"Yuto, stop this! Right now!"
Shizune moved without thinking, putting herself between him and Hayate. Her voice was a strained whisper, "Just... think for a second. What would Lady Tsunade say if she saw you like this?"
"Speaking of Tsunade-sensei," Yuto said, his voice eerily calm. His glasses glinted, hiding his eyes as a small, knowing smile touched his lips. "Have you had any luck finding her yet, Shizune-senpai?"
"N-not yet," Shizune stammered, then her eyes widened as his words sank in. "How did you know she's missing? Wait... don't tell me you've already—"
"Lady Tsunade is with me," Yuto interrupted gently, his tone almost inviting as he stretched out his hand. "If you want, I can take you to see her."
Shizune recoiled, taking two quick steps back. The boy standing in front of her felt like a stranger. The warm, kind kid she knew was gone, replaced by something cold and unsettling. A real, visceral fear shot through her—it was like looking at a friendly face only to see a smiling monster lurking underneath.
"You don't want to? That's a shame," Yuto murmured, almost to himself, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
"Of course she doesn't want to! Look at the vibe you're giving off, " Kushina's voice grumbled from within the Spirit Pearl.
"If I were in her place, I'd be terrified, too," Mikoto added softly. It was one thing to hear about someone changing; it was another to see them standing over a fallen comrade, talking casually about your missing mentor.
Swish. Swish.
The soft sound of footsteps broke the tense silence. Two more figures entered the hall, and they both froze mid-step, their faces blank with shock.
"Well, now. More familiar faces," Yuto said, his gaze shifting to the newcomers. "Kurenai-san. Anko-san."
"Y-Yuto?" Kurenai breathed, her voice shaky. "What's going on? Weren't you...?"
"Don't!" Shizune cried out, her voice cracking. "Stay away from him! He's behind all of this! He... he might have even killed Lady Tsunade!"
Kurenai sucked in a sharp breath. Anko's eyes narrowed, her voice turning hard and cold. "Yuto. Is that true? Why would you do this?"
"I'd love to explain," Yuto said, his tone still deceptively light. "But I'm afraid... time's just about up."
"What?"
Just as confusion swept through everyone present, a figure dressed in an ANBU mask appeared beside Yuto and unfurled a bandage that wrapped around the two of them.
There was a soft swish, and then they were gone. Vanished. Just like that.
---
*Konoha's Southern District*
The battle between the four Kage was still raging, a storm of powerful attacks centred on that mysterious pale purple orb. Ōnoki hovered safely above the fray, while Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Fourth Raikage found themselves reluctantly teaming up against a slippery, ethereal version of Orochimaru.
Just as the Raikage was winding up for a powerful Lariat, a masked Kumogakure ANBU came rushing in, ignoring the danger. "Lord Raikage! Emergency report! The Eight-Tails has been captured! And Lady Yugito is also missing!"
The Raikage stumbled, his attack faltering. "What?! How is that possible?!"
"The intel from Lord C confirms it—it was Mangetsu Hōzuki who took it!" the Cloud ninja shouted urgently.
"Wasn't that guy dead?!" the Raikage roared, then shot a furious glance at the other Kage. "Everyone, stop! This fight is over!"
"You think you can just call it off?" Ōnoki sneered from his aerial perch. "Do you take us for fools, Raikage?"
Almost on cue, an Iwagakure shinobi yelled from a nearby broken wall, "Tsuchikage-sama! Captain Rōshi was ambushed on the forest outskirts! Fuguki Suikazan nearly killed him—the Four-Tails has been taken!"
Ōnoki's face turned a dangerous shade of red. "What did you say?!"
"Everyone," Hiruzen said, his voice cutting through the tension as he lowered his hands. "It appears we've been played. While we fight amongst ourselves, someone else is moving in the shadows. Speaking of which... Has anyone seen Lord Yagura from Kirigakure?"
"That little weasel!" the Raikage snarled, his fists clenching so tight his knuckles cracked. "He's profiting from our fight!"
—
*Konoha's Main Street*
A dark-skinned Kumogakure ninja sprinted desperately down the street, an unconscious blond boy clutched tightly under his arm. Hot on his heels was Kakashi Hatake, his single visible eye narrowed in focus.
Cornered, the Cloud ninja ducked into a narrow dead-end alley. A kunai whizzed past his face, embedding itself in the wall behind him with a sharp thwack.
"Put him down," Kakashi said, his voice flat and dangerous. "Do it, and you walk away."
"Like hell I'd hand him over to a Konoha dog!" The Cloud ninja spat back, panting heavily.
But his defiance was cut short. His body suddenly locked up, his eyes glazing over. In his mind, he wasn't staring at a Konoha jonin—he was staring into the eyes of a demon from the depths of hell, and he couldn't move a muscle.
Kakashi didn't question his luck. He moved in a blur, knocking the man out cold with a single, precise strike to his neck. He quickly caught Naruto before he could hit the ground.
Looking down at the boy, Kakashi felt a familiar pang of guilt. The kid had his sensei's hair, but his face was like his mother's, Lady Kushina. The son of heroes, living a life of isolation and scorn. If Minato and Kushina sensei could see him now...
He shook his head. He hadn't been much of a guardian, knowing who Naruto was and still keeping his distance. But he wasn't too late this time.
He let out a slow breath, adjusting his grip on Naruto, and turned—only to find himself face-to-face with a young boy with spiky black hair and a stoic expression.
"Sasuke Uchiha?"
Kakashi was baffled. What was the Uchiha heir doing here? Did he get lost?
Before he could ask, Sasuke coolly drew a strip of bandage from his sleeve and tossed it into the air.
Swish.
The bandage unravelled impossibly fast, spinning out like a web and wrapping around the space around them. In an instant, the world dissolved and reformed.
The cramped alley was gone. Instead, a clear, open sky stretched overhead, a cool breeze washing over them. The entire village of Konoha lay spread out below. It took Kakashi a second to recognize the top of the Hokage Monument.
"Long time no see, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi's head snapped toward the voice. A boy in white stood there, a gentle, almost casual smile on his face.
"Y-Yuto?" Kakashi stared, his mind struggling to catch up. "You're alive? What in the world is going on?"
"Just here to collect the Tailed Beasts," Yuto replied, as if discussing the weather. His smile didn't waver. "Now, if you'd be so kind, put Naruto down. Then you can leave."
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