Somewhere near the borders of Kirigakure, one of Orochimaru's hidden strongholds lay buried deep in the mist-shrouded woods.
Inside, the pained cries of a boy echoed through the dim stone chamber.
"Ahhh—!" Yūkimaru clutched his chest, his small frame convulsing as if it were being torn apart. "It hurts…! I… I can't take it…"
Beside him, Guren paced in frustration, her jade hair damp with sweat. She knelt quickly, taking his trembling hand, though her fingers trembled. "Hold on, Yūkimaru. Orochimaru-sama will send medicine soon. Please… just endure it a little longer."
The boy's shallow breaths rattled in the stillness. Guren could only grit her teeth—her unique Crystal Release could shatter mountains, but it was useless against Yūkimaru's torment.
The door creaked open. A figure entered, glasses gleaming in the torchlight.
"It seems the child is suffering again," Yakushi Kabuto remarked in his usual calm, detached tone.
"Kabuto!" Guren rose sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Did you bring it? The medicine?"
Kabuto smiled faintly, a hand slipping into his robe. "Relax, Guren. Yūkimaru is far too valuable to be discarded. Orochimaru-sama treasures him more than you think."
He flicked a small capsule to her, his tone light but laced with meaning. "So long as his usefulness remains… he won't be sacrificed."
Guren caught the pill, but her jaw tightened. She knew full well what Kabuto meant. For Orochimaru, value decided worth—affection never entered the equation.
Still, she quickly cradled Yūkimaru's head and pressed the capsule to his lips. "Swallow, Yūkimaru. It will help."
The boy obeyed weakly. Moments later, his trembling eased, his breath stabilizing. "...Thank you, Guren…" he whispered before sleep claimed him.
"Don't speak," Guren whispered back, smoothing his damp hair. "Just rest. I'll handle things."
Kabuto watched with thinly veiled amusement before turning away. His orders were clear: Orochimaru sought the Sanbi no Kyōdai—Three-Tails—and Yūkimaru was the key to drawing it out.
At that same time, far away in Konohagakure, the Hokage's office stirred with tension.
"Shizune," Tsunade asked, her voice taut, "have you summoned them?"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shizune replied crisply. "They'll arrive shortly."
This wasn't an ordinary mission. The Three-Tails, unsealed and roaming, was too great a threat to leave unchecked. Tsunade had resolved to mobilize some of Konoha's finest.
Moments later, the office filled with familiar figures: Kakashi, Yamato, Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Sai—and Naruto, whose sharp gaze seemed to burn with restless energy.
When all were assembled, Tsunade leaned forward. "This is an S-rank mission. The target is the Sanbi. Your assignment is to locate and seal it before it can be exploited."
She turned first to the medics. "Shizune will lead the sealing team—Sakura, Ino, Hinata, you'll assist her."
"Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto—you'll provide combat support."
"Kiba, Shino, Sai—you're reconnaissance. Track movements, report immediately."
She folded her hands on the desk. "Another squad is en route from their mission to reinforce you. But make no mistake—failure isn't an option. The balance of the shinobi world could tip if the Sanbi falls into enemy hands."
"Understood!" voices rang in unison, sharp and certain.
"Good." Tsunade exhaled, already weighed down by the growing shadows of war. "Move out. Time is against us."
The squad vanished in swirls of smoke, leaving the office heavy with silence. Alone, Tsunade pressed her temples, exhaustion gnawing at her. Day by day, the world grew more unstable, and Konoha stood at the heart of the storm.
By then, Kabuto had already led Guren and Yūkimaru to a vast, misty lake. The air hung heavy with an ominous stillness.
"This is it," Kabuto murmured, his glasses glinting. "The Sanbi lurks here. Yūkimaru's ability is the only means of reaching it."
Guren's eyes hardened. "So Orochimaru-sama intends to use him as bait."
Kabuto chuckled softly. "You make it sound so cruel. Think of it as… a bond. The boy and the beast resonate. That resonance will rouse the Three-Tails."
He pulled a small red capsule from his sleeve and pressed it into her palm. "Give him this. It will awaken his ability."
Guren stared at the pill. Her stomach twisted with loathing, but Yūkimaru's weak eyes turned to her trustingly. She forced a smile, crouching. "Yūkimaru… I need your help. Take this, alright?"
He nodded faintly and swallowed it.
At once, his body shuddered. Chakra flared wildly from his small frame, unnatural in its potency. The surface of the lake rippled, then churned as if something vast stirred beneath.
Far below, a colossal eye snapped open—crimson, reptilian, and ancient.
Boom.
The Sanbi's roar tore through the water, waves crashing outward as its massive shell shifted in the depths.
Kabuto's lips curled in satisfaction. "Perfect. The Sanbi sleeps no longer."
But the boy's body was frail; his chakra surged and then waned. The lake slowly stilled again as Yūkimaru collapsed, unconscious.
Guren rushed to catch him, holding his small body close, her glare searing toward Kabuto. "He's just a child!"
Kabuto only adjusted his glasses, smirking. "A child… who holds the key to controlling a tailed beast. Remember that, Guren."
Elsewhere, on a mountain path leading toward Kirigakure, two Akatsuki cloaks fluttered in the wind.
"Deidara-senpai, wait for meee!" cried a masked figure, flailing his arms in exaggerated panic.
"Tch." Deidara shot a scowl over his shoulder. "Honestly, Tobi, you're useless. How did someone like you even join Akatsuki? You're slowing me down, un."
"Ahh, don't be like that, Senpai!" Tobi sniffled loudly, rubbing his mask. "You're so kind, waiting for me even though I'm such a burden. I'm so touched!"
Deidara groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Unbelievable. I get stuck with this idiot."
If someone didn't know better, they'd think Tobi was nothing more than a fool with boundless energy and zero talent. But only a handful in the world knew the truth—that behind the mask lurked Uchiha Obito, the man once thought dead, manipulating Akatsuki's strings from the shadows.
And among that handful… was Uzumaki Naruto.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San