Tale of a setting sun

Chapter 26: "Lightless Struggle"

It emerged from the roiling fog without warning: A great maw of a cave, built into the underside of a rocky cliff. There must have been something repelling the fogscattered system of smaller caves quickly came into view. At the moment, it appeared to be deserted and void of any activity.

 However, Naruto knew with certaintybefore, it had been crawling with sentries. True, there were signs here and there: scattered cigarette butts, and the whitened ashes of an old campfire. But moreovit before—in his mind's eye.By touching the feather of one of Mayu's bluebirds, Naruto had received an influx of its memories. 

Everything the bird had seen and heard since Naruto and his teapretended to leave Wave country, was now a part of his own memory. It covered the events he had missed at the procession, including Jiraiya's clash with the threeThat particular memory continued to show Mayu and Tazuna being taken away by Kakuzu. The final memory was of his teammate, who seemed to have somehow edefending herself against two assailants in the fog-covered marshlands. 

Unfortunately, Sai's ink rats were unable to find Mayu in the vicinity. With time running out, their best hope was that she had been recaptured and was being held chideout.Naruto felt a bead of sweat trickle down his brow. There was a simpler alternative to that possibility. Mayu had sent that bluebird to them for a reason; it had beenit seemed Mayu had not known Naruto as well as she must have thought, for he deliberately chose not to consider it.As Naruto and the others crouched behind a cluster of shrubs, he glanced at Rai, who was regarding the hideout in silence. In the place of his usual chatter, he hadonce since Sai's ink rats had returned. 

Naruto could only imagine what thoughts were going through his head. Several minutes passed, and in a surge of impatienceand made a move to step forward. Blocking the way with his arm, Naruto shook his head—when two shadowy figures emerged from the cave's entrance. 

"They're out there, alright. I can smell the money," said one."Hah?" The other raised his nose and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything."It was Kakuzu and Hidan, and at the sight of the latter, Naruto stiffened in surprise. In the bird's memory, he had seen Jiraiya inflicting horrific burns on Hidan scarcbeforehand. Now, the only signs it had ever happened were faint scarring.Jiraiya appeared to be wondering the same thing.

 "Here I thought I'd finally rid the world of one of you crazies." Stepping past Naruto, he emerged from his hiding"Where's the jinchūriki?" Kakuzu asked, his pupil-less eyes slowly searching the area.Jiraiya chuckled. "If you mean Naruto, he's on his way back home to Konoha.""That's...unfortunate to hear.""So if you'll just get out of my way, I'll take back the two you took from us, and be on my merry way. What do you think?"

 "Enough with the banter," Kakuzu growled.Naruto knew what was coming a split second before it happened—Kakuzu's hand shot out far past its reach, attached to its body by hundreds of thick black threadshad taken Mayu captive in the first place, at the procession.Jiraiya bit into his finger and slammed his fist into the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"The ground shook.

From a cloud of hissing smoke, something gigantic and red emerged, towering high above their heads. The sound of keening metal rang in the aShirakumo drew his weapon. Meanwhile, ink splattered across Sai's open scroll and an ink lion roared into existence.Before he left, Rai looked back at Naruto, and finally spoke: "It's in your hands." With that, he ran out to join the others.Hidan let out an elated laugh.

 "One, two...three of you! Jashin-sama will be pleased with today's offering!"It was time to get to work.Stepping back, Naruto concentrated and felt the chakra in his body begin to vibrate. Electricity began crackling around his feet. Masking his presence in the confusistarting battle, he shot across the open ground towards the mouth of the cave—and he was in.The plan they had put together was a simple one: While the others distracted the Akatsuki members, Naruto would look for Mayu and Tazuna.