Deidara hummed to himself as he carefully maneuvered Naruto's unconscious body into the mouth of his clay bird. The large, grotesque mouth opened wide, its tongue lolling out as it swallowed Naruto whole. The Jinchuriki disappeared into its belly with a gulp, the mouth sealing shut as if nothing had happened. Deidara gave a satisfied nod, wiping his hands together.

"All set. Heh, you better appreciate the comfy ride, Jinchuriki," Deidara muttered with a smirk, patting the side of the bird. "It's a masterpiece, hm."

Sasori, standing nearby in his hulking Hiruko puppet, observed silently. His monotone voice cut through the air. "Stop wasting time. We need to move."

Deidara shot him a glance. "Relax, my man. Art takes time." He turned to his partner with a grin. "Come with me, hm? Two artists should never be apart."

Sasori didn't bother responding, instead turning toward the cave entrance. "I have other matters to attend to. Kisame may need support with the other team."

Before Deidara could protest, the entrance of the cave shuddered. A sudden noise—sounding like collapsing rubble—tore through the air, alerting them both. Several new figures darted into the cave, their presence sharp and unmistakable.

Kakashi's team had arrived.

Deidara's smirk faded. "Tch, what the hell?! Wasn't Orochimaru supposed to be keeping them busy?" He glared at Sasori. "You sure that snake isn't just slithering around doing his own thing again?"

Sasori's puppet face remained expressionless, but irritation laced his voice. "It seems Orochimaru's incompetence knows no bounds." He shifted slightly, his tail twitching in anticipation. "Leave. I'll handle them."

The intruders wasted no time assessing the situation. Sakura's eyes darted around the dimly lit cave, her voice laced with concern. "Kakashi-sensei… I don't see Naruto anywhere."

Kakashi's sharp gaze focused on the clay bird perched across the cave. His voice was calm, but his tone betrayed his urgency. "That bird... Naruto's inside it."

Kankuro clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing behind his black face paint. "Then we take it down before it gets away."

Deidara chuckled darkly, already rising into the air on his clay bird. "Sorry, but you're a little late to the party, hm!"

Without hesitation, he tossed several clay bombs toward them. "Consider this a farewell gift from the great Deidara!"

The explosives hurtled through the air, spinning toward the team with deadly precision.

Temari's expression remained calm but determined as she stepped forward, raising her massive iron fan. "Not on my watch." With a flick of her wrist, she unfurled it and spun it in a wide arc.

[Ninja Art: Wind Cyclone Jutsu]

A powerful whirlwind erupted from her fan, tearing through the air and catching the bombs mid-flight. The explosive clay shattered before it could detonate, harmless pieces raining down around them.

Deidara scowled. "Tch, troublesome woman." His bird soared higher, escaping through a hole in the cave's ceiling. "It doesn't matter! I'm already gone! See you never, hm!"

Sakura clenched her fists in frustration, her voice urgent. "Kakashi-sensei, we need to go after him! Naruto—"

Kakashi placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his gaze still locked on Sasori. "Don't worry, Sakura. We have countermeasures in place. Focus on the fight in front of us."

Sasori chuckled from within Hiruko, the deep, eerie voice echoing through the chamber. "God willing, you won't be leaving this place alive."

Kankuro stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury. "I'll make you pay for what you did to Gaara."

Sasori's tail twitched in amusement. "You won't even scratch me."

Kakashi raised his hand, signaling the team. "Stay sharp. This isn't going to be easy."

The air grew tense, thick with the promise of battle. The fight for Naruto—and vengeance—had just begun.

The air was thick with tension as the Leaf-Sand rescue team stood poised against their formidable opponent—Akatsuki member: Sasori of the Red Sand.

Shrouded in his red clouded cloak, Sasori stood at a distance, his emotionless gaze locked onto them with an eerie calmness. His fingers twitched ever so slightly, an unspoken warning of the lethal dance to come.

Kakashi leaned slightly toward Sakura, keeping his voice low. "Sakura, listen carefully. Sasori is a long-range fighter, and we must assume all his weapons are coated in poison." His eyes were hard beneath his forehead protector, his tone brooking no argument. "Do you understand what that means for us?"

Sakura swallowed, but her gaze held steady. "It means we can't get scratched. Not even once." She tightened her fists at her sides, the weight of the battle ahead pressing down on her. This was no training session, no spar. One misstep, and it was over.

Beside her, Temari unfolded her massive war fan with a sharp snap, the steel ribs gleaming under the pale light. "I'll stay back," she said, her voice firm and unwavering. "I'll use my wind to shepherd his movements, force him into a position where you can engage him directly." Her eyes flicked to Sakura.

"When I give the signal, be ready."

Kankuro stepped forward, unfurling a scroll and summoning his puppets in a swirl of smoke. Crow, Kuroari, and Sanshou appeared beside him, their wooden frames creaking as they stood at the ready. His expression was grim. "Be careful. Sasori isn't just any puppeteer," he warned, his voice tight with apprehension. "He's the greatest one to ever live. His control is flawless, and his puppets... they're not like mine. They're much worse."

Kakashi nodded, his eyes studying Sasori carefully. "We'll have to play this smart. No unnecessary risks." He glanced at Sakura. "We'll need your Wood Style."

Sakura's breath hitched slightly, her eyes darting to Kakashi before she nodded firmly. "Right. I'll do my best." The weight of expectation settled over her, but she steeled herself. This was what she'd trained for. This was what Tsunade had prepared her for.

From across the cave, Sasori's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smirk beneath his mask. "Done strategizing?" he called out in a deceptively soft voice, his hands lifting slightly. "I hope so. I have little patience for delays."

With a flick of his wrist, he cast off his Akatsuki cloak, revealing Hiruko's grotesque form underneath—deadly embedded blades protruding from its arms, a scorpion-like tail coiled and ready to strike.

"You're not leaving this place alive," Sasori said, preparing to make his move.

"Here he comes!" Kakashi barked.

Temari wasted no time, swinging her fan in a wide arc.

[Wind Style: Sandstorm Jutsu]

A howling gust tore across the battlefield, kicking up sand and debris as it barreled toward Sasori.

Sasori's puppet swerved, skimming across the sand as it dodged the gale with unnatural grace. His mouth snapped open with a mechanical hiss, unleashing a deadly barrage of senbon needles.

Temari's eyes caught the movement. She acted quickly, swinging her fan again.

A howling gust tore across the cave, kicking up sand and debris as it deflected the needle barrage effortlessly. The senbon clattered against the rocky walls, embedding themselves deep into the stone.

Kakashi and Sakura wasted no time. They split in opposite directions, aiming to get Sasori with a pincer maneuver.

Sasori chuckled darkly. "You're in a hurry to die."

The sound of creaking wood filled the air as several compartments on his puppet body swung open, revealing small iron barrels that gleamed in the darkness.

Sakura gasped as she realised what was about to come. Another senbon barrage!

She and Kakashi sprung out of the path of the poisonous hail, senbon peppering the earth in the wake of their evasive leaps and rolls.

"Kankuro!" Kakashi barked.

"On it!" Kankuro's fingers danced, sending his puppets rushing forward. Crow lunged first, its mouth snapping open to release a barrage of smoke bombs, engulfing the battlefield in thick, swirling fog. From the obscured haze, Kuroari struck next, its hidden blades slashing toward Hiruko.

"Futile," Sasori murmured.

Hiruko's tail lashed out with terrifying speed, skewering Kuroari straight through the chest. Wood splintered and crunched as the puppet was destroyed, its shattered remains collapsing to the ground. A second strike sent Crow tumbling, severing its limbs in an instant. Kankuro gritted his teeth. "Damn it!"

Kakashi didn't miss a beat. His hands blurred through seals, and he took a deep breath.

[Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu]

A roaring sphere of fire shot toward Sasori, illuminating the cavern in a hellish glow. Sasori leapt back with uncanny agility, the fireball smashing into the ground where he stood, sending a shockwave of heat and debris.

Now's my chance! Sakura thought. She skidded to a halt, slamming her hands to the earth.

[Wood Style: Binding Roots]

The ground rumbled as thick wooden tendrils erupted, lashing out and ensnaring Hiruko's scorpion tail and limbs in their grip. The puppet creaked and groaned as it struggled against the restraint.

"Kakashi-sensei, now!" Sakura shouted.

Kakashi's hand surged with crackling purple lightning, his face set with deadly focus. "I'll finish this..."

[Raikiri]

He dashed forward in a blur of speed, his lightning-cloaked hand cutting through the air.

But Sasori was faster. Hiruko's tail snapped free from Sakura's restraints just in time, and from his sleeve, another barrage of senbon needles shot forward.

"I expected better from the legacy of the First Hokage," he teased as his tail ripped apart Sakura's wooden tendrils like paper.

Kakashi's eyes widened as the needles found their mark, piercing his chest. He let out a choked gasp, staggering backward before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screamed in horror.

Sasori sneered. "Predictable."

Temari's grip on her fan tightened as she watched in shock. "No way..."

But then, Kakashi's body flickered and transformed—into a mere log.

Sasori's eyes narrowed in shock. "A substitution?"

In an instant, Kakashi emerged from beneath him, bursting out of the earth with his purple Raikiri in hand. His face was cold and determined. "Got you."

Sasori's mind raced. The smoke bombs... the distraction... he used the Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu back then!

[Raikiri]

The crackling energy tore through Hiruko's puppet form, shattering it into splintered fragments. A small cloud of dust formed in the wake of its destruction—a testament to the power of Kakashi's purple lightning cutter.

Kakashi landed gracefully, breathing heavily but standing victorious.

Kankuro cheered. "Nice work, Kakashi-san!"

But Temari's sharp eyes didn't miss a thing. "Wait... look!"

As the dust cleared, a figure stood amidst the wreckage, untouched. Sasori, clad in his black and red Akatsuki robe, emerged with a sinister smirk.

Sakura's fists clenched. "He... he was inside it all along."

Sasori's expression was unfazed. "Hmph. Not bad, but you've only gotten through my shell." His gaze shifted to Kakashi. "Your reputation precedes you, Hatake Kakashi."

Kakashi's brows furrowed. "And yours precedes you too, Sasori of the Red Sand."

Temari stepped forward. "Give it up, Sasori. You're outnumbered, and outmatched."

Sasori's chuckle was low and ominous. "Outnumbered? Yes." He reached into his robe, retrieving a scroll and holding it up. "Outmatched?" A twisted grin spread across his face. "Hardly."

Sakura's eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. "Everyone, be ready!"

With a flick of his wrist, Sasori unfurled the scroll, releasing a puff of smoke. As it cleared, the team stood frozen in shock.

There, standing before them, was a puppet—crafted in the likeness of the Third Kazekage. His dark robes, his cold expression, and his aura of undeniable power radiated through the cavern. Sasori's chakra strings wove seamlessly through its limbs, bringing it to life with an eerie grace.

Temari's face hardened, a flicker of hesitation in her stance. "The... the Third Kazekage..."

Sasori smirked, his voice smooth and confident. "The strongest Kazekage in history... reduced to my perfect puppet. Now then..." His fingers twitched, and the Kazekage puppet's arms raised ominously. "... let's see how you handle true power."

Temari gritted her teeth, gripping her giant fan tightly as she watched the Third Kazekage puppet float ominously beside Sasori, its lifeless eyes staring back at them. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "It was you all along…" she muttered, her voice laced with anger and disbelief. "The Third Kazekage went missing years ago, and we thought foreign assassins took him—or that he went rogue!"

Kankuro clenched his fists, his face darkening. "And all this time, it was you," he spat, glaring at Sasori. "A traitor to our village through and through."

Sasori's lips curled into a smirk. "Indeed," he said, his voice smooth yet devoid of emotion. "You should feel honored to witness my masterpiece in action." He gestured to the Kazekage puppet, and with a sinister clatter, its mouth creaked open, pouring out a wave of shimmering Iron Sand, thick and heavy, coiling like a sentient being around him.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, reading the danger immediately. "Sakura," he said, his tone urgent yet steady. "Enter Sage Mode. This is life or death."

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded firmly. "Yes, sir." She fell into a meditative stance, focusing inward.

Sasori's eyes flickered to her. "Heartwarming, but what do you think prayer is going to do for you?" His fingers twitched, and the Iron Sand molded into dozens of razor-sharp spikes that shot toward Kakashi and Sakura with deadly speed.

Kakashi reacted instantly, forming hand seals with practiced speed.

[Earth Style: Mud Wall]

A towering barrier of solid earth erupted in front of them. The Iron Sand spikes struck it, sinking into the mud with hissing force. But before they could breathe relief, the sand disintegrated and spread around the sides of the wall, reforming into thin tendrils reaching for them.

Kakashi's eyes widened in alarm. "It's—"

[Wind Style: Howling Tempest]

A powerful gale swept through the cave, forcing the tendrils of iron sand away before they could strike. Kakashi turned in relief to see Temari standing with her fan raised, eyes sharp with focus.

"What are you two doing?" Temari barked.

"Sakura is trying to enter Sage Mode," Kakashi replied. "You and Kankuro protect her at all costs."

Temari didn't need to be told twice. "We'll hold him off!"

Kankuro, on the other hand, was already acting. He sent his remaining puppet, Sanshou, darting forward to engage Sasori.

Sanshou's arms extended with a burst of speed, launching a barrage of hidden kunai at Sasori. The Akatsuki member raised a single finger, commanding the Kazekage puppet to block with a wall of iron sand. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the sand crashing down on Sanshou, forcing it back.

Kankuro cursed under his breath but quickly maneuvered Sanshou to flank Sasori. Temari followed up with another swing of her fan.

[Wind Style: Wind Cyclone Jutsu]

A cyclone shot forward, but Sasori's Kazekage puppet moved before it could connect, shielding itself with another shifting wall of iron sand. Their attacks simply weren't breaking through.

Kankuro gritted his teeth and pulled Sanshou back, preparing for another maneuver. Suddenly, his fingers stiffened, and his face paled. "No… I-I've lost control!"

Sasori chuckled darkly. "You still have so much to learn, little boy."

Kankuro's heart pounded. "What… what did you do?"

Sasori gestured lazily toward the iron sand coating Sanshou's joints. "Your puppet has been contaminated. My Kazekage's Magnet Release makes it completely useless. A mere touch is all it takes to cripple your toys."

Kankuro stared at his frozen puppet in shock, realization dawning on him too late. He'd underestimated Sasori's control, and now his puppet was dead weight.

Temari narrowed her eyes and clenched her fan. "Damn it, Kankuro! Don't freeze up on me now!"

"I know," Kankuro muttered, sweat trickling down his face. He quickly detached the chakra strings and cursed inwardly. He's toying with us.

Sasori watched them with amusement, his fingers twitching once more. The Kazekage puppet floated forward, its chest compartment opening to reveal an ominous, spinning core of iron sand.

"You're not leaving this cave alive," Sasori said coldly.

Kankuro's mind raced. Think, damn it! My puppets are useless... I need another plan.

Kakashi, watching from his defensive stance, muttered under his breath, "We need to buy more time... Sakura, hurry up."

Sakura, her eyes still closed, felt nature energy slowly seep into her, but the intense pressure of the battle made it difficult to maintain focus. She whispered, "Just a little longer..."

Kakashi turned his gaze back to Sasori, his mind racing. He knew one thing for sure—if Sakura didn't finish soon, none of them were getting out of this fight alive.

Sasori's cold, mechanical laugh echoed through the cavern as his Kazekage puppet shot forward, its gleaming, poisoned blades unsheathing from its arms with an audible click.

"Not on my watch," Kakashi muttered, forming rapid hand seals. Lightning crackled around his hand, forming into the shape of a hound, its electric form snarling with untamed ferocity.

[Lightning Style: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang]

With a loud crackle, the lightning hound darted forward, zigzagging unpredictably across the battlefield, leaping off walls and debris before lunging at the Kazekage puppet with fangs bared.

Sasori's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Predictable."

With a wave of his hand, iron sand surged forward, forming a thick, jagged wall in front of the puppet. The lightning hound struck it, sparking wildly before dissipating in a crackling explosion.

From above, Temari soared on her giant fan, eyes scanning the battle below. "We can't let him focus on Sakura! Keep him occupied!"

She looked down below, weighing the odds of her successfully landing a bit on Sasori from above. It's worth a try.

[Wind Style: Severing Blades]

Razor-sharp gusts sliced through the air from her fan, tearing towards Sasori. With a flick of his wrist, the iron sand reformed into tendrils, twisting and curling to intercept the wind blades. Metal clashed with wind in a shrieking cacophony, sparks flying as the two forces collided mid-air.

Kakashi's hands blurred through seals as he inhaled deeply.

[Fire Style: Flaming Bullet Barrage]

Sasori's iron sand moved like a living entity, shifting into a defensive layer that absorbed the incoming fireballs with ease. Below, Kankuro barely dodged an iron tendril aimed for his chest, rolling to safety before throwing a kunai at Sasori in retaliation.

From her vantage point up in the air, Temari assessed the battlefield. Sasori's iron sand worked overtime, flawlessly defending against their combined attacks. But Temari picked up something.

With each blocked Wind Blade or Fireball, Sasori's sand defense grew thinner and thinner. Their combined attacks were forcing him to spread his finite reserves of iron sand to hold them off simultaneously, while going on the offensive himself whenever the opportunity arose.

Can't be everywhere at once, can you? Temari noted, her eyes narrowing. "He's stretching himself thin," she called out, assessing the battlefield. "The three of us can push him to his limit. If we keep him busy, he won't be able to focus on hitting Sakura!"

"She's right," Kakashi said, sidestepping an iron tendril that shot towards him. "If we keep him busy, he won't—"

A sinister chuckle echoed through the cavern.

"You think you've seen all I have to offer?" Sasori's voice dripped with amusement.

Suddenly, his Kazekage puppet's limbs glowed with chakra, veins of energy seeping into its wooden frame.

Kakashi's eyes widened. "That's not good."

"Die!" Sasori snarled.

In an instant, the puppet's arms shot forward like bladed whips, surging toward Sakura's position at an alarming speed.

"Sakura!" Kakashi shouted, moving to intercept, his hand crackling with electricity—only for the puppet's head to snap unnaturally, unleashing a torrent of poisoned senbon from its mouth.

Tch!" Kakashi veered away, narrowly avoiding the deadly rain of needles as they embedded into the rocky walls behind him.

Perched on the wall, Temari swung her fan again, trying to cut off the puppet's attack.

[Wind Style—

Too late. Sasori's iron sand blocked her assault with ease, and the bladed limbs continued their lethal path towards Sakura.

"Damn it—those arms just won't stop!" Temari spat, eyes widening as the Kazekage puppet's arms extended toward the defenseless Sakura, writhing like a mass of vipers ready to strike. Kankuro, bruised and panting, struggled to rise, his eyes fixed helplessly on the approaching threat.

Before anyone could react, a voice cut through the air, calm and resolute—Sakura's.

[Sage Art: Venom Cutter]

In an instant, a high-pressure jet of acid erupted from below, slicing through the extending arms like they were nothing but paper. The liquid burned through the wood with a sickening hiss, reducing the intricate mechanisms to molten slag within moments.

Sasori's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing. He quickly commanded the puppet to shield itself, forming an iron sand barrier in front of the crumbling limbs. But it was futile. The acid jet, moving faster than sound, struck the iron sand with devastating force, melting through the defense in less than a heartbeat.

"Impossible...!" Sasori muttered, his usually composed voice tinged with disbelief. His greatest defense—rendered useless. He could only watch as the venomous torrent bisected his prized Kazekage puppet, slicing it cleanly in two. The puppet's torso fell with a resounding clunk, lifeless, and the acid continued its ascent, burrowing deep into the cave ceiling, tearing out a massive chunk.

Kankuro watched in awe from below, his eyes wide. "Damn... it just cut right through!"

"Move, now!" Temari barked. She swooped down, scooping up Kankuro onto her fan, escaping just as the roof gave way, sending debris cascading down in a deafening collapse. Dust and rubble filled the air, obscuring everything in a thick, choking haze.

Sasori retreated swiftly, leaping out of the path of the collapsing roof in time. Keeping a cautious distance from the chaos, his eyes narrowed. As the dust settled, a low chuckle escaped his lips—dry, calculated, and laced with intrigue.

"...Well, now." He dusted off his cloak, his smirk returning. "In all my years of artistry, this is a first." His gaze pierced through the swirling debris, eyes settling on the figure emerging from within.

As the last remnants of dust faded, a dome of wood stood in the center of the wreckage. Slowly, it unraveled like a blooming flower, revealing Kakashi standing tall, his breaths hard yet steady. And beside him—Sakura. Her hands were still clasped in a seal, but her transformation was undeniable. Her skin glowed with a faint luminescence, coated in a thin layer of potent acid chakra that served as a corrosive armour. But the most striking feature—her eyes.

Jet-black orbs stared back at Sasori with unwavering determination, the mark of one who had truly embraced Sage Mode.

Temari and Kankuro landed nearby, both of them locking eyes with Sakura.

"You sure took your time," Temari smirked.

Kankuro exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. "This just got interesting."

Kakashi, ever watchful, glanced at his student with an approving nod. "Good timing, Sakura."

But her eyes were locked solely on Sasori, her voice steady and filled with resolve. "This ends here."

Sasori tilted his head, his smile widening.

"A Sage who honed their skill in the legendary Shikkotsu Forest," he mused, eyes flickering with amusement. "You bear the same fire as the Slug Princess herself... How fascinating." His fingers twitched slightly, ready to deploy his next assault.

His smirk deepened into something far more sinister. "You will make a fine addition to my collection..."

Encouraged by their ally's transformation, The Sand-Leaf team regrouped for another assault as Sasori finished, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

"...Haruno Sakura."

Kurenai leapt back, landing lightly on the surface of the rushing stream, cursing under her breath. The cool water rippled beneath her feet, but she barely noticed, her focus locked on the monstrous man standing before them. Kisame Hoshigaki, the Monster of the Hidden Mist, grinned, his towering form radiating menace.

[Wind Style: Great Breakthrough]

Kurenai tumbled through the air, her spread palms unleashing a powerful gust of wind at two incoming Water Shark Bombs. Her eyes widened in horror as the chakra-infused beasts absorbed the attack effortlessly, swelling in size before continuing their relentless charge toward her.

"Shit!" she hissed, flipping sideways to barely evade the snapping jaws, the explosive force of their impact sending a violent spray of water cascading around her.

Kiba charged forward with Akamaru beside him, both spinning rapidly in a blur of teeth and claws.

"Fang Over Fang!"

Kisame's grin widened, his fingers forming a rapid sequence of hand seals.

[Water Style: Aquatic Terror Waterfall Jutsu]

The once-gentle stream surged violently into a towering wave brimming with sharks, crashing into Kiba and Akamaru mid-spin. Kiba grunted as he was flung backward, skidding across the water before coming to a stop, clutching a bleeding gash on his arm.

"Damn it," Kiba spat, wiping blood from his cheek.

Shino's swarm of insects erupted from beneath his cloak, buzzing toward Kisame in a dark cloud. The Akatsuki swordsman slammed his hand into the water with a smirk.

[Water Style: Twin Water Dragons]

Two massive serpentine figures burst from the stream, twisting through the air and colliding with the swarm, scattering the insects in a watery explosion.

Hinata took advantage of the distraction, flinging kunai at Kisame with precise aim. But with a casual swing of Samehada, he batted them aside effortlessly.

"Really, brat? You're going to have to do better than that," Kisame taunted.

Baki formed quick hand seals, unleashing a fierce arc of wind with his Wind Blade, slicing through the air towards Kisame. The Akatsuki rogue leapt over the gust, forming more hand seals mid-air.

[Water Style: Shark Bomb Barrage]

A dozen water sharks took shape, homing in on the team below. Kurenai, Kiba, and Hinata scrambled to dodge, the beasts tearing through the terrain with terrifying speed.

Hinata landed next to Kiba, reaching out in alarm. "You're bleeding!"

Kiba gritted his teeth. "I'm fine! Focus on him!"

Kurenai narrowed her eyes, forming hand seals with blinding speed. I need to hold him down.

[Genjutsu: Volcanic Embrace]

Kisame landed on the water—only to freeze as it transformed into bubbling magma beneath his feet. His expression twisted in mild surprise, his legs slowly sinking into the searing heat. His flesh sizzled, and for a moment, Kurenai thought she had him.

Then Samehada throbbed, its bandages shifting unnaturally, and with a swift bite to his leg, Kisame snapped back to reality.

"Nice try," he growled, his grin never faltering.

Hinata and Baki seized the opportunity, charging him from both sides. Baki's wind blades shimmered in the evening sun, while Hinata's staff crackled with lightning chakra as they raced to engage their foe.

Kisame met them head-on, blocking Hinata's strike with Samehada and ducking under Baki's wind slash. With a ruthless palm strike to Baki's stomach, he sent the Sand shinobi flying, colliding into Kiba, who had just barely recovered.

Hinata pressed on, striking again and again with her lightning-infused staff—and failing to land a single hit on her opponent. Kisame slipped away from all her attacks, his demeanor composed in contrast to her burning determination.

"You're not quite there yet," Kisame chuckled as Samehada hungrily devoured her lightning chakra before his sword sliced across Hinata's side, sending her skidding across the water surface.

She gasped, clutching her wound. The injury wasn't deep, but she felt the sting of Samehada's unique ability draining her reserves.

Kurenai's voice rang out. "Hinata, fall back!"

Before she could react, Kisame clapped his hands together once more.

[Water Style: Water Spout Jutsu]

A spiraling vortex of water erupted around him, blasting everyone away in a violent surge. Kisame stood confidently, scanning the surroundings. His brow furrowed in concentration, noticing that one of his enemies was missing.

"Where are you hiding, little girl?" he teased.

Without warning, Hinata burst from beneath the water's surface, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. Kisame barely dodged the swing of her staff.

"Heh, clever girl," he said, stepping back. "But you can't beat me with parlor tricks."

Hinata ignored his words, channeling more lightning into her staff, aiming for another strike—only to feel herself weaken again. Samehada eagerly devoured her chakra mid-strike, and Kisame took advantage, slamming the hilt of his sword into her stomach.

She coughed, tumbling onto the water surface. But then something unexpected happened.

Kisame's face changed.

His smirk disappeared. His eyes widened in horror, and his mouth hung open, unable to form words. He stood frozen, staring at her in utter disbelief.

Hinata blinked, confusion washing over her. "What...?"

Kisame stood there, speechless.

The stream continued to flow beneath his feet, but his world had gone eerily silent. His grip on Samehada tightened, yet the sword itself—his ever-hungry, loyal companion—lay unnaturally still in his hand. He couldn't move. He wouldn't dare.

The voice... her voice still echoed in his mind, slithering through the crevices of his consciousness like an unseen serpent. It was a voice unlike any he'd ever known—smooth, commanding, and dripping with something far darker than mere malice. It bore into him, not with brute force, but with authority. The weight of it crushed him, seeped into his very bones, and made his stomach churn in unfamiliar, creeping dread.

It had all happened the moment Samehada drank from her—this Leaf girl, this fragile-looking kunoichi among the rescue team for the Nine-tails Jinchuriki. The second he felt her chakra merge with his own, he knew. He'd stolen chakra from countless enemies before; each one different, yes, but ultimately the same—a vibrant surge of energy that he could shape and wield as his own.

But this?

This chakra was cold. Not the biting chill of ice or the sharp sting of an enemy's killing intent. No, it was something far more sinister—an emptiness, a vacuum that pulled at him, sinking into him, creeping through his veins like it had a mind of its own. It felt ancient. Unfathomable.

Kisame's breath hitched as he staggered, a foreign, suffocating presence bearing down on his being. His pupils shrunk in sheer disbelief. For the first time in years, something inside him whispered that he might have made a mistake.

A mistake that could not be undone.

And then the voice came again, soft yet deafening in its command, each syllable coiling around his senses like chains of silk and iron.

"Wretched thing... Do you think yourself worthy of my essence? Daring to graze divinity with your defiled touch... lower your gaze, mongrel."

Kisame's throat went dry. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple. He could feel it—an invisible presence coiling around him, bearing down on him like the weight of the ocean itself, as if daring him to move, to defy.

It took everything in him not to recoil in sheer terror.

Hinata lay on the water's surface, her chest heaving with labored breaths, one hand clutching the wound at her side. Her dark eyes, wide with alarm, locked onto Kisame's face, studying him carefully.

She saw something she had never expected.

Fear.

The Monster of the Hidden Mist stood frozen, his teeth gritted, his entire body trembling slightly. And yet, he did not attack. He didn't even blink.

Her heart pounded in her ears. This wasn't right—he should be coming at her, Samehada swinging, grinning with that menacing, shark-like smile. But instead, Kisame was staring at her like she was something else.

A shiver ran down her spine.

The rest of her team stirred in the background, groaning as they slowly picked themselves up. Kiba clutched his bloody arm, Shino staggered upright, and Baki pushed himself to his feet, his eyes immediately scanning the situation.

But none of them mattered to Kisame.

His eyes, wide and unblinking, were fixed on Hinata.

His lips parted, and for a moment, he said nothing—just the sound of water dripping from Samehada into the cool, rippling expanse below them.

Then, in a low, strangled voice, he muttered, "Tell me..."

Hinata's breath caught. She shifted slightly, trying to steady herself, but her limbs felt heavy, as if the sheer tension in the air was pressing her down.

Kurenai stepped forward, kunai drawn. "Hey, Kisame! if you think—"

Kisame didn't even acknowledge her.

His hand slowly rose, trembling ever so slightly, pointing directly at Hinata.

"... what are you?"

Hinata's eyes widened, her throat tightening.

The air grew thick, suffocating. A heavy silence stretched between them, the waves beneath their feet suddenly feeling like an abyss waiting to swallow them whole.

"... I..."

Her voice faltered.

She wasn't sure she had an answer.

Somewhere deep inside her, buried beneath layers of careful restraint, something dark stirred. Something that was hers, yet not hers. Something that had always been there. And in Kisame's eyes, she saw the reflection of something monstrous.

And she wasn't sure if she could deny it anymore.