Shikamaru spoke gravely.
"Ino, Chōji—you two escort Asuma-sensei's body back to Konoha immediately. We can't leave his remains exposed out here."
"I'll head to Mount Katsuragi to find Team Dusk and deliver the intel."
Chōji shook his head and firmly objected.
"No way. I should be the one to deliver the intel. You two take sensei back safely."
They all knew what this mission meant. If any of them encountered the Akatsuki, their chances of survival were next to none. It was a one-way trip.
"You will follow orders." Shikamaru's voice hardened, reprimanding Chōji. "This information has to reach Team Dusk before they engage the Akatsuki. It's the only way to make Asuma-sensei's death meaningful."
"But—" Chōji began, but Shikamaru cut him off instantly.
"There's no room for discussion. I'm the squad leader now, and this is a direct order."
Shikamaru's tone left no room for argument. "Go. I'll make sure Asuma-sensei is avenged."
Seeing his resolve, Chōji finally nodded in silence. He and Ino took Asuma's body and rushed toward Konoha at top speed.
Shikamaru watched them disappear into the distance, silently praying. Then, he turned and sprinted toward Mount Katsuragi.
Just as he'd said, he had to reach Team Dusk before the Immortal Duo did.
To do that, he chose a narrow path through the mountains—a shortcut to reach Team Dusk faster.
As the trio scattered in different directions, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows where Team Ino-Shika-Chō had just taken a brief rest.
It was Hyuga Gakuya.
Beside him stood the owner of the bounty exchange station, whose vacant eyes and lifeless expression made it clear—he had become nothing more than one of Gakuya's puppets.
Gakuya had orchestrated this entire operation with a single goal: to use Nara Shikamaru's hand to eliminate the Immortal Duo and weaken the Akatsuki.
He couldn't afford the slightest deviation from the plan.
Shikamaru knew the duo's abilities well. And with his own intellect combined with the power of Team Dusk's fifteen elite jōnin, success was within reach.
Of course, this was only one of Gakuya's many clones monitoring the mission's progress. This particular one had a simple task—guide Shikamaru to Team Dusk.
Before leaving, Gakuya raised a hand and used Sage Art to summon a beast from afar.
The beast pounced on the puppet-like bounty master, pinning him down and dragging him off into the distance.
Someone like that—who knew far too much and held no real value—wasn't worth keeping under long-term control. The safest option was silence.
With that done, Gakuya staged the scene to make it look like a wild animal attack.
Even if Konoha eventually launched an investigation, they'd never uncover the truth.
...
Of the three squads sent out, Team Dusk was closest to Katsuragi—and the first to find signs of the Six-Tails.
They arrived quickly at Mount Katsuragi.
At the sight of the torn sealing barrier, a chill ran down their spines. It was unmistakable—the Akatsuki had been here.
"Did we get here too late?" Omoi, ever the pessimist, sighed. "Only the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails remain. The Akatsuki already has seven tailed beasts... Is the world really going to end?"
The heavy mood affected everyone. Morale dropped like a stone.
"Shut up!" Karui snapped. "We're shinobi! We don't give up—not even at the very end."
Kakashi, calm as ever, drew his short sword from behind his back.
"She's right. Be ready to fight. Let's move."
As a seasoned Konoha ninja, Kakashi knew this place. It was the domain of the Tsuchigumo Clan and home to their secret technique—one powerful enough to level an entire region.
What worried him now was the possibility that the Akatsuki hadn't just taken the Six-Tails, but also kidnapped the clan's heir. That would be a disaster.
"Yes, sir!"
Kakashi led the charge, vaulting through the broken barrier and scaling the cliffs. Team Dusk followed close behind.
To their surprise, there was no ambush. They reached the mountaintop compound without resistance.
There, they were met with a gruesome sight—three corpses and chunks of flesh littered the ground.
"These aren't Akatsuki members," someone observed. "Their numbers and clothing don't match."
"Right. The Six-Tails might still be here—and there are survivors inside," added a Sunagakure scout.
From inside the house, an old retainer named Tonbei peeked through the window. When he saw the group of fifteen shinobi in the courtyard, he mistook them for the same bandits from earlier. It was impossible for anyone to arrive from Konoha in just a few hours.
He moved to trigger the traps.
"Wait!" Kakashi shouted. "We're from Konoha. Don't be afraid!"
The name Konoha meant more than any of the Five Great Nations here. After all, they were allies of the Tsuchigumo Clan.
Tonbei hesitated, then saw the forehead protectors—clearly shinobi from various hidden villages. He let out a long sigh of relief. They weren't bandits.
He stepped out of the house, waving them in. "Come quickly. You arrived just in time. We have wounded inside—please help them."
"Got it." Kakashi nodded and signaled a medical ninja forward.
Inside, they found a man lying unconscious in the inner room, a young girl anxiously watching over him as the medic worked.
Everyone from Team Dusk had memorized the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki's face.
There was no doubt—this was Utakata.
The battle-hardened shinobi casually took up positions around the room, seemingly resting... but in truth, surrounding him on all sides.
Of course, Naruto, as always, sat right by Utakata's side, watching the medical ninja work with concern.
"Is he going to be okay?" Naruto asked, voice filled with worry. As a fellow Jinchūriki, he felt a deep kinship with every one of them.
Chōjūrō silently watched her from behind, his heart quietly stirred.
Miss Naruko is not only beautiful... she's so kind-hearted too!
"He's suffered extensive electrocution and pushed his body beyond the limit using tailed beast chakra. He's unconscious now, but his life isn't in danger. With medical ninjutsu and some healing medicine, he'll recover soon."
Gakuya had been careful with the intensity of the attack. With proper treatment and a dose of medicine from the Federation, Utakata would wake up before long.
Hotaru still looked uneasy. "Are you sure? Could you double-check, just in case?"
The medic shot her a sideways glance. "Don't question my work. Kirigakure's hydrotherapy techniques are no joke."
"Alright… Thank you."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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