Two days later.
Namikaze Minato officially announced the alliance between Konoha and Iwagakure.
The entire village celebrated.
On the rooftop of the Hokage building, witnessed by the citizens of Konoha, the Fifth Hokage and the Fifth Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi, shook hands—symbolizing the new union between their villages.
The following day, Kurotsuchi, along with her two guards, departed Konoha under escort, returning to the Land of Earth. With that, the diplomatic mission ca to a close.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
It was late morning.
At Guts' ho, the sll of lunch filled the air, drifting warmly from the kitchen. From inside ca the soft sizzle of stir-fry and the clink of cutlery, courtesy of Yūhi Kurenai, now fully embracing the role of a housewife.
Joining her today in the kitchen was Hinata, who had taken to helping with al prep recently.
After returning to the Hyuga compound and spending a few days with their father, both Hinata and Hanabi had without hesitation, moved back into Guts house.
On the living room sofa, Hanabi collapsed face-first into Guts' lap, letting out a tired groan.
"…Huhuhu…"
She let out a light whimper from her sore muscles. Morning training had pushed her past her limit.
It reminded her of Anko's stories about being completely broken by Guts back in the day.
Soon, she fell asleep right there on his leg.
"Lunch is ready," Kurenai called softly.
Hinata followed with a small tray of side dishes. As Guts gently smacked Hanabi's cheek a couple of tis...more teasing than waking, she groaned in protest but got up anyway.
They had barely started eating when a blur of white hair burst through the doorway.
"GUTS!"
Kakashi Hatake, panting and anxious, ca to a halt in front of the table.
Everyone turned to him.
Kakashi's voice was urgent. "It's Gaara. Sothing's happened...he's been taken!"
Guts' expression darkened.
Tsunade, standing in the hallway and having overheard the commotion, looked grim. She too had heard the na before...Akatsuki.
So it begins.
The mysterious organization finally made its move.
Guts stuffed the last bite of Hinata's homade hamburger into his mouth, stood up, and walked over to Kakashi.
"I'm going," he said, as if the decision was already made.
Behind him, Hanabi imdiately jumped up, eyes wide with determination.
"I'm coming too!"
Guts glanced at her, then gave a single nod. "Alright."
"Co on, Onee-san!"
Hanabi reached back and pulled Hinata to her feet. Hinata looked to Guts for permission, and when he didn't object, she followed with a quiet but resolute nod.
Together, the four of them hurried to the Hokage building.
Inside the office, Team Guy and Team 7 had already assembled, along with Might Guy and Naruto, who now stood taller, more serious than he had been two years ago.
Namikaze Minato wasted no ti. "Guts. Kazekage Gaara has been kidnapped by the group Jiraiya warned us about...Akatsuki. What's your take?"
Minato offered two options:
Either Guts stayed behind to temporarily handle the village while Minato went…
Or Guts personally led the mission while Minato remained in Konoha.
Guts shrugged. "I'm no politician, and paperwork bores . Besides, I've been curious about Akatsuki for a while now."
Minato nodded. "Understood. I'll stay behind then."
Kushina, standing next to her husband, looked anxious. "Please… everyone. Bring Gaara back safely."
As a Jinchūriki, Kushina had always viewed Gaara—another host of a tailed beast, as family. He reminded her too much of herself.
"I promise, Mom." Naruto clenched his fists, eyes burning with resolve. "I'll save him."
Their team wasted no ti. They moved fast, at near full sprint with barely any rest.
Most were Jōnin-level. Even Tenten, though slightly below the rest, had grown strong under Guy's brutal training. She managed to keep up.
They blazed through the forests of the Land of Fire and into the border region of the Land of Rivers, the halfway point between Fire and Wind Country.
But then, Guts stopped.
His eyes narrowed. He tilted his head slightly, as if listening.
Kakashi paused beside him. "What is it?"
Guts didn't answer imdiately.
Instead, he walked toward the edge of a shallow forest.
"Akatsuki passed through here," he said.
"Eh? How do you know?" Rock Lee asked curiously.
Might Guy suddenly gasped. "Wait! Could it be… the Voice of All Things?"
Lee, Neji, and Tenten all blinked in confusion.
Guy nodded to them. "Guts once told . He has a unique sensory ability...he can hear the voices of all things… trees, animals, even the wind."
Guts casually knocked on the trunk of a nearby tree.
"This one told two people—Akatsuki mbers passed through here. They were carrying Gaara. Headed north."
Even soone as skeptical as Neji didn't doubt it. Coming from Guts, such a bizarre ability felt… believable.
Kakashi quickly proposed a new plan. "Guy and I will keep heading toward the Wind Country and et up with Temari's group. Guts, you take Hinata and Hanabi and try to cut them off."
Guts gave a nod. "Works for . I'm not in the mood to chase them across deserts."
Following the voices of nature, Guts led the Hyuga sisters along the trail of Deidara and Sasori.
However, it was clear...at least two days had already passed since the two Akatsuki had co through this path. Catching up wouldn't be easy.
anwhile…
In the dark interior of a mountain cave, surrounded by flickering torches and eerie silence, the mbers of Akatsuki appeared in their phantom forms.
At the center, Gaara was suspended mid-air, his body glowing faintly. The ritual had begun.
The Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals was already underway—extracting Shukaku from Gaara's body into the Gedo Statue.
Zetsu, half-white and half-black, knelt near the cave's mouth, his tone cautious.
"Sasori, Deidara… you've been tracked. And not just by anyone."
Pain, who stood within the ritual's glow, opened his eyes. "Who?"
Black Zetsu's voice was low and hoarse.
"The one they call... the strongest in the ninja world."
A mont of silence fell.
Even Itachi and Shisui, their silhouettes faint within the Phantom Projection, changed their faces for different reasons entirely.
Pain closed his eyes briefly, recalling the mory of three of his Six Paths being eliminated in an instant...by that man.
"Can the puppets even hold him back?"
No one answered.
Then Pain asked coldly, "Whose real body is closest?"
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