Forged Beyond

Money and Immortality

Neji panted, wiping the sweat off his chin before shifting into position again, ready to perform another cycle of Eight Trigrams: 128 Palms. Across from him, Hinata struggled to steady her stance. She had been working tirelessly on her new jutsu, determined to increase her speed.

"Neji-nii-san... W-we've done this 27 times already..." Hinata gasped, taking shallow breaths. Her legs trembled before she collapsed onto her knees, sweat dripping down her face.

The cold night air nipped at her skin, and for the first time, she noticed the sky beginning to lighten. Had they really trained through the entire night?

Despite her exhaustion, she gritted her teeth and forced herself up. She repositioned her fists at her sides, her chakra flaring up once more. Sharp, blue energy pulsed through her hands, forming the shape of a lion's head. The sheer intensity of her chakra lifted her hair slightly, and the veins around her Byakugan pulsed even more visibly. Just as she was about to release the attack, her chakra reserves finally drained, and the jutsu dissipated into the air.

Just then, approaching footsteps caught their attention.

"All the teams are called in front of the Hokage's office. For the millionth time."

Ino stood with her hands on her hips, exasperated. Shikamaru stood beside her, barely keeping his eyes open as he stifled a yawn.

"This early?" Neji asked, glancing at the horizon. The sun had yet to rise.

"Well, in 30 minutes," Shikamaru clarified. "We assumed everyone would be asleep, so we're early. I know, it's a drag."

Hinata quickly tied her hair back and adjusted her ninja boots before falling in line with the two. Neji followed silently, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

Hokage's Office

The gathered shinobi stood in neat rows, grouped by rank. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, observed them all carefully before beginning his address. To his left stood the jōnin, including Kakashi, who looked relaxed with his hands in his pockets, and Guy, who was rambling enthusiastically about the power of youth. Asuma stood next to Kurenai, his arm draped protectively around her shoulders. Kurenai, noticeably exhausted, sighed but remained composed.

To Hiruzen's right stood the chūnin and a few genin. Shikamaru teetered on the edge of sleep, Choji munched absentmindedly on a bag of chips, and Lee practiced his kicks with determined focus. Neji and Tenten exchanged hushed words, while Ino and Hinata spoke quietly among themselves.

The murmuring ceased as soon as Hiruzen spoke.

"The Akatsuki's movements have increased significantly. With the recent kidnapping of the Kazekage, Gaara, the jinchūriki of the One-Tailed Beast, it has become clear that they are targeting tailed beasts."

The room tensed. The gravity of the situation settled over the assembled shinobi.

"Thanks to the efforts of Neji, Lee, Hinata, Tenten, and Kiba, Gaara was rescued." Hiruzen nodded in their direction. "Well done."

A few murmurs of acknowledgment and approval passed through the group.

"However," Hiruzen continued, "this incident has confirmed our worst fears. The Akatsuki are actively pursuing all jinchūriki. We must take immediate action to protect the village and its allies."

A scroll was unrolled in his hands.

"I have assigned other shinobi to guard the borders. As for you, your mission is to investigate the Akatsuki. You will be divided into four-man squads."

He gestured toward Asuma.

"Asuma, you will lead a team consisting of Izumo, Kotetsu, and Shikamaru. Your primary objective will be to gather intelligence on Hidan and Kakuzu. We have reason to believe they will make their next move soon."