Silhouettes darted across the path toward the Land of Fire's border. Leading the group was Shikamaru, with Kakashi and Guy trailing closely behind.
An urgent mission had come from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. A mysterious monster was wreaking havoc along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. Lacking manpower, Tsunade had implored Shikamaru to handle the matter, sending Kakashi and Guy as additional support given their strength.
"Hey, Shikamaru! Can't we take a break?" Kakashi called out, his voice tinged with weariness. They had been sprinting without rest for hours.
"Haha! Don't tell me you're tired, Kakashi." Shikamaru replied without turning back, a hint of amusement in his tone. He knew Kakashi was only trying to make conversation to ease the monotony.
"Right! That's not like you, Kakashi." Guy chimed in, adding to the playful jabs.
"Did you hear something, Shikamaru? Sounded like a pesky insect." Kakashi said with mock confusion, pretending not to hear Guy.
"Nothing at all." Shikamaru replied, stifling a laugh.
"You two are insufferable!" Guy exploded, but his outburst was ignored as Kakashi turned the topic back to their mission.
"Shikamaru, I've heard your Shadow Eye doesn't just copy jutsu and taijutsu but can also steal someone's shadow. Is that true?"
"It is." Shikamaru admitted. "But there's a catch, it doesn't work on someone stronger than me."
Kakashi and Guy exchanged uneasy glances, a bead of sweat trickling down their foreheads. They couldn't imagine who could possibly overpower Shikamaru anymore.
"You're wondering about Sasuke and Sakura, aren't you?" Shikamaru interjected, cutting through Kakashi's hesitation. "Sasuke isn't dead, but his shadow is now mine."
Kakashi's eyes flashed with pain, though he had prepared for the worst. "And Sakura?" he pressed, his voice heavy with concern.
"Sakura left the village the day after learning of Sasuke's condition." Shikamaru replied, choosing to withhold the full truth. He would never admit Sakura's departure was due to his own actions.
Seeing Kakashi's somber expression, Shikamaru reassured him, "Don't worry. One day, I'll bring her back."
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Sakura sneezed unexpectedly. "Who's thinking about me? Naruto, maybe?" she muttered. Gazing back toward the direction of Konoha, memories of home filled her mind, quickly replaced by the image of Shikamaru and the trauma he had inflicted. Confusion warred with anger as her thoughts turned to him.
"Shikamaru… I'll return for you." she whispered. Despite her resentment, her focus was shifting from Sasuke to Shikamaru, fueled by an unyielding determination to grow stronger and exact her revenge.
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Arriving at the border, the group was met with a stark contrast of golden sand against lush forest. A thunderous roar shattered the stillness, drawing their attention to an intense battle raging in the distance.
"It seems someone is already engaging the monster." Kakashi observed. "Should we intervene now?"
Shikamaru nodded. "Let's go. It's likely the Sand Village shinobi are involved. We'll assist them."
As they approached, Shikamaru spotted a familiar figure, Gaara, his gourd strapped to his back, unleashing a massive wave of sand toward a towering creature. The beast retaliated, breaking free from the sand's grip. It was an enormous sandworm, its bloodthirsty gaze fixed on Gaara.
The creature's mastery of sand rivaled Gaara's, its attacks nearly overwhelming him. But just as things looked dire, Temari appeared, her giant fan slicing through the creature's offensive with a powerful wind technique.
"Temari!" Shikamaru called out, catching her in his arms after Gaara shielded her in a sand sphere to send her away. "Are you alright?"
"Shikamaru, thank goodness you're here!" she exclaimed. "Please, help Gaara! He's preparing to unleash the One-Tail."
"Leave it to me." Shikamaru assured her. His gaze lingered on the monstrous sandworm. Its power was formidable, and Shikamaru couldn't help but calculate how to make its shadow his own.
⚔──────────────
As Gaara began summoning Shukaku, the sandworm revealed its identity, the Sand Emperor, a long-lost rival of the Tailed Beasts. It was determined to settle its score with Shukaku, its former subordinate. A titanic battle erupted between the two, their immense power shaking the earth.
Shikamaru watched from above, a smirk playing on his lips. "Fight all you want." he mused. "Once you're both weakened, your shadows are mine."
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