Night fell over Konoha.
In the temporary holding chamber, the remains of shattered mechanical puppets lay scattered across the floor. Beside them, eight stretchers were lined up in a row, white sheets covering the bodies of eight fallen Konoha shinobi.
Konohamaru clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned pale. Guilt and anguish were written plainly across his face.
He had led the emergency mission to investigate the white airship that crashed in the southern forests of the Land of Fire. He had brought back the wreckage… and his comrades' corpses.
In another timeline, this mission had been carried out by Team Boruto with full support from scientific ninja tools. They had struggled—but no one died.
This time, without Boruto's team and without Katasuke's assistance, the mission still succeeded.
The cost, however, was steep.
"When we entered the airship," Konohamaru said hoarsely, "we found a black container. The moment we opened it, these puppets sprang out."
"They were equipped with built-in mechanisms that fired Fire Release chakra rounds—like advanced scientific ninja tools. We were caught completely off guard."
"To destroy them… we lost one jōnin and seven chūnin."
He lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Lord Seventh. Sorry, Mr. Sasuke. I bear the primary responsibility. If I had reacted faster… if I had called for reinforcements…"
"This isn't your fault."
Naruto's voice was steady, but hollow.
Dark circles lined his eyes. For three days, he hadn't slept, hadn't eaten properly. Boruto and Sarada were gone without a trace. Konoha had suffered blow after blow.
Sasuke looked no better—hair unwashed, expression drained. Since reopening the space-time portal three days ago, the tomoe of his Rinnegan had yet to reappear.
Outside, footsteps splashed through rain-soaked mud.
"I'm Katasuke from the Scientific Ninja Tools Division. Please let me examine them."
"You need the Hokage's permission!"
"Let him in," Shikamaru said from inside. "These puppets clearly use scientific technology. His insight is necessary."
"And we've confirmed that Katasuke's erratic behavior during the Chūnin Exams was due to some external technique affecting his emotions."
"It wasn't just him. Many villagers were influenced."
"For reasons unknown, three nights ago, everyone suddenly regained clarity."
Sasuke asked quietly, "The mastermind still hasn't been found?"
Shikamaru shook his head.
"The timing was precise. During the Exams' collapse. While the Five Kage were trapped in another dimension."
"The moment the Kage returned, the culprit vanished."
"If they slipped out with the retreating forces, we have no means to trace them."
"At least… they didn't push things further."
Naruto's voice was low.
"Let him in."
Katasuke entered and immediately began inspecting the mechanical puppets, examining them one by one with tools and scanners.
His eyes sharpened. He nodded at certain structures, sucked in breath at others.
After finishing, he crouched in silence for a long time.
"Yes… these puppets contain my scientific designs."
"So it traces back to that mistake…"
"Mistake?" Shikamaru pressed.
"Six months ago, my assistant Tekkuse accidentally discarded research data. We retrieved it—but it was out of my sight for over six hours."
"That was enough."
"Where is this assistant now?"
"He took leave to visit home half a month ago. He hasn't returned."
Shikamaru sighed softly.
"He won't be returning."
"We've been outplayed again."
Katasuke continued gravely.
"These combat puppets use my technology as a base."
"If I'd deployed my latest prototype—the one inspired by Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's absorption ability—the casualties might have been avoided."
He looked toward the covered bodies.
"But it's too late."
He straightened.
"Lord Seventh, I must inform you—scientific ninja tools are no longer exclusive to Konoha."
"Whoever built these puppets possesses technology superior to ours."
"We must uncover this organization quickly."
Shikamaru muttered, "Then our only lead remains… that child."
Besides the destroyed puppets, they had brought back one more thing from the crash site—
A boy.
"He still won't talk?" Naruto asked.
Shikamaru shook his head.
"Name: Kawaki. That's all."
"He has a strange mark on his left hand."
Naruto's eyes flickered.
A mark…
Boruto's right palm.
Could there be a connection?
He stood abruptly.
"Take me to Kawaki."
Elsewhere.
On the road back to Sunagakure, the party had halted for rest for the third time in half a day.
Gaara lay on a stretcher, exhausted.
"Father, are you alright?" Shinki asked with concern.
"I'm fine," Gaara forced a faint smile. "Just chakra depletion."
"Fetch me some water."
After Shinki left, Gaara dismissed the others to gather fruit.
When they were alone, he sat up slowly.
Under the cold moonlight, tears slid from his left eye.
As Kazekage, there were things he could not show his subordinates.
He worried deeply for Naruto.
If Suna could afford it, he would have stayed in Konoha.
But he was a Kage.
So was Naruto.
Some burdens could not be shared.
"Naruto… when did we become like this?"
"Well, well. Isn't this the Kazekage of the Sand?"
A mocking voice drifted through the wind.
Gaara wiped his eyes and looked toward the approaching figure—a pale youth with Byakugan, carrying a red fishing rod.
"Byakugan," Gaara said coldly. "But you're not Hyūga."
"Correct," the boy grinned. "Your prize is a hook!"
The line snapped forward.
"My Kāma has thawed to twenty percent. I can face a Kage now."
—Ame-no-Subaru no Mikoto!
Dozens of red hooks rained down, battering Gaara's sand shield until ripples spread violently.
"So strong…"
His defense strained.
"Must end this quickly."
Sand surged like a tidal wave.
But the boy vanished in a blur, slipping through the encirclement.
He struck at a weakened point in the sand barrier.
The hook pierced through.
"Ah—!"
A palm-sized chakra flame was yanked from Gaara's chest.
"Is this the Kazekage, third strongest among the Five Kage?" the boy laughed, storing it in his crimson basket.
"Pathetic."
Black iron sand crashed down from above.
Shinki hovered in fury.
"What did you do to my father?!"
The boy shrugged.
"One catch per pond."
"Next stop—Mizukage."
He vanished before the iron sand struck.
Later.
Madara and Obito entered the cavern housing the Demonic Statue.
They saw it immediately—
The completed Kaguya artificial body embedded in its chest.
Madara glanced sideways.
"So that's Akira's result?"
"Madness produces brilliance."
"If that thing starts moving," Obito muttered, "I might actually sweat."
Their eyes shifted.
Akira -sat cross-legged before the statue, unmoving.
A dark sage pattern spread across his face.
Madara's gaze sharpened.
"That chakra…"
"Hashirama's Sage Mode?!"
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