A real battle against Obito was never going to be easy to come by.
Despite the passage of time, Uchiha Itachi had yet to provide any useful intelligence. Under the ever-watchful eye of Hoshigaki Kisame, Itachi found his movements restricted, unable to act freely. Fortunately, Kisame wasn't the type to pry too deeply. He hadn't yet realised how keenly Itachi was searching for the whereabouts of "Madara."
For now, the Akatsuki had yet to launch a full-scale assault on the Hidden Villages. They were still probing, gauging the strength of each nation's shinobi forces. After all, when the time came for an all-out attack, the Akatsuki intended to capture all the Tailed Beasts in one decisive move, bringing their vision of a new world order to fruition.
Meanwhile, as Tatsuya honed his swordsmanship, three pairs of eyes remained fixed on him.
For Sasuke, watching Tatsuya's precise blade work was an eye-opening experience. Every slash, every movement held a depth of mastery that commanded respect. The name "Konoha's Black Fang" isn't an exaggeration, Sasuke admitted to himself, a rare flicker of admiration stirring within him.
Tsunade, on the other hand, hadn't paid this much attention to Tatsuya in a long time. Most days, she saw him as nothing more than an easygoing fool, someone she could brush off without a second thought. But now, watching him move with such effortless precision, she found herself... captivated.
The way his muscles tensed, the sharp glint of his blade, the absolute focus in his eyes. It stirred something within her, something she hadn't felt in years.
For a fleeting moment, the irritation she had held toward him earlier melted away.
After all… what woman doesn't admire a warrior?
Sakura couldn't deny that Tatsuya was undeniably handsome. For a brief moment, she found herself captivated by his striking features until she caught sight of the person standing beside him. Sasuke.
Her admiration for Tatsuya vanished in an instant as she turned her attention back to the one she had always harboured feelings for.
At the end of his training, Tatsuya smoothly and effortlessly sheathed his Zanpakutō. Since this was just routine practice, he hadn't infused the blade with Amaterasu's Black Flames. If he had, a single slash could have altered the very landscape outside Konoha.
And that would have been a shame.
The scenery here was breathtaking, the rolling hills and dense forests untouched by conflict. Tatsuya saw no reason to destroy such beauty.
By the time training concluded, the sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing. With supplies running low, Tatsuya turned to Sasuke.
"Head into the village and pick up some food."
Sasuke gave a curt nod. "Hn."
Sakura's eyes lit up. "I'll go too!" she said a little too quickly.
Tatsuya raised a brow, but before he could say anything, Tsunade smirked.
"How convenient," she mused, arms crossed. "Sakura, you sure you're going just for food?"
Sakura flushed. "W-What? Of course! I mean… we need food, right?" She fidgeted before stealing a glance at Sasuke.
Sasuke, as usual, ignored the obvious. "Let's go."
Sakura immediately fell in step beside him, practically beaming.
As they disappeared down the path leading to Konoha, Tatsuya stretched his arms over his head and let out a sigh. "Guess that leaves just us."
Tsunade leaned against the porch railing, watching him. "You send him on errands like he's a genin or something."
Tatsuya grinned. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Tsunade scoffed. "Hmph. You enjoy messing with people, don't you?"
"Maybe," he admitted with a smirk. Then, tilting his head toward her, he added, "You were watching me pretty intently back there. Didn't know you had a thing for swordsmen."
Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Oh? So you weren't staring?"
She shot him a glare but didn't answer.
Tatsuya chuckled, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Princess."
Positioned along a key route leading to Konoha, the cabin was a natural checkpoint. If anything happened beyond the village's borders, Tatsuya would be the first to know.
Though the road between the cabin and the village was surrounded by dense forest, it was generally safe. Tatsuya's presence alone discouraged most threats, and few would be foolish enough to test their luck against Konoha's current strength.
As they walked, Sakura couldn't stop talking, throwing question after question at Sasuke, most of them seemingly unrelated to anything important.
"Sasuke, do you think Tatsuya's training methods are useful?"
"Hn."
"I mean, he's strong, but his personality is so frustrating, right?"
Silence.
Sakura frowned but pushed on. "Oh! Did you hear that a new dango shop opened near the market district? Maybe we should check it out sometime."
Sasuke barely responded, keeping his gaze ahead, his patience wearing thin. Had it not been for the fact that Sakura had insisted on coming along, he might have used Body Flicker to escape and spare himself the headache.
But, as a man, he knew he was responsible for ensuring her safety.
So, he endured.
Sakura, seemingly undeterred, shifted topics. "You never talk much, do you?" she asked with a nervous chuckle. "I mean, you used to, a little more back when we were on Team 7…"
Sasuke glanced at her out of the corner of his eye but said nothing.
Encouraged, she tried again. "You know… It's nice, just walking like this. No missions, no battles. Just us."
Sasuke exhaled sharply through his nose. "If you have something to say, say it."
Sakura blinked, caught off guard by his sudden directness. "I-I just mean… we don't get to do this often. I..."
Before she could finish, Sasuke abruptly stopped walking. "We're not here for small talk."
Sakura's heart sank slightly, but she forced a smile. "Right. Of course."
Yet, despite her persistence, Sasuke, ever dense when it came to emotions, remained completely oblivious to the meaning behind Sakura's behaviour. Anyone else would have seen it for what it was: a desperate attempt to get closer to him.
But Sasuke was Sasuke.
Some things in this world simply remained unspoken.
More than half an hour had passed.
By now, Sasuke and Sakura should have returned, but there was still no sign of them.
Tatsuya, sipping his tea, glanced toward the forest. Moments ago, he had sensed several unfamiliar presences approaching Konoha. The air around them was different, not carrying the scent of the village.
He placed his cup down, his gaze sharpening.
Konoha's forces were strong right now. No one would be reckless enough to pick a fight without knowing what they were up against…
And yet, something about this situation didn't sit right.
Although Konoha's White Fang had left the village long ago, Konoha's Black Blade remained.
Furthermore, with Konoha now in an alliance with Sunagakure, it was unlikely to be the preferred target of rogue factions or militant groups.
Tsunade, sharp as ever, quickly sensed the approaching group.
She and Tatsuya exchanged a knowing glance before silently slipping out of the cabin, their movements swift and precise. They followed the unknown figures at a distance, careful not to alert them.
Just as expected, Sasuke and Sakura were ambushed on their way back.
The assailants, clad in unfamiliar attire, made it clear they weren't here to pick a fight. Instead, they extended an offer to Sasuke.
One of them, a tall figure with a mask partially covering his face, stepped forward. "Uchiha Sasuke. We've heard of your strength."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
Another, short, er but with an air of confidence, smirked. "You're wasting your potential in Konoha. Come with us. We can give you real power. Power beyond anything you've ever imagined."
Sakura stiffened beside him. "Tch. What's this, another Orochimaru wannabe? If you think Sasuke's going anywhere with you, you're delusional."
The shorter rogue chuckled. "Oh, we're not from Orochimaru. And we don't need to manipulate anyone. We're simply offering him a path."
Sasuke let out a slow breath.
Had this been in the past, he might have been tempted. He had once been willing to grasp at any opportunity that would bring him closer to his goal.
But things had changed.
His training under Tatsuya had redefined his understanding of strength. He had already begun forging his own path, and the thought of accepting power from an unknown source he had not earned through effort and discipline no longer appealed to him.
Power freely given could just as easily be taken away.
Sasuke's eyes flickered with a hint of disdain. "If you think I'd follow weaklings who rely on borrowed strength, you're bigger fools than I thought."
The masked figure tensed. "You should choose your words carefully."
Sakura, emboldened by Sasuke's confidence, smirked. "He's right, you know. If you need to offer power to recruit people, it means you don't have any worth following."
The shorter rogue's expression darkened. "I see. Then we'll just have to convince you."
Before they could make a move, Tsunade, watching from the trees, shifted slightly, catching a clearer view of their forehead protectors.
Her breath hitched slightly.
In a low voice, she relayed her discovery to Tatsuya. "Otonin."
The very same rogue shinobi they had been searching for not long ago.
They had disappeared without a trace, evading capture at every turn.
And now, they had walked straight into their grasp.
Tatsuya's expression remained unreadable, but there was no hesitation in his movements.
He reached for his Zanpakutō. "Let's finish this before dinner gets cold."
Tsunade cracked her knuckles, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Now you're speaking my language."
The hunt had begun.
Tatsuya remained concealed in the shadows, watching as the tension between Sasuke and the Sound Four escalated.
Despite their continued attempts to persuade him, Sasuke stood unwavering. His voice was as cold as ever.
"I'm not interested in your offer," he stated flatly.
The shorter rogue, Tayuya, scoffed. "Tch. Stubborn bastard."
Kidōmaru cracked his knuckles, his six arms stretching slightly. "It'd be a waste to kill him. The boss wants him alive."
Jirōbō grunted. "Then let's stop wasting time." His hungry gaze turned to Sakura. "The girl, though… she's an issue."
Sakura instinctively stepped closer to Sasuke. "You think I'm just going to let you take him?"
Sakon chuckled, sharing an amused glance with his twin, Ukon. "That's cute. She thinks she has a say in this."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He could already see where this was going.
"If she's a problem," Tayuya said, a cruel smirk forming, "we remove the problem."
Sakura stiffened. There was no mistaking their intent.
But before she could react, Sasuke took a half step forward, his voice low and sharp.
"Let her go. I'll go with you."
Sakura's head snapped toward him. "What?! Sasuke, no—"
"Hn. Don't be stupid." His gaze didn't waver from the Sound Four. "You came here for me, didn't you? Let her leave, and I won't resist."
Tayuya snorted. "Nice try. You think we'd let her run back to Konoha and bring a whole damn army down on us?"
Sakon sneered. "If we were that dumb, we'd be the ones getting taken."
Sasuke sighed. As expected, these people weren't interested in playing fair.
He glanced at Sakura. "Stay out of the way."
Sakura clenched her fists. "Sasuke—"
"I'll handle this." His Sharingan flared to life.
Tayuya rolled her eyes. "Tch. Guess we're doing this the hard way."
Jirōbō cracked his knuckles. "Fine by me."
From his hidden vantage point, Tatsuya smirked slightly.
This should be interesting.
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