Chapter 294 A Joy of Unknown Meaning
"I see," Sai realized, and put the book aside.
Under Naruto's puzzled gaze, he suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck.
The excessive force pulled Naruto's entire upper body into his arms.
Haruko Hayama and Naruto Uzumaki, who were watching from the sidelines, were both stunned.
Immediately afterward, Naruto realized what was happening and burst into a huge roar of shame and anger.
What are you doing?!
Sai was thrown backward by the force of his sudden standing up and breaking free, his face showing confusion and astonishment.
It seems they don't understand why the content in the book leads to this result.
“I think this is better,” Sai explained earnestly.
When Naruto saw Haruko Hayama laughing so hard her face was flushed, his anger and shame intensified.
He pointed angrily at Sai, like a golden retriever with its fur standing on end, cursing and swearing.
"That's not good at all! I'm not that kind of person!"
"This kind of person? What kind of person?" Sai asked him, completely bewildered.
The innocent and clear eyes made Naruto's anger get stuck in his throat. He grabbed his hair in frustration, looking like a good young man who had been teased but had no way to defend himself.
Haruko Hayama caught a glimpse of the contents of the book Sai had placed on the ground, and she was both amused and exasperated.
She helped Sai up from the ground and patiently explained, "The content of the book is not applicable to everyone, and Naruto obviously doesn't like this approach."
After whispering a thank you, Sai listened to her words thoughtfully.
Looking at Naruto Uzumaki, who was sitting down sulking, and then at Haruko Hayama, whose personality was obviously several times gentler, he suddenly understood.
So, to Naruto's stunned expression, Sai reached out and gently pulled the bewildered Haruko Hayama into his arms.
Haruko Hayama: ?
Naruto Uzumaki: !!!
Sai met Haruko Hayama's eyes as she looked up from his arms, and smiled gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance."
"Aaaaaah—!"
Naruto Uzumaki, his face flushed with anger, lunged at Sai.
"Let Haruko go!"
Fortunately, Sai's grip on her hand was relatively loose, so Haruko was not forced to get involved in their conflict.
Watching Sai being beaten by Naruto Uzumaki while still constantly asking him what he had done to anger him, Haruko Hayama realized once again:
Sai's personality is really strange.
Naruto Uzumaki, still furious after defeating Sai, dragged Haruko Hayama to the place where Yamato and his team were lying in ambush.
When Sasuke Uchiha saw Naruto Uzumaki approaching, he frowned.
"Why aren't you guarding the place properly? What are you doing here?"
Haruko saw Naruto ignore Sasuke Uchiha's disgusted expression and whisper something in his ear, which instantly changed Sasuke's expression.
"Is that so?" Sasuke Uchiha slowly stood up. "I'll take this opportunity to get to know my new teammates better."
"Haruko, switch places with Sasuke!"
Naruto Uzumaki pushed Haruko Hayama to squat down next to Sakura Haruno.
Immediately, Naruto Uzumaki, his eyes blazing with fire, and Sasuke Uchiha, radiating killing intent, strode away.
Haruko blinked in the morning, sensing that Sai was in big trouble.
"Haruko." Sakura patted her to bring her back to reality. "What happened over there?"
"It's nothing, it's just Sai..."
Haruko Hayashi hesitated, unsure how to describe his strange behavior, and finally shook her head, changing the subject.
They waited until dawn before spotting the tomb raiders.
The tomb raider's ninjutsu was unique, and he was skilled in protracted warfare; it took them quite a bit of effort to subdue him.
Perhaps because Sakura Haruno was close to him and was a female ninja, the grave robbers actually attempted to ambush her in order to gain a chance of survival.
As a result, Sakura Haruno punched him into the cracked ground.
Haruko leaned closer to check on him. There wasn't much bleeding, but it was hard to say how many bones were broken.
Why did I have to mess with Sakura? Sigh.
Haruko Hayama, who had initially felt some pity for the grave robber, suddenly put on a fake smile just like Sai when she remembered his plan to attack Sakura Haruno.
When Naruto Uzumaki pulled the tomb raider up, she used a little trick on him under the guise of stopping the bleeding.
This not only caused his chakra to become disordered and he couldn't use it, but also caused him to experience continuous and severe pain throughout his meridians.
The tomb raider was already on his last breath when he came out of the pit, and after being retaliated against by Haruko Hayama, he passed out.
In the end, Yamato had no choice but to carry him back to report.
Seeing that Sakura Haruno hadn't followed them and was stuck in place, unable to take another step, Haruko had a bad feeling.
He stepped forward and asked, "Sakura, what's wrong?"
"I feel like I can't move my left leg."
Sakura Haruno pursed her lips anxiously, trying to move her left leg repeatedly, but she still couldn't take a step; at most, she could only drag her left leg as she walked.
"It's probably an injury from earlier." Yamato looked at Haruko Hayama. "I heard you're skilled in medicine. Can you figure out what's wrong?"
"Yes, but conditions are limited; he must return to Konoha for treatment."
Yamato pondered for a moment and then gave the order: "We will split into two groups. One group will go to complete the follow-up tasks, and the other group will escort Sakura back to Konoha."
"I'll take her," Haruko Hayama said, offering to help.
After receiving Yamato's consent, Haruko turned to Sakura Haruno and gently comforted her.
"It's okay, it's not a big problem, it's just that you can't move for a while."
Sakura Haruno forced a smile and nodded.
She could feel the stiffness in her left leg continuing to spread. At first, only her calf was unable to move, but now her thigh was gradually losing sensation as well.
If this drags on, it might spread even further.
Sakura Haruno took a deep breath, trying her best to stay calm.
As Tsunade's apprentice, Haruko Hayama certainly understands things more deeply than she does.
The words "can't move for a while" were undoubtedly a comfort, and Sakura Haruno knew it in her heart, as did she.
All we can do now is rush back.
Sai, who had been silent all along, suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
He remembered reading in a book that offering help in times of need is more effective in enhancing goodwill than adding to someone's success.
Ignoring the astonished looks from the others, Sai raised his hand, "It should be faster if I carry her back."
Naruto, realizing he was about to get close to Haruko Hayama again, quickly volunteered, "I can do it too! Let me carry her!"
"You're such a complete idiot, can your flabby muscles really carry that weight?" Sai asked sincerely.
"Varied……!"
Naruto's eyes widened, and the six whiskers on his cheeks bristled with rage, baring their teeth at him.
"Stop arguing—!"
Haruko stepped between the two of them and glanced at each of them.
Sensing Naruto's aggrieved anger and Sai's frank and sharp tongue, Haruko Hayama sighed.
He quickly decided: "I'll carry Sakura."
"Eh!" Sakura Haruno was taken aback, not expecting this turn of events.
Haruko had already squatted down in front of her, patted her back with her other hand, and gestured for her to come up.
"Come on, Sakura. I may not be as strong as you, but I can definitely carry you. Don't worry!"
“I’m not worried that you can’t carry me…” Sakura Haruno’s voice weakened.
She felt... that she was too close to Haruko.
Unable to resist Haruko's urging, Sakura carefully leaned her upper body against Haruko's back.
When he put his hands around her shoulders and wrapped them around her neck, the rich, sweet fragrance filled Sakura Haruno's entire breath, making her feel a little dizzy.
By the time Sakura Haruno came to her senses, Haruko had already carried her a short distance away.
Whether it was the softness beneath her or the scent of her flowing black hair, everything stirred something within Sakura Haruno.
What exactly is this ambiguous joy and shyness...?
"Sakura, you can hold me tighter."
Sakura Haruno, like a cat caught red-handed, bristled and widened her eyes, hurriedly replying, "Y-okay!"
Upon hearing her own stutter, Sakura Haruno closed her eyes in shame, feeling annoyed but unable to resist tightening her grip on her hands.
Now, there was almost no distance between her and Haruko.
Her heart was pounding rhythmically and rapidly, and Sakura Haruno felt her face burning.
Was the stiffness in her legs spreading too quickly? After lying on Haruko's back, she seemed unable to move.
Feeling both awkward and unable to resist getting a little closer.
This feeling was a more intense, more delicate, and more profound joy than when I saw Sasuke before.
Could it be...?
Sakura Haruno subtly tilted her head, using her gaze to trace Haruko Hayama's beautiful profile.
Her obsidian eyes seemed to be filled with stars, drawing Sakura Haruno into the intense emotions of the moment.
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