Chapter 456: Confession
While an earth-shattering battle began on Haruno Sakura's side, Sasuke, led by Yoru, was also slowly approaching Naruto on the other side.
"Sasuke-nii, Naruto-nii's scent is just ahead." Yoru lay on Sasuke's head and whispered, "I also smelled something like Sakura-nee's scent."
Sasuke stopped immediately.
He looked around. This was the traveler's street of a small town in the Land of Iron. The few buildings in front were all hostels built by one inn. The street was empty, with few pedestrians.
On the roof of the middle building, he saw the target he was looking for.
"Sitting on the roof are Naruto... and Kakashi-sensei, Yamato is also there..."
During the year Sasuke entered the Anbu, he occasionally did missions with Yamato and knew he had a good relationship with Kakashi-sensei. He just didn't expect Naruto to be involved with him.
Compared to the Naruto he knew, the Naruto of this world didn't have much change in chakra feeling, but his figure was slightly taller, and his features and temperament seemed a bit more mature.
After all, it's Naruto one year later. Sasuke wasn't surprised.
Should he go out and greet them?
Sasuke shook his head and dismissed the idea.
One must know that he in this world was a Konoha rogue ninja... Going out to reveal his identity at this time might cause big trouble.
"Just like I promised Sakura, observe the intelligence first, then think of a way..." Sasuke chanted silently in his heart, trying to hide himself deeper. Having trained in the Anbu for so long, his concealment ability was quite good. At least in this position, even the keen Kakashi didn't discover his existence.
"Meow meow meow!" Yoru suddenly said nervously, "Not good, Sasuke-nii! Meow smelled a dog, seems to be Kiba Inuzuka's Akamaru! A team is walking this way!"
Sasuke was startled. Akamaru's sense of smell was much keener than Kakashi's sensory ability. Hiding so close would likely be discovered by it. Fortunately, Yoru was actually keener than Akamaru and sensed its existence in advance...
To avoid exposure, Sasuke carefully retreated a bit farther, hiding in the woods at the end of the street, in a downwind position.
At this distance, with the vision of the Sharingan, Sasuke could also clearly see a team of ninja walking over.
Leading the way at the front were Kiba and Akamaru. Following Kiba was Lee.
Then came the Sakura of this world.
A white robe covered the girl's body, revealing only her head.
The pink hair was slightly shorter than the shoulder-length hair of the Haruno Sakura he was used to. The facial features were almost exactly the same—perhaps the Sakura of his world was a bit prettier—but the expression was completely different.
It was the first time Sasuke saw Sakura with such a gentle and graceful demeanor.
At the end of the team was Sai, a person from Root. Sasuke had interrogated him just a few weeks ago.
Why was he here? Sasuke put the doubt in his heart for now and continued to watch intently.
Haruno Sakura raised her head, seeming to be saying something to Naruto. Sasuke skillfully enhanced his cochlea with chakra, temporarily boosting his hearing ability—
"Naruto... I have something to tell you..."
Haruno Sakura stood in the snow and said timidly.
It seemed that the relationship between Sakura and Naruto in this world was also good.
What was she going to say to Naruto in this place?
Haruno Sakura's expression was a bit conflicted, with a hint of solemnity, seeming to be about to say something very important...
Sasuke watched curiously.
Naruto jumped down from the roof.
"What is it, just say it."
Haruno Sakura hesitated and remained silent for a moment.
The wind of the Land of Iron, carrying a slight chill, blew through the street, rolling withered leaves and carrying snowflakes, drifting down bleakly between the two.
The girl lowered her head, poking several snow holes on the ground with her toes. After hesitating for a long time, her expression finally changed from hesitation to determination.
"Naruto..."
She said softly.
"I like you."
The girl's soft whisper, almost a murmur, sounded like thunder among the crowd!
"Eh—?"
Lee and Yamato simultaneously let out exclamations of disbelief.
Kiba Inuzuka's reaction was more natural, but he was also slightly stunned and pursed his lips.
Only Kakashi, with his dead fish eyes drooping, remained completely impassive, looking at Haruno Sakura expressionlessly without saying a word...
As the object of confession, Naruto was so surprised that he couldn't speak clearly: "Sakura... just now, what did you just say... maybe I didn't hear clearly...?"
"I said, Naruto..."
The girl shyly looked away, angrily emphasized her tone, and repeated: "I said, I like you!"
She stepped forward and hugged Naruto tightly.
Naruto opened his mouth wide, unable to say a word...
However, among the people present, the most surprised was not Naruto, the object of confession.
But Sasuke, who just hid and heard such explosive news.
Sakura... likes Naruto...?
What was going on? Sasuke completely couldn't imagine that he would suddenly hear such news...
Instantly, his mind was a bit chaotic.
In this short moment of chaotic thoughts, Sasuke's aura showed a trace of instability, and then exposed his existence!
"Woof woof woof!"
Akamaru suddenly barked wildly!
Kiba was startled suddenly, and then Kakashi also keenly sensed it—
"It's his aura!"
"Sasuke is here!"
The two almost simultaneously cast their gaze towards Sasuke's hiding place.
In this instant.
Their gazes met the slightly stunned eyes of the black-haired boy.
"Really is... Sasuke?"
Kakashi widened his eyes in disbelief.
Why would Sasuke appear here?
While Kakashi was quickly thinking about what Sasuke's sudden appearance meant and whether this would be a trap, Naruto beside him had already shouted "Sasuke!" and rushed out!
Sasuke... subconsciously turned and ran.
Of course not afraid of Naruto—although such enthusiastic Naruto made him a bit awkward.
But because he saw vigilance and even hostility in the eyes of many ninja present.
In their eyes, I am the Konoha rogue ninja Sasuke, right...? So getting caught by them, the consequences seem not so good.
Perhaps explaining patiently could clear up the misunderstanding, but Sasuke inexplicably didn't want to waste that time, let alone take that risk... Since discovered, just leave here first! He sighed silently in his heart, his emotions subtly complex, but the speed under his feet did not slow down at all.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Demon Form!"
Sasuke unhesitatingly unleashed his strongest form. The double boost of Lightning Release and Combination Transformation increased his agility out of thin air, accelerating his already impressive speed to an unmatched level instantly!
Within a few leaps, Kakashi and others saw Sasuke moving away from their sight at an unattainable speed, soon completely shaking off the pursuers and disappearing into the depths of the snow like chasing the wind and lightning.
"Can't catch up." Kakashi simply stopped, waiting for the slower companions behind.
Lee and Yamato arrived first, followed by Kiba and Naruto, and finally Sakura and Sai.
"Where is Sasuke?"
As soon as he stopped, Naruto asked urgently.
"He went far." Kakashi lifted his eyelids and replied.
"Don't worry!" Kiba patted Akamaru's head and comforted Naruto, "Akamaru has been smelling Sasuke's scent! With it here, we won't lose track of Sasuke!"
Akamaru twitched its nose and huffed twice.
"Unless Sasuke knows long-distance Space-Time Ninjutsu..." Kakashi added a sentence, then said, "And before that, I think we'd better confirm first if that person is Sasuke!"
"What's wrong... that person, isn't he Sasuke?" Naruto asked in surprise.
"Doesn't look like it. The biggest flaw is that the Konoha forehead protector he wore was intact..." Kakashi said lightly.
The defected Sasuke would never wear the ninja forehead protector belonging to Konoha again no matter what. Naruto knew this very well because Sasuke's forehead protector had always been kept in his hands...
"And Akamaru just smelled cats, but didn't smell the fishy smell of snakes." Kiba added.
Naruto fell silent.
"But I still feel that person is Sasuke!" He lowered his head, clenched his fists, and said excitedly, "You all saw him!"
"Don't be like this, Naruto." Sakura walked up from behind, hugged Naruto's shoulders, trying to calm his excited mood.
"That might just be someone deliberately using Transformation Jutsu to look like Sasuke... trying to lure us somewhere." She said softly.
"That's possible..." The dead fish eye on Kakashi's face flickered, agreeing.
Rationally, he thought what Sakura said made sense, but emotionally and intuitively, Kakashi, like Naruto, actually felt that person was Sasuke...
In that moment of eye contact, he confirmed the look.
However, Kakashi couldn't say such baseless speculation.
"No matter who he is, we have to follow up until we confirm his identity and purpose...!" The white-haired young man looked at the young ninja beside him and issued his order.
At this time, on the other end of the forest.
"It's okay now, Sasuke-nii!" Yoru reminded, "They have stopped and are reorganizing the team."
Sasuke then released the Chidori Demon Mode and slowed down.
"Meow~" Abi, who had been stuffed in the chest for a long time, stuck out its small head and meowed naively, "Sasuke-nii, so Sakura-nee likes Naruto-nii!"
"Idiot!" Yoru knocked Abi's head with its fat paw and said, "That is the Haruno Sakura of this world, not our Sakura-nee!"
Sasuke pressed Abi's head back into his arms, traveled silently, recalling the scene he just saw in his heart.
"Does the Sakura of this world really like Naruto..." He murmured to himself.
"Forget it, this kind of question is boring!" Sasuke shook his head, rubbing the soft fur on Yoru's head, "Let's go, Yoru. Meet up with Sakura."
"If they want to follow, just let them follow."
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