"Shit."
In an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Konoha, Kakashi peered through a crack in the window, taking in the grim reality of the village's situation. "Shisui and Guy are still holding their own, but the Sandaime is in for a real fight!"
It was frustrating. His friends, his companions, and even the Hokage were fighting on the front lines while he was relegated to this damp, dark warehouse. Kakashi felt a wave of helplessness wash over him, but he had no choice.
According to the intelligence left behind by Aizen, the enemy's ultimate goal was to unseal the Nine-Tails. To prevent the worst-case scenario, Sarutobi Hiruzen had deliberately chosen this remote location as Naruto's safe house and had solemnly entrusted Kakashi with the boy's protection.
No matter how much he disliked playing babysitter, Kakashi couldn't refuse. This was his sensei's child, after all. He wouldn't let him fall into harm's away.
Thinking of this, Kakashi turned to check on Naruto, only to freeze.
The golden-haired boy who was supposed to be sitting there was gone. Only a green-covered manga book remained on the floor, seemingly mocking Kakashi's lapse in focus.
How is this possible? When did he slip out?
Kakashi scrambled to his feet and scanned the area. Finally, he spotted the boy in the alleyway behind the warehouse. Naruto had already stepped out into the open, his eyes fixed on the smoke rising in the distance.
"Aizen-sensei... I'll keep my promise!" Naruto whispered.
"Naruto, get back here!"
At Kakashi's shout, Naruto glanced back briefly but ignored him. He kicked off the ground with surprising force, leaping onto the low eaves of a nearby building.
Where does he think he's going?
Kakashi frowned and gave chase. To his absolute shock, even at his full speed, he could only barely keep pace with the boy. The sight completely overturned everything Kakashi knew about ninja ranks.
He was a Jōnin—an elite. How was he being outrun by a child who hadn't even attended the Academy? Was Naruto being possessed by the ghost of his father, the Yellow Flash?
The chase led them across the rooftops of southern Konoha. Kakashi felt the exertion weighing on him, beads of sweat forming on his brow. Fortunately, Naruto finally skidded to a halt, staring quietly at the Hokage Rock in the distance.
"Naruto, you—"
"I'm not going back," the boy interrupted, his voice uncharacteristically firm. "I don't want to listen to you anymore. I'm going to wait here for Aizen-sensei, just like we agreed!"
Kakashi sighed, unsure of how to comfort him. He wasn't particularly good with children, but he knew one thing: staying here was suicide. Danzo was still lurking in the shadows like a venomous snake, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Whether for the sake of the village or the boy's own safety, Kakashi couldn't let him stay.
"Sorry, Naruto."
With a soft sigh, Kakashi moved. He formed a hand-sword and struck the back of Naruto's neck with surgical precision. The boy, seemingly unprepared for the sudden strike from his protector, stiffened and slumped toward the ground.
Rumble.
Suddenly, a massive roar shook the air. A dark green colossus made of pure chakra erupted into Kakashi's field of vision.
"That... that is..." Kakashi stammered, his eyes wide with shock.
Susanoo.
Facing the swarming Iwagakure forces, Shisui had finally unleashed his trump card. A dark green giant, tens of meters tall, stood defiant amidst the streets of Konoha—ferocious, towering, and seemingly invincible.
The appearance of the ethereal titan sent shockwaves through the battlefield.
"Damn it, Susanoo?!"
Ohnoki, who had been leisurely wearing down the Hokage and the Raikage, went pale. "Quickly! Notify Kitsuchi! Tell them to evacuate that sector immediately!"
But he was too late. Susanoo's blade of light was already descending.
Rumble!
The unrivaled power of the Uchiha's ultimate defense caused the very earth to tremble, sending massive clouds of debris into the sky.
"Curse it all..." Ohnoki's expression turned hideous. Though he couldn't see the specific casualties, the sheer scale of that attack suggested his son and the Iwagakure units in that quadrant were in dire straits.
Taking several sharp breaths to steady himself, Ohnoki hissed through gritted teeth, "I didn't expect you to have such a secret weapon hidden away. I truly underestimated you, Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"You said it yourself, Ohnoki," Hiruzen replied calmly, raising his adamant staff. "You have no chance of winning this war."
The irony was not lost on Ohnoki. Hearing his own words thrown back at him stung with humiliation. In truth, he was already calculating a retreat. He had underestimated the tenacity of the two Kage before him, and he certainly hadn't accounted for an Uchiha capable of manifesting Susanoo still being present in the village.
If he had more time, he could deal with them. But time was a luxury he no longer possessed. If the battle dragged on, that Susanoo would eventually make its way here, posing a fatal threat to his remaining troops.
Should I withdraw?
As Ohnoki wavered, a cold, rasping voice cut through the air.
"So many Kage gathered in one place... It seems luck is on my side today. If I were to turn your bodies in for the bounties, it would be an astronomical sum."
Several figures emerged from the smoke, surrounding Ohnoki, Hiruzen, and the Raikage. Though they were a motley crew of individuals, they all wore the same chilling uniform: black cloaks embroidered with blood-red clouds.
The Akatsuki had finally entered the fray.