By midday, they finally arrived at the designated location—the meeting point on the Tenchi Bridge.
The team took positions in hiding, concealed among the dense foliage and terrain. All eyes were fixed on the bridge, waiting for the supposed spy planted by Sasori within Orochimaru's ranks to appear.
From the far end of the bridge, a lone figure emerged, cloaked from head to toe in a dark, flowing robe. The person walked slowly, deliberately, approaching the center of the bridge with steady steps.
Kakashi narrowed his eye. "Alright. It's time."
Naruto, Sakura, and Sai gave quick nods. The plan was already in place.
Without another word, Kakashi performed a swift hand seal and transformed into the exact likeness of Sasori—his posture, voice, and appearance mimicked with precision. A moment later, he vanished from their hiding spot and reappeared at the edge of the bridge.
He began walking toward the mysterious figure.
As the cloaked individual noticed "Sasori" approaching, he stopped and turned to face him. The hood shifted slightly, and then his face became visible.
Kakashi was taken aback when he saw the figure's face. It was Kabuto.
He hadn't expected that. As far as he knew, Kabuto was fiercely loyal to Orochimaru—devoted enough to die for him. The idea that Kabuto could be working as Sasori's spy didn't sit right. Still, despite the surprise, Kakashi didn't let it show. His posture, tone, and expression remained perfectly composed—just as the real Sasori would have maintained.
Kabuto stepped forward and greeted him with a calm face. "It's been a long time, Lord Sasori. Nearly five years since we last met."
Sasori (Kakashi) responded with only a quiet, noncommittal "Hmm."
Keeping his voice low and deliberate, Kakashi asked, "Were you followed?"
Kabuto shook his head. "No. I was very careful. But coming here still carries a great risk—it might cost me my life. You know how cautious Orochimaru is."
Another simple "Hmm" was all Kakashi gave in return, keeping up the cold, measured persona of Sasori.
Kabuto pressed on. "What information do you need, Lord Sasori? Say it quickly. I don't have much time—I need to return before my absence is noticed."
"I want the location of Orochimaru's hideout," Kakashi said. "And I've heard he's acquired a new body—Sasuke Uchiha. I want information on that boy as well."
Kabuto's eyes narrowed slightly. "Orochimaru has multiple hideouts. It's impossible to say for sure which one he's currently using. He changes locations often to avoid detection—even I don't always know where he will be."
Sasori (Kakashi) narrowed his gaze. "Then what about the current hideout?"
Kabuto responded calmly, "It's not far from here—on an island in the middle of a lake. That's where we're stationed right now. Sasuke is there too."
Just as he finished speaking, a sudden movement caught their attention from the direction Kabuto had come. Both men tensed instantly, turning their eyes toward the disturbance.
For a few seconds, they stood frozen—ready to act.
Then, a rabbit darted out from the brush, skittering across the edge of the bridge before disappearing into the forest.
Kabuto exhaled, visibly relieved. "Just a rabbit... nothing to worry about."
But at that very moment, a voice echoed in Kakashi's mind—Inoiki's telepathic message.
"Orochimaru is here. He's approaching the bridge—and most probably he's already discovered our location. Proceed with extreme caution."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly. The situation had just become far more dangerous.
Kabuto said urgently, "Give me what you promised. I need to leave—my time is limited."
Sasori (Kakashi) hesitated. His mind raced through possibilities. Should he eliminate Kabuto right now? Or would it be better to capture him and extract information—especially regarding the locations of Orochimaru's hideouts?
Before he could act, Kabuto abruptly stopped speaking and took a step back. In the same instant, thick, scaled coils wrapped around him—he had been ensnared by a large snake.
From the shadows behind him, Orochimaru emerged, his golden eyes gleaming with menace.
"So," he said softly, his voice full of mock amusement, "you came all this way to meet my enemy?"
In a blur, Kabuto vanished from the snake's grasp and reappeared beside Sasori (Kakashi), as if they were allies.
Orochimaru moved forward, preparing to strike. Kakashi tensed, ready to evade whatever attack came next.
But then, everything shifted.
Without warning, Kabuto turned on Kakashi and launched a surprise attack. Reflexes sharp as ever, Kakashi leapt back just in time—but the sudden movement broke his Transformation Jutsu––revealing his true identity.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "So it's you... Hatake Kakashi."
Kakashi narrowed his eye at Kabuto. "Why? Weren't you loyal to Sasori? Then why attack? Don't you fear the consequences—the restrictions Sasori placed on you? It should have killed you for betrayal."
Kabuto smirked. "That won't be a problem. Lord Orochimaru removed those restrictions long ago. My loyalty lies with him—and only him."
Orochimaru stepped forward, his voice dripping with amusement. "Kakashi, why don't you stop pretending and call out the rats hiding behind you?"
Kakashi didn't respond with words. Instead, he raised his hand and made a subtle but deliberate gesture—the signal for both an attack and confirmation that their cover had been blown.
Far behind, Yamato watched from a concealed position with Inoiki.
"We've been discovered," Yamato said calmly.
Inoiki nodded. "You stay here. I'll move in first. Even if Orochimaru knows we're here, our real priority is keeping Naruto stable."
He paused, eyes narrowing with concern. "I can sense it—Naruto's emotional state is unstable. He's agitated, close to losing control. I need to reach him before his anger takes over."
Yamato gave a firm nod. He trusted Inoiki's judgment and agreed with the strategy. If Naruto lost control now, the entire mission could spiral into chaos.
The moment Kakashi gave the signal, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai leapt onto the bridge, taking position beside him.
Naruto was seething with rage. The chakra of the Nine-Tails had already begun to leak out—his eyes glowed a deep, ominous red, and his nails had sharpened into claws. The raw pressure of his emotions was palpable, and Kakashi could feel it clearly. Naruto was on the verge of losing control.
But before things could spiral further, Inoiki appeared in a flash, placing a steady hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Calm down, Naruto," he said firmly. "Don't lose yourself."
As he spoke, he activated his Psychokinesis, channeling his mental energy directly into Naruto's mind. The effect was immediate—Naruto's red eyes softened and faded back into their usual sky-blue hue. The tension in his body eased, and the burning fury within him began to subside.
From across the bridge, Orochimaru's eyes locked onto Inoiki. A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "So, you've come as well," he said. "I take back what I said earlier—not everyone hiding was a rat. There was a tiger among them."
Inoiki didn't even glance his way at first, fully focused on stabilizing Naruto. Only once Naruto's chakra had settled and his breathing steadied did Inoiki finally turn to face Orochimaru.
"Long time no see," he said calmly. "Last time we met, you left me pretty banged up. Why don't we have a rematch?"
As soon as he spoke, a wave of intense mental pressure radiated from him—his Psychokinetic Aura expanding like a rising tide. The air around them grew heavy, and a low rumble echoed across the Tenchi Bridge as cracks began to form in the stone beneath their feet.
The challenge had been issued—and the atmosphere was electric.
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