Chapter 26

As they made their way back inside, he followed behind her, his eyes instinctively trailing lower. Even though her curves weren’t exaggerated, there was a certain plumpness to her figure that caught his attention.

‘Can’t wait to see the asses in One Piece,’ he thought, smirking to himself as they walked back into the room.


Back in the Leaf Village

The air inside the Hokage’s office was thick with tension. Tsunade sat at her desk, her fingers interlocked as she considered her next move. She knew sending Team Kakashi alone was a risk, and after careful thought, she made her decision.

"Team Guy, I’m deploying you as backup for Team Kakashi," she announced, her tone firm. "There’s no telling what they might run into. The Akatsuki aren’t an enemy to take lightly."

Might Guy, ever the energetic shinobi, gave her a confident thumbs-up. His eyes burned with the passion of youth. "Do not worry, Lady Tsunade! We shall ensure Kakashi and his team receive the support they need!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee echoed, standing at attention, his posture as enthusiastic as ever.

Guy turned to his student, nodding in approval. "Let us go, Lee! We have comrades in need!"

Without hesitation, the two burst into motion, sprinting off like a pair of green blurs.

Meanwhile, Neji and Tenten remained behind for a moment, watching the ridiculous display. Tenten let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms.

"When will those two ever grow up?" she muttered under her breath.

Neji, who was more accustomed to their antics, simply shook his head. "At this point, it’s a lost cause."

Despite their complaints, both of them quickly followed after their teammates, knowing that whatever lay ahead, they needed to be there to face it together.


....

As they continued their journey toward the Akatsuki’s supposed hideout, the group moved swiftly, leaping from tree to tree with remarkable speed. The wind rushed past them, carrying the weight of their mission. Amidst the rhythmic movement, the old hag Chiyo took it upon herself to educate them on a crucial piece of history.

"They're massive creatures, each possessing unique powers," she began, her tone carrying the weight of experience. "Ninjas known as Jinchūriki have them sealed inside their bodies, forced to live with the immense power of these beings. The Sand’s Kazekage, Gaara, carries the One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku, within him."

Naruto clenched his fists at the mention of Jinchūriki, fully understanding the burden Gaara bore.

"In total, there are nine tailed beasts, each varying in strength based on the number of tails they possess. The One-Tail is the weakest, while the Nine-Tails is the strongest. During the Great Ninja War, many villages sought to control these creatures, seeing them as nothing more than tools of war," she explained.

Naruto’s expression darkened, but he remained silent.

They soon reached a clearing, Kakashi landing first as his eyes scanned the area. Something felt… off.

"Everyone halt!" he commanded, his voice sharp and urgent.

Before them stood a figure clad in a red and black cloak, its fabric adorned with the signature cloud patterns of the Akatsuki. The air grew heavier as the man slowly raised his head, revealing piercing red eyes with an intricate pattern spinning within.

"That’s—!"

"Yes, it's Uchiha Itachi," Kakashi confirmed, his tone grave.

Sakura's breath hitched as she stared at the man responsible for all of Sasuke’s suffering. That’s him…? she thought, anxiety creeping in.

Travis, on the other hand, stepped forward casually, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Wow, they look even better upfront, not gonna lie."

"Travis, don’t look into his eyes!" Kakashi warned urgently. "If he traps you in his genjutsu, it’s over!"

"True… unless you can break out of it," Travis replied nonchalantly.

"If it were an ordinary genjutsu, I’d agree," Kakashi countered. "But his eyes possess the Mangekyō Sharingan—a rare and far more powerful form. The genjutsu it casts is beyond your average technique. If he catches you in Tsukuyomi, even a moment feels like an eternity."

Itachi remained expressionless, his deep, monotone voice carrying an unsettling calm. "How expected of you, Kakashi-san. Despite experiencing Tsukuyomi only once, you've managed to analyze its nature. I'm impressed."

Travis stared at them both with the side of his eye.

' Bro they always glaze each other' he thought.

Kakashi narrowed his gaze, pulling his headband up to reveal his own Sharingan. "Yes, but I also know the strain it puts on you. You don’t use it lightly. It drains a massive amount of chakra, making it a trump card you keep in reserve. And beyond that…" Kakashi’s expression turned even more serious. "There's an even greater risk—one that I’m sure you know very well."

Travis barely paid attention to their exchange, his thoughts racing.

' Should I fight him? Kakashi can handle this, but it’ll waste time. Not that I care about Gaara, but if I had to guess, they’ve probably already finished whatever they were doing with him.'

The next second, before anyone could blink, Travis disappeared.

A sharp whoosh cut through the air.

The next thing they knew, Itachi’s head was no longer attached to his body.

A stunned silence fell over the group as the mirage shattered, revealing the truth—the figure they had been fighting wasn’t actually Itachi, but a mere clone.

"What… just happened?" Sakura thought, frozen in place.

"When did he even move?" Kakashi lowered his guard slightly, still trying to process what he’d witnessed.

Naruto, however, recovered first. "Whoa! Travis, you’re fast as hell!" he shouted, jogging up to him with wide eyes.

Travis simply shrugged. "I guess."

"Was that a jutsu?" Naruto asked, still in awe.

"No," Travis replied with a smirk. "That was just a light sprint."

Naruto’s awe turned into excitement. "Damn, that was awesome! But no time to waste—we need to save Gaara!"

"Then let’s move," Travis said, already leaping forward.

TO BE CONTINUED