The clash of metal echoed through the Fire Temple's halls. Hidan yanked a shuriken free from his stomach, the iron scraping wetly as he grinned through the sting.
"Pathetic! You think you can endure this? Seems you're nothing special after all!" he sneered, taunting Chiriku with a maddening laughter.
From a distance, Kakuzu's gravelly voice cut through the commotion.
"Hidan, stop wasting time."
"I hear you, I hear you," Hidan muttered, picking at his ear with exaggerated boredom. "You're worse than an old hag nagging all day."
Chiriku staggered to his feet, blood soaking his robes, determination burning in his eyes. With the last of his strength, he prepared to strike back.
But Hidan was faster. He grabbed the same shuriken, reversed it, and drove it straight into Chiriku's chest.
There was a sharp crack.
Chiriku's eyes widened. His lips parted as if to speak, but no sound followed. His body crumpled as the light drained from his gaze.
Hidan ripped the weapon out and tossed it carelessly onto the floor, a smirk plastered across his bloodstained face.
Kakuzu stepped forward without ceremony. He hefted Chiriku's corpse over his shoulder and muttered, "Let's go. Stay here too long and we'll attract unnecessary trouble."
Hidan slung his scythe lazily across his back and followed, the two Akatsuki leaving the Fire Temple in silence, save for the sound of Hidan's low chuckle.
Hours later, two monks of the temple, faces pale with fear, arrived breathless at Konoha's gates. Without hesitation, they made their way to the Hokage's office.
Inside, Tsunade sat buried under paperwork, Shizune by her side, while Asuma Sarutobi stood reporting from the floor below. An ANBU operative appeared suddenly, bowing low.
"Hokage-sama, two representatives from the Fire Temple request an audience."
"Send them in," Tsunade ordered.
Moments later, the monks rushed into the room, falling to their knees. Their voices trembled with urgency.
"Hokage-sama, please! You must save the Fire Temple!"
"Calm yourselves," Tsunade said firmly. "Explain everything."
The monks recounted the past two days in detail—how the temple had been attacked, how Chiriku had fallen, and how a boy named Sora, host to fragments of the Nine-Tails' chakra, had been targeted.
Tsunade's expression hardened. The revelation of stolen Nine-Tails chakra was alarming enough, but hearing that it had been sealed into a vessel was worse. In effect, the temple had created a false jinchūriki.
And now Akatsuki had struck again. They had already captured Gaara of the Sand. If they were after the Fire Temple, then their real target was obvious.
"Sora," Tsunade muttered under her breath.
Asuma's fists clenched. "Hokage-sama, let me take this mission! Chiriku was… he was a comrade. I can't stand by and do nothing."
Tsunade studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. Team Ten will accompany you. Be careful—the enemy is Akatsuki. Don't underestimate them."
Asuma bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. We'll depart immediately."
With that, he turned and strode out, determination in his step.
---
At Konoha Hospital, the steady rhythm of a heart monitor filled the quiet room. After days of unconsciousness, Kakashi Hatake stirred awake, his body still aching from the strain of his Sharingan.
The door opened softly. Sakura stepped inside with a basket of fruit, Naruto trailing close behind, hands shoved in his pockets.
"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said warmly, setting the basket down. "Are you feeling better?"
The jonin's tired eye crinkled faintly. "Thank you, Sakura. Better than before."
Naruto leaned against the wall, saying nothing, his gaze unreadable.
Kakashi's voice lowered. "I've heard about your mission. You crossed paths with Sasuke… and Orochimaru." His tone carried guilt. "To think I've forced my students into such hardships…"
"This isn't your fault," Sakura said quickly, shaking her head. "You've always protected us."
Before Kakashi could respond, Naruto cut in, his words sharp. "Kakashi-sensei… after using the Mangekyō last time, can you handle it again? In real combat?"
Sakura blinked at the bluntness, startled.
Kakashi studied him quietly. "It's… not certain yet. The strain is severe, but perhaps I can adapt."
Naruto didn't waver. Kamui is dangerous, but it's the best counter to Obito. If Kakashi can master it, it changes everything. If not… I'll need another way.
Kakashi said nothing of the thought gnawing at him—why the Mangekyō had awakened in him at all. Such power was rare even among the Uchiha, yet here he was, an outsider, wielding it. The mystery troubled him, but he kept it to himself.
Sakura smiled faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "You should rest. Don't push yourself."
"I'll recover," Kakashi said softly. "Just be careful."
Naruto turned toward the door. "I'm going to train." Without another word, he left the room, footsteps fading down the hall.
Outside, the village bustled with life. Naruto tilted his head back, eyes narrowing at the sky. Akatsuki has started their hunt. If I wait, they'll have every Tailed Beast in their grasp. But if I move first… I can break their plans apart and take everything from them instead.
Behind him, Sakura lingered by the window, watching his figure disappear into the street. Her lips parted as if to call out, but she stayed silent, worry etched across her face.