Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sun hung high over Konoha, casting its warm glow on the village that had seen so much change in the past three years. The streets bustled with life, merchants calling out their wares, shinobi moving swiftly through the crowd, and children laughing as they played. Buildings stood taller, newer establishments had cropped up, and a sense of security had settled over the village. But for one returning traveler, it still felt like home.

At the village gates, Naruto Uzumaki stood tall, his once-short frame now stretched with time. His orange and black jacket fluttered slightly in the breeze as he took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of ramen stalls, fresh earth, and the subtle scent of steel and sweat that always lingered in the shinobi village. His blue eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and nostalgia.

“Still standing, huh?” Naruto mused with a grin, hands resting on the back of his head.

Jiraiya chuckled beside him. “You almost sound surprised.”

Naruto smirked. “Nah, I always knew Konoha was strong. But it’s good to see it with my own eyes again.”

With a nod, Jiraiya patted his shoulder. “Go on, then. I’ll report to Tsunade.”

Naruto didn’t need to be told twice. He dashed forward, eager to see the people he had missed most.

Across the village, in the Konoha hospital, Sakura Haruno moved with practiced ease. She barely looked up from her work as her hands glowed with a soft green chakra, healing a patient’s minor fracture. Her once restless, impatient nature had been tempered by years of hard training under Tsunade, and now she carried herself with an air of quiet confidence.

“All done,” she said, offering a small smile to the young shinobi she had treated. “Just don’t overdo it on your next mission.”

The boy grinned sheepishly and thanked her before rushing off, leaving her to stretch her arms above her head with a sigh. Just then, a familiar presence entered the room.

“Sakura,” Shizune called, stepping inside. “Lady Tsunade wants you at the Hokage Tower. Something about an important meeting.”

Sakura frowned, curiosity piqued. “I’ll head there now.”

Meanwhile, at one of Konoha’s training fields, Sasuke Uchiha exhaled sharply, his dark eyes locked onto his sparring partner. He sidestepped an incoming kunai, his movements controlled and precise. With a swift flick of his wrist, he countered with a shuriken, landing it cleanly against his opponent’s vest.

“Point goes to Sasuke!” called a bystander.

Sasuke lowered his hand, offering his opponent a slight nod. There was no arrogance in his movements, just quiet confidence. Over the years, his training under Kakashi and Anko had refined his skills, balancing his raw talent with discipline. He no longer fought with unchecked aggression but with a keen understanding of his abilities.

Before he could prepare for another round, a messenger arrived, handing him a sealed scroll. Sasuke scanned the contents briefly before tucking it away. He turned to his sparring partner. “Another time.”

As fate would have it, the three found themselves converging at the Hokage Tower.

Naruto arrived first, bursting through the doors with his usual energy. “Tsunade-baachan! I’m back!” he called, earning an exasperated sigh from the guards outside.

Sakura arrived next, her brows lifting in surprise as she spotted Naruto’s unmistakable blond hair. “Naruto?”

He turned at the sound of her voice, and a grin spread across his face. “Sakura-chan! Whoa, you look different!”

Sakura crossed her arms, smirking. “And you got taller, but you still sound like the same knucklehead.”

Before Naruto could retort, the door opened once more, and Sasuke stepped inside. His sharp gaze flickered over them before he gave a slight nod. “Hn.”

Naruto’s eyes widened before his mouth stretched into an excited grin. “Sasuke! Man, you haven’t changed a bit.”

Sasuke quirked a brow. “You, on the other hand, are louder than ever.”

Sakura watched the interaction with warmth. The three of them standing here together again—it felt right.

Tsunade’s voice cut through the moment as she strode into the room. “Good, you’re all here.” She smirked slightly as she surveyed them. “Looks like the three of you have grown. But let’s see if you’ve gotten stronger.”

The training grounds of Konoha were quiet, the afternoon sun casting long shadows over the well-worn terrain. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves in the trees surrounding the clearing, rustling them in a way that made the moment feel almost serene. But within seconds, that tranquility was shattered.

Kakashi stood opposite his cute little students, his lone visible eye creased with amusement behind his hitai-ate. "Alright, let's see how much you've all grown. You three versus me. Give it everything you've got."

Naruto grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Heh, don’t blame us when we knock you flat, Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke smirked, rolling his shoulders.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask "We'll see about that."

Sakura simply took a deep breath, her emerald eyes filled with focus.

The moment Kakashi lifted his hand in a relaxed gesture, the battle began.

Naruto moved first, launching a barrage of Shadow Clones that rushed at Kakashi in a chaotic storm. Unlike before, these weren’t mindless charges—each clone had a purpose, manoeuvring strategically to test Kakashi’s reactions. Kakashi weaved between them effortlessly, flipping one over his shoulder, dodging another’s punch, and dispersing three more in a single strike.

But as expected, that was just a distraction.

From above, the real Naruto descended with a Rasengan swirling in his palm. "Gotcha!"

Kakashi barely managed to raise his forearm in defense before a sharp force collided with him—not Naruto, but Sasuke, who had appeared in a flicker of speed, his foot driving towards Kakashi’s ribs. Kakashi barely deflected the attack in time, his body twisting away just as Naruto landed where he had once stood.

The three of them weren’t just attacking blindly anymore. They were working together.

Kakashi let out a short chuckle. "Impressive."

Sasuke’s Sharingan gleamed as he analyzed every micro-movement Kakashi made, waiting for an opening. His sword remained sheathed at his side, his stance calm and unreadable—unlike years ago, when he would have launched himself at the enemy with single-minded aggression. His control was terrifyingly precise now.

Naruto launched another wave of clones, but this time, Kakashi sensed something different—one of them was subtly channeling wind chakra into his kunai. He dodged the standard attacks, knocking the clones away, only for the real Naruto to appear in front of him, kunai gleaming.

Kakashi twisted away at the last second, but Naruto had anticipated it. "Sakura, now!"

A blur of pink shot forward. Sakura's strength had always been monstrous, but now, it was refined, explosive yet controlled. She pivoted on one foot, slamming her heel into the ground with a force that sent cracks rippling outward like spiderwebs. The earth beneath Kakashi fractured, breaking his footing.

In that instant, Sasuke moved, dashing through the dust cloud with Chidori sparking in his palm. He was fast—faster than Kakashi had expected. The chirping of lightning filled the air as Sasuke’s strike aimed straight for his target.

But Kakashi, despite being impressed, was still a step ahead.

A sudden whirl of movement, and in the blink of an eye, Kakashi had flipped over Sasuke, pushing him forward just enough that the Chidori missed by an inch. Sasuke barely had time to recover before Kakashi’s hand pressed against his back, ready to pin him.

"Not bad," Kakashi admitted.

Sasuke tensed but wasn’t caught off guard—Naruto’s clone lunged from the left, throwing a kunai at Kakashi’s exposed side. Kakashi deflected it effortlessly, but then he felt it—chakra surging beneath him.

Sakura, kneeling, slammed her palms into the ground. "Earth Release: Rock Pillars!"

The ground exploded upward, a series of jagged stone formations shooting into the air. Kakashi leaped back just in time to dodge, but it had served its purpose—Naruto and Sasuke were already closing in again.

The battle escalated, each moment bringing another unexpected maneuver. Sasuke’s Sharingan read movements as they happened, calculating counters before they were even made. Naruto’s clone usage had become unpredictable, and his chakra control had vastly improved. Sakura’s battlefield awareness and medical training allowed her to stay defensive while still dealing powerful attacks.

For what felt like an eternity, they clashed. A dance of raw strength, strategy, and teamwork.

Finally, as all three rushed Kakashi for what would have been a finishing blow, he simply lifted his hand. "Enough."

In an instant, the three froze, chests heaving, sweat dripping down their foreheads. Their bodies ached, exhaustion creeping in, but the fire in their eyes remained unquenched.

Kakashi surveyed them, his expression unreadable for a long moment. Then, a slow smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I’m proud of you. All of you."

Naruto grinned through his panting. "Does that mean we win?"

Kakashi tilted his head. "Not quite. But you’re not the same kids I trained three years ago."

Sasuke exhaled, rolling his shoulders, his muscles sore but satisfied. "We’ll get there."

Sakura wiped her brow, a small smile of her own forming. "And next time, we’ll make sure you don’t get a chance to stop us."

Kakashi chuckled, ruffling Naruto’s hair—though he immediately swatted his hand away. "I’ll be looking forward to it."

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the four of them sat in the training grounds, catching their breath. It had been a long time since they had all fought together like this, and despite the exhaustion, there was an undeniable warmth in the air.

They were Team 7 again.

And this was only the beginning.

Kakashi looks up , muscles singing as the kids walk off "my kids really have grown "

The air inside the Hokage Tower was thick with an unspoken weight. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood before Tsunade’s desk, the warmth of their earlier reunion now replaced with a charged anticipation. Behind them, Kakashi leaned against the wall, his visible eye sharp with focus. Beside Tsunade, Jiraiya’s expression was unreadable, his usual carefree demeanor subdued.

Tsunade folded her hands together, golden eyes flicking over each of them. “I assume your sparring session went well?”

Naruto rubbed his shoulder with a grin. “You should’ve seen us, Granny Tsunade! We’ve all gotten way stronger.”

Sakura, arms crossed, smirked. “You still got knocked on your back more than once, Naruto.”

Sasuke merely huffed, but there was a trace of amusement in his otherwise neutral expression.

Tsunade nodded, but the moment of levity was brief. She reached for a scroll on her desk, unfurling it. “Good. Because your first mission as a team again starts now.”

The trio straightened, the air shifting into something more serious.

“There have been reports of rogue shinobi gathering near the Land of Fire’s border. At first, we dismissed them as scattered mercenaries, but recent sightings indicate something more organized,” Tsunade continued.

Jiraiya stepped forward, arms crossed. “The intel I’ve gathered suggests a rising faction. They’re still operating in the shadows, but something tells me they won’t stay hidden for long.”

Naruto frowned. “Are they Akatsuki?”

Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a brief glance before Tsunade shook her head. “No, this isn’t their style. But we don’t have enough information yet to rule them out completely.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Then what are we dealing with?”

Jiraiya exhaled. “That’s what you’re going to find out. Your mission is reconnaissance. Gather intelligence, assess their numbers, and report back. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary.”

Naruto crossed his arms, his lips pressing into a line. “That sounds too cautious. If they’re a threat, shouldn’t we take them out?”

Kakashi finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. “Recklessness won’t get us answers, Naruto. We need to know what we’re dealing with before we act. If we move too soon, we risk alerting them—and that could put Konoha in greater danger.”

Naruto fell silent, frowning but nodding in understanding.

Tsunade’s gaze softened for a moment before returning to its usual authority. “You’ll leave at dawn. Your route and targets are detailed in this scroll.” She passed it to Kakashi, who tucked it away. “Stay sharp. If things go south, prioritize returning with intel over unnecessary risks.”

Sakura nodded, determination in her eyes. “Understood, Lady Tsunade.”

Sasuke simply inclined his head, while Naruto, though still brimming with unspoken energy, gave a firm, “Got it.”

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, watching them. Something unreadable flickered across her features. “You’ve all come a long way in three years,” she murmured. “But don’t let your growth make you reckless.”

The weight in her voice wasn’t lost on them.

Jiraiya broke the tension with a sigh. “Alright, you brats better get some rest before heading out. You’re gonna need it.”

Naruto grinned. “Ha! We’ll be fine, Pervy Sage. This mission will be a piece of cake.”

Jiraiya snorted, shaking his head. “That’s exactly why I’m worried.”

With their orders clear, Team 7 turned to leave. As they exited the Hokage’s office, the hallways of the tower seemed quieter than usual, an almost eerie stillness settling in.

Kakashi lingered for a moment, turning back to Tsunade and Jiraiya. “You’re not telling them everything.”

Tsunade exhaled. “We can’t. Not yet.”

Jiraiya’s face darkened. “Because if what I suspect is true… we might be facing something worse than just the Akatsuki we knew .”

Kakashi’s visible eye narrowed. He didn’t like the sound of that.

As the three young shinobi walked ahead, unaware of the full weight behind their mission, the winds of change continued to stir. Something was coming. And this was only the beginning.

As the sun dipped below the rooftops of Konoha, casting a warm orange glow over the village, Team 7 found themselves seated at Ichiraku Ramen. The air was thick with nostalgia, the scent of broth and fresh noodles wrapping around them like a familiar embrace. Naruto practically vibrated with excitement, grinning ear to ear as he inhaled the first bite of his long-awaited ramen.

"Man, I missed this place!" Naruto exclaimed, stuffing his face with another mouthful. "No ramen in the world beats Ichiraku’s!"

Sasuke smirked, his arms crossed. "You act like you haven’t eaten in years."

Sakura chuckled, shaking her head. "He basically lived off field rations and whatever Jiraiya-sensei could scrounge up, so I guess it makes sense."

Jiraiya scoffed from where he sat beside them, sipping his sake. "Hey, I taught the brat a lot more than just survival. Though, if I’d known he was gonna eat like this the second we got back, I’d have just brought him straight here."

Naruto swallowed and grinned. "Oh, believe me, Ero-Sennin, that would’ve saved me a lot of suffering."

The conversation flowed naturally, easing into a rhythm that felt both old and new. They laughed, joked, and, for the first time in years, simply enjoyed each other's company. But eventually, the talk turned toward what had changed in their absence.

"Did you hear about Gaara?" Sakura asked, her voice tinged with awe. "He became the Kazekage."

Naruto’s chopsticks froze mid-air, his eyes going wide. "Wait, what?! Gaara’s the Kazekage?!"

Sasuke nodded. "Apparently, after everything that happened, his village fully accepted him. He’s earned their respect."

Naruto sat back, looking overwhelmed for a moment. He stared into his ramen, emotions swirling in his chest. "Gaara… he really did it, huh? After all that pain… he actually became someone they look up to."

Sakura smiled. "It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? He found his own way, just like you."

Naruto’s throat tightened. He thought back to the lonely boy he’d met years ago, the one who had been consumed by darkness. And now, Gaara had risen above it, found a place where he was accepted. It was everything Naruto had always dreamed of for him. He wiped at his nose and forced a grin. "That’s so damn cool. Next time I see him, I gotta tell him how proud I am."

Sasuke watched him quietly, something unreadable in his expression, before shifting the topic. "Neji’s a Jounin now."

Naruto turned to Sasuke, mouth agape. "No way! Neji?! Already?!"

Sakura nodded. "He worked hard for it. I think the loss against you really pushed him to grow even more. Lee and Tenten are doing well too. They’ve all improved a lot."

Naruto huffed, leaning back. "Man, I missed so much while I was gone… You guys are all moving forward, getting stronger."

Sasuke’s smirk returned. "So did we."

Naruto blinked, confused. "Huh?"

Sakura nudged his arm. "We waited for you, you idiot. We didn’t take the Chunin Exams without you."

Naruto stared at them, his heart pounding. "You… you guys really waited for me?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Tch. Obviously. We’re a team."

Sakura smiled warmly. "It wouldn’t have felt right to do it without you."

Naruto clenched his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check. He had spent so long feeling like he had to catch up, like everyone was leaving him behind. But here they were—Sasuke and Sakura had waited. They still saw him as part of their team, part of their family. He swallowed the lump in his throat and grinned, his usual boisterous energy returning. "Well, you better believe I’m gonna ace that next exam! I’m gonna be Hokage one day, after all!"

Sakura rolled her eyes but smiled. "We’ll see about that."

Sasuke simply smirked. "Then don’t embarrass yourself."

As the night stretched on, the warmth between them remained. They had all changed, but some things never would. Team 7 was still Team 7—stronger, closer, and ready for whatever came next.

The sun had barely risen over Konoha when Team 7 assembled at the village gates. The air was crisp with the lingering chill of the morning, and the streets were still quiet, only the occasional early-rising merchant stirring to open their stalls. Despite the tranquility, there was an undeniable energy in the air—a sense of anticipation as the team stood together, fully geared and ready.

Kakashi stood before them, arms crossed, his usual relaxed demeanor intact, though his lone visible eye held a sharper focus than usual. This was no ordinary mission. He had seen these three grow from brash, unpolished genin into capable shinobi, and today marked the true beginning of their journey together as a fully realized team.

“Alright, listen up,” Kakashi said, his voice steady yet firm. “This mission is reconnaissance, but we can’t rule out the possibility of combat. Stay alert, stay together, and above all—” his eye crinkled in what could have been a smile, “don’t do anything reckless.”

Naruto grinned. “You mean don’t do anything awesome?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, adjusting the strap of his gear. “You mean don’t do anything stupid.”

Sakura sighed but smiled nonetheless. “Try not to give us all heart attacks, Naruto.”

Jiraiya, standing a little off to the side, chuckled as he observed them. He stepped forward, clapping a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Brat, remember what I told you. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. Trust in what you’ve learned these past few years, and you’ll be fine.”

Naruto nodded, though there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes—perhaps the weight of responsibility, of being the target of a dangerous enemy. But if it bothered him, he didn't show it.

Sasuke, standing beside him, glanced at Naruto before looking ahead toward the road stretching beyond the gates. There was no hesitation in his posture, no lingering shadows from the past. This was where he belonged. Not lost in vengeance, not chasing an unattainable ghost—but here, with his team. His family.

Sakura took in the moment, gripping the strap of her medic bag tightly. The road ahead was uncertain, but she had no doubts about her place. This mission was just the beginning.

Kakashi took one last look at them before nodding. “Let’s move out.”

Without another word, Team 7 stepped forward in unison, crossing the village gates and disappearing into the forest beyond. The journey had begun.

Chapter Text

The morning air was crisp as Team 7 trekked further into the Land of Fire’s borderlands. The trees overhead swayed gently, their rustling leaves the only sound in the quiet morning. Despite the picturesque scenery, an unspoken weight lingered in the air—this was their first mission together after three years, and each of them could feel it.

Naruto, as always, was the first to break the silence. “I bet this mission’s gonna be a piece of cake,” he said, stretching his arms behind his head. “Some missing scouts, a few spooky rumors—sounds like a warm-up to me.”

Sakura shot him a look. “Naruto, missing shinobi is serious. If they just got lost, fine, but if something’s taken them, we could be walking straight into a dangerous situation.”

Naruto puffed out his chest. “Tch, we can handle it. We’ve all gotten stronger.”

Sasuke, walking a little ahead, glanced back at them with a small smirk. “Overconfidence will get you killed, Naruto.”

Naruto scoffed but didn’t argue. He knew Sasuke was right, but he also felt something gnawing at him—he wanted to prove himself, to show just how much he’d changed.

Kakashi, who had been quiet, finally spoke. “Regardless, we proceed with caution. Something about this mission doesn’t sit right with me.” His single visible eye scanned their surroundings as if expecting an ambush at any moment.

They discussed the details of the mission as they moved. Reports indicated that shinobi scouts sent to investigate the area had disappeared without a trace. A few scattered rumors suggested strange disturbances in the villages near the border—people acting strangely, sudden disappearances, and in one case, an entire family vanishing overnight.

By the time they arrived at the village they were meant to investigate, the sun hung high in the sky, casting an almost deceptive warmth over the modest cluster of buildings. Yet, as they stepped into the village square, something felt undeniably off.

The villagers were wary. People moved quickly, avoiding eye contact. Conversations hushed as Team 7 passed by, and doors closed subtly in their wake. It wasn’t outright hostility, but fear.

“Yeah, this isn’t suspicious at all,” Naruto muttered, his previous bravado dimming slightly.

Sasuke scanned the area with sharp eyes. “They know something.”

Kakashi nodded. “We’ll have to earn their trust first. Let’s split up and gather information, but keep your guard up.”

As they dispersed, Sakura took notice of a woman sitting outside her home, dabbing a cloth against her arm. Something about the way she winced caught her attention. Approaching slowly, Sakura knelt beside her. “Excuse me, ma’am. Are you alright?”

The woman jolted slightly but didn’t move away. “It’s nothing. Just a cut.”

Sakura frowned, her medical training kicking in. “May I take a look?”

The woman hesitated before nodding. As Sakura gently pulled back the cloth, her breath hitched. The wound was clean—but too clean. The skin around it wasn’t jagged like a normal cut; instead, it was precise, as though something had sliced through effortlessly. Worse, the edges had a faint, unnatural discoloration.

“This isn’t from an ordinary blade,” Sakura murmured, mostly to herself. “What happened?”

The woman looked away. “It’s nothing. Please, don’t ask.”

Before Sakura could press further, the woman stood up and hurried inside, shutting the door behind her.

At the same time, Naruto and Sasuke had their own encounters—Naruto trying (and failing) to engage a shopkeeper in casual conversation, while Sasuke observed a group of villagers whispering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing toward Team 7 before quickly looking away.

Reconvening, they shared their findings.

“They’re hiding something,” Sasuke stated bluntly. “And they’re terrified.”

Sakura nodded. “I saw a wound on one of them. It was… unnatural. Almost surgical.”

Kakashi listened carefully before sighing. “Something happened here, but they won’t talk. We’ll have to find out on our own.”

As the sun began to set, the unease in the village only grew. Team 7 prepared to stay the night, but none of them felt like they’d be getting much sleep.

Somewhere, in the distance, the wind carried an eerie silence—one that made the hairs on their necks stand on end.
-
The village was unnervingly quiet as Team 7 continued their investigation. The sun had set hours ago, and what little warmth remained had been swallowed by the thick mist rolling in from the nearby forest. The villagers had been hesitant to speak, their eyes darting toward the darkened streets as if afraid that even whispering their fears would summon something from the shadows.

"They know more than they're telling us," Sasuke muttered as they sat inside the small inn that served as their base. His eyes flicked toward the window, watching the fog slowly creeping in. "And they're terrified."

Naruto scowled, crossing his arms. "Then why won’t they talk? If they want help, they need to tell us what’s going on!"

Sakura sighed, rubbing her temple. "Fear makes people act irrationally. If whatever is taking them is as dangerous as they believe, they might think keeping quiet will protect them."

Kakashi, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke. "We need to be careful. There have been reports of skilled shinobi vanishing without a trace. We aren't dealing with simple bandits."

Naruto huffed but didn’t argue further. Instead, he stared at the table, drumming his fingers against the wood, his frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Hours passed, and the village became deathly silent. The usual nocturnal sounds—crickets, rustling leaves, the distant hoot of an owl—were absent. The only sound Naruto could hear was the quiet breathing of his teammates in the shared room.

But sleep wouldn’t come. He tossed and turned before finally sitting up. A nagging feeling gnawed at him, a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Sakura stirred at his movement. "Naruto, go to sleep. We have a mission tomorrow."

He grinned sheepishly. "Just gonna take a quick walk. Clear my head."

She groaned but didn’t stop him. Naruto slipped out, shutting the door quietly behind him. The moment he stepped into the empty street, a chill ran down his spine. The air was thick, suffocating. Something felt wrong.

Then he heard it—a whisper carried by the wind.

He turned sharply, his breath hitching. The mist curled unnaturally, almost alive. Then, out of the corner of his eye, movement. A shadow flitted across the rooftops.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and followed, his steps light as he moved through the village. The deeper he went, the stronger the unease became. Then, in the distance, he saw a lone figure standing outside a house, barely visible through the fog.

A villager.

"Hey!" Naruto called, but as soon as he did, the figure jerked unnaturally and was yanked backward into the mist.

Naruto’s blood ran cold. "What the—?!"

Without thinking, he bolted forward, chasing after the vanishing silhouette. His heart pounded as he ran, the fog thickening around him.

Then, suddenly, the world felt… wrong.

Naruto skidded to a stop, looking around. The village was gone. He had run straight into a labyrinth of mist-covered trees. The oppressive silence was back, heavier than before. He could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

A twig snapped behind him.

Naruto spun around, kunai in hand. "Who’s there?!"

No answer. But he could feel it—something was watching him.

Then he heard footsteps. Multiple. Slow. Deliberate.

Naruto shifted into a defensive stance, his fingers itching to form a Rasengan. The mist swirled unnaturally, parting just enough to reveal something—several figures emerging from the fog.

Their eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.

Naruto’s breath caught in his throat. "What… the hell?"

Before he could react, a hand clamped onto his shoulder. He whirled around, kunai raised—only to come face to face with Sasuke’s unimpressed gaze.

"You idiot," Sasuke muttered. "You really couldn’t wait until morning?"

Naruto blinked, his fear momentarily replaced by annoyance. "Hey! I was just checking things out! What are you two doing here?!"

"Stopping you from doing something stupid," Sakura snapped, appearing beside Sasuke. She crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning the mist-covered surroundings. "What did you see?"

Naruto hesitated, then gestured to the area around them. "I saw a villager get snatched right in front of me. I chased them, and then—" He paused, suddenly realizing something.

The figures. The glowing eyes. They were gone.

He turned sharply, searching the mist, but it was as if nothing had been there at all.

Sasuke followed his gaze. "What did you see?"

Naruto frowned. "I swear, there were people here. A group. Their eyes were glowing."

Sakura exchanged a look with Sasuke before stepping forward. She knelt, touching the ground lightly with her palm. Her chakra pulsed, sending a faint ripple through the air as she searched for traces of movement.

Her brow furrowed. "There was definitely something here. The chakra signatures are faint, but… it’s not normal."

Sasuke activated his Sharingan, scanning the area. After a moment, his eyes narrowed. "Something’s watching us."

Naruto felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. "Then let’s find out what."

Before they could act, Kakashi’s voice cut through the mist. "That’s enough."

They turned to see their sensei standing a few feet away, his posture tense but calm. "We’re heading back. Now."

Naruto frowned but didn’t argue. If Kakashi was this serious, then whatever was out here wasn’t something to fight recklessly.

As they made their way back, the mist thinned, and the weight pressing down on them lifted. But the unease lingered.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder one last time.

The village was silent again. But he knew, without a doubt, that something was still watching.

And it wasn’t finished with them yet.

-

The forest was unnervingly silent as Team 7 followed the faint trail leading them deeper into the trees. The moon cast ghostly light over the clearing ahead, illuminating an out-of-place stone formation at its center. Upon closer inspection, it was not a natural structure, but an entrance—an old underground passage carved into the land, its entrance concealed beneath heavy brush. A chilling draft seeped from below, carrying the scent of damp earth and something more unsettling—something metallic.

Naruto exhaled sharply. "This is it, isn't it?" he asked, glancing at his teammates.

Sasuke studied the area carefully, his Sharingan activated. "The tracks end here. Someone or something went inside."

Before they could move forward, Kakashi materialized from the darkness behind them, arms crossed. "I see you three couldn't wait. Again."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we couldn’t just sit around while people were disappearing!"

Kakashi sighed but didn’t argue. "Fine. But we go in together. No rushing ahead." His voice was calm, but there was a distinct edge to it. He had sensed something—something that kept him cautious.

As they descended, the walls of the tunnel closed in around them, the air growing colder. Their footsteps echoed, amplifying the tension. The deeper they went, the more unnatural the silence became. There was no sound of rats, no dripping water—just stillness.

Then, an unmistakable shift in the air.

Sasuke's head snapped up. "We’re not alone."

Suddenly, the passage filled with movement. Shadows burst forth from the darkness, masked figures emerging like specters. Their forms were unnatural—their movements eerily fluid, their chakra signatures distorted. There was no time for hesitation.

The battle erupted in an instant.

Naruto lunged forward, only to be halted by a sudden blur of motion. His opponent wore a featureless white mask, their form flickering as if their body wasn’t fully solid. A genjutsu—Naruto realized too late as the world around him distorted. The walls stretched unnaturally, and a deep, haunting whisper curled around his thoughts.

His heartbeat pounded. "Not this again—!" He forced his hands together in a seal, trying to break free, but the whispers grew louder, clawing into his mind.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was engaged in a deadly dance of speed and precision. His opponent moved like a phantom, flickering unpredictably, nearly evading his strikes. Sasuke’s Chidori flared to life, illuminating the dark cavern. He pivoted sharply, forcing his opponent into a corner. Their response was immediate—an explosive burst of movement, their speed matching his own.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "This isn’t normal..." The Sharingan caught flashes of something beneath the mask—a flicker of distorted chakra, something unnatural pulsing within them.

A few feet away, Sakura faced a towering figure with a cracked, darkened mask. Their body was unnervingly muscular, but their strength wasn't just physical—it was monstrous. They swung at her with unnatural force, the air around their fist distorting. Sakura barely dodged, the shockwave sending cracks through the tunnel walls.

She steadied herself, fists clenched. "Fine. Let’s see how strong you really are."

Channeling her chakra, she dodged another devastating blow before retaliating. Her fist connected with the brute’s side, sending a shockwave through their ribs. The figure staggered but didn’t go down. Instead, it tilted its head at her in an unnatural motion before attacking again, even stronger than before.

Kakashi observed from a distance, his eye narrowing. These weren’t ordinary shinobi. Their chakra was all wrong—tainted, as if it didn’t fully belong to them. And worse, they weren’t fighting to kill.

They were testing them.

Recognizing the danger, Kakashi made his move. His hands blurred through seals, and a powerful surge of lightning erupted from his palm. The masked figures, as if sensing his intent, suddenly retreated, vanishing into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. The silence returned, unnerving and absolute.

Naruto gasped as the genjutsu shattered. He stumbled, shaking his head to clear the lingering whispers. "Damn it... what was that?"

Sasuke, still tense, watched the retreating figures disappear. "They weren’t fighting seriously."

Sakura nodded, panting slightly. "They wanted to see what we could do."

Kakashi stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "They left us a message."

Naruto blinked. "A message?"

Kakashi knelt and traced his fingers over a set of claw-like markings left on the cavern wall. The scratches formed symbols, rough but deliberate.

“The cycle has begun again.”

The words sent an eerie chill through the group.

Naruto clenched his fists. "What does that mean?"

Kakashi exhaled, his tone unusually serious. "I don’t know. But whatever this is... it’s only beginning."
-
The underground tunnels were suffocatingly silent, the air thick with dust and the lingering scent of decay. Team 7 moved cautiously, their steps echoing off the cold stone walls. Dim, flickering lights illuminated the remnants of what appeared to be an abandoned research facility—broken equipment, shattered glass, and dark stains that hinted at experiments gone horribly wrong.

Sakura took the lead, her keen medical eye scanning the remnants of the lab. She ran her fingers along a rusted examination table, noting the unnatural grooves carved into the metal. "These weren’t just surgeries," she murmured. "Whoever was here… they were modifying the human body."

Naruto clenched his fists. "That’s sick. Who would do something like that?"

Kakashi knelt beside a collapsed shelf, his fingers brushing against a half-burned document. He pulled it free and studied the symbols stamped along the edges. His eye darkened with recognition. "These markings… They belonged to an old organization that was supposedly wiped out years ago. I thought they were just rumors."

Sasuke, silent until now, picked up a tattered folder. The name "Project Eclipse" was scrawled across the front. "Project Eclipse… this name keeps appearing." He flipped through brittle pages, his brows furrowing at the grotesque sketches and indecipherable notes. "Whatever this is, it wasn’t just research. It was a blueprint."

Suddenly, a sharp tremor rattled the ground beneath them. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered violently before plunging the tunnel into darkness. A low, mechanical rumbling reverberated through the cavern, followed by a loud, echoing boom.

"MOVE!" Kakashi barked as the walls began to collapse.

Chunks of rock and debris rained down. Naruto grabbed Sakura’s wrist and pulled her forward as Sasuke pivoted, his Sharingan flaring to locate the safest path. Kakashi led the way, maneuvering through the crumbling ruins with precise movements. The tunnel was caving in fast.

Sakura’s breath came in short gasps as she ran, dodging falling debris. A sudden, violent quake knocked her off balance, her foot slipping against the unstable ground. Before she could react, a massive section of the ceiling gave way, crashing down between her and the others.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke’s voice was sharp, filled with an edge of panic he rarely let slip.

Dust and smoke filled the space, blinding him as he stumbled forward. Naruto’s hand gripped his shoulder, stopping him before he could dive into the wreckage. "We can’t go back!" Naruto yelled over the noise. "The whole place is coming down!"

Sasuke’s fists clenched, frustration and something deeper flashing through his expression, but he knew Naruto was right. The tunnel was unstable. If they didn’t move now, they’d all be buried. Gritting his teeth, he turned and followed Naruto and Kakashi, even as his mind screamed at him for leaving her behind.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the collapse, Sakura coughed violently, dust coating her throat. She pushed herself up, shaking off the daze from the impact. Her ears rang, and her vision swam for a moment before steadying.

"Of course," she muttered, brushing dirt from her arms. "They get out, and I’m stuck. Typical."

She assessed her surroundings. The main exit was completely sealed off by fallen rubble, but she wasn’t helpless. Taking a deep breath, she activated her chakra, feeling it surge through her limbs. Her training under Tsunade hadn’t been just for show.

Sakura took a step back, rolling her shoulders. "Alright, time to prove why I’m not the same girl I used to be."

With precise control, she focused chakra into her fists. The ground beneath her cracked from the sheer force as she launched forward, delivering a devastating punch to the collapsed wall. Stone shattered, dust exploding outward as the barrier weakened.

Another hit. Then another. Her knuckles throbbed, but she didn’t stop. One final, earth-shaking blow sent the debris flying, carving an opening large enough for her to slip through.

She staggered slightly, catching her breath before breaking into a sprint. She could still sense their chakra signatures up ahead. "Hang on, I’m coming."

Outside, Naruto and Sasuke had barely made it out of the collapsing ruins, standing amidst the settling dust. Sasuke’s shoulders were tense, his eyes locked on the wreckage. Naruto, usually the first to panic, remained uncharacteristically still.

Then, a movement. A figure emerged from the dust cloud, stepping forward with unwavering determination.

Sakura.

She was covered in dust, her fists still clenched from the effort, but her expression was calm. She met Sasuke’s gaze first, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "You didn’t think I’d go down that easily, did you?"

Naruto’s jaw dropped. "Sakura-chan, that was awesome!"

Sasuke exhaled, something unreadable flickering in his eyes before he turned away. "Took you long enough."

Sakura rolled her eyes but felt warmth spread through her chest. It wasn’t just about escaping—it was about proving, to herself and to them, that she wasn’t just the one being protected anymore.

Kakashi sighed in relief, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Well, now that everyone’s accounted for… let’s get moving before something else tries to kill us."

As they walked away from the wreckage, one thing was certain—this mission was far from over. And whatever "Project Eclipse" was, it was only the beginning.

-

The night air was thick with tension as Team 7 gathered at the forest’s edge, the ruins of the collapsed tunnel still smoldering behind them. The silence was unnerving—no birds, no wind rustling through the trees, just the distant echo of shifting rubble. Each of them bore the weight of the mission differently, their minds racing to piece together the puzzle they had uncovered.

Kakashi was the first to break the silence. "We need to report back to Tsunade. This is bigger than just missing scouts."

Naruto crossed his arms, his face unusually serious. "Yeah, no kidding. What were those things? They weren’t normal shinobi. Their chakra felt… wrong."

Sakura, still dusting off remnants of debris from her clothes, spoke up. "They were enhanced somehow. The surgical scars on the villagers, the strange chakra signatures—it all points to experimentation. If ‘Project Eclipse’ was involved, it might be linked to past studies on kekkei genkai and chakra manipulation."

Sasuke, who had been silent up to this point, finally looked up from where he had been crouched, staring at the ground in deep thought. "This wasn’t just about testing us. They were gathering information. That phrase—‘The cycle has begun again.’ It sounds like something is being restarted."

Kakashi nodded, his single visible eye narrowing. "Which means someone with enough resources and knowledge is behind this. And if they’re working in the shadows, it’s because they don’t want Konoha—or any other village—to know what they’re planning."

Naruto exhaled sharply, his hands clenching into fists. "And we just let them get away. We should’ve caught one of them, forced them to talk."

"And if they had been conditioned to self-destruct?" Kakashi countered. "We barely got out of that tunnel alive, Naruto. There are too many unknowns. We have to be smart about this."

Naruto clicked his tongue but didn’t argue further. Even he could see that they were up against something far more complex than a simple band of rogue ninja.

Sasuke turned his gaze to Sakura, his voice quieter than usual. "You didn’t answer when we called for you. We thought—"

"I know," Sakura cut in, offering a small smile, though there was exhaustion in her eyes. "I got out on my own. I can handle myself, you know."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose, something almost like relief flashing across his face before he masked it. "Next time, don’t get left behind."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Wasn’t exactly my choice, Sasuke. But noted."

Naruto looked between them, a teasing grin creeping onto his face despite the situation. "Sasuke, were you worried about her?"

Sasuke scoffed and looked away. "Focus, idiot."

Kakashi interrupted their banter, his tone firm. "Enough. We need to move. We’re heading back to Konoha. Whatever this Project Eclipse is, we don’t have the full picture yet. But we know one thing for certain—it isn’t over."

The team nodded, the weight of the mission pressing down on them. They turned towards the road leading back to Konoha, their pace steady but alert. As they vanished into the trees, an unseen presence lingered in the shadows.

A pair of glowing eyes watched them go, hidden among the twisted branches of a dead tree. A voice, barely above a whisper, carried through the wind. "They are stronger than expected (duh it's team 7 for fuck sake). This will be… interesting."

The figure turned, vanishing into the darkness as the night swallowed them whole.

The cycle had indeed begun again.

Chapter Text

The journey back to Konoha was supposed to be uneventful, a quiet march home after the chaos underground. Yet, from the moment they left the collapsed tunnels behind, an unsettling feeling hung over them like a thick fog.

Naruto walked slightly ahead, fidgeting with the strap of his weapon pouch, his usual carefree demeanor dulled by the weight of the mission. "Man, I can't shake this weird feeling," he muttered. "Like someone's breathing down my neck."

"You're just being paranoid," Sakura said, though her eyes flickered toward the treetops, scanning for anything unusual.

"No," Sasuke cut in, his voice sharp with certainty. "He's right. Someone is following us."

Kakashi, who had been walking at the rear, subtly adjusted his posture. "I know," he said, voice unreadable. "I've been aware of them for a while."

Naruto spun around. "What?! And you didn’t say anything?"

Kakashi gave a lazy shrug. "Better to let them think we haven't noticed. If they attack, we control the battlefield."

That explanation did little to settle Naruto’s nerves. He was tired of things lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike at the worst possible moment. Without thinking, he yanked a kunai from his pouch and hurled it into the trees. It lodged deep into the bark with a sharp thunk.

Silence.

The forest remained still, undisturbed.

Sasuke activated his Sharingan, scanning the treetops. His gaze darted back and forth before finally locking onto something—a faint flicker of movement too fast for the untrained eye to catch. "There."

In an instant, the team halted. The tension in the air thickened, the rustling leaves suddenly sounding deafening.

Then, as swiftly as it had come, the presence vanished.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. "They're gone."

Naruto scowled. "Tch. Coward."

"Not cowardly," Kakashi corrected. "Strategic. Whoever that was, they weren’t just following us. They were studying us."

Sakura folded her arms, deep in thought. "It feels... familiar somehow. The way they were tracking us—it’s not like an ordinary shinobi technique."

Sasuke turned to her. "You recognize it?"

She hesitated. "I’m not sure. But it reminds me of something I read in the medical archives. There were cases of people being experimented on, their nervous systems altered to enhance their ability to sense others. They could track a target without leaving a trace."

Kakashi hummed. "That would explain why even I had trouble pinpointing them."

Naruto clenched his fists. "First those masked freaks underground, now some creepy stalker watching us? I swear, if this has anything to do with that ‘Project Eclipse’ crap—"

"It does," Kakashi interrupted. "You can bet on it."

A heavy silence settled over them. The weight of what they had stumbled upon was beginning to sink in. This wasn’t just a simple rogue shinobi threat. This was something larger, something deliberate.

Sasuke exhaled, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. "We should move. If they were testing us, they might come back."

"Right," Kakashi agreed. "We change routes. No direct paths back to Konoha. We need to lose them first."

They set off again, this time more cautious, more alert.

But the feeling never left them.

The shadows in the dark weren’t just watching. They were waiting.

-

Just when they think the danger has passed, a sudden shift in the air puts them on edge. A presence flickers through the trees—fast, precise, and deliberate.

Before any of them can react, kunai whistle through the air, laced with a faint, glowing chakra.

“Scatter!” Kakashi orders, narrowly blocking a kunai aimed for his throat.

The figure emerges, a lone masked individual cloaked in dark grey with strange symbols running along their arms. Their chakra feels different—controlled yet unnatural. Unlike the masked attackers from the tunnels, this one moves with an eerie fluidity, their every action measured and efficient.

Kakashi engages first, his Sharingan tracking their opponent’s movements, but even he is forced onto the defensive. The masked shinobi’s attacks are precise, each strike meant to incapacitate rather than kill.

Naruto, frustrated, lunges forward with a Rasengan. The enemy pivots at the last second, grabbing Naruto’s wrist mid-strike and twisting it before slamming him into the ground. Naruto coughs, stunned by the sheer force.

“Tch—damn it!”

Sasuke follows up, his Sharingan spinning as he launches a fire-style jutsu. The figure leaps, effortlessly dodging the inferno, but before they can land, Sakura is already there, fist cocked back.

“Got you.”

Her punch connects. The ground shatters from the force, sending the masked shinobi skidding backward. Dust and debris swirl in the air as the team regroups.

Sasuke’s eyes narrow. “They’re analyzing us.”

Sakura wipes her knuckles. “Like we’re some kind of test subjects.”

The words hang in the air. Why *them*? There are stronger shinobi in Konoha, more experienced teams. Yet this person—this organization—had specifically targeted them.

The masked shinobi stands, rolling their shoulder as if impressed.

“Good,” they say, voice distorted through the mask. “You’ve all grown. But the Eclipse is watching. The cycle has begun anew.”

Then, before they can react, the figure vanishes into the night.

Team 7 remains on edge, Naruto still fuming. “What the hell does that even mean?”

Kakashi exhales, his visible eye dark with thought. “I don’t know. But whoever they are, they weren’t here to kill us. They were here to *study* us.”

Silence.

Sakura glances down at her clenched fists. Something about that fight had felt *personal*. Whoever they were… they knew them.
-
The journey back to Konoha is tense, the usual ease in their steps replaced by a sharpened awareness. Every rustling leaf, every shifting shadow feels like a potential threat. No one speaks for a long time. The weight of what they just experienced settles deep in their bones.

Finally, Naruto can’t take it anymore.

“Alright, enough already. Kakashi-sensei, what the hell is going on? Who were those people, and what the hell is ‘Project Eclipse’?”

Kakashi doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he keeps his gaze trained on the path ahead, unreadable beneath his mask. The hesitation is unlike him, and that only makes the tension worse.

“Kakashi.” This time, it’s Sasuke who speaks. His voice is even, but there’s an edge to it. “Tell us.”

A long exhale. Then, finally—

“I don’t know everything,” Kakashi admits. “But I know enough to say this—what we just encountered isn’t new. It’s a ghost from the past, something I hoped we’d never have to deal with again.”

He stops walking, and the rest of the team halts behind him. Turning to face them, his expression is more serious than they’ve ever seen.

“Decades ago, before even the Third Great Ninja War, there was an underground faction—researchers who wanted to push the limits of chakra manipulation. They weren’t just experimenting with jutsu or kekkei genkai. They were trying to alter the fundamental nature of chakra itself.”

Sakura stiffens, recalling the disturbing medical lab they found underground. “You mean… they were experimenting on people?”

Kakashi nods. “Yes. Their work was deemed unethical—monstrous, even. The project was destroyed, and the faction was wiped out. Or at least, that’s what we were told.”

Sasuke narrows his eyes, mind already working through the implications. “So they were like Orochimaru?”

Kakashi lets out a humorless chuckle. When he looks up, his visible eye is filled with something heavy—something dark.

“No, Sasuke. Orochimaru was an angel in comparison.”

The air between them turns ice cold.

Naruto tenses. “That’s not funny, Kakashi-sensei.”

“It’s not meant to be.” His voice is flat, grim. “Orochimaru’s experiments were twisted, but he was predictable—he had clear goals, and he worked toward them in his own way. These people? They didn’t just experiment on people. They erased everything human from their subjects. They weren’t trying to create better shinobi. They were trying to make something beyond human—something unnatural.”

Sakura clenches her fists. The memory of the masked figures—their inhuman movements, the way they seemed to lack emotion—flashes through her mind. “Then those shinobi… they weren’t just random enemies. They were failed experiments.”

Kakashi nods. “Exactly. And if someone has revived Project Eclipse, then it means they’re picking up where the last faction left off.”

Silence stretches between them, the weight of the revelation pressing down. The fact that someone had continued the Eclipse experiments in secret all this time—and that they were targeting them—was deeply unsettling.

Naruto clenches his fists. “And what about that masked bastard who attacked us? They acted like they knew us.”

“That’s what bothers me the most.” Kakashi’s gaze darkens. “They weren’t trying to kill us. They were testing us. That means we’re part of their plan—whether we like it or not.”

A chill runs through the group at that thought.

Sasuke glances at Kakashi. “And you have no idea why?”

“If I did, I would’ve told you already.”

Sakura exhales, steadying herself. “Then we need to get back to Konoha. Tsunade-sama needs to hear all of this.”

Kakashi nods. “Agreed. We move fast and avoid unnecessary fights. We don’t know if we’re still being watched.”

The team resumes their journey, but the sense of unease lingers.

They’re no longer just on a mission.

They’re part of something much, much bigger.

-

The gates of Konoha loom ahead, but there is no relief in their return. The village is peaceful, untouched by the horrors lurking in the shadows, but Team 7 knows better. Something is coming. Something that has already set its sights on them.

As soon as they step inside, two ANBU operatives are waiting.

“The Hokage has summoned you. Immediately.”

There is no time to rest, no time to think. They exchange glances before following the masked shinobi.

---

The air in the Hokage’s office is tense. Tsunade leans forward on her desk, listening intently. Jiraiya stands near the window, his arms crossed, unreadable. Kakashi, standing beside his students, watches everything carefully.

“Talk,” Tsunade orders.

And so they do.

They recount the events—the abandoned village, the underground lab, the masked shinobi, the cryptic warnings. When *Project Eclipse* is mentioned, Tsunade’s knuckles whiten as she grips the desk. Jiraiya, silent up until now, exhales sharply.

“I’ve been hearing whispers,” he admits. “Something moving beneath the surface. But until now, I wasn’t sure if it was real.”

Kakashi’s voice is grim. “It’s real.”

“They *tested* us,” Sasuke says, voice low, calculating. “They weren’t trying to kill us. They studied how we fought. They wanted to know what we were capable of.”

“They targeted *us* specifically,” Naruto adds. “Why?”

The room falls into a heavy silence. The adults exchange looks, something clicking between them.

Konoha had seen powerful shinobi before, but these three—Sasuke, the last Uchiha, Naruto, the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, and Sakura—

Their eyes land on Sakura.

She stiffens at the attention. “What?”

Tsunade’s gaze sharpens, something unreadable in her expression. “Tell me again what you found in that lab.”

Sakura hesitates but then explains—old research equipment, remnants of medical experiments, wounds that seemed *too clean*. The masked figures weren’t just enhanced—they were *designed*. And that meant someone, somewhere, was trying to alter the limits of the human body.

Jiraiya’s expression darkens. “And you’re sure they weren’t just targeting the Uchiha or the Nine-Tails?”

Sasuke frowns. “If they wanted either of us, they had chances to take us.”

Naruto scowls. “And they didn’t.”

Kakashi, who has been silent, suddenly speaks. “Orochimaru was obsessed with the Sharingan and bloodline limits. He collected them like trophies. But whoever these people are…” He pauses. “Orochimaru was an *angel* in comparison.”

That sends a chill down their spines.

Naruto shakes his head. “But that doesn’t explain why they were after *us*—or who they actually want.”

Another silence. Then Jiraiya murmurs, “Maybe they weren’t after *you two*.”

Sakura stiffens.

The weight of the words settles in the air.

Tsunade leans back, eyes unreadable as she studies her apprentice. “Sakura. You’re a medical ninja. One of the most promising Konoha has seen in decades.”

“So?” Sakura tries to keep her voice even.

Jiraiya exhales. “The Eclipse Project was rumored to be about *enhancing* shinobi beyond their limits. Not through bloodlines, not through Jinchūriki—through sheer *augmentation*. It required precise medical knowledge, unnatural control over chakra flow.” His eyes settle on her. “Someone like you.”

Sakura swallows. “That’s ridiculous. I—I’m not—”

Kakashi shakes his head. “You’ve improved. A lot.” His voice is softer than usual. “And maybe that’s the point.”

Sasuke’s fingers twitch at his side. “…They could be after Sakura.”

Naruto immediately steps closer to her, protective instincts kicking in. “No way. If they try anything—”

“We don’t *know* anything yet,” Sakura says quickly, though her voice is tight.

Tsunade’s gaze lingers on her, as if she’s trying to piece something together. “No,” she says at last. “But we’re going to find out.”

The tension doesn’t lift. Even as Tsunade orders a full investigation, even as Jiraiya and Kakashi prepare to dig deeper, there’s an unspoken realization between them all.

For years, the world saw Sasuke as the last of a lost bloodline, Naruto as the host of a demon.

But in front of them stood something else entirely.

Something the enemy wanted.

Sakura clenches her fists.

And she’ll be damned if she lets them take it.
-

The streets of Konoha were alive with the soft hum of evening chatter, lanterns casting pools of golden light on the cobblestone paths. Ichiraku Ramen stood as it always did—warm, welcoming, unchanged. But as Team 7 sat around the counter, the usual comfort felt distant.

Naruto stared at his bowl, his chopsticks unmoving. The silence was unnatural for him. Even Teuchi, who had known the blonde since childhood, hesitated before breaking it.

“Long day?” he asked, ladling broth into a bowl.

Naruto didn’t answer right away. He just nodded, swirling his chopsticks absently. “Something like that.”

Sakura, sitting beside him, sipped her tea. The warmth didn’t quite chase away the unease sitting in her chest. “This still doesn’t make sense,” she murmured, more to herself than to the others. “It’s too deliberate. Everything—the village, the tunnels, the attack—it feels like we were *meant* to find that place.”

Sasuke, arms crossed, let the thought settle before speaking. “If this group has resurfaced, we won’t be able to avoid them for long.” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—something cold, precise. “They wanted to test us. And now they know exactly what we’re capable of.”

Naruto’s grip on his chopsticks tightened. “Then we’ll take them down first.” His voice held no hesitation, no fear—just the kind of determination that had always set him apart.

Sakura set down her tea, exhaling slowly. “It’s not that simple. We don’t know who they are, how many there are, or what they really want. And if they *are* after one of us…” She hesitated. “We have to be smart about this.”

Naruto shot her a stubborn look. “Smart, sure. But waiting around for them to make the next move isn’t gonna help either.”

Sasuke studied him. “Then what do you propose?”

Naruto hesitated. He *wanted* to rush in, to fight, to stop this before it could grow into something worse—but he wasn’t an idiot. He had learned to trust his team, to listen. And despite his frustration, even he could see they weren’t ready. Not yet.

“…I don’t know,” he admitted, voice quieter. “But I don’t like the idea of just *waiting*.”

Sakura looked between them, something unspoken passing through her mind. “We won’t wait,” she said, and though her voice was soft, it held a quiet steel. “We prepare.”

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto exhaled. “Yeah. Okay.”

For a moment, it almost felt like any other night—three teammates, sitting together, sharing a meal. But the weight in the air hadn’t lifted. They *knew* what was coming. They just didn’t know when.

And somewhere in the distance, standing on a darkened rooftop, a masked figure watched the village in silence. Their face unreadable.

The Eclipse was watching.

The next move was theirs.

Chapter Text

The air in Konoha was crisp that morning, the first hints of autumn cooling the streets. But inside the Hokage’s office, the atmosphere was anything but calm. Tsunade leaned over her desk, fingers laced together as she listened to Jiraiya’s report. The usual mirth in his expression was absent, replaced by something far more unsettling—concern.

“This isn’t just another rogue faction,” Jiraiya said, his voice low. “The Eclipse is targeting shinobi with unique chakra abilities. Every disappearance has something in common—the victims were either born with an extraordinary chakra nature or had mastery over it beyond the norm.”

Tsunade’s eyes narrowed. “And you think this is connected to Team 7?”

Jiraiya nodded. “They were tested, not attacked. Whoever these people are, they wanted to see something. And I have a bad feeling that they found it.”

Kakashi, silent until now, exhaled slowly. His mind replayed the battle in the forest—the way the masked figure studied them, dodged their attacks, and then disappeared after uttering that cryptic message. It hadn’t been a battle. It had been an evaluation.

“What are you thinking, Kakashi?” Tsunade asked.

He hesitated before answering. “It’s not Naruto.”

Jiraiya blinked, surprised. “What?”

“If they were after a jinchūriki, they had the perfect opportunity to try and capture him. But they didn’t. They were watching all three of them, but… there was a moment. When Sakura attacked.”

Kakashi remembered it vividly—how Sakura had struck with perfect precision, shattering the enemy’s kunai mid-air before landing a counterstrike so refined that even he had taken note. Her chakra had flared so strongly in that instant that he had felt it from yards away.

Tsunade’s brow furrowed. “Sakura’s chakra control is exceptional, but you think that’s enough to make her a target?”

Kakashi looked at her gravely.

---

At Training Ground Three, Naruto and Sasuke were engaged in a half-hearted spar, but both of them were distracted.

Sakura sat nearby, her fingers pressed to her temples as she tried to steady herself. Something felt… off. It had started after their mission. Small things, subtle things. Her chakra reserves weren’t just full—they were overflowing. She could feel the energy humming beneath her skin, more potent than ever before. At first, she thought it was just an effect of pushing herself too hard. But now… now she wasn’t so sure.

“You good, Sakura?” Naruto’s voice cut into her thoughts.

She looked up, blinking. Both boys were staring at her. Sasuke, arms crossed, studied her carefully, while Naruto tilted his head with open concern.

“Yeah,” she said quickly, pushing her doubts away. “Just thinking.”

Naruto frowned but didn’t push. Sasuke, however, narrowed his eyes slightly before looking away.

“I don’t like this,” he muttered. “Something’s wrong, and we don’t have enough information.”

Sakura forced a smile. “Then we get stronger. We’ll be ready.”

Sasuke didn’t respond, but Naruto grinned. “Yeah! That’s the spirit!”

Still, as they resumed training, Sakura couldn’t shake the feeling that something—deep inside her—was waking up.

-
Sakura moved through the hospital corridors, her footsteps light but her mind heavy with unease. The mission had left a lingering tension in her bones, a feeling she couldn’t quite shake. Something was wrong—off in a way that made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

She passed by rows of cots where injured shinobi rested, her sharp eyes scanning their wounds as she checked their vitals. At first glance, they seemed like any other battlefield injuries—deep gashes, fractured bones, burns. But as she studied them closer, she saw a pattern emerging, something eerily familiar. The precision of the cuts, the way the flesh was torn but not shredded—these were too clean, too calculated. The same kind of wounds she had seen in the underground lab.

Her heart pounded as she flipped through a patient’s medical chart, her hands tightening around the parchment. If this was what she thought it was, then those masked figures hadn’t just been experimenting in the past. They were still at it.

Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted towards the Hokage’s office, weaving past medics and patients alike. She burst through the doors, only to find Kakashi already there, his voice low and grim as he spoke to Tsunade.

“…They’re not just attacking at random. They’re looking for something.”

Tsunade’s sharp gaze snapped to Sakura, reading the urgency in her eyes before she had even spoken. “What is it?”

“I think they’ve been testing their work on shinobi,” Sakura said, holding out the medical files. “These wounds—they match what we found in the lab. I think they’ve been targeting specific individuals.”

Tsunade took the charts, her frown deepening as she read. Jiraiya, who had been leaning against the desk, straightened. His usual easygoing nature had been absent for days, and now, his voice was as serious as the look in his eyes.

“What if they aren’t just testing?” Jiraiya murmured. “What if they’re searching?”

Silence filled the room. The implications hung heavy in the air.

Kakashi folded his arms. “If that’s the case, we need to figure out what they’re looking for before they find it.”

Sakura glanced between them, a strange feeling settling in her chest. There was something about the way they spoke—as if she wasn’t fully in on the conversation. But she had no time to dwell on it.

“I’ll stay at the hospital a little longer,” she offered. “If anyone else comes in with similar injuries, I want to be there to examine them.”

Tsunade hesitated, then nodded. “Be careful.”

Sakura bowed her head and left, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was slipping through the cracks. That night, she pushed aside her concerns and focused on her work.

She moved through the hospital with practiced ease, her hands glowing with healing chakra as she tended to her patients. The more she healed, the more natural it felt, as though something inside her had clicked into place. Wounds that should have taken hours to mend closed in mere minutes. She could feel chakra networks realigning with perfect precision, her control surpassing anything she had ever experienced before.

Yet, she remained unaware of the eyes watching her from the darkness beyond the hospital walls.

A lone masked figure stood perched atop a rooftop, observing the glow of her chakra through the windows. They didn’t move, didn’t breathe too loudly—just watched.

And waited.

-

Jiraiya pulled Kakashi aside, his usual carefree demeanor stripped away. His expression was set in something heavy—something that made Kakashi uneasy.

“We need to talk.”

Kakashi leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “I figured.”

Jiraiya exhaled, rubbing his temples. “This isn’t just some underground cult making a comeback, Kakashi. It’s worse.”

Kakashi’s visible eye sharpened. “Project Eclipse.”

Jiraiya nodded. “Decades ago, an underground faction sought to create the perfect shinobi. They weren’t just looking for power—they wanted to rewrite what it meant to be a shinobi, to push past the limits of bloodlines, chakra reserves, even human biology. Their experiments were brutal, inhumane.” His voice darkened. “And they almost succeeded.”

Kakashi frowned. “But it was destroyed.”

“That’s what we thought,” Jiraiya admitted. “The leaders were eliminated, the research wiped out… or so we believed. But lately, there have been whispers—shinobi with altered chakra signatures, disappearances of those with rare abilities. They’ve been searching for something, Kakashi. Or *someone*.”

Kakashi’s chest tightened. The pieces were falling into place far too quickly for his liking. His mind flickered back to the mission, to the masked figures who had tested them, who had whispered about ‘the cycle beginning anew.’

Jiraiya hesitated, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he spoke.

“Because they need her.”

Kakashi felt his stomach drop. His voice was quiet, but the weight of it was immense. “Sakura....”

Jiraiya met his gaze. “Her chakra control—it’s the best we’ve seen in centuries.”

Silence hung between them. Kakashi processed the words, but they didn’t make sense—not at first. He had always known Sakura’s chakra control was exceptional, but… centuries?

“She’s surpassed Tsunade, hasn’t she?” Kakashi murmured, realization dawning.

Jiraiya exhaled. “Tsunade took decades to refine her chakra control, to master her strength and medical techniques. Sakura is what—seventeen? And she’s already achieving things that were once thought impossible.”

Kakashi’s thoughts raced. He had always known she was skilled, but this? He thought back to the last few missions—how quickly Sakura could heal, how effortlessly she could enhance her attacks, how precise she was with even the smallest amount of chakra. It wasn’t just talent. It was something *more.*

Then another memory surfaced. Something strange.

“During the Chunin Exams,” Kakashi said suddenly, “she broke out of the Yamanaka Clan’s Mind Body Switch technique.I didn't question it before but.....”

Jiraiya frowned. “What?”

Kakashi nodded, his mind working quickly. “Back when Ino used it against her. I saw the match—it should have worked. Even a shinobi with high resistance can’t simply *reject* that technique. But Sakura forced her way out. That’s not just willpower. That’s chakra control on an entirely different level.”

Jiraiya cursed under his breath. “That shouldn’t be possible.”

Jiraiya ran a hand through his hair, his usual smirk replaced with a deep frown. “If what you’re saying about the Chunin Exams is true, we need confirmation from the Yamanaka Clan. They specialize in mind-based jutsu—if anyone can give us insight into what happened, it’s them.”

He turned to Kakashi. “I’ll summon Inoichi.”

Kakashi nodded. “Good idea. If anyone can explain why Sakura was able to resist the Mind Transfer, it’s him.”

Jiraiya moved to the side of the room, forming a quick summoning seal. A small toad popped into existence, blinking up at him.

“Find Inoichi Yamanaka,” Jiraiya instructed. “Tell him it’s urgent.”

The toad gave a quick croak of acknowledgment before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin. “If Sakura really is immune to external chakra manipulation, this could change everything. It makes sense why Project Eclipse would want her.”

Jiraiya crossed his arms. “She’s not just a medical prodigy—she’s proof of something they’ve been searching for. If she’s truly beyond external influence, she could be the key to whatever they’re trying to accomplish.”

A few minutes passed in silence. Then, a knock at the door interrupted them.

Kakashi turned as the door slid open, revealing two more figures—Inoichi Yamanaka and his daughter, Ino.

“I was asked to come,” Inoichi said, his voice calm but serious. “Jiraiya mentioned needing a second opinion.”

Kakashi barely had time to process before Ino, arms crossed and brows furrowed, cut in. “Is this about why Team 7 is acting strange, well ,stranger than normal?”

Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged a look before Kakashi nodded. “Yes. Can you tell us about the time when sakura broke out if your mind transfer jutsu? ”

Ino’s expression darkened. “I always knew there was something weird about that moment in the Chunin Exams.” She glanced at her father. “When I used my Mind Transfer on her, it wasn’t just that she resisted—it was like I was being *pushed out.* I barely lasted a few seconds before I snapped back to my own body. I don't remember for certain but it was like there were two of her”

Inoichi, who had remained quiet until now, sighed and adjusted his flak jacket. “I reviewed that match myself after the exams. At first, I assumed it was a fluke, but if what you’re saying is true…” He gave them all a measured look. “You do realize what this means, don’t you?”

Jiraiya nodded grimly. “It means Sakura’s chakra control isn’t just precise—it’s absolute.”

Inoichi inhaled sharply. “That level of control… if refined, it could make her immune to all forms of external chakra influence. That would include genjutsu, possession techniques, even high-level sealing arts.”

Kakashi’s mind reeled. That level of ability didn’t exist. Not in any shinobi, no matter how skilled.

“No wonder they want her,” Jiraiya muttered. “She’s not just a powerful medic—she’s a missing key to whatever the Eclipse is trying to do.”

A heavy silence filled the room before Ino broke it with a sharp, uncharacteristically serious voice.

“…Does she know?”

Kakashi hesitated, then shook his head. “Not yet.”

Ino clenched her fists. “Then we have to tell her. Now.”

Kakashi’s gut told him the same.

Because if they didn’t—and the enemy got to her first—there was no telling what would happen next.

-

The night sky burned red as explosions rocked the village outskirts. Alarms blared through the streets, shinobi rushing to defend Konoha from the coordinated assault. It was precise, methodical—too precise for a random attack.

Naruto and Sasuke sprinted through the chaos, their instincts screaming that something was wrong. Shadowed figures clashed with the village’s defenders, their movements eerily calculated. As the battle raged on, realization struck them both: this wasn’t an attempt to destroy Konoha.

It was a distraction.

---

Sakura stood her ground as masked shinobi infiltrated the building. Her fingers trembled only for a second before she forced herself to move. There was no time for hesitation. The hospital was full of civilians, injured shinobi, and medical staff—none of them capable of defending themselves.

Her chakra flared as she sprinted through the halls, directing nurses, patients, and medics to safer areas. When a section of the building collapsed from an explosion, she formed a seal and extended her chakra, reinforcing the walls before they could crumble completely.

The enemy didn’t fight her outright. Not at first. They tested her, staying just out of reach, observing her.

Then they attacked.

A group of masked figures rushed toward the emergency wing, but Sakura intercepted them. Her movements were swift, efficient—blocking, striking, breaking their formation. The force of her punches cracked the tiled floors. She didn’t hold back, not when lives were at stake.

With each foe she took down, another took their place. It was endless, but she didn’t stop. Chakra surged through her limbs, reinforcing every strike, every dodge. Her control was near perfect—every movement optimized to expend just enough energy.

She wasn’t just healing. She was protecting. Defending.

A wall of civilians stood behind her, their wide eyes reflecting the realization that she was the only thing standing between them and certain death.

And she wasn’t moving.

---

Elsewhere in the village, the rest of their generation fought tooth and nail.

Shikamaru and Ino worked in perfect synchronization—Shikamaru’s shadows immobilizing enemies while Ino’s mind techniques forced them to turn on each other.

Choji transformed into his massive form, crushing enemy shinobi beneath his strength.

Kiba and Akamaru tore through opponents with beast-like precision.

Hinata’s Byakugan saw their movements before they could even strike, while Neji moved like a storm, his Gentle Fist rendering enemies useless.

Tenten’s weapons rained from the rooftops, providing support, while Lee moved like a blur, his taijutsu breaking through enemy lines.

And yet, despite their efforts, something felt off.

Where was Sakura?

\----

At the hospital, Sakura had just secured the last patient when a shiver ran down her spine. The hairs on her arms stood on end.

Something was wrong.

She turned sharply, kunai raised—only to freeze as a dark pressure crashed over her. Chakra, thick and suffocating, latched onto her limbs.

A masked figure emerged from the shadows, their presence overwhelming.

Sakura fought against the invisible force, her chakra roaring in defiance. But the enemy had come prepared. The more she struggled, the more the technique constricted her.

Still, she refused to go down easily.

With sheer force of will, she flared her chakra, shattering part of the suppression. The walls cracked around her from the pressure alone, her body resisting the pull that sought to take her away.

The masked figure tilted their head. “Fascinating.”

Then the technique shifted, targeting her nervous system directly.

Her vision blurred. Her breath hitched.

She had seconds to react.

Summoning every ounce of control she had, she turned, lunged—and slammed her fists into the ground. The floor beneath them crumbled, forcing the figure to shift back as she stumbled into the debris.

A hand grabbed her wrist—another figure, another enemy.

She swung back, but it was too late.

Chakra constricted her again, and this time, she couldn’t break free.

The last thing she saw before the darkness took her was the horrified faces of the civilians she had protected.

Then, nothing.

---

When Naruto and Sasuke arrived, the hospital was in ruins.

Civilians pointed in one direction, their voices frantic, hands trembling.

“She saved us—she saved all of us—but they took her.”

Sasuke’s fists clenched. “Where?”

The civilians hesitated, then pointed toward the distant forest beyond the village.

Naruto didn’t wait. His chakra flared violently, blue eyes burning as the air around him cracked from the force of his rage.

“They took her” His voice was low, dangerous. “They took Sakura”

Kakashi appeared beside them, his expression unreadable—but his voice was heavy with something neither of them wanted to hear.

“This wasn’t a kidnapping,” he murmured. “It was a harvest.”

Naruto’s hands shook, his breath ragged.

Sasuke remained terrifyingly calm, but his Sharingan spun wildly.

Behind them, the rest of the Konoha 12 arrived, their faces a mix of shock and fury. Ino’s breath hitched as she took in the devastation. “They planned this,” she whispered. “They planned everything.”

Shikamaru swallowed hard, his mind racing. “They knew she’d be here. They knew she’d fight to protect everyone. And they took her because—”

“Because she’s the key,” Kakashi finished.

Naruto’s chakra spiked again, the force of it shaking the ground beneath him.

“we're getting her back,” he growled.

Sasuke stepped forward, Sharingan locked onto the horizon. “No matter what it takes.”

The rest of the Konoha 12 nodded, determination hardening in their gazes.

Because this wasn’t just about retrieving a comrade.

This was war.

--

The Hokage’s office was in chaos. ANBU operatives came and went, messengers delivering reports at a frantic pace. Outside, the village was locked down, every available shinobi mobilized. The attack was over, but the damage was done.

Sakura was gone.

The rest of the Konoha 12 had gathered, all still trying to process the events of the night. Naruto stood at the center, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone white. Beside him, Sasuke was unnervingly still, his expression blank—but his burning Sharingan gave away his rage.

Tsunade exhaled heavily. "Jiraiya and Kakashi have put the pieces together. This wasn’t just an attack. They didn’t take Sakura as a random casualty. She was the target all along."

The weight of her words settled over the room.

Shikamaru, arms crossed, frowned. "That means everything else—the masked shinobi, the explosions, even the hospital attack—was a smokescreen. A distraction."

Ino, standing rigid beside her father, gritted her teeth. "And we played right into it. We were so focused on the battle we didn’t see what they were really after."

Neji’s pale eyes narrowed. "What I don’t understand is why her. What makes Sakura different?"

Inoichi, his usually calm demeanor shaken, cleared his throat. "We do. And that’s what worries us the most."

All eyes turned to him.

Jiraiya, leaning against the desk with his arms folded, took over. "Sakura’s chakra control isn’t just good—it’s the best we’ve seen in centuries. And these people, whoever they are, need that level of precision for whatever they’re planning."

Tenten crossed her arms. "But she’s a medical-nin. What would they want with—"

"Sakura isn’t just a medic anymore," Kakashi interrupted. His voice was calm, but there was something unshakable in his tone. "She’s a shinobi who stood against an army tonight."

Silence.

Then, Lee spoke up, voice uncharacteristically quiet. "You mean… all the civilians in the hospital…"

Jiraiya nodded grimly. "Every single one survived. Not a single casualty. She shielded them, healed them, and fought off the attack on her own."

Choji looked stunned. "She was that strong?"

Tsunade met their gazes evenly. "Stronger than any of you realized. And now, they have her."

Naruto’s whole body trembled. "Then what the hell are we waiting for?"

Sasuke was already stepping toward the door. "Tell us where to start."

Tsunade exhaled, rubbing her temple. She could order them to stand down. To leave this to the higher ranks. But these were the same shinobi who had fought along side . The same shinobi who had watched her grow.

She met their eyes, one by one, before nodding. "Find her. Bring her home."

Shikamaru, ever the strategist, spoke first. "We need a plan. We don’t even know where they took her."

Neji activated his Byakugan. "Then we start by tracking them. There’s no way they vanished without leaving something behind."

Kiba cracked his knuckles, Akamaru growling beside him. "Then let’s go hunting."

As they filed out, ready to mobilize, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance.

This wasn’t like before.

They weren’t waiting. They weren’t reacting.

This time, they were the hunters.

Chapter Text

The air inside the Hokage’s office was tense, the weight of the mission pressing down on everyone present. The remaining members of Team 7 stood at the front—Naruto, Sasuke, and a visibly shaken Ino, who had refused to be left out. The rest of the Konoha 12 were arranged behind them, awaiting orders. Tsunade sat at her desk, her expression unreadable as she surveyed the gathered shinobi. To her right, Jiraiya and Kakashi stood silently, their presence a reminder of the severity of the situation.

Tsunade’s voice was steady as she spoke. “Sakura has been taken. This is no ordinary kidnapping—Eclipse has planned this for years. Rushing in blindly will not get her back. It will get you all killed.”

Naruto’s fists clenched. “We’re wasting time. She needs us—now!”

“She needs us to be smart,” Shikamaru countered, his tone level but firm. “We don’t know where she is. We don’t know what they want. If we charge in without information, we’ll be playing into their hands.”

A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the room. The gathered shinobi turned to see Danzo step forward, his cane tapping against the wooden floor. His single exposed eye regarded them all with careful calculation.

“Well said, Nara,” Danzo mused. “Though, truthfully, there is no mystery as to why Sakura Haruno was taken.” He turned to Tsunade. “You should have seen this coming.”

Tsunade’s golden eyes darkened. “Explain yourself.”

Danzo sighed, as if speaking to children who couldn’t grasp the weight of reality. “Her chakra control, her medical expertise, her raw potential—Eclipse did not take her at random. They knew exactly what they were doing. And I am here to offer classified intelligence that will aid in her retrieval.”

Jiraiya’s arms crossed over his chest. “And why exactly do you have classified intelligence on a rogue faction like Eclipse?”

Danzo didn’t miss a beat. “Because it is my job to know threats before they manifest. The reality is simple: Sakura Haruno’s capture was inevitable. The girl is valuable, and Eclipse recognizes this.” His expression was unreadable, but his words carried chilling certainty. “If one life must be sacrificed to protect the village, is that not a worthy price?”

Naruto moved before anyone could stop him. In a blink, he was in front of Danzo, fist cocked back, chakra flaring with barely controlled rage. “Say that again, you bastard, and I swear I’ll—”

A firm hand gripped Naruto’s wrist—Sasuke. His black eyes, cold and sharp, locked onto Danzo. “You knew about Eclipse. You knew they might make a move. And yet, you did nothing.”

Danzo regarded them both with mild amusement. “I have done everything in my power to protect this village. Emotions are a weakness. You would do well to remember that.”

Tsunade slammed a fist onto her desk, cracking the wood. “Enough. Sakura is not some tool to be sacrificed.” She turned her piercing gaze on Danzo. “Either give us the information or get out.”

Danzo exhaled as if dealing with petulant children. “Very well.”

He gestured to the door. A moment later, a figure stepped forward—a young man dressed in ANBU black with short, ink-colored hair and a blank expression. His pale skin and dark eyes betrayed no emotion as he looked over the gathered shinobi.

“This is Sai,” Danzo said. “A former Root operative with extensive knowledge of Eclipse’s activities. He will accompany your mission.”

Naruto’s fury shifted into wary confusion. “Who the hell is this?”

Sai tilted his head slightly, studying Naruto with the detached curiosity of an observer rather than a participant. “I am here because I was ordered to be. Nothing more.”

Sasuke, ever perceptive, narrowed his eyes. “You’re from Root.”

Sai nodded. “Correct.”

Ino crossed her arms, eyes sharp with suspicion. “And we’re just supposed to trust you?”

Sai’s response was immediate and emotionless. “Trust is irrelevant. I am efficient.”

Naruto turned to Tsunade, disbelief in his voice. “You’re seriously letting some random Root guy join us?”

Tsunade looked at Sai carefully, then back at Danzo. She knew she had little choice—Danzo’s influence remained strong, and rejecting his offer outright might mean losing valuable intel. “…For now,” she said finally. “But make no mistake, Danzo. If he compromises this mission, you will answer for it.”

Danzo only inclined his head slightly, the shadow of a smirk playing on his lips. “Of course.”

What none of them knew was that Sai had been given secret orders.

If Eclipse’s experiments proved successful, his true mission was to ensure their completion.

Sai remained silent as the mission briefing continued, offering no sign of the conflict that had already begun to form within him. For years, he had followed Danzo’s orders without question. But something about this mission—about the sheer rage and determination in these shinobi’s eyes—made him wonder.

For the first time in his life, Sai wasn’t sure which side he truly belonged to.

The mission moved swiftly, the weight of Sakura’s absence pressing heavily on everyone. The group tracked Eclipse’s movements across the dense forests toward the Land of Fire’s border, their focus sharpened by urgency. Every step brought them closer, yet the unknown dangers ahead gnawed at their resolve.

Hinata and Neji activated their Byakugan, scanning the terrain. After several minutes, Hinata inhaled sharply.

“I found something,” she murmured, pointing toward a barely visible chakra residue lingering in the air. “It’s Sakura’s chakra… but it’s different. There’s something mixed in.”

Neji studied the traces closely, his brows furrowing. “It’s foreign—something is disrupting her chakra flow.”

Kiba crouched near the forest floor, Akamaru sniffing the air. “Their tracks are too calculated,” he growled. “This was a planned extraction, not just a kidnapping. They made sure there was no way she could escape.”

Shikamaru crossed his arms, his mind working through the implications. “That means they knew exactly what they were looking for. This wasn’t an opportunity they took—it was something they engineered.”

Naruto sighed , exasperated "Yes , yes we know all this already, get to the part where we actually save her"

Sai, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. “There’s something you should know.”

Everyone turned to him, their collective suspicion evident. He remained indifferent, but there was a subtle tension in his posture.

“Danzo-sama knew about Eclipse for years,” Sai admitted. “Root conducted several missions against their remnants but never fully wiped them out.”

Naruto stiffened, fists clenching. “Then why didn’t he finish them off?! They took Sakura—he could have stopped this!”

Sai hesitated, something unreadable flickering in his normally detached expression. After a moment, he responded flatly, “Because some tools are better left in reserve.”

Shikamaru exhaled sharply, realization settling over him. “Danzo let Eclipse continue operating. He kept them under control but never eliminated them.”

Sasuke’s voice was low and dangerous. “Because he saw potential use for them.”

Kakashi had been silent until now, but something in his posture shifted. His one visible eye darkened with an intensity that made even the most hardened shinobi uneasy.

“You’re saying Danzo knew all this time,” he said quietly, his voice devoid of its usual lazy drawl. “That he knew something like this would happen, and he did nothing.”

The air around them grew heavy.

Kakashi turned slightly away from the group, his hands tightening into fists. He had always kept his emotions in check, always maintained control. But now, his mind was consumed by thoughts of Sakura—the young girl he had trained, watched grow, and protected like a daughter even if he had never said the words aloud.

And now she was in the hands of an enemy that had been planning this for years.

He should have seen it. He should have been able to stop it.

“We have to get her back,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. Then, in a firmer voice, “No matter what it takes.”

Naruto, standing beside him, looked up at his former teacher and saw something unshakable in his expression—an unspoken promise. It sent a renewed determination surging through him.

The forest was too quiet.

Kakashi had been a shinobi long enough to know when something felt wrong. The moment their squad entered the stretch of woods leading toward the outpost, he felt it—the unnatural stillness, the absence of birds, the way the wind barely rustled the leaves. It wasn’t just silence; it was suppression.

“They’re here,” he murmured.

And then they struck.

Masked shinobi erupted from the trees, moving in perfect synchrony. No wasted motion, no hesitation. It was as if they weren’t individuals, but extensions of a single mind. They weaved through the shadows, their chakra signatures flickering, as though they weren’t entirely solid.

Lee and Kiba engaged first, their instincts driving them into action. Neji’s Byakugan flared as he analyzed their patterns, while Shikamaru and Ino held back, watching, calculating. Tenten drew her weapons, poised to strike when the opening came.

Naruto and Sasuke wasted no time, cutting through the masked figures with brutal efficiency. Rasengan met flesh—only for the enemy to flicker like mist, dissolving into chakra residue the moment they fell. Sasuke’s Chidori crackled, carving through an opponent’s chest, only for the same thing to happen. No blood. No body.

“They aren’t real,” Sasuke muttered, narrowing his eyes. “They’re testing us.”

Shikamaru’s mind raced as he observed the way they moved, the way they attacked in coordinated waves, adjusting their tactics mid-fight. “Not just us,” he murmured, dark realization settling in. “They’re testing their own creations.”

Sai stood frozen.

The way these enemies fought—it was familiar. The controlled synchronization, the precision of their movements, the complete lack of hesitation or individuality. It was eerily similar to old Root conditioning methods. He had fought alongside operatives trained to move like this, to abandon self-preservation in favor of the mission. He had believed those techniques had died with Root’s dissolution.

But now, watching these enemies, he wasn’t so sure.

Kakashi was watching too, his heart pounding harder than he would ever admit. His gut twisted as the pieces fell into place. If these enemies were part of what Eclipse had created, then whatever they had in store for her...

He pushed the thought away, forcing himself to focus.

A kunai whistled toward him, and he parried without looking, driving his own blade into the enemy’s throat—only for them to vanish in a wisp of energy. His mind kept circling back to one fact: They wanted to change her.

A surge of worry hit him like a physical force. He had trained Sakura, watched her grow, seen her overcome every obstacle thrown her way. But this wasn’t just another mission. This was something deeper, something insidious.

She’s strong, but how much can one person fight against?

The thought rattled in his skull like a warning bell.

“Stay together,” Kakashi ordered, his voice sharp. “They’re adapting to our attacks. We need to find the source.”

Neji’s Byakugan flared again as he scanned their surroundings. “There’s a chakra network beneath us,” he reported. “These enemies—they’re projections.”

Shikamaru’s jaw tightened. “So someone’s watching us.”

As if to confirm it, the remaining masked figures suddenly halted. For a brief moment, the clearing was silent again. Then, as one, the figures dissolved, vanishing like mist in the wind.

A test. A warning. A message.

Naruto clenched his fists, his entire body vibrating with barely contained rage. “We don’t have time for this! We need to find Sakura now!”

Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. “I know. But rushing in without knowing what we’re up against will only get us all killed.”

Sasuke exhaled sharply, his Sharingan still spinning. “Then we find out.”

Sai, standing slightly apart from the group, remained silent. His gaze was fixed on the fading chakra traces where the enemies had once stood. A memory stirred in the back of his mind—Danzo’s voice, cool and calculating.

Some sacrifices must be made for the greater good. One life to protect millions.

He had always obeyed. Always believed in the mission. But as he looked at Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi—at the people willing to tear the world apart to save their teammate—something inside him wavered.

He wondered if he was on the wrong side.

The air in the abandoned outpost was thick with dust, but beneath the decay, something more insidious lingered. Naruto, Sasuke, and the rest of the team moved carefully through the ruined hallways, every step echoing in the unsettling silence. The enemy had left in a hurry, but they had not erased their presence completely.

Shikamaru knelt by an old wooden desk, running his fingers over scattered papers. “It’s a research facility,” he muttered. 

Neji activated his Byakugan and scanned the surrounding walls. “There’s a hidden chamber beneath us,” he reported. “Large enough to contain multiple holding cells.”

A cold shiver ran down Ino’s spine. “Holding cells?” she echoed.

Without waiting, Naruto slammed his fist into the wooden floorboards, revealing a hatch beneath. Kakashi motioned for them to stay alert as they descended into the underground chamber. What they found made their stomachs turn.

Rows of metal restraints were bolted into the walls, each accompanied by monitoring equipment covered in dust. The scent of old blood and sterilization fluid still lingered.

Ino pressed her fingers to her temple and focused. The psychic residue of past events clung to this place, waiting to be uncovered. As her mind connected with the past, fragmented visions flooded her senses.

Sakura, bound in the chair, her body trembling with strain. Figures in dark robes surrounded her, taking notes. One of them placed their hands on her forehead, and a surge of foreign chakra invaded her system.

She fought. Hard. But her screams were swallowed by the cold sterility of the room.

Ino gasped and pulled away, her knees nearly buckling. Sasuke caught her before she fell. “What did you see?” he demanded.

Ino swallowed the bile rising in her throat. “They were testing her chakra. Trying to manipulate it.” She pointed toward a rusted metal cabinet. “They documenting”

Shikamaru flipped through the papers, his usual lazy expression replaced with grim determination. “Chakra Synchronization Trials,” he read aloud. “The goal was to alter a shinobi’s chakra network to become immune to outside influence. Possession techniques, genjutsu, even sealing jutsu—they wanted to make someone untouchable.and then make soldiers ”

Kakashi’s fist clenched. “This explains why they wanted Sakura. Her chakra control is already perfect. They have her meaning they have exactly what they were trying to do..”

“They could create shinobi who are completely resistant to any external force,” Neji finished, his voice grave. “Not even the strongest genjutsu would work on them.”

Naruto punched the nearest wall, cracking the stone. “So they kidnapped Sakura to turn her into their damn experiment?”

As the reality settled over them, Neji’s gaze landed on an old Root insignia etched into the wall. His eyes narrowed. “This symbol… This was a Root facility.”

Silence stretched between them before Sai finally spoke. “No. Not just a facility. A collaboration.”

Everyone turned to him.

Sai’s expression was unreadable, but something flickered in his dark eyes. His hands curled into fists. “I recognize these documents,” he admitted. “Some of the shinobi listed here were once my comrades in Root.”

A cold realization settled over Ino. “You’re saying Danzo was involved in people disappearing?”

Sai hesitated before nodding. “Root didn’t just fight Eclipse. To halt the conflict Danzo negotiated we never know what the deal was but........”

The weight of his words sent a ripple of fury through the group. Naruto’s breathing grew heavy with barely contained rage. “So Danzo knew about this the whole time?”

Sai met his gaze, something shifting in him. For the first time since they had met him, he looked uncertain. “Yes,” he admitted. “And he didn’t stop it.”

Kakashi inhaled sharply. “Damn him…”

Naruto stormed toward Sai, fists trembling. “And you still work for him? You were just gonna follow his orders like a good little soldier?!”

Sai held his ground but didn’t respond immediately. The mission had been clear. His orders had been absolute. But standing here, seeing this, something inside him twisted.

“I don’t know anymore,” Sai admitted, his voice softer than before.

That admission hit harder than any argument. Because for Sai, questioning orders was like betraying his own existence. And yet, here he was, doubting everything he had ever been taught.

Shikamaru stepped between them, bringing the focus back. “Whatever Danzo’s planning, it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that Sakura’s still out there. And if these notes are right… we don’t have much time before they finish whatever they started.”

Neji turned sharply. “There’s movement above us. We’re not alone.”

Everyone tensed. The hunt wasn’t over yet.

And now, more than ever, they had to reach Sakura before it was too late.

The silence in the abandoned outpost is suffocating, the team’s breath barely audible over the flickering embers of torches lining the damp walls. Shikamaru tightens his grip on a scroll, trying to make sense of the documents scattered across the stone floor. The unsettling truth is setting in—Eclipse had never truly been destroyed, merely waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

A slow, deliberate clap echoes from the shadows.

“You’re catching on quickly,” a distorted voice remarks, dripping with mock amusement.

The team whirls around, weapons drawn. A lone figure steps forward from the darkness, their mask featureless save for the eerie glow of crimson-tinted eye slits. Their presence exudes a chilling confidence, unshaken by the group of elite shinobi before them.

Naruto’s fists tighten, barely restraining his rage. “Where is Sakura?”

The figure tilts their head slightly, as if considering their words carefully. “You’re too late. The process has begun. By the time you reach her, she won’t be the same.”

Sasuke activates his Sharingan, taking a calculated step forward. “Explain. Now.”

The masked shinobi chuckles, unmoved by the threat. “Wouldn’t that ruin the surprise?”

Before anyone can react, the figure flickers out of existence, vanishing into the shadows as though they were never there. The oppressive silence returns, heavier than before.

Naruto grits his teeth, his knuckles white. He refuses to accept this. Sakura is still out there. And she needs them.

Shikamaru exhales sharply, his mind racing. “We have to find them before they finish whatever they started.”

Ino kneels beside one of the scattered documents, her fingers brushing over a seal insignia resembling both Root and Eclipse’s combined methodology. Her expression darkens.

Sasuke and Naruto exchange a glance. There is no turning back now.

__

Danzo leans against his desk, fingers steepled beneath his chin as he observes the reports before him. His expression remains unreadable, but there is a glint of satisfaction in his solitary eye.

Everything is progressing as expected.

If Eclipse’s experiments succeed, Sakura Haruno will be a living breakthrough—her chakra control and medical expertise honed into something far beyond conventional limits. A true asset.

A weapon.

And if she cannot be controlled? If she becomes a liability rather than an asset?

Danzo’s fingers tighten slightly. Then she will be eliminated before anyone else can claim her power.

Either way, he wins.

He turns his gaze to the Root operative kneeling before him. “Continue monitoring their progress. Do not intervene unless necessary.”

The operative nods and vanishes, leaving Danzo alone with his thoughts. He closes his one visible eye, contemplating the future.

Sacrifices must be made.

It is, after all, the way of the shinobi.

Chapter Text

The air was thick with tension as Naruto and the others moved through the dense underbrush, their eyes scanning for any sign of Sakura or Eclipse’s movements. But the trail was growing faint, and every second wasted felt like a nail in their resolve.

Sai, normally composed and distant, was pushing himself harder than ever, his footsteps urgent. Danzo’s influence weighed heavily on him. For too long, he had accepted orders without question. But now? Now, doubt gnawed at his mind like a parasite.

Neji and Hinata moved ahead, their Byakugan piercing through the landscape. Then, almost simultaneously, they stiffened.

“There was a struggle here,” Hinata whispered, her lavender eyes narrowing as she traced disrupted chakra signatures. “Sakura fought back.”

Neji gestured toward faint scorch marks on the trees. “But the enemy was prepared. The way the chakra residue is dispersed. ”

Shikamaru frowned, crouching near the disturbed ground. “Which means they weren’t improvising. They had this planned for a while.” His voice was grim. “That means they knew Sakura was a target long before we did.”

A chill ran through the group.

Ino reached out, her fingers trembling as she attempted to channel her psychic abilities into the residual chakra left behind. But the moment she did, she gasped, staggering back as if struck.

“Ino!” Shikamaru caught her, eyes sharp with concern.

“There’s… something blocking me,” she muttered, rubbing her temples. “It’s like someone put up a wall. Like they knew we’d try this.”

A silence fell over the group. They had planned for every possible counterattack.

Shikamaru’s mind worked rapidly, piecing it all together. “We’re being led somewhere.”

Kiba, crouched beside Akamaru, stiffened. “What?”

“They’ve been leaving just enough of a trail to keep us moving in one direction,” Shikamaru murmured. “But think about it—if they wanted to disappear completely, they would have. Instead, they left just enough for us to follow.” He met Kakashi’s gaze. “They’re delaying us.”

And that was when the attack came.

From the shadows of the surrounding trees, masked figures emerged like ghosts, their movements swift and calculated. There was no warning, no taunts—just an onslaught.

Kunai flashed, jutsu erupted, and in an instant, the forest became a battleground.

Naruto was the first to react, twisting in midair to evade a barrage of kunai before slamming his foot into the ground. Chakra surged through his body, and his fists clenched in barely contained fury.

“No more games,” he snarled, yanking a sealing scroll from his pouch.

With a fluid motion, he unfurled it and slammed his palm against the parchment. Ink symbols raced outward, forming a perimeter of intricate seals.

The ground rumbled.

In an instant, black-and-red barriers rose around them, trapping the ambushers in a confined space.

“No more running.”

Naruto’s Fūinjutsu-enhanced combat style activated. Intricate seals snaked up his arms, glowing with an eerie brilliance as they pulsed with power. His movements became sharper, faster—his reaction time nearly instantaneous.

The ambushers hesitated for only a second before lunging again, but this time, Naruto was ready.

With a single step, he vanished from view, reappearing behind an enemy in the blink of an eye. His fist connected with their chest in a resounding impact, sending them flying.

Kakashi, already analyzing the situation, noted the hesitation in the attackers’ movements. “They’re not here to kill us,” he observed, his lone Sharingan whirling. “They’re only trying to keep us occupied.”

Sasuke, katana drawn, parried an incoming strike before retaliating with a precise lightning-infused slash. The enemy let out a strangled gasp before dissolving into chakra residue.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “They’re not real shinobi.”

Shikamaru exhaled sharply. “Then what are they?”

Sai, watching the eerie synchronization of their attackers, felt an uneasy sense of familiarity. The way they moved—their coordination—it was too perfect.

His stomach turned. This looks like... Root conditioning.

But before he could process the thought fully, one of the masked figures darted straight for Naruto, a blade raised high.

Too slow.

Naruto moved like lightning, his body propelled forward by the seals along his limbs. He sidestepped the attack and slammed his palm against the enemy’s chest.

A flash of ink seals erupted from his palm.

“Sealing Art: Binding Chains!”

Black chains of pure chakra shot out, wrapping around the masked shinobi and pinning them to the ground. They struggled briefly—then suddenly stopped.

A sickening realization settled in. They weren’t struggling because they were trapped. They were waiting.

“They’re buying time,” Kakashi confirmed. His voice was tense. “Which means Sakura is still in danger.”

Naruto grit his teeth. He didn’t care how many of these puppets they had to cut down—he wasn’t letting them win.

“Then we finish this. Fast.”

With a battle cry, Team 7 pressed forward, ready to carve their path straight through Eclipse’s deception. No matter what it took.

Inside the facility, Sakura is restrained but not broken. Her body aches, but her mind is clear. Every breath is controlled, every second measured. She has been resisting their chakra synchronization experiments, fighting the process at every step.

The air is heavy with chakra suppressants, designed to weaken her, but Sakura has spent years training under Tsunade. She knows how to endure. She knows how to bide her time.

A masked leader, their face obscured by shadows, steps forward, their voice smooth but cold.

“Your willpower is… impressive,” they say. “But pointless.”

With a casual gesture, they signal one of the Eclipse shinobi forward. The soldier moves with eerie precision, no hesitation, no wasted motion. Mind, body, and chakra in complete synchronization. A perfect soldier.

“This is the future,” the leader continues. “No more rebellion. No more defiance. Just absolute unity.”

Sakura says nothing, watching, analyzing. She can feel the unnatural chakra radiating from the soldier. They’re not just following orders—they’re linked, mind and body. Controlled.

The leader steps closer, lowering their voice.

“You will be the first true success. A shinobi of unmatched power, perfectly in tune with her comrades. No wasted potential. No pointless resistance.”

Sakura meets their gaze, her expression defiant.

“Over my dead body.”

The leader sighs, as if disappointed.

“That can be arranged.”

They signal for another attempt at synchronization. Chakra-fueled restraints tighten around her limbs, pulsing with energy designed to suppress her strength.

What they don’t realize is that Sakura has been waiting for this exact moment.

Her fingers tighten around something hidden beneath her sleeve—the handle of a weapon.

A battle-ax, heavy and solid, stored within the seal on her back before her capture. They assumed she wouldn’t be able to move under the restraints. They underestimated her strength.

With a sudden surge of chakra, she swings.

The restraints shatter in a brutal explosion of force.

The room shakes. The Eclipse leader stumbles back, their confidence wavering for the first time.

Sakura rises to her feet, rolling her shoulders. The weight of the battle-ax in her grip is reassuring. Familiar.

She smirks, flipping the weapon once in her grasp.

“Let’s see how synchronized you are when your heads are rolling.”

The Eclipse shinobi react instantly, moving as one. But Sakura is faster. She lunges, her ax cleaving through the air with terrifying force. The first enemy barely has time to block before the sheer power of her strike sends them crashing into the far wall.

More shinobi descend upon her, attacking from all angles. Sakura doesn’t hesitate. She pivots, driving her ax into the ground. The impact sends shockwaves through the floor, throwing them off balance.

The leader regains their composure, stepping back toward the door.

“You misunderstand,” they say, voice even. “It’s about proving that resistance is futile.”

Sakura grips her weapon tighter, her chakra flaring.

“Then I guess I’ll have to prove you wrong.”

She charges.

The real battle begins.

Chapter Text

The air was thick with anticipation, birds silent, the trees tall and still like wary sentinels. Hidden in the underbrush, scattered across a wide radius around the Eclipse Fortress, the Konoha 12 moved in carefully organized teams.

Team One – Tracking and Sensory Perimeter: Hinata, Kiba, Shino
They crouched low on the forest floor, surrounding the enemy base with quiet precision.
Hinata’s Byakugan flared to life, scanning chakra signatures deep within the underground facility.
“There’s movement… strange chakra flow, erratic,” she whispered.
Beside her, Kiba sniffed the air, his brow furrowed. “I smell chemicals. And blood. Something’s wrong down there.”
Akamaru growled low.
Shino adjusted his glasses. “My kikaichū won’t go past the perimeter. Some kind of chakra barrier.”

Team Two – High Ground and Fallback Position: Neji, Tenten, Lee
Perched in the treetops above, Neji observed the terrain through his own Byakugan.
“Even from here, I can’t see the lower chambers. Their shielding is sophisticated.”
Tenten twirled a kunai between her fingers, tense and restless. “Whatever’s down there, they’re guarding it like it’s sacred.”
Rock Lee cracked his knuckles. “Sacred or not, we’re ready to strike when needed!”

Team Three – Communication and Coordination: Choji, Ino, Sai
At a small campsite further back, Ino knelt in a meditative stance, fingers in a seal. Her voice echoed through multiple minds.
“Neji says no breach points. Kiba thinks they’re running experiments. Naruto’s getting impatient—”
“I’m not surprised,” Choji muttered, mouth half-full of trail mix. “He hasn’t stopped pacing in two hours.”
Sai stood silently nearby, a scroll unfurling in his hands. With a swift stroke of his brush, two ink-painted birds fluttered to life and flew overhead toward the fortress.
“They’ll report what they see,” Sai said flatly. “But I don’t like what they’ll find.”

Team Four – Infiltration Unit: Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Jiraiya
Hidden just beyond the fortress's eastern wall, Naruto clenched his fists hard enough that his knuckles turned white.
“She’s in there. I know it.”
Kakashi nodded, his visible eye calm but sharp. “We’ll get her. But blindly charging in could cost us her life.”
Jiraiya tapped a finger against his scroll. “The seals on that place aren’t normal. They’re reinforced with something… darker.”
Sasuke stood silent, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his katana. “It’s been too long. They’re trying to break her.”

Suddenly, one of Sai’s ink birds returned, its body dissipating into smoke just as it reached him.

Sai’s eyes narrowed. “Still no sign of Sakura. But something is brewing inside. Something massive. I saw guards evacuating part of the lower chambers. Fast.”

Ino’s eyes snapped open. “I’m relaying that now.”

All across the radius, heads turned toward the black stone fortress, tension coiling like a spring.
No one spoke for a long moment. Even the wind held its breath.

Neji’s voice came through Ino’s jutsu: “The chakra is fluctuating. Unstable. If something erupts, we’ll feel it all the way out here.”

Ino echoed that warning across every team. “Stand by. Something’s coming.”

And yet, despite the alerts, despite the preparation…
None of them expected the earth to tremble beneath their feet moments later.

None of them were ready for what Sakura was about to do.

Sakura stumbled forward, breath ragged, body screaming in pain. Sweat and blood dripped from her brow, and her limbs trembled from chakra depletion. A dull ache pulsed in her neck—
A needle mark.

Her fingers brushed over it, cold realization settling in her gut. Poison. That’s why my vision’s blurring. That’s why my chakra feels like it’s on fire.
They hadn’t just tried to break her spirit. They’d tried to end her from the inside.

But they didn’t know who they were dealing with.

A sharp clang rang out as her battle-axe slipped from its seal again, cracking the floor beneath it. Around her, Eclipse guards hesitated, forming a shaky ring. She could see it in their eyes—fear.
Even in her state, they were terrified of her.

"You wanted a test subject," she rasped, voice low and hoarse. Her grip tightened around the axe. “Let me show you the results.”

With a roar, she tossed the axe aside, slammed her fists together, and drew every last drop of chakra she had left into her dominant arm. Her muscles swelled under the strain, her feet cracking the tiles as the floor buckled beneath her stance.

Chakra surged and pulsed like a second heartbeat.

Guards scrambled, alarms screamed, and the masked Eclipse leader appeared in the upper platform, shouting orders too late.

Then—
BOOM.

Sakura’s fist hit the ground. Not gently. Not even with rage. It hit like divine retribution.

A crater exploded outward from her strike.
Air pressure erupted like a cannon blast, ripping through corridors and walls.
Steel beams twisted, stone cracked, and the entire roof of the fortress detonated upward, vaporized in a sunburst of dust and light.

From above, the sky was visible for the first time in days—a bright, piercing light pouring down like salvation.

And outside—
The forest shook.
Birds scattered.
A tremor rolled through the ground, knocking some of the Konoha 12 off their feet.

Neji’s eyes widened. “What the hell was that?”

Kiba shouted, “Was that—an explosion?!”

The explosion rocked the land like thunder made solid. Trees swayed violently, birds erupted from the canopy, and for a moment, even the wind stilled.

Hinata collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest as if the force had struck her heart. “I-I felt it…” she whispered, eyes wide with terror and something else—something reverent.

Kiba’s nose twitched frantically. “That chakra—what the hell is that?! It’s… massive.”

Shino glanced up, uncharacteristically unsettled. “It wasn’t an enemy technique. That was personal. Someone poured their entire self into that blast.”

High on the ridge, Neji reeled back a step, Byakugan spinning. “The roof… it’s gone.”
Tenten gasped. “Gone?”
Lee, hands clenched, shouted into the treeline, “Was it one of us?! What if they’re hurt?!”

Farther back, Ino choked mid-transmission, her hands trembling as she anchored herself to a tree. “Wait—something just happened. I lost connection for a second… there was a surge of chakra.” Her voice came out small, uncertain. “It’s not the enemy.”

Beside her, Choji stood slowly, staring at the rising plume of smoke and dust curling above the treetops like a mushroom cloud. “That’s not natural.”

Sai’s birds screeched and scattered, ink trails melting as they vanished. He frowned deeply. “The explosion came from inside the fortress.” His voice, normally calm, now carried an edge. “And I don’t see Sakura.”

Deep in the forest, Naruto stumbled forward, gripping the bark of a tree to steady himself. He stared into the distance, sweat beading on his brow.
“That chakra…” he whispered. His fingers dug into the wood. “I know it. I feel it.”

Jiraiya turned sharply. “What do you mean?”

Sasuke’s voice cut through, low and cold as winter. “That was Sakura.”

Silence.

Even Kakashi, ever-stoic, lifted his head slightly. His lone visible eye glimmered with something raw—hope? Pride? Dread?

Ino, trembling, focused her chakra and relayed the message across the mental network.

Sakura did this.
Not an enemy bomb.
Not a failed jutsu.
Sakura survived — and she destroyed the roof of the Eclipse Fortress.

Across the forest, every team froze.

Even battle-hardened shinobi couldn’t process it at first.

Sakura had detonated the impossible.
She was alive. And she was fighting back.

The air was still thick with smoke and chakra residue when the first rustle came through the trees.

Kakashi froze, head snapping toward the sound. He felt it—faint, flickering, but unmistakably hers.
Sakura.

She stumbled into the clearing like a ghost pulled from the heart of war.

Her pink hair, once vibrant, was matted with blood, soot, and ash. One arm hung limp at her side, her battle uniform torn and scorched. She limped, dragging her right leg, breath ragged. But her eyes—glazed yet resolute—stayed locked forward.
She had survived the explosion. The poison. The collapse.
She had clawed her way back.

Kakashi sprinted.

He caught her just as her knees buckled.
“Sakura,” he whispered, cradling her gently, arms steady as his voice cracked.

From all directions, the Konoha 12 converged—drawn by instinct, alarm, and something like awe.

Choji stared, slack-jawed. “That was her?”

Neji’s voice was hushed. “She should be dead.”

Hinata covered her mouth, tears slipping free.

Kiba grinned through the shock, low and proud. “Hell yeah, Forehead…”

Sai stood silently, watching her with new eyes—like someone seeing the sun rise for the first time.

Naruto dropped beside Kakashi, his voice a breathless mix of fear and relief. “Sakura… you did it.”

Sasuke stepped forward slowly, staring at her like she wasn’t real. His voice was quiet, unreadable.
“You detonated the entire fortress.”
She gave him the tiniest smirk. “You would’ve done the same.”

Shikamaru arrived last, his eyes sharp and calculating even through the chaos. He took one look at the cratered horizon, then at Sakura’s ruined form.
“Troublesome woman,” he muttered. “You stole our entire plan’s thunder.”

Sakura let out a rough laugh—then winced.

Ino rushed to her side, chakra glowing at her fingertips. “You’ve been poisoned—dammit, Sakura, hold still!”

Sakura fumbled at her belt and pulled out a half-burned scroll. “Brought my own… antidote,” she slurred, her strength slipping.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. “That’s my girl.”

The wildflower had walked through fire—and returned.

Chapter Text

Ino’s hands hover above Sakura’s body, glowing faintly with diagnostic chakra. Her face is tense, lips pressed tight in focus. Around her, Choji and Sai keep vigilant watch while the others gather in a tight semicircle, trying not to look as scared as they are.

Sakura lies in the center, pale and trembling. Her lips are tinted blue. Her arm is still limp, and her breaths are shallow. But her chakra flickers stubbornly—erratic, but present.

Naruto paces in tight circles. “She took the antidote, didn’t she? That should’ve fixed this!”

Ino bites her lip. “She did. But it’s not an antidote. It’s a suppressant. It’s… slowing the spread of the toxin, but not neutralizing it.”

A heavy silence falls.

Sasuke’s voice cuts through it. “So she’s still dying.”

Ino finally looks up. “If we don’t figure out the exact poison and make a real antidote—yes.” Her voice shakes. “We have hours. Maybe.”

Naruto slams a fist into a tree trunk. “Damn it!”

Kakashi kneels next to Sakura, one gloved hand brushing her matted bangs back gently. “Then we don’t waste a second.”

Sai pulls out a scroll and offers it. “Sakura gave me this. She managed to recover notes and diagrams before the explosion. She said… it might help.”

Ino unseals the scroll, spreading out pages of half-burned notes and chemical breakdowns. Her breath catches.

“These are detailed. Complex compound notes. She found part of the answer. If she wasn’t the one poisoned, she… she might have made the antidote herself.” Ino’s hands clench over the paper. “She could’ve saved herself.”

“She still might,” Sasuke says quietly, kneeling opposite Kakashi. He watches Sakura’s face. “If we hurry.”

“She gave us the time,” Kakashi mutters, activating his Sharingan to scan the notes. “Now we give her the cure.”

Ino nods sharply and begins forming the Mind Transmission seal. “I’ll contact Tsunade. If anyone can decipher the rest of this in time, it’s her.”

Sakura groans faintly, eyelids twitching.

“She’s still fighting,” Naruto whispers.

“She always does,” Choji adds.

Kakashi exhales slowly. “Then so do we.”

The night was heavy with silence. Sakura lay weak and bruised, her breaths shallow but steady. Kakashi sat close, his hand resting gently on her forehead, the other lightly holding her wrist. His Sharingan was closed, but the concern in his eyes was clear.

Jiraiya leaned against a nearby tree, watching quietly. After a moment, he broke the silence.

“You’re worried,” he said softly.

Kakashi’s gaze never left Sakura. “She’s my little Konoichi,” he murmured. “My very first team. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura — I trained them from the beginning. I’ve seen them grow, stumble, and rise. Losing her… it’s unthinkable.”

Jiraiya smiled gently. “You’ve always been the steady rock for those three. But don’t forget—you’re only human.”

Kakashi gave a faint chuckle, the tension easing. “She’s stubborn, tough as nails. But this poison, the injuries… she shouldn’t have survived this long. That’s what scares me.”

Jiraiya grinned, nudging him lightly. “You’re wrapped around her finger already. The ultimate sensei, and yet here you are, all fatherly.”

Kakashi let out a soft laugh. “She’s family. My responsibility.”

Sasuke sat nearby, cradling Sakura in his arms. His usually cold, calculating expression softened as he gently brushed sweat-soaked hair from her face.

“She’s barely conscious,” Kakashi continued. “But she’s trying to tell us what she found inside the fortress. What she discovered could change everything.”

Jiraiya nodded. “That’s why she’s fighting so hard — for all of you. For Konoha.”

Sakura’s lips twitched, words faint and slurred. Kakashi leaned in closer, straining to hear.

“She’s fighting to stay awake,” Kakashi whispered. “To protect us with what she knows.”

Jiraiya smiled warmly. “She’s got that Will of Fire in her.”

Kakashi glanced down at her one last time before looking to his old friend. “Thanks for being here. For reminding me that hope isn’t lost.”

Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder. “That stubborn girl… she’s going to pull through. Because you raised her to.”

The night held a fragile calm — a moment of quiet strength before the storm ahead.

Sakura stirred with a soft groan, lashes fluttering as consciousness clawed its way back. Her breath was shallow, each inhale tight and rasping. But she forced her eyes open, gaze sharp beneath the haze.

“Sakura?” Naruto leaned in, eyes wide with worry.

“Don’t… let me fall asleep,” she rasped. “I need… to tell you.”

“Hey, hey, relax,” he said gently, trying to soothe her. “You already did enough—”

“No,” she grit her teeth. “Listen.”

Sasuke adjusted her in his arms, cradling her like she was made of glass, his hand protectively bracing the back of her head. “You’re safe,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to keep pushing.”

Her fingers fisted weakly in his shirt. “I do.”

She looked at them all—Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Kakashi—before speaking, voice hoarse but steady.

“They’re trying to replicate bloodlines. Not just create jutsu... they’re syncing chakra to override will. Force obedience. Create shinobi who can’t betray… who won’t question.”

Ino inhaled sharply. “Chakra syncing—that’s high-level medical manipulation…”

“They’re calling it the 'Foundation Phase,'” Sakura continued, fighting to stay upright. “It’s already started.”

Shikamaru’s expression darkened. “So the name wasn’t symbolic.”

Sasuke’s grip on her trembled slightly. “And Danzo?”

Sakura’s lip curled faintly. “He’s not just behind it. It’s his blueprint. His money. His control. Eclipse is just the front.”

Everyone froze. They had suspected Danzo—but this made it undeniable.

But Sakura wasn’t done.

“They have files. Not just on me. On Naruto, too.” She turned her head toward him, sweat glistening on her brow. “They’re tracking us. Studying everything—fighting patterns, chakra thresholds, emotional responses… We’re not just threats—we’re templates.”

Naruto blinked. “Templates for what?”

“To build something stronger. Replicas. Tools. They’re trying to recreate us without… us. Take the power, erase the person.”

Ino went pale. “That’s why they poisoned you… you were getting too close.”

“They didn’t expect me to survive.” Sakura gave a broken laugh. “I didn’t either.”

Naruto’s fists shook with fury. “How dare they use you like that—any of us…”

“They had personality breakdowns. Psychological profiles. On both of us,” Sakura whispered, eyes locking with Naruto’s. “What you fear. Who you trust. Even… how much pain you’ll tolerate before you break.”

Silence followed—thick and sharp.

Kakashi’s jaw clenched. Behind his mask, he said nothing. But his hand was firm as it gripped her shoulder.

“You weren’t supposed to do this alone,” Sasuke murmured. “You didn’t have to.”

“I had to,” Sakura whispered. “No time. I had to make it count.”

Sasuke gently adjusted her as she slumped further against him, his voice low but steady. “It did. You did.”

Kakashi leaned closer, finally speaking: “Rest now, Sakura. You got us what we needed. We’ll take it from here.”

Her eyes fluttered shut. But not before a small, tired smile tugged at her lips.

And then—her body went still.

A sharp, shrill beep broke the hush.

Ino’s eyes widened in horror. “Her heart—!”

The monitor flatlined.

The clearing trembled in silence.

Sakura’s heart had stopped.

Ino didn’t hesitate — dropping instantly to her knees, pressing chakra-charged hands to Sakura’s chest. “Not now, Forehead,” she hissed, voice raw. “You don’t get to leave like this—not you.”

Kakashi’s mind raced. There has to be something.

Then it hit him — a memory, vivid and sharp. Sakura, flushed with excitement, showing him a jutsu she had developed herself: a chakra-pulse mapping technique. By feeding a refined stream of chakra into the ground, she could sense the layout of structures — and more than that, detect life signatures. Like sonar, but detailed. Controlled.

“Wait,” Kakashi muttered, dropping to his knees and placing his palm on the earth.

Naruto blinked. “What’re you doing?”

Kakashi’s voice was low. “It’s a technique Sakura came up with. She called it Pulse Mapping. She could scan entire buildings this way — sense who was inside, where they were. I saw her use it once on a mission. She made it look effortless.”

Naruto’s brows furrowed. “You can do it?”

Kakashi tried. Closed his eye. Focused his chakra, feeding it steadily into the soil beneath them.

Nothing.

The feedback came wild and fuzzy — a flood of static. Too much variation. No clarity.

“…I can’t,” he admitted. “My control’s not precise enough.”

“I can do it!” Naruto pressed his hand down before Kakashi could stop him. Chakra surged like a wave — powerful, untamed. The ground cracked slightly under the force.

Too much.

“Too much chakra,” Kakashi muttered, shaking his head.

Sasuke tried next. His chakra was cooler, sharper — but even with his Sharingan focused, the return was shallow. Incomplete.

Neji stepped forward quietly. “I’ll try. Maybe the Byakugan can help guide it.”

For one second — a flicker. Faint outlines, moving chakra signatures.

Then nothing.

“She was the only one who could control chakra that precisely,” Neji said softly. “She’d mastered something we couldn’t replicate.”

Ino kept working. Tears stung her eyes. “If she wasn’t the one poisoned—she’d have already synthesized the cure.”

Behind them, Jiraiya summoned Gamakichi. “Go to Tsunade. Tell her Sakura Haruno’s dying — and she’s the only one who can fix it.”

The toad vanished.

Shikamaru stood, voice grim. “Danzo’s not just after control. He’s building something. Systemic.”

Naruto’s fists clenched. “Then we tear it all down.”

A faint blip.

Ino gasped — Sakura’s heart had started again.

Kakashi exhaled, whispering, “Hang on, little kunoichi. We’re right here.”

Kakashi clenched his jaw as the last of his chakra fizzled into the earth beneath them. Nothing again. Just a muddy blur of distorted pulses — not even the vague outline of a structure.

Naruto stepped forward, frowning. “What are you doing, Kakashi-sensei?”

Kakashi exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. “Sakura’s technique again. She created it during the war — a sensory jutsu that lets her send chakra into her surroundings, then read the echoes like a map. It’s how she escaped.”

“A map?” Shikamaru echoed, intrigued.

“Not just terrain,” Kakashi said quietly, still looking at the ground. “She can sense everything — people, pressure changes, even the way someone’s heartbeat shifts. It’s not visual. It’s feedback. Raw chakra data.”

“I tried it again just now. So did Sasuke and Neji.” Kakashi’s voice turned grim. “None of us have the control for it. Even Neji, with his Byakugan, could only hold the sensory outline for a second.”

Neji crossed his arms. “It’s not the same. My eyes see chakra — but Sakura’s technique feels it. The difference is huge.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “Even I can’t replicate that level of precision. Not without blowing the whole field apart.”

Naruto’s fists clenched. “So she’s the only one who could’ve done it…”

Kakashi nodded. “It’s not about power. It’s about control. The chakra has to be exact. Too much, and you flood the field. Too little, and you get nothing. Sakura… she trained for years to get it perfect.”

He paused, voice softening. “She built this technique in secret. Said she wanted to be useful in ways no one else could. And now… when we need it most…”

Naruto looked toward the tent where Ino was working. “Then she has to wake up.”

Chapter Text

The battlefield was deathly still. Smoke curled into the dimming sky as the dust of the fortress crumbled at the edges. Victory was far from celebration — Sakura lay limp, her body twitching faintly, green chakra beginning to flicker from her chest like a dying flame.

And then it dropped —
A pulse of raw chakra split the air. A thunderous boom rippled across the ruins as a massive, dome-like barrier of deep red chakra slammed down over the entire region. It shimmered with eerie energy, sealing everything within.

Jiraiya’s head snapped toward the sky, jaw tight. “A failsafe.”

Kakashi moved to the edge, Sharingan spinning. He flung a kunai — it evaporated on contact with the wall of chakra. “We’re sealed in.”

Naruto’s voice cracked, “Is this Danzo?!”

“No,” Jiraiya growled. “It’s one of his insurance policies. A trap meant for when things don’t go as planned. And we just ruined his plan.”

He looked down at Sakura — barely breathing, green light growing stronger — and made a choice in an instant.

“We’re splitting up.”

The others turned to him, some gasping.

“Listen up!” Jiraiya shouted. “We’re not all making it out at once. So we need to divide and survive. Get reinforcements, get Tsunade, and bring every poison specialist we have.”

He pointed to each group decisively:

• Team Alpha: “Naruto. Sasuke. Ino. Kakashi — You’re with me. We stay and protect Sakura. She can’t be moved in this state. We hold the ground.”

• Team Beta: “Kiba, Hinata, Shino — You’re fast, you track well, and you’re smart. Get out. Take everything we’ve learned: Danzo, the puppet soldiers, the poison, all of it. Get it to Tsunade.”

• Team Gamma: “Neji, Tenten, Lee, Chōji, Shikamaru — You’re our offensive wing. You find weak points in this barrier and keep pressure on. We’re not sitting ducks.”

Shikamaru nodded grimly. “Got it.”

Kiba clenched his jaw. “What if we can’t get out?”

“You’ll find a way,” Jiraiya said. “You’re Konoha.”

As the groups scattered into formation, the barrier pulsed again, sealing tighter.

Inside the heart of the storm, Sakura’s chakra flickered brighter… and then began to burn.

The remnants of the Eclipse shinobi knelt silently, bound and bruised, their faces eerily calm — too calm. They were surrounded by layers of chakra restraints and watched closely by Team Alpha as the sealed zone shimmered around them like a prison forged by fury itself.

Ino wiped sweat from her brow, kneeling before the first captive. Her voice was firm but tinged with urgency. “I’ll get into their heads. Maybe we’ll finally understand what the hell Danzo was doing.”

She performed the Mind Body Switch with flawless precision — her chakra darted into the captive like a lightning strike.

Seconds passed.

Her body remained rigid.

Then—

Her consciousness snapped back violently.

Ino gasped, falling backward as Naruto caught her.

“What happened?” he demanded.

Ino’s eyes were wide. “Nothing. There’s nothing there. It’s… empty.”

She turned to the others, voice trembling. “No thoughts. No memories. No sense of identity. Just—blank space.”

Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed. “You mean mind wiped?”

Ino shook her head. “Worse. There’s no mind to wipe.”

Kakashi stepped closer, brows drawn beneath his mask. “Then these aren’t shinobi.”

Sasuke’s voice was low and cold. “Then what are they?”

Kakashi crouched by one of the captives, observing the lifeless expression, the unnatural stillness in their movements. “They follow orders. They don’t question. And now we know they have no minds.”

He looked up, Sharingan still active. “Danzo’s not training soldiers. He’s manufacturing them.”

“Like puppets,” Naruto muttered.

“Exactly,” Kakashi nodded. “Literal or metaphorical — they’re constructs. Disposable bodies powered by chakra and obedience.”

Jiraiya’s frown deepened. “And if these were the foot soldiers... What’s at the top of the ladder?”

The team exchanged glances — unease growing with every second.

Behind them, Sakura stirred faintly, chakra continuing to flicker from her core. The green light pulsed stronger for a moment, drawing their eyes.

Naruto’s fists clenched. “Then we have to stop him. Before he replaces all of us.”

The silence was fractured by a flicker of green light.

At first, it was subtle — a faint glow pooling beneath Sakura’s skin, pulsing gently like a heartbeat. But then it grew, brightening in waves that pulsed from her chest outward, casting a ghostly emerald hue across the blood-stained earth.

“Sakura?” Naruto whispered, stepping closer.

She twitched.

Her body jerked violently, then again, arms spasming as if responding to some internal war. The green chakra thickened, swirling around her in uneven bursts.

“She’s... healing herself?” Ino breathed, wide-eyed.

“No—” Kakashi’s voice was sharp. “She’s trying to.”

Sakura arched off the ground, a pained gasp escaping her lips as the glow intensified. Her breath caught — then stuttered — a horrible choking sound that made Jiraiya drop to his knees beside her, hand pressing firmly over her chest.

“She’s fighting the poison with chakra regeneration,” Jiraiya muttered grimly. “But it’s not controlled. Her system’s in collapse.”

Ino scrambled forward. “I can try to—”

“Don’t touch her,” Kakashi warned, kneeling beside them. He formed a seal and pushed chakra into his hand, hovering it over her abdomen.

A soft thrum pulsed through the air — the sound of a chakra diagnostic.

His face paled.

“Her reserves... they’re not just low — they’re spiraling. She’s funneling everything into the healing jutsu, even the chakra keeping her heart stable.”

Naruto fell to his knees on her other side, panic rising in his voice. “Then stop her! She’s gonna kill herself!”

“We can’t,” Jiraiya snapped. “Her body’s doing it unconsciously. It’s instinct — survival reflex, built into her core.”

“And it’s clashing with the poison,” Kakashi added. “Her cells are healing — then dying — then trying again. Over and over. She’s tearing herself apart.”

A burst of green flared bright, and Sakura let out a ragged, strangled sound. Her fingers clenched in the dirt. Her eyes fluttered open — but they were glazed, unfocused. Her lips moved, barely forming a word.

“S-Sensei…”

And then — the glow faltered.

Her body convulsed.

The light dimmed to a flicker, then—

Flat stillness.

Kakashi’s breath caught.

“Sakura?”

No answer.

Her chakra—

Flickered once more—

And then stopped.

Chapter Text

The moment Sakura's body slumps fully, the green glow snuffed out like a dying candle, Ino is already moving.
Her hands press to Sakura’s chest, trembling but firm, channeling chakra-assisted compressions with short, sharp breaths.

“Come on, forehead girl, breathe...”

Kakashi crouches beside her, activating his Sharingan.
Without hesitation, he attempts direct lightning chakra stimulation — a jolt straight to the heart.
The spark lashes through his fingers and into her, but Sakura jerks violently, skin scalding under the heat.

“No—her system’s too weak, it’ll tear her apart,” he mutters, pulling back, guilt flashing in his single eye.

Jiraiya wastes no time. He slams his hand to the ground with a brief, low chant.
A burst of smoke erupts, and in its place — a squat, amphibious toad with glowing markings and medical scrolls strapped across its back.

“Emergency summon. Do what you can,” Jiraiya orders.

The toad unrolls a slick appendage and inserts a strange, flexible breathing tube into Sakura’s throat.
Steam hisses out as it pumps controlled oxygen directly into her lungs.

Sasuke stands frozen nearby, fists clenched at his sides, teeth grinding so hard it draws blood.
Naruto, wide-eyed and pale, drops to his knees beside her.

“No. No no no—Sakura-chan, don’t do this! Don’t you dare leave us!”

His voice cracks as he grabs her wrist with both hands, willing his own chakra into her.

From a few meters away, Neji, who’d rejoined to check progress, activates his Byakugan.
He stares for a long second before speaking, voice hushed.

“Her chakra network... it’s dormant.”
“Not gone — just... quiet. Like it’s in hiding.”

Everyone goes still at that.

Kakashi’s jaw tightens.
If her chakra is retreating... it means she’s not just dying — she might be giving up.

The summoned healer-toad hums in concentration, its limbs glowing a faint violet as it probes Sakura’s veins with tiny threads of chakra.
A pulse. A reaction. Another flicker—and the toad recoils, croaking low and grave.

“This poison… it’s chakra-reactive.”

Everyone freezes.

“The more she used her chakra, the stronger it became,” the toad explains.
“Your kunoichi didn’t heal herself. She accelerated her own decay.”

The words hit like kunai.

Kakashi’s hands fall to his knees.

“She wasn’t fighting the poison… she was feeding it.”

Jiraiya’s face hardens, the weight of every war he’s lived pressing into his shoulders.

“That means we can’t let her use chakra again. Not even to stay alive.”

Naruto’s eyes blaze.

“Then I’ll do it. Kurama’s chakra can—”

“No.”
Jiraiya’s voice cuts clean and final.
“You’d kill her twice as fast.”

Naruto falls silent, trembling.

Sasuke steps forward, voice low and clinical.

“Then slow her down.”
He looks at Kakashi. “Cryostasis. If we can’t purge it, we buy time.”

Ino gasps.

“You want to freeze her?!”

“Just enough to keep her alive until we get Tsunade,” Sasuke replies. “It’s better than nothing.”

Jiraiya nods slowly.

“It might work. But it’ll take chakra control. Precision we don’t have right now.”

A pause. Then Ino steps forward.

“I do.”

Kakashi turns sharply.

“Ino, you’re already drained—”

“She’s my teammate,” Ino snaps.
“I can keep her organs functioning at minimal output. Slower heartbeat. Shallow breaths. But I’ll need help stabilizing the chakra levels.”

She looks to Kakashi.

“You guide me.”

He nods. No hesitation.

The team forms a triad — Ino kneels at Sakura’s side, Jiraiya keeps the medical toad’s airflow steady, and Kakashi aligns their chakra signatures.

Ino begins.

Her hands shake as she places them gently on Sakura’s abdomen and chest. Pale blue light glows from her palms, tendrils of chakra weaving delicately into Sakura’s core.

“Pulse slowing... respiration controlled…”

Beads of sweat form instantly on Ino’s brow. Her lips tremble. But she doesn’t stop.

Finally, the glow softens to a gentle thrum — Sakura’s body no longer fighting, no longer decaying — just... resting.

Ino slumps forward, caught by Kakashi before she hits the ground.

“She’s stable,” the toad confirms. “But only for now.”

Everyone breathes, but the fear doesn’t fade. Sakura may be alive — but the price of saving her is only beginning.

The air outside the toad-formed barrier buzzes with tension. Sakura lies motionless at the center, wrapped in cooling seals and chakra threads, her breathing thin but steady.

Jiraiya kneels nearby, sweat beading on his brow as he completes a reinforced summoning circle. Three mid-sized toads — two armed, one with sensory range — perch around the perimeter, croaking low.

“No one gets through unless they want to get swallowed whole,” he mutters.

Outside, Team Gemma fights with ruthless efficiency. Lee’s kicks send puppet-shinobi crashing into walls. Tenten’s scrolls flood the field with blades. Choji and Neji mop up the scattered remnants, while Shikamaru directs movements from high ground.

But something’s... wrong.

One of the enemy shinobi staggers toward them — a kunai lodged in its throat, black ichor oozing out — but it keeps moving, blank eyes focused on nothing.

Shikamaru throws a shadow stitch. It hits... but there’s no chakra resistance. Just dead weight.

“They’re not reacting,” he murmurs. “These aren’t clones… or soldiers.”

He leaps down beside Neji, who activates his Byakugan.

“No chakra networks,” Neji says, cold dread creeping into his voice. “Nothing human left. These aren’t alive.”

“Then what are they?” Choji asks, panting.

Shikamaru’s voice drops, all tension.

“Reanimated bodies. Puppets made from corpses. Some kind of chimeric technique — part science, part jutsu.”

He looks back toward the sealed zone.

“This feels like Root work.”

Back inside the barrier, Kakashi overhears and straightens sharply, eyes narrowing beneath his mask.

“This... isn’t just about the Eclipse,” he says. “It’s about Danzo.”

His voice is colder than steel.

The others fall silent as the truth begins to congeal in their minds.

The puppet shinobi. The poison designed to react to medical chakra. The eerie calm of the empty enemy minds.

“Danzo’s building something,” Jiraiya mutters.
“An army. Not of shinobi… but weapons.”

The battlefield quiets as the last of the puppet shinobi collapse — not defeated, but expired. Their frames twitch a final time before going still, like tools discarded when dull.

The storm has passed — but a far greater one brews beneath the surface.

And Konoha is not ready.

The Hokage’s office is too quiet.

The usual shuffle of papers, the low murmur of aides — all gone. Cleared out the second Tsunade received the emergency scroll.

She stands at her desk, arms braced on the wood. Shizune finishes reading the last line aloud, her voice shaking.

"…chakra-reactive poison. Stabilized through cryostasis. Awaiting extraction. Sakura's condition: critical."

Silence.

The blood-streaked field report trembles in Tsunade’s hands. It's Sakura’s. It reeks of burning chakra and the faint, iron scent of despair.

Then—

Wood cracks as Tsunade’s fist slams down, splintering a corner of the desk.

“Dammit, Sakura.”

Shizune flinches. The air feels heavier — not from grief, but from chakra.

Tsunade straightens. Her eyes are calm now. Focused. Deadly.

“Get me every med-nin with poison clearance. I want the Aburame experts, the Hyūga toxin seals, even the old field kits from the Suna exchange. I don’t care what it takes.”

“And what about the barrier?” Shizune asks carefully.

Tsunade’s lip curls into something between fury and a promise.

“Then I’ll rip it down myself.”

She moves toward the window, golden chakra already flickering across her arms, outlining her like a god of war.

“Hold on, Sakura,” she says, voice low but unshaking.
“Your master’s on her way.”

Then — she leaps.

Through the Hokage office window, into the setting sun. Headed for hell.