From Chizhao's understanding, Erzhuzi had agreed.
She joyfully pulled Sasuke's hand and excitedly ran out of the woods, not wanting to make the others wait too long.
Sasuke, who hadn't reacted, was dragged forward by her.
He looked at their intertwined hands, and his heart skipped a beat.
The sunlight, previously blocked by the trees, gradually expanded before his eyes, and after adjusting to the intense light, Sasuke finally saw the crowd in front of him.
A pang of regret immediately surged in his heart, especially when he saw Naruto, who also looked displeased.
"Why is Sasuke here too?"
Unlike Sakura and Ino, who looked on with admiration, Naruto pouted, his eyes full of disdain.
"I also didn't expect a certain super idiot to join this game."
Sasuke, having been preempted, was equally annoyed; with a similar look of displeasure, he crossed his arms and turned sideways to retort to Naruto.
"Hey~ Don't argue! Let's all get along, it's just a game, no personal attacks!"
Under Chizhao's mediation, the two snorted and temporarily reached a "truce" agreement.
The number of players in the game had now grown to eight, and after a few rounds of rock-paper-scissors, Shikamaru unexpectedly became "it."
"So troublesome, having to find so many people."
Shikamaru grumbled, walked into the circle, and began a listless countdown.
So everyone, amidst Shikamaru's lazy countdown, silently discussed where to hide.
There weren't many objects around the playground to hide behind, mostly green belts and the auditorium used for gatherings.
Everyone went all out to avoid being found.
Some hid in the dense foliage of treetops, others lurked in colorful bushes, and some crouched under the podium amidst the cluttered tables and chairs in the auditorium.
Some even curled up into a ball, blending in with their surroundings...
Watching everyone else occupy advantageous hiding spots, Chizhao wandered around feeling a bit lost.
As the countdown numbers grew smaller, she frantically finally chose her hiding place—behind the bushes in the corner of the auditorium.
This area was surrounded by dense bushes, making it extremely secluded.
Even if Shikamaru wanted to come in, he'd have to cross these weeds and green leaves, and given his aversion to trouble, he'd probably just observe from outside and then leave.
It seemed like this round was an easy win.
The countdown abruptly stopped, and Chizhao nervously huddled in the corner, trying to hide her body behind the bushes, pricking up her ears to listen to the sounds outside.
"What are you doing?"
A male voice from beside her startled Chizhao.
She nervously turned her gaze, only to see Shino Aburame standing behind the bushes, most of his face hidden by his clothes, his dark glasses looking at her, showing no expression.
Mottled shadows fell on his clothes, and on closer inspection, several small flying insects hovered around him.
"Shino?!" Chizhao first exclaimed.
Then she cautiously glanced ahead and deliberately lowered her voice.
"Why are you here?"
"Observing insects," Shino replied briefly, his voice devoid of emotion.
He looked at the nervous girl hiding in front of him, thinking she was in some trouble, and a hint of worry subtly crossed his mind.
With his hands in his pockets, Shino was about to casually ask when—
Suddenly, scattered footsteps approached from ahead, drawing closer and closer.
Chizhao's heart tightened, and she buried her head even lower.
"Ah! It's Shino."
Shikamaru, standing in front of the bushes, scanned the surroundings and impatiently scratched his head.
"Have you seen anyone suspicious hiding around here?"
Shino stared at Shikamaru, his gaze from behind his glasses flicking towards the girl crouching nervously in the corner.
Sparse fragments of light and shadow from above fell on the girl's fair cheeks, her vibrant green pupils reflecting the surrounding greenery.
A few strands of hair hung on the leaves, like delicate silver threads swaying in the breeze.
She placed a finger on her lips, making a shushing gesture at him, then clasped her hands together, her expression full of sincerity.
The harmonious and lovely scene before him momentarily fixated Shino's gaze.
The Parasitic Insects sensed their host's emotional fluctuations and gently bit his finger, which made him react and reply to Shikamaru:
"No."
Chizhao quietly breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Shino.
"Is that so? Thanks. Where have these guys hidden... Ugh, what a pain."
As Shikamaru's voice faded into the distance, Chizhao's tense shoulders finally relaxed.
Understanding that the person in front of him was not in trouble, Shino slowly turned to leave.
"Shino! Thank you for not exposing me just now! I'll treat you to something another day!"
Shino turned his head to look at the girl with the bright smile and nodded slightly:
"You're welcome."
A subtle sense of anticipation for the promise surprisingly arose within him.
He frowned, unsure what this feeling was based on.
He walked out of the bushes in sudden confusion, leaving Chizhao with an indifferent back.
It seemed Shino was even harder to get along with than Sasuke.
"Found you!"
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
Shikamaru, who suddenly darted out, startled Chizhao, making her jump from the ground, her scream instantly echoing across the sky.
My little heart is going to be scared to death sooner or later!!
.......
"Shiratori Chichao!"
Chizhao, caught helplessly, shouted her own name, which made the others hiding in corners feel a sudden pang of anxiety.
She squatted on the ground, drawing circles in frustration, looking at Shikamaru standing in front of her, and poked his shadow on the ground, asking indignantly:
"How did you find me? Shino didn't even expose me."
"He didn't expose you, but I saw the reflection on his glasses."
"So, you knew all along but pretended not to!"
Shikamaru shrugged, his tone candid.
"Something like that."
Feeling like she had been played, Chizhao propped her chin up in annoyance.
I didn't expect this from you, Shikamaru!
After a while, seeing Shikamaru standing still in front of her with his hands in his pockets, she asked curiously:
"Aren't you going to catch the others? Why are you just standing here?"
Little Shikamaru turned around, squatted in front of her with his hands in his pockets, exuding an aura of confidence.
He smirked, pulled his right hand from his pocket, pressed his index finger on Chizhao's forehead, and displayed a roguish smile, as if everything was under his control.
"As long as I catch you, this game is over."
"Huh? Why?"
Chizhao raised an eyebrow; at this moment, Shikamaru seemed like a demon lord villain, plotting an "evil" scheme in his heart.
"Because they will all come to save you and fall right into my trap."
No sooner had he spoken than two figures suddenly darted out from two different directions—a bush and a tree.
They both, by coincidence, sprinted towards the can in the circle.
"Naruto? Sasuke?"
However, because both had the same goal and no coordination, they didn't notice each other's appearance until they were close to the can.
They only realized each other's presence when they were almost touching, but their speed was too fast, and the distance too short, to react.
The two boys' heads collided violently, their eyes swirling, and they both fell backward, kicking up dust from the ground.
And the can remained perfectly still, as if time had stopped.
The circle on the ground suddenly became lively.
"Ouch, ouch! It's all Sasuke's fault! If he hadn't suddenly appeared, I would have kicked the can away already!"
Clutching the red mark on his forehead, Naruto clenched his fists and repeatedly punched the air in frustration.
"Huh? Isn't it because you, this big idiot, came charging out without thinking that you held me back?"
"What did you say?"
Chizhao, caught between them, had her ears assaulted by their bickering.
She raised her hands, using the back of her hands to separate their almost-touching faces, and sighed helplessly:
"Alright, alright, anyway, thank you two for coming to save me, but don't argue now, just wait patiently for other rescues."
"Hmph!"
"Hmph!"
It must be said, Shikamaru's mind was excellent; he calculated everyone's characteristics and habits perfectly.
Just by standing there, he managed to intercept Kiba and Sakura's "rescue."
Ino escaped Shikamaru's sight with her agile movements, and just when everyone thought they were finally rescued—
She kicked the can into the air and fell to the ground, getting "caught" by Shikamaru on the spot.
At this point, everyone's hope rested on Choji, but to everyone's utter surprise, when Shikamaru found him, he was happily sleeping, hugging a bag of potato chips.
The game ended with Shikamaru's complete victory.
"What a pain..."
Shikamaru stood in the sunlight, as if this outcome was expected; he casually propped his neck, looking relaxed and at ease.
Is this the strong MVP Settlement screen?
As expected of you, Shikamaru.
The lingering glow of the setting sun, like a thin golden veil, gently spread over the lively playground.
On the eaves outside the Ninja school, Itachi, dressed in casual clothes, smiled as he watched Sasuke and Chizhao interacting with the surrounding children.
He casually crossed his arms, his gaze filled with tenderness, as if it were a clear spring capable of holding all beauty.
A gentle breeze brushed his hair, and his obscured eyes instantly lowered again.
He looked up at the azure sky, his gaze following the freely soaring birds until they disappeared into the white clouds.
Chizhao and everyone spent the entire afternoon in a joyful atmosphere.
As the sun set, dense tree shadows covered most of the playground, and Sakura and Choji sat in the circle, waiting for their companions' "rescue."
While Naruto, who was "it," went to find the others, Chizhao darted out from the corner and ran vigorously towards the can, which had been replaced several times.
Under the gaze of Sakura and Choji, she coolly kicked the can away.
"Bong!"
Just as Chizhao proudly showed her white teeth and confidently gave a thumbs-up, a scream from not far away and the crisp sound of the can caught her attention.
"Ow! Who's littering!!!"
Immediately after, Toru Uchiha came walking over, one hand holding the flattened can, the other clutching a large bump on his head, his face full of anger.
When he saw a certain person looking extremely guilty, the can in Xiao Tou's hand was instantly crushed, emitting a terrifying "crunching" sound.
"I'm so sorry!!!!"
【Bad Deed Progress +10】