A large Hawk flies through the air carrying Sasuke on top. The Hawk lands at the ground and Sasuke drops down, he nods at the Hawk and it dispelled. Sasuke walks towards a building that was hiding in the ground, he encounters a large door at the entrance. The building appears to be abandoned, so using his Rinnegan he pushes the door with a repulsive force shattering it to pieces. The hallways were filled with vegetation and cracked walls. Sasuke entered a room with a large computer that was left on, signs that someone was here.
He interacted with the computer, whoever was here was observing the recent login. A blade was placed against Sasuke neck, the assailant whispered into his ear.
"Can't you go through the door like a normal person?" Sasuke dismisses the question. Lightning flows through his body electrocuting the assailant. He looks at him with a disappointing look while he recovers.
"Ever heard that putting a knife against someone's neck is not the best way to say hello." Sasuke continues to look down at the man known as the Second Coming of the Demon. His friend Suigetsu Hōzuki. Karin enters the room and saw Suigetsu on the ground.
"Dammit, Sasuke you scared the hell out of me!" Karin walks over to the computer completely ignoring Suigetsu.
"You three are hiding. Why?"
"It's because of that damn snake Orochimaru! When he disappeared we took the heat. This only place we can get some peace and quiet. I should never have trusted him. Why did I even came back here in the first place?"
"Karin it's okay, things will get better." Sasuke places his hand on her shoulder, she pushes it away and crosses her arms.
"Just tell us what the Village wants."
"I come here on my own, no involvement with the Village. I just wanted to ask for your help."
"Help? With what?"
"I've been assigned a mission. Investigate an anomaly. Possibly another Otsutsuki."
"You gotta be kidding me! Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. Why do you need us?"
"The last time I did a mission like this I able to handle it just fine. But now with Sarada's condition… I'm afraid to leave her alone."
"Sarada… how is she doing?" Karin was concern about her, she wishes she could be there for her.
"She alright, as far as I know. Watching her grow is extraordinary."
"That's good to hear."
"I thought having you guys by my side I'll have more time to be with her." Karin chuckled.
"I remember how nervous you were while Sakura was pregnant with Sarada. Now it seems like you quickly got the hang of it. I'll join you and I'm sure the others will too."
Suigetsu mutters under his breath still knockout on the ground. Karin begins to nurse him with Sasuke overlooking them. He cracked a smile, remembering the moments with his team. The good, the bad, all flashed through his mind. Things changed now, he knew that. He was going, to be honest with himself, he's excited to see where this go.
Shikamaru was waiting in the Hokage Office waiting for Naruto. He heard that he needed to say something important to him. The door opens and several men enter the room but to Shikamaru surprise, it wasn't Naruto. The Daimyo steps forward confronting Shikamaru.
"Where's Naruto?"
"He's… busy right now." Shikamaru didn't even know why he was defending him. Naruto probably conspired with the other Hokage and set him up.
"I've heard that he was away during these times of trouble. Is this true?"
"He took some time off to be with his family."
"What about the Village? Did he leave the people defenseless while criminal activity is at an all-time high?"
"No, of course not. Tsunade and Kakashi are back in office giving us a hand."
"I believe they're not a suitable replacement for Naruto." Shikamaru was baffled by the Daimyo words.
"But sir-"
"Naruto is the only one who can truly rally the people and in terms of power well, no one comes close. I want you to locate him and bring him back."
"Sir, he does have the right to take days off."
"I've already given him time to grieve. Now he must focus on the Village needs, stop these Terrorists and keep me protected. That is his purpose, his mission. If he doesn't fulfill his duties then I will have no problem in finding someone who will."
Shikamaru gritted his teeth. The nerve of this guy. Threatening his friend just because he wanted to be with his family.
"That won't be necessary."
"Good. I have other business to attend, so do me a favor and bring him back to work asap. I don't want to be here any longer."
"Sure, I'll do what I can."
The Daimyo left the room and his bodyguards followed him. Once they left Shikamaru sat down and took a deep breath. He knew Naruto set him up and purposely avoided this whole ordeal. He wanted to repay him in some way but with the task he just received, it is better to leave him be.
Hinata was sitting on the edge of a building staring at the night sky. The Moonlight reflecting off her mask. She could see everything below her by using her Byakugan. She needed to make this quick with Naruto dedicating more time at home her personal mission has been made more difficult. Spotting her targeted location she jumps off the building and made her way to an abandoned house, the home of Sumire Kakei.
Using her extended vision Hinata observed the inside. She spotted Sumire in a hidden room in the basement working with Ninja tools. Phasing through the walls she quietly reached the basement careful not to alarm her. Sumire was entranced with her work, oblivious to the intruder behind her. Hinata slowly got closer with the intent of incapacitating her.
The ground starts shaking and the wall crumbles away. From the cracks, Negative Chakra slips through. A loud roar echoes through the basement as Hinata took cover from the rumble falling at her. Once everything calmed down Hinata came out and look around shocked by her new surroundings. It was a large cave system with roots covering the area. A faint light illuminates the cave as if was dawn but there was no sign of a light source. Hinata heard laughter, she looks up and see's Sumire on a stalagmite with a flat surface.
"Well, what do we have here? A visitor? I hate it when people come uninvited."
"Where am I?"
"You're in my world now. You have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide." Negative Chakra emitted from her body. She pointed at the Vigilante with water building at the tip of her finger. With a twisted smile, she asked the Vigilante a question. "Tell me. Do you fear death?"
A large gush of water was launched at Hinata. Pushing the ruble away she able to roll dodging the attack.
"Sumire, stop! I don't want to fight you!"
"What were you expecting!? A big jolly smile? That I'll do what you say? Well, that's not gonna happen. I promised him-" Sumire choked up and tears began to fall. "I promised at his grave that I will avenge him. I'm determined to see it though."
Hinata sympathized with Sumire. She had the same goal. It would be hypocritical for her to say that it was wrong. She just didn't want Sumire to get hurt or go down a path she can never return from.
"You can live a peaceful life. Let me handle The Academy."
"NO! I was born with a single purpose, War. Thought I could change my life, that I could decide on my own. Even changed my family name. But now I know, that you can't change fate. I am Sumire Shigaraki! I'm the one who will defeat The Academy!"
"You're just a child, a kid that just angry. How are you going to take down a whole organization?" Large footsteps start echoing throughout the cave, slowly coming towards Hinata. From the shadows a large creature emerged, clearly towering over her. It was Root secret weapon that was passed on to Sumire, Nue.
Hinata made a fighting stance with dark purple Chakra emitting from her arms and the rest of her body. Nue roared causing the cave to shake. A fog surrounded Hinata, in a second she found herself outside of Sumire's house. Sumire was on top of the House glaring at the Vigilante.
"I not going to waste my time with you. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours." Sumire left and disappears from Hinata sights. Frustrated she pounded the ground and even cause it to crack. She looks at her hand still radiating the Divine Chakra that was gifted to her long ago. Calming down the Chakra faded away.
Doubt started to fill her mind again. She regrets committing these actions. Actions that went against her morals. What makes things worse was this feeling. At home, she felt like needed to do something, something that normal Shinobi can't do. But when out at the field she wishes she shoulda stayed home. These Monsters who called themselves 'saviors' stole something from her that can never be brought back. Hinata feels herself slipping from reality. Falling down the same path as Sumire. With her Byakugan she sees villagers coming close to her location. Hinata disappeared into shadows forced to abandon the mission for now.
Sarada's arms and legs were entangled in branches, tied to a large tree in the 'Twilight' forest. Her eyes were also blindfolded. She was struggling to break free but the beaches held her tight. A hand caress Sarada's cheek calming her down. Sarada knew it was the copy, her touch felt warm yet it made Sarada felt uneasy. The Copy wraps her arms around Sarada's neck and started choking her.
"YOU LOST!" The Copy was furious, her touch was now burning Sarada's neck.
"I'm… sorry."
"You were holding back. Why!?"
"I didn't want to hurt my friends."
"And look what happened! You were beaten and humiliated, just like before!"
"I…" Memories of the fight against the Headmaster flashed in her mind. She then realized that the Copy had let go of her.
The blindfold fell off revealing a horrifying sight for Sarada. The Copy had warped into the image of the Headmaster. He grabs her neck and a Black Chakra rod formed in his hand. The Copy stabs her in the stomach waking her up from the nightmare.
Sarada jumped up and got out of her sleeping bag. She ran away from the camp gaining some considerable distance. Someone was able to grab Sarada's shoulder stopping her. Reacting quickly she swiped the hand away. Taking deep breaths she was too able to calm down and process what was happening. The hand she hit was Shikadai's. He had a concerned look on him.
"Easy, it's just me."
"S- Shikadai!? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you."
"It's okay. I think it's fair considering what I did to your head." Sarada touches the bump in her head, it wasn't as bad as she first thought. Shikadai worried and Sarada noticed. She then realizes that she had her Sharingan active. The intensity of the nightmare must have triggered it. With it, she saw that everyone was sleeping including the Jonin.
"Why aren't you sleeping with the rest?"
"Couldn't get any sleep. So I volunteered to be the lookout. What happened to you? You just freak out all of a sudden."
"I… I just had a nightmare. I'll be fine."
"You sure? I mean, you still have the Sharingan active and you're sweating a river."
"It just feels natural to me," Sarada said in a nervous response.
"The Sharingan or the sweating?" Sarada face turns red and she crossed her arms. "How bad are these nightmares of yours?"
"This is nothing, I'll manage. Why are you asking?"
"I just… want to make sure you're safe." Sarada was surprised. Seeing her reaction Shikadai blushes and stares into the forest. "Um, I didn't mean it like, uh… the Devil's Ravine is further down east. I can show it to you if you want."
"We already reached the Ravine?"
"Yeah, but we ran into a problem." Shikadai created a shadow clone to watch over the teams while the original and Sarada went over to the Ravine. "Boruto taught me that."
"Huh?"
"The Shadow Clone Technique. He taught me how to do it as an apology for cheating in our fight at the Chunin Exams." Shikadai looks at her. Sarada seems lost in her thoughts. He figured that Sarada not ready to talk about Boruto.
After a while, they reached the Devil's Ravine. The gorge was filled with poisonous green gas. Sarada still had her Sharingan active. With it she notices something was wrong, the movement of the gases were abnormal.
"The path that leads to the village was destroyed. As of now, we don't know how to get across."
"The Gas, it's not leaving the Ravine. It's as if there was a barrier preventing the gas to escape."
"Moegi-sensei said the same thing. We've tried to find another way in but no luck. We also couldn't communicate with the Village. So we're-" Sarada raises her arm and had her fist closed. It was the military hand signal for 'freeze'. Sarada gently goes for her pouch and pulls out a kunai. Shikadai got closer and whispers to Sarada.
"What do you see?"
"Movement, inside the gas. It appears to be Human."
The ground starts to shake and ground below them fell apart. Sarada grabs Shikadai and jumps farther away from the Ravine. When they landed the ground below them fell apart. Both crashed down into the Ravine with the poisons mist closing in on them. The Gases began taking their effect on the young Shinobi's. Shikadai lost conciseness with Sarada beginning to faint as well.
From the mist, a Shinobi with a gas mask flew into the air. Four wings made of Chakra formed on their back and dive towards Sarada and Shikadai. The last thing Sarada saw was the Shinobi flying at high speeds at her. This reminded her of the last stand she endured at the sea. Her body giving out, her teammate on the ground and the enemy approaching. In her mind, it was all happening again.
A/N: This one is shorter than usual but hey it's an update. Now, I should say something here like usual but I got nothing. Guess I'll say thank you for reading my story. Means a lot to me.
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