After Kikyo left, Sasuke stood alone in the forest for a while, his fingertips rubbing the warm Millennium Key in his arms.
Although Izumi's attitude had been cold as ice, her words filled with distance and warning,
handing him this key, which contained the secrets of the clan, was itself a silent act of protection.
Forcing down the emotions surging in his heart, Sasuke's face returned to its usual indifference. He adjusted his expression and turned to leave the woods.
As soon as he returned to the clearing where the team was waiting, Naruto, who had been itching with impatience, immediately came over like a big golden dog. His blue eyes were filled with curiosity:
"Hey! Sasuke! What did that Miko lady... no, what did Kikyo say to you? Why was she being so mysterious?"
Sasuke was already irritated. When Naruto started making a fuss, his brows immediately furrowed, and he rudely pushed away the head that was practically pressed against his face.
His tone was extremely impatient. "You're so noisy, Dead Last! Stay away from me! It's none of your business!"
"What do you mean? Stingy Sasuke!" Naruto was pushed away and immediately began shouting in dissatisfaction, waving his fists. "Aren't we teammates? What's wrong with sharing some information? She must have told you something shameful!"
"Idiot." Sasuke could not be bothered to deal with him anymore and simply turned his face away.
At that moment, Kakashi walked over and calmly asked Sasuke, "Sasuke, how did it go? What is she planning?"
Sasuke knew that some things could not be spoken of openly yet, especially the matter of the key and the treasury.
Meeting Kakashi's gaze, he replied concisely, "She confirmed that she'll go to Konoha later to formally discuss an alliance. Other than that, she didn't say much."