bubblegum princess

chapter fifty three

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the end of the beginning:
GOT FOOLED TWICE !
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Seiren crouched low, her fingers trailing through the dirt with practiced precision, sketching out a rough map of their surroundings. The tree roots provided a natural boundary for her makeshift diagram, while Shikadai stood beside her, arms folded, occasionally nodding in agreement or offering brief insights. The group had formed a loose circle around them, their expressions ranging from curiosity to weariness, but all eyes were fixed on Seiren.

She paused for a moment, tapping her chin in thought, before speaking with calm authority. "Remember how our teacher used to say, 'The early bird gets the worm'?" she asked, her tone carrying an air of familiarity. Her fingertip moved again, this time forming the outline of a bell in the center of the map. "And Kaizen-san has only one bell," she added, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile.

Her words hung in the air, and the group exchanged glances. The reality of their situation began to sink in as Seiren's gaze swept over them. "They're trying to make us think this is a solo mission—that survival depends entirely on us as individuals. But look where that's gotten us." Her voice softened slightly, yet the weight of her message was clear. "Some of us are lost, others have been captured, and the rest of us are running in circles."

Boruto shifted uneasily, his expression troubled as Seiren's eyes briefly met his. He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued before he could get a word out. "The solution," she said, her voice rising with renewed confidence, "is actually quite simple."

Iwabe, who had been frowning in concentration, raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "And what's that supposed to be?" he asked, his tone skeptical but with a hint of curiosity.

Seiren raised her hand and lightly tapped the side of her head. "Teamwork," she declared with certainty, her emerald eyes shining with determination. "We still haven't failed when we still have our bandanas with us and we have 24 hours,"

The campfire crackled softly, its flickering light dancing across Anko's face as she rested against a nearby log. The forest around her was eerily silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves. Konohamaru and Kakashi had ventured off in separate directions to scout, leaving her alone to guard the camp. Her eyes, half-lidded in apparent relaxation, suddenly sharpened as an unsettling chill prickled her senses.

"They're here," she muttered under her breath, standing abruptly.

Before she could act further, a series of smoke bombs exploded around the camp, engulfing her vision in thick, acrid clouds. Her body tensed as she scanned the shadows for movement.

A few paces away, hidden behind dense bushes, Wasabi, Sumire, and Namida crouched low. Seiren's calm instructions replayed in their minds like a mantra. Sumire exchanged a look with her companions, nodding sharply. Without a word, Wasabi and Namida leapt into action.

Anko swatted away the smoke with a sharp motion of her hand, her eyes darting toward the flicker of movement on her periphery. She hurled a kunai into the shadows, satisfied when she heard the sound of impact. Yet her satisfaction was short-lived as the "target" dissolved into a wooden log.

"Substitution," she grunted, narrowly twisting away from three sharp droplets of water slicing through the smoke toward her. She dodged midair, her instincts kicking in as Sumire lunged at her from behind. Anko flipped gracefully, landing just out of Sumire's reach.

Meanwhile, Boruto's voice echoed in Wasabi and Metal's thoughts.

"Metal, Wasabi—you two are the fastest in our class. Distract them with your speed."