Chapter Text
A boy in his late teens—apron soaked at the front and sleeves rolled up haphazardly, scrubbed the day’s worth of bowls with focused vigour. The clatter of dishes and the soft swish of soapy water filled the narrow space behind Ichiraku’s ramen stand. His blond hair, normally wild, was stuffed under a hairnet that kept falling loose. He muttered under his breath as he worked, one foot braced awkwardly on a crate to keep weight off his swollen, bandaged ankle.
It had been a long day.
"Oy, Naruto," came Teuchi’s warm voice from the front of the stand. "Don’t scrub the paint off the bowls."
Naruto looked up and laughed. "C’mon, old man, if they survive me, they’re worthy of holding ramen."
"That’s not how bowls work!" Ayame chimed in from where she was drying utensils with an old cloth. She shot him a look—half amused, half scolding. "You treat them right or they chip, then customers complain. You want that?"
Naruto made a show of gasping dramatically. "As if anyone would dare complain about Ichiraku’s sacred bowls."
Teuchi chuckled under his breath. The old man was busy wiping down the counters, his sleeves rolled up too, and his broad back blocking half the stand from view. "The sacred bowls are already one step from retirement, kid. They can’t handle your ‘vigourous’ love."
"I just put my heart into it, y'know," Naruto grinned, returning his attention to the sink. He winced slightly as he shifted, jarring his injured leg.
Ayame caught the flinch and narrowed her eyes. "Oi. Sit down for a bit, will you? Your ankle’s not going to heal if you keep hopping around."
"I am sitting!" Naruto protested, pointing at the crate.
"Balancing on one foot doesn’t count, genius."
"I’m fine, Ayame-nee," Naruto whined, dragging out her title in that overly dramatic way that only made her brow twitch harder.
Teuchi laughed, deep and warm. "You’re lucky Ayame was around today to run deliveries, Naruto. I don't think we could’ve kept up without her."
"You’re telling me!" Ayame straightened up proudly, hands on her hips. "Two streets over, three apartment buildings, a full set of regulars—and not a single spill. I should get a medal or something."
"You should," Naruto agreed with mock solemnity. "The Ramen Medal of Honour."
Teuchi snorted. "We’ll get you one made outta noodles."
Ayame wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Can you imagine? It’d get all soggy."
"Only if you don’t eat it fast enough!" Naruto said brightly, tossing a clean bowl onto the drying rack with a flourish. It wobbled precariously, and Ayame caught it right before disaster.
"Careful!" she yelped, scowling at him. "You break it, you buy it."
Naruto grinned, unrepentant. "How much for a sacred bowl?"
"Priceless," Teuchi said.
The three of them dissolved into easy laughter, the kind that came from long days and longer years together. Outside, the evening air grew cooler, the last orange rays of sunset slipping behind the rooftops of Fuji. The hustle of the small village was winding down, the streets quieter now as people headed home for dinner or bed.
Ayame clapped her hands together after a moment. "Alright, that’s it! We’re officially closed for the night."
"Thank goodness" Naruto said, mock-leaning against the sink like he might faint.
"You’re not done yet, smart guy," Ayame said, tossing him a clean towel. "Dry the last batch."
Naruto caught it with one hand, grimacing good-naturedly. "Slave driver."
"Whiner."
They bumped shoulders as they worked side-by-side, stacking the dry dishes into their battered storage crates. Teuchi wiped down the last corner of the counter and sighed contentedly.
"Good day today," he said, voice full of that calm satisfaction that only came after a hard day's work.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed. He looked around their little stand—the worn wood, the familiar smells of broth and grilled pork still lingering in the air, the way the paper lanterns above gave everything a golden glow—and he felt that familiar warmth in his chest.
This was home.
Not a big fancy house, not a hero's journey. Just this. Ramen, laughter, family.
He wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Teuchi stretched with a groan, cracking his back. "But you, Naruto, are seeing the doctor tomorrow."
Naruto’s contentment popped like a bubble. He made a face like he'd just swallowed something sour. "Ehhhhh? I'm fine, old man!"
"You’re limping worse than a drunk," Teuchi said firmly.
"I’m not that bad!"
"You fell off the front stairs this morning, Naruto," Ayame said, crossing her arms and giving him her patented Big Sister Glare. "Carrying a sack of flour. You sprained your leg before the day even started!"
Naruto groaned loudly, flinging his arms up. "C’mon, it’s just a little sprain!"
"A little sprain now means a busted leg later if you don’t take care of it," Teuchi said, shaking a finger at him.
Naruto tried a different tactic—puppy dog eyes. "But doctors are scary… they poke you and lecture you and they smell like rubber gloves..."
Ayame was unmoved. "Naruto. You’re eighteen. You fought off a snake the size of a cart last month without batting an eye, but you’re scared of a checkup?"
"That snake didn’t wear a white coat," Naruto grumbled.
Ayame just sighed, exasperated but fond. "You’re going. End of discussion. I’ll even go with you if I have to."
Naruto slumped in defeat, dragging his towel over the crate dramatically. "I’m being oppressed."
"You are being cared for, dummy," Ayame corrected, tapping his forehead with her knuckles. "Learn the difference."
Naruto grumbled under his breath, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he finished drying the last bowl. Ayame packed up the utensils, Teuchi hefted the last crate onto the little handcart, and together they began the slow trek back home under the early evening stars.
Naruto limped along between them, muttering about traitorous siblings and evil white coats, while Ayame occasionally smacked him with the towel and Teuchi chuckled all the way.
It had been a good day.
Maybe tomorrow would be too—even if it meant seeing a doctor.
Their little house sat at the end of a narrow street, cozy and old, with thick walls of timber and a heavy door reinforced with iron braces. The roof sagged a little under the weight of years, and the small windows were latticed with age-worn glass.
As Teuchi wheeled the last crate into the porch, he paused, his brow furrowing. His eyes caught on the paper talisman nailed above the doorframe—a simple, rectangular tag with careful brush strokes. The ink was faded now, almost illegible.
He grunted under his breath.
Naruto, hobbling behind, noticed. "Old man? What's wrong?"
Teuchi stepped closer, reaching up to gently tap the talisman with two fingers. It barely fluttered. "The seal’s worn out. It’s no good."
Ayame sighed, shaking her head.
In every village, town, and city across the country, talismans were as essential to daily life as bread or firewood. Carefully crafted by certified shinobi trained in ancient arts, each talisman was a barrier in paper form, a silent guardian etched with power. The process was meticulous: chakra, refined and purified through long hours of meditation, was infused into specially treated paper using a technique called Jutsu Shiki. The resulting seals contained a dense series of protective formulas that could repel the lesser demons—the Zetsu—who prowled after dark.
No household could be without one. Mounted above doorways and windows, the talismans created an invisible net of energy, shielding homes against the things that lurked beyond human sight. Without them, even the sturdiest walls were nothing more than paper-thin barriers against the night.
The government, knowing the stakes, subsidized the production of talismans heavily. Markets everywhere sold them like common goods, tucked between sacks of rice and candles, affordable even to the poorest farmers. It was an accepted rhythm of life: every month, before the last talisman's chakra faded, a new one had to be hung. Without fail. Without delay.
Because once the sun dipped below the horizon, and the bells began to toll, no amount of bravery could save a house left unguarded.
Ayame came up, wiping her hands on her apron. She frowned too when she saw it. "It looks awful. You said you bought a new one last week, right?"
"I did," Teuchi said, patting his pockets as if the talisman might be hiding there.
Naruto straightened up immediately. "I’ll put it up!" he said brightly, already reaching for the tool hook where they kept the stepladder.
"No, you won’t," Teuchi said gruffly, turning to block him. "You're not climbing anything on that ankle."
"I can do it on one leg!" Naruto insisted.
"Naruto," Ayame cut in, crossing her arms. "You can barely stand. Don't even think about it."
Naruto grumbled, but he didn’t push. He hobbled over to sit on the crate instead, while Teuchi held his hand out. "Give me the talisman, kids."
Ayame blinked. "I don’t have it, that's Naruto."
Naruto froze mid-sit. "Uh... I don’t have it either."
There was a pause.
Ayame and Teuchi both slowly turned to look at him.
"...What?" Naruto said defensively.
Teuchi’s voice was low. "Where is it?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, sheepish. "I, uh… might’ve… left it. At the shop. Near the register. When I was doing the dishes?"
"You what?" Ayame yelped, her voice jumping an octave.
Teuchi’s face paled. "You left it?"
"I didn’t mean to!" Naruto said quickly, raising his hands. "I got distracted, and the register was covered in receipts and—"
Ayame interrupted with a sharp breath, pulling her apron off with one tug. "We have to go get it."
Teuchi glanced at the sky, heart dropping. The horizon was bleeding crimson, the last light thinning fast into purple. He checked the old clock hanging on the porch wall.
6:44 p.m.
Sunset.
The village bell began to toll somewhere in the distance, a low, somber sound.
Bong... Bong... Bong...
Curfew.
It was the sound that said lock your doors, light your candles, pray.
Because once the sun was gone, the Zetsu demons would come.
Teuchi swore under his breath, a rare thing for him. "No time. We lock up, head to the cellar. Stay quiet. We might make it."
Ayame bit her lip hard. "Without a talisman? In this old house? Dad, we won't last the night."
Naruto pushed himself up, wincing as his ankle screamed. "I’ll go. I’m faster."
"You’re hurt," Ayame snapped immediately. "Sit down."
"But it’s my fault!" Naruto argued, fists clenching.
"I said SIT," Ayame barked. Naruto flinched back, startled.
Teuchi was silent for a long moment. He looked at Ayame—his little girl who had grown so strong, so stubborn—and he saw the resolve burning in her eyes.
"Ayame—" he started.
"I’m going," she said, voice tight. "I’m the only one who can."
Naruto opened his mouth again, but Ayame grabbed him by the shoulders, bending down so they were eye-to-eye. "Stay with Dad. Protect him. I know you can do that even if you’re dragging yourself around on one foot."
"But—"
"Naruto," she said, gentler now. "Please."
His mouth snapped shut. His fists stayed clenched, trembling, but he gave a jerky nod.
Teuchi swallowed thickly, his throat dry. His heart twisted painfully as he stared at her. His daughter. His brave, foolish girl. He wanted to forbid her. Lock her in the cellar. Tie her down if he had to.
But they all knew the truth.
Without the talisman, this house would be no sanctuary. It would be a coffin.
Teuchi’s hands shook slightly as he reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Ayame’s ear. "Be fast. No stops. No shortcuts."
"I know," Ayame whispered, her hands briefly squeezing Naruto’s shoulders before she turned to go.
The bell continued to toll as she stepped off the porch, her shadow stretching long and thin in the dying light.
Bong... Bong...
The last rays of sunlight clung desperately to the tops of the trees as Ayame ran, her sandals slapping hard against the packed dirt road. The village of Fuji was small, tucked in a shallow valley surrounded by misty hills, and already the haze of night was gathering.
The air grew colder by the second.
Lights snapped off in nearby houses, doors slamming shut, shutters locking into place. She caught glimpses of faces peering out—worried, hurried—before disappearing into darkness.
The streets were already empty.
The last thing she heard before the sun finally slipped away was the church bell’s final toll.
Bong.
And then, silence.
Ayame ran faster, ignoring the growing chill prickling at her neck, ignoring the way her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
She had to make it. She had to get the talisman. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—let anything happen to her family.
The house was heavy with silence.
Naruto sat on the edge of his futon, sweat beading along his brow despite the chill that seeped through the walls. Outside, the village of Fuji was dead quiet. Not a soul dared stir after the curfew bell. In smaller settlements like theirs, such unnatural silence was part of life—part of survival.
He shifted, glancing at the small clock ticking on the wall.
7:40 PM. Sundown.
Naruto wiped his forehead, his hand trembling slightly. It’s fine. She’ll be back soon.
Ayame was fast. She knew the streets. Thirty minutes to the stand, maybe less if she was running. Thirty minutes back. He did the math over and over in his mind, trying to drown out the gnawing worry in his chest.
Needing a distraction, he limped out of his room, favouring his sprained ankle. The house creaked under his weight, every step unnaturally loud in the stillness. He reached the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water, the coolness soothing his dry throat.
By the fireplace, he spotted Teuchi, his father, sitting in his old wooden chair. His hands were steepled tightly, his back stiff. Normally, by this hour, Teuchi would already be snoring. But tonight, his eyes were wide open, flicking toward the door every few seconds.
"How’s the ankle, kiddo?" Teuchi said, not taking his eyes off the fire.
Naruto shrugged, forcing a smile. "Better," he lied.
Teuchi grunted, unconvinced but letting it slide. Naruto sipped his water in silence, drifting toward the shuttered window. He pressed his palm against the cool wood, almost drawn to open it—to look.
"Don’t," Teuchi's voice was firm.
Naruto froze, his heart pounding. He pulled his hand back reluctantly. "I know, I know..." he muttered, rubbing his neck. "It’s just... Ayame’s out there."
Teuchi’s features softened a little. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "She’s smart. She’ll be back soon. You’ll see."
Naruto tried to nod, tried to let that soothe him, but it didn’t. It couldn't.
Muttering a quick goodnight, he hobbled back to his room, desperate for some distraction. He dug through a pile of old books and pulled one out—an adventure story he hadn’t touched since he was a kid. He cracked it open, forcing his eyes to focus on the words.
Minutes crawled by.
He checked the clock again. 8:00 PM.
Naruto bit his lip. Still not back.
The streets would be fully dark now. Even the lanterns would be out. A pit gnawed at his gut.
Maybe she’s just being careful, he reasoned. Maybe she’s hiding. Maybe she’s taking the long way home to avoid... them.
He shoved the thought away and buried himself back in the book.
But the words blurred together. He couldn’t focus. His mind painted images of Ayame—running, panting, chased by dark things with too many limbs and too many teeth.
8:30 PM.
Naruto slammed the book shut and stood, pacing back and forth as best he could on his injured ankle. His heart raced faster with every limp across the room. His breathing became shallow, erratic. Without thinking, he dropped to his knees beside his bed, clasping his hands together.
He didn’t know who he was praying to—the old gods, the spirits, anything—but he prayed hard, whispering frantic pleas into the floorboards. Please let her be okay. Please let her come back...
BANG.
Naruto flinched violently.
The noise came again—BANG, BANG—tight, desperate fists pounding against his shuttered window.
He scrambled to his feet, his blood running cold.
"Naruto!"
A voice—hoarse, breathless—calling his name.
Ayame’s voice.
"Ayame..." Naruto whispered, wide-eyed. He staggered toward the window, his hand trembling as it hovered over the latch.
"Naruto, it’s me!" Ayame’s voice cracked into sobs. "Please, please open up!"
Naruto’s fingers brushed the latch—but he hesitated. Something in him screamed at him to stop. A deep, primal instinct.
"Are you okay?!" he shouted through the shutters.
"I— I’m fine, I just—" Ayame sobbed, her words choking. "They’re everywhere, Naruto! I can see them in the streets— in the alleys! Please, they're coming!"
Naruto’s gut twisted.
Still, he didn’t open the window. His heart thundered in his ears. Something was wrong. He didn't know how he knew—he just felt it.
"Why didn’t you come to the front door?" Naruto asked hoarsely.
There was a beat of silence—too long.
Then Ayame's voice, "I didn’t have time!" she cried. "I had to run—they were chasing me—Naruto, please!"
She was sobbing now, big gasping cries that wrenched at his heart. "Naruto," she whimpered. "Why are you wasting time?"
Naruto closed his eyes tight, his forehead pressed to the shutters. He asked the next question slowly, fear pounding at his throat. "Do you... have the talisman?"
"Yes!" she shouted immediately, almost too quickly. "I have it! Please, Naruto! I’m begging you!"
Naruto’s hands clenched. His mind whirled. He knew the stories—Zetsu demons could mimic the people they killed. They could copy every scar, every hair, every sound of their voice.
But if he left her out there... if it really was her...
His heart split between delusion and stubbornness. "No... no way Ayame was killed."
Tears blurring his eyes, Naruto unlatched the shutters and swung them open.
Ayame tumbled inside, collapsing into his arms, sweaty and shaking, her body heaving with every broken sob.
He hugged her tightly, feeling her realness, her weight, the wetness of her tears against his shoulder.
"I got you," he whispered, forcing calm into his voice. "I got you, Nee-chan."
But deep down, a small, cold voice whispered in the back of his mind—Something's not right.
Naruto wiped at his tear-streaked face with a trembling hand. He pulled back from Ayame and sniffled hard, forcing the storm of emotions down deep where it wouldn't get in the way.
"We gotta tell Dad you're back," he said roughly, still hugging her thin frame.
Ayame pulled back slightly, looking at him with wide, glossy eyes. "Where... where's Teuchi?"
Naruto froze for just a moment Teuchi?
Ayame never called him that. It was always Dad or Otou-san. Never by name.
He shoved the unease down. Maybe she was just in shock. "He's by the fireplace. C'mon," he said, forcing a smile as he shut the window with a hard snap.
She nodded, trailing behind him.
The hallway was cold. Much colder than it should’ve been. Each step down the narrow corridor made Naruto’s heart thump heavier in his ears. The air felt wrong, like it had weight to it, like the house itself was holding its breath.
They entered the main room. Teuchi sat near the low fire, rubbing his hands together absentmindedly.
Naruto smiled weakly. "Dad... Ayame's back."
Teuchi looked up, his eyes lighting up with relief. "Thank goodness...!"
He rose stiffly from his chair and took a few steps toward them. "Did you get the medicine? For Naruto's sore back?"
Naruto blinked.
Sore back...?
His stomach dropped out from under him. It was his ankle that was injured. Not his back.
The room seemed to grow icier. Sweat beaded on Naruto's forehead. He turned to look at Teuchi, and the old man’s eyes were hard and flat, his jaw set in grim understanding.
Ayame nodded casually, her smile strangely too wide. "I did. And the talisman too."
The words echoed through the heavy silence.
Naruto's fingers twitched toward the oil lamp sitting on a nearby table. Tears threatened to blur his vision.
This wasn't Ayame.
This thing was not his sister.
Teuchi began edging back toward the sink. Naruto knew exactly what he was after: the knives.
Ayame—it—tilted its head. "What's wrong?" it asked, voice sugar sweet.
With a grunt, Naruto grabbed the lamp and swung.
The Ayame-thing ducked smoothly, rolling to the side with terrifying agility. As it rose, its body began to distort. The warmth drained from her eyes, leaving behind pits of pure, chalky white. Her nails elongated into gnarled claws, her teeth morphing into jagged, uneven spikes.
Teuchi lunged, snatching a kitchen knife from the rack and hurling it. The creature twisted its body, letting the blade whistle past harmlessly.
Naruto stumbled forward, another knife in hand, but the fake Ayame sidestepped him with ease. She slashed outward, catching Teuchi across the cheek with a claw.
"Agh!" Teuchi staggered back, blood welling immediately.
Naruto roared and hurled himself at her, blocking her path to Teuchi. The old man snatched a bell from the fireplace mantle—a small, ornate thing with ancient sealing charms—and began ringing it furiously.
The air buzzed as the bell's chime filled the house. The creature let out a shriek of pain, clutching at its ears.
But before Teuchi could press the advantage, the monster spun and slammed him into the wall with a loud crack.
Naruto screamed, grabbing the knife and slashing at her side. The blade bit shallowly into flesh—but the Zetsu just laughed, almost delighted.
"You little pest," it hissed.
With a snarl, it whipped around and raked its claws across Naruto’s stomach. Blood sprayed in the firelight. Naruto gasped, feeling fire shoot through his abdomen.
Before he could recover, the creature grabbed him by the throat and flung him like a ragdoll into the dining table. The wood shattered under his weight, and Naruto collapsed in a broken heap, motionless.
"Naruto!" Teuchi cried out in horror, struggling to rise.
Teuchi limped towards the back door, desperate to get to the shed where he kept his farming tools—an axe, maybe a scythe.
He barely got his hand on the door latch before the creature's hand snagged the back of his shirt and threw him bodily across the room.
He crashed into his old wooden chair by the fireplace, splinters gouging into his back. He lay there, wheezing, as the thing that wore Ayame’s face sauntered towards him.
"You figured it out so fast," it mused, its voice lilting and cruel. "You humans aren't always so stupid after all."
Teuchi could only groan, pain throbbing through every bone in his body.
"What happened to my daughter?" he rasped.
The creature grinned horribly, its serrated teeth gleaming. "Why don't you guess?" it purred. "You know... maidens that age usually taste the sweetest. And the girl I found wandering around the market was just too tempting to ignore."
The words hit Teuchi like a physical blow. His heart shattered. Tears filled his eyes.
Ayame was...
The creature crouched before him, its clawed hand lifting his chin mockingly.
"You smell delicious too, old man," it cooed. "Oooh, I can already taste that fear..." It chuckled.
"I'll kill you slow. And then I'll deal with your brat."
Teuchi whimpered, helpless. The creature raised its claws high—
WHAM.
A blur slammed into it, sending it skidding across the wooden floor.
Teuchi blinked, not daring to believe it.
"Naruto...?"
There he stood, heaving breaths tearing from his chest. His torn shirt hung off his body, his skin streaked with blood—but his wounds were gone. Completely healed.
And his eyes—They glowed a hellish, blood red, a single vertical slit running through each iris. His hands ended in claws. Even his injured ankle was no longer damaged.
Teuchi stared, heart in his throat.
This was not the Naruto he raised. And yet, somehow... it was.
"Naruto..." he whispered.
The boy turned to him—and Teuchi's heart clenched tighter.
Those monstrous red eyes...
But the face he knew. The spirit he knew.
Naruto turned back to the creature, who was rising from the floor with a low, guttural snarl.
The Zetsu-Ayame shuddered as it rose to its feet, brushing broken wood from its shoulders. A snarl peeled from its lips—but then, it faltered. Its eyes widened slightly, a visible tremor running through its form.
“No... it can’t be,” it whispered, voice hollow with dread.
From Naruto, an oppressive energy spilled out, like a tsunami of suffocating pressure. Teuchi, even from behind him, felt it crash into his body, rooting him in place. His knees buckled, but he remained upright only because his body was too paralyzed by fear to fall. A sharp, freezing cold pierced into his bones, and he could hardly breathe, as though some monstrous hand was squeezing the life out of him.
Yet—Naruto stood protectively before him, his broad shoulders rising and falling, his body tense, as if shielding Teuchi.
The Zetsu took a step back, its grotesque clawed hands trembling. “I... I’m sorry,” it stammered, addressing not Naruto but the thing inside Naruto. It bowed its head, half-grovelling, half-hoping to be spared. "I didn't know you were here!"
But Naruto suddenly let out a low groan, clutching his head in both hands. His entire body shook violently. A harsh red glow flared to life on his stomach—an intricate seal burning bright against his skin.
“Aaagh!” Naruto cried, the sound so distorted that Teuchi barely recognized it as human.
Teuchi's heart broke. "Naruto—!"
The boy collapsed onto his knees, writhing in agony as the burning seal scorched him from within.
The Zetsu, realizing its chance, turned and bolted. In a flash, it reverted to its original, grotesque form—pale white like a corpse submerged in the sea—and shoved open the backdoor with a curse.
Teuchi, frantic, reached for Naruto, but hissed and drew back—Naruto's skin was burning hot to the touch.
Then, from the open door, a sickening thud.
A severed head rolled back into the room, the Zetsu’s lifeless mouth frozen in a final, shocked gasp.
Teuchi gasped, lurching backwards. "What..." he choked.
Then—a footstep.
From the threshold of the backdoor, a figure stepped into the house. Calm. Steady. Blood dripped from the katana in his hand, which he flicked to the side before sheathing with a click.
Teuchi’s wide eyes traveled up the figure: a white cloak edged with crimson stripes, a green flak vest over a navy blue shirt and trousers, standard-issue sandals. The man’s dark hair fell around a pale, sharp face.
Teuchi's lips moved before he could stop them. "Sh... Shinobi...?”
The shinobi—young, around Naruto’s age—gave a quick glance at Teuchi, but his eyes quickly settled on Naruto's trembling form on the floor.
“What’s wrong with the boy, old man?” he asked, voice rough but not cruel. His gaze sharpened. “Is he a demon too?”
Teuchi could only shake his head numbly.
Another figure appeared, stepping lightly inside. A woman this time, similarly dressed, her green eyes locking onto Naruto. She rushed to Teuchi’s side, crouching low.
“Are you alright, sir?” she asked quickly, reaching to heal him.
But the male shinobi gasped sharply, stepping back. His hand fell to his sword hilt, drawing it slightly with a sharp hiss of steel.
"By Amaterasu’s warmth..." he whispered, voice trembling with visible dread. "What is this…?"
The woman whipped her head around to look at him. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"
Sasuke’s Sharingan blazed crimson as he glared at Naruto. "Step back, Sakura," he barked. "Now."
Sakura stood abruptly, drawing her own kunai.
Sasuke’s jaw clenched, his sword nearly vibrating in his hand. "Old man, stand aside. That thing isn’t a boy anymore. It's a demon. Unlike any I've ever come across. I don't know how you survived its awakening, but you won’t survive if it wakes again."
Teuchi, his body wracked with pain, forced himself between Sasuke’s blade and Naruto’s body. He spread his arms, shielding his unconscious son.
"No!" Teuchi growled, voice thick with grief and anger. "He's not a demon. He's my son!"
Sasuke’s brows furrowed in frustration. "Old man, move. Now. If that thing gets up, it’ll kill all of us."
"He saved me!" Teuchi cried desperately, tears pooling in his eyes. "You saw it! He protected me from that monster! I won't let you touch him!"
Sakura glanced anxiously at Sasuke. “Sasuke… we don’t have much time. If it’s what you say it is…”
Sasuke exhaled harshly through his nose. His patience thinned, blade rising a fraction higher.
Sakura lowered her kunai slightly and looked at Teuchi with a sad smile. “I'm sorry, sir. I’ll make this painless. Just a little tap—you’ll sleep for a few hours.”
"No!" Teuchi shouted, pleading, backing closer to Naruto’s body.
Sakura’s hand started to move toward him—when a new voice cut through the tension.
"Wait."
All three turned toward the door.
Another shinobi stepped inside. His long brown hair swayed slightly with his stride, and his pale lavender eyes settling on his allies.
Sakura’s eyes widened in surprise. "Neji?"
The newcomer—Neji—strode into the ruined room, surveying the scene. He pointed squarely at Naruto’s still body.
“The old man isn't lying,” he said simply.
Sakura blinked. "What…? What do you mean?"
Neji crouched beside Naruto, his eyes narrowing. “That boy—that demon—was protecting him.”
The words hung in the air.
Sasuke’s blade trembled slightly in his hand as he tried to process Neji's declaration. Sakura, breathing hard, looked between the old man clutching Naruto and her partner, trying to understand what this meant.
The only sounds in the room were the faint crackle of the dying fire... and Naruto’s shallow, pained breathing.
Neji rose to his feet, his expression tense. "When we heard the alarm bell, I was nearby. I activated my Byakugan to scout ahead. That's when... I saw him."
He nodded at Naruto’s unconscious form. "I couldn't believe my eyes either. But I saw the boy—shielding the old man. He fought that Zetsu you killed, Sasuke. Protected this man with his own body."
Sasuke’s brow furrowed deeply, his sword still half-drawn. "That’s impossible," he muttered, shaking his head. "A demon protecting a human? It’s unheard of."
Sakura was frowning too. "You’re sure, Neji? You saw it?"
Neji gave a grim nod. "I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t certain."
Sasuke's black eyes flashed to Naruto's still form. "Even so," he said slowly, "you can't tell me you don't see it. That energy. It's receded... but it's still there. Lurking inside him."
The three of them stared down at the boy. Naruto looked perfectly normal now, almost small and defenseless. But the memory of that thing—that oppressive force—still pressed heavy on the room.
Neji grimaced. "You're right. It is there."
He activated his Byakugan again, the veins bulging around his eyes. "I can see it—deep inside. Fused with his chakra, but separate, almost... parasitic. I don't understand it."
Sakura gasped sharply.
Sasuke and Neji snapped their heads toward her.
"What?" Sasuke demanded.
Sakura shook her head slowly, almost in denial. "It can’t be. But what if—" She hesitated, turning to Teuchi.
"Old man... what's your name?"
"Teuchi," he answered hoarsely, his hands trembling.
"Teuchi-san," Sakura said, her voice tight. "How long have you known? About him?"
Teuchi’s mouth worked wordlessly. He looked back and forth between them, between Naruto and the shinobi. "I—I never knew!" he stammered. "I swear! It just happened tonight! My daughter—she went out to get something from our store. But then she... she came back acting strange."
He gulped, wiping a tear with his finger.
"It wasn't her. It was that thing," he pointed weakly at the severed Zetsu head still lying in the corner. "And then—Naruto—he just..."
Teuchi clutched his head in his hands. "I don't know! I don't know what he is! But he protected me. That’s all I know! He’s not a monster!"
Sasuke’s voice was cold. "Good thing we found out now. We can kill it before it wakes."
"No!" Teuchi barked, moving to shield Naruto’s body again. "You can’t!"
Sakura put a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. "Wait."
Sasuke looked ready to snap at her.
"He's not a demon," Sakura said slowly. "At least... not entirely."
Her teammates stared at her, tense.
Sakura inhaled deeply. "He's a Jinchuriki."
Silence. Cold and terrible.
Neji whispered, "A Jinchuriki...? They haven’t been seen in... over a decade."
Teuchi blinked rapidly. "What—what’s a Jinchuriki?" he asked helplessly. "Is it bad? Is it good?"
But no one answered him.
Sasuke cursed under his breath, his fingers brushing the shimenawa tied to his katana's hilt, grounding himself.
A Jinchuriki. A living vessel.
Sakura bit her lip. "What do we do?"
Teuchi straightened, fierce. "You do nothing! He’s my son! He protected me, damn it! I won’t let you hurt him!"
Neji was silent for a long moment, then said firmly, "He’s telling the truth."
He glanced again at Naruto. "I saw it too. The boy chose to protect a human. But... why? It's not natural for a Jinchuriki."
Sasuke’s lips thinned. He clearly didn’t like it.
Sakura was already moving, preparing a series of handseals. "We bring him in. Alive. It’s our best shot."
Sasuke’s eyebrows furrowed. "Alive?" he repeated, skeptical.
"Think about it," Sakura pressed. "The bounty on live specimens? Mitarashi-san will lose her mind if we bring a living Jinchuriki to Konoha. We’ll be heroes. And fucking rich too."
Sasuke hesitated, weighing it, scowling darkly. Then, finally, he growled, "Fine."
Neji knelt beside Naruto and carefully pressed a suppression tag onto the boy’s stomach. The seal flared faintly, wrapping invisible bonds around the sinister chakra.
"I just hope it’s enough," Neji muttered. "If he wakes up..."
He left the rest unsaid.
Teuchi’s voice cracked with fear and anger. "What are you doing to him?!"
Sasuke turned to him. "We’re seizing him. In the name of the Hokage."
"You have no right!" Teuchi roared, stepping forward.
"We have every right," Sasuke said coolly, flashing a parchment with the Hokage’s insignia. "Martial law. Special jurisdiction. Read it if you like."
Sakura hefted Naruto onto her shoulder effortlessly. Naruto gave a small groan but stayed unconscious.
"No," Teuchi said. His fists trembled at his sides. "No! You can’t just take him!"
"You can come to Konoha after," Sakura said without looking at him. "We need to move fast. There are still demons out here."
Sasuke stepped forward, pressing a talisman into Teuchi’s hand. "Replace the one on your door. It’ll hold."
"But—" Teuchi tried to argue.
Neji straightened, his expression troubled. "Wait," he said. "If Naruto wakes up on the journey... Teuchi might be the only thing keeping him from slaughtering us."
The three shinobi exchanged looks.
Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "You want to bring him too?"
Neji shrugged slightly. "He’s slower. He’s old. It’s dangerous. But if this Jinchuriki wakes up and recognizes him..."
Sakura pursed her lips. "He might calm the boy down."
Sasuke muttered a curse. He turned to Teuchi, staring him down. "If you slow us down, you endanger us all. You understand?"
Teuchi nodded vigorously. "I won’t be a burden. Just... don’t leave him alone."
Sasuke looked at him. Then he shook his head. "Forget it, it's not worth it."
Another tense moment passed.
Teuchi hesitated, then cleared his throat. "I can... make it worth your while. If you let me come with you."
That got Sakura's attention. "Go on..." she murmured.
Teuchi's response was quick. "600 Ryo."
Finally, Sasuke relented. "We move fast," he said. "If you lag, we leave you behind."
"I understand," Teuchi said.
Sakura tightened the grip on Naruto, and they turned toward the door. They had to move.
Before it awakened again.