Swoosh!
A golden streak of light blazed across the rooftops of Konoha, moving with such velocity that it left a visible trail in the night air. The brilliant luminescence stood out starkly against the backdrop of ongoing explosions and crimson flashes that continued to illuminate the village's desperate defense against the meteorite bombardment.
Below, the battle that had erupted around Neji's position was reaching a critical intensity. The mysterious puppet forces had revealed capabilities far beyond anything in Konoha's intelligence archives, their coordinated assault patterns and advanced energy weapons suggesting preparation that must have taken years to perfect.
Dozens of black-robed figures moved with mechanical precision, their forms identical in every detail from height and build to the way they held their energy-projecting hands. Each puppet possessed combat capabilities equivalent to a skilled chunin, but their true advantage lay in their expendability and tireless coordination. They felt no pain, required no rest, and operated with shared tactical intelligence that made them far more dangerous than their individual strength might suggest.
Neji found himself gradually being overwhelmed despite his considerable skills. The Gentle Fist techniques that had served him so well against human opponents proved less effective against artificial constructs that possessed no chakra network to disrupt and no vital organs to target. His legendary defensive capabilities were being tested to their absolute limits as energy beams converged on his position from multiple angles simultaneously.
Crash!
The golden light streak suddenly descended from above, revealing itself to be a young woman whose arrival transformed the entire tactical situation in an instant. Namikaze Chiharu landed with supernatural grace between Neji and his attackers, her presence immediately shifting the battle's momentum.
"Neji-nii!" she called out, her voice carrying both relief at finding him alive and determination to eliminate the threats surrounding him.
At fourteen years old, Chiharu had already achieved jonin rank through exceptional talent rather than conventional progression. While she possessed neither the raw power of her brother Naruto nor the legendary status of her father, her combination of inherited techniques and natural ability made her a formidable shinobi in her own right.
"Who are these people?" she demanded, her usually gentle demeanor replaced by the focused intensity of a shinobi preparing for battle.
Even as she spoke, her hands began moving through seal sequences with such speed that individual movements blurred together into barely visible afterimages. The precision and velocity of her technique work spoke to countless hours of training under the direct tutelage of some of the most skilled shinobi in history.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Chakra surged around Chiharu's form as the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique activated on a scale that would have been impressive even for a seasoned jonin. Dozens of perfect duplicates materialized around the battlefield, each one possessing the memories, skills, and determination of the original.
The tactical situation reversed almost instantly. Where moments before Neji had been facing overwhelming numerical odds, now the puppet forces found themselves surrounded by a coordinated team of Namikaze-trained shadow clones, each one capable of independent tactical thinking and advanced ninjutsu.
"They're all puppet!" Neji called out, his relief at the reinforcement evident despite the ongoing danger.
"Understood!" Chiharu replied, her analytical mind immediately adjusting her strategy to account for non-living opponents.
The puppet forces responded to the changed battlefield conditions with mechanical efficiency, their energy weapons charging simultaneously as they prepared to eliminate the new threats. Brilliant green light began building in dozens of artificial palms, creating a constellation of deadly stars that would soon converge on the shadow clones' positions.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Rather than wait for the coordinated attack, Chiharu's clones moved with inherited speed and tactical intelligence. Some began charging Rasengan spheres in their palms while others simply clenched their fists, preparing to rely on the devastating physical strength that ran in the Namikaze bloodline.
"Rasengan!" Multiple voices called out in unison as the battle reached its crescendo.
Bang-bang-bang!
The collision between advanced ninja techniques and artificial combatants created a series of explosions that illuminated the entire street. Puppet constructs that had withstood Neji's Gentle Fist techniques crumbled before the concentrated chakra manipulation of multiple Rasengan impacts, their sophisticated mechanisms proving vulnerable to techniques that attacked their structural integrity directly.
Those puppets that survived the initial ninjutsu assault found themselves facing Chiharu's inherited physical capabilities. Despite her relatively small stature and gentle appearance, she possessed strength that could shatter stone with bare-handed strikes—a legacy of both her Uzumaki heritage and years of training alongside superhuman family members.
Within moments, the street was littered with the smoking remains of destroyed puppet constructs, their advanced materials scattered like broken toys across the pavement.
"Neji-nii, what exactly happened here?" Chiharu asked as the immediate threat was eliminated, her expression shifting from combat focus to concerned inquiry.
Neji's response struck her like a physical blow: "Hinata-sama has been kidnapped!"
"What?!" The shock was evident in her voice as the implications became clear. An attack on a member of the Hyuga clan during a village-wide crisis suggested coordination and planning that extended far beyond opportunistic crime.
Immediately, Chiharu activated her sensory abilities, extending her chakra perception in all directions to search for traces of the abduction. Her inherited talent for sensing techniques, combined with years of training, allowed her to detect energy signatures across significant distances.
After several moments of concentrated effort, she locked onto a familiar chakra pattern moving away from the village. "That's... Shin-senpai's chakra signature," she murmured, recognizing the distinctive ink-based chakra that characterized his artistic techniques.
Following that trail led her to two other signatures: one completely unknown but radiating power that made her instinctively wary, and another that was unmistakably Hinata's chakra pattern, though it seemed strangely muted.
"They're already outside the village," she reported, anxiety creeping into her voice as she realized how much time had already passed.
Above them, the ongoing meteorite crisis continued to demand their father's complete attention. Minato's golden form could be seen darting between falling celestial fragments, each interception requiring split-second timing and devastating power. The timing of this attack was clearly deliberate—striking when Konoha's defenders were stretched beyond their limits.
"Dad is completely occupied right now," Chiharu said, her tactical mind already formulating a response plan. After a moment's consideration, she looked directly at Neji with the determination that marked her as truly her father's daughter.
"Neji-nii, I'm going to pursue them immediately and leave tracking markers along the route. When the village crisis is resolved, inform Dad about the situation and have him contact Naruto-nii. As long as I don't lose the trail completely, Dad can reach me instantly with Flying Thunder God."
She withdrew a specially designed kunai from her equipment pouch, its surface inscribed with the complex seal formulae that served as anchors for her father's space-time technique. "I'm carrying Dad's coordinates, so rescue is always possible."
Swoosh!
Without waiting for further discussion, Chiharu pushed her speed to its maximum, her form becoming a blur as she raced through Konoha's streets toward the village gates. Behind her, Neji watched with a mixture of admiration and concern before turning toward the Hokage Building to deliver his urgent report.
As Chiharu followed the fading chakra signatures beyond Konoha's borders, her mind raced through the tactical implications of what she had witnessed. The puppet attack had been precisely timed to coincide with the meteorite crisis, suggesting intelligence gathering and coordination that implied a much larger conspiracy than a simple kidnapping.
"They managed to infiltrate the village with dozens of advanced combat puppets, chose the exact moment when our defenses were stretched thinnest, and specifically targeted Hinata-neechan," she thought as she moved through the darkened landscape. "This isn't opportunistic—it's been planned for months, maybe years."
The sophistication of the assault troubled her more than she cared to admit. Whoever was behind this possessed detailed knowledge of Konoha's defensive capabilities, the timing of the meteorite attacks, and the specific individuals who would be responding to each crisis. That level of intelligence suggested either a massive security breach or enemies who had been observing them from beyond the reach of conventional surveillance.
As she pursued the trail beyond the Land of Fire's borders, Chiharu occasionally spotted debris from meteorite interceptions—scattered fragments of alien stone and residual energy signatures that marked where her brother or Sasuke had eliminated celestial threats. But she encountered none of Konoha's defenders directly, confirming that they were all completely occupied with their assigned sectors.
Dawn was beginning to break over the eastern horizon as her pursuit led her into the neutral territory of the Iron Country, its snow-capped peaks catching the first rays of sunlight like scattered diamonds.
"Where could they have gone?" Chiharu muttered to herself as her sensory abilities struggled to maintain the trail. At some point during the pursuit, Hinata's chakra signature had simply vanished, as if it had been blocked by some technique beyond her understanding.
However, she could still detect Shin's distinctive ink-based chakra, which led her to a remote forest area dominated by a spectacular waterfall that plunged from mountain heights into a crystal-clear pool below.
"You followed the trail here as well," came a familiar voice from beside the falling water.
Shin stood at the waterfall's edge, his pale features showing unusual signs of frustration and concern. His normally emotionless expression had been replaced by something approaching genuine worry—a remarkable transformation for someone who had spent years learning to experience human emotions.
"Shin-senpai!" Chiharu called out as she approached. "What's the situation? Where is Hinata-neechan?"
"I managed to track the kidnapper to this general area, but then lost all traces," Shin replied, his artistic eye scanning the surrounding landscape for clues that ordinary perception might miss. "I've used ink reconnaissance techniques to search the entire forest, but found nothing conclusive."
Chiharu studied the waterfall with growing suspicion. "If they vanished in this specific location, they must have gone underwater. Hidden caves or passages behind waterfalls are classic concealment techniques."
Shin nodded in agreement. "I reached the same conclusion, but I was concerned about potential ambushes or traps. I was preparing to send intelligence back to the village when you arrived."
As he spoke, he dipped his brush in ink and began creating another message bird on his scroll. The construct took shape with swift, economical strokes before achieving temporary life and taking flight toward Konoha.
"I should go down alone," Shin continued. "You're from the Communications Division—there's no reason to expose you to unknown dangers."
Chiharu shook her head firmly. "Shin-senpai, I already informed Neji-nii about my pursuit plan. Besides, Hinata-neechan is like family to me. I'm not staying behind."
She withdrew another Flying Thunder God kunai from her equipment, pressing it into Shin's hands. "Take this with you. If one of us encounters serious danger and the other escapes, Dad will be able to locate this position immediately and provide support."
After confirming their backup plans, both shinobi took deep breaths and dove directly into the waterfall's cascading flow.
The underwater passage behind the waterfall opened into a concealed cave system that showed clear signs of artificial modification. Smooth-carved walls and carefully constructed air pockets suggested that this location had been prepared specifically for concealment purposes rather than formed through natural processes.
As they swam deeper into the cave complex, both Chiharu and Shin found themselves affected by something that distorted their visual perception. The water around them seemed to shimmer and bend in ways that defied optical physics, making it difficult to determine distance or direction with any accuracy.
Splash!
They finally emerged into an air-filled chamber, gasping as they adjusted to breathing normally again. But something was fundamentally wrong with their perception—the space around them seemed to shift and blur whenever they tried to focus on specific details.
Chiharu immediately recognized the symptoms. "Genjutsu," she said, her voice echoing strangely in the distorted space.
As someone who had inherited both Uzumaki chakra control and received training from the Fourth Hokage himself, dispelling illusions was well within her capabilities. She carefully manipulated her internal chakra flow, disrupting the foreign influences that were affecting her perception.
"Release!" she called out, extending her dispelling technique to include Shin.
The pale-skinned shinobi's body trembled as the illusion's effects were broken, his eyes snapping open with newfound clarity. "Thank you," he said simply, though his tone carried genuine gratitude.
With their perception restored, they could see that the hidden chamber was far more extraordinary than either had expected. The space opened into a vast underground cavern filled with floating, planet-like objects that defied gravity and conventional understanding. Irregularly shaped stones drifted through the air in complex orbital patterns, their surfaces composed of materials that seemed to absorb and reflect light in impossible ways.
"This isn't natural," Shin observed, his artist's eye immediately recognizing that the formations followed some kind of deliberate design rather than random occurrence.
They moved deeper into the impossible space, following a pathway that seemed to exist independently of normal physics. The floating stones created an otherworldly landscape that felt more like traveling through deep space than exploring an underground cave.
Eventually, they discovered another body of water—this one glowing with the same green luminescence they had seen in the puppet weapons. The lake's surface rippled with patterns that suggested it was some kind of transportation portal rather than ordinary water.
"I didn't expect anyone would be capable of finding this place," came a voice from behind them, causing both shinobi to spin around in defensive postures.
Toneri stood at the chamber's entrance, his white hair flowing despite the absence of any wind. His closed eyes somehow focused on them with perfect precision, and his expression carried a mixture of mild surprise and condescending amusement.
"It was this man who abducted Hinata!" Shin's voice carried uncharacteristic anger as he recognized the figure from his aerial pursuit.
Chiharu's normally gentle demeanor vanished entirely, replaced by protective fury that blazed in her eyes like blue fire. "Who are you? Why did you take Hinata-neechan? Return her immediately!"
Rather than answer her direct questions, Toneri tilted his head with apparent curiosity. "Your chakra signature bears certain similarities to that powerful individual I observed in Konoha," he mused. "Interesting. Another member of that bloodline, perhaps?"
"Answer my question!" Chiharu's patience had reached its limit. Her usually controlled temper—inherited from her Uzumaki mother—was beginning to assert itself in dangerous ways.
Flash!
With speed that would have impressed even seasoned jonin, Chiharu appeared behind Toneri and attempted to lock him in a restraining hold. Her movements were fluid and precise, demonstrating years of training in close-combat techniques.
But the moment her hands made contact, she realized the truth: "A puppet," she said with disgust, recognizing the artificial nature of the construct.
"Quite impressive speed and reflexes," Toneri's voice came from the puppet's mouth, though his true location remained unknown. "Is this the current standard for your era's shinobi?"
His tone carried condescension that made Chiharu's anger burn even hotter. "You're all still fundamentally barbarians who have perverted the gift of chakra for warfare and violence."
"You have violated the original intentions of the Sage of Six Paths, who sought to spread the Ninja Sect as a path to understanding and peace, not as weapons of mass destruction."
The puppet's head turned to regard them with those closed eyes that somehow conveyed perfect awareness. "What a failed world this has become."
"What are you talking about?" Chiharu demanded, though something about his words sent chills down her spine. The mention of the Sage of Six Paths was particularly troubling—very few people possessed detailed knowledge about that legendary figure.
During the Fourth Ninja War, she had listened as her father recounted his brief communication with Hagoromo's spirit. The experience had been transformative for Minato, providing him with techniques and knowledge that transcended normal ninja understanding. But how could this stranger possess similar information?
"It's perfectly acceptable to enlighten you before the end," Toneri replied with what might have been amusement. "As a descendant of Hamura, I carry forward the will of my ancestors through the generations."
His next words carried the weight of absolute conviction: "I will destroy this corrupted world and rebuild it according to the original vision!"
"Hamura?" The name struck Chiharu like a physical blow as memories of her father's stories came flooding back.
Her pupils contracted as the implications became clear. "Otsutsuki Hamura... the younger brother of the legendary Sage of Six Paths, Otsutsuki Hagoromo, whom Dad encountered during the war?"