Crack!
A dead branch snapped beneath their feet.*
The mist was gradually clearing. The fierce wind blew, and this unfamiliar experience made Sako's heart race.
She was nervous, a little scared, but a strange warmth filled her.
Then she looked at the neck in front of her… Naruto's, to be exact.
Against all odds, he remained calm, not panicking.
In the end, I really know how to pick my friends.
Reassured by the apparent absence of danger, Sako started to feel joyful… unaware that danger was returning.
"We're out~!"
Sako let out a shout of joy.
The mist had nearly vanished.
More precisely, they had left the area of the Mist Jutsu.
But… where were they?
"Huh?"
Sako turned around toward a tall cliff.
It took her a few seconds to realize it was the back of the Hokage Mountain.
"We left Konoha~?!"
"Exactly, little ones…"
A hoarse female voice made Sako jump.
A fierce-looking kunoichi had surrounded them.
A woman.
Dressed in blue, with matching blue hair.
And an impressive set of shark-like teeth.
From her forehead protector, it was clear she wasn't from Konoha.
"She's a ninja from Kiri!"
At least Sako could identify that.
"Jūzō wanted everything for himself. I knew he was scheming something… It's all for that little Uchiha… On top of the Mist Jutsu, he used the Fox Illusion Jutsu to lure them out of Konoha…"
The blonde boy next to Sako was completely ignored.
The Uchiha crest on Sako's clothes drew all the attention.
That distinctive symbol, along with the clan's reputation, made her the prime target.
"You… you…"
Sako stepped back two paces.
But thinking of Naruto, she knew she couldn't show weakness.
So she stepped forward, took a deep breath, and shouted:
"So, Kiri ninjas dare to plot against us? You think with the chūnin exams going on, no one will notice? I'm warning you… old hag, my clansmen will be here any minute!"
Sako's words had no effect on the enemy.
But old hag hit a nerve.
"O-Old hag?!"
The Kiri kunoichi, a tantō strapped to her back, twitched visibly.
"Ahhh~, I remember now! You look just like a character from a movie I saw… Storm Princess: Origins, the failed evil witch! Obsessed with demonic experiments, she wanted to conquer the world and ended up as a bitter old maid… She had a crush on the handsome warrior who protected the princess… Gross…"
According to the timeline, Kazahana Yukie had already begun her acting career.
Storm Princess wasn't just a movie—it was a series, like The Lord of the Rings.
From its release, Storm Princess had swept through the shinobi world. The actress Fujikaze Yukie (Yukie's stage name) had become a star.
Naruto thought about all that, then looked back at Sako behind him.
He truly hadn't expected this cute side of her.
It also showed that Sako, surrounded by family and happiness, had a vibrant and playful personality.
"What, are you mad? You gonna attack us? I'm warning you… old hag, if you lay a hand on us, my clan will—"
Sako didn't get the chance to finish.
Her sharp tongue had made the enemy lose all composure.
"You little brat~~!"
With a swift motion, the Kiri kunoichi drew her tantō. She no longer wanted to capture Sako alive.
She wanted to slice her in half.
But Naruto was even faster!
His youthful body leapt forward, striking the enemy's wrist with a fluid kick.
The tantō flew into the air.
"What?!"
Naruto spun and struck the woman's cheek with his heel.
Bam!
A surprising strength burst from that small body.
As if a giant hammer had hit her.
The Kiri kunoichi crashed to the ground.
Slap.
Naruto landed steadily.
The sight left Sako speechless.
Then, she saw Naruto reach out, grab her clothes, and yank her suddenly.
The scenery in front of her began to blur.
A whistling wind echoed in her ears.
Shhhh—!!!
A rain of kunai fell on the spot where they had just been.
As for the unfortunate enemy kunoichi, she was pierced by the barrage of kunai.
"What… is going on…?"
"Her teammates have arrived."
Naruto, holding Sako's hand, dashed away at full speed.
"In Kiri, the concept of 'comrade' doesn't exist. To them, every colleague is a disposable tool…"
Sako, facing the wind, looked back.
The enemy kunoichi lay on the ground, riddled with kunai, a pool of blood spreading around her.
For the first time, the cruelty of the shinobi world revealed itself to Sako.
She understood then that the world she lived in had never been simple.
I'm going to be traumatized by this…
Sako murmured to herself.
Then…
"That person, she…"
"She's dead." Naruto replied calmly. "We have no reason to worry about her. She's the enemy…"
Chasing shouts echoed behind them. Sako forced herself to focus on escaping.
Shhhh—!
The whistling of kunai and shuriken tore through the air, making Sako feel like death was lurking right behind her.
Until a kunai, trailing a plume of smoke, came flying straight at them.