The two of them entered the reception hall, where the members of Team Dusk had been waiting for some time. Gakuya immediately spotted the Hyuga sisters—Hinata and Hanabi—amid the crowd.
Seeing Chiba Mokushū again filled the sisters with excitement, but given the formal setting, they had to suppress their emotions.
Though they frequently exchanged letters via puppet pigeons, chances to meet in person were rare.
This time, they'd taken on a reconnaissance mission, which gave them this rare opportunity.
Gakuya gave the two a gentle smile, reassuring them with his eyes that they would have some private time later.
The last time he appeared as Hyuga Gakuya, he hadn't had the chance to get a good look at them. Now that he did, it was clear—they had both grown a lot.
(The author suddenly realized: how can the heroines not get a proper appearance description? Let's fix that.)
Hinata had entered her adolescence, her silky hair now reaching her shoulders, giving her a more mature aura.
Her figure had filled out, and the white hoodie she wore barely held back the elegant curves of her body. Still, her gaze remained gentle as ever—though now there was a hint more determination in her eyes.
Her round face and big, expressive eyes made her look as adorable and charming as ever.
Hanabi, meanwhile, had grown into a graceful young woman. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail, radiating youthful energy and a crisp, capable presence.
Her features had become more refined, her skin gleamed like white jade, and the slight arch of her brows gave her an air of lively brightness.
She wore a loose-fitting kimono, giving off a completely different vibe than her sister. If Hinata was a quietly blooming lily, then Hanabi was a sun-drenched sunflower in full flame.
Together, the two sisters formed a beautiful sight that drew the eye effortlessly.
At that moment, Naruto—disguised as a girl—was immediately drawn to the tall, stunning woman standing behind Gakuya. She couldn't help but exclaim,
"Wow, she's gorgeous!"
Sasuke scowled at Naruto's dumbfounded look and let out a couple of coughs.
That finally snapped Naruto out of it. She noticed Sasuke glaring at her and scratched her cheek awkwardly. Truth be told, it wasn't lust—something about the woman felt familiar.
Gakuya, seeing the situation, introduced them.
"This is a ninja from our Federation—Satsuki. She just finished reporting her mission. When she heard Team Dusk had arrived, she wanted to see the shinobi from the Five Great Nations for herself."
Then he gestured toward Naruto. "And this is a ninja from Konohagakure—Namikaze Naruko."
Hearing the names "Naruko" and "Satsuki," a strange flicker crossed Sasuke's eyes, and he muttered inwardly, Disgusting…
Naruto, always eager, stepped forward and extended a hand with a bright smile.
"Hi! I'm Namikaze Naruko. Nice to meet you!"
Sasuke, playing along with his disguise despite his reluctance, also extended a hand and said flatly,
"Satsuki."
Just then, Captain Kakashi stepped forward to speak with Gakuya.
"Lord Mokushū, thank you for the supply of ninja tools. They've saved our comrades' lives more than once."
Though he remained on high alert around Chiba Mokushū, Kakashi meant every word.
Gakuya waved it off casually and asked knowingly,
"Wiping out the Akatsuki is part of our duty to protect the shinobi world's peace. I've heard that you've been busy taking down several of their outposts and intel hubs lately. Any big catches?"
Of course, Gakuya already knew the details. Team Dusk hadn't caught any key members—just cleaned out some bases.
"Nothing significant. Just grunts," Kakashi replied. "But we did obtain solid intel: Uchiha Sasuke killed Uchiha Itachi, a member of the Akatsuki."
Kakashi was aware Gakuya likely had his own plans, so he stayed guarded. Still, this information was bound to spread soon.
Unfortunately, the person at the center of the news was standing right there.
Sasuke's expression turned cold. His jaw clenched as he fought to suppress the rage bubbling within. His chest rose and fell sharply.
Why did I kill Itachi? Because of you—Konoha. If it weren't for the Leaf's pressure, my family would never have fallen this far!
But he had to keep up the act. Sasuke reminded himself that he couldn't afford to drag the others down. He forced the fury back down.
Naruto, noticing Satsuki's heaving chest, asked with concern,
"Are you okay? Are you sick or something?"
Her voice was soft and caring, and it soothed some of the anger in Sasuke's heart. He exhaled slowly, finally regaining control.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice steady. Only Naruto noticed the brief crack in his composure.
Naruto studied Satsuki with curiosity. "You know… you look really familiar. Have we met before?"
Sasuke froze, panic flashing across his mind. But he recovered quickly, letting out a dry chuckle and saying coldly,
"You think someone like you could possibly be worth remembering?"
"Hmph. Fine. Be that way." Naruto turned away with a pout, clearly unbothered.
Gakuya jumped in to smooth things over. "Maybe pretty people just tend to look alike, haha."
"Exactly!" Naruto grinned and scratched her head. She didn't seem to take Sasuke's coldness to heart.
...
"Alright, everyone, take a seat. No need to stand around chatting," Gakuya said, ushering them to the table. Then he turned to Kakashi with a smile. "Captain Kakashi, do you have any other information regarding Uchiha Itachi?"
Kakashi shook his head. "That's all we know so far. The reason why Itachi joined the Akatsuki remains a mystery."
The fire Sasuke had just suppressed began to rise again. Hidden beneath his sleeve, his hand clenched into a fist so tight that his nails dug into his palm.
Why did Itachi join the Akatsuki? Because of your orders, Konoha. And now you act all innocent—what a joke.
Gakuya glanced at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. Though Sasuke remained outwardly composed, his grief had undeniably matured him.
"Maybe he had his reasons," Naruto offered gently. "Like Sasori. They all had their own tragedies."
Sasuke blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected Naruto to defend Itachi.
Tch. Because of that, maybe I'll spare him when I finally destroy the Leaf.
Gakuya couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
As expected of Naruto—even without knowing the truth, he still manages to win favor.
"In any case, it's a major loss for the Akatsuki," Gakuya said. "We need to speed up our operations. We can't give them room to breathe."
"Agreed," Kakashi nodded. "We'll keep tracking them. We won't stop until they're eradicated."
"I'm counting on you," Gakuya said. "If you need anything, just say the word."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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