NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Shadows of Doubt
Shadows of Doubt
The sun dipped low over the western horizon, casting long shadows across the forest as Naruto Uzumaki led his team through the dense trees, their footsteps muffled by moss and fallen leaves. Sasuke flanked him to the right, his Sharingan glinting faintly in the dusk, scanning for threats. Sakura trailed a step behind, her green eyes flicking between Naruto and the path, a quiet tension simmering in her silence. Shikamaru brought up the rear, hands in his pockets, muttering about "troublesome detours" under his breath. Tsunade's orders echoed in Naruto's head... "Recon only, find their stash, report back" but Sansuke's scorched headband and that cryptic scroll weighed heavier with every mile.
"Keep sharp," Naruto said, his voice low but firm, breaking the stillness. "Those rogues aren't messing around, camps, weapons, something big. Sansuke was just the start."
Sasuke's gaze slid to him, sharp and probing. "You're awfully worked up about one dead guy. What's with you lately? That Sand trip do something to your head?"
Naruto bristled, a flush creeping up his neck as Temari's fierce smirk flashed in his mind, her body under his, clones amplifying the heat. "Mind your own business, teme," he shot back, grinning despite himself. "I'm focused—unlike some brooding jerk I know."
"Hn," Sasuke huffed, but a faint smirk tugged at his lips, gone as quick as it came.
Sakura's jaw tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. She'd been off since the briefing, her glances lingering too long, her words clipped. Naruto caught her eye, frowning. "You okay, Sakura-chan? You've been weird all day."
She looked away, brushing pink hair from her face. "I'm fine," she said, too quick, too sharp. "Just… let's get this done." But her tone hid something, jealousy, maybe, or hurt. He'd seen that look before, back when she caught him with Shizune, her silhouette in the shadows of his apartment. He pushed it down, mission first.
Shikamaru sighed, stepping over a root. "Can we skip the drama? I'd rather not die because you're all distracted." He paused, crouching to inspect a snapped twig. "Tracks fresh. We're close."
The air shifted, a faint hum vibrating through the trees, then chaos erupted. A figure dropped from the canopy, a kunoichi in a tattered cloak, her face masked save for piercing gray eyes. Sound waves rippled from her hands, slamming into the team like a physical blow. Naruto stumbled, ears ringing, as Sasuke darted forward, katana flashing. "Ambush!" he barked.
"Echo," she said, her voice smooth and taunting, dodging Sasuke's strike with eerie grace. "That's what they call me. And you..." Her gaze locked on Naruto, a smirk audible in her tone. "Uzumaki, right? Time's watching you." She clapped her hands, and the sound pulsed again, knocking Sakura back into a tree.
Naruto growled, summoning a clone that charged with a Rasengan spinning. Echo sidestepped, her jutsu cracking the air, shattering the clone into smoke. "Nice trick," she purred, "but Sansuke said you'd be tougher." She leaped back, vanishing into the trees as Shikamaru's shadow tendrils grazed her cloak.
"Sansuke?" Naruto shouted, fists clenched. "What do you know about him?" But she was gone, leaving only a rogue's kunai embedded in the dirt, its hilt etched with a strange, futuristic seal.
Shikamaru picked it up, frowning. "This isn't old tech, too sleek, too precise. What's with these guys?" He pocketed it, muttering, "Troublesome doesn't cover it."
The team regrouped, breathing hard. Sasuke sheathed his blade, eyes narrowing. "She's fast, too fast. And that name drop wasn't random."
"No kidding," Naruto said, rubbing his ears. "She's tied to Sansuke, same vibe, same weird moves." Kurama's growl rumbled in his mind, low and sharp. "Her chakra's off too, familiar, but not here. Watch it, brat."
Sakura dusted herself off, her glare fixed on the trees. "They're testing us. But why mention Sansuke now?" Her voice trembled slightly, and Naruto caught it, something personal, unspoken.
They pressed on, finding a rogue stash—crates of weapons, scrolls, odd glowing vials, but no camp. "Enough for now," Shikamaru said. "Let's report back." The trek home was tense, the team's silence thick with questions and buried friction.
Back in Konoha, night had fallen, the village alive with lanterns and chatter. Naruto split from the group, his stomach growling after the fight. Ichiraku's ramen stand glowed like a beacon, and he slid onto a stool, grinning at Ayame as she stirred a pot. "Hey, Ayame-chan! Got anything for a tired hero?"
She laughed, her brown eyes twinkling, her apron hugging her curves. "Always, Naruto. Rough day?" She leaned over the counter, closer than usual, her voice dropping. "You look like you need more than ramen to unwind."
He blinked, heat creeping up his neck as her fingers brushed his hand, lingering. "Uh, maybe," he stammered, but her smirk was all the push he needed. She nodded toward the back, slipping behind the curtain. "Dad's out, quick break?"
The kitchen was cramped, steamy from boiling broth, and Ayame didn't waste time. She pressed against him, lips grazing his ear. "Been a while since you saved the day here," she teased, dropping to her knees. Her hands unzipped him, freeing his cock, and she took him in her mouth, slow, playful, her tongue swirling with a chef's precision. Naruto groaned, gripping the counter, the heat of her mouth a sharp contrast to the day's chaos.
"Damn, Ayame" he gasped, hips twitching as she worked him, her eyes locked on his with a mischievous glint. It was fast, messy... she pulled back just as he hit the edge, letting him finish across her lips with a satisfied hum. "Tasty as always," she winked, wiping her mouth and standing.
Naruto laughed, breathless, zipping up. "You're trouble." He grabbed Jiraiya's book from his pack, scribbling: "A fight in shadows, a taste of warmth, danger and delight." Ayame peeked over, grinning. "Maybe one day you can tell me what the book is about, hero."
As he left, the rogue seal burned in his mind, Sansuke, Echo, "time's watching." The book felt heavier, Jiraiya's legacy pushing him forward into a storm he couldn't yet see.