Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Huff...

After defeating Kakuzu single-handedly and rescuing her besieged allies, TenTen caught her breath. Meanwhile, Samui successfully sealed Kinkaku's body inside the Benihisago.

"This should do it," Darui said as he cut down another White Zetsu attempting to sneak up on them.

"Yes. But I still haven't seen the Basho Fan anywhere," Samui added, adjusting the Benihisago strapped to her back. "Could it have been taken by the ninja who fought Kinkaku?"

"It's possible," Darui replied, scanning the area once more. "If it had fallen nearby, I would've noticed it by now. If it's her, though, I'm not worried. My bigger concern is if someone unprepared picks it up. Without massive chakra reserves, ordinary ninja can get themselves killed using the Basho Fan."

"You seem to know her?" Samui asked, curious.

Darui scratched his head awkwardly. "Ah, yeah. I was in charge of transporting supplies earlier. I ran into her a few times during missions."

"Then we'll look for it after the war is over."

"I agree. If she can really handle the Basho Fan, it'll be a huge boost to us."

Samui nodded and turned to observe the battlefield. "Next, let's use these tools to deal with the trickiest enemies."

Darui grunted in agreement. Together, the two rejoined the main battlefield. They began systematically targeting the toughest opponents, sealing them with the Six Treasures whenever necessary.

As the sun began to set, the battle along the coastline neared its conclusion. Reinforcements had arrived from headquarters, tipping the scales even further in the Allied Forces' favor.

Although White Zetsu's numbers were overwhelming, their predictable tactics and lack of growth were no match for the ever-increasing ranks of Jonin in the Ninja Alliance.

Huff...

TenTen exhaled deeply after fanning a final wall of fire, incinerating the last White Zetsu in her path. Her hands gripped the Basho Fan tightly as she scanned the battlefield.

"Finally... It's over," she muttered, a mix of relief and exhaustion in her voice.

Although the chakra pill had kept her supplied with energy, nearly a day of non-stop combat had taken its toll. Her body and mind ached with fatigue.

"I should've asked Kirito for his trick to convert chakra into stamina," she joked inwardly, hanging the Basho Fan on her back.

Still, she had fought so hard for a reason—to reach the main battlefield and support Lady Tsunade and the Five Kage. More importantly, she wanted to see Kirito again.

She glanced toward the horizon and whispered to herself, "I hope you've succeeded already, Kirito. I want you to see the Six Treasures I managed to claim."

TenTen was about to set out when blinding white beams of light shot skyward from various points along the coastline.

"Huh?!" TenTen froze, her heart racing. "This... Could it be?!"

An exhilarating thought formed in her mind. Without hesitation, she dashed toward the nearest beam, weaving through groups of cheering Allied Forces who were staring at the sky in awe.

When she arrived, she found the sealed remains of Kakuzu glowing brightly.

"So... it really happened," TenTen whispered as she approached him.

Kakuzu, bound by chains covered in sealing marks, looked up at her with a resigned expression. "It seems you won this battle... What a pity. I never found that guy..."

As his body disintegrated, freed from the Impure World Reincarnation, his soul began to ascend along the beam of light.

"The Impure World Reincarnation is undone..." TenTen whispered, her voice tinged with amazement.

"WE DID IT!" the Allied Ninja guarding Kakuzu shouted in triumph, their cheers echoing across the battlefield.

Far away, at the Allied Forces' command center, Shikaku Nara stood in front of a map while Inoichi Yamanaka from the Intelligence Division reported.

"Based on reports from across the battlefield, and our own investigation, we can confirm the Impure World Reincarnation is being lifted everywhere."

"Then it's true—Kirito succeeded." Shikaku smiled faintly, relief evident in his tone. "Tsunade-sama made the right call entrusting him with this mission."

Mabui, standing nearby, nodded. "If that's the case, we should organize the remaining forces to assist the Five Kage immediately."

"Agreed. Inoichi, can you connect me to the entire Allied Forces?" Shikaku asked.

"It'll take a little time..." Inoichi replied, focused on his preparations.

Knock, knock.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in," Mabui said, glancing at Shikaku for confirmation.

The door opened, and a tall, familiar figure stepped inside—Kirito.

"Kirito?!" Shikaku exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

The fact that the Impure World Reincarnation had just ended meant Kirito's mission had only recently concluded. Considering how far he had been, his return seemed impossibly fast.

"You're back already?" Shikaku asked, his expression serious. "How did you get here so quickly?"

"Time-Space Ninjutsu," Kirito replied calmly. "I teleported back. What's the situation with TenTen? Is she alright?"

Shikaku relaxed slightly at Kirito's immediate response. "She's fine. She encountered Kinkaku and Ginkaku on the frontline and successfully sealed them with Darui's help. She also used the contingency plan you prepared for her."

"Good," Kirito said, his tone softer. He had been worried about her safety.

He thought back to the Six Treasures—and to the fishing rod and fish basket he had entrusted to her. If she managed to defeat Kinkaku and Ginkaku, that means she has the Six Treasures now... and with the chakra pill, she must have fought with everything she had.

Shikaku, seeing Kirito lost in thought, quickly refocused. "Inoichi, are we ready to address the Allied Forces?"

"Yes. I've established the connection," Inoichi confirmed.

(End of Chapter)