Naruto: God Reborn

As the team embarked on the journey, Aizen kept a calm, watchful presence. He walked at the front with Hana, whose three ninken were on high alert, sniffing the air for anything amiss. The group moved with quiet caution along the worn dirt road, each step taking them further from the familiarity of Konoha and into potential danger. Aizen's gaze was fixed ahead, but he was aware of everything around him, senses sharpened, prepared for any ambush.

Anko, with her usual playful demeanor, sidled closer to him and flashed a teasing smile. "So, Naruto, do you have any room in that cold heart of yours for a little warmth?" she quipped, her voice a blend of mockery and flirtation.

Aizen merely chuckled, a low, amused sound, meeting her gaze with that single piercing eye. "I'll have to check," he replied dryly, sparking a lighthearted snicker from Anko while the others rolled their eyes.

_____

As they continued, Hana and her ninken suddenly grew tense. The three ninken let out low growls, signaling that something was off. Hana's keen senses had detected it too, two distinct scents were coming from a small puddle along the road, an odd sight considering it hadn't rained for days.

The sight didn't escape the trained eyes of Kurenai or Anko either, both of whom immediately felt the tension rise. They gave each other a knowing glance, silently agreeing to stay calm and wait for the enemy to reveal themselves.

A few tense seconds passed as they moved by the puddle, and just as expected, two figures burst from the puddle, chains glinting as they attacked with a synchronized assault. They aimed straight for Kurenai.

Aizen reacted instantly, pushing her out of the way with one hand while turning to face the assailants. The chains sliced toward him, glinting dangerously, but he stood unfazed. The metal failing to slash through him.

The Demon Brothers stared, momentarily stunned. Aizen looked at them with a condescending glare, his voice dripping with disdain. "Is that truly the best you can manage?" His single eye narrowed, a flicker of disgust that seemed to chill them to the bone.

One of the brothers, desperate to make contact, lunged forward, clawed gauntlet outstretched and dripping with poison. He drove the claws straight at Aizen's face, seemingly piercing through his skull.

The air grew thick with tension as the team froze, stunned by what they had just witnessed.

Ino gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, while Sasuke clenched his fists, unable to believe the sight. Tazuna looked on, wide-eyed, murmuring something about regretting his choice in bodyguards. Anko's playful smirk vanished, replaced by a tense frown, and Hana's jaw clenched, her ninken bristling by her side. Kurenai's mind raced as she tried to comprehend what was happening, until Aizen's skull shattered into glass fragments, revealing he was perfectly unharmed. It was an illusion.

Kurenai quickly realized they had been under Aizen's spell all along, and a mixture of relief and awe flashed through her eyes as she glanced at him.

The Demon Brothers backed up, stunned and off-balance. But before they could recover, Aizen flexed his muscles, shattering their chains as if they were mere threads. He quickly delivered brutal blows that sent the brothers flying across the road, skidding and crashing to the ground. They struggled to rise, pain etched into their faces, when Sasuke stepped forward, his eyes glinting with an eager hunger for combat.

He took out a kunai "You've had your fun. Now it's my turn."

The brothers exchanged a wary glance, then regrouped, preparing to face him. One lunged forward with a clawed swipe while the other circled around, planning to strike from Sasuke's blind spot. Sasuke anticipated this, sidestepping to dodge the first brother's claw and, in a flash, flung a shuriken to deter the second. The metallic clink of the deflected shuriken barely registered as Sasuke pivoted, launching a demon wind shuriken that forced the first brother to duck low.

The second brother, recovering from his initial miss, attempted a coordinated strike with his partner. Sasuke moved seamlessly, blocking one with his kunai while avoiding the other's claw. Sparks flew as metal met metal, and Sasuke retaliated by driving a hard kick into the first brother's stomach, sending him stumbling back. Before they could regroup, he wove quick hand signs and released a Fireball Jutsu.

The flames roared forward, causing both brothers to leap back, barely avoiding the blaze. But Sasuke anticipated their dodge. He closed the distance, landing a punch to the first brother's jaw, then spun around to deliver a backhanded slash with his kunai to the other's side.

The brothers glare at Sasuke. They say it's time to get serious.

---

The brothers close in on Sasuke, showcasing a relentless display of coordinated attacks. Sasuke tries his best to fend them off with his taijutsu and shuriken techniques, but their speed begin to overwhelm him. One brother lashes out with his clawed gauntlet, while the other maneuvers from behind, each move calculated to exploit any opening.

Seeing Sasuke struggling, Kurenai steps in, casting a Genjutsu that paralyzes the Demon Brothers. The illusion takes hold, freezing their movements and forcing them to confront an eerie vision that seizes their senses. Sasuke, however, feels the toll of the poison from their gauntlets settling in, his vision starting to blur. Ino rushes over, her expression a mix of worry and concern. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

Aizen approaches them, and without a word, raises his hand. Using Kaidō, healing Kidō, he skillfully clears Sasuke's system of the poison and mends his wounds. Sasuke, though reluctant, mutters a quiet "thanks." Just as quickly, however, Kurenai reprimands him, telling him that his decision to engage the Demon Brothers on his own was reckless. Sasuke, still recovering, accepts her scolding without argument.

Meanwhile, Aizen wastes no time restraining the Demon Brothers further with a binding Kidō spell, rendering them completely immobile.

Anko steps up to the restrained brothers with a wicked grin. She asks Kurenai to lift the Genjutsu, and as soon as Kurenai releases her hold, the Demon Brothers regain awareness, only to see Anko licking the edge of her kunai in a disturbingly playful manner. Her eyes gleam with a sadistic light as she leans in close, promising them an experience they wouldn't soon forget. They feel a chill run down their spines; realizing the dire situation, the brothers quickly surrender, pleading for mercy. They offer to tell them everything in exchange for their freedom.

Anko, relishing their desperation, tells them that their freedom depends entirely on the quality of the information. Reluctantly, the brothers divulge that they were hired by Gato to assassinate Tazuna and that more shinobi would likely be lying in wait to finish the job if they failed.

Kurenai sighs, recognizing the implications of the intel. "This just elevated to a A-Rank mission," she states. Ino, still processing the sudden shift in stakes, chuckles nervously and asks, "Will this happen every time we take a C-Rank mission?"

Sasuke, though still feeling the effects of his recent ordeal, can't decide if he feels apprehensive or exhilarated by the challenge ahead.

Kurenai, however, turns her attention to Tazuna, her expression hardening. "This mission is over. We're returning to the village," she declares. "You should have asked for a more powerful protective detail if you knew shinobi would be coming after you." She fixes him with a pointed look, waiting for an explanation.

Looking a bit sheepish, Tazuna hesitates before speaking. He explains how the Land of Waves is suffering under Gato's oppressive rule, with people starving and barely surviving under his tyranny. Ino and Hana exchange uneasy glances, empathy for Tazuna's plight written on their faces. Aizen, however, remains indifferent, his expression devoid of any sympathy.

Tazuna admits he would have requested a higher-level mission if he'd had the money. "A C-Rank was all I could afford," he confesses, sounding defeated. Kurenai acknowledges the grim situation but insists that they simply aren't equipped to handle this mission.

Anko chimes in, urging Kurenai to reconsider. "Come on Nai-chan, this mission sounds like it could be fun," she adds, her tone laced with enthusiasm.

Aizen, on the other hand, seems irritated by Kurenai's words. "Don't lump me in with the rest of you," he says coldly, feeling insulted by her implication.

Sensing that his life may still hang in the balance, Tazuna makes a final, desperate appeal. "It's okay, don't worry about it. If I die, my cute little ten-year-old grandson will just cry for a few days," he says with a forced chuckle. "And sure, my daughter will end up despising the Leaf Village ninja forever, but it wouldn't be your fault. Not at all." He finishes with a hollow laugh.

Aizen, entirely unmoved, deadpans, "Is that supposed to change our minds?" Tazuna laughs nervously, unsure if his guilt-tripping is actually working.

Hana steps forward, siding with Tazuna. "We should help him," she says gently. Anko, always one for excitement, wraps an arm around Hana and eagerly waits for Kurenai's decision.

After a moment's pause, Kurenai relents, agreeing to continue the mission despite the risks. The team releases the Demon Brothers, who vanish quickly, glad to be spared.

---

Standing before them, Zabuza sizes up the team with a disinterested gaze, clearly unimpressed by the assortment of genin and chunin before him. He dismisses them all as inconsequential, demanding that they hand over Tazuna if they want to avoid death.

Anko scoffs, stepping forward with a smirk. "Don't underestimate us," she says confidently, her voice laced with challenge.

Zabuza's eyes narrow, his expression betraying a flicker of interest. The battle is about to begin, and Team 7 braces themselves, ready to face the legendary demon of the mist.

---

Hiruzen's office

Jiraiya leaned forward, his normally jovial face set in a deep, rare frown. "Sensei," he began, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "I've been been reports of something disturbing in the past few weeks, creatures I can't even begin to explain."

Hiruzen's gaze sharpened. "Go on, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if searching for the right words. "These things... monsters.They've got skull-like masks, covering their faces. And there's this...hole, right through their chests."

Hiruzen's brows knitted together as he leaned back, processing the information. "A hole in the chest, you say? Do they show any signs of intelligence, or do they just act on instinct?"

"They're not mindless," Jiraiya replied, his tone tinged with frustration. "They seem...hungry. And they hunt with purpose. There are reports from all over the nations. Wherever they appear, they leave devastation in their wake."

____

Hiruzen's face hardened. "This isn't something we can ignore. If these creatures are this resilient, it could be a disaster if they start targeting larger settlements or shinobi forces."

Hiruzen's expression softened, concern replacing his usual calm demeanor. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Jiraiya. These creatures are a threat to everyone, and Konoha won't stand idly by. I'll have a team look into this as soon as possible."

Jiraiya gave a small nod. "Good. I'll keep searching for more information on them. But we need to be prepared, the next time one of these things shows up, it might be closer to home."

With that, he turned to leave, and the Hokage watched him go, a heavy silence settling over the room. Whatever these monsters were, Hiruzen knew they would require all his wits and resources to keep Konoha safe.