"Fancy seeing you here, brother."

Sasuke stopped walking when he heard that familiar voice beside him.

Itachi.

He looked his brother over. He was wearing a stylish fur coat over his dark leather warrior apparel. He still looked the same. He wasn't getting older nor was he getting younger, but he looked younger than most young lycans in the land.

Sasuke had just finished overseeing the case of the last affected village surrounding his territory and decided to visit Sakura before going to the King's court. He had appeared at the doorstep of the shrine, but he couldn't go in. He didn't know why but he couldn't. All he thought of as he stared at her through the mirror placed fortunately infront of her, was that she was hale and hearty. Her skin color was back, her hair was vibrant as before and her aura told of her wellbeing. He regretted not being able to see her eyes but he was still grateful.

He was grateful to her, for waking up. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and never let her go.

So, why couldn't he enter in?

That's the same question he's asked himself now as he walked over to where his pack was on standby few meters away from the entrance of the King's court, waiting for him. His heart had thumped fearfully when he thought she would notice him through the same medium and he had left.

It left him unsteady. It wasn't his way. Turning away from needed conversations instead of confronting it right there and then. He just wasn't sure he could take it. He was still blaming himself for causing her pain and he guessed the guilt conscious would eat him up if he was close to her.

She would probably forgive him, and say it was okay. That was something that bothered him. She was always too kindhearted and careless. She does something crazy then put it all behind her. He didn't like that. He didn't want to forgive himself yet. He felt she was safer away from him than with him.

"What's fancy about Father summoning us to his court of filthy hypocrites?" Sasuke replied his brother, grunting afterwards.

Itachi had come alone. He didn't even need to ask why. His brother liked simplicity. He didn't need a whole lot of entourage tailing behind him even though he was going to the biggest and noblest meeting course in Raikanrando.

"I sent you a message."

"And I didn't respond." Sasuke said, looking at his pack ahead. "I'm sorry about that." They were now getting close to large building where the King held his meetings with his advisors and with great Lords and Ladies. Shikamaru and Naruto were not around at the point. They had gone for the village which had been attacked by Rogues.

Sasuke didn't sense his brother beside him and he stopped. He looked back to see the older Uchiha staring at him in shock. "What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

Itachi closed his eyes and shook his head as he resumed walking. "You apologized for something you did for the first time since you grew out of your pup stage. It's a miracle."

Sasuke grunted in annoyance, falling unto step with his brother. "Hn."

"The girl, isn't it?"

Sasuke hesitated for awhile.

"Danzo will be unto her." Itachi watched as his brother clenched both his hands. "He has a new face as his personal advisor."

"An advisor has an advisor?" Sasuke could almost laugh. "That's bullshit."

"I'm just telling you to be weary of him. His personal advisor seems sketchy."

"I don't need to be weary of anyone." Sasuke stopped infront of the entrance of the King's court as his pack chorused in greetings. His attention was on his brother. Onyx held onyx. "They die before they get a chance to attack me."

"I'm not talking about you."

The younger black eyes immediately turned to crimson and his canines elongated. "No one will touch my mate."

The older's gaze remained unmovable. "You brought her, didn't you? You wouldn't come to Isekai except you needed something really urgent. You know you wouldn't be able to leave that easily so you brought her along."

Sasuke sighed hotly.

Itachi's face was emotionless. "Why? To her death?"

It was a deadly staring competition between the two brothers, that even the Dark Crescent pack felt uncomfortable.

Sasuke closed his eyes and massaged his temples. He was losing control over himself day by day. "I believe we have a meeting to attend, Itachi."

Itachi smiled a bit. "After you, little brother." The older brother responded, staring at the building before him, then at the servants, carriages and horses lined up at the last foot of it.

Naruto crouched down as Shikamaru stared at the obvious emptiness the sight before them was entailed in. Weaved baskets, little footwear, dusty clothes and wooden boxes were littered all over the ground infront of the huts.

"There's no one here." Naruto whispered, looking up at the Gamma who narrowed his eyes as he stepped out from their spot with his hand under his chin, looking at the abandoned appliances before the hut.

Naruto and Shikamaru had been sent to secure the village which had been attacked by Rouges. The small village was known for their seasonal gatherings and peaceful habit. They flourished in hunting and harvesting, and they were simple people. It was not a wonder that Rogues had decided to attack the place. What the Beta and Gamma did not expect was to be greeted with emptiness.

The entrance of the village had been suspicious enough, and on getting to the village square, it clarified their suspicion.

Shikamaru probed his mind thoughtfully as he stared at the surrounding of the village but It was clear that something wasn't right.

Suddenly, their ears perked up and they shared a look. There was something going on at rear end of the village.

Naruto nodded at Shikamaru and they carefully made their way to the source of the faint noise. When they were sure they were near it, they hid behind a hut, peering over to analyse the situation. What they saw was something that confused their senses.

All the villagers were gathered in one spot, making no sound and looking fearfully at the person who was addressing them. Brown hair and golden brown eyes caught their attention first. It was the Alpha of the Blood moon pack and he was with his men.

Alpha Ras? Naruto rose his eyebrows. What is he doing here?

Shikamaru watched the Alpha. He seemed to only be speaking with the old village head through his eyes. The Gamma could see that well. They were swirling with red and slight darkness.

As the two sides maintained their nonstop silence, a little child wailed from amongst the crowd.

Ras glared at it immediately. The village head, an old, wrinkled, hunched man waved his hand, and with a turn of his head, he spoke to the child. "Everything is going to be alright, little one. Stop crying now."

The child stopped and hiccupped as he stared pitifully at the old man with watery blue eyes. His mother picked him up, hiding his face away in her nape.

Ras looked upon the old man. "What will it be, Kimiro?"

Naruto frowned. What the hell is happening?

I might be wrong but... Shikamaru began. There are two options here. Ras might've come here on behalf of Sasuke or he's trying to benefit from the rogue attack.

Naruto brain short-circuited. Whaa...

Because.. Shikamaru frowned. The attack is profiting him. The attack is profiting him. From the looks of it, he's trying to use the attack on the village to his advantage. But isn't he supposed to be trying to sport the Phoenix?

Shikamaru, what the flip...?

Listen, Naruto, whatever I'm about to tell you, don't do anything rash. Just listen.

Well, it's not like I'm not going to...

Let's review this. Shikamaru cut him off, observing Ras closely. The information on the rogue attack was supposed to be sent to and only to Sasuke because the village is near his territory and he is overseeing it. But Ras found out about it. How?

Ummm... Naruto began uncertainly. He has someone spying in?

Before Shikamaru could nod, the Beta frowned infuriatingly.

We have a spy in our pack?!

Listen, Naruto. They shouldn't do anything rash just yet. We have five informants. Ras must've planted his root in one of them. We don't know who, yet but it's good we've found it out. We know that Ras likes competing with Sasuke, who doesn't even regard him so it's highly possible that he wants to know everything that goes on in the pack.

It must be how he found out about the rogue attack in the village.

So, one.. Naruto frowned. He's hunting in Sasuke's territory and two, he's not even brought news that he's won the Phoenix over!

He's either using the rogue attack on the village to his advantage or he planned it. The village flourish in everything they do, and it wasn't the only village attacked by rogues. It's never been attacked in thousands of years, so why now? And why was Alpha Ras here instead of completing his mission? As if he'd heard about it and had come over as quickly as he could.

Was it a coincidence? I don't think so.

Naruto stared at him like he wasn't making any sense.

"Kimiro, you will not keep me waiting." Ras' voice began threateningly.

Ras could've gone to any other flourishing village attacked by rogues but it was only this sector he targeted...

Then Naruto's eyes widened in understanding.

Alpha Ras is the instigator of the rogue attack. He wants to take over the village and make the villagers allegiance a deed to his overtaking of part of Sasuke's territory. Shikamaru eyebrows rose. That's wicked.

Putting the villagers in a mess like this. Stealing their crops and means of feeding. Just to take over.

Shikamaru glanced at the Beta and found crimson colored eyes instead of sapphire ones, veins bulging out of his arms and a part of his body almost transforming. He understood that Naruto was about to do something... rather impulsive.

Naruto.

The Beta didn't answer as all his attention was on the two group before him.

Shikamaru let out a small sigh. Naruto wasn't someone who supported injustice and whatnot, which was why he let out that warning earlier. Naruto, I said don't do anything rash.

"I apologize, Alpha Ras but we can't." Kimiro shook his head slowly. "We're under Sasuke sama.."

"But I oversaw the rogue attack. ME!" Ras bellowed ferociously, moving forward to the old man as the children and woman behind wailed fearfully. They were werewolves, facing great Lycans, what could they do?

"Was that your childish excuse of instigating the attack so we could put our hope and trust in you?" Kimiro looked at him, holding his gaze. "If so, for the record, it wasn't effective."

Furious, Ras reached out and held Kimiro by his wrinkled neck. His men laughed while the villagers whimpered.

"Why you inferior..." He stopped when he realized suddenly that kimiro wasn't in his hold anymore and his hands felt broken and burnt up.

He dropped his hand and scoffed when he caught sight of Dark Crescent pack's Beta and Gamma helping the village head. He hissed, wiping his hand with the other. "How dare you ordinary Beta touch me?"

"Are you okay, old man?" Shikamaru asked as Naruto faced Ras, looking from the villagers to Kimiro.

"Ah, yes, thank you good lord." Kimiro's voice cracked as he smiled, holding Shikamaru's arm for support as he straightened. Naruto was fast. He had saved him from being suffocated but it had left him senseless for awhile. Maybe being 800 years old has left him little strength than before. Werewolves had shorter lifespan than lycans. They could only live for a thousand years except when their lifespans were altered by different life patterns or by early deaths.

"You all need to find somewhere safe now." Shikamaru didn't know what will happen but keeping the villagers out of harm's way was first priority right now.

Kimiro kept quiet that it bothered Shikamaru, until two women came out to help. As they thanked him, took the old man away and the others followed them, Shikamaru watched until there was no one in sight. He sighed and turned around. They must've hurdled up in the village head hut which was the biggest in the entire village.

It's great. They're safe.

"What are you doing here, Alpha Ras?" Naruto began first, clenching his hands, and staring at the Alpha and his men head on.

"A more suitable question for you, I might say." He groaned, displeased and tilted his head, with his hands behind his back as he eyed them. "Why are you two disrupting my field of interest?"

"Your interest?" Naruto's eyes lowered. "Be sane. This is part of Sasuke's territory."

"And he's not been around for awhile." Ras spread out his arms. "Don't tell me those riffraffs and incompetent bozos you left in charge are supposed to run all these for him. Although," he ticked his tongue, "seeing you're here, I might as well be informed that he's also arrived."

"You were informed alright." Naruto said. "Who's the spy you planted in our pack?"

No..shh, Naruto! Shikamaru sucked on his teeth regrettably. We weren't supposed to tell him we know.

Ras' eyebrows rose and his eyes darkened. "Oh. You know."

"Why are you here instead of trying to sport the Phoenix?"

Ras shrugged nonchalantly. "He didn't want to come with me. Man, for the last firebird, he really is stubborn and fiery."

"Why are you hunting in another Alpha's territory?"

"Because I want it." Ras smirked. "Tell me son, has Sasuke accomplished his mission?" He lowered his voice. "Did he succeed in locating the girl in the prophecy?"

There was silence.

"Before you start condemning me on what and what not I did not do, first assert with yourselves." He pulled up a little smile. "Did you accomplish your mission? If you didn't, you have No right judging me! And so what if I have a spy in your pack. Everyone knows there can't be total trust in a group of people."

"You almost killed Kimiro." Naruto deadpanned.

"Yes, and? He's an old werewolf. I'll just do him a favor of reducing his pained and shortened days in Isekai."

Naruto bared his teeth fearlessly as his hands transformed to claws.

Shikamaru sighed. Ras was an Alpha, this wasn't good.

"Don't you have remorse? You are childish with a superiority complex and yet, you still call someone who's older, inferior." Masashi would've sat on you till you have learnt a lesson

Ras rolled his eyes. "Remorse? Reword yourself, mere Beta because it seems like you don't realize you're speaking for these creatures. Well! I shouldn't be surprised myself because you're also an ordinary little thing taken into a Lord's care. Now, out of my sight, Beta and off to your Alpha, I haven't finished my business here."

Naruto glared at him. "I won't let you."

Naruto.

"Oh?" Ras groaned angrily, baring his canines. "You dare come against me? It seems your Alpha has neglected basic training on his men, because I'll have to teach you your place."

"Try it." Naruto's eyes transformed to black as he shape shifted, breaking bones until he was in his perfect animal form growling maddeningly. I dare you.

Inferior creature. You annoy me. Ras shape shifted, transforming into a fiery brown beast.

Shikamaru sighed, taking refuge on a wooden stool behind him. I'll just sit here then. Right now, Naruto was too mad to let this uncultured swine get away with it and Ras always made sure the inferiors were taught a lesson.

This could go two ways: Ras is a talented and skilled Alpha, either he wins and kill Naruto or Naruto wins the battle and become the new Alpha of the Blood moon pack.