Chapter III

Far from Being the Only One

After regaining my composure, I went to the Fifth Hokage to explain in detail what had just happened: my encounter with the first man, then my confrontation with the second, the one with the strange entity to finally finish with the disappearance of Naruto. Despite the horrible news, Lady Tsunade keeps her calm as she always does, but Shizune shows a much different expression.

"Could it be an Akatsuki move?" exclaims the assistant aloud, visibly panicked.

"I don't think so," I retort before elaborating my thoughts further. "Their headbands are unknown to us, but they aren't striped and they don't wear their attire. Not to mention that the first one I faced is far from having the level."

"Even your ninja dog couldn't find them?" Lady Tsunade asks me with a frown.

I nod as she bites her thumb.

"It's bothersome," she says in a whisper. "Omitting Naruto, the most worrying thing is how they got in undetected…"

As I'm about to speak, the office door is suddenly opened.

"Lady Tsunade!"

I turn around and recognize Shikamaru and Shikaku from the Nara clan who come to stand beside me. Something serious must have happened; both are panting and their clothes are covered in dust and dirt. I have a bad feeling. Is it possible that..?

"What is it, Shikaku?" asks Godaime.

"We just got attacked by shinobis from an unidentified group. They were after Shikamaru."

His answer confirms my doubts. Already, as I had deduced, the enemies were more than two, but it seems that Naruto was not their only objective. It is not by his title of Jinchūriki that he was targeted. I had concluded so at first… However, with this new information in the equation, I must admit that I don't know the reason since the two boys have a very different profile on too many aspects…

I'm not the only one to believe it since I read on Lady Tsunade's face the surprise, the questioning and obviously thoughts similar to mine.

"What happened?" she asks, frowning.

"After our game of shōgi, the old man left to get some fresh air and I stayed there to relax," the young teenager says calmly. "Of course, I had my guard down and that's when a guy appeared out of nowhere. If it wasn't for Dad, he would have hurt me with whatever he tried to throw at me."

"I felt something strange in the area and I went to investigate," Shikaku starts. "I came across a rather weak ninja… It was only after having him immobilized that I realized that he was only there to separate me from Shikamaru since I perceived a similar sensation not far from my kid."

Fifth Hokage and I exchange a brief look. No doubt possible, these two attacks are orchestrated by the same group. Then a fear haunts my thoughts: there might be other victims right now, as we speak—rather, I'm sure of it.

"Unfortunately, he disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared, and by the time we found the first guy, he was already dead on his own. Then that's when we saw the poster with the portrait of my son," he ends.

The heavy atmosphere becomes even more so. The seriousness of things is felt and it is only now that the youngest notices my presence. He must suspect that—through my lack of expression—I am the bearer of similar news as well.

"Kakashi-sensei, you here would mean that…"

"Kakashi just reported the same situation as you two," Godaime cuts off before turning her attention to her assistant. "Shizune! Raise the alarm! Let the troops mobilize throughout Konoha!"

"Right away!" she replies before hurrying out of the office.

Before the two Nara could speak or question her, Godaime catches them off guard:

"Since you are a target, you, Shikamaru, will stay here under protection."

"Hey oh, what's going on?" asks the dark-eyed youngster. "What did you want to say, Kakashi-sensei?

A silence reigns. The father and the son are waiting for an answer; far from being fooled, given the concern of the Hokage, they suspect that something serious has happened. Once again, I glance at the boss who returns it before clasping her hands together and looking away at her desk. So I decide to share the sad news:

"Naruto was just abducted by the same group," I curtly say.