It was midnight.
Shuo suddenly opened his eyes. The room was so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face, but to him, it was no different from daytime.
Lightspeed Thinking ran instinctively. Outside the window, the wind blew hard, driving sand against the glass with a loud, grating rustle.
But that wasn't the only sound.
There was chakra, faint as air, yet spread over an immense area, enclosing all of Sunagakure from every direction like a net.
He slowly sat up. Beside him, Sai woke as well, rubbing his eyes, his voice still drowsy. "What's wrong?"
"Someone's here." Shuo threw off the covers and got out of bed. "Quite a few of them."
He walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked outside.
Moonlight spilled over Sunagakure's ruins. It was frighteningly quiet, like a grave, without even the chirping of insects.
Yet in the shadows of every building stood a figure in an Akatsuki cloak. One glance made their affiliation clear. A rough count put them at twenty or more.
"Akatsuki?" Sai came over as well, his eyes instantly alert.
"Yes, but they're not the real person."
Shuo stared at the figures, raising his brows slightly. "Their chakra feels wrong. Like they all split off from the same person."
He narrowed his eyes and saw them clearly. "They're made of paper."
"Paper?"
Sai froze for a moment, not understanding.
Just as he spoke, all the paper figures outside suddenly raised their heads and looked straight toward them in unison, their eyes empty yet eerie.
Then they moved.
They didn't charge. They floated, light as autumn leaves, yet absurdly fast, drifting toward the Kazekage Tower from every direction.
Shuo pushed open the door and headed out, with Sai close behind.
Downstairs, Gaara was