Chapter 16: Snake’s eyes  

Kakashi picked up the fragment, holding it up to the light. "I've never seen anything like this," he murmured, his voice carrying the hint of concern that had only just begun to surface. "This doesn't look like anything from the elemental nations."

Might Guy leaned in for a closer look, his earlier exuberance replaced with a rare seriousness. "Neither have I," he said, his tone grave. "If these creatures are part of a larger threat, we need to act quickly."

Guy suddenly jumped into his trademark enthusiastic stance. His arms flung wide, and his face was now shining with determination. "This looks like a job for youth!" he proclaimed loudly, his voice as spirited as ever. "Kuro, my young friend! I can sense your potential, the energy of youth flowing through you! With that power and my youthful vigor, we shall defeat any challenge that dares to stand in our way!"

Reika, Xero, and even Kuro couldn't help but let out a quiet chuckle at Guy's dramatic entrance. Despite the tension of the situation, Guy's unwavering enthusiasm was a reminder of the carefree joy of youth—a quality Kuro couldn't help but admire, even if he didn't always show it.

Kuro turned to face Guy, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Youth, huh?" he said, his voice carrying a slight edge of amusement. "If it comes down to that, I'll have to call on some youthful energy myself." The words felt strange on his tongue, but the energy around Guy was infectious. Maybe it was the perfect time to push forward, to draw out whatever it was that lay dormant within him.

Kakashi, ever the pragmatist, gave a small, almost imperceptible sigh but didn't bother trying to calm Guy down. He knew better. "We'll need more than youthful energy to deal with whatever is going on here," he said, his voice steady. "But... I'm not opposed to giving it a try."

Kuro, now more certain than ever that they were on the cusp of something far bigger than they had imagined, turned his gaze to the horizon. "There's something larger at play here," he muttered, almost to himself. "We'll need all the youth we can get."

With a final glance at the broken wolves, he started walking toward the heart of the village, his companions falling in line behind him. The sense of urgency was palpable now. Something was coming—something that would test the strength of not just their bodies, but their wills. The spring of youth had awakened in Guy, but for Kuro, it was a reminder of the battle that lay ahead. They weren't just fighting for survival anymore. They were fighting for something far greater.

And this battle would require all of them to face the unknown.

Guy was moving ahead, his enthusiastic, ever-optimistic energy kicking back into gear. "Well, well! If these creatures are part of some larger threat, we've got work to do! No matter what it is, we must act with all the youthful vigor we can muster!" His voice rang with the same boundless energy that always seemed to fill him, regardless of the situation. 

Kakashi pocketed the metallic shard and turned back to the group. His voice was calm, measured, but the urgency was clear in his words. "Agreed," he said. "For now, we'll report this to the Hokage. The Chunin Exams are only days away—we can't afford any disruptions."

Kuro nodded, feeling a slight relief. At least the focus was shifting away from the immediate mystery surrounding the wolves, even if the tension still hung in the air. He wasn't sure how long he could keep dodging the questions, but for now, it seemed the matter would be put on hold.

The shinobi began to leave, and Kuro turned to walk alongside Reika and Xero. His thoughts were still clouded, still racing. The Children of Cerberus, the monsterious fragment, and the dark shadow of the Fire Fly Corporation—it was all connected, but the threads of the story were still tangled, too knotted for him to unravel just yet.

As they walked away from the clearing, Reika's voice cut through his thoughts. "You're hiding something," she said quietly, her tone firm, but not angry—more like a statement of fact than a question.

Kuro's footsteps faltered for a split second, the weight of her words pulling at him. He could feel her eyes on him, her gaze sharp, the way she always seemed to see through him, even when he tried to hide behind his walls. He had always trusted Reika—maybe more than anyone else—but this was different. What he was keeping from her wasn't something she could understand.

He met her gaze, keeping his expression neutral, though a flicker of something darker passed through his eyes. "Not now, Reika," he said, his voice low but firm.

Xero was quick to join the conversation, his arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadable. "She's right, you know. We're not stupid. You've been acting weird ever since we ran into those wolves. And we saw what happened back there. That power... it wasn't normal." He shook his head, frustration and concern warring within him. "You're putting us all in danger by keeping this to yourself."

Kuro's grip tightened on the wooden sword, the weight of it suddenly feeling heavier. "I know," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry for that. But some things... they're not meant to be told right now."

Reika's frown deepened, but she didn't say anything more. She knew when to push and when to let things go, and for now, it seemed like she was letting it slide, even though her concern for Kuro was evident.

Xero muttered something under his breath, but the tension between them softened, just enough for Kuro to feel a flicker of relief. He didn't want to lie to them. Not like this. But the truth was a dangerous thing, and it would take more than just their trust to reveal it.

Kuro's gaze suddenly met that of a man who was watching him intently, his eyes narrow and calculating like a snake's. Kuro returned the stare, sensing the man's keen interest in him. His skin was unnaturally pale, almost sickly white, and his gaze was filled with a curiosity that seemed to probe deep into Kuro's being. Kuro couldn't shake the feeling that this man was itching to uncover some hidden secret of his own.

The man was none other than Orochimaru—the infamous rogue ninja who had once craved the power of the Uchiha clan and sought the destruction of the Hidden Leaf Village. While Orochimaru had eventually sought redemption by the end of the series, his past actions were inextricably tied to the earlier fall of the Hidden Leaf, a fact Kuro couldn't ignore.

Kuro wasn't sure how long he would remain in this place, but he knew one thing: if he stayed long enough, he need to cripple both Danzo and Orochimaru. They were a toxic pair, two forces of corruption that needed to be dealt with before they could cause any more destruction.