A Romantic Atmosphere

T/N:

Thank you, Korntaratana Jutimitta , for joining my Patreon and supporting the journey!

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Staring at Dosu's corpse, the remaining members of the Sound trio, Kin Tsuchi and Zaku, both wore grim expressions.

In just a few minutes, their strongest member, Dosu, had died silently, and despite being nearby, neither of them had sensed anything.

Zaku swallowed nervously. "Dosu must have been killed without even having a chance to fight back..."

Kin nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Both of them had the same thought at that moment.

Run!

Whoever could kill Dosu without giving him a chance to resist must be a terrifyingly powerful enemy.

Zaku and Kin exchanged a glance and quickly fled the scene. After running for about ten minutes, they finally stopped. Kin, still panting, spoke up, "Dosu is dead... What should we do about Lord Orochimaru's plan?"

Zaku, still shaken by Dosu's gruesome death, was about to insist they continue with Orochimaru's orders when Furen, who had been lurking in his mind, issued a command.

"Kill Kin Tsuchi. If you kill her and also deal with Uchiha Sasuke, all the credit will be mine!"

The moment this thought was implanted, Zaku became frenzied. He didn't even need further persuasion from Furen. He began to think about Lord Orochimaru's praise and the benefits he would gain afterward.

"That's right! If Kin dies and I kill Sasuke, I'll earn Lord Orochimaru's favor. I could even join the ranks of his inner circle, the Sound Four!"

"If I receive Orochimaru's curse mark... who knows, maybe I'll even lead the Sound Four one day!"

As a member of the Sound trio, Zaku had witnessed the terrifying strength of the Sound Four, each one empowered by Orochimaru's curse mark.

"If I had that power, I wouldn't have run away after seeing Dosu's death…"

Zaku began to daydream, his fantasies growing wilder by the minute. His gaze toward Kin began to change, filled with cold intent.

In the end, his desire for power overwhelmed everything else. Zaku's expression turned icy as he approached Kin.

"Kin Tsuchi..." Zaku said as he slowly moved closer, the special pressure-based devices on his hands starting to hum to life.

"What's wrong?" Kin, oblivious to the danger, turned around.

"Dosu is dead, and now you're going to die too! Only I deserve Lord Orochimaru's favor!" Zaku shouted maniacally as he raised his hands toward Kin. "Decapitating Airwaves!"

Kin stared blankly at Zaku's raised hands, unable to comprehend what was happening. The special devices in his palms built up pressure and fired the airwaves.

Caught completely off guard, Kin was sent flying, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"Zaku! What are you doing?!" Kin shouted in disbelief, clutching her wound.

Zaku's face twisted with fervor as he walked toward her again, raising his hands. "Nothing much... just making sure you die!"

Once again, Zaku prepared to release the Decapitating Airwaves, a full-pressure, zero-ultrasound attack. Just as it was about to strike, Zaku's vision blurred.

Boom!

The airwaves missed their target, striking the ground instead and leaving a large crater. Kin was nowhere to be seen.

Zaku's eyes widened in shock as he frantically looked around. He spotted Furen perched on a nearby tree, holding Kin in his arms. Kin, still shaken, stared at the shattered ground where she had almost been killed.

"Furen?" Kin exclaimed in surprise upon recognizing her savior.

Kin Tsuchi's Favorability: +30%

"Rescue missions really are the best strategy for gaining favor," Furen thought to himself.

After placing Kin safely behind him, Furen turned to face Zaku. By now, Zaku had lost most of his sanity, entirely consumed by his delusions of receiving praise from Orochimaru.

"A Konoha ninja? I'll just kill you too!" Zaku shouted, raising his hands again. This time, however, he didn't use the regular Decapitating Airwaves; he opted for its enhanced version.

Extreme Decapitating Airwaves!

At full pressure and ultrasound, the attack built up in Zaku's wind tunnels and was unleashed in a powerful blast.

"Watch out, Furen!" Kin, still in Furen's arms, cried out in alarm.

Furen glanced down at her and smiled warmly. "Don't worry."

Seeing Furen's reassuring smile, Kin's anxiety faded instantly.

"Furen's smile... it's so comforting..."

Kin Tsuchi's Favorability: +20%

As Furen heard the system notification in his mind, his smile grew even brighter.

"With an 85% favorability, Zaku is no longer of any use," Furen thought to himself. He then formed a hand seal and leaped into the air with Kin in his arms.

Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!

Bright ice mirrors formed all around, and the surrounding trees became coated in frost. The entire area was transformed into a wintry landscape. Under the daylight, it felt like a beautiful, romantic winter scene.

Still a young girl at heart, Kin was instantly captivated by the romantic atmosphere.

Kin Tsuchi's Favorability: +10%

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T/N:

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