The rest of the day passed in warmth and quiet for Hinata. That evening, with Taro and Rin already tucked in and fast asleep, she stepped into a softly lit sitting room where her father Takama was waiting. Beside him stood Maeko, Kenshiro, Souta, and Ayaka—who now clearly showed the signs of her pregnancy. The gentle glow of the hearth cast soft shadows across her rounded belly, a quiet symbol of the new life forming within.
Souta gave a respectful nod, a small smile tugging at his lips. "We heard you're leaving again tonight... we had to come say goodbye."
Ayaka was already moving toward her. She wrapped Hinata in a tender embrace. "Promise me you'll be back before the little one is born."
Hinata returned the hug, voice gentle. "I'll do everything I can to find time to visit you both—here and in Yumegakure."
Kenshiro approached next with a characteristic grin, handing her three neatly labeled scrolls. "I took the liberty of packing some supplies. One has Kuro's food, and another has foxes for Mitsue—same stock as last time. The second contains rations, travel gear, training tools. The third holds the items Lady Maeko asked me to preserve."
Hinata bowed in gratitude. "You always think of everything."
Maeko took her hand firmly, squeezing it with maternal warmth. "That scroll includes everything you might need in the coming months. Just... try not to take too long to come home."
Her father stepped forward at last. Takama said nothing—he simply folded her into a warm, protective hug. A silent blessing from the man who had given her so much.
Soon, Hinata mounted Kuro's back. Mitsue coiled around her waist like a sash, braced and ready. They rode out beneath the stars, quiet as the wind.
The journey was swift. Kuro, now far more capable after intensive training, crossed great distances with ease. Her shadow-lightning breath pulsed beneath her paws like moonlit fire.
In a matter of days, they reached the edge of Otogakure. Seeing it with her restored sight brought a strange sense of awe—one part familiarity, another part eerie novelty. The guards seemed shocked at her sudden appearance, but they had been informed of her arrival and quickly ushered the trio inside.
Guided through winding tunnels, Hinata's senses detected layers upon layers of chakra-infused seals embedded in the walls. Defensive matrices, reactive traps… this place was a fortress and snare in one.
Eventually, they were brought before Karin, who stood stiffly, arms crossed. Suspicion burned in her red eyes—but beneath it, something rawer stirred: concern. Genuine concern.
Beside her was a silver-haired youth with sharp eyes and a shark-like grin—Suigetsu. His gaze flicked over Hinata with visible doubt.
Before either could speak, Kabuto entered from the far side of the chamber.
"Hinata Gin," he said, adjusting his glasses. "So you've arrived, as Sasuke planned. What's strange is… he's not here."
His voice was calm, but tension curled beneath the surface. The tightness in Karin's shoulders confirmed it.
Hinata's voice was firm. "What happened to Sasuke?"
Karin spoke quickly, her anxiety evident. "He told us to come here. When we arrived—he was gone."
Kabuto exhaled with visible frustration. "After Orochimaru left the compound—following the delivery of your letter—Sasuke disappeared. No signs of struggle, nothing unusual in his quarters. I assumed he came here ahead of us. But... he's nowhere to be found."
Hinata closed her eyes, centering herself. "Then allow me to try something. Don't be alarmed. It may look… unusual."
She focused. Her breath deepened. And then it began—threads of glowing intent and soul energy shimmered around her, no longer invisible, but revealed by her will. They danced like ribbons of starlight, shifting with the rhythms of unseen melodies that only her soul could truly hear. Each thread pulsed in a color unique to a bond she shared—some soft and warm, others fierce and sharp. They were the lifelines of everyone connected to her heart, to Yumegakure, to her path.
Then she saw it. One thread, faint and shrouded, tucked between folds of the world. It flickered not from concealment by sealwork—but from barriers of another kind entirely. Planar boundaries. She knew this feeling. She had sensed it in the Pure Lands when searching for souls. She had sensed it from Yumegakure when reaching into the waking world. This thread—Sasuke's—was tethered across realities.
Hinata's silver eyes opened, gleaming. The threads around her faded like mist at dawn, except for the one. It glowed gently, impossibly distant and yet undeniably tied to her. And when it vanished, she smiled—serene, resolute.
"Found him."
Suigetsu recoiled. "What the hell was that?!"
"Just my way of seeing," Hinata said, mysterious and composed. "Like how you and Karin have your own talents. That's why Sasuke invited me."
Karin huffed, folding her arms. "He didn't invite you. You forced your way in. But… fine. Did you really find him?"
"Yes. And not just him. If Sasuke planned to form a team to reach his brother… looks like our first mission is to rescue our dear leader. Kabuto-san, will you join us?"
Kabuto's voice darkened slightly. "I was left in charge of Otogakure during Orochimaru's absence. But this takes precedence. Someone infiltrated us and abducted Sasuke under my watch. I'll make arrangements to delegate command. Once done, I'll accompany you."
His glasses glinted as he adjusted them, a rare flicker of fury behind his eyes.
Suigetsu tapped his blade's hilt. "Guess we're heading out. Did Sasuke give a name for this team of his?"
Hinata's smile deepened. "Knowing Sasuke… it was probably Hebi."
Karin blinked, her posture shifting slightly. For a heartbeat, something like surprise—perhaps even respect—flickered across her expression before she scoffed and muttered, "Tch... of course it would be. That brooding idiot."
A few hours later, Kuro created two shadow clones, each carrying Karin and Suigetsu. Hinata led the way. Kabuto watched them vanish into the night—faster than sight, faster than fear. Toward the unknown.
<<<< o >>>>
Somewhere far from Otogakure, deep within a secluded cave near the border with the Land of Earth, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki rested in the shadows after their recent encounter with Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails. Their mission had been a success: they subdued him without killing him, just as their new orders demanded. Han lay sealed, awaiting transport.
Kisame exhaled, resting his head against the cold stone wall, with Samehada humming softly beside him. "That guy was tough. Makes me miss the good old days when we could really let loose."
"There is purpose in restraint," Itachi replied in a calm yet distant voice. His dark, thoughtful eyes stared into the flickering torchlight. Even after all this time, he wore his mantle of composure like iron armor: unshakable, unbreakable.
Before either could fall into silence, the air twisted at the center of the cave. A ripple formed, like a curtain of glass being drawn inward, and from it emerged a spinning figure in an orange mask.
"Yo," came the deceptively cheerful voice of Tobi.
Kisame was already on his feet, sword half-drawn, pausing only when he saw who it was. A predator's grin tugged at his lips. Itachi rose in silence, eyes narrowing at the newcomer.
Tobi looked directly at Kisame and spoke with commanding authority. "Leave us. I need to speak with him alone."
Kisame blinked, then shrugged. "Sure, sure. Have your little chat."
Casting a suspicious glance at Tobi, he turned and disappeared into an adjacent tunnel.
Once alone, Obito straightened his posture. His tone lost all levity.
"Why are you here?" Itachi asked bluntly.
Obito didn't answer right away. Instead, he raised a hand, and the air between them shimmered. A transparent window opened, revealing a distorted glimpse into Kamui's dimension. Floating unconscious in eerie stillness was Sasuke Uchiha—his presence guarded by the real Obito, standing silently in that space.
Itachi's composure cracked—barely. His fingers trembled.
"What have you done to him?"
"Nothing," Obito replied coldly. "Not yet. He's unharmed. I brought him here so we could talk."
Itachi's voice deepened, tinged with warning. "Then speak."
"I want Shisui's eye. The one you've kept hidden all these years. Give it to me, and I'll return your brother unharmed. Refuse... and I can't promise what will happen in that space."
A long pause followed. The flickering torchlight cast dancing shadows across Itachi's face. His breath was slow, deliberate.
"You're quite the master of leverage," he said bitterly. "And you've made it clear you're willing to go further than I anticipated."
Obito stepped closer. "I'm not asking for much. You know I'll get it eventually. I offer a deal... not a threat."
Itachi's gaze lingered on the image of his brother. The silence stretched, until at last he reached into the folds of his cloak.
"I never intended to use this eye unless there was no other choice. But if this is the cost... so be it."
Obito smiled behind his mask. "Good. Then we have an understanding."
Carefully, Itachi retrieved the vial containing Shisui's Sharingan. The eye pulsed faintly in its preserved state.
"Return him. Now."
"Of course."
With a ripple of space, Sasuke's body emerged from the Kamui dimension and landed gently on the cave floor, unconscious but breathing steadily.
Itachi moved instantly, kneeling beside his brother and placing two fingers to his wrist. His pulse was strong.
Obito took the vial with practiced ease. "A pleasure doing business."
Itachi didn't respond. His eyes remained on Sasuke.
Obito's body shimmered, beginning to fade into his pocket dimension. "Until next time, Itachi."
When he vanished, only the torchlight remained—and the sound of Sasuke beginning to stir beneath his brother's watchful care.