Through the long hours of the night, we pressed westward as our sprint faded into a punishing march. None of us had the reserves left to run forever, even Duy, so we walked fast and steady, forcing our legs to keep rhythm even when they trembled. The desert stretched endless before us, ridges blurring into one another, the stars wheeling cold above.
But slowing came with its own cost. By the time the moon dipped toward the horizon, I sensed chakra signatures closing, and out this far, it could only mean one thing. Squads of Sand shinobi were trailing like wolves, slowly creeping closer.
I looked at my team. Their shoulders sagged, their eyes heavy with exhaustion, but not one of them complained. Only Duy looked like he could keep fighting, but he could cripple himself if he used the Eight Gates too many times close together, so I made my decision.
"Keep moving," I said quietly. "I'll handle this."
With a flicker of chakra, I summoned all of my clones, except for Scorch. Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Yin, Yang, Space-Time, and Lava appeared around us at full strength as they each radiated their own elemental aura that gave off a sense of pressure. My team looked at them in silence, eyes widening.
The first Sand squad surged over the ridge. Fifteen shinobi, their chakra bright against the night. The force was similar to the group that my team had taken down hours before. My clones moved as one and, unlike their battle, it was a slaughter.
My Lightning Clone streaked forward, a blur of sparks, and dropped three shinobi in the time it took the others to get close. The Earth Clone crushed another into the sand with a single sweeping strike, making the ground swallow him whole. Fire and Wind tore through the formation together with a raging inferno that left nothing standing. The survivors stumbled, but the Space-Time Clone was already there, flashing between them in her best silver-colored imitation of Minato. Lava finished off anyone remaining as she covered the field in lava, leaving a calling card for the Sand to ensure that they knew I was behind the attack.
The fight lasted less than a minute. Asuma's jaw dropped. Guy's grin faltered. Even Duy, proud and steadfast, glanced at me with a flicker of unease. They had fought hard last night, and now they watched my clones dismantle the same kind of force with casual precision. Still, there was no time for questions or complaints, so I kept them walking.
The sun rose, and with it came the sweltering heat. Every few hours another Sand team appeared, and every time, my clones erased them with the same ease as before. My team did not lift a hand. They just kept moving, step after weary step, while my clones kept the Sand at bay.
By the time that the sun began to set once again, it had been nearly four hours since the last squad had closed in. My clones, stretched wide across our trail, had seen no further pursuit, and I dared to hope the Sand had finally given up.
We had marched the entire day without rest, and the toll was written plainly on every face. Even Duy, who seemed carved from stone, moved more heavily than usual, his breaths deeper and slower. Guy leaned against him whenever he stumbled, still grinning, though the fire in his eyes had dulled under sheer exhaustion. Asuma's shoulders sagged with each step as his wounded arm hung stiffly at his side. Kurenai walked quietly, but her steps dragged and her eyes heavy.
I knew we were close. There were small signs to confirm it like faint tracks in the dirt and broken branches where someone had passed too close. Relief flickered through me, though I could not show it yet.
I summoned two of my clones, Space-Time and Lightning, since they were the fastest. Both stood tall and ready, their chakra pulsing sharp. "Find a patrol," I ordered. "And bring them here."
They vanished into the darkening desert, streaks of silver distortion and crackling sparks fading into the horizon. We kept moving, though slower now, as our pace dragged into weary trudges as night fell. My senses stretched outward, waiting for any signs of reinforcements. It did not take too long before I sensed my Space-Time Clone approaching with four other people. A scouting team, alongside my clone, emerged from the brush with their weapons ready until they recognized us.
"Akari Sarutobi," their leader said, eyes widening. "We've been told to watch out for you and your team and assist if needed. Glad you made it back."
"We'll take the escort," I said simply, and the words seemed to loosen something in all of us.
Duy crouched, hoisting Guy onto his back without a word, his strength steady even through fatigue. I summoned my Yang Clone, who bent to let Asuma climb onto its shoulders with a muttered complaint that was more pride than protest. Then I glanced at Kurenai.
"Come on," I said, crouching slightly.
She hesitated only a breath before placing her hands on my shoulders and letting me lift her onto my back. Her weight was light, but the warmth of her presence pressed close, steadying me more than I cared to admit. With the scouts forming a protective ring around us, we moved again.
The camp's torches flickered against the night as we crossed through the gates. I sent one of the scouts running toward the medical tent to fetch Yuri, and another to inform Orochimaru that I would report once my team was settled. Only then did I guide them through the rows of tents to the medical pavilion.
Inside, it was quiet, which showed how uneventful things had been while we were gone. The sharp tang of herbs still hung in the air, but the rows of cots were mostly empty. This front had been calmer for the past week, and for once, the medics were not drowning in blood and screams.
Nishioka Ren sat at a side table, head bent over his notes. When he looked up and saw us, his brows lifted. "Well, well," he drawled with that sarcastic edge he always carried. "Look who the cat dragged in."
"Dragged themselves in," I muttered back, gesturing to my team.
My Yang Clone stepped forward, Asuma slumped across its back, and carried him to the nearest empty cot. Guy winced as Duy helped him lower onto another, and Ren was already peeling back his cloak to check the deep gash along his side.
"Not life-threatening," Ren said briskly, "but it looks worse after your little marathon. I'll handle this." He got to work with steady hands and no more chatter.
My Yang Clone moved to Asuma's arm. The cut was deep, the muscle bruised, and I knew there was a hairline fracture as my clone's chakra began knitting the worst damage together. Bandages followed, firm and neat.
I carried Kurenai to a cot myself and slid her onto it carefully. "Rest," I told her quietly.
She did not argue as she had been falling asleep since I started carrying her back.
Turning, I beckoned to Duy and motioned to the cot next to her. "Lie down."
He obeyed with his usual discipline, and I ran my chakra through his body. The familiar strains from the Gates were there; the deep tissue screaming from overexertion. Normal, manageable, but beneath those scars lay older ones. There were hidden injuries that would one day cripple him if nothing was done. Unfortunately, I was helpless to do more than ease the pain currently, but I would talk to Tsunade about it once the war was over.
"Hold still," I murmured. "I'll handle what I can."
The flap opened, and Yuri slipped in, her presence as steadying as ever. "I'll take Asuma," she said, already rolling her sleeves.
I gave her a nod. "Thanks. I owe you."
"I'll just add it to the list," she retorted with a smirk.
My Yang Clone to continue with Duy, I stepped outside into the cool night air and made my way to the command tent. He was waiting at his desk, lamplight throwing sharp shadows across his pale face. His gaze followed me as I entered.
"Report."
I stood tall despite my weariness. "We set the ambush in a choke point along a valley near the Sand northern camp. The explosive tags collapsed the ridgeline and tore through their column. I estimate half their force destroyed or crippled, and the supplies that they were carrying are likely ruined. My team assisted in setting the trap and planting the seals. We were pursued, but during the retreat, Asuma, Guy, and Kurenai killed a jonin together with their own strength. They deserve recognition for it."
Orochimaru listened in silence, his expression unreadable, before inclining his head slightly. "Efficient. You and your team have earned a good rest."
I exhaled slowly, tension loosening, until he added, "One more task. Send word to Tsunade. Tell her of the ambush, and how the reinforcements were crippled. Now would be the ideal time for her to strike the Sand's northern camp; that is, if she has the forces to spare."
I frowned. "Pressing too hard might drive them to desperate measures."
His lips curved faintly, never reaching his eyes. "True, but she need not strike directly. Harassment will remind them that Konoha can reach their throat whenever we choose."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Understood."
I took a blank scroll from his desk and wrote quickly. I detailed the ambush, the state of the reinforcements, the location of the northern Sand camp, and Orochimaru's suggestion. When I finished, I summoned a small Katsuyu, and her soft form appeared on the desk.
"Please take this to Tsunade," I told her. "And tell her I'll answer if she wishes to speak, but I need a night to recover first."
"Understood," the slug replied then vanished in a puff of smoke.
I straightened. "With your permission, I'd like to go rest."
Orochimaru waved me off, and I left, making my way back to my tent. The silence of camp almost felt peaceful. The rows of tents stretched quiet and dark, the faint glow of watch-fires flickering on the perimeter.
When I ducked into my own tent, the emptiness struck me. No muffled laughter from Asuma, no chatter from Guy, no quiet observations from Kurenai, no steady presence from Duy. Just the stillness of canvas walls and my bedroll waiting.
I stood there for a long moment, breathing it in. My reckless, stubborn, brilliant team had come so far. They had fought together, bled together, and survived battles that could have broken seasoned shinobi. They were truly ready to grow without me shielding every step.
I let myself sink onto the bedroll, muscles aching as exhaustion pulled me down. For a moment, I watched the faint glow of the lantern against the canvas as the silence settled around me like a blanket. Then, finally, I closed my eyes and allowed myself the luxury of rest.
I slept deeper than I had in weeks; the exhaustion dragging me under until midday light filtered faintly through the canvas walls. My body was still tired, but the heaviness had eased, leaving behind only the sharp hunger of an empty stomach. I chewed slowly on a ration bar, ignoring the bland taste since I was just happy to have a chance to relax.
The flap rustled, and Kurenai slipped inside. She was still pale, signs of chakra exhaustion, but if she was here, it meant that she had been released from medical. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw me sitting cross-legged on my bedroll, ration bar in hand.
"Come on," I said, motioning towards her bedroll. "Sit. Tell me what you thought about the mission."
She hesitated only a breath before crossing the tent and settling down. For a long moment, she was quiet. Then, finally, she spoke. "It wasn't something we could have pulled off without you."
I chuckled softly. "True enough. Those explosive tags I supplied were nearly a quarter of the army brought with it when we first moved to the front."
Her head turned sharply, crimson eyes widening in shock. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, deciding it was better not to comment. Instead, she pressed on. "During the fight against the Sand squad… I realized how much stronger our team is than I thought. Duy is…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Incredible. He can handle jonin like they're nothing, because of the Eight Gates. And Guy, he's not far behind and has the same potential as his father. Asuma too… his ninjutsu is more useful than I expected. He can disrupt enemy techniques and keep the rest of us safe, and his taijutsu is solid."
Her voice lowered slightly. "But me? My genjutsu is strong, but I don't have a real combat technique. Not like them."
"You don't need to be like them. You're a genjutsu specialist, and that's exactly what you should stay, but I'll help you develop something that suits your genjutsu, something that makes your style sharper and gives you the ability to fight on your own. Leave the raw power to Duy and Guy," I said encouragingly.
She nodded thoughtfully, before glancing back at me.
"Remember," I continued, my tone firming. "Your team excels in direct combat. That's your strength. But subtlety? Infiltration? That's where you'll struggle. As you start taking missions on your own, you need to remember that balance. You won't always get the luxury of refusing a mission, but you can make suggestions to the commanders who assign them. If you think something is suicide, speak up. And if you need to, use my name as leverage; I know you aren't the type to abuse it."
Kurenai's brows furrowed slightly. "Even if that means arguing with superiors?"
"Honor and glory mean nothing if your team is dead. Surviving to fight another day is what matters," I said.
For a long moment she was silent, her expression caught between pride and humility. Finally, she exhaled. "I understand now... why you shielded us from the larger battles at camp... why you didn't tell us about your missions. I didn't get it before, and I… I didn't trust it, I didn't trust you, but now I do."
She didn't quite apologize for the distance she'd kept, but I saw it in her eyes, the acknowledgment, the shift. She had stepped into real command once, and now she understood what it meant to carry lives in her hands.
I smiled faintly, finishing the last bite of my ration bar. "I know it's easy to forget since I'm only two years older than you and we've known each other for years, but I take my role as your teacher seriously; you three are my first team after all. You are all ready to stand on your own, with Duy along for extra strength, which is why I brought you along on the mission. You need to understand what could be asked of you before you start taking on missions on your own."
"I do, and I will remember it," Kurenai promised.
"Good; I know that you will be a good leader for the team and, if things ever get too dangerous, you can always signal me with your necklace. I'll come as fast as I can."
"Thank you, Akari-sensei. I'll do my best to live up to your expectations and make you proud."