konohagakure region, three figures were resting under the shade of lush trees. The dark green leaves swayed gently in the night breeze, creating a rustling sound that mingled with the songs of insects. The smell of wet earth and decaying leaves filled the air, indicating that it had rained not long ago.
They were Aoki, Tetsu, and Ajisai.
The three of them were currently sitting in silence, accompanied only by the dim light of the moon, which was occasionally obscured by clouds. A small campfire flickered in front of them, the flames dancing in the dark, occasionally crackling as the wood burned and split.
The reason Tetsu was here was quite clear—the boy had given up and chosen to follow Aoki's orders. In other words, Tetsu was now Aoki's subordinate, a follower without purpose who had finally found someone to look up to, or at least someone who could provide him with food and protection.
But how did Ajisai end up here?
To answer that question, we must go back a few days...
...
...
...
Inside a dilapidated wooden hut in the middle of a quiet forest, a small girl sat in the corner of the room, her small hands trembling as she tightly gripped a pair of chopsticks. Her pale green eyes stared down, unfocused, like someone who had been on the brink of starvation for too long.
The girl's hair was dark purple, tied into two small buns on the sides of her head, resembling onions. However, unlike a typical cheerful girl, her face was too somber for her age. Her black pupils appeared deep and empty, as if holding something that a child so small should not possess—sadness, fear, and profound exhaustion.
The clothes the little girl wore clearly showed the harsh life she had endured. The light purple kimono jacket that wrapped around her small body looked dirty and dusty, with the fabric starting to tear in several places. The brownish-orange sash tied around her waist had lost its original color, and the lavender pants she wore were stained with dirt and mud.
She was Ajisai.
In front of Ajisai, a cup of ramen steamed hotly. The savory aroma of the salty broth wafted through the air, making Ajisai's empty stomach twist even more. Without a second thought, Ajisai grabbed her chopsticks and began to eat eagerly.
Every strand of noodle that entered Ajisai's mouth was swallowed almost without chewing. The hot broth didn't even have a chance to cool as it passed down her throat. Ajisai ate quickly, as if afraid someone would snatch her food away. Her hands trembled slightly as she brought the chopsticks to her mouth, but she continued to devour it with unrestrained appetite.
On the other side, a boy with black hair and deep blue eyes watched her with a hint of surprise.
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[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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