Pakura's vision blurred for a moment before reality crashed down on her like a tidal wave. The stinging sensation on her bare skin and the unmistakable red marks told her one thing—this was no illusion. No genjutsu had been cast on her.
But more than the pain, what truly unsettled her was Uchiha Shin's technique. His movements were too precise, too fluid. In mere moments, he had overwhelmed her completely, controlling her every move as if she were nothing but a puppet in his hands.
Even when she finally realized what was happening, it was already too late. Her resistance was meaningless against his mastery. And so, she now found herself floating weakly in the warm water, utterly subdued, like a fish caught in a whirlpool.
"Didn't you take the initiative just now?" Shin's voice carried an amused lilt. "Why do you look so helpless now?" .
Leaning back lazily at the edge of the natural hot spring, Shin smirked as he watched Pakura struggle to maintain what little dignity she had left. She was still trying to cover herself, though it was painfully obvious she had already lost that battle.
Her futile attempts at modesty only amused him further. He chuckled. "You look pathetic."
Pakura gritted her teeth, but there was no bite left in her. She wanted to lash out, but she had nothing left to fight with. The realization only deepened her humiliation.
Shin exhaled contentedly. "I'll say this much—compared to Karura, your 'good friend,' your body is definitely superior." He tilted his head, evaluating her with an unreadable expression. "But if we're talking about pure elegance and temperament, Karura might have you beat."
Pakura's face burned with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. "Don't compare me to her like that, you bastard!"
Shin ignored her outburst. His gaze trailed lazily over her exposed back. "White as snow, smooth as jade. What a waste not to use it as a footrest."
Pakura's eye twitched. Then she felt it—his foot pressing against her back.
"Don't put your damn foot on me!" she barked, shoving his leg away. Her frustration boiled over, but she knew deep down that her defiance meant little here.
Shin merely smirked. "You're still acting tough?"
Pakura glared at him, trying to appear menacing, but her flushed skin and ragged breathing betrayed her. Shin found her futile resistance amusing. As if to taunt her, he simply relaxed further, acting as if her glare meant nothing.
After a long, awkward silence, Pakura finally spoke. "Why are you here, Uchiha Shin? What's your real goal?"
Shin glanced at her, unimpressed. "Are you an idiot?"
Pakura's fists clenched beneath the water. "What?"
Shin rolled his eyes. "Why should I tell you my plans? What do my 'conspiracies' have to do with you? Do you seriously think I staged a grand scheme to lure you here just to kill you?"
Pakura faltered.
Shin's voice turned colder. "If I hadn't arrived, you'd be nothing more than a rotting corpse right now."
That sent a shiver down her spine. He was right. She had been seconds away from death.
"You should be thanking me," Shin continued. "Maybe even rolling over and showing your belly in submission like a good girl."
Pakura's entire body stiffened, her face darkening into an almost unnatural shade of red. "T-That's…!"
Shin leaned back with a satisfied smirk, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Go on. Say it."
Pakura trembled, but eventually, she let out a shaky sigh and bowed slightly, still submerged in the water. "T-Thank you… for saving me."
Shin's brow lifted slightly. "Huh. You actually have some decency."
Pakura scowled but said nothing. As much as she hated to admit it, she did owe him. He had pulled her back from the brink of death. The thought of dying alone, discarded by her own village, sent an involuntary shudder through her.
She hated this.
Shin, ever the opportunist, grinned. "What's the point of just saying thank you? You should serve me properly."
Pakura's body tensed. "You bastard!!!"
A fireball flickered to life in her palm—her Kekkei Genkai, Scorch Release, ready to incinerate him on the spot. But before she could strike, she hesitated. Instead, she splashed a handful of warm water at his face.
Shin sputtered, shaking his head like a wet dog. "What the hell?! I was being reasonable, you ungrateful brat!"
"Reasonable my ass!" Pakura shouted, fuming.
Without warning, Shin grabbed her arm, pulling her against him. The water swirled violently around them.
"Wha—?" Pakura gasped, her breath hitching as Shin's grip tightened.
"You need to learn some manners," Shin murmured.
The water rippled in waves, their bodies dangerously close. Pakura wanted to push him away, to yell at him, but her body betrayed her. Instead, she found herself leaning against him.
Her pride was screaming in protest, but the warmth of his body and the firm grip on her wrist grounded her in a way she didn't expect. It was humiliating. It was infuriating. And yet…
She felt safe.
The realization unsettled her more than anything else.
Silence stretched between them until Pakura, struggling to suppress her emotions, changed the subject. "Where's Karura? What happened to her?"
Shin quirked a brow. "That's your first concern? Not why I'm in the Hidden Mist Village?"
Pakura frowned. "Of course, I care about Karura. Do I need to spell it out for you?"
Shin chuckled. "Relax. She's fine. Living comfortably, actually. I'll take you to Konoha Castle later. You'll see for yourself."
Hearing his calm assurance, Pakura finally allowed herself to relax. If Karura was safe, then at least there was one less thing to worry about. Unlike her, Karura hadn't been betrayed by their own village.
Thinking of that betrayal, Pakura's expression darkened.
"Why?" she muttered, voice thick with anger. "Why did Sunagakure betray me?"
Shin rested his chin on his palm, his tone dismissive. "From the intel I gathered, it's simple. Sunagakure planned to ally with the Hidden Mist Village to take me down. But the Mist didn't trust them, so they offered you as a bargaining chip."
Pakura's stomach twisted.
Shin continued mercilessly. "If I hadn't intervened, you would've been kept here as breeding stock after the war."
Her blood ran cold. Her hands clenched beneath the water as the weight of his words sank in. She had been nothing more than a pawn to her own village. Disposable.
Seeing her horror, Shin smirked. "Looks like you're finally getting it."
Pakura turned away, her face pale. Her betrayal stung even more now that she knew what her fate could have been.
After a moment, she glanced at Shin, studying his sharp features. He was a bastard, an arrogant, smug bastard. And yet…
"Thank you," she said again, softer this time.
Shin blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then his smirk returned. "If you're this grateful, maybe you should really start serving me properly."
Pakura's face burned again. "You—!"
Another splash of water. Another round of laughter.
And for the first time in a long while, Pakura didn't feel so alone.
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