Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

---

Just as the prisoners began their escape, hoping to finally see the sun again, they met a gruesome fate. Raging flames poured into the passage from outside, incinerating everything in their path. The intense heat reduced bodies to bone residue in seconds. The harder they struggled to flee, the quicker they succumbed to their demise.

Pakura, standing amidst the inferno, remained unfazed by the prisoners' fate. The environment was her playground, and the flames danced in perfect harmony with her scorching abilities. Like a raging wildfire, she tore through the enemy ranks, her power overwhelming and merciless.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" Yamanosatsu murmured after dispatching two ninjas who had tried to sneak up on him. He watched the fiery devastation caused by Pakura with a mixture of envy and admiration. Pakura's abilities, rooted in her mastery of the Scorch Release and blood demon arts, were unparalleled in destructive potential.

"She's something else," Yamanosatsu thought, knowing Muzan might elevate her to the highest ranks of the Twelve Kizuki after this mission. His own abilities were more suited to support, a fact he resented.

Once Kaede pinpointed Muzan's location, Pakura led the charge, burning a path through their enemies with merciless efficiency. The remaining members of the Twelve Kizuki followed closely behind. The searing heat was almost unbearable for Haku, but he countered it with his Ice Release, cooling the surrounding air to prevent himself from being scorched alive.

Deep within the prison, Muzan sensed the vibrations and presence of his elite followers. His red eyes gleamed with malice as he turned to the ninja standing guard.

"Aren't you going to intervene?" Muzan asked, his voice cold and mocking. "They won't hold them off for long."

"My duty is to ensure you stay here," the ninja replied grimly. He could hear the screams from outside, but Konoha's reinforcements still hadn't arrived. Something was terribly wrong. All he could do now was make sure Muzan didn't escape; capturing him a second time would be impossible.

"They're close," Muzan murmured.

Suddenly, the wall shattered, debris flying in all directions as Pakura blasted her way in, flames blazing around her. The heat wave hit the guarding ninja like a physical blow, leaving even this elite jounin trembling in fear.

Where are Konoha's reinforcements? the ninja thought desperately.

"Lord Muzan, we've come for you," Zabuza declared, swinging his Executioner's Blade to sever the sealing talisman above Muzan. As the seal broke, Muzan's body began to regenerate rapidly, his dark energy eroding the chains that bound him.

With a deafening crack, Muzan stood. His power shattered the fragile balance of the prison, sending tremors through the ground. Realizing his helplessness, the jounin fled, hoping to warn the Fourth Hokage of the disaster that was about to unfold.

But Minato Namikaze had his hands full. For the first time since its founding, Konoha was under a full-scale invasion. Pain's Six Paths led the assault, their Rinnegan eyes—the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths—striking terror into all who faced them. Orochimaru, alongside rogue ninjas of terrifying strength, added to the chaos.

Even Konoha's formidable defenses were struggling to hold the line. A massive explosion rocked the village, sending a mushroom cloud into the sky.

"It's not just the Akatsuki," Muzan mused, stepping into the chaos with his Twelve Kizuki. He had no intention of retreating; revenge was the only thing on his mind.

"Kizuki, with me!" Muzan commanded, his voice echoing like a death knell.

As Muzan emerged onto the battlefield, volcanic ash and snow began to fall, a surreal contrast of fire and frost. The snowstorm intensified, the biting cold draining the strength of the ninjas on both sides.

From the distance, Jiraiya observed the chaos. His sharp eyes fell on Haku, the boy responsible for the unnatural snowstorm.

"Minato, do you see that white-haired boy with Muzan?" Jiraiya asked urgently. "He's the one creating this blizzard. If we don't stop him, Konoha's done for."

Minato, locked in combat with Pain's Deva Path, nodded grimly. Exhaling frosty breath, he gripped his Flying Thunder God kunai. "Understood, Sensei. I'll take care of it. Hold the line."

As Minato prepared to engage, Muzan stepped forward, his voice carrying across the battlefield like thunder.

"People of Konoha," he began, his tone dripping with malice, "are you prepared for my wrath?"

The Twelve Kizuki roared in unison, their bodies transforming as Muzan's dark energy surged through them. Konoha's forces faltered under the immense pressure.

But even Muzan paused as the snowstorm grew fiercer. The temperature dropped so drastically that frost began to form on his skin. Muzan's eyes narrowed at Haku, who stood at the storm's epicenter, his power spiraling out of control.

---

Namikaze Minato wasn't sure he could kill Muzan.

From what they had uncovered, Muzan Hataka couldn't be killed by conventional means. Physical attacks were meaningless against a creature whose body could regenerate from even the most grievous injuries. Sealing techniques, such as the Reaper Death Seal, were their last resort. But using that jutsu would mean Minato's death—a sacrifice Konoha could scarcely afford in its direst hour.

For now, Minato focused on eliminating Haku from the battlefield. The Ice Release user's abilities, enhanced by Muzan's blood, were pushing Konoha to its limits. If left unchecked, Haku would turn the village into a frozen wasteland.

With a flick of his wrist, Minato marked the battlefield with his Flying Thunder God kunai. In an instant, he teleported to Haku's side.

Though skilled, Haku lacked the combat experience of someone like Muzan. Minato's sudden appearance caught him off guard. But before the kunai could land a decisive blow, Muzan intervened, his katana flashing as he deflected the attack with ease.

Minato and Muzan's gazes locked for a tense moment. But while Muzan blocked the first kunai, Minato had already teleported, a second kunai streaking toward Haku.

"Flying Thunder God: Second Step!"

The kunai struck true, piercing Haku's neck. Blood gushed from the wound, but Haku calmly removed the blade, the injury closing almost instantly.

"As expected, he possesses Muzan's immortality," Minato thought, already moving to the next phase of his plan.

The mark on the kunai glowed faintly, now embedded in Haku's flesh. Before Haku could react, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again.

In an instant, Haku was gone, teleported far away into the depths of a dense forest.

"Where… am I?" Haku muttered, his voice tinged with confusion.

Back on the battlefield, Muzan's gaze flicked to where Haku had been, irritation flashing across his face. When Minato reappeared, Muzan's voice rang out, a chilling command to his followers:

"Be careful. If he marks you, sever the flesh immediately."

The Twelve Kizuki eyed Minato warily, none of them willing to risk being removed from the battle like Haku. With the snowstorm subsiding, Konoha's forces found their footing again.

"Clang!"

Muzan forced Minato back with a powerful slash, the ground cracking beneath them. But before Muzan could press his advantage, a disturbance drew his attention.

"Hmm?"

"Cling, clang!"

Shuriken, glinting in the dim light, streaked through the air, attached to razor-thin wires. Muzan cut them down effortlessly, but the lines heralded the arrival of another opponent.

"Uchiha Itachi."

The raven-haired shinobi stood motionless, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning ominously in his eyes. Muzan recognized the power immediately.

"Mangekyō Sharingan," Muzan muttered, his expression sharpening. He had witnessed the devastating potential of the Uchiha clan's dojutsu in the past.

Itachi didn't waste words. In a blur, he descended from above, aiming to trap Muzan in a genjutsu.

Within the illusion, Muzan found himself bound by ethereal chains, his movements restricted as Itachi calmly approached. But in the real world, Itachi had attached an explosive-laden kunai to Muzan's arm.

"A clever genjutsu," Muzan thought, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

Just as the kunai was about to detonate, Muzan used Earth Release to bury the explosive tags underground. He turned to face Itachi, an air of amusement about him.

Unfazed, Itachi continued his assault.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The two jutsu collided in a burst of steam, but Muzan's attack overwhelmed Itachi's, forcing the Uchiha to retreat. Muzan used the momentum to close the distance, his katana slashing toward Itachi's throat.

But the blade cut through wood—Itachi had used a substitution jutsu to evade. From a safe distance, Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan's devastating power.

"Amaterasu!"

Black flames erupted around Muzan, clinging to his flesh like a curse. The inextinguishable fire consumed him, but Muzan's expression remained calm.

"Crack!"

The flames burned away a portion of his body, but Muzan discarded the scorched flesh like shedding old skin. In moments, he was fully regenerated.

"This fire… it's intriguing," Muzan mused, using the Fire Sealing Method to trap the Amaterasu flames within a scroll.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, frustration mounting. He shifted his strategy, summoning Susanoo. The spectral warrior formed around him, its glowing ribcage providing an impenetrable defense.

Even Konoha's forces paused to gape at the massive construct. The oppressive energy radiating from Susanoo was overwhelming.

The Third Hokage, observing from afar, sighed deeply. "Itachi has unleashed Susanoo… But will it be enough to stop Muzan?"

Muzan, however, remained unimpressed. With a flick of his wrist, two bone spurs extended from his back, moving with terrifying speed and force. They slammed into Susanoo's ribs, cracking the structure with a deafening impact.

Despite his best efforts, Itachi was pushed to his limits. Susanoo trembled under the strain, and Muzan advanced, ready to deliver a decisive blow.

But just as Muzan's strike was about to land, he stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing. He sensed another presence—a powerful one—and disappeared in a blur, using the Body Flicker Technique to evade.

---