Konoha - Forest of Death
It was nearly the end of the school day.
Naruto, having confirmed the time, released his sensory abilities to prepare for the trip home—when something odd caught his attention.
"So many ANBU in the Forest of Death? Hm... Eight of them, and it looks like three are running for their lives. Oh, looks like a battle's already started."
Naruto instantly recognized the chakra of the three who were fleeing.
They were the same ANBU operatives who had blocked his path the night the Uchiha clan was exterminated—when he had jumped down from the rooftop.
Feeling a strange sense of familiarity, Naruto's figure flickered—vanishing in an instant as he rushed toward their location.
Amegakure - Hidden Rain Village
Thunderclouds churned across the sky. Lightning crackled faintly among the dark clouds.
After finishing the Akatsuki meeting, Pain walked alone to the edge of a towering steel structure, where he stood silently under the eaves, waiting.
Moments later, sheets of paper fluttered through the rain, merging mid-air into the form of Konan.
"He's here."
Pain stood without a word and stepped out into the pouring rain. There, in the distance, stood a lone figure cloaked in a long, hooded robe.
"Konoha seems to have caught on to our goals," Pain said.
The man in the hood slowly turned, revealing a mask patterned in a spiraling vortex, with only a single dark eyehole.
"Even if they know, it changes nothing. And based on Sasori and Deidara's encounter, there's still no solid proof we've been exposed. Black Zetsu confirmed through his Spore Technique that Uchiha Itachi has remained on task with Kisame the entire time. He had no opportunity to leak information."
Pain's gaze sharpened.
"That's not why I called you here. I need confirmation on something else."
BOOM!
Thunder split the sky, illuminating the masked figure's face. In the flash of light, a single crimson three-tomoe Sharingan gleamed from behind the mask.
"What do you want to confirm?"
Pain stared directly at the Sharingan beneath the spiral mask.
"Now that we've officially begun the tailed beast extraction plan, even though the Five-Tails capture failed, there's another we've had under control this entire time. Compared to the others, this one is the easiest to capture successfully."
The Sharingan glinted brighter—growing more vivid in color.
After a long silence, the masked man finally spoke:
"It's not time yet. That person still has a role to play—both they and the beast inside them have unfinished destinies."
Forest of Death - Konoha
Hidden in the shadows, Naruto observed the battle unfold before him.
Both sides had closed to taijutsu range, and it had become an all-out melee.
He unexpectedly recognized one of the female ANBU. Her swordsmanship was refined and deadly. She had long purple hair and wore an avian-patterned ANBU mask.
Despite the odds, Naruto noted that the three ANBU fugitives—those he recognized—were no pushovers.
Against five opponents, they had already managed to take down two using desperate, all-or-nothing tactics.
"Makes sense. Desperation… it's one of the most terrifying and effective tactics, no matter the world or time."
Now only one of the attackers remained: a man wearing a blood-red demon mask, currently surrounded and wary of a last-ditch counterattack.
"Yagui! Root was officially disbanded. You dare reassemble without orders and defy the Hokage's command? That's treason! Surrender now, and there's still a chance to explain yourself!"
The female ANBU—who Naruto now suspected to be someone he knew—shouted sharply.
Naruto realized these three were remnants of Danzo's Root.
"So Hiruzen's finally decided to openly clean house, huh? I wonder what happened in the village to make him move so boldly..."
The masked man, Yagui, chuckled darkly.
"Treason? Heh… Night Dance, don't tell me you've forgotten who we really serve. We've always answered only to Lord Danzo. And everyone in ANBU knows the truth—Danzo and the Hokage are two sides of the same coin!"
"Enough. Attack!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
As Night Dance's teammates launched their combo attack, Yagui had already formed his own hand seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A massive earthen wall surged up to intercept the combined assault. But Yagui's instincts suddenly screamed danger.
Night Dance didn't attack?!
Realizing too late, Yagui leapt back—but three sword-wielding figures struck from different angles. He hurled shuriken with both hands, then leapt forward to clash directly with the closest one.
BOOM!
All three attackers vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Shadow clones…"
Yagui's eyes narrowed behind his mask.
"Crescent Moon Dance."
Squelch!
The moment he landed—a blade pierced straight through his heart from behind.
THUD!
Yagui collapsed, lifeless.
"Retrieve all bodies."
Night Dance wiped her sword and walked over to Yagui's corpse, pulling out a scroll to begin the sealing process.
But just as she unrolled it—a kunai landed at her feet.
Then—sharp pain bloomed in her chest.
Looking down, she saw a hand covered in pale blue chakra—*a chakra blade—*thrust through her from behind.
THUD!
As she hit the ground, she caught a final glimpse of her teammates—each similarly impaled from behind by two figures in black cloaks and plain black masks, devoid of markings.
Her vision faded as her mask was lifted from her face.
"I knew it. Uzuki Yugao. Don't worry. Moonlight Hayate will be joining you soon. Though… I wonder which world you two will meet in."
"He… he knows me… and Hayate…"
That was the last thought Yugao had before everything went dark.
From the treetops, Naruto glanced at the scrolls scattered on the ground.
He gave a soft chuckle and summoned a few shadow clones to help collect them.
Moments later, he activated Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished from the scene.
But he deliberately left behind Yagui's demon mask.
Later That Night – Hokage's Office
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat silently at his desk.
Before him lay Yagui's blood-red demon mask.
His face was grim—his expression so dark it seemed the air around him grew heavy.
After a long moment, he stood.
"Hayate!"
SWOOSH!
Moonlight Hayate appeared in an instant.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Come with me. We're going to pay a visit to Advisor Danzo."
"Yes!"
Just as the two reached the office door, Hiruzen stopped.
"I'll go on ahead. You contact the other two advisors. And summon the heads of the Aburame and Yamanaka clans. We'll need them present as well."
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