Hinata quietly followed Tenten, walking over to where Neji and Lee were still sitting. Neji was taking a sip from his water bottle, while Lee had spread a map out on the ground in front of him, studying it with deep concentration.
"Hinata, can you help me pack up this lunch box?" Tenten asked, gesturing to the open Jubako with several layers still filled with food.
Hinata's soft eyes looked at the food, then at Tenten, and she nodded gently. "Yes, Tenten-chan, of course," she replied. Together, the two girls began carefully closing the various layers of the stacked lunch box.
Neji finished his water and then looked towards Lee, who was still absorbed in the map. "Lee, which training ground do we need to head to next?" he asked calmly. Lee leaned closer to the map, his brow furrowed in thought, his full attention on the lines and symbols. After a moment, he traced a finger along the paper.
"Training Ground 5, Neji!" Lee announced, turning his head to look at his teammate. But to his surprise, Neji was no longer there. The spot where he had been sitting just moments ago was empty. Lee's eyes widened, and he quickly looked around the immediate area. "Neji?" he called out, his voice laced with confusion. "Neji! Neji!" he repeated, a hint of worry creeping into his tone as he stood up, scanning the surrounding trees.
Tenten and Hinata, busy packing the lunch box, seemed mostly unaffected by Lee's sudden calls. They continued their task, talking quietly amongst themselves. Tenten let out a small sigh as she closed another layer. "Honestly, there's so much food left!"
she complained, a slight frown on her face. "No one ate it all. Now my mother is going to be angry when she sees how much is left over."
Hinata nodded in agreement, her gaze also falling upon the remaining food. "You're right, Tenten-chan," she said softly. "Only one box out of six was completely empty. The rest are still so full." She then explained, "Even on our side, less than one box was empty, because Sakura-chan didn't eat much, and Ino-chan is on a diet, and I... I didn't eat much either."
Tenten paused, a new thought coming to her mind. "Wait, who brought the food for your group, Hinata?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
A gentle smile touched Hinata's lips. "It was Sakura-chan," she answered, her voice quiet but clear. "She made the lunch with her own hands and brought it for us today."
Tenten's smile instantly vanished, replaced by a disgusted look. She wrinkled her nose slightly. "Sakura made it?" she scoffed, her voice sharp with disdain. "Then it must taste awful! I hate Sakura more than anyone!" 'Of course, it's her. Everything she does is annoying.'
Hinata's gentle smile faded, and a wave of sadness washed over her face. Her pale eyes looked at Tenten, a hint of distress in them. "Tenten-chan," she said, her voice soft but firm, "please don't say bad things about anyone, whether it's Sakura-chan or whoever." 'It's not right to speak that way.
Sakura-chan worked hard on this.'
Tenten was about to snap back at Hinata, her mouth already opening for a sharp retort, but Lee suddenly broke into their conversation. His voice was filled with clear worry, pulling their attention immediately. "Tenten! Hinata-san!" he cried out, his eyes still wide as he searched frantically. "Neji... Neji is not here!"
Tenten glared at Lee, annoyance flashing in her dark eyes. "Why are you so worried, Lee?"
she snapped, clearly irritated by his outburst. "Neji could have just gone to the next training ground already, or maybe he just went towards the stream to get some more water."
'He always worries too much about Neji. Neji is strong!'
But Lee shook his head, his face etched with genuine fear. "No, Tenten! I'm afraid that... what if something bad happened to Neji?" His voice trembled slightly.
A chilling thought suddenly entered Hinata's mind. 'Something happened to Neji-niisan? What if he's not alright?' Her eyes widened, and her heart began to pound with a surge of worry. She pictured Neji in danger, and a wave of cold fear washed over her.
Seeing Hinata's sudden distress, Tenten immediately turned her anger on Lee. "Lee! You shouldn't scare Hinata for no reason!" she shouted, her voice sharp and loud. She looked at Hinata, then back at Lee with a fierce look. "I'm sure Neji is perfectly alright! He's strong enough to handle anything that comes his way!"
Lee, watching Neji's empty spot, nodded quickly. "Tenten has a valid point!" he agreed, his worry still clear on his face. "So, I suggest we go search for Neji. We can't take any risks if something might have happened to him!"
His intense gaze swept over Tenten and Hinata, emphasizing the seriousness.
Tenten and Hinata both nodded, agreeing that looking for Neji was the right thing to do. Lee was about to dash off, but Tenten stopped him with a raised hand. "Wait, Lee!" she called out.
"Let me pick up the lunch boxes first!"
Hinata looked at Tenten, a little confused.
"Tenten-chan, why are you taking the lunch box with you?" she asked softly.
Tenten quickly stacked the layers of their Jubako, her movements swift. "What if someone steals it?" she asked, a slight edge to her voice, as if the thought really bothered her. Hinata's face fell slightly, and a familiar sadness touched her. 'Is Tenten thinking that Ino-chan or Sakura-chan would steal it?' she wondered, her heart feeling a little heavy at the unfair thought.
Tenten, seeing Hinata's expression, seemed to catch herself. She quickly added, "I didn't point out Ino or anyone, Hinata! There could be other people around who might try to steal a lunch box left sitting here!" She gave Hinata a quick glance, trying to make her point clear.
Hinata's eyes widened slightly, and she felt a small blush creep up her neck. "Oh! I'm sorry, Tenten-chan! I misunderstood you," she apologized quickly, bowing her head a little.
Tenten then expertly stacked all six layers of their lunch box together. She took a strong, thin rope and tied it securely around the Jubako, making sure it wouldn't fall apart.
Then, with a practiced movement, she slipped the tied box onto her back, making it look like a sturdy backpack.
Lee, seeing that Tenten was done and ready, nodded once more. "Okay, now that we're all set, we should look for Neji!" he said, his energy returning. And with that, all three of them—Lee, Tenten carrying the lunch box, and Hinata—left the spot, heading off into the trees to search for their missing teammate.
Meanwhile, on Ino's side, worry had begun to build. Sakura had been gone for quite a while, and Ino's mind started to imagine bad things.
'Sakura is taking too long. Something might have happened to her!' Deciding she couldn't just sit and wait, Ino quickly began to pack up their own group's beautiful Jubako. She held the stacked lunch box carefully behind her back, adjusting it so it was secure. Then, she too left their spot, heading off to look for Sakura.
Soon, the training ground became a place of searching. Tenten, Lee, and Hinata moved together through one side of the training ground, their voices echoing through the trees as they called out, "Neji! Neji!" On the other side, Ino moved quickly, her voice just as worried as she loudly called, "Sakura! Sakura!" Each group was looking for their missing friend, their shouts carried on the gentle breeze.
At the same time, Sakura was near the stream, close to where the water flowed calmly. Her task was to fill Ino's water bottle, but her attention had been completely caught by a very large tree standing right by the water's edge. This tree was ancient and huge, but what truly caught her eye was a massive hole in its bark, big enough for a person to fit inside. Sakura stared at it, her green eyes wide with curiosity. 'What is that? I've never seen anything like it in my life!' she thought, a strange sense of wonder filling her.
Her curiosity quickly overcame her task. She apologized silently to Ino in her mind for the delay. 'Sorry, Ino, this won't take long, I promise.' Sakura walked closer to the massive tree, her hand clutching Ino's empty water bottle. She peered inside the huge hole, but it was too dark to see anything. The darkness seemed to swallow the light.
Determined to find out what was inside, Sakura carefully put one leg into the hole. It felt surprisingly deep. She was about to put her other leg in, leaning forward to get a better look, when suddenly her foot slipped! Losing her balance, Sakura tumbled headfirst into the darkness of the tree, giving out a big, startled scream. "Aaahhh!!"
Now, back to Tenten's side. After searching for a while, Tenten had decided to split up. She told Lee and Hinata, "I'll go look near the stream for Neji. You two go to the next training ground and check there!" Lee and Hinata, trusting her judgment, agreed and headed off in a different direction.
So, Tenten was now searching alone, walking towards the stream and calling out Neji's name repeatedly. "Neji! Neji, where are you?!"
As she moved through the trees, she suddenly came across Ino, who was also moving quickly and calling out a name.
Tenten stopped short, her eyes widening slightly when she saw Ino. Despite their usual dislike, genuine worry colored Tenten's voice.
"Ino!" she called out, a hint of desperation in her tone. "Have you seen Neji?"
Ino stopped too, raising an eyebrow. She folded her arms, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Why are you asking me, Tenten?" she retorted, her voice full of sarcasm. "You don't talk to me, remember?"
Tenten's face flushed with irritation. "Can't you see I'm worried, Ino?!" she snapped back, her patience thinning.
Ino paused, her mocking smile fading slightly. She looked at Tenten, her expression turning more serious. "What did you just ask?" she inquired, as if she hadn't quite heard it the first time.
Tenten's anger flared for a moment. "Didn't you hear me before?!" she growled, but then she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Neji's safety was more important than their argument. She looked at Ino, her worry returning to her voice. "Have you... have you seen Neji?" she asked again, her tone softer this time.
Ino shook her head. "No, I haven't seen him," she admitted. Then, her own worry showing, she asked, "Have you seen Sakura?"
Tenten shook her head as well. "No, I haven't."
Realizing they were both in the same anxious situation, a silent agreement passed between them. Their rivalry was put aside for the moment. "Alright," Ino said, "let's look for them together." Tenten nodded in agreement.
And so, the two kunoichi, normally at odds, continued their search side by side, Ino shouting "Sakura!" and Tenten shouting "Neji!" their voices blending as they moved deeper into the training ground.
_TRAINING GROUND 5_
Lee and Hinata arrived at Training Ground 5, their footsteps crunching on the familiar packed earth. It was another open area, but just as empty as their last spot. They quickly scanned the surroundings, hoping to see Neji's familiar form, but there was no sign of him.
"Neji!" Lee's voice boomed, full of concern, echoing through the quiet training ground. "Neji, where are you?!"
Hinata, standing beside him, added her softer call. "Neji-niisan? Are you here?" Her pale eyes moved quickly, searching every shadow and tree. 'Neji-niisan, where did you go? What happened?' she wondered, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach. They continued to call his name, their voices mixing in the peaceful afternoon air, but only silence answered them.
_UNKNOWN FOREST_
Neji opened his eyes. Everything was dark. He couldn't see anything clearly. He remembered the bright afternoon sun and the sounds of Training Ground 3. But now, it was very cold. The air smelled strange, like wet dirt and plants he didn't know. The sky above was black, with no stars. Big, dark trees stood all around him, like a thick wall. It was very quiet, too quiet. He could only hear his own breathing and a soft sound of leaves moving, like whispers.
"Where am I? What is this place?" Neji felt very confused. He couldn't understand how he got here. One moment, I was at the training ground. Now it's night. "How did this happen?" He tried to use his Byakugan eyes, but even they couldn't see well in the deep darkness. He only saw blurry shapes of trees and shadows.
"Is anyone there?!" he shouted. His voice sounded sharp in the quiet forest. "Lee! Tenten! Hinata sama!" His calls went out, but the big, dark forest swallowed them. No one answered. He waited, listening very carefully, but he heard nothing. No sound of his friends, no reply. Just a very deep, quiet silence.
Neji felt very, very frustrated. This sudden change, being alone, the thick darkness – it made him angry. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, pressing his fingers to his head.
He tried to think clearly, but his mind was a mess. He needed to move. He needed to find answers. He wanted to get out of this strange, confusing place. He usually kept his guard up, but now, he was too confused. He started to walk forward without really thinking, his feet moving slowly over the uneven ground. His eyes were still tightly closed because he was so frustrated.
With each quiet step, his feet touched solid ground. It felt good in the strange darkness. But then, after two more steps, his feet felt nothing. There was no ground. His eyes flew open. He couldn't believe it. He saw a huge, black hole right under him. It looked like a giant mouth going deep into the earth. He had walked right into the middle of it.
"Aaaahhhh!!!!" Neji screamed loudly. The ground was gone, and he was falling. He waved his arms, trying to grab something in the empty air. "Help!" he yelled, but no one was there. His voice, his body, and all his hope fell deep into the darkness. No one knew what would have happened to Neji down there.
---
QUESTION:
What happened when Tenten and Ino encountered each other while searching for their friends?
A) They ignored each other and continued their separate searches.
B) They started a new argument, delaying their search efforts.
C) They decided to put aside their rivalry and search for their friends together.
D) They found Sakura and Neji immediately after meeting.
Share your answers in the comments down below!
AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS (Connecting the Dots! 😉)
Hey everyone! 👋 So, those were some falls, right? Neji vanishing into an unknown abyss and Sakura tumbling into that mysterious tree hole! 🤯 Your heads must be spinning with questions about where they ended up and, more importantly, how this happened. 🤔
Well, for those who remember our earlier discussions – and even for those who might need a little reminder! – this is another direct, mind-bending consequence of Hikaru using Uraume, the mysterious turtle, to actively mess with the timeline! 🐢✨ Just like Jiraiya and mini Sasuke experienced in previous chapters, it seems Hikaru's powerful wish to change things is truly kicking into high gear now. 🕰️🌀 Sakura and Neji have just been pulled into different corners of time or space, all part of Hikaru's grand, unfolding plan. It's truly a journey where the past, present, and even unforeseen realms are colliding! Get ready for what they'll find on the other side! 🚀
Thanks for sticking with the story! 😊
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Wow! 🤯 What a ride Chapter 3, "Sakura's Curiosity, Neji's Unraveling," turned out to be!
I hope your hearts were pounding as much as mine while writing it. We saw the intense search efforts, the unexpected alliance between Tenten and Ino (who saw that coming?! 👀), and then those shocking, mind-bending falls for Sakura and Neji! Talk about a double cliffhanger! 😱 It really feels like the world of Konoha just got a whole lot bigger, and a whole lot more mysterious, doesn't it? ✨ The sudden shifts, the unknown destinations... it's all part of the grand tapestry we're weaving together. Every little detail matters, and every moment is a step into the unforeseen!
But hold onto your kunai, because the adventure is only just beginning! 😉 In the very next chapter, we're taking a deep dive right into where Sakura landed. Will she be alright? And get ready, because her journey is about to introduce some brand new faces that will definitely shake things up in our evolving timeline! 🌳👤 You won't want to miss what thrilling new challenges and unexpected connections are about to unfold. The real core of our story is just getting started for our beloved characters, and I promise you, it's going to be a wild ride! 🚀
Your continued support and excitement for 'NARUTO: A CHANGE IN TIMELINE' means the world to me. Thank you for being such an incredible part of this journey! 🙏 Can't wait to share the next thrilling installment with you all very soon! See you there! 👋