"To be honest, I never expected that man to be so terrifying," Might Guy muttered, still shaken by the encounter. "He alone unleashed every kind of Chakra nature…"
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. "Multiple Chakra natures?"
Might Guy nodded, his expression heavy. "Yes. How he combined them… I couldn't even dodge his attacks, not even when I opened my Eighth Gate."
Kakashi's jaw tightened. "The Eighth Gate? That's supposed to consume your very life force…"
"I know," Might Guy said with a faint smile, trying to reassure them. "But for now, I'm still alive. Even so… his attacks were unstoppable."
Sai, Naruto, and Sakura all swallowed hard. The sheer magnitude of Ashveil's strength was incomprehensible. Could one man truly suppress the power of the Eight Gates so completely?
Kakashi's expression grew grave. "We need to report this immediately to the Hokage. The appearance of someone like Ashveil changes everything."
The group retraced their steps back toward Konoha, still absorbing the shock of the battlefield. Along the way, they encountered Naruto and Sakura, both having recovered from their earlier skirmishes.
"It's regrettable, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto muttered, clenching his fist and hitting a nearby tree. "I couldn't complete the mission… Sasuke escaped again."
Sakura's expression mirrored her frustration. She had felt the raw killing intent from Sasuke—an intensity that chilled her to the bone. How could someone she knew transform into such a dangerous figure?
Kakashi sighed, confirming the grim reality of the situation. Sai added, "By the time we arrived, the battle was already over. The damage… it was staggering."
Naruto and Sakura were stunned. The wounds inflicted on Might Guy, Neji, and Rock Lee were severe. Who could have caused such devastation?
Kakashi clenched his fists. "An exceptionally powerful individual has emerged within the Akatsuki. This person—Ashveil—was the one who caused the setback for Might Guy's team. From now on, if you encounter him… abandon the mission. No unnecessary sacrifices."
Naruto froze, disbelief on his face. "Abandon the mission?"
Kakashi's gaze was firm. "Yes. The rules of the Shinobi world have always been clear—once faced with overwhelming power, survival takes precedence. Unnecessary heroics are not worth it."
Naruto's eyes widened further. Night Feather—Ashveil—was stronger than even the Fourth Hokage?
Kakashi continued, recalling the sheer scale of the Eighth Gate. "Rock Lee's Five Gates during the Chunin Exams gave us a glimpse of what the Eight Gates can do. Each gate amplifies one's combat power exponentially. And even with the Eighth Gate, Might Guy could not withstand Ashveil's onslaught."
Sakura's eyes glimmered with fear and awe. "He's… too powerful. Any confrontation would be suicide."
Kakashi nodded gravely. "The important thing is that everyone survived. That is the silver lining. Report back and prepare for future encounters carefully."
Meanwhile, Sasuke, still recovering from his defeat, shook his head furiously. The experience had shattered his pride. Even against Itachi in the past, he had never felt such helplessness.
"I'll need Jugo and Suigetsu for the next encounter," Sasuke muttered, his hatred for Uchiha Itachi still burning bright. "Next time, I'll find the Akatsuki's hideout, and I will face Itachi myself. Nothing else will do."
Ashveil, returning along with the group, pondered the path ahead. The Great War must begin, and he intended to orchestrate it carefully. For him, this coming conflict was not a disaster but the perfect opportunity to gain experience.
All the strongest individuals would be brought back to the battlefield through Edo Tensei. This was the world he had always envisioned, the ideal place to test his limits.
And as he thought of the events that needed to unfold—the capture of the Tailed Beasts, Sasuke confronting Itachi, Naruto defeating Nagato with his unwavering will.
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