章節 226: 225
Haruto stepped out of the exam room, letting out a slow breath as he shook off the tension from the written test. The jōnin proctor had given them their instructions—to report to the Forest of Death tomorrow for the next stage. The real challenges were about to begin, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of relief.
The hallway outside was crowded with genin from various villages, all of them buzzing with nerves and adrenaline. Haruto navigated through the crowd, his mind still turning over the events of the day. He had done well in the written test—his photographic memory and cognitive upgrades made it a breeze—but he knew that tomorrow would be an entirely different game.
Just as he was about to turn down a quieter corridor, he felt someone bump into him hard, knocking him slightly off balance.
"Ah, sorry about that!" came a voice, light and apologetic.
Haruto turned to see a girl, about 15 years old if he had to guess, standing in front of him. She had dark hair pulled back into a high ponytail, and sharp, angular features that softened into a friendly smile as she looked up at him. She had been distracted, talking to her teammate, and hadn't seen him in time to avoid the collision. The Konoha forehead protector she wore around her neck marked her as one of their own, though Haruto didn't recognize her.
"I wasn't paying attention," she added with a small laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. Her tone was casual, almost too relaxed considering the tense atmosphere around them.
Haruto shrugged it off. "No problem," he replied, stepping aside to let her pass.
"This is Aika," her teammate said, his voice much quieter, offering Haruto a polite nod. He stood next to her, a bit taller and more reserved, but his eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings, giving the impression of someone always on edge.
Haruto glanced between them. He didn't recognize either of them from his academy days, though they were clearly Konoha shinobi. They seemed like just another team, yet something about them—about her—caught his attention. Aika's smile was bright, even warm, but there was an undercurrent to it that made Haruto pause. It was genuine on the surface, but behind it, there was a sense of detachment, as though the smile was there because it was supposed to be, not because she really felt it.
She spoke easily, almost effortlessly, as though they had known each other for years. But Haruto had learned to trust his instincts, and something about this girl felt… off. It wasn't anything he could point to directly, just a feeling in his gut that something wasn't quite right.
"Haruto," he introduced himself, keeping his tone neutral as he studied her.
They made small talk, the usual chatter about the exams and the tension leading into the Forest of Death. Aika's voice was light, almost too casual considering the pressure hanging in the air. Her teammate stayed mostly quiet, watching the conversation unfold but rarely contributing.
"Fourth time for me," Aika said suddenly, catching Haruto off guard. "This is my fourth attempt at the Chunin Exams." She laughed, a little self-deprecating, as though the weight of it didn't bother her as much as it should.
Haruto raised an eyebrow. Fourth time? That was rare. Most shinobi wouldn't stick with it after failing that many times. "Fourth time? That's impressive," he said, a bit more intrigued now. "Most people wouldn't keep going after that."
Aika shrugged, her smile still bright. "You only fail if you stop trying, right?"
Her words were simple, but something about the way she said them nagged at Haruto. It was as if she believed them, but at the same time, didn't really care one way or the other. There was an odd detachment in her tone, like she was running through the motions of the conversation without any real emotional investment.
Still, Haruto couldn't figure out why the interaction left him unsettled. There was nothing outwardly suspicious about her—she seemed friendly enough, even charming. But there was that lingering feeling that something wasn't quite adding up, as though her bright exterior masked something much darker beneath.
He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He had more important things to focus on, like making it through the Forest of Death tomorrow. He had seen enough deception in the world to know that people wore masks for all sorts of reasons. Whatever her story was, it wasn't his problem. Not yet, at least.
"Good luck tomorrow, Haruto," Aika said as she turned to leave, her smile still perfectly in place. "Hope to see you in one piece on the other side."
Haruto gave a small nod, watching her and her teammate as they walked away, disappearing into the crowd of genin. As he turned to leave, he couldn't shake the odd feeling lingering in the back of his mind. Aika's smile. It was genuine, but not at the same time. Something about it stuck with him, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit.
Still, he had to focus. The Forest of Death was no joke, and whatever lay ahead would test him and his team in ways the written exam couldn't. Tomorrow was about survival. Everything else, including the strange girl with the odd smile, would have to wait.
But as Haruto walked away, he couldn't help but glance back one last time, his instincts telling him that there was more to Aika than she let on. Whatever it was, he would keep it in the back of his mind, tucked away for later.
For now, though, he needed to stay sharp. Tomorrow would be the true test, and he needed to be ready for whatever was coming.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票