Kaguya?

Kaguya's eyes fluttered open, the world around her hazy and unfamiliar. The air was thick with the scent of earth and ancient trees, and the soft rustle of leaves above mixed with the distant sound of rushing water. She stood in a lush, verdant forest, surrounded by towering trees that stretched endlessly toward the sky. The place felt strangely familiar, as if she had been here before—but she couldn't quite place it. Was it a dream? A memory? Or something else entirely?

She tried to move, but her body was frozen, paralyzed, trapped in some sort of trance. It was as if she were suspended between two worlds: one foot in the past, one in the present.

As she looked down, she found herself holding a young boy in her arms. His face was tender, serene, and innocent, no older than ten. His long hair cascaded down his back, and his deep, knowing eyes gazed up at her with an understanding far beyond his years. There was something about him, something that told Kaguya that he wasn't just a child—that he was important, deeply so.

"Okaa-sama, what is the divine tree?" he asked, his voice soft but filled with quiet conviction. The question, though simple, carried a weight that Kaguya couldn't ignore.

Kaguya's heart skipped a beat. The voice… it rang out with such clarity that it echoed through her chest, striking something deep inside her. Her breath caught, her vision blurry as she focused on the boy in her arms. She knew him—he was hers. Without a doubt, she could feel it.

But the moment was fleeting, and before she could fully grasp it, the words escaped her lips, almost automatically. "It is the divine tree, Hamura."

Her response was short and emotionless. Detached, even. Yet beneath that cold exterior, something stirred within her—a deep, aching connection to the boy, her child. She wanted to hold him closer, to protect him, but she couldn't allow herself to feel.

Hamura didn't ask more questions. Instead, he nestled into her embrace, his small form seeking the warmth and security that only a mother could provide. Kaguya could feel his heartbeat, soft and steady, mirroring her own. The sensation was strange—comforting yet unfamiliar, like a memory she couldn't quite place.

The world around them was alive—the wind rustling through the trees, the quiet hum of the forest. But amidst the peaceful moment, a strange stillness seemed to settle over them. The weight of the past hung heavily in the air.

And then, everything shifted.

Kaguya's vision blurred violently, the landscape around her beginning to crumble like shattered glass. Mountains overturned, rivers ran in impossible directions, and ancient trees were uprooted, their roots clawing at the air. She stood in the center of it all, her heart pounding in her chest as two figures appeared before her.

"H-Hamura… Hagoromo…" she whispered, the names escaping her lips with a trembling voice.

The two figures stood before her—once familiar, now distant. She felt her chest tighten as grief flooded her heart. "How dare you betray me?" Her voice cracked, the sorrow overwhelming her, tearing at her very soul. The world continued to collapse around her, the figures of Hamura and Hagoromo standing there, silent and unmoving. But Kaguya could feel their betrayal in the very air.

The grief was sharp, unbearable—a twisting agony that threatened to consume her. It was the kind of sorrow that made it hard to breathe, hard to think. But just as the pain reached its peak, the landscape began to blur again, spinning wildly until everything fell away.

With a gasp, Kaguya's eyes snapped open, and the dream shattered like fragile glass. She was no longer in that crumbling world; she was back in the present, her senses slowly adjusting to reality. The familiar weight of the present moment settled on her shoulders, and she blinked as she looked around, confused and disoriented.

Sakura's voice cut through the haze. "Kaguya? What's wrong?" There was genuine concern in Sakura's tone, her hand lightly resting on Kaguya's shoulder as she leaned closer.

Kaguya blinked again, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Her throat was tight, her breath uneven. She instinctively wiped her face, her fingers coming away wet. It took her a moment to realize that she had been crying.

Sakura's voice softened, her eyes filled with worry. "Kaguya… you're crying."

Kaguya froze. She stared at Sakura, her mind clouded and distant. She couldn't explain what had just happened. The emotions that had overtaken her—why did they feel so foreign? It was as though the dream, the memory, wasn't hers. She could hardly recognize the pain that had surged through her.

"I don't know..." she finally muttered, her voice hollow, distant. She didn't have the answers—only the confusion that gnawed at her, making it impossible to put the pieces together. "It… it doesn't make sense."

Sakura gave her a concerned look, but Kaguya could feel a strange detachment from everything around her. As though she were still somewhere between worlds, still lost in the shadows of her past.

…

As the group made their way down the dirt road, the morning sun cast long shadows across the trees lining their path. The air was cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the warmth of Konoha they had left behind. Kaguya walked near the back of the group, her gaze focused ahead but her mind wandering.

Sakura slowed her pace to walk beside her. "Kaguya, you've been really quiet. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kaguya replied curtly, her voice steady but distant. She didn't look at Sakura, keeping her eyes trained on the path ahead.

Sakura hesitated before trying again. "You know, this is your first mission outside the village, right? It's kind of exciting, don't you think?"

Kaguya's lips twitched slightly in response. "Exciting? Not really. It's just... different."

Sakura frowned, unsure how to respond. Up ahead, Sasuke scoffed, clearly catching the tail end of their conversation. "What's so exciting about babysitting an old man?"

Tazuna turned his head, grumbling, "I'm still here, you know."

Kakashi chuckled lightly from the front. "Now, now, let's not underestimate the importance of this mission. Every client's safety is our top priority. Besides, you never know when a C-rank mission might turn into something more... complicated."

"Complicated how?" Kaguya asked, her voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

"Sometimes," Kakashi began, glancing back at her with a lazy eye, "unexpected elements can come into play. A seemingly simple mission can have layers of danger hiding beneath the surface."

Sakura shivered slightly. "Like what?"

"Oh, you know," Kakashi said casually, "rogue shinobi, ambushes, the occasional bandit group. It's rare, but it happens."

Sakura paled at the thought, while Sasuke smirked faintly, clearly unbothered. Kaguya said nothing but felt a flicker of unease.

As they continued walking, Kaguya felt a faint shift in the atmosphere. It was subtle, like a ripple in still water. She paused mid-step, her instincts prickling. Her gaze darted to the ground, where a small puddle of water reflected the sunlight. She frowned. It hasn't rained in weeks...

Without a word, she focused her chakra and activated the Byakugan. Veins appeared near her eyes as her vision expanded, revealing the chakra signatures of two shinobi concealed within the puddle. Her heart quickened, but she forced herself to stay calm.

Kaguya's eyes flicked to Kakashi, who had already stopped walking. She made a subtle hand signal, brushing her fingers near her side in a way that only he would notice. His visible eye turned toward her, then briefly toward the puddle. He gave her a silent nod, his expression calm, before raising his hand to signal the group to keep moving.

"Stay close and keep walking," Kakashi said in an even tone, his posture relaxed as though nothing was amiss.

Kaguya exhaled quietly, trusting Kakashi's silent reassurance. She deactivated her Byakugan and followed the group forward, her senses on high alert. The tension in the air was thick, but the team moved as instructed, waiting for Kakashi's next move.

Just as Kakashi's foot stepped into the puddle, a sudden puff of smoke erupted from the ground. Two shinobi emerged, their faces obscured by Kirigakure headbands slashed through the middle, signifying their rogue status. Moving in perfect sync, a glinting chain connecting them, they darted forward with deadly precision.

In an instant, they wrapped the chain around Kakashi's body. The chain tightened sharply, shredding Kakashi into pieces in a gruesome display.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shrieked, stumbling backward, her face pale with shock.

"One down," one of the shinobi sneered, his voice like gravel.

"Four more to go," the other added coldly, his eyes darting toward the group.

Kaguya's Byakugan was already active, and her expanded field of vision immediately pinpointed Kakashi's chakra signature in the trees above. A substitution jutsu. He's hiding to test us... or to observe the situation.

The attackers wasted no time. One lunged at Kaguya with a blade aimed directly at her chest, while the other charged Sasuke, brandishing a kunai.

Kaguya didn't flinch. Her Byakugan traced the rogue shinobi's movements as if he were moving in slow motion. She sidestepped his blade with ease, pivoting to create distance. With her peripheral vision, she tracked Sasuke's opponent and Sakura's position near Tazuna.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his hands already on a kunai. He dodged the first slash with sharp reflexes, countering with a shuriken aimed at his attacker's legs. The rogue shinobi sidestepped the projectile and came at him again, forcing Sasuke to jump back to create space.

"Sakura!" Kaguya barked, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Stay with Tazuna! Don't move from his side!"

Sakura nodded shakily, gripping her kunai tightly as she positioned herself protectively in front of the bridge builder, who stood frozen with fear.

The shinobi attacking Kaguya smirked, clearly underestimating her. "You've got some nerve, brat," he sneered, swinging his blade in a wide arc.

Kaguya dodged effortlessly, her movements precise and calculated, her Byakugan tracking every shift in his chakra flow. Without hesitation, she retaliated with a swift jab to his wrist, forcing him to drop the blade with a clatter.

The rogue shinobi snarled, recovering quickly and spinning into a high kick aimed at her head. Kaguya stepped back smoothly, the wind from the kick brushing past her face as she landed lightly on her feet. Her gaze flickered to the connecting chain between the attackers, her sharp mind already calculating her next move.

The second shinobi, still locked in combat with Sasuke, tugged at the chain to try and bring his partner back into formation.

Not happening, Kaguya thought.

With fluid precision, she whipped out a kunai and flung it. The weapon sailed through the air, embedding itself into the ground and pinning their chain firmly into the earth.

The rogue attacking her hissed in frustration, yanking at the chain, but it held fast. "What the—!"

Kaguya didn't waste the opening. She darted forward, her movements sharp and deliberate, aiming a palm strike directly at the rogue shinobi's chest. He twisted away at the last second, narrowly evading the blow, but the maneuver left him off-balance. His footing faltered, and his frustration was evident as his eyes locked on hers.

Seizing the moment, Kaguya pivoted on her heel, shifting her weight as she delivered a swift and forceful kick to his chest. The impact was solid, sending him stumbling backward with a grunt of pain. He collided into his partner, momentarily throwing both of them off their rhythm.

Sasuke, already engaged with the second shinobi, didn't let up. He stepped forward with a fierce jab of his kunai, forcing the rogue to parry. Sparks flew as the blades clashed again and again, the sound sharp and grating in the tense air. "Kaguya!" Sasuke barked, glancing toward her without breaking his focus.

"I've got it!" Kaguya replied, her tone calm but resolute. Her Byakugan was active, tracking the chakra flow in both enemies. She saw every twitch of muscle, every subtle shift in their stances, and adjusted her own movements accordingly.

The first shinobi growled as he regained his footing, his eyes narrowing. He lunged toward her again, brandishing a second kunai in a low, aggressive stance. Kaguya sidestepped smoothly, her movements fluid and precise, and countered with a sweeping strike aimed at his arm. The kunai slipped from his grip, clattering to the ground.

Before he could react, Kaguya closed the distance, driving her elbow into his ribs. He doubled over with a pained grunt, clutching his side. She didn't give him a chance to recover, delivering a sharp upward palm strike to his chin that sent him reeling.

Meanwhile, the second shinobi snarled in frustration as Sasuke's relentless attacks forced him onto the defensive. The rogue swung wildly, but Sasuke ducked under the attack with ease, his movements fluid and deliberate. Capitalizing on the opening, Sasuke retaliated with a spinning kick that struck the shinobi's side, forcing a sharp grunt of pain as he staggered back.

Before the rogue could recover, Sasuke lunged forward, pressing the cold edge of a kunai against his throat. The shinobi froze, his eyes widening in alarm as he looked up to meet Sasuke's cold, unyielding onyx gaze. "It's over," Sasuke said evenly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Nearby, Kaguya delivered a calculated palm strike to the chest of her opponent, sending him flying back. He collided with his comrade, the force knocking them both to the ground in a tangled heap. Without missing a beat, Kaguya stepped forward and secured their chains, wrapping them tightly around the rogues to immobilize them.

The shinobi struggled but were unable to break free. "Who sent you?" Kaguya demanded, her voice calm but carrying an edge that made it clear she wasn't in the mood for games.

Before the rogues could answer, Kakashi appeared seemingly out of nowhere, his hands tucked casually in his pockets. "Well done, team," he said, his tone light but approving.

"Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. "You're alive?"

Kakashi gave her an eye smile. "Of course. It was just a substitution. I needed to see how you'd handle yourselves in a real situation, and I must say, I'm impressed."

Sakura's disbelief melted into relief, her shoulders relaxing as she realized their sensei had been watching over them the entire time. "You scared us, Sensei," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Kakashi chuckled softly, tilting his head. "Scared? You all handled the situation perfectly. Sasuke, excellent use of timing and precision to subdue your opponent. Kaguya, your strategy and execution were flawless as usual. And Sakura…" He paused, his gaze shifting to her. "You kept your composure and supported the team. That's just as important."

Sakura flushed slightly at the praise, her lips curving into a small, proud smile.

Sasuke, still holding the kunai to his opponent's throat, didn't relax until Kakashi gave him a slight nod of approval. With a sharp inhale, Sasuke withdrew the blade and took a step back, though his eyes remained fixed on the rogue shinobi, ensuring there were no sudden moves.

Kaguya, on the other hand, tightened the knots on the chains for good measure. Her pale eyes briefly flicked toward Kakashi. "And now? What do we do with them?"

Kakashi observed the two restrained shinobi for a moment before speaking, his voice cool but carrying an underlying intensity. "I'll take them with me. We'll extract more information later." He made a motion for the rogues to be lifted, and as if on cue, the two figures were securely hoisted and escorted away.

The team watched in silence as Kakashi disappeared with the prisoners. Their brief moment of relief dissolved into the ever-present tension of the mission.

Kaguya's gaze lingered on the path ahead, her expression unreadable, but Sasuke noticed a slight shift in her demeanor. She had always been calm under pressure, but this mission had taken on an unsettling air.

Sakura, still processing the events, turned to Sasuke, her eyes wide. "Sasuke, that was… amazing," she said, her voice slightly breathless. She took a step closer to him, her excitement almost bubbling over. "The way you moved, the precision—did you see how quickly you disarmed that guy? You were like—like a shadow! I've never seen anyone fight like that."

Sasuke gave her a brief glance, his expression as stoic as ever. "It was nothing." He shrugged nonchalantly, though his gaze lingered on the horizon, his posture a little straighter than before.

But Sakura wasn't deterred. Her voice grew more animated as she continued, "But seriously, Sasuke! You were so fast, and that kick—wow. You looked like a real pro out there! I bet no one could've done it better than you."

Sasuke's lips twitched, though he quickly masked the small smirk threatening to form. He crossed his arms, turning his head slightly away, though a faint pride flickered in his eyes. "It's just how I fight," he replied coolly, trying to downplay her praise, but there was a subtle air of satisfaction in his tone.

Sakura, practically glowing with admiration, persisted, "Honestly, I can't believe how effortless you made it look! I knew you were strong, but seeing it firsthand is a whole different level. You're—" She caught herself before she could gush too much, looking a little embarrassed. "You're seriously incredible, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't respond right away. His eyes flicked toward Kaguya, who was tying the last of the restraints with calm precision. He looked at her for just a moment, then turned back to Sakura, his gaze cool and calculating. "Just make sure you keep up, Sakura. There's still a lot more to do."

Sakura blinked, the words hitting her harder than expected. But what struck her even more was the way Sasuke had glanced at Kaguya before turning his attention back to her. The way he looked at Kaguya—there was something there that made her stomach twist. Something she couldn't explain. It was just... different. Like there was a familiarity or understanding between them that Sakura couldn't place, but it made her feel small and distant.

A sudden pang of jealousy, raw and unbidden, stirred within her. She didn't want to admit it, but the feeling was unmistakable. Why does he look at her like that?

Her mind raced, but before she could dwell on it any longer, Kakashi's voice cut through her thoughts, smooth and authoritative. "Those two were Gozu and Meizu. Rogue shinobi"

Sakura's gaze shifted to where the two rogues had once been, now unconscious and disposed of by Kakashi. The weight of Kakashi's words settled over the group, but Sakura could hardly focus on the rogues themselves, her thoughts still tangled in the strange shift in the air between Sasuke and Kaguya.

Kakashi continued, his voice calm but steady. "They were hired by someone, but they won't be a threat anymore."

There was a brief silence as everyone processed this, and Tazuna, standing off to the side, fidgeted nervously. His shoulders tensed, and he rubbed the back of his neck. Finally, Kakashi turned his attention to the bridge builder. "Tazuna," he said, his voice sharp yet patient. "You've been withholding information. Now, it's time to tell us what's really going on."

Tazuna's eyes darted nervously, and he hesitated before speaking, his voice strained. "I… I only had enough to afford a C-rank mission. Not a B-rank." His hands wrung together, and his voice grew more desperate. "Please, you've got to help me. The situation here… it's worse than I could have ever imagined."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Tazuna took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and then let the truth spill out. "The bridge… it's not just about building a bridge. I'm trying to build a bridge to bring peace to this place, but there's someone standing in the way—someone named Gato. He controls everything in this region. He's a shipping magnate, and he has a hold on all trade here. He's been using that power to keep the people in constant strife. And I hired ninjas to help protect me while I finish this bridge, but…" He hesitated, his eyes flicking nervously to the unconscious bodies. "They've been coming after me. They're not just trying to stop the bridge—they want to stop everything I'm trying to do."

Kakashi's expression hardened. "Gato. And the ninjas you hired have been targeting you."

Tazuna nodded. "Yes, they're hired thugs. And if the bridge isn't completed, Gato's stranglehold over this place will never end."

The weight of the situation sank in, and Sakura felt the gravity of their mission shift. This wasn't just about a bridge anymore. It was about something much larger—fighting against a corrupt system that had enslaved an entire region.

Kakashi let out a breath, his eyes flicking to each of them in turn. "So, now, we're faced with a choice. We can turn back, finish the mission, and head home. Or…" He let the implication hang in the air, waiting for them to make up their minds.

Before Kaguya could even open her mouth to respond, Sakura found herself speaking up, her voice surprising even her. "We should help him. We need to continue the mission," she declared firmly, crossing her arms. "If we turn back now, everything we've done will be for nothing."

Kaguya blinked, clearly caught off guard by the interruption. Her pale eyes flicked briefly toward Sakura, a subtle, unreadable expression on her face. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, letting the moment pass as he adjusted his stance.

Sakura's heart pounded in her chest, but she kept her gaze steady. She wasn't sure where this sudden surge of resolve had come from, but the desire to prove herself, to show that she wasn't useless, burned within her. She hadn't done much so far—she had been outshone by Sasuke, and now there was Kaguya, seemingly always a step ahead. But this time, Sakura would take action. She would show that she was capable, that she was worthy of being a part of this team.

She ignored the sharp sting of jealousy that threatened to cloud her thoughts and focused on what lay ahead. This time, I'll make a difference.

Kakashi, after a moment's pause, gave a single, approving nod. "Alright then. Let's finish what we started. We'll protect this bridge and stop Gato."