Context :
The village of Konoha is on alert after the recent events. Raiken and Kaen, captured and locked in the most secure dungeon, become a priority target for Akumu Shin'en. Akiko is given the mission to eliminate them in order to preserve the organization's secrets.
Opening Scene: The Shadow of Night
The moon shone high in the sky, but the streets of Konoha were eerily quiet. In a secluded corner near the entrance to the ANBU quarters, an elegant figure was quietly advancing.
Akiko, dressed in a dark coat with her scarlet kimono hidden underneath, watched the patrols' movements. She had been planning her infiltration for days, analyzing the guard towers and spotting weaknesses.
— "They think their systems are infallible. How arrogant."
She spread her fan, muttered an incantation, and a cloud of poisonous petals silently scattered into the air. The nearby sentries collapsed one by one, asleep from the poison.
Akiko smiled.
- "Pathetic."
Raiken and Kaen were locked in separate cells, securely chained by seals designed to block their chakra. The atmosphere was heavy, the silence oppressive.
Kaen, visibly weakened, growled through clenched teeth.
— "Those damn Konoha ninjas… They're going to pay for this."
Raiken, calmer, looked at him with a sigh.
— "Kaen, you should prepare yourself. They'll definitely try to extract information from us."
Kaen punched the wall hard.
— "I'm not afraid of their interrogations. I'd rather die than tell them anything."
A subtle noise interrupted their conversation. Raiken looked up, his eyes widening slightly.
— "Someone is coming."
The dungeon door slowly opened, and Akiko entered with cold grace. Her red eyes glowed in the dim light.
Kaen stared at her, surprised.
— "Akiko?! What are you doing here?!"
She didn't answer right away, letting the silence weigh. Then, with an icy voice:
— "I'm here to accomplish a mission."
Raiken understood immediately.
— "The boss sent you… to eliminate us."
Akiko nodded slightly, an almost apologetic smile on her face.
— "You knew this would happen. You failed. And now you're a risk to us."
Kaen exploded in rage.
— "TRAITOR! You have no right to decide our lives!"
He tried to stand up, but the chains and seals held him back. Akiko calmly spread her fan, launching a volley of poisoned needles that struck his legs, partially paralyzing him.
— "Kaen, you were always too impulsive. That's what led you here," she said coldly.
She then turned to Raiken, who was staring at her with a mixture of anger and resignation.
— "I understand," he whispered.
— "But don't think I'm going to make it easy for you."
Raiken gathered his strength and released a wave of residual chakra, breaking part of his chains. Akiko dodged his attack nimbly, launching a series of poisonous petals that quickly enveloped him.
— "You've always been the most cunning, Raiken. But even you can't do anything against me in this state."
The clash between Akiko and Raiken made the walls of the dungeon shake, attracting the attention of the guards. But Akiko had anticipated this eventuality. She activated a complex genjutsu, plunging the guards into an illusion where everything seemed normal.
Meanwhile, she approached Kaen, who was still struggling with the poison.
— "Farewell, Kaen," she whispered before plunging one of her needles into his heart, ending his life instantly.
Raiken, on his knees, watched the scene in horror.
— "Akiko… one day, you will pay for this."
Akiko looked at him one last time before granting him the same fate.
With both targets eliminated, Akiko used Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu, disappearing leaving hundreds of petals behind before the alarm was raised. By the time the guards came out of their illusion, it was already too late.
Naruto, alerted by the explosions, arrived at the scene with Kakashi and Shikamaru. They found the lifeless bodies of Kaen and Raiken.
— "Someone infiltrated," Shikamaru said as he observed the traces of combat.
— "It was quick and to the point. They wanted to make sure those two didn't talk."
Naruto clenched his fists.
— "It's Akumu Shin'en. They really play on all fronts."
Kakashi nodded, his gaze dark.
— "And that means we have a traitor or a breach in our security. We must be extra vigilant."
Akiko returned to the lair, greeted by the leader.
— "Mission accomplished?" he asked.
She nodded.
— "Kaen and Raiken have been eliminated. They will no longer be a problem."
The chief smiled, satisfied.
— "Good. Now, prepare for the next step. Konoha is starting to understand our game, but they are not ready for what comes next."
Akiko bowed her head
—"Everything for the cause"
End of chapter
Chapter 15.2: Naruto's Shadow
Opening Scene: The Meeting at Akumu Shin'en Base
The lair was shrouded in semi-darkness, lit only by the flickering glow of torches hanging on the walls. Around the large round table, the remaining members of Akumu Shin'en waited in silence.
Seijuro, imposing and calm, stood next to Kurotora, arms crossed. His long gray hair slid over his black cloak, and his bright right eye, equipped with the Meiunogan, scanned the room with cold intensity.
— "Akiko has accomplished her mission," Kurotora said in a deep voice. "But the elimination of Raiken and Kaen temporarily weakens us. Seijuro, what do you propose to restore balance?"
Seijuro bowed his head slightly, respectful.
— "Naruto Uzumaki is the key. If we discredit him, we will weaken the trust that the great nations have in Konoha. This will allow us to move forward without major opposition."
Kurotora nodded, encouraging Seijuro to continue.
— "With the remnants of Kurama's chakra that we recovered, I can create a perfect imitation of Naruto," Seijuro explained. "With my transformation technique and Kurama's energy, I will impersonate him. By orchestrating attacks on civilians and allied villages, we will sow seeds of doubt in people's minds. Even his close friends might hesitate to trust him."
A murmur of approval went through the room.
Kurotora smiled slightly.
— "Perfect. But be careful. Naruto is not only powerful, he is also influential. Any mistake could cost us dearly."
Seijuro stood up straight, confident.
— "I never make mistakes, boss."
In a secluded room of the lair, Seijuro held a jar containing Kurama's chakra residue in his hand. When he opened the seal, a deep red glow illuminated the room.
— "The power of a tailed demon," he murmured. "Even a fragment is enough to shake this world."
He placed his hands on the chakra, which swirled around him. The Meiunogan in his right eye activated, allowing his dojutsu to synchronize his own chakra with Kurama's. A transformation occurred: his gray hair turned gold, and markings similar to those of the Kyubi's chakra mode appeared on his face.
— "With this appearance, even those close to Naruto will be unable to tell the difference."
Seijuro then activated a wind technique, creating a swirling mirror of air that perfectly reflected Naruto's image. He trained himself to imitate his expressions and voice.
—"Naruto Uzumaki," he whispered with perfect imitation, "your people will reject you."
The next morning, an attack broke out in an allied village near Konoha. An individual bearing a striking resemblance to Naruto was seen destroying homes with glowing chakra spheres and slashing winds.
When the Konoha ninja arrived on the scene, they found the townspeople terrified.
— "It was him! Naruto Uzumaki!" shouted an old woman.
— "He attacked us mercilessly!"
The scout team leader, Shikamaru, surveyed the damage with a furrowed brow.
— "That doesn't make any sense. Naruto would never do that."
But the testimonies were piling up, and some villagers were beginning to have doubts.
Back in Konoha, Naruto was summoned by Kakashi and the other advisors.
— "Naruto," Kakashi said calmly, "the reports from the allied villages are disturbing. You are being accused of attacking civilians."
Naruto, stunned, cried out:
— "That's ridiculous! You know I didn't do anything like that!"
Shikamaru, still calm, intervened:
— "We know that, Naruto. But the enemy is trying to discredit you. It could be related to the Kurama residue we learned about them."
Hinata, present in the room, clenched her fists.
— "Naruto-kun would never do such a thing. But… if they recovered some of Kurama's chakra, they could create an imitation."
Naruto crossed his arms, a determined expression on his face.
— "In that case, we have to find this guy and prove that I'm innocent. I won't let anyone sully my name."
Later, Seijuro, in his false guise, made another appearance near a nearby village, causing calculated destruction. Naruto, accompanied by Ino and Kiba, arrived at the scene.
Naruto froze as he saw his own double, surrounded by an ominous red aura.
— "What the…?" he whispered.
Seijuro, with a cold smile, said:
— "Naruto Uzumaki. The great hero of the war. See how he turns against the innocent."
Naruto clenched his fists.
— "Who are you really?!"
Seijuro burst out laughing.
— "I am you. Or rather, the version the world will soon see. A false hero, a hypocrite. Prepare to be destroyed by your own image."
Naruto got into a fighting stance, while Seijuro activated the Meiunogan, ready to test his opponent's limits.
Author's Note: Seijuro possesses a unique dojutsu called the "Meiunogan" (Eye of Light and Shadow), which allows him to see weaknesses and predict enemy movements.
End of chapter.