Naruto : Hidden Cloud

Kurenai was nervous; she couldn't believe she was about to kill someone like Sato.

But she had already started with her plan; there was no turning back. She knew she would be hunted down for this, but she had decided to die anyway; life on the run wasn't for her.

At least, she would die trying to save Asuma.

"Wait, you don't think your plan will actually succeed, do you?"

Yet when Sato said this, her blood ran cold. Kurenai knew all about Sato's super-sharp mind, which made this sentence all the more scary for her.

Was he saying this just to buy time, or was she truly playing into his hand like a fool?

"Miss Genjutsu specialist, you don't think Asuma is still alive, right?"

Sato whispered, and Kurenai's eyes shrank violently. She started taking harsh breaths due to stress. She was hyperventilating.

Step

Sato took this chance and easily slipped away from her. He then eyed Samui, Darui, and Kiba, who were trapped in a genjutsu. 

Turning back to the hyperventilating Kurenai, Sato looked at her with pity. Patting her back, Sato whispered creepily.

"You seem to realize it; did you finally stop deceiving yourself?"

"There is little chance that Asuma is still alive. You know it in your heart, don't you?"

Slash

Kurenai suddenly turned back and slashed at Sato, who smoothly dodged the Kunai. Kurenai swung her Kunai violently, without any form. As if releasing her rage.

Sato dodged such easy attacks a few more times before he caught her hand and looked her in the eyes.

The glowing orbs of energy that were Sato's eyes were peering into her soul.

Sob

Kurenai finally broke down and started crying. She choked as she confessed in a stuttering tone.

"I saw it in his eyes. Asuma was relieved when they let me go. Both of us knew he was going to die as soon as I leave that place."

"But I couldn't stay, I didn't want to die. I ran away. I let Asuma die because I wanted to live."

"I let him die."

Kurenai's mind had collapsed from mental stress. The guilt of her actions was almost eating her alive. 

Although she wasn't coherent, her confession made it easy for Sato to put the pieces of this puzzle into place.

"That explains it. You forcefully convinced yourself that the kidnappers would keep their word and release Asuma."

"But you knew in your heart that this was false. This is why you made such a bold plan."

"If your plan fails, you want to die and hopefully reunite with Asuma in the afterlife."

Sato broke down the incident bit by bit. Kurenai and Asuma were caught in someone's game. They were sacrificial pawns to get something done.

Although there was still one question in his mind, What was the kidnapper's plan? What was the end goal?

"The kidnappers don't think you can actually kill me, right? Also why kill your lover? What do they have to gain from this?"

Sato rubbed his chin, but suddenly his nose twitched, and he snapped his head towards the door.

He could smell the smell of snakes and medicine behind the room's closed door.

Creeek

The room's door opened to a creek. Sato and Kurenai stared at the uninvited guest.

Kurenai's eyes seem to recognize this man; he was among the kidnappers.

"You! It's all because of you."

Kurenai screamed at the guy wearing glasses and ran towards him.

"Stay back!"

Yet Sato quickly caught her arm. Kurenai was about to struggle, but Sato and the guy with glasses ignored her.

They looked at each other in silence, and after a few seconds the unknown man spoke first.

"Good thing you stopped her from approaching me. I have arranged a barrier around this room."

"If she would have stepped past this door, she would be dead."

The guy smiled a gentle smile. His glasses made him look approachable and nice. But Sato knew he was anything but that.

"Kabuto. So you were pulling the strings. Tell me, how did you arrange this barrier without me smelling your scent?"

"And what would you gain from this? This barrier won't hold me forever, nor will it kill me."

Sato scanned the room and found a barrier covering this place. This was similar to the barrier that trapped the third Hokage in the actual story.

Kabuto maintained his smile as he spoke. 

"I am sure you can eventually figure it out, even if I don't tell you. So allow me to explain myself."

"It took a lot of effort to trap you. I would love to hear some praise from you."

Kabuto laughed as if he was making a good joke, and Sato smirked with him. Now Kabuto knew Sato was ready to listen, so he began speaking.

"As you know, when you killed Lord Orochimaru, I took over the Konoha collapse plan."

"But I am not as strong as Lord Orochimaru; I cannot fight the third Hokage head-on. I had to think of a way to catch him off guard."

"I also wanted to make sure you didn't interfere with our plan. That would be too scary; we might lose if you started to rampage."

Kabuto acted scared for a bit, then smirked.

"Asuma and Kurenai were the solution to my problems. Kurenai would unknowingly lure you into this room, where I would seal you. I never expected her to kill you."

"As for Asuma, we will catch the third Hokage off guard using him. Imagine what would happen when the third Hokage sees his son die before him."

"That would give us a chance to kill the Hokage, or injure him critically."

Kabuto chuckled and fixed his glasses. He felt pleasure outsmarting someone who killed Lord Orochimaru.

"Oh, and one more thing. Lord Orochimaru realized you have a strong sense of smell after his last defeat."

"I snuck past it using the smell of medicine in the hospital. It covered up my own smell."

Kabuto raised his hands with a proud look on his face.

"How about it? Was it a good plan, Sato sama?"

Kabuto smiled gently, but Sato didn't give him a response; he stayed silent. Kabuto shrugged, then raised his hand, creating a hand sign.

"Forget it then. It's time to begin the next phase of our plan."

"Genjutsu Temple of Nirvana."

Sato and Kurenai saw a white flash outside the window, and when they turned to look outside, they found white feathers falling from the sky.

"This is an area-wide genjutsu. He is putting everyone in this stadium to sleep."

Kurenai recognized this genjutsu immediately. She might not be an Uchiha, but her genjutsu knowledge was good for a civilian.

Although Kabuto didn't seem to care that his genjutsu was exposed, He smiled at them and walked away.

"Konoha's collapse has begun. The barrier around this room will automatically collapse after an hour. Good day, Sato Sama."

Kabuto waved Sato goodbye and left. Only Sato and Kurenai remained conscious in the room.

"What a smug piece of shit. He thinks he has it all figured out."

Sato spat with disgust, then looked at his dazed men with a twitching eye. They were still trapped in Kurenai's Genjutsu.

They were careless this time.

"Kurenai. It turns out Asuma isn't dead yet, but he is about to be killed. If you want to stop that, you should release my men from your genjutsu."

Sato advised Kurenai, and Kurenai, who had lost her will to live a while ago, had light reappear in her eyes. 

"Help me, please."

Kurenai begged Sato and released the genjutsu. Sato didn't promise her anything though.

He didn't forget that she was trying to kill him just now. Helping someone who wanted you dead was not Sato's idea of life.

He would still save Asuma if he could, but just to wipe that smug grin from Kabuto's face.

"I will think about it."

"Now then, let's see if we can crack this barrier. Samui, Darui, stop sulking and concentrate!"

"This is the four violet falme formation; anyone who touches it is burned to a crisp instantly; it can even trap multiple kages."

"And we need to crack this thing somehow. Any ideas how we should break this barrier?"