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Chapter 55 – “Illusions…” “Don’t work on those who’ve faced worse.”
🕑 Added 2025-06-30 20:45:33 +0000 UTCChapter 55 – “Illusions…” “Don’t work on those who’ve faced worse.”
The forest was eerily silent. The only sound was the crackling of leaves underfoot and the faint rustling of wind through branches. Tayuya grunted, panting hard as she pushed herself through the dense terrain. Slung over her back, the massive coffin-like barrel holding Sasuke was wrapped in thick rope, its weight dragging at her every step.
Her clothes were torn, her chakra low, and sweat poured down her face. Her legs felt like lead. Of all the Sound Four, only she remained on the run.
"Tch... Dammit," she hissed between breaths. "Those morons… Jirōbō, Kidōmaru, Sakon and Ukon… all useless meatbags!"
Her frustration boiled over. Every second she had to carry this load alone made her blood simmer. They were supposed to hold off the Leaf brats. Instead, they fell like paper dolls. She had no idea who was even alive anymore.
Then she stopped.
A presence.
Suddenly, in the space between one blink and the next, a pale figure appeared before her, stepping out of the trees like a ghost made flesh.
“Kimimaro…” she muttered, startled, her muscles tensing. “The hell are you doing here?”
The pale boy said nothing at first, eyes calm and detached. His movements were slow, graceful, like falling snow.
“I’ve come to retrieve the Barrel,” Kimimaro said softly. “Orochimaru-sama no longer requires your service.”
Tayuya blinked in disbelief. “Are you shitting me?”
“You are injured. We can’t afford another delay.”
Tayuya's brow twitched, voice rising. “We can still handle it! Who the hell asked for your help?!”
Kimimaro’s gaze never wavered. “Your comrades are dead or defeated. And you are exhausted. I am the only one truly suited to complete this mission.”
Tayuya clenched her teeth. “Tch… Damned freak. Just because Orochimaru-sama favors you…”
“Because he knows where strength lies.”
Her fingers twitched with the urge to fight, to yell, to claw at that blank expression. But she didn’t. Instead, she spat on the ground and shoved the barrel forward.
“Fine. Take the damn barrel. I’ll stay back and clean up this mess.”
Kimimaro nodded once. His skeletal hand reached out, effortlessly lifting the heavy burden. Without another word, he vanished into the forest, the barrel slung across his back.
Tayuya exhaled, rubbing her face roughly.
“Fucking bastard…”
She turned, trudging back toward the trail the Konoha dogs were no doubt still running down. Her eyes narrowed. She would make them pay for this.
Meanwhile – Moments Later
Through the forest, the Konoha retrieval squad pressed on.
Shikamaru wiped sweat from his brow. “Still only one chakra signature ahead. Must be Tayuya.”
Kiba sniffed the air. “Yeah. Same stench. We’re close.”
But Hajime, at the rear of the group, slowed down. His brow furrowed slightly.
“…He’s gone,” he murmured.
Naruto blinked. “Huh?”
“The one carrying Sasuke changed. Someone else took over. Tayuya's chakra was swapped out with something… cold. Controlled.”
Shikamaru looked back. “You sensed that?”
Hajime nodded once. “She’s not the one carrying him anymore.”
Shikamaru cursed under his breath. “Then the real threat just walked off. Who’s left?”
“Incoming,” Kiba growled, pointing ahead.
The group halted as Tayuya stepped into view, standing in a clearing, flute in hand. Her face was scratched, her eyes wild with exhaustion and fury.
“'Bout time, leaf shits,” she snapped. “I’ve been waiting to crush your skulls.”
Shikamaru tensed. “She’s the last one left.”
But Hajime stepped forward calmly. He eyed her without emotion. “No. She’s just delaying us.”
Tayuya raised her flute to her lips. “Let’s see how tough you are when your mind cracks.”
A haunting melody filled the air. The landscape twisted. The world shimmered with illusion.
Hajime kept walking.
His mind, protected by the psychic fortress of the skill use by Grey Knights, stood unmoved. The melody scratched uselessly against the bastion of will forged for war in the Warp.
Tayuya paused mid-song. “What the?”
She blew harder, changing the tune, summoning her three spectral ogres to rip into him from behind the veil of illusion.
But Hajime didn’t stop.
He walked forward, step by step, until he stood right before her. She blew frantically, desperately, but nothing touched him. The illusions couldn’t bind his mind. Her genjutsu washed over him like wind against stone.
“Illusions…” Hajime murmured. “Don’t work on those who’ve faced worse.”
Her eyes widened. “Wh—?!”
Thud.
In a single motion, Hajime’s hand struck her neck. A clean, precise chop, guided by psychic control and exact force. Her body crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut.
Silence.
Shikamaru and the others caught up seconds later.
“Is she…?” Choji asked.
“She’s unconscious,” Hajime said, lifting her with one arm and slinging her over his shoulder like a bag of rice.
Ino blinked. “You’re… carrying her?”
“She has information,” Hajime said simply. “And Orochimaru might want her back. That makes her leverage.”
Naruto blinked. “You’re scary sometimes, Hajime…”
Shikamaru muttered, “That’s one way to put it.”
As they continued on, deeper into the woods and closer to Sasuke, Tayuya’s unconscious form bounced lightly on Hajime’s shoulder.
End of Chapter 55 – “Illusions…” “Don’t work on those who’ve faced worse.”
