Kuro awoke to the sharp blare of alarm horns echoing across the Sarutobi complex. The fires had already dimmed—but the scent of blood was unmistakable. Her ears twitched, then she raised her head and let out a thunderous howl that stirred every shinobi in the vicinity.
Without hesitation, she conjured solid shadow clones, dispatching them immediately to escort Kurenai and the baby Hiruzen toward the nearest shelter. Asuma joined them quickly, coordinating defense with terse nods and efficient movements.
Kuro turned her attention to the larger crisis, guided now by the steady, calm voice of a Katsuyu clone perched on her shoulder. The slug not only offered directions, but strategies—advising her where her speed, strength, and shadow techniques could make the most difference.
Her clones scattered through the village with purpose, guided by Katsuyu's shared knowledge of battlefield positions. They herded panicked civilians toward shelters, sniffed through debris to locate the buried and injured, and relayed critical updates back to the healing network.
More than once, Kuro herself dug out trapped villagers with clawed precision, dragging them to safety. Near the hospital, she paused, catching sight of Mitsue working with fierce resolve, tail glowing as she stabilized the fallen. The two nodded briefly—there was no time for words, only purpose.
That's when she sensed it.
A presence. Heavy. Blood-drenched. Closing in from the east.
She paused for only a moment—Katsuyu said calmly, "They need you with the hospital defenses, a powerful one is coming—use your strength surgically, Kuro." She didn't need to know more, and went where she was needed.
Kuro's breath deepened. She could feel it before she saw it.
A silhouette—grotesque and towering, at least two meters tall. Its Akatsuki cloak fluttered with unnatural grace as it approached. The creature's gait was loose and boneless, its body moving in ways no human body should. Four arms hung and coiled like whips beneath its sleeves.
Its scent hit her like a curse.
Orochimaru. Kabuto. Failed things. Sealed things. Things discarded. She smelled these things in one of Otogakure's laboratories.
She saw a pair of shinobi try to intercept the figure. Its fingers snapped forward like razors. One scream—then silence. Another lightning technique flashed forward, quick and precise—and yet the creature raised a single hand. The Jutsu dissolved mid-air.
Kuro's lips pulled back.
"This one... it's the Preta Path," she growled under her breath.
She had seen enough. Her memories of Hinata, of the mission in the Silver World, of Pain's twisted legacy—all came roaring back.
Nearby shinobi whispered with urgency:
"Don't use ninjutsu—it absorbs it!"
Another launched a mist Jutsu to blind it, only for the monster to step forward unerringly and clasp his mouth shut.
Kuro took that moment.
She exhaled slowly, focusing her chakra into a deep surge. "Lightning Shadow Breath."
The shadows swallowed her. She melted into the earth, vanishing from sight and sound. In one fluid blur of motion, she reappeared behind the creature, her fangs sinking toward its neck, shadow intent binding around it like chains.
But she felt it.
Drainage. A sudden, violent pull.
One of its hands caught her snout mid-bite. Her chakra drained rapidly—unnaturally fast. Another hand was already streaking toward her. Her instincts kicked in: she shrank, twisted, spun off the monster's grip, and vaulted backward.
In mid-air, she returned to her full size, panting.
"How...? It shouldn't have sensed me. I buried my killing intent."
Her ears perked. Flapping.
She looked skyward. Birds. Silent, small, circling. Eyes like the monster's.
"Shared vision..."
Two shinobi leapt to flank it—one came in from the left, slashing with a gleaming sword that found its mark against the creature's ribs. But the blade stopped, caught. One of the monster's four hands grasped it with unnatural ease, the steel squealing between its fingers. The shinobi's eyes widened in horror—before a second hand pierced through his chest in a clean, efficient motion.
The second ninja lunged from behind, slapping explosive tags onto the creature's cloak. But before he could leap away, the creature's chakra pull surged through him. The tags fizzled, never igniting—his chakra drained before the Jutsu could complete. The next moment, a sharp arm impaled him through the gut, lifting him briefly off the ground before tossing him aside.
Both shinobi fell limp. Their chakra was stolen. Their lives claimed in single, silent strokes.
Kuro narrowed her eyes. She gathered her remaining strength.
"Three clones. That's all I can afford."
With a hiss, three wolf-shaped shadows split from her, darting into the alleys where the eyes hid. The wolves tore into the birds.
And then the creature turned toward her.
"Now he sees me."
He came at her with a speed that defied her own, the shadows with no time to disappear into shadows she could only dodge. She dodged one strike. Then another. A third. But the fourth—clean hit.
Pain exploded through her chest as she was hurled backward into a wall, chakra bleeding from her wounds towards the hand that pierced it.
Katsuyu's touch was on her again. Healing.
But the shadows were pulling at her still, and she drifted away, claimed by darkness.
<<<< o >>>>
Sasuke awoke to the sound of alarms echoing across the village. He had fallen asleep at his brother's side, keeping watch. Itachi stirred, trying to sit up, only for Sasuke to press two fingers against his forehead in a firm, familiar motion.
"Foolish brother," Sasuke muttered with a smirk. "You've done more than enough for this village. Let your little brother handle things for once."
Itachi gave a faint nod, his voice calm. "Then I'll leave it to you."
Without another word, Sasuke grabbed his sword, fastening it to his belt, and blurred into motion, vanishing from the Senju compound.
As he reached the rooftops, his Sharingan caught sight of chaos spreading through Konoha. Summoned beasts—massive, grotesque—were wreaking havoc across multiple districts. In the distance, he saw Jiraiya already moving to confront them. Just as he spotted him, Tsunade tossed a Katsuyu clone toward the Sannin, and Sasuke reacted instinctively, catching another as it leapt in his path.
The slug spoke, calm and direct. "Jiraiya is pursuing the summoner, but some of the creatures have broken free. I will help you navigate."
Sasuke didn't respond aloud. He simply nodded and surged forward, his body enhanced by the modifications Orochimaru had once performed—muscles more efficient, reflexes sharper—and propelled by his own refined Lightning Breath.
He arrived just in time to intercept a rampaging rhino-like summon. With a flash of steel and a flicker of blue light, he sliced through its hide with his Chidori-charged blade. The creature collapsed in a heap, dissolving moments later.
By the time he had taken down a third giant dog, he realized with alarm that they were splitting, multiplying in response to damage. He spotted Kiba and Akamaru in the distance, struggling with a shadow-like beast. They were holding their ground—for now.
But then came the explosion.
A blinding flash and a roar of destruction leveled several blocks. Sasuke turned sharply to see a man with spiked orange hair standing amidst the dust. Before him, pinned beneath rubble, was a shinobi with silver hair.
"Kakashi-sensei..."
Sasuke's eyes burned as he focused his chakra. Lightning surged through his legs. He vanished.
When he reappeared, a grotesque figure—one of the Six Paths—was about to launch a bizarre, shifting object toward Chōji. Sasuke extended his Chidori like a razor-edged lance and cleaved through the weapon mid-flight, continuing his motion until his blade sliced clean through the puppet-like attacker.
Chōza Akimichi lay nearby, motionless and Sasuke could see the subtle rise and fall of his chest.
Kakashi, however, was pale—unmoving.
Sasuke rushed to him, gently placing the Katsuyu clone he carried onto his chest. In moments, green chakra enveloped his sensei's body, and slowly, his breathing steadied.
From the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw Chōji retreating toward the Hokage Tower.
But his gaze was fixed on the fading trail left by the one responsible for this devastation.
"I'll find you," he whispered. "You won't get far."