In the distance.
The three—Uchiha Itachi, Yamato, and Yamanaka Kaede—who were retreating at full speed, came to a simultaneous halt.
They turned back in horror.
Far on the horizon, the sky had been completely dyed a deep crimson by an endless sea of flames.
A colossal fire tornado, like a divine whip of punishment, pierced through heaven and earth, raging wildly as it ravaged the entire area.
Even from such a vast distance, they could still feel the destructive, heart-palpitating waves of power.
Thanks to her sensory abilities, Kaede perceived it more vividly than the others.
Within that inferno, those several initially formidable chakra signatures—like candles flickering in the wind—were extinguished in an instant, without even a chance to struggle.
Completely erased from the world.
"This... what is..." Yamato's voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremor.
The Wood Release he wielded symbolized the power of "life."
Yet the apocalyptic scene in the distance was pure, unadulterated "death."
In Uchiha Itachi's crimson Sharingan eyes, the three tomoe spun rapidly.
What insane level of destructive force was this!
Just what kind of terrifying power had this man obtained in Mount Myōboku?
Itachi had always believed he had overestimated Akashi Sora sufficiently.
But now, it was clear that what he had seen was merely the tip of the iceberg.
As the three stood in overwhelming shock,
A figure leisurely strolled toward them from the direction of the blazing sea of fire.
Sora had released his Sage Mode; the orange-red markings around his eyes faded, and he reverted to his usual energetic, "little sunshine" demeanor.
He caught up to the group, stopped in front of them, and casually brushed the ash from his hands.
"Alright, the flies have all been cleaned up."
Glancing at the three still frozen in astonishment, he waved cheerfully with a grin.
"What are you all standing around for? Let's go!"
As he spoke, he passed by Itachi,
Casually snatching the sack containing Karin from the other's arms with effortless ease.
"Thanks."
Itachi offered no response. For the first time, he did not conceal it—his crimson Sharingan eyes stared directly at Sora's retreating back.
Dead silence.
The air was thick with the scent of charred wood and sulfur—the lingering aftermath of senjutsu's rampage.
Yamato and Kaede remained rigid in place, their minds still struggling to process the cataclysmic spectacle they had just witnessed.
With just a few techniques, he had completely wiped two elite Iwagakure pursuit squads from existence.
Not even a scrap of clothing remained.
And the man responsible for it all was now hoisting a sack over his shoulder, urging them to hurry along.
The stark contrast shattered their perception for a brief moment.
"Wow..."
Kaede suddenly blurted out inexplicably.
She gazed at Sora's back—not particularly broad, even somewhat lean—and murmured to herself.
"The captain's figure suddenly looks so imposing."
This abrupt quip was like a pebble dropped into still water, breaking the frozen atmosphere.
Sora paused, turned back, and flashed his familiar, infuriatingly cheerful grin.
"Oh? Senior Kaede, is this you openly flirting with your superior officer?"
He winked at her.
"I suppose when I submit the mission report to the Hokage, I'll have to put in a good word for you. Something like: During the mission, Yamanaka Kaede showed exceptional concern for her new captain, even sending subtle romantic signals..."
"I was wrong! Captain, sir!"
Kaede jolted upright, snapping to perfect attention and bowing at a precise ninety degrees—flawless form.
No joke.
This guy was no longer the casual colleague she could pinch or tease.
He had just plowed through an entire forest with a single technique.
"Hahaha!"
Sora laughed triumphantly.
Good—he had finally snapped these stunned fools back to reality.
Establishing authority.
A team couldn't rely solely on camaraderie.
It also required absolute, unquestionable dominance.
He needed Yamato, Itachi, and Kaede to clearly understand that he, Akashi Sora, possessed the overwhelming power to crush them at any moment.
Only then could this future Hokage-direct elite assassination unit truly achieve perfect discipline—orders followed without question, moving as one.
Just then,
The lighter sack on his right shoulder began to squirm restlessly again.
"Mm... let me go..."
Intermittent, tearful struggles echoed from within.
Sora sighed.
"Sigh. There shouldn't be any danger now."
He set both sacks on the ground and untied the one holding Karin.
"Come on out."
He nodded toward Kaede.
After a brief hesitation, Kaede stepped forward and gently helped the trembling little girl—who had been curled up inside—out of the sack.
When Karin saw Sora again, her body shook even harder, instinctively trying to hide behind Kaede.
Sora paid no mind to her fear.
He crouched down, reached out, and with a gentle yet firm grip that brooked no refusal, lifted her chin to force her to look up.
He carefully studied the tear-streaked, dirt-smudged little face and those wide eyes dilated with terror.
Uzumaki clan's signature red hair—confirmed.
Immense vitality—confirmed.
And that special chakra-sensing ability hidden deep in her bloodline—also confirmed.
A fine uncut gem.
Just one that had been badly mistreated.
Sora released her chin, stood up, then turned around, facing away from Karin as he crouched slightly lower.
"I'll carry her on my back."
The gesture was natural, as if it were the most obvious thing.
Yamato and Kaede both froze.
"Sorry about that, little one."
Without turning, Sora spoke to the girl in as gentle a tone as he could manage.
"Some bad guys were chasing us earlier, so big brother here got a bit rushed and knocked you out."
"It's safe now."
"I'll carry you on my back and take you to a new place—a place where no one will ever bite you again."
No one will ever bite you again.
Those words were like a faint ray of light piercing into the dark, hopeless world Karin had known.
She stared blankly at that not-so-broad back.
Around her were two masked "monsters" and one beautiful but intimidating older sister without a mask.
And this "demon"—who had roughly stuffed her into a sack and even kicked it several times—was now offering to carry her?
And take her to a... new place?
Karin hesitated, her tiny body frozen in place.
"Get on."
A hint of impatience crept into Sora's voice.
He hated wasting time more than anything.
Startled by his tone, Karin flinched and almost instinctively shuffled forward two steps. Her small arms wrapped around his neck as she climbed onto his back.
So warm.
That was the only thought in Karin's mind the moment she settled there.
This man's back was so warm.
Completely unlike the cold, emotionless demeanor he had shown earlier.
Feeling the slight weight on his back, Sora straightened up with satisfaction.
"Alright, that's better."
He supported the bend of her legs with one hand to keep her secure, then waved to the others.
"Pack it up! This time, we're really heading home for barbecue!"
The four figures set off once more.
This time, the team's atmosphere grew even stranger.
Sora carried the red-haired little girl on his back; Yamato hoisted the sack containing the A-rank renegade.
Kaede walked beside Sora, occasionally casting complicated glances—at him, then at the girl on his back.
Yamato remained silent as ever, though his pace seemed quicker than on the outbound journey.
Uchiha Itachi lingered at the rear like a shadow, but his Sharingan eyes clearly observed every reaction from those ahead.
Sora paid no attention to his teammates' thoughts.
With Karin on his back, he felt her faint, steady breathing against him.
Exhausted from fear and tension, the girl had already fallen asleep.
That suited him just fine—it saved him trouble.
His mind had already drifted to what came next upon returning to the village.
How should he arrange for Karin?
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