𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐤𝐢 | ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ

Unsuccessful Ritual

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✧˖*°࿐

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura whispered, incredibly concerned.

Kazumi was leaning against a railing, looking down at the other teams as she watched Sasuke's fight unfold. The first match of the preliminaries had begun, and he was struggling. His struggle reminded Kazumi of the forest test. The very moment when the markings abruptly appeared mid-fight against a team of nobody's.

So this is Orochimaru's influence?

She wondered, also taking note of whenever it would occur, his sharingan was coincidentally flared. She even noticed the Uchiha was hardly using his prideful clan eye, confusing her.

"Sakura, what really happened while I was passed out?" Kazumi quietly asked, not bothering to tilt her head to the kunoichi as she kept her gaze on Sasuke.

Sakura flinched in Kazumi's peripheral eye, obviously uncomfortable with the sudden topic. However, she slowly leaned her shoulder in, her frown deepening.

"He... was bitten. I'm sure you've gotten that hint, though..." She gradually spoke as if unsure about her own conclusion, "It's like what we've already seen... Three markings on his neck... but then it spread all over the side of his face and body. And while you were still unconscious, he woke up first." She clenched the railing, her bottom lip trembling, "Sasuke-kun... acted completely different..."

As Sakura struggled to keep speaking, Kazumi finally turned her head to her. Sakura was staring deeply at Sasuke, intimidated.

"I think... he had an intent to kill those Sound-nin..." She finished, unable to look at the Sound team from afar.

Kazumi raised her head, finding one of the Sound-nin nearby with their team. One was still wearing the arm brace, glaring at Sasuke whilst the unaware Uchiha was fighting from below them.

"Sasuke was the one who broke his arm?" Kazumi asked, turning her head back to the pink-kunoichi.

Sakura weakly nodded, rubbing her lips together as she swallowed thickly.

"When Sasuke-kun broke his arm, the Sound-nin released you and dropped you to the ground." Sakura explained, "I don't know why... but they were trying to take you, too."

Ah... Sakura mentioned that before when I woke up...

Kazumi's brows furrowed, understanding that Sakura didn't know the reason behind that. She then glanced to Sakura's layered, short hair.

"Your hair, how did that really happen?" Kazumi asked softly, watching Sakura's eyes widen slightly.

"Oh... It was just a way to get through a fight, is all..." She forced a smile, eyes flickering momentarily to the Sound ninja's female member.

Kazumi caught this, turning her head away with a knowing look.

She must've struggled a lot...

Knowing that made Kazumi feel a displaced emotion.

"A—Anyways... Orochimaru did something to you, too." Sakura's forced smile fell to a weak frown, staring at Kazumi's throat, "I'm just glad you're not losing control of yourself like Sasuke-kun."

Kazumi placed her hand over her throat, turning her head away in a hiding manner. An unusual feeling of shame washed over, confusing the Kumo even more. It was the same feeling she felt when Iruka had an unfamiliar look in his eye, seeing her black scalp.