15: Chapter 15 JealousySeveral days have passed since the unexpected kiss in the rain.
The atmosphere between the two became even more subtle.
Ino no longer looked at Naruto as naturally as before; her gaze was always somewhat evasive, and her cheeks would easily flush red.
She would deliberately avoid touching things with her fingers when handing them over, but when Naruto occasionally got close, she would unconsciously hold her breath.
Shyness, panic, and a secret anticipation—these emotions continuously provide Naruto with villainous points.
[Ding!Ino blushes as she recalls the incident; Villain Value +15!]
Naruto was happy to see things progress, but he wasn't in a hurry to break the ice, maintaining this ambiguous relationship.
Sakura has been coming less often, and even when she does come, she always leaves in a hurry, looking rather pale, and tries to avoid running into Naruto.
But Naruto could sense that her green eyes were always secretly observing him and Ino from the shadows, her gaze so twisted it could drip water.
[Ding!Sakura, secretly observing, feels a pang of jealousy; Villain Value +25!]
The ANBU "Shami" continued to faithfully carry out their surveillance mission, regularly transmitting information to Naruto through the one-way link of the "Heart-Binding Curse".
His report was carefully selected, perfectly presenting an image of Naruto Uzumaki who was "slightly depressed because he could not become a ninja, but whose relationship with the Yamanaka family's daughter had improved, and who occasionally caused minor damage but was harmless."
Through the crystal ball, Hiruzen Sarutobi mostly saw Naruto helping to move flower pots or sitting in a daze at the shop entrance.Occasionally, he would see the slightly unnatural interaction between Naruto and Ino, and a gratified smile would even appear on his old face.
It seems that keeping Naruto in the village will indeed settle him down.and with Ino, that kid, seems like a good option too?
But he couldn't see the twisted, struggling expression on the "raccoon's" face beneath the mask as it conveyed these messages, nor the shame and pain burning deep within its soul by the cursed seal.
Every report felt like a slow, agonizing torture of my own will, from which I could not resist.
Naruto also learned some of Konoha's activities through the raccoon dog.
For example, the frequency and scope of patrols outside the village seem to have been slightly adjusted recently, and there are signs of increased activity from the roots, as if they are investigating something.
And—the Chunin Selection Exams will be held in a month.
This message made Naruto's gaze narrow slightly.
The Chunin Exams.Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan.This is a huge crisis, but at the same time, it is also an excellent stage to gain power and villainous value!
He needs to prepare for this.
That evening, a light drizzle began to fall again.
Naruto finished his work and came out of the flower shop.
Ino stood at the door, handing him an umbrella, her eyes still somewhat evasive, her voice soft: ".Be careful on the road."
Naruto took the umbrella, his fingertips lightly brushing against her fingers, feeling her slight trembling, and nodded.
He opened his umbrella and stepped into the rain.
Not far along, on a quiet street corner, I spotted a familiar figure—Haruno Sakura.
She was squatting alone under the eaves without an umbrella, hugging her knees, soaked to the bone, her pink hair sticking to her cheeks and neck, looking extremely disheveled.
She seemed to have been waiting there for a long time.As soon as she saw Naruto, she immediately looked up, her eyes red and swollen, as if she had just cried or as if they had been washed by rain.
Those emerald eyes churned with resentment, unwillingness, and a hidden anger.
"You and Ino."
Her voice trembled slightly from the cold and excitement, "What.what were you doing in the shop?"
Naruto stopped, tilting his umbrella slightly as he looked at her through the rain, his face expressionless, even slightly amusement: "What did I do?Do I need to report to you?"
His attitude enraged Sakura, who suddenly stood up, her voice rising and trembling with tears: "I saw it all!You were standing so close together!"
"Her.her face is so red!You.did you kiss her?" She practically screamed the last sentence, her voice filled with a breakdown she herself couldn't comprehend.
Naruto watched her lose control quietly, raindrops dripping down the edge of his umbrella.
He suddenly chuckled softly, the sound of which seemed particularly clear and jarring against the backdrop of the rain.
"So what if I am?" He said in a flat tone, even with a hint of mockery.He took a step forward, the shadow of his umbrella enveloping Sakura as he looked down at her pale, wet face."What's it to you?"
Sakura trembled, her lips quivering, unable to utter a word, stung by the contempt in his words.
Naruto's gaze lingered on her face, then slowly, word by word, he uttered a devilish whisper:
"You're just a."
"Just let me.and that's all."
These words pierced through Sakura's defenses perfectly!
Her pupils suddenly contracted, and all the color drained from her face, turning her ashen white!
"You.you're lying!I didn't!I'm not!"
She screamed in protest, but her voice was so weak it sounded like a groan, and tears mingled with the rain.
Naruto just looked at her coldly, his eyes seeming to say: Keep pretending.
Sakura broke down under his gaze.
All her explanations were weak and ineffective; the shameful memories and reactions that had been awakened deep within her overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
She looked at the devilish man before her, who effortlessly tore through all her defenses, exposing her most vulnerable side to the cold rain.
The immense impact and a distorted sense of stimulation made her almost unable to stand.She could only lean against the wall, gasping for breath, her vision blurred.
Naruto watched her break down, then slowly added, lowering his voice even further:
"So, put away that jealous look on your face."
"You have no right to interfere in my affairs."
After saying that, he didn't look at her again and walked straight past her, the edge of the umbrella brushing against her shoulder, the rain chilling her to the bone.
After walking a few steps, he seemed to remember something.They stopped walking, but didn't turn around.Only their voices drifted over, mingling with the sound of rain.
"Congratulations on passing the Chunin Exams preliminary round."
"It would be too boring if I got killed in the next round."
This sentence, like a dividing line, also carried a very strange.attention?It crashed into Sakura's chaotic mind.
She quickly looked up and watched Naruto's figure disappear into the rain without looking back.Her body slid down the wall and collapsed into the cold puddles.She could no longer hold back and let out a suppressed, broken sob.
[Ding!Extreme humiliation and breaking through Sakura's psychological defenses, causing her to break down and become twisted, gaining Villain Value +400!]
As Naruto heard the notification of his substantial income in his mind, a sinister smile crept onto his lips.
Chunin Exams, main tournament.
The stage is set up, and the actors should take the stage one by one.
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