The Second Girls journey in Naruto

Sakuragi observed the ninja before him.

Although young, the boy exuded a constant aura of danger, his expression blank but with a hidden sharpness behind the reflective lenses of his glasses.

"Are you really just a child?" the young leader asked, gripping his weapon tightly.

Sakuragi lowered his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Heh~"

His unwavering confidence made the young leader even more anxious. He had only wanted to extract some information from his opponent, just as he had done with Tsuchiya Tsukigami earlier. Analyzing speech, actions, and behavior had allowed him to deduce that Tsuchiya saw them as mere bandits, beneath his notice.

That arrogance had given the young leader an opening to catch him off guard with a cheap trick. If it weren't for Tsuchiya's Fire Release jutsu, which made it too risky to approach, things might have turned out differently.

[Time is running out!]

If he delayed any longer, the two kunoichi would return, and his chance would be lost.

Gritting his teeth, the young leader rushed forward, closing the distance between them in just three steps. Yet Sakuragi remained motionless.

The young leader's nerves tensed. [Something's wrong! Is this a clone technique?]

Yet, before he could second-guess himself, Sakuragi moved—swift as lightning.

Kunai in hand, he slashed through the air.

Clang!

The young leader barely managed to block the strike, but the impact nearly made him lose his grip on his weapon. Forced back several steps, he glared at Sakuragi, whose calm demeanor remained unchanged.

"It seems you've seen through me," the young leader admitted.

"Not really," Sakuragi replied, adjusting his glasses. "It's just a difference in strength. I don't need to make unnecessary movements."

The young leader clenched his weapon tightly. [This guy is too composed…]

Sakuragi's smirk deepened. "If you won't make a move, I will."

He dashed forward with his kunai raised. The young leader, despite his unease, stayed calm. Just as Sakuragi closed in, he kicked up a cloud of sand.

Sakuragi flinched as the dust hit his face.

[Now's my chance!]

The young leader swung his blade down with full force—

—but it met no resistance.

His eyes widened in shock. [I've been deceived!]

"Konoha Fluid Technique: Secret Art…"

A voice whispered from behind him.

He spun around, slashing wildly—

Clang!

His blade was easily parried by Sakuragi's kunai.

"God Slayer's Kick!"

Sakuragi's foot shot forward, landing a brutal blow to the young leader's midsection.

Crack!

The young leader trembled, his face going pale as pain exploded in his stomach. Stumbling backward, he clutched his abdomen, barely able to stand.

"You… you bastard…!"

Sakuragi remained indifferent. "Are you ready for more?"

The young leader, ignoring the searing pain, gripped his weapon tightly and charged forward with reckless desperation.

"Damn you! I'll take you down with me!"

Unfazed, Sakuragi calmly formed a hand seal.

"Ninjutsu… Divine Mist."

He swiftly pulled out a pouch and flung it toward the incoming opponent. A red powder burst into the air, covering the young leader's face.

"Aghhh!" he screamed, his eyes burning, his breath short. He staggered, blinded and in agony.

A sharp pain struck his forehead. His consciousness faded.

Even as he collapsed, a thought flickered in his mind:

[What kind of ninja fights like this?!]

Kyotoshi Tokumoto and Ochiaisuke had watched the entire exchange in stunned silence. The bandit had relied on underhanded tactics, but Sakuragi had outmaneuvered him with even more cunning tricks.

"This guy… is dangerous," Ochiaisuke muttered.

Kyotoshi nodded. "Yeah. Let's never get on his bad side."

At that moment, Chihiro returned, effortlessly carrying the battered Tsuchiya Tsukigami and Sakiya with one hand.

Tsuchiya's bloodshot eyes showed clear signs of injury. Though Chihiro had already rinsed them with Water Release, they were still swollen and red. Silently, he sat down, looking utterly defeated.

Chihiro sighed. "Tsuchiya, you lost. No complaints. Arrogance is always a ninja's worst enemy. Remember this lesson."

Tsuchiya nodded, his expression blank.

Chihiro then turned to Sakuragi and Sakiya. "Never judge an opponent's strength with your eyes alone. This was a valuable lesson. Learn from it."

"Understood," Sakuragi replied.

Tsuchiya lowered his head slightly, nodding with a subdued expression.

Tokumoto Kyoumin stood silently, glancing at Sakuragi. He opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing.

Chihiro, observing the young leader sprawled on the ground in a miserable state, smiled at Sakuragi and gave an approving nod.

"You handled that well."

Sakuragi shook his head modestly. "It was just a bandit. Nothing worth mentioning."

Tsuchiya Tsukigami, still sitting on the ground, flinched at those words. It felt like an arrow had pierced his chest. His head dropped even lower.

Chihiro smirked but said nothing about Sakuragi's humility. Instead, she slowly unsheathed his blade.

"If he's useless, we might as well finish him off."

At this, Tokumoto Kyoumin quickly raised his voice.

"Wait! Don't!"

Chihiro turned to him with a puzzled expression.

"What? He just tried to kill you. You're saying you want to let him go?"

"Yes, I do."

Tokumoto Kyoumin studied the young leader's face, his expression turning somber.

"He looks... familiar. Too familiar."

Chihiro narrowed her eyes. "Who is he?"

Sakuragi and Sakiya exchanged glances, sensing a story behind the words.

Tokumoto Kyoumin let out a sigh, his voice laced with nostalgia.

"He's the son of an old friend."

"Then why does he want you dead?"

Kyoumin glanced at the darkening sky, his mind drifting into the past.

"A long time ago, when I was young and reckless, I grew tired of my town. Everything was too familiar, too predictable. I wanted to see the world beyond its borders."

"My friend Yoshiki Hiraki and I made a pact—we would leave together, escape the stagnation of our lives."

"And we did. Of course, at that age, we were just runaways. We had no money, no connections, no real plan."

"We carried only a few herbs from our town, and whatever little food we had was gone within days."

"It was at the edge of the mountains that we met a merchant."

Kyoumin paused, his expression darkening.

"His name was Gato."

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