"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave," a low shout came from behind.
Kaguya's back was struck, sending her flying as if hit by a heavy hammer.
With a "poof," she disappeared—it was a shadow clone.
The real Kaguya had already moved behind Danzo, slashing at his neck with a kunai, but Danzo raised his right hand.
With a "ding," sparks flew.
Danzo's right hand had a metal seal, which he used to block the attack.
Using the rebound force, Kaguya leaped away, pulling a handful of shuriken from her pocket and throwing them.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson."
Flames from Kaguya's mouth intertwined with the shuriken, attacking Danzo. He sidestepped, his footwork agile, dodging the attack.
"You're still too inexperienced," Danzo sneered, forming seals with his hands.
At that moment, a "ding" sounded from behind. Danzo was startled and tried to dodge, but it was too late.
"Poof, poof," two shuriken hit Danzo, blood splattering. Kaguya had used the technique she observed from Itachi Uchiha, hiding the shuriken within the flames, making them harder to detect.
It wasn't over yet. As Danzo dodged, Kaguya quickly reached him, placing her hand on his back, activating her repulsive force.
With a "boom," Danzo was sent flying by a tremendous force, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands," Orochimaru attacked as well.
Several venomous snakes with sharp fangs lunged at Kaguya's back, biting down.
With a "poof," the bitten Kaguya turned into a stone—it was a substitution jutsu.
At this moment, the injured Danzo reappeared where Kaguya had been, rapidly forming seals with his hands.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere."
Countless air bullets shot from his mouth, hurtling towards Kaguya at lightning speed.
"Bang, bang, bang."
Sand and stones scattered, raising a cloud of dust.
When the dust settled, Kaguya's figure emerged. She was lightly panting, her clothes torn in several places, exposing her fair skin, but fortunately, she was not injured.
"Be gentle, don't damage this body," Orochimaru walked over, dissatisfied.
"Don't forget our agreement," Danzo snorted.
"Don't worry, the First Hokage's cell experiment is complete, it will be even more perfect than before," Orochimaru smiled.
Danzo remained silent, forming seals with his hands to attack again.
Kaguya's eyelashes fluttered, her eyes focused, preparing to activate her Tenseigan Chakra Mode for the final battle.
Suddenly, the wall exploded, stones flew, dust rose, and a shockwave rolled out.
"Who?" Danzo shouted.
"Lord Danzo, long time no see."
A figure stepped out from the shadows, wearing a black cloak with red clouds, lifting the brim of his hat to reveal a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan eyes.
"You are Uchiha Itachi," Danzo was taken aback, then gritted his teeth. He still remembered the day he was threatened by Uchiha Itachi, a memory that was a humiliation to him.
Orochimaru beside him was clearly also shocked, his expression darkening. He had fought Uchiha Itachi before and knew he was no match for him.
"What are you here for?" Orochimaru asked in a deep voice.
"I'm here to take someone," Uchiha Itachi glanced at Kaguya not far away.
"You cannot take her," Danzo shouted.
"Why not?" A figure emerged from the shadows. He had a face, skin, and sharp teeth resembling a shark. He was also wearing a black cloak with red clouds and holding a large sword—it was Kisame Hoshigaki.
Orochimaru and Danzo's expressions turned grim. If it were only Uchiha Itachi, they might still stand a chance, but with Kisame Hoshigaki as well, their odds of winning were slim.
"I only want one person. Once I have her, I will leave and won't interfere with your plans," Uchiha Itachi said quietly.
Orochimaru snorted and turned to leave. His intentions were clear—he had no plans to fight Uchiha Itachi here, especially after losing an arm.
Moreover, Orochimaru was concerned that Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki might be here to hunt him down for betraying the "Akatsuki" organization. Since they seemed not to be looking for trouble with him, he didn't want to stir up more trouble.
As Danzo was about to leave, Uchiha Itachi spoke, "Lord Danzo, I hope you still remember our agreement." The coldness in his words was unmistakable.
Danzo's body stiffened. He snorted coldly and disappeared into the shadows.
"What do you want with me?" Kaguya asked, her eyes narrowing.
She didn't feel relieved at all; instead, she felt even heavier because she didn't know why they wanted her.
"Don't misunderstand, we won't harm you," Uchiha Itachi said. "There is someone who wants to see you."
"Isn't this the little girl we encountered a few days ago?" Kisame Hoshigaki laughed. "Is she the one you're looking for?"
"Yes," Uchiha Itachi said calmly.
"Then let's go," Kisame Hoshigaki walked up to Kaguya, reaching out to grab her.
Kaguya slapped his hand away, saying sternly, "I can walk myself."
"Quite the character," Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, showing his sharp teeth.
"Don't be rude," Uchiha Itachi said from the side.
"Is this girl of some significance?" Kisame Hoshigaki asked curiously. It wasn't often Uchiha Itachi treated someone like this.
Uchiha Itachi nodded but didn't say anything.
Kaguya wanted to fight, but she refrained because fighting them would be pointless. Even if she won, it would be a pyrrhic victory, allowing Danzo and Orochimaru, who were lurking in the shadows, to reap the benefits. Moreover, Uchiha Itachi's attitude didn't seem too hostile, at least not as bad as Orochimaru or Danzo.
Having her chakra points sealed, Kaguya followed Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki for days until they arrived at a dark cave. Inside, they found a vast space larger than a football field.
They walked to a room, and Uchiha Itachi said to Kaguya, "This is your room. Go in and don't try to escape; there's a barrier in place."
Kaguya didn't speak. She entered the room and found it spacious. The room was well-furnished with tables, chairs, a bed, and bedding. It was very clean with no strange odors.
It seemed no one had lived there before, which reassured her. She didn't like using things others had used.
Just as Kaguya was about to sit on the bed, a voice came from behind her, causing her body to freeze.
"Long time no see, my dear mother."