Marvel : Ms. Hyuga's journey

Hearing from her subordinates that Kaguya Hime had rejected her offer of collaboration, Madame Gao was unfazed. For someone who had lived for centuries, situations like this were far from unfamiliar.

Even with obstacles from Kaguya Hime and Kingpin, they could only risk unsealing the underground dragon bones.

If they did not act now, once the specific location of the underground dragon bones in New York was revealed, they would lose their final advantage.

The situation they would face then would be far worse than what it was now.

For this particular situation, Naori decided to send Yugao alone. After five days of experimenting with the vibranium provided by SHIELD as an advance payment, Naori managed to craft a new weapon for Yugao, one she intended to test during this mission.

Upon hearing Yugao's report that abnormal energy fluctuations had been detected in Brooklyn, Naori immediately prioritized the information.

However, Naori displayed neither worry nor panic. Instead, she calmly sat in her office, her eyes focused on a holographic display showing fluctuating energy graphs. "So, they decided to unseal it now..." she murmured softly, folding her arms across her chest.

For Naori, this was an opportunity too valuable to miss. She knew The Hand certainly had grand plans, but that wasn't a problem for her.

"Yugao," Naori spoke through a private communication channel. "I will keep monitoring from here. Make sure there are no mistakes."

"Understood," Yugao's firm voice replied over the channel.

After hearing Yugao's response, Naori stood up and left her office.

— Underground Tunnel, Brooklyn —

Yugao donned a combat suit that was simple yet practical, designed in the style of the Anbu. A small blade was tucked into her belt, ready for immediate use. With silent steps, she approached the area at the center of the energy fluctuations.

Upon arrival, she found nothing out of the ordinary. It was just a regular street with a few open shops, occasional passing vehicles, and unsuspecting pedestrians.

"Byakugan!" she whispered softly. Her white eyes activated, scanning the area with perfect detail. What she saw made her exhale lightly. "They're digging a tunnel from elsewhere... An old-fashioned method, but quite effective."

She focused her gaze deeper and saw a group of people working hard underground. The ninjas of The Hand were busy around a massive structure emanating mysterious energy.

As she considered her next move, a faint tremor was felt under her feet. The tremor lasted only a few seconds, enough to make her alert. However, the next tremor came harder, longer, and more destructive.

Inside her vehicle, Naori observed the energy fluctuation data escalating drastically. The graph on her holographic display spiked with unstable intensity. She tapped her chin, contemplating her next step.

"These fluctuations are similar... though not as intense as when the Seventh Hokage was born," she said to herself. "But the energy pattern feels familiar."

She opened the communication channel. "Yugao, what's happening down there?"

"An earthquake," Yugao replied briefly. "But I can still proceed. I'm approaching the underground entrance now."

Naori let out a small sigh. "Don't act recklessly."

— Warehouse Entrance —

Yugao arrived at the front of an old warehouse, which served as the main entrance to the underground tunnel. There, several of The Hand's ninjas stood guard, disguised as ordinary workers. But for Yugao, their disguise was too obvious.

She moved closer without a sound, observing their movements. When one of the guards turned away, Yugao appeared behind him with incredible speed. A gentle fist struck directly at his heart, causing him to collapse instantly. The other two guards didn't have a chance to react before Yugao swiftly and lethally took them down.

She opened the warehouse door and entered the underground tunnel without looking back.

The tunnel was long and dark, but for Yugao, it was no obstacle. With her Byakugan active, she could see activities far ahead. The Hand's ninjas were gathered around a seal, preparing what appeared to be a ritual.

However, before she could get closer, the third tremor struck with great force. The tunnel walls cracked, and dust fell around her. Yugao steadied herself, refusing to lose her balance.

"Naori, this quake is stronger than the previous ones," Yugao reported.

"I can see it from here," Naori replied coolly. "Keep going. They must be close to breaking the seal."

Yugao quickened her pace. She knew this wasn't just about The Hand; Kingpin, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even organizations like The Chaste would soon arrive at the location. But she didn't care.

"It's only a matter of time before I reach those dragon bones. After that, The Hand will have nothing left to boast about," Yugao thought with a slight smirk, her hand brushing against the storage scroll on her belt. "Naori will definitely want to know how effective this new weapon is... Well, let's see if they're tough enough to face me."

…

Above the Surface, Tensions Rise

The moonlight still shone brightly over Brooklyn as various factions with differing objectives began converging toward the source of the mysterious energy fluctuations.

— S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters —

In S.H.I.E.L.D.'s control room, Natasha Romanoff stared at a holographic screen with a serious expression. Her red hair glowed under the monitor light, while her black jumpsuit emphasized her athletic figure.

Clint Barton stood not far from her, his short blond hair looking disheveled, but his gaze sharp. He wore a black leather jacket with a bow slung across his back, accompanied by neatly arranged arrows in a quiver.

"Brooklyn. Depth: 60 meters," Natasha said without taking her eyes off the screen. "They're digging for something unusual."

Clint smirked slightly. "So, what's the plan? Sneak in quietly or go in guns blazing?"

Natasha turned, her eyes sharp. "No time for subtlety, Clint. Whatever they're doing down there, we have to stop it. Otherwise, we might face something far worse."

Before they left the base, Naori appeared in the room. The woman with shoulder-length black hair and pale lavender eyes was dressed entirely in black, wearing an elegant long coat. Her steps were graceful and confident, and although her expression appeared cold, there was a sharp glint of intelligence in her eyes.

"I heard you're heading to the location," Naori said casually, her voice calm yet firm. "I have something that might help."

Clint glanced at her briefly, trying to guess what Naori might do this time. She handed a small circular device to Natasha.

"This is a mini scanner. I've modified it to specifically read life energy activity. With this, you can detect their underground movements without wasting time," Naori explained with a small smile.

Natasha looked at the device and nodded gracefully. "Thanks for the help, Naori. But I'm not sure we have much time to test a new gadget."

"Trust me, Romanoff," Naori replied, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't give you something untested."

As Natasha placed the device into her bag, Naori walked closer to Clint, looking at him with a mischievous expression. "And you, Barton, are you still shooting arrows without thinking? Or have you finally learned to be a bit more tactical?"

Clint gave a faint smile, slightly embarrassed. "I've got a lot of tricks now, Naori. Maybe you'd like to see them later."

Naori leaned in slightly, as if challenging him, before letting out a soft laugh. "I'll be waiting."

The interaction made Natasha raise an eyebrow as she watched them. "Did I miss something here?"

Clint simply shrugged and replied lightly, "Nothing. Just... a long history."

Natasha snorted softly, though curiosity was evident in her eyes.

A few minutes later, Natasha and Clint sped off on their black motorbikes, the sound of the engines slicing through the night's silence. While Natasha remained focused on the mission, her mind was still distracted by the earlier interaction.

"What's your relationship with Naori, anyway?" she suddenly asked through their helmet communication.

Clint was silent for a moment before answering casually, "It's an old story, Romanoff. Nothing important."

Natasha frowned, dissatisfied with the response. "Barton, you know I don't like being left in the dark, right?"

Clint chuckled lightly, choosing not to elaborate further. "Just focus on the mission, Nat. We've got bigger problems ahead."

Natasha sighed, feeling her curiosity grow, but she decided to save it for later.

Meanwhile, in the Air

A private black helicopter soared above the Brooklyn skies. Inside, Kingpin—a massive man with a gleaming bald head—sat elegantly in a leather chair. His pristine white suit sharply contrasted with the dark surroundings. His face was cold, and his right hand gripped a cane with a silver handle.

"They're fools if they think they can get ahead of me," he said in a deep voice, speaking to himself. "That dragon bone will be mine, no matter who tries to stop me."

To ensure that The Hand and Kingpin would not work together, after the mission involving Madame Gao, Naori had leaked some secrets about the Resurrection Elixir, making Kingpin even greedier.

Underground, Stick led The Chaste ninjas through dark tunnels toward the dragon bone seal. Among them, a man clad in dark red walked with steady steps. Daredevil, or Matt Murdock, held short batons in both hands, his face serious beneath the red mask.

"We need to move quickly," Stick warned. "The Hand won't wait for us to arrive."

Daredevil nodded, his heightened senses detecting slight vibrations in the walls around them. "They're close to the seal. We don't have much time."

Warehouse on the Surface

Tension rose on the surface as various factions converged on the warehouse that served as the main entrance. Natasha and Clint arrived first, parking their motorbikes in the shadow of an old building. Natasha glanced at Clint and gestured silently with her hand to move stealthily.

"Bypass the security. I'll secure the perimeter," Natasha whispered.

Clint nodded, quickly pulling a small device from his pocket to hack the warehouse's security system. It didn't take long before the entrance opened quietly, without triggering any alarms.

However, before they could enter, footsteps echoed from the right side. Natasha turned, using the scanner Naori had given her, her sharp eyes scanning the shadows around them.

"They're not alone," she said softly.

From the darkness, three ninjas from The Hand emerged, dressed in black with red masks. They moved swiftly, attacking without warning. Natasha leaped back, narrowly dodging a slash from a small blade aimed at her.

Clint swiftly pulled his bow from his back, nocking an arrow and firing in one smooth motion. The arrow struck one of the ninjas, taking him down instantly.

Natasha spun, kicking the second ninja into the wall before striking his throat with her elbow. She glanced at Clint. "Finish this quickly. We don't have much time."

Clint shot the last ninja, then nodded. "Done. Let's move in."

Meanwhile, in the underground tunnels, Yugao moved quickly, nearing the dragon bone seal. However, stronger tremors shook the ground beneath her feet.

"I don't have much time," Yugao thought, quickening her pace. With her Byakugan activated, she could see another group—The Chaste and Daredevil—just a few meters ahead of her.

"Good," she muttered coldly. "Let them be the distraction."

She adjusted her route slightly, choosing another path to reach the seal undetected. For Yugao, the priority was reaching the dragon bone before anyone else.

From SHIELD headquarters, Naori monitored the situation with a small smile. "All the pieces are in place. Now, let's see who truly wins."