bubblegum princess

chapter forty one

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the end of the beginning:
HIS BLOOD RUN COLD !
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BORUTO SUDDENLY felt a heavy sense of dread settle on his shoulders as he strode toward the temple where the monument stood, its ancient stone walls looming in the distance. His steps faltered, and he glanced around uneasily, his hand instinctively tightening into a fist.

Noticing his tension, Sarada looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard, glancing nervously around before fixing his gaze on the open temple just ahead. "I don't know... I just suddenly feel... troubled. Somehow."

Sarada shot him a deadpan look. "Don't tell me you're backing out."

Boruto's face tightened, offense flashing in his eyes. "No, I'm not!" he retorted, crossing his arms with a stubborn set to his jaw.

Sarada scoffed, rolling her eyes as she looked ahead. "Come on, the sooner we finish this, the better. I can't leave Seiren alone in her room." Her voice held a hint of frustration, but beneath it, a worry lingered.

Elsewhere, with troubled, weary eyes, Kagura gently lowered Seiren to the floor, his hands steady but his expression marked by concern. Hebiichigo approached, her gaze calculating as she unraveled her threads, deftly wrapping them around Seiren. Kagura's eyes widened, surprise flickering across his face as he instinctively reached forward, hesitating only as Hebiichigo's voice cut through the tension.

"Thought I'd let you go that easily?" Hebiichigo sneered, her taunting smile curling as she tightened the threads, binding Seiren firmly in place.

Kagura looked at her, uneasy, before his gaze softened back on Seiren. Seiren gave him a small nod, her expression calm, though her eyes betrayed the shiver that ran through her from the cold wind blowing through the Hidden Mist. She wanted to reassure him, but the weight of her binds and the biting chill were difficult to ignore.

Shizuma kept his gaze fixed on the towering monument, a glimmer of disdain twisting his expression. "That extravagant monument... it represents a past the village insists on forcing upon its people," he muttered, his tone dripping with bitterness. He turned, glancing over his shoulder with a sly smile aimed at Kagura. "You think so too, right, Kagura?"

Kagura's gaze dropped, conflicted, the struggle evident in his clenched fists as he silently absorbed Shizuma's words.

Meanwhile, Seiren sat nearby, bound and helpless, her shoulders tensing as Kyoho approached. His steps were slow, and though his face was blank, there was a heaviness to his demeanor. Without a word, he took out a clean cloth, his movements careful yet unfeeling as he wrapped it tightly around her mouth.

Seiren's eyes widened in panic as the cloth was forced into place, muffling her voice. She gasped, choking slightly, her breath coming in shallow bursts as the sudden restriction stifled her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she struggled against the binds.

Kyoho met her tear-filled gaze with a cold, almost resigned stare, saying nothing, his expression void of emotion.  The chill in his gaze didn't waver, and it became clear that he was only carrying out orders, unwilling to defy Buntan's intense, watchful stare burning into him from behind.

 "Shizuma, if you're you're fighting for the forgotten people who are not allowed to rest here, then I'll follow you." Shizuma's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as Kagura's words resonated through the air. "I'll rely on you, Kagura," he echoed, pride and power dripping from his tone. With that affirmation, he turned his gaze back to the towering monument, his grip firm as he slid his sword back into its sheath.