The forest fell silent again after the three bandits ran away. I was still trembling, my fingers cold, my breath uneven. My body was soaked with sweat and adrenaline, but the cold of the approaching rain cut through my bones.
"I… really died back there."
Those words sent shivers down my neck. Dead… and then alive again. Back in the past? Alive again? This wasn't something I could just accept with a nod and say, "Oh, okay."
The truth… I was scared.
I wiped my face, trying to calm down, but it didn't work. The blood on my knees had dried, and my skin stuck to the damp earth. Sitting still wasn't helping. I stood up, leaned against a large tree trunk, and tried to figure out which way to go.
"Find a path, find someone… anyone."
Before I could take more than a few steps, a faint rumble came from the distance. I looked up—the sky was still clear, but the scent of rain… it came too quickly. Like a storm being summoned. The smell of wet earth, crushed leaves, and cold air biting my nose made me even more alert.
Then—
Sret. Sret. Sret.
Three figures appeared from different directions, their steps so light I almost didn't notice. Reflexively, I stepped back, gripping the blunt knife I had taken from the dead bandit's pocket.
They emerged from behind the trees, and instantly I realized one thing: they looked human, but… not like ordinary people.
The first—a young man with bright orange hair, a long raincoat, and a lively yet sharp gaze. Leadership radiated from him even as he stood casually.
The second—a girl with bluish-purple hair tied with an origami butterfly ribbon. Her eyes were sharp, analyzing my every move. She seemed ready to act at any moment, yet calm.
The third—tall, thin, messy red hair, pale face, and… his eyes?
I froze.
Those eyes… like layered circles, full of mystery. Intense. As if they could read my thoughts.
My mind refused to believe it. Impossible. Unreal. There couldn't be a human like that—especially in a remote forest.
The orange-haired boy looked at me and gave a small smile. "Hey. Are you hurt?" His voice was serious but friendly, not threatening at all.
I raised my knife higher. "Don't come closer."
The blue-haired girl raised an eyebrow, clearly assessing the situation. The one with the circular eyes stayed silent, just watching… and I could feel my body tense for no reason.
Yahiko—the orange-haired one—raised his empty hands, signaling peace. "We're not enemies. We just saw three bandits running scared. You drove them away?"
I swallowed hard.
Yes, I was the one who drove them off. But them—these three—were on a whole different level. Their stance was too steady. Their movements almost soundless. Their aura… made my heart race. They weren't ordinary people.
"I just… survived," I replied cautiously.
The boy chuckled softly. "That means you're impressive."
I looked at them more closely. Long raincoat. Striking hair. Circular eyes… All of them looked like high-level cosplay. But who cosplays in the middle of a forest at this hour?
The blue-haired girl interrupted, "You're alone in this forest. That alone is strange. Which village are you from?"
"I… don't know," I answered honestly.
The orange-haired boy frowned. "Don't know?"
"I just woke up here. I don't even know which forest this is."
They exchanged glances, like solving a puzzle. The one with circular eyes finally spoke, deep and soft. "You're lying?"
His tone wasn't angry, just… checking.
I tightened my grip on the knife. "I'm not lying. I don't even know… what country this is."
The orange-haired boy patted my shoulder briefly. "Calm down. You're scared."
I winced but had to lower the knife a little. "Who are you?"
The orange-haired boy answered without hesitation. "I'm Yahiko." He pointed to the blue-haired girl. "This is Konan." And the one with circular eyes, speaking softly but firmly, introduced himself: "Nagato."
The ground seemed to shift beneath my feet. Those names… hit me like a hammer. I laughed dryly, even though my heart was racing. "These three… don't tell me… you're from Ame—"
Suddenly, the sky unleashed the rain. Not lightly. A heavy downpour, like a curtain.
Yahiko smiled under the rain. "Welcome to our territory."
Konan glanced warily at me, while Nagato just stared, as if reading my mind.
And I… stood there, soaked, realizing one thing: somehow, someway… I had really entered the world of Naruto.