ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪꜱᴛ | ᴛᴇɴᴛᴇɴ ꜰꜰ|

Chapter 80

The forest was eerily quiet as Kakashi, Asuma, Shikamaru, and Ino moved through it, their senses heightened as they searched for any sign of Ugetsu. The trees loomed around them, casting long shadows in the fading light, and each rustle of leaves seemed to intensify the tension among them. Kakashi led the way, his usual calm presence tempered by the clear concern etched into his gaze. He moved with purpose, but his thoughts were heavy.

As they traveled, Kakashi kept replaying Jiraiya's words in his mind: *"Ugetsu absorbed Kyūbi's chakra by accident."* Kakashi's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. He had seen what even a small amount of the Kyūbi's chakra could do—its power was untamed, often overwhelming. And Ugetsu, as strong and resilient as he was, was still just a young shinobi. Kakashi blamed himself for letting Ugetsu get so close to such a dangerous situation. He should have been there to prevent it.

He glanced back at Ino, who was keeping up with them, her face set in determination. *She won't rest until she finds him,* Kakashi thought, a pang of sympathy rising within him. Ino's loyalty was commendable, but he worried for her safety. Ugetsu, under the influence of Kyūbi's chakra and haunted by hallucinations of his father, could be unpredictable.

Asuma was next to him, his brow furrowed in silent contemplation. For him, this was personal. As Ugetsu's surrogate older brother, Asuma felt an almost paternal responsibility for him. He couldn't ignore the memory of a young Ugetsu, standing awkwardly beside him years ago, looking for a place to belong. Asuma had tried to give him that—a family, a sense of stability, and the feeling of being accepted. To see Ugetsu now, lost and struggling with the ghosts of his past, struck a deep chord in him. He knew that, while Ugetsu was strong, the scars from his father's cruelty hadn't fully healed.

*I should have been there more for him,* Asuma thought bitterly, feeling the weight of his own regret. *Maybe I could've helped him face those fears before they overwhelmed him.*

Ino, meanwhile, kept her eyes trained on the forest around her, her heart thudding with a mixture of anxiety and hope. The memory of Shikamaru telling her the news replayed in her mind, stirring a determination she hadn't known she was capable of. She couldn't shake the image of Ugetsu in pain, tormented by memories of his father. She knew how hard he tried to hide his struggles, how he put on a brave face, even when he was hurting.

Her mind drifted to the moments they'd shared—the times he'd shown up at her family's flower shop, his quiet presence a source of comfort, even if he hardly said a word. He had a way of understanding her that few others did. Now, all she wanted was to return that understanding, to be there for him the way he had been there for her. She wouldn't let him face his pain alone, not if she could help it.

Shikamaru walked beside her, observing her clenched fists and the determined glint in her eyes. He was worried about her but knew better than to try and convince her to stay back. Ino's loyalty was unbreakable when it came to her friends, and he respected her for it, even if he knew the dangers. *Ugetsu has a habit of hiding what he's feeling, keeping it all bottled up until it explodes. And now, it's exploded in the worst way possible.*

Shikamaru sighed, hoping they'd find Ugetsu before it was too late. He'd always admired Ugetsu's quiet strength, his ability to stay calm and collected under pressure. But he also understood that everyone had a breaking point, and he feared Ugetsu might be reaching his.

---

As they pressed deeper into the forest, a faint trail of chakra residue began to appear, giving Kakashi a glimmer of hope. "This way," he said, his voice low but resolute. The team moved swiftly, their senses honed to the faint signs of Ugetsu's presence.

They finally reached a clearing where signs of a struggle littered the ground. Broken branches, scorched earth, and a faint aura of Kyūbi's chakra lingered in the air. Kakashi's eye narrowed as he knelt down, examining the area. "He was here recently. He's close."

Asuma placed a hand on the ground, feeling for any vibrations. "He can't have gone far," he murmured. His thoughts drifted to the young Ugetsu he'd come to care for. *I'm going to find you, kid. We all are.*

Suddenly, a faint rustle sounded from behind the trees, and Ino's heart skipped a beat. "Ugetsu?" she called out, her voice barely a whisper, a mix of hope and fear.

A shadow shifted, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw him—his familiar figure moving between the trees. But as she stepped closer, she realized the figure was already fading into the forest, slipping away as quickly as he had appeared.

"No!" Ino called out, moving to follow, but Kakashi gently grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"Ino, wait. He's not himself right now. We need to approach carefully," Kakashi said, his voice calm but firm.

Ino clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up within her. "I don't care! He's right there, Kakashi! I can help him; I know I can!"

Asuma placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll get him back, Ino. But we have to be smart about this. If we push too hard, we might drive him further away."

Ino bit her lip, fighting back tears of frustration. She nodded reluctantly, knowing they were right but struggling with the thought of being so close and yet unable to reach him.

---

The group continued their search, their eyes scanning every shadow, every movement in the forest. Hours passed, and the sky began to darken, casting a somber light over their search. Just as doubt began to creep into their minds, Kakashi spotted a faint shimmer of chakra in the distance—a flicker of Ugetsu's energy, volatile and unstable.

He signaled the others, and they moved cautiously forward. As they neared the source, they caught sight of Ugetsu, his figure silhouetted against the dim light, his form tense and guarded. His eyes, usually calm and clear, were wild and haunted, a storm raging within them.

"Ugetsu!" Kakashi called out, stepping forward, his tone gentle but firm.

Ugetsu's gaze snapped to them, and for a brief moment, recognition flickered in his eyes. But it was quickly overtaken by a look of fear and anger, his mind still trapped in the nightmare of his hallucinations. He took a step back, his hand instinctively reaching for a kunai, his grip unsteady.

Asuma stepped forward, his voice soft but filled with conviction. "Ugetsu, it's me. It's big brother. We're here to help you."

But Ugetsu shook his head, his expression filled with a mixture of confusion and distrust. "Stay back!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "You're... you're not real. None of you are."

Ino's heart ached at the sight of him, so lost and broken. "Ugetsu-kun, please," she whispered, taking a hesitant step forward. "It's me, Ino. You're not alone in this. We're here to bring you back."

For a moment, Ugetsu's gaze softened, the wildness in his eyes dimming. But just as quickly, the fear returned, and he stumbled back, panic overtaking him once more.

"I... I can't..." he stammered, clutching his head as if trying to fight off the visions that plagued him. Before anyone could react, he turned and bolted, disappearing into the darkness once more.

"Ino!" Shikamaru called, holding her back as she made to chase after him. "We can't lose him, but we have to be careful. He's not himself."

Ino struggled against Shikamaru's grip, tears streaming down her face as she watched Ugetsu vanish into the shadows. She had come so close, only to lose him again. But deep down, she knew they couldn't give up—not now, not ever. She wiped her tears, her resolve hardening as she looked to the others.

"We'll find him," she said, her voice steady despite the fear and sorrow in her eyes. "I don't care how long it takes. We'll bring him back."

Kakashi nodded, his gaze unwavering. "We will. Let's keep going."