The sky above Konoha was overcast, blanketed in thick clouds that dimmed the village in a gray, restless light. A storm was coming—not of wind or rain, but of secrets long buried.
Akari stood before the Hokage's tower, summoned without explanation. Raien had tried to follow, but ANBU blocked his path. That alone told Akari everything he needed to know.
Inside, the air was heavy.
Tobirama waited at the top of the stairs, his expression unreadable. Beside him stood three council members, robes crisp, eyes sharp like blades that had never dulled with age.
"Akari," Tobirama began, "we have questions. And you will answer them fully."
---
In the chamber, words echoed too loud.
> "Where did you find the obsidian tablet?" "Why were you near the old Uchiha vaults?" "Do you possess any relics of non-Konoha origin?"
Akari answered with calm restraint. But he could feel it—this wasn't about relics or rules. This was fear, disguised as caution. They were afraid of what he might become.
And the worst part?
So was he.
Tobirama leaned forward. "The mark you carry—did it appear before or after you began unlocking the shrines?"
Akari's jaw tightened. "Before."
A sharp murmur rippled through the council.
Danzo's voice was the only one that didn't waver. "Then we are already too late."
---
That night, Raien and Akari sat atop the western wall, away from the lights of the village. Wind stirred their cloaks as silence stretched between them.
"They want to lock me away," Akari said. "Or worse."
Raien didn't respond immediately. When he did, his voice was low. "Then make sure you become someone they can't lock away."
Akari turned to him. "You think I should embrace it?"
"I think," Raien said, "whatever's coming… won't wait for permission."
---
Far beyond Konoha, deep in the hidden caverns of the Fire Daimyo's abandoned shrine, the masked cult gathered.
Each wore a different animal mask, carved from bone and ash wood. In the center stood the Feathered Priest, arms raised, voice laced with fervor.
> "The Flame-Bearer walks the world once more.
The seals weaken.
And Konoha will burn from within."
Around him, dozens chanted in unison.
> "Let the shadows rise."
---
The next day, a message arrived for Akari. Sealed with wax, marked with no signature.
He opened it in silence.
One line, written in a hurried scrawl:
> The third shrine has been found. And it's not alone.
Akari folded the paper, eyes hardening.
It was time to move again.
But this time… not quietly.
---
To be continued...