A few years later.

A 13-year old Shirou dashed behind Lunea as she sped through the underground passageways. The smooth walls on both sides flashed by his reinforced body, the flapping Akatsuki uniform ahead of him suddenly stopping to sniff the air.

He knew his nose was good with magic, but Lunea's ability to smell magic was in an entirely different league. Then again, Shirou was comparing his ability to that of a phantasmal beast.

There was absolutely no chance he would win.

Lunea picked the path branching to the right, with Shirou following close behind. A tremor suddenly shook the underground passage, a result of the battle ongoing above. The guards of the hidden base were being drawn out, while the non-combat personnel bunkered deeper.

With all those people packed together in the deeper levels, Shirou and Lunea would have a field day simply "clearing out" the rats.

The only threat was the leader of the hidden research base, Kabuto. But the group knew that he hadn't been around the base for a few years, which only played further into their cards.

Lunea jabbed a hand forwards, willing the ambient mana to grow unstable, forcing the traps that lay ahead into activating, or destabilizing from the sudden instability of their environment. A few explosions occurred, some flying shrapnel, kunai and shuriken appeared from the walls directed at the pair.

Shirou traced some kunai and shuriken in return, shooting them to deflect the projectiles from hitting the duo. Once the threat was gone, the traced weapons disappeared, leaving no evidence behind.

Any investigation of the area would appear as if the traps had malfunctioned for no reason.

But the plan was not to confuse the enemy. Shirou and Lunea's intention was to infiltrate the base and rescue the prisoners, then eliminate the people in charge of the base.

Everyone else associated with them was free game.

Shirou and Lunea were determined to let none escape. Not after the glaring evidence of human experimentation from multiple sources.

With careful information gathering, the group of four had found the location the base was hidden. No blueprints had been leaked, so Shirou and Lunea had to improvise. The endless tunnels were impossible to track, but Lunea's sense of smell was that of a phantasmal beast. Which cut down a lot of problems Shirou would normally meet.

One floor down later, Lunea notified Shirou of their first breakthrough.

"There's a few guards here. They seem to be guarding a room."

"Are you sure?" Shirou knew that any personnel should've evacuated below already. He wasn't expecting to meet any this early.

"Yes, I smell a lot of dead bodies inside with them."

Shirou grimaced. The unfortunate souls must've perished in the worst way imaginable.

"When we arrive, I'll take the lead."

Lunea nodded. Shirou was good at initiating fights, lowering the risk for them both.

It took them a minute to reach the room. Shirou didn't even bother waiting, slamming the door open and throwing a few runes of light into the room. The nin inside who were caught off guard by the unknown intruders found themselves blinded by the makeshift flashbang, an effect of reinforcing them to the point of breaking.

They didn't survive a second longer as Lunea tore their necks with her claws.

Dead bodies slumped on the floor behind her. The wolf quickly made her way to grab the scientist huddled on the floor. One quick glance at the room's contents already confirmed her suspicions.

Human Experimentation.

The dead were hanged on chains, their bodies warped from the numerous experiments performed.

They were too late to save, but Lunea had the next best thing in her hands.

The scientist responsible.

With fury, she crushed the wrist in her hand, breaking bone and skin. The man howled in pain, his screams a sweet vengeance on her ears.

"Lunea! NO!" Shirou shouted, forcing her to release her grip on the man's limb.

"What? He should be dead for his crimes."

Shirou quickly tore a strip of cloth from the other dead shinobi, wrapping a makeshift bandage around the scientist's broken hand. Or rather, what remained of it. The wrist had been utterly crushed, the hand broke off from the sheer strength Lunea had used on the appendage. Bone broke through skin, showing just how powerful she was.

Lunea huffed behind her friend as he tried his best to staunch the bleeding.

"You know Heinrich and Eugen would've killed him instead."

Shirou clenched his teeth. The two Akatsuki members had played such a big part in the phantasmal beast's life, on par with him and Lunulupae. Their worldview of war had tainted the young wolf into becoming who she was today.

It didn't help that their line of work tended to deal with death. Which only played on Lunea's natural instincts as a predator. To her, hunting a target was fun, killing strong prey even more so. But not to the point that Lunea would happily seek to murder.

Lunulupae and Shirou had managed to curb the problem, teaching Lunea the importance of life and protecting innocents. But it didn't solve everything. It only reinforced her understanding that killing criminals was good. A philosophy Heinrich and Eugen agreed with.

So now, Shirou had to deal with 3 people carrying warped worldviews.

His role in their party pretty much amounted to that of a lawyer, bargaining for the life of criminals who had turned over a new leaf.

Still, he had to be there for when the girls decided that the others didn't deserve second chances.

Watching them beg had numbed him from the pain.

"We still need information about where the archives are. You didn't have to do that."

"Will you let me kill him after that?"

"...If we need to."

Shirou's own ideals had taken a hit while working in Akatsuki. Influence had gone both ways, and the sisters had managed to convince him that murder was always an option.

In his old life, moving a mountain would've been easier than taking a life.

Now? Not as much.

With the wrist bandaged as best as he can, Shirou grabbed the attention of the scientist.

"Tell us where your leaders are. Or else we'll leave you here to bleed out."

The man glanced at his partner, swallowing deeply as he watched the wolfgirl smile at him. The cute visage would've passed under normal circumstances, if not for the event earlier. Now, the scientist knew that the young lady was a predator in the wings, waiting for her partner to finish.

"W-why bother?! You'll just kill me anyway!" He shrieked, clutching his arm in pain.

"Rather I slit your throat, or my friend here will make it as painful as possible. Your choice." Shirou didn't like using Lunea as a threat, but the situation was urgent.

They needed to get in and out quickly. Each minute inside the base increased the risk of discovery. By then, Shirou and Lunea would become hounded by the guards inside.

"I-I don't know! We don't have the authority!" He begged while crawling backwards. His back reached the wall, increasing his desperation.

"How about your bunkers? Where are the others? We'll let you go if you tell us that much." Shirou bartered.

The scientist immediately grasped on the sliver of hope and answered his question, specifying the directions to the bunkers.

Not only a killer, but the fact he quickly betrayed the rest only made his situation worse. Lunea would be more than eager to jump at the scientist now.

There was no good choice. But, Shirou would at least pick the path that caused less suffering.

A resounding crack echoed in the chamber, and the body laid quietly against the wall.

"Why didn't you let me punish him? For all the lives he took." Lunea pouted behind him.

"No point. He betrayed them, but answered us regardless. He has earned enough to warrant a quick death at least." Shirou reasoned.

Unnecessary evil was something he would always strive for.

"Come. We need to move."

The pair dashed through the base, their pace slowing down as they hid from the emerging guards. More and more ninjas were starting to organize together in the defense of the hidden base now. Which only made it easier for them to map out the commonly used tunnels, something to consider for their escape.

Upon reaching the bunker, Shirou and Lunea met a sizable force guarding the entrance. The scientist had mentioned that there was only one way to enter the bunker, so avoiding the guards proved impossible.

But they didn't need to hide anymore. Not after reaching their destination.

Shirou lobbed a few of his light runes, but the experienced group of shinobi had reacted accordingly, recognizing the light runes and casted an earth wall to block the flash.

Lunea dashed around the corner at full speed, using the cover of the earthen barrier to approach them. At the same moment as the runes overloaded, she broke through the barricade, cleaving a man behind it in half. The others quickly retreated, throwing a hailstorm of elemental attacks on the phantasmal beast.

She grinned, then shocked them all by ignoring the attacks to sprint at the ninja. The elemental techniques impacted against Lunea, but their "elemental" quality only nullified them. As a being made up of the world's natural mana, such basic attacks were useless. Only the highest magnitude with a touch of human comprehension could possibly damage her.

Her claws tore through meat and bone, eviscerating the few unlucky souls within reach. It was followed by condensed energy in the shape of claws, ripping through space and reaching the others, slashing them into bloody chunks.

All the while, Shirou had used Lunea's distraction as an opportunity to pick off the others, small knives suddenly shooting for their heads. A few ninja managed to block and retaliate, but the small instance was enough for Lunea to reach them.

The guards didn't stand a chance.

It only took them a few moments to carve through the task force and reach the bunker's entrance. Shirou took the leader's blood and used it to activate the seal on the door, opening the last obstacle between them and their goal.

The personnel inside were confused when the door opened. The base was still under attack, judging from the vibrations felt on the walls. It made no sense for the guards to open the seal unless the threat was confirmed to be dealt with.

Only to find themselves looking up at two young teens dressed in black cloaks walking into the shelter.

"Lunea, leave the leaders alive alright? We still need to find where the archives are."

Lunea grinned down at the personnel below. Eager to punish the scum beneath her.

Shirou stood on a pile of boxes, the slaves, prisoners, test subjects from different sections all gathering before him.

The people were scared, huddling amongst themselves in fear. The only reason they gathered was because he and Lunea spread word of escape.

But not all were convinced.

Most of them had remained in their cells, scared to follow, frightened that it was all a trap to execute them. Some decided that making an escape on their own was worth the risk and broke off from the rest.

The thousand or so in front of him were the only people who wagered that his words were the truth.

And Shirou would be damned not to fail them.

"Everyone get ready. Once you have entered the other side, food and water will be available until we reopen the gate."

Shouts and questions erupted from the panicked crowd.

"You said we had an escape?! Why are we going to trust you?!"

"I knew it! It was a trap! Why should we believe such nonsense!"

"N-no. Please let us go! We won't do anything!"

The mixed reactions played a painful cacophony in Shirou's ears. These people had been abused, hurt, and jailed for so long that their reactions were understandable. After all, who would trust a little child like him?

Reinforcing his voice, Shirou shouted.

"Because if you don't trust me, then where would you go?! You've noticed the alarms right? The guards have found the first signs of escape! As we speak, they are coming down. Then pray tell me what your plan is."

That was enough to stop the crowd from hurling anger and insults at him. Indeed, they had also noticed the alarms blaring off long ago. His reasoning was quick to catch on, suddenly making them scared again.

Once the guards returned, death was inevitable. To control the rest, numerous lives would be killed.

"So please…trust me. Everyone calm down while I teleport you."

It was a lie. Shirou wasn't going to teleport them.

He was going to move them.

I am the bone of my sword.

The words of power thrummed, the first line of his aria boosting the magical output of his body.

But that alone wouldn't be enough for the mystery he was about to enact.

Steel is my body and fire is my blood.

A tremor shook the underground atrium, different from the rest. It was obvious that the source was closer than the fight happening above the ground.

I have created a thousand blades.

In the distance, an explosion occurred. Bloody screams could be heard as a massacre happened a few tunnels away. The terror-filled shrieks bounced around the walls, reaching the people around Shirou.

My life and death are for others.

Panic began to swell, the closest side pushing against the others, trampling on the unfortunate individuals who fell on the ground.

Withstood pain to create weapons, searching for myself.

The situation had completely devolved. The people he intended to save were squeezing against each other, desperately trying to escape.

But there was no escape. There were no more passages connected to the atrium. The only passage was the same entrance which the guards were coming from.

Lost in time and space, this path is all I have left.

Several ninjas poured in, Lunea killing a few who ran within her range. But the rest were free to dodge around her, sprinting at the crowd. Dread and hopelessness had filled the chamber, their suffocating cries reaching Shirou's heart.

Shurikens, kunai, and several jutsus could be heard whizzing towards the people. The shinobi didn't even intend on leaving them alive anymore. All they wanted was to recover control over the base.

And so, Shirou would save them. Save them from their captors.

So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works.

In a flash, everyone disappeared. The only people remaining were him and Lunea.

…and the group of ninjas who were confused about how everyone disappeared.

"Lunea, let's get to work."

Several knives stabbed into the heads of the captors.

"These people have been left alone for too long."

Shirou and Lunea trudged out the exit, their cloaks were singed, soaked, ripped, carrying all kinds of damage.

Fighting against a hoard of ninjas in an underground base was definitely not an experience they wanted to repeat.

The tunnels limited the amount of space for battle, acting as both a chokepoint for the guards, and for them. Shirou and Lunea had spent close to an hour fighting to escape the numerous traps and barricades erected to capture them. Good thing most of the base had been drawn by Heinrich and Eugen, or else they really wouldn't have stood a chance.

"How's our favourite pair of A-ranked prodigies faring? You guys enjoy your little trip down under?" Eugen joked.

The humor was lost on the both of them. All of their energy had been sapped in the escape, what little remained was used to support their legs.

Fortunately, the remainder of the base's ninja had retreated to consolidate their numbers.

Judging from the thousands of dead corpses above ground, Shirou knew that their team had wiped out close to 80% of the base in one night. With their non-combat higher-ups killed, combined with the massacre of the workforce supporting them, the base was as good as dead.

The slaves and prisoners would easily overwhelm their captors now. Especially after how tired and weakened they were from the fight with Akatsuki.

"Not now Eugen, can't you see they are exhausted?" Heinrich reprimanded her sister. Then she turned back to the pair of children. "So, do you have it?"

Shirou nodded.

The slaves and prisoners were only a side objective for him and Lunea. The true objective of the entire operation was to collect information.

Information that was currently sitting inside his Unlimited Blade Works.

A few days later, the group of four stood in an open field.

"Let me get this straight. Not only did you collect the archives of the base, but you pulled in some people as well?" Heinrich repeated. Behind her, Eugen was also gaping at Shirou.

The past 3 years had been spent developing Shirou's understanding of his new self. Heinrich and Eugen wanted him for his reality marble, not for its contents, but for its unique characteristic.

A separate dimension.

So, it was natural that to access his reality marble, Shirou had to rediscover his aria.

It came as a shock to him once he learned that Heinrich and Eugen were not aiming for his swords or any of the other powers existing within him, but rather, to develop one specific niche of his reality marble.

The ability to pull out a sword from his soul into the real world.

The sisters theorized that if Shirou could pull objects out from his world, then the same could be applied by pulling objects in.

Moving objects between two planes of reality.

Which leads us to today, where Shirou had transported the base's archives into his soul.

That was the plan, but what Heinrich and Eugen hadn't known was that Shirou experimented with living animals as well. And now, he was hauling around a thousand or so people inside of him. It was good that he thought ahead and stockpiled enough food for a few thousand people in his soul.

Just in case some people needed rescuing.

"...and you want us to erase the memories of the people inside?" Eugen finished her sister's question.

"It wouldn't be safe if a thousand people suddenly started talking about a child who teleported them to another dimension right?" Shirou replied.

While not exactly another dimension, the people will still perceive it as one. One look inside was enough to tell that it wasn't the Realm of Man.

He had moved the people on to the hill which the copies of Excalibur and Avalon laid. Anywhere else, and those people would've succumbed with migraine at best, and death at worst.

Yes, it wasn't a good idea to drop a thousand civilians into what was technically a war zone, but Shirou had no other way to save them. He couldn't exactly predict the effects of the numerous powers competing inside his soul right now.

Heinrich and Eugen exchanged a look. "Fine, but you better give us extra servings for this." Eugen eagerly answered.

Food. It was always about food.

"It's a deal."

It took a few moments for Shirou to utter his aria, moving people back into the real world took as much effort as it did moving them inside.

Suddenly, the hoard of slaves and prisoners appeared in the meadows beside the four of them. Sounds of laughter, relief, and whoops of joy echoed from the people.

A few seconds later, all of them had noticed the change in the surroundings. The people as a group quickly crowded together, wary of possible threats until they noticed Shirou and Lunea standing with 2 others.

Then, they were swamped.

Shirou and Lunea cried in surprise as the people dragged them away in the middle of the pack, shaking their hands, kissing them, and hugging them, grateful for their liberation.

One hour. That was how long the crowd needed to calm down after learning that they were back in their world, and that Shirou and Lunea would be letting them go.

A pang of guilt settled deep in Shirou's gut. These people had been saved just a few days prior, and they were suddenly going to get their memories erased. They had repeatedly told him that they would forever remain in his and Lunea's debt after what they had done. But after today, those memories would disappear, for the sake of their protection.

Life was not fair, it never was.

But at least, Shirou and Lunea could grant this little bit of protection for them.

The remainder of the day was spent erasing memories.

As the last person slumped on the ground, peacefully asleep from Heinrich and Eugen's magic, the pair of sisters turned on the two teens.

"It's time to go. We still have to comb over the archives for information before reporting back to Pein."

Shirou nodded. This was the fifth base they had raided, and still no information was found. The deadline was getting closer and closer, and if they failed here, then the next chance could possibly be a few years down the line.

Years that Shirou could use finding Sakura, instead of working under Akatsuki.

Once this was all over, he, Lunea, and Lunulupae would be free.

Tobi came around to pick them up a couple of days later.

Heinrich quickly asked the current status of the mission after he arrived.

Since the deadline was close, Pein had suspended all other activities, funneling all Akatsuki teams into the operation. 3 assault teams were formed, with one team relaying information on targets.

Tobi and his partner Zetsu were in charge of information gathering and communication for the three teams.

Konan and Yahiko acted as the first assault team, with the Deva Path playing the support role, which was Pein's secondary body outside of his real one.

Heinrich and Eugen were the second assault team. The support role was handed to their two assistants, Lunea and Shirou.

The third team was considered to be the most powerful, not requiring any assistance. Primarily because they were formed by a dragon and an ice demon.

Pein and his 5 remaining Paths stayed behind, acting as the defensive force for the main Akatsuki headquarters near Amegakure. It wouldn't do well for everyone to return to a wrecked base when Hanzo the Salamander decided to get rid of them.

The group of four sat in a tavern inn, waiting for further news. Two days prior, Tobi had received the archives and brought them to the Akatsuki base for examination. Then, the information was spread between the intelligence groups under Pein.

A short break was nice, but the short timeframe left only spurred them to prepare for the next assault. In a span of 6 months, the 3 teams had attacked several prospective targets, but all had yielded no results.

Not until today.

Tobi spiraled into existence in front of them, the first words out of his mouth answering the question everyone had.

"Woohooo! Phase 1 is finished! Pein's recalling everyone for an on-site meeting to discuss the next stage of our operation!" He excitedly blabbered while waving his hands.

Shirou's eyes widened at the implication. So, it was finally happening. Phase 2 was identified to be the most dangerous part of the operation. It was going to be the first real move Akatsuki would make on a national level. That was the reason all members had to be present for the briefing.

Without further ado, the quintet were whisked away to the headquarters.

When they arrived at the meeting place, everyone had already convened ahead of them. Tobi must've brought them earlier.

The other members of Akatsuki all stood on a circular platform of stone, separated into their distinct teams with the exception of Konan and Yahiko, both of which stood beside Pein.

Zetsu was standing some distance away, holding a pile of folders in his hands.

As for the last team…

"Looks like you guys won our competition." The words came from the mouth of the only other teenager in Akatsuki besides Shirou and Lunea.

18 year old Tatsumi greeted the two younger adolescents. The trio of teens had struck up a bond after one meeting, and got off to a great start.

"Impressive. As expected of the youngest Akatsuki members we have."

The praise came from Tatsumi's partner, arguably the strongest Akatsuki member after Pein.

Esdeath, the Ice Queen.

A shiver ran down Shirou's frame. While Tatsumi was a friend, he couldn't say the same for Esdeath. The woman was dangerous, and he knew it. But the extreme sense of power she exuded was the reason Lunea liked her.

At least, everyone in Akatsuki were allies. Shirou had yet to see a crack in the organization.

"Did you face any powerful opponents this time?" The blue-haired 25 year old asked while rubbing Lunea's hair.

"Nope. But escaping from the base was hard. It was fun!" The young wolf brightened under the attention from her idol.

Suffice to say, Lunea admired every female member of Akatsuki. Each and every one of them being powerful individuals. Eugen and Heinrich became practically sisters, but that wasn't enough to stop Esdeath from winning the number one spot in Lunea's eyes.

Not since the day Tatsumi and Esdeath were recommended to Akatsuki.

2 years ago, Tobi had stumbled upon a pair of strange travellers. "Stumbled" was an understatement. He had witnessed a spar between Tatsumi in his dragon form and Esdeath.

Tobi being Tobi, applauded after the battle, ruining his cover.

Esdeath was immediately interested, surprised to find someone capable of sneaking on her and Tatsumi. Tobi introduced himself and Akatsuki, informing them that he was looking for strong members.

Esdeath was quickly attracted to the notion of being around powerful fighters, and dragged Tatsumi with her to join.

Tobi brought the two applicants to the next meeting, convincing Pein to spar with Esdeath.

Shirou could still remember that day. It had set the benchmark of how powerful their leader was.

The fact that Pein was able to beat a monster like Esdeath still rang alarms in his head.

They were SS-Ranks, and Akatsuki had two of them.

"You can catch up later. We're supposed to have a meeting." Pein reminded everyone.

The two teams excused themselves, returning to their proper positions on the platform.

Zetsu passed around the folders he held, each member receiving one.

"We now have enough information that Danzo Shimura's ROOT has a connection with Kabuto Yakushi. Primarily, Danzo sources research and illegal materials to use for his undercover organization." Konan informed the rest of Akatsuki.

"Using the information we have gathered from the numerous bases, we have discovered that Kabuto had also been keeping an eye on Danzo and his ROOT."

Shirou opened his folder, just like everyone else. Inside, it showed extra information about the deals between Kabuto and ROOT.

"On your maps are some of the secret access points to ROOT's stronghold under Konoha."

He flipped to the next page, containing a map of Konoha, with several marked out locations.

He already knew where this was building up to. Danzo Shimura was a staunch ally of Hanzo the Salamander, who was Pein's current target to liberate Amegakure. Pein needed both Danzo and ROOT to retreat, leaving Hanzo's faction weakened.

Weak enough for Akatsuki and the rebels to move in and begin the revolutionary war.

But first, they needed to strike at Danzo, and to strike at Danzo, would mean to strike at the shield he was hiding behind.

Konoha.

And the only way to attack Konoha with the best possibility of success?

"The Chuunin Exams are in three months. This time, Konoha is acting as the host for the event."

There was a reason Phase 2 was considered the most dangerous amongst all of them. Simply put, Phase 2 meant ditching the covert operations Akatsuki had been doing. After this phase, Akatsuki wouldn't retain the identity as a silent group of S-ranked mercenaries for hire. They would become a threat that the hidden villages wouldn't be able to ignore.

The pros and cons favored Pein's goal. Akatsuki would gain a reputation as threatening as Hanzo the Salamander. Acting as a buffer for any interested parties who might pitch in the following revolutionary war should the mission be a success.

Most wouldn't risk the chance to assist any side of the incoming conflict. On one side, an SS-ranked Kage. On the other, an organization filled with known S-ranks.

Danzo was the last limiting factor that stopped Pein from declaring war against Hanzo. With him gone, Hanzo would be isolated and alone. The balance of power would equalize between the rebel and loyalist factions.

"Our goal is to attack ROOT. But any attack on them would be considered as an infiltration to Konoha, so we might as well just force the issue."

Everyone was looking at Pein, his next few words dictating their operations for the following few months.

"We're going to assault Konoha during the Chuunin Exams."


Author's Note

Shirou has a new aria, mostly because finding himself in a new world with a different childhood changed his experiences, including his gig in Akatsuki.

Lunea is a child, literally. Children are easily impressionable by the people around them. As such, she has adapted a negative influence from the criminal organization, while also keeping some lessons from Shirou and her mother. In fact, her idea of having fun fighting strong opponents comes from a certain ice queen we all both love and hate: Esdeath.

Akatsuki in this world is not the same from Naruto, likewise for Kabuto taking the role of what Orochimaru had in the original anime. The clues gave you an idea that they raided one of Orochimaru's hidden bases yeah? Don't worry, you'll see some interesting people in a big cameo somewhere in the next few chapters.

What do you guys think about our last Akatsuki pair? Quite random no? They'll play a major role in volume 2, and also some portions of volume 3. Hehehehe.

Yes, I'm a bad guy. I'm actually sending Shirou and the gang to invade Konoha. It's not cliche after all. I don't see anyone making stories about being the invasion force during the Chuunin Exams.

Woohoo! One more chapter before I catch up with my weekly delays!