Dark Revival

Amegakure. Beneath the tower.

Naruto walked toward the entrance.

"I was out for so long, I'm starving..."

"Can we leave now?"

Naruto stopped and turned to look at Jugo.

Jugo spoke without servility or arrogance. "We've helped with your operation as agreed. We're under no obligation to stay with you any longer!"

Suigetsu hurriedly reminded him in a low voice, "Hey, Jugo, we're on his turf!"

Naruto replied calmly, "Oh, Sasuke should be at the Akatsuki's underground hideout. Do you know the way?"

Jugo said, "We do. We went there after his battle with Itachi."

Naruto said, "Then go ahead. Oh, and when you see Sasuke, pass a message on to him for me."

Jugo was surprised.

He hadn't expected Naruto to let them go so readily.

He asked, "What is it? I'll make sure he hears it."

Naruto said, "Danzo isn't in Konoha. He's probably gone to find Kabuto Yakushi. If Sasuke wants to strike, he should do it soon. Don't give Danzo another chance to make a comeback!"

Jugo nodded. "Understood."

Naruto said, "Go on..."

The two left Amegakure and walked across the muddy ground.

With both hands behind his head, Suigetsu said reflectively, "I really didn't expect him to let us go so easily. I thought he'd sweet-talk us into staying, then gradually force us to work for him. Failing that, he'd eventually use genjutsu to turn us into puppets."

"..." Jugo remained silent.

Suigetsu speculated, "Do you think he wants to use Sasuke to get rid of Danzo?"

Jugo considered it. "Probably not. With his power, if he'd wanted that, Danzo couldn't have left the Land of Iron alive. Maybe he really wants to help Sasuke get his revenge..."

Suigetsu said in confusion, "I don't get it. Are those two friends or enemies?"

"Both friend and foe would be a better description," Jugo murmured. "If Sasuke weren't the person Kimimaro entrusted to me, choosing Naruto wouldn't be out of the question..."

Suigetsu said, "Huh? What was that last part? I didn't catch it."

Jugo said, "Nothing. Let's keep moving..."

In Kumogakure, the night's defensive battle had ended, and the Ninjas were tallying their losses.

"Overall damage to the village is approximately ten percent. Lord Raikage's residence and the surrounding area suffered the worst damage!"

"Over a hundred people were injured, most of them lightly. There were no deaths!"

"No deaths. That's truly a blessing amid the misfortune..."

"We still don't know how the enemy breached the Heavenly Retribution Formation."

"The enemy leader was immensely powerful, with unpredictable techniques. In particular, the technique that trapped Lord Raikage was something we've never heard of!"

The Kumogakure shinobi looked up at the star suspended high in the sky.

The Planetary Devastation sphere was still slowly breaking apart. Huge rocks fell from it from time to time with thunderous crashes... They couldn't even approach the area directly beneath it to clear the debris!

"Have we identified the enemy?"

"According to Lord Dodai's report, they were rogue shinobi from Konoha who called themselves 'Bright Akatsuki.' Their exact identities remain unknown."

"Bright Akatsuki? Aren't they just the same scum as the Akatsuki?"

"Lord Raikage should know who they really are, but he hasn't woken up yet..."

"Are his injuries serious?"

"Suffocation deprived him of oxygen and damaged his lungs. He exhausted all his chakra breaking out, but the worst injury came from the fall. He'd already lost the protection of his Lightning Release chakra, so he injured the bones in his neck..."

"His neck?"

"Yes. I'm afraid Lord Raikage won't be able to twist his neck freely like he used to!"

"How could this happen? That's been Lord Raikage's habit for years!"

"Lord B and the others should be back soon, shouldn't they..."

Rumble!

Thunderclap rolled.

In the woods outside Kumogakure, Darui staggered forward. His face was deathly pale, his vision unfocused. Staring at the village entrance just ahead, he murmured, "Not yet... I can't fall yet. Just a little farther..."

Grotesque wooden branches pierced the entire left side of his body, which had already gone numb!

He had survived Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs!

It had taken both skill and luck!

At the critical moment, Darui had done everything he could to protect his vital points, taking the branch through his left shoulder. The branches that then sprouted had damaged his internal organs, but missed the most important one-his heart!

He had escaped the battlefield with a Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique, enduring nearly fatal pain to return to the village!!!

The Ninja guarding the gate cried out, "Mr. Darui, how did you end up like this?!!!"

"B... has fallen into the Akatsuki's hands!"

Thud!

Darui forced out those words with the last of his strength, then collapsed headfirst, unconscious!

"Mr. Darui!!!"

"These injuries... My God! Quick, get him to the medical team!!"

Inside Kamui's Spacetime dimension.

Thud!

Killer B landed heavily on a block, already a corpse!

"You bastards! You killed B...!!!!"

The Eight-Tails' anguished roar echoed endlessly!

Whoosh!

A Tailed Beast Bomb began gathering with a shrill rush!

This was Obito's Spacetime dimension. He couldn't use his intangibility here.

Besides Obito, Tobi was here too.

"We can't let you run wild in here..."

Clap! As Tobi spoke, he brought his hands together before his chest.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Wood Dragons burst from the ground one after another, coiling around the Eight-Tails and absorbing its chakra!

Whoosh!

The nearly formed Tailed Beast Bomb rapidly shrank before their eyes!

The Eight-Tails glared at the unassuming Tobi. "Those are... the First Hokage's Wood Dragons! You!"

Tobi said, "Obito, get it under control, quickly!"

"Leave it to me!"

Obito abruptly raised his head, and the right eye exposed through his mask became bloodshot.

Genjutsu: Sharingan!

Bzz!

The Eight-Tails instantly went blank, its eyes taking on the Sharingan's appearance-a sign that it had fallen under genjutsu control...!

Slash!

Obito spread out a scroll, swiftly cut through the Eight-Tails' skin, then slit his own wrist. Using the Eight-Tails' blood and his own, he established a Summoning Contract!

With the contract signed, he put the scroll away!

Kamui: Spacetime Prison!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Blocks converged from every direction, forming an inescapable prison that confined the Eight-Tails!

Obito said coldly, "Eight-Tails, from this moment until I recover the Rinnegan, you'll serve me as a summoned beast. Once your service is over, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path will be your final destination!"

Whoosh!!

At dawn, Obito and Tobi returned to the Akatsuki's hideout through a Kamui vortex!

Rumble!

A tremendous crash came from deep within the hideout!

With a soft rustling, white smoke emerged from the wall. "You're finally back. Hurry and check on Sasuke..."

"Eek...!"

Inside the dark chamber, Karin huddled in a corner, clutching her head in terror.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Not far from her, dark purple chakra formed Susanoo's imposing armor, resembling the Crow Tengu of myth!

Rustle!

Inside Susanoo, Sasuke tore the white bandages from his eyes.

An intricate pattern, straight tomoe-the eternal Mangekyō Sharingan gleamed in the darkness!

The corners of his mouth lifted. "These eyes can see the darkness with perfect clarity...!"

Boom! Boom!

He advanced together with Susanoo, shattering the rock around him!

Obito appeared before him and said sternly, "Sasuke, this is the Akatsuki's hideout. You're making far too much of a spectacle!"

At those words, Sasuke's lips curled arrogantly. "Oh, it's you. Perfect timing. Let me test my current power on you...!"

Whoosh!

The moment he spoke, Amaterasu's black flames sprang up in Susanoo's great hand, forming a pitch-black flaming sword that thrust toward the spot where Obito stood!