Naruto-ReBorn as a Baker

Chapter 241: Shadows in the Lab

Shikamaru slipped silently through the dimly lit corridors of the massive mechanical structure. The rhythmic hum of machinery filled the air, punctuated by the occasional hiss of steam or the clank of moving gears. His sharp eyes darted around, cataloging every detail. Whatever this place was, it wasn't just a fortress—it was a living, breathing monstrosity of metal and power.

He rounded a corner and froze, his breath catching as he spotted a large chamber ahead. The room was bathed in an eerie green glow, its centerpiece a massive, tree-like structure of dark metal and pulsating veins. Suspended from its branches were glowing capsules, each containing a child in a deep, unnatural sleep.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. What the hell is this?

He moved closer, staying in the shadows. The sight of the children sent a chill down his spine, their faces serene yet lifeless. The veins pulsed rhythmically, like a grotesque imitation of a heartbeat, feeding some unknown energy into the capsules.

A sudden burst of laughter made him tense. From the far side of the room, two women in sleek, knight-like armor appeared. Their designs mirrored the first knight his team encountered (Temujin's) but were more elegant, with spikes and intricate engravings. One had long, flowing blonde hair and reddish eyes that gleamed with mischief—Kamira. The other had frilled blonde hair, her light-violet eyes cold and calculating—Ranke.

Kamira's voice was smooth and teasing as she leaned over a control panel. "Well, that batch turned out better than expected. I'd say we're getting closer to perfection." She gestured toward the bulky, black-armored soldiers lined up against the wall, their red eyes dimly glowing.

Ranke smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Of course. When you have me running things, everything's bound to be flawless."

Kamira rolled her eyes playfully. "Flawless, sure."

Ranke frowned at Kamira, "Well, aren't you pesky today."

The two shared a laugh, their banter laced with an unsettling camaraderie.

Shikamaru's sharp ears caught their next words, and his stomach tightened.

"Speaking of pesky," Kamira said, her voice dropping to a purr, "I wonder what Malik's up to. He's probably off charming someone—or maybe causing chaos, as usual."

Ranke snorted. "He's probably sweet-talking Fugai into one of his schemes again. That guy can't stay out of trouble, but…" She trailed off, her lips curving into a sly smile. "You have to admit, he makes things interesting."

Kamira giggled, leaning on the console. "He certainly does. Handsome, cunning, and always stirring the pot. I'd almost say I miss him."

Ranke rolled her eyes, "Almost . . sure."

Shikamaru's mind raced. Malik? What's he got to do with this? He respected Malik's resourcefulness, but the man had a knack for diving headfirst into danger—and dragging others along with him. Shikamaru suddenly had a bad feeling about the entire situation.

The conversation shifted as Kamira tapped a button, causing a section of the machine to emit a low hum. "The Gelel Stone is the key to everything," she said, her tone serious. "With it, Lord Haido's vision will finally come to life."

Ranke nodded, her light-violet eyes gleaming. "And once Fugai returns with the last piece of the tablet, there'll be no stopping us."

Gelel Stone… Shikamaru's mind flashed back to something Lady Tsunade had mentioned in passing—a warning about Malik's search for a powerful stone. This is bad. Really bad.

Suddenly, Kamira's head snapped upward, her reddish eyes narrowing. "Did you hear that?"

Shikamaru froze, his breath hitching.

Ranke's gaze followed Kamira's, her voice a low growl. "Something's in the vents."

Shikamaru cursed silently, pressing himself against the metal grating. He had underestimated their sharp senses. His shadow stretched along the narrow confines of the vent, ready to strike if necessary.

Kamira's lips curled into a wicked smile as she stepped toward the wall. "Well, well… Looks like we've got a little rat."

Shikamaru's instincts screamed at him to move. Without hesitation, he shifted his position and began crawling rapidly through the vents, his movements silent and efficient. Behind him, he heard the faint sound of metal creaking as Kamira's illusionary smoke warped the space around her.

"Where do you think you're going?" she called out, her voice echoing unnaturally.

Ranke's voice joined hers, laced with irritation. "Show yourself, coward!"

Shikamaru ignored them, his mind calculating the fastest route out. He dropped down into an empty corridor, his landing silent as he melted into the shadows. The sound of footsteps grew fainter as he slipped deeper into the labyrinthine structure.

Finally, he reached a safe distance and pressed his back against a wall, his heart pounding. That was too close.

But his relief was short-lived. The Gelel Stone, the mechanical soldiers, the children in capsules—whatever this place was, it was tied to something far more dangerous than he'd anticipated. And Malik was right in the middle of it.

Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Troublesome."

He had to find Naruto and Sakura—and fast.

As GrubGrub soared through the sky, the wind whipping around them, Malik and Fugai clung to the massive bird's back. Fugai's large breasts pressed against Malik's chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Malik's hands gripped GrubGrub's feathers, but Fugais's body was tense as she held on for dear life.

But despite the thrill of the ride, Malik couldn't help but notice the growing bulge in his pants. The vibrations of GrubGrub's wings, the bouncing of Fugai's breasts against his back, the heat of her body pressed against his—it was all driving him wild.

As GrubGrub soared through the sky with the wind whipping around them, Malik and Fugai clung tightly to the massive bird's back. 

"Look, Fugai, no hands." he said as he released his grip from the bird, but all he got in return was his chest being squeezed by Fugai, "Don't do that!"

Malik looked back at Fugai, her face pressed against his back, her arms clinging to him tightly. He could feel her heart racing, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. He smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Fugai," he said, his voice teasing, "you know, for someone who's so fierce, you're holding onto me like I'm a lifesaver in a storm."

Fugai growled, her arms tightening around him. "Shut up," she muttered, her voice gruff. "It's... it's the wind. It's cold, and... and it's scary up here."

Malik chuckled, his body shaking with laughter. "Scary? Fugai, the fierce warrior, is scared of a little wind?"

Fugai glared at him, her violet eyes flashing with anger. "I am not scared," she snapped. "I'm... I'm just... just enjoying the view."

Malik laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Sure, sure, that might literally be the opposite thing of what you said 2 seconds ago but sure," he said, his voice softening. "But you don't have to be scared, you know. I'm here. I've got you."

Fugai looked at him, her eyes softening, her body relaxing slightly. "I'm not scared," she repeated, her voice gruff. But Malik could hear the vulnerability in her voice, the slight quiver that betrayed her fear.

He leaned his head back, his eyes meeting hers, his voice soft. "It's okay, Fugai," he said, his voice calm, steady. "You're safe with me. I've got you."

Fugai in this moment wasn't wearing her armor or her tight black body suit, instead, she was wearing lighter clothes, still black but that tank top and long pants weren't doing much for her.

Fugai looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude, with trust. And in that moment, Malik knew that she was his, that she trusted him, that she loved him. And he would cherish that trust, that love, until the end of his days.

He leaned down, his lips finding hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth, tasting her, teasing her, loving her. She moaned, her body relaxing, her arms tightening around him, her tongue tangling with his.

And as they kissed, as they held each other, the wind whipping around them, the sky stretching out before them, Fugai seemed to notice his arousal, her mouth curving into a smirk as she looked up at him. Malik swallowed hard, his cock throbbing with need. He knew he should be focused on their mission, on getting to Haido's fortress, but he couldn't help it. He wanted her, needed her, right here, right now.

He reached down, his hands cupping her breasts, his thumbs brushing against her nipples. She gasped, her body tensing, her nipples hardening against his touch. He could feel her heart racing, her breath hitching in her throat.

She looked at him, her violet eyes filled with desire, her mouth open, panting. And that was when he noticed her tongue, pink and wet, flicking out to lick her lips. It was all he could take.

He leaned down, his lips finding hers, his tongue tangling with hers in a passionate, hungry kiss. She moaned, her body pressing against his, her hands tangling in his hair, her tongue exploring his mouth, his teeth, his cheeks.

He pulled back, his breath ragged, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked at her, at her large, bouncing breasts, at the heat in her eyes, at the hunger in her kiss. And he knew, he knew that he needed more.

He reached down, his hands gripping the hem of her shirt, pulling it up, exposing her large, round breasts. She gasped, her body tensing, her nipples hardening even further in the cool air. He leaned down, his lips finding her nipples, his tongue flicking against them, feeling the hardness, the softness, the heat of her body.

She moaned, her body convulsing, her pussy clenching with need. He could feel it, feel her body responding to his, to his touch, to his desire. And he wanted more.

He reached down, his hands unbuckling his pants, his cock springing free, hard and throbbing with need. She looked at him, her violet eyes filled with desire, her mouth open, panting. And that was when she leaned down, her mouth finding his cock, her tongue flicking out, tasting him, teasing him.

He groaned, his body tensing, his cock throbbing with need as she took him into her mouth, her lips wrapping around him, her tongue flicking against him, feeling the hardness, the need, the pure lust of Malik's body.

She began to move, her head bobbing up and down, her mouth sliding up and down his cock, her tongue flicking against him, tasting him, teasing him. He could feel it, feel her mouth, her lips, her tongue, her body, her breasts bouncing up and down as she moved, as she took him, as she pleasured him.

He groaned, his body tensing, his cock throbbing with need, with desire, with love. He could feel it, feel his orgasm building, his body tensing, his cock pulsing with need. And as he came, his body convulsing, his cock pulsing inside her mouth.

Shikamaru crouched low in the shadows, his sharp mind racing as he tried to find a way out of the glowing lab. The sound of Kamira and Ranke's boots against the metal floor drew closer, their voices echoing as they continued to search for the "rat" in the vents.

Kamira's reddish eyes glinted with amusement as she peered into the shadows. "Come out, sweetie," she purred, her tone teasing yet dangerous. "We promise we won't bite... much."

Ranke rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Stop playing around. Whoever it is, they're long gone or too scared to move." Her light-violet eyes scanned the room with laser focus.

Just as Shikamaru braced himself to make a break for it, the loud screech of talons scraping against metal filled the room. All three heads turned toward the source of the noise. Perched on a high metal beam was a massive bird, its pink and gold feathers shimmering in the eerie light. The bird let out a sharp, grating squawk before spreading its wings dramatically.

"GrubGrub!" came a familiar, exaggerated voice.

Shikamaru's stomach sank as Malik strode into the room, his signature mischievous grin plastered across his face. The man was flanked by Fugai, who carried herself with her usual aggressive poise. The glowing piece of the Gelel tablet Malik held in his hand caught the light, but it was his obnoxious, over-the-top entrance that drew all attention to him.

"Ranke! Kamira!" Malik called, his dark pink eyes twinkling with mischief. "Did you miss me?" Before either woman could respond, Malik waltzed over and delivered a firm slap to each of their armored rears. "You're welcome for the distraction."

Ranke's cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and she whipped around to glare at him. "ShortStack, what do you think you're doing?!" she barked, though her voice wavered between annoyance and embarrassment.

Kamira giggled, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Oh, Malik, you do know how to make an entrance," she said, clearly amused by his antics.

Shikamaru used the chaos to his advantage, slipping out of the lab unnoticed. As he ducked into a side corridor, he couldn't help but shake his head. That man has a knack for causing trouble wherever he goes.

(Outside the Fortress)

Shikamaru emerged from a hidden exit and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The fresh air was a welcome relief after the suffocating atmosphere of the mechanical fortress. As he scanned the area, he spotted a familiar pink-haired figure running toward him.

"Sakura," he called out, waving her over.

She stopped in front of him, slightly out of breath. "Did you find anything?" she asked, her tone serious.

Shikamaru nodded, his expression grim. "More than I wanted to. That fortress… it's worse than we thought. There are kids in capsules hooked up to some kind of energy tree, and they're making soldiers out of the Gelel Stone. Oh, and Malik's in there, causing his usual mess."

Sakura groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why am I not surprised? Of course, my fiancé would find his way into the middle of this."

Shikamaru smirked, leaning against a nearby tree. "Fiancé or not, he's got a talent for stirring up trouble. You should've seen him—waltzing in with a giant pink bird and slapping his knight buddies on the—"

"Enough," Sakura interrupted, waving a hand. Her cheeks were flushed, but she tried to keep her composure. "Let's focus on finding Naruto."

Shikamaru chuckled, his smirk widening. "Sure, sure. But I'm telling you, he's in deep. Whatever Malik's planning, it's tied to this Gelel Stone and that fortress."

Sakura's expression hardened. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, Naruto's our priority. Let's move."

The two exchanged a nod and headed off into the forest, their determination unwavering despite the looming dangers ahead.

The grand chamber at the heart of the mechanical fortress starkly contrasted with the chaotic lab Shikamaru had infiltrated. The room was vast, its high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings depicting ancient Gelel lore. A soft, pulsating blue-green glow emanated from the walls, casting an ethereal light over the gathered knights and their leader.

Malik entered the chamber with his usual flair, his dark pink eyes twinkling mischievously as he strode forward. On his shoulder perched GrubGrub, the massive pink-and-gold bird now much smaller, which squawked indignantly at the solemnity of the room. In Malik's hands was the final piece of the Gelel tablet, its surface engraved with ancient, glowing runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.

"Lord Haido," Malik called, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of amusement. "As promised, the last piece of your precious puzzle."

Haido stepped forward, his imposing figure commanding the attention of everyone in the room. His light green eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he reached out, his gloved hand taking the fragment from Malik. For a moment, the air in the chamber seemed to still, the significance of the moment settling over them like a heavy fog.

With a deliberate motion, Haido placed the final piece onto the tablet, completing the ancient artifact. The runes flared to life, their light intensifying as the tablet hummed with a deep, resonant power. A map formed above it, a projection of the land with a single point glowing brighter than the rest—the location of the true Gelel temple and the vein of ultimate power.

"It is done," Haido said, his voice low and reverent. He turned to face his knights and Malik, his expression one of triumph. "The path to the Vein of Gelel is revealed. This… is the culmination of our journey, the fulfillment of our destiny."

The knights—Kamira, Fugai, and Ranke—stood silently, their gazes fixed on Haido. Even Malik, ever the jester, bowed his head slightly in respect, though his eyes remained sharp and watchful.

Haido stepped onto a raised platform, his dark blue bishop's robe flowing around him like liquid shadow. He raised his arms, addressing the room.

"For years, we have sacrificed, fought, and endured to reach this point. The Gelel Stone holds the power to reshape this broken world—a power that only we are worthy to wield. Together, we will create a utopia, a realm free from war and suffering. But make no mistake…" His tone hardened, his eyes narrowing. "This power demands loyalty. It demands strength. And it demands that we trust only those who share our vision."

Malik inclined his head, offering a faint smile. "A stirring speech, Lord Haido. Truly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your moment of reflection with your loyal knights."

Haido's gaze lingered on Malik for a beat too long before he nodded. "Very well. You've earned your rest, Malik. Go."

Malik turned on his heel, GrubGrub squawking indignantly as the bird flapped its wings for balance. He sauntered out of the chamber, his posture relaxed, though his mind was anything but. They're suspicious, he thought grimly. And with good reason.

The room was silent as the heavy doors closed behind Malik. Haido turned to face his knights, his expression unreadable.

"Kamira. Fugai. Ranke." His voice was calm, yet it carried an edge that demanded absolute attention. "The time has come for a final assessment. Malik has been invaluable to our cause, but his loyalties are not guaranteed. He is clever, resourceful, and unpredictable. That makes him both an asset… and a liability."

Kamira tilted her head, her reddish eyes gleaming. "Malik's always been a wildcard, but he's done nothing to suggest he's working against us. If anything, he's been instrumental in getting us this far."

Fugai crossed her arms, her violet eyes narrowing. "He's useful, I'll give him that. But he's too smooth, too slippery. Trusting him completely would be a mistake."

Ranke snorted, her frilled blonde hair bouncing as she gestured dismissively. "He's a pain in the ass, but he's not stupid. He knows what's at stake. If he wanted to betray us, he would've done it by now."

Haido's gaze swept over each of them, his expression cold. "This is not about what he hasn't done. It's about what he might do. The Vein of Gelel is too powerful to risk falling into the wrong hands. If Malik cannot be trusted, he must be eliminated—permanently."

Kamira hesitated, her playful demeanor faltering. "You're saying we should… kill him?"

"If necessary," Haido said firmly. "But I want your honest assessments. Do you believe Malik can be trusted to stand with us until the end?"

The knights exchanged uneasy glances.

Fugai was the first to speak. "I don't trust him. Not completely. But… he hasn't betrayed us yet. Let's keep him close and watch him. If he steps out of line, I'll deal with him myself."

Kamira sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair. "I think he's loyal—at least for now. Malik thrives on chaos, but he's too smart to cross us with the Vein so close."

Ranke's arms were crossed, her light-violet eyes thoughtful. "I say we keep him. Malik might be a pain, but he's our pain. And besides…" She smirked. "He's fun to have around."

Haido's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered their responses. "Very well. For now, Malik lives. But if he falters, if he so much as hesitates in his loyalty… you will end him without question. Understood?"

The three knights nodded in unison, their expressions grim.

"Good," Haido said, his voice cold. "Prepare yourselves. The final chapter of our journey begins now."