Kakashi and Chihiro were completely absorbed in their little yellow book.
Meanwhile, Naruto was still throwing himself at the light barrier, trying to break through.
Kiba stood nearby, watching the spectacle with amusement, occasionally shouting encouragement.
Hinata, on the other hand, silently observed Naruto, smiling softly and blushing every now and then.
Sakura was busy reviewing information in her mind.
Shino… well, he was just being Shino.
Everyone seemed relaxed, going about their own business—until the massive orb of light in the sky suddenly exploded.
It shattered into a brilliant cascade of colors, flickering briefly before disappearing.
Strangely, the explosion made no sound.
At the same time, the light barrier began to dissolve, its glow fading away.
Naruto, who had just thrown himself at the wall again, suddenly found himself stumbling forward, finally crossing through.
Dazed, he blinked a few times, trying to process what had happened.
Then, he noticed something—Sakiya was on the other side, dragging Sasuke toward them.
His eyes widened.
"Sakiya! Are you okay?"
Sakiya barely had time to respond before Naruto's gaze shifted.
His focus locked onto Sasuke, who was limp and unresponsive.
Naruto panicked and rushed forward.
"Sasuke! What happened to him? Is he okay?"
Sakiya casually dropped Sasuke's leg as Naruto reached them.
"Relax," she said confidently. "Under my protection, the Dark Knight isn't in any danger."
Naruto blinked.
"Then why does he look like that?"
"He's just unconscious."
Naruto exhaled sharply, relief washing over him.
"Alright. I'll take him to Sakura."
Without hesitation, he scooped Sasuke up and hurried off.
The commotion hadn't gone unnoticed—almost everyone had turned their attention to the scene.
Well, almost everyone.
Two people remained completely oblivious, still engrossed in their book.
Kurenai sighed and shook her head before finally speaking up.
"Kakashi?"
Kakashi, without even glancing up, responded lazily.
"Hmm? Is it over?"
At that moment, Chihiro finally looked up from the pages.
She scanned the battlefield—Sakiya standing victorious, the fallen Oto ninja scattered across the ground.
Nodding, she said simply, "Yeah, seems like it."
Kakashi moved slightly.
He closed his book, stood up, and stretched.
"Well, the mission is finally over."
Kurenai barely had the energy to complain.
"You didn't put in any effort. This was basically a vacation…"
Kakashi put away his book and walked over to Sakiya, flashing a broad smile.
"Thanks, Sakiya."
Sakiya raised her chin slightly, arms crossed.
"Thanks? I barely did anything. Didn't even break a sweat. Hardly worth mentioning."
"Yeah, yeah, the Eye of Death is the strongest."
Kakashi's response was perfunctory as his gaze swept across the battlefield.
"Huh… I don't see Orochimaru anywhere."
Sakiya's expression stiffened, clearly displeased.
After all, she had just been boasting, and yet—she let a snake slip away.
"That damn snake was too cunning. He escaped."
"Well… makes sense. He has outrun death before."
Sakiya clenched a small fist.
"The next time I see him, I won't let him get away. I'll use the Eye of Death if I have to!"
Kakashi wasn't convinced. Orochimaru's survival skills were on another level.
"All right, let's clean up and investigate Oto."
The Oto-nin prisoners were restrained, and seals were applied where necessary. Kakashi was familiar with this process—after all, he had done the same to Sasuke's curse mark.
Among the survivors were the five Oto-nin, as well as Kimimaro and a few others. After interrogating them, they gathered valuable information about Orochimaru.
They then scoured Oto for any remaining research, stripping Orochimaru's lab of materials and records. Once everything useful was collected, Kakashi set fire to the place.
He did it alone.
The things hidden in that lab were too dark. Even if he believed Naruto could handle the truth, he had no intention of letting him carry that burden.
Better to sink it all into oblivion.
Kakashi stepped out of the burning laboratory, his heart heavy.
As he faced the others, he let out a slow breath, steadying himself.
"Let's go. Time to head home."
"Yeah! Mission complete!"
"That felt almost too easy."
"Of course, it felt easy. You didn't do anything."
The group started their journey back.
Among them, the only one who had actually exerted some effort was Sasuke. He absentmindedly touched the curse mark on his neck.
"I still need to get stronger..."
—
The return trip was uneventful, and they arrived in Konoha without trouble.
During the mission debrief, Tsunade was stunned by Orochimaru's resurrection. But more than that, she was once again reminded of Sakiya's sheer strength.
Taking down an entire ninja village almost single-handedly.
Orochimaru as the final boss?
Tsunade knew him well enough to understand just how dangerous he was. Even the Third Hokage had been forced to sacrifice himself just to stop him.
Yet now, Sakiya had practically handled him alone.
"Well… I guess we can bring her to the Five Kage Summit."
That settled it.
---
The Next Day
At home, Sakiya didn't go out. Instead, she stayed with her mother, enjoying a quiet day together.
Kihana, her mother, was nearly seven months pregnant. Her belly was large, and there were already signs that the baby might arrive early.
Kitahara Kira and Sakiya remained by her side, offering silent support.
Sakiya gently rested her head against her mother's belly, listening closely to the tiny life inside.
"Mom~"
Kihana smiled, wrapping an arm around her daughter.
"Hmm? What is it, Sakiya?"
"How do you know it's going to be a little brother? Why not a little sister?"
Kihana chuckled.
"Do you want a little sister?"
Sakiya thought about it for a moment, then shook her head.
"I'm not picky."
Kihana patted her daughter's head affectionately.
"Honestly, your father and I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. But I hope it's a boy."
Sakiya looked up.
"Why?"
"If it's a boy, he can inherit the family estate."
Sakiya nodded to herself.
[Oh… so my little brother is basically just here for that.]
"But even if it's a girl, I'd still love her just the same."
"I know, Mom."
Just then, Kitahara Kira arrived with a bowl of sugar water, smiling warmly.
"Here, Kihana. Drink this—it'll give you energy."
Kihana accepted it with a smile and took a small sip. She noticed Sakiya watching her eagerly but trying to resist temptation.
Sakiya licked her lips but quickly shook her head.
"Mom, you should drink. You need the energy!"
Kihana and Kitahara exchanged amused glances.
Kitahara then pulled out another bowl and gently patted Sakiya's head.
"Sakiya~ How could I forget my little foodie?"
Sakiya's eyes sparkled with delight as she took the bowl in both hands and took a sip.
Instantly, the sweet taste filled her mouth, warming her all the way down to her stomach.
"This is so good!"
Kitahara watched his daughter's happy expression and felt a wave of warmth in his heart. Moments like these made him feel truly happy.
"Then drink as much as you want."
"Okay!"
Sakiya eagerly took another sip. But then, she suddenly remembered something.
She looked at Kitahara, then extended the bowl toward him.
"Dad, you should have some too."
Kitahara was momentarily surprised, but then he smiled and accepted the bowl.
"You're such a thoughtful kid, Sakiya."
Sakiya grinned.
"I've always been thoughtful."
Kihana and Kitahara both laughed warmly.
"Yes, yes, you always have been."
—
After a little while, Sakiya reached for Kitahara's bowl again—only to realize something.
It was empty.
She blinked in disbelief.
"Wait… I only had two sips…"
_______
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