There were fewer and fewer people in the airship cabin.
According to the rules, they could choose when to parachute out freely, as long as the airship had not left the island's boundaries.
As the airship drew closer and closer to the island's edge, even those who had not jumped yet had risen to their feet and were preparing to go.
But one girl remained in her seat, trembling, unable to make a move.
Hitomi recognized her as the girl named Sarada from yesterday's examination hall.
Thinking Sarada did not know the rules, he reminded her, "The rulebook says that if you don't jump before we cross the boundary, you'll be disqualified..."
Sarada lowered her head. "Leave me alone. Just jump yourself..."
Hitomi's gaze sharpened slightly, and he asked tentatively, "Are you afraid of heights?"
"..." Sarada bit her lip tightly and nodded.
Hitomi said, "We have parachutes. We'll come down slowly. We won't fall to our deaths..."
He did not realize that being afraid of heights and having a parachute were two entirely different matters.
Sarada said, "Don't worry about me. Just hurry up and jump..."
Hitomi said, "You'll be eliminated if this keeps up. Are you fine with that? If you really don't mind, then I'll leave you alone..."
Sarada remembered the conversation she had had with Karin three days earlier.
"Sweetheart, there's something Mommy has been lying to you about all this time. You do have a father. He's the finest ninja in the Shinobi World today..."
"Why isn't Daddy with Mommy? Did he abandon us?"
"No. Your father actually doesn't love Mommy. Mommy used a few tricks behind his back so that you could be born..."
Hearing that had shaken Sarada to her core.
"You're still young. You don't understand what it's like to love someone