Konoha Gate
The night was quiet, almost unnaturally so. The moon cast a silver glow over the Konoha Gate, illuminating four figures standing just outside the village walls.
Kakashi.
Akira.
Tsunade.
And the white slug, Katsuyu, perched calmly, her tiny body shimmering faintly in the moonlight.
Tsunade studied Akira with her sharp, unyielding gaze.
"Akira," she said, her voice steady, "if this isn't urgent, I can assemble a Jonin team to accompany you by tomorrow morning. But are you certain it's not dangerous?"
Akira shook his head, confidence flickering in his eyes.
"It's fine, Tsunade-sama. There's nothing here I can't handle. Besides, with Kakashi-senpai accompanying me, there aren't many dangers in the ninja world. And if we encounter someone stronger…" He paused, a sly smile forming. "…then Chronarch can assist me. So really, there's no need to worry."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, glancing at Katsuyu.
"And the slug sage?" she asked.
"She's essential," Akira explained. "First, she can help with communicating with the raven. Second, if the raven resides in a spiritual realm—like the Three Holy Lands—she can guide me in opening or entering it. That's why I requested her help. I'll be back by tomorrow."
Tsunade nodded, her expression softening slightly.
"Kakashi, take care of Akira. Make sure he returns safely."
Kakashi inclined his head once.
"Understood."
Without another word, Akira began walking, and Kakashi followed silently. Tsunade watched them leave, a pang of duty tugging at her heart. She wanted to accompany them, but the village's responsibilities anchored her firmly.
---
Deep Forest — Border of the Land of Birds
Hours later, Akira and Kakashi had reached a dense forest, shadows stretching long under the pale light of the moon.
"This forest marks the border of the Land of Birds," Kakashi explained quietly. "It sits between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. Based on the tracks here…" He gestured toward the soft earth, marred with subtle prints. "…there's no sign of humans. This forest is rarely visited."
Akira nodded, observing the ground.
"Anything unusual among the tracks?" he asked.
Kakashi crouched, examining the marks carefully.
"No enormous animals, nothing that resembles a chakra beast. Just ordinary wildlife."
Akira opened his mouth to respond when a movement above him caught his eye. The feather of Yatagarasu, resting faintly on his palm, pulsed and shifted upward, drawing his gaze skyward.
Perched on a branch, a black raven sat quietly, feathers glinting faintly with chakra. Its eyes locked onto Akira and the feather simultaneously, curiosity radiating from every movement.
Without hesitation, the raven fluttered down, settling gently on Akira's shoulder.
It wasn't like other chakra beasts he had encountered. It was neither hostile nor indifferent—it radiated a subtle warmth, a closeness, a sense of recognition, despite this being their first meeting.
Kakashi tilted his head, studying the bird silently. The raven didn't flinch at his presence either, seeming entirely aware of its surroundings.
The bird's gaze eventually shifted to the feather in Akira's hand. Akira smiled faintly, feeling the strange connection.
"…Well, hello," he whispered softly, as if speaking to an old friend.
As if he responding to Akira, the raven gave a single sharp chirp.
Katsuyu, sitting calmly on Kakashi's shoulder, translated in her soft voice,
"He is also greeting you."
Akira smiled faintly.
" Kakashi-senpai can you move a dozen or so meter away from me.
I am going to touch the reven with the feather."
Kakashi, however, raised a brow and said,
"Then… why are you telling me to stand so far? What's going to happen just from touching a reven with a feather?"
Akira only shook his head.
"I don't know how it will react. Better stay a dozen meters away."
Kakashi didn't understand—but he didn't argue. He simply stepped back with Katsuyu on his shoulder.
Akira took a breath, grasped the mysterious feather, and gently pressed it against one of the raven's own head. The raven didn't flinch. It only stared, as if it too sensed a familiar aura hiding within the feather.
The moment the two feathers touched—
A violent whooooosh tore through the air.
A tornado of black feathers erupted out of nowhere, swirling around Akira and the raven like a monster born from a storm. In seconds, both were swallowed completely.
Kakashi instinctively moved to rush forward, but Katsuyu's voice stopped him sharply:
"Do not move, Kakashi. It isn't harming him."
Kakashi froze mid-step.
By the time he could even think to reach them, Akira was already buried in a storm of feathers.
He could only wait.
---
Inside the Feather Storm
Akira felt something he had never experienced.
The black feathers weren't cutting him—they were melting into his skin, sinking into his bones, merging with the raven as well. His body felt like it was being rewritten. His cells were drinking in a new kind of power.
A new energy.
Akira's eyes widened.
He could feel it from every direction, seeping into him like a living atmosphere.
Natural Energy.
Sage Energy.
A force older than chakra. Older than ninjutsu. Something that existed before Kaguya ever set foot on the world.
Understanding struck him instantly.
So… this is Yatagarasu's blessing.
Just like Hagoromo's blessing to Naruto and Sasuke…
But of the Raven Clan.
He didn't know how strong Yatagarasu had been in life.
But for a spirit to grant a blessing of this magnitude…
He must have been at least on par with the Sage of Six Paths.
Akira's constitution was changing—toward a sage body.
Not the Otsutsuki version.
Something else.
Something avian, ancient, and powerful.
Minutes passed.
Then suddenly—fwump—
The tornado collapsed, scattering into nothing.
---
Kakashi's eyes widened.
Akira was taller—by at least five centimeters.
His frame sharper. His presence heavier.
And his eyes… darker than night, like staring into an abyss.
The raven beside him had also grown, its chakra now radiating so strongly that Kakashi instinctively tightened his grip on his kunai.
He could feel it…
The raven alone could now fight him on equal terms.
A terrifying thought.
Akira examined himself next.
First—his chakra.
What had been elite-Jonin level had jumped straight into Kage-level territory.
Not in quantity—
but in density.
Human chakra vs. tailed-beast chakra.
That was the difference.
Next—Sage Mode.
He could feel it clearly.
Unlike Naruto, his sage mode required fusion—just like Jiraiya.
But his would last far longer.
Hours. Days.
Maybe even weeks.
And the raven…
His partner's strength had skyrocketed from elite-genin to elite-jonin instantly.
The bond between them was now instinctual—like two halves of one creature.
Akira exhaled slowly, then smiled at the raven, gently patting its head.
"Well," he said softly,
"You can take the name I gave you before."
He paused—
"Yatagarasu."
---