After reporting the intelligence, Sakura thought of Karin's situation. Though the chances were slim, she still planned to check around that tower to see if she could find anything.
There, she ran into Neji Hyuga, Hinata, Shino, and the others, who were also observing the area.
The veins around Neji Hyuga's eyes faded as he looked at Sakura. "Sakura, you came too. How is Karin?"
Sakura nodded to the other two in greeting. "She's much better now. Have you found anything here?"
Shino said, "I found something, but it does not seem especially useful."
"My Kikaichū can get close to that place, but they cannot enter. The tower seems to be completely sealed off. And the insects that touched the tower suddenly die afterward, as if they suffered a mental breakdown. I tried calming them, but it did not work."
Sakura said, "...Um, insects can suffer mental breakdowns?"
"..."
Shino adjusted his sunglasses, his voice low. "You all seem to have some serious misconceptions about insects..."
Neji and Hinata signaled to Sakura with their eyes not to pursue the subject. Seeing their reactions, Sakura seemed to understand something and promptly shut her mouth.
Before Shino could begin another round of explanations, Neji changed the subject. "Hinata and I cannot see through that tower either. It feels as though a tower-shaped piece is missing from a puzzle. There is nothing there..."
Inside the tower—
"Now you can hand it over to me."
The atmosphere froze, with a trace of awkwardness mixed in. Sasuke even suspected that Hyuga Mokujin had deliberately waited until he finished speaking before suddenly opening his mouth.
Naruto stood slightly ahead, subtly shielding both the people and the item behind him. "What do you want those eyes for?"
Hyuga Mokujin thought for a moment, then answered seriously,