Daisuke fully revealed as the spy (still enemy).
Revenant
---
Chaos Unleashed
The lab erupted into chaos.
Glass shattered as one undead after another pulled themselves free of their tanks, their movements jerky but unnervingly fast. Eyes glowed with Shinkuro's cursed mark, their mouths opening to emit distorted growls.
"Formation Beta!" I shouted.
Kai and Kaoru immediately covered the front, Renji activated a genjutsu mist, while Hana secured our rear with defensive vines of chakra bloom.
But Daisuke was already retreating toward the exit, sword spinning lazily in one hand.
"You were good, Arashi," he said, voice unnervingly calm. "But Shinkuro showed me the future. This world of weak Hokage and fragile peace? It's done."
"You sold out your village!" Hana shouted, eyes wide with disbelief.
"I traded it for survival," he snapped, and vanished into the shadows.
---
Undead Advance
The first wave crashed into us, and immediately I realized these weren't normal undead—they were shinobi, fully capable of jutsu. One exhaled a massive fireball, forcing Kai to drop low while Kaoru used raw strength to redirect another attacker's blade.
"These things… they fight like they remember everything," Hana gasped.
"Because they do," I gritted, parrying a lightning-infused strike. "Shinkuro bound their souls directly to their bodies."
Sera's voice echoed through comms: "I'm detecting thirty… no, forty signatures waking up. We can't hold this position!"
"Fall back to corridor seven," I ordered. "Hana, with me—Kai, seal the rear!"
---
Personal Cost
As we sprinted, one of the undead—a former Leaf jōnin, judging by his gear—broke through, blade raised toward Hana.
"Hana!" I yelled, diving in.
The clash rang like a thunderbolt, my Storm chakra surging as I pushed the undead back, sparks burning my hands. Hana's eyes locked on mine for a split second—fear, anger, and… something deeper.
"You could've died," she said, voice trembling.
"Not today," I replied softly, even as another wave came crashing.
---
Temporary Escape
Renji's genjutsu bought us precious seconds. With Hana's sealing vines reinforcing my Storm Seal barrier, we created an escape tunnel through the collapsing lab.
"We're clear!" Kai shouted, dragging Sera out. Kaoru carried an unconscious enemy prisoner we'd managed to grab before the seals exploded.
Outside, the rain poured as the lab sank into itself, the ground shaking from the awakened undead still inside.
"We need to regroup," Hana said, leaning against me briefly.
"No," I said firmly. "We end this soon—before Shinkuro can mobilize that entire army."
---
Emotional Beat
As the team secured the perimeter, Hana stepped closer, eyes searching mine.
"Arashi… promise me you won't keep throwing yourself in front of every blade," she whispered.
"It's my job," I answered, trying to smile.
Her hand caught mine, gripping hard. "No. Your job is to come back alive."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Alright… I promise."
Hana exhaled and smiled faintly, but her eyes still glimmered with worry.
---
Cliffhanger Ending of Chapter 1
We returned to the Hokage Tower battered but alive. Hiruzen listened carefully as I explained Daisuke's betrayal and the Revenant awakening.
"You now have full authority to mobilize all available Storm Division resources," Hiruzen said grimly. "This war starts now."
I looked out at the rain-soaked village, storm chakra swirling faintly around my hand.
"Shinkuro thinks he's rewriting life and death," I muttered. "We're about to prove him wrong."
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