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[NTU] [ARC-15] Chapter : 198
🕑 Added 2024-10-31 18:03:11 +0000 UTC"What about me?"
Under Amika's concerned gaze, Pakura was initially puzzled by her friend's worry.
After a moment of thought, Pakura caught on, but she wasn’t overly concerned with the matter.
“Are you wondering what’s next for me?”
"You’re a marked traitor now. After doing something like this, you can’t stay in the Land of Wind at all!”
“If you’re wandering alone, I’m worried about what lies ahead for you.”
In the past, though Rasa had declared Pakura a traitor, it had mainly been a strategy against Kirigakure, and he hadn’t actually sent anyone to pursue her.
It’s different now; after what she’d done, neither Rasa nor the higher-ups of Sunagakure would let Pakura go so easily.
“Don’t worry!”
“They’re all busy tearing each other apart! They don’t have the time to focus on me.”
As she said, no one would likely pay her any mind until the Suna leaders determined their victor.
“But… with you wandering alone, I still feel a bit uneasy!”
“With your temperament, who knows when you might act recklessly again? Next time, it might not end as smoothly as this.”
Narrowing her eyes thoughtfully, Amika glanced over at Toshiro.
Between Pakura and this man, Amika wasn’t sure what their exact relationship was, nor did she know if he was trustworthy.
“You there! Are you close with Pakura? Do you like her?”
An idea took root as she looked at the two, and Amika asked directly.
“Ha~”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Toshiro was momentarily speechless, his mouth hanging open, struggling to keep up with her rapid change of topics.
Wasn’t she just lamenting her shop’s condition? And then she was worried about Pakura’s future. Why was she suddenly directing questions at him?
“Although Pakura can be a bit proud and distant, she’s genuinely good to her friends and students.”
"Even the village... despite its betrayal, she still holds Sunagakure close to her heart. Now, wouldn’t she be a good choice?”
Seeing Toshiro’s stunned expression, Amika didn’t pause. Instead, she listed Pakura’s qualities, ticking them off on her fingers.
“She’s beautiful and generous, incredibly strong, and she’s even developed her own bloodline limit!”
“A girlfriend—or even a wife—like her... You’d be one lucky man!”
As she spoke, Amika walked over to Toshiro with a knowing look. Originally planning to give him a friendly shoulder tap, she paused, reconsidered, and then lightly bumped his shoulder instead with a playful nudge.
At the same time, she gave Toshiro a conspiratorial wink.
She had tried to drug this guy twice, yet he remained unaffected—clearly, his physique was something exceptional, and his strength was likely formidable too.
Plus, with Pakura out on her own, having a reliable partner would bring her peace of mind about her friend's safety.
“Well, when you say it like that.. I can accept it a bit reluctantly.”
Toshiro glanced over at Pakura, squinting slightly, acknowledging that even dressed as a typical Sunagakure civilian, she had a unique charm. And with the faint blush on her cheeks, she had a certain appeal that even a 'cultured' man like him couldn’t ignore.
“You two… knock it off!”
"Who’s going to be his girlfriend? Or a wife, for that matter? Let whoever wants him have him—I’m not interested!"
What did he mean by "reluctantly"? It was nonsense. Pakura didn’t lack anything compared to others.
"Don't mind her," Amika said, ignoring Pakura’s protests. "She’s just all talk. Spend enough time together, and you'll see for yourself!"
Leaning closer to Toshiro, she whispered, "Let me tell you more about Pakura, she..."
"Amika, say one more word, and I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart~"
Seeing Amika bristling with enthusiasm and Toshiro listening intently, Pakura felt completely exasperated. How did she end up with such a meddlesome friend? And to be called "hard-mouthed and soft-hearted" on top of it!
“Hey! Let go… let go of me…”
“It’s for your own good! You’re out there on your own, and without someone looking after you, who knows what could happen!”
“This guy here looks reliable—strong, too—and he already knows you well. The two of you make a perfect match!”
Despite Pakura pulling Amika’s arm to stop her, Amika was undeterred. After all, Pakura had never shown this kind of reaction around a man before, and to Amika, that said a lot.
"It’s not that I won’t admit it. I just don’t want to," Pakura muttered under her breath.
"You could stop talking now, Amika!" She snapped; her cheeks flushed a deep rose, like a bloom defying the desert sands.
"And you… What are you staring at?” she demanded, glaring at Toshiro.
Who said she was going to be paired up with him?
"When I first walked in, you both looked pretty cozy to me," Pakura teased, unfazed. "I swear, you go all weak at the knees around a handsome guy!"
"What! I was trying to catch a spy!!"
Pakura rolled her eyes, unable to believe her friend’s nonsense. To anyone else, they might’ve looked like an ordinary guest and innkeeper, or worse—a couple about to get cozy.
She was only fooling herself if she thought she was doing it to catch a spy—who would believe that?
Just as she understood her friend, she knew all too well her nature. The moment she spotted an attractive guy, she couldn't help but swoon a little, no matter how many times she tried to reason with her.
“What… I’ve only been a bit flirtatious!” she protested. “It’s like a nostalgic visit back to ninja academy! Besides, you haven’t even defined your relationship, so what’s the harm in a little harmless flirting? Better me than someone else!”
But as Pakura's expression turned darker by the second, Amika’s voice grew softer, trailing off as she finally noticed her friend’s irritation.
“Oops! Take it easy... You’re not going to hold a grudge, right?!!”
Pakura's grip tightened, and Amika let out a squeal that sounded as if she were being attacked.
"Handsome? Nice taste~" Toshiro remarked, running his hand over his chin with a hint of satisfaction. He had to admit, Amika did have good taste.
His gaze drifted to the two women playfully bickering. Remembering the suggestion Amika had made earlier, he felt a bit tempted by the idea. But then, recalling his own "lofty" ambitions, he realized that he still had a long way to go before anything like that could be in reach.
