Utakata stood frozen in place, stunned into silence by the man's every word. At this moment, he could no longer utter a single word in defense.
The brutal truth crashed down on him like a sledgehammer, leaving him no choice but to accept the unbearable reality.
Suddenly, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.
With trembling hands, he clutched his head tightly, tears pouring from his eyes like a dam had burst.
"It's my fault... I killed my master… It was my paranoia..." he muttered hoarsely.
His body trembled uncontrollably, wracked with guilt and remorse.
The man silently watched him, a flicker of barely concealed satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
"This isn't the time for tears! The Shinobi World stands on the brink of destruction, and you're still clinging to your obsessions?" he said coldly, towering over Utakata.
Utakata raised his head and bowed deeply three times, his forehead striking the ground with audible thuds.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." he repeated over and over.
The man shook his head slightly. "I've long let go of hatred. I never intended to see you again in this lifetime, but since I've received a request from the Mizukage herself, I'm here to ask you to return to Kirigakure."
He could clearly see the hesitation and fear in Utakata's eyes, so he continued,
"Under the Mizukage's leadership, Kirigakure is no longer the Blood Mist of the past. If you return, you'll be well protected. No one's going to imprison you."
"…Thank you. I'll go back," Utakata replied without hesitation. He couldn't think of a single reason to refuse.
The man reached into his sleeve and tossed a Kirigakure forehead protector to the ground in front of Utakata.
Utakata stared at the familiar headband in surprise, then instinctively reached for it and placed it back on his forehead.
His teammates from team Dusk stood quietly to the side, listening in silence to Utakata's story.
Among them, two felt his pain the most—Naruto, especially, found himself deeply moved. His eyes welled up as he thought of his own master, the lecherous sage who had cared for him like a father.
If he had ever been the one to accidentally kill his own teacher… he couldn't even imagine it. He'd lose his mind.
(Killing one's master really is a time-honored tradition in the Shinobi World...)
Beside him, Chōjūrō temporarily forgot how close he had come to dying moments earlier. He quickly pulled some tissues from his pocket and handed them to Naruto.
Kakashi listened to the story in silence, a powerful sense of familiarity washing over him. He, too, had once killed the most important person in his life—and led his dearest friend down a dark path.
But there was still a mission to complete.
He took a deep breath to steady himself and stepped forward, gently placing his right hand on Utakata's shoulder.
"The past can't be changed, Utakata. What matters is what we do now—and what comes next."
Utakata looked up, his tear-streaked face filled with resolve.
"I understand. I'm ready to fight the Akatsuki with you."
"Good." Kakashi gave him a faint, relieved smile. "Then let's fight—for the sake of the Shinobi World."
Utakata wiped away the last of his tears and stood tall, his eyes filled with determination.
"I'll use my power to make up for my mistakes."
Just then, Hotaru tugged at his sleeve. "Sensei… don't abandon me again, okay?"
Utakata's expression softened, guilt flickering across his face.
"I'm sorry… everything I said earlier—I didn't mean it. I don't think I can live without you anymore."
Hotaru immediately broke into a smile, tears still clinging to her lashes.
"It's okay! I'll forgive you this time, but no more of that, alright?"
...
Just as the atmosphere lightened, a rustling came from the dense trees behind them.
"Who's there?!"
In an instant, everyone tensed, dropping into battle stances. Time seemed to freeze as their eyes locked onto the source of the noise.
A lone figure slowly emerged from the underbrush, covered in dirt and leaves like a soldier returning from the front lines. His bandaged body and exhausted face made it clear—he'd just fought a hard battle and traveled a long way to get here.
Seeing that everyone was safe and unharmed, he let out a long breath and leaned against a tree for support, gasping like he was trying to empty his lungs of every last drop of air.
"Finally... I made it."
Naruto's eyes lit up the moment he recognized the newcomer. Despite the disheveled state, he could never forget that face—his childhood friend and truancy buddy, Nara Shikamaru!
Without hesitation, Naruto sprinted over and caught him in his arms.
"Shikamaru! What are you doing here?" he asked excitedly.
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat when he noticed there was no one else with Shikamaru. He had a feeling he already knew what was coming.
Shikamaru took a deep breath, his face grave.
"We were ambushed by the Akatsuki. Asuma-sensei... he didn't make it."
Kakashi fell silent. That was the fate awaiting most shinobi—death on the battlefield, be it today or tomorrow.
The only thing he could do for Asuma now… was avenge him.
Naruto's eyes went wide, his expression filled with disbelief.
He couldn't accept it. Asuma was strong. How could someone like him die so easily?
Asuma had once taught him how to harness wind chakra—he wasn't just a powerful shinobi, but a respected mentor. The weight in Naruto's chest grew heavier with every memory.
The rest of team Dusk looked somber. They might not have known Asuma, but his death meant one thing—the Akatsuki were getting dangerously close.
And they were strong.
Naruto's voice shook with worry. "What about Chōji and Ino?!"
Shikamaru's face had gone emotionless, his voice mechanical.
"I sent them to bring Asuma-sensei's body back to the village. I took a shortcut to find you and deliver intel. The two Akatsuki members we fought… their techniques were bizarre."
"Asuma-sensei managed to uncover some of their abilities before he died. I also got more intel after interrogating a bounty station boss. Combining the two, I was able to piece together some of their powers."
"What abilities?!" Kakashi asked urgently. As a veteran shinobi, he knew just how critical intel was—especially when facing strange and deadly opponents.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (237 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)