The next morning, Uzuki Yūgao woke up slowly, blinking at a ceiling she didn't recognize. The bed was soft, and for a moment, she just lay there, confused.
'Wait… where am I?'
Then it all came rushing back. Last night. Captain Yuto's place. She was supposed to be on guard duty as his personal protector… and she'd fallen asleep.
'Oh no. I messed up. Big time.'
"Yūgao, you absolute failure!" she muttered to herself, scrambling upright. "How could you fall asleep on the job?!"
Her eyes darted around the room. It was empty. But there, hanging on a coat stand in the corner, was Captain Yuto's white jacket—the one he wore all the time. So this was his bedroom… and she'd been sleeping in his bed.
Without really thinking, she reached out, grabbed the jacket, and pulled it close. She took a deep breath.
"It smells like him…"
A second later, she caught herself and flushed bright red. "No! what is wrong with you? That's so creepy!"
Shaking her head hard, as if to physically dislodge the thought, she slid out of bed, pulled on her ninja sandals, and hurried out of the room.
'Captain Yuto's probably already at the arena for the team selection lottery. I've gotta find him and explain—it wasn't on purpose!'
In the living room, she spotted a neatly tied letter on the table.
"Did he forget these 'battle plans'?"
She absentmindedly tucked the letter into her shirt and bolted out the door.
Not holding back at all, she pushed her Body Flicker Technique to the max, pouring every bit of chakra into speed. She flew through the streets like a woman possessed, the morning breeze whipping past her. The sun was warm, and despite everything, she felt calm.
That is, until she got close to the arena.
And then she saw it.
A figure in white, pinned high up on the rock face. Two long swords—one through the neck, one through the chest—held him there. His head lolled to the side.
It was Captain Yuto.
For a second, Yūgao's brain refused to process it. Her eyes widened slowly, her face blank with disbelief.
"N-no… That's not… It can't be… Captain Yuto… Aahhh!!!"
A raw, piercing scream tore out of her—so loud and sharp that even Sarutobi Hiruzen, all the way in his Hokage office, heard it clearly.
He knew instantly that something was wrong. Without hesitation, he leaped out the window and raced toward the sound.
By the time he got there, a crowd had already gathered at the base of the cliff. Shinobi from every village stood frozen, staring up with expressions of shock and horror.
Hiruzen's gaze followed theirs. His body went stiff, then began to tremble faintly. "Y-Yuto?! How… how is this possible?"
A dry, amused voice cut through the silence. "My, my. Quite the spectacle first thing in the morning." Ōnoki floated into view with his two bodyguards, gazing up at the corpse. "Seems your Konoha isn't so safe after all."
The Tsuchikage sounded almost pleased. The apparent Hokage-elect, dead just like that? It was… unexpected.
If he was surprised, then Orochimaru—disguised as the Fourth Kazekage—was completely thrown.
' That brat who humiliated me and Danzō… is dead? You've got to be kidding me. Who in Konoha could even pull this off?'
"It was you, wasn't it?!" Yūgao's voice was icy, sharp with grief. She was staring straight at Ōnoki. "You did this! You couldn't beat him, so you resorted to this cowardly trick!"
Ōnoki's face darkened. "Watch your tongue, girl. Don't say things you can't take back."
"You saw his power! You were scared, so you murdered him!" Yūgao yanked the sword from her back, her whole body shaking with rage. "I'll kill you!"
The blade hummed, gleaming with deadly intent.
Clang!
A black iron staff intercepted her swing. Hiruzen stood in her way, his expression grim.
"Move!" Yūgao's eyes were wild, even as she faced the Hokage.
Thwack.
A knife-hand chop landed on the back of her neck. Yūgao's eyes rolled back, and she went limp, collapsing into the arms of Mitarashi Anko, who'd stepped in behind her.
"Sorry, Hokage-sama," Anko said, holding the unconscious kunoichi. "She's just… not herself."
"Take her away for now," Hiruzen said, his voice heavy. He turned back to Ōnoki, but the Tsuchikage spoke first.
"I'll overlook the accusation, Lord Hokage! What a fascinating show to greet the day!" Ōnoki chuckled. "Do put on a good follow-up."
"I will get to the bottom of this," Hiruzen stated coldly, his words meant for both his own people and the foreign shinobi.
He suspected another village's Kage was behind it—an attempt to crush Konoha's future. But with no proof, words were all he had.
"I look forward to it," Ōnoki sneered. "Don't keep me waiting too long."
"Everyone, move aside! Now!"
An impatient, authoritative voice cut through the crowd. Tsunade pushed her way through, dressed simply, with Shizune right behind her.
Shizune's hands flew to her mouth. "How… Yuto, he's really…" Her voice broke, and tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Tsunade, this matter—" Hiruzen began.
"Shut up!" Tsunade snapped, not even looking at him.
Without another word, she leaped onto the rock face, her movements precise and powerful. She carefully pulled the swords free and gathered her disciple's body into her arms. Then, without a glance at anyone, she turned and walked away.
Her face was a calm, stony mask. But everyone watching could see the slight tremor in her hands, the tightness in her shoulders. The legendary Sannin was anything but calm.
An ANBU approached Hiruzen. "Lord Hokage the autopsy…"
"Not yet. We wait for Tsunade's word," Hiruzen said, sighing heavily.
High above, on the cliff edge overlooking the scene, a few figures stood unnoticed.
"The power of Kyōka Suigetsu… is terrifying," Nara Shikamaru murmured, watching Tsunade leave. "Can we even call that genjutsu anymore?"
"Genjutsu tricks the senses. Kyōka Suigetsu commands them," Uchiha Sasuke replied flatly. "They're not the same."
"Ahahaha! Did you see that old lady hugging those two pumpkins?" Uzumaki Naruto was clutching his stomach, laughing. "That was hilarious!"
"Shut up, idiot. It's time for our part," Sasuke shot back.
"You shut up, you arrogant bastard! Stop bossing me around!" Naruto glared.
Meanwhile, far away in the reformatory zone of the Land of Waves, a different conversation was happening.
Obito stared at the images being transmitted from Konoha, his brow deeply furrowed.
'Hayashi Yuto… dead?'
Like Orochimaru, he found it hard to believe. But the evidence was right there—the body pinned to the wall. And Tsunade, one of the best medical-nin in the world, wouldn't misidentify her own student.
'So what the hell is going on?'
"You still don't see it? It's a trick," a raspy voice said beside him.
Obito glanced over. It was Danzō. The old man's face was an odd shade of purplish-red, like he was straining against something painful.
"I'm ready. When do we get out of here?" Danzō grunted.
Obito raised an eyebrow. "Your hemorrhoids… they actually flared up?"
"What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you don't have them?"
"I do! I'll go report to the guards right now…"
"Wait… Why does your complexion look so much better than mine?"
"These, uh… these might be internal ones."
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