Ashes of Innocence

As the white feathers floated down, the applauding audience's eyelids grew heavy, and they fell asleep one by one.

Even the weaker ninjas couldn't resist the overwhelming exhaustion, their heads drooping in surrender.

Kankuro and Temari jumped down from the spectator seats, and Hinata looked up at Hayashi, concern etched on her face. "Hayashi, what's going on?"

"It's an illusion," Shino intervened.

In unison, the three of them locked eyes, touched their index fingers, and shouted, "Release!"

After dispelling the illusion, Hayashi gestured towards the Hyuga section, where Hiashi, was already standing beside Hanabi, having broken the genjutsu's hold on her.

Hiashi caught Hinata's eye and subtly nodded, signaling her to regroup with the rest of the Hyuga clan.

Understanding her father's message, Hinata turned to Hayashi and said, "I need to join my family at the Hyuga residence."

Hayashi nodded, his expression serious. "Be cautious, Hinata. The battle is about to begin."

As Hinata walked towards the Hyuga section, Hayashi's unease grew.

He decided to keep an eye on her from a distance, turning to Shino and whispering, "Find a good spot to watch from. See what happens."

Shino nodded, already scanning the surroundings. "Got it."

Hinata soon reached her father and sister, and the three Hyugas formed a defensive formation, their Byakugan activated as they scanned for potential threats.

Suddenly, a group of sleepy spectators behind them transformed into Sunagakure shinobi, shedding their civilian clothes and attacking the Hyugas.

Just then, a swift, flying slashed flashed before them. Several enemy shinobi fell, their heads rolling to the ground.

The sudden intervention gave Hiashi and Hanabi the opening they needed to counterattack.

As they moved, they deflected and countered the assailants' strikes with their Gentle Fist techniques, shielding nearby civilians from harm.

The battle raged on, with the Suna invaders retaliating with brutal force. The Hyugas countered with precise strikes, but the Suna's crude blows still crashed down.

The air was thick with the smell of burned flesh, sweat, and blood. Bodies lay twisted on the ground, their limbs bent at unnatural angles.

The cries of the injured echoed through the battlefield.

In the chaos, a Suna shinobi unleashed a fire jutsu, engulfing a section of the audience in flames. Hinata's Byakugan detected a trapped civilian family.

She quickly rushed towards them, using her chakra-infused palms to deflect the flames and shield the terrified civilians.

Among them was a man holding what looked like a scorched object.

As Hinata approached, the horrific truth became clear. The man was holding the remains of his infant child, burned beyond recognition.

Yet, he seemed unaware, softly murmuring, "Shh, don't cry, dad will take you home."

Hinata's stomach turned at the gruesome sight, but she pushed past her revulsion. She focused on the man's wife, trapped under a fallen beam, her legs crushed.

The woman's eyes locked onto Hinata, silently begging for help as her husband continued to coo over the charred remains of their child.

Hinata took a deep breath and carefully lifted the beam, freeing the woman's mangled legs.

She then quickly administered emergency aid, using her medical ninjutsu skills to stem the bleeding and stabilize the severe wounds.

As she worked, the woman's gaze remained fixed on her husband and the remains of their child, tears streaming down her soot-stained cheeks.

Nearby, Ko, another Hyuga, clashed with a Suna shinobi in a fierce battle. The enemy's blade sliced through Ko's arm, severing it at the elbow, and blood gushed out.

Ko stumbled back, clutching the stump of his arm as his severed limb hit the ground. The Suna shinobi advanced, kunai raised for the killing blow.

But before he could strike, Hiashi appeared, his Gentle Fist strike shattering the man's ribcage with a gruesome crunch.

The Suna shinobi collapsed, blood gurgling from his mouth as Hiashi turned to aid the injured Ko.

Across the auditorium, Hanabi and the other Hyugas fought tirelessly, their precise chakra strikes taking down foe after foe.

Yet the Suna forces seemed endless, their numbers reinforced by fresh troops pouring in from the village's outer walls.

As the battle raged on, Hayashi remained vigilant, cutting down any enemy shinobi who dared approach the Hyuga clan with his flying slashes.

The auditorium, once filled with laughter and applause, was now a gruesome scene - seats were overturned, and the floor was slick with blood.

After tending to the wounded woman, Hinata stole a glance at her surroundings, making sure that there were no enemies nearby.

With the woman's wounds stabilized, Hinata rejoined her clansmen.

When the brief skirmish finally ended, Hiashi turned towards Hayashi and gave a respectful nod, acknowledging the young shinobi's aid in protecting his family and the civilians.

The Hyugas quickly regrouped and made their way towards the exit, gathering other clan members along the way.

While they moved, they assisted injured civilians, providing first aid and carrying those who had lost limbs or were too weak to walk.

They did their best to comfort the grieving and tend to the wounded, their footsteps slow and deliberate as they made their way out.

As they advanced, Hinata's gaze drifted towards Hayashi, her eyes lingering on him for a moment. She felt a growing sense of unease, warning her that the worst was yet to come.

----------

Sasuke's eyes widened in horror as Gaara's body began to twist unnaturally.

'What the hell is happening?' Sasuke thought as he tried to make sense of the transformation unfolding before him.

Then, Gaara's scream echoed through the arena, more animal than human. The sand molded itself around him, hardening into a protective shell.

After that, Gaara's form began to blur and distort, his body merging with the sand to create a monstrous, towering creature.

"My existence will not vanish!" Gaara's voice was distorted, echoing from somewhere deep within the creature.

Waves of potent chakra pulsed out, shaking the arena floor.

Sasuke leapt backwards, desperate to get away from the creature. He flung shurikens, but they bounced harmlessly off the hardened sand shell.

He knew he had to keep moving - any direct hit from the creature would be fatal.

Sprinting across the rubble-strewn arena, Sasuke quickly formed a string of hand seals, inhaling deeply.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he shouted, unleashing a volley of searing fireballs that arced through the air, slamming into Gaara's transformed state.

Smoke and ash erupted upwards, blocking Sasuke's view of the creature for a moment.

The sand beast burst out of the haze, its deafening roar making Sasuke's ears ring. A massive claw flashed towards him, moving so fast it was almost a blur.

He dodged at the last second, feeling the rush of air as the blow narrowly missed him. The sand kept coming, giving him no chance to counter.

Sasuke leapt, and weaved through the assault, desperately searching for an opening to strike back.

His mind raced as he sought a plan. Standard ninjutsu seemed useless against this level of brute force.

But then, he felt it - a strange sensation in his mind.

The curse mark Orochimaru had branded him with was calling to him, urging him to unleash its power.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, fighting off the temptation. There had to be another way.

----------

Up in the stands, Kakashi's eye widened as he took in the chaos. "That's...the One-Tail. We have to stop it before it rampages through the village!"

Just then, Guy burst onto the scene, having just escorted a group of civilians to safety.

His eyes landed on Neji, who was emerging from the medical ward with a confused expression.

Tenten, who had been waiting anxiously for her teammate, rushed to Neji's side, relief washing over her as she saw him relatively unharmed.

"Neji, Tenten!" Guy shouted, bounding over with his signature exuberance. "Thank goodness you're alright! What's happening here is most unyouthful!"

Neji blinked, taking in the scene of destruction around them. "Guy-sensei, what's going on?"

Guy's face turned serious, a rare sight.

He placed a hand on Neji's shoulder. "It looks like Suna has betrayed us, unleashing the One-Tailed Beast on our village. We need to act fast to protect the innocent!"

Tenten's eyes widened in shock. "That's the One-Tail? Here, in our village?"

Neji's eyes mirrored hers, and he nodded. "I understand. What's the plan, Guy-sensei?"

Guy's trademark grin returned, his teeth sparkling. "Ah, Neji, ever the cool and collected one! Here's what we'll do..."

He quickly outlined his strategy to engage the rampaging One-Tail and evacuate the civilians simultaneously.

"I'll take care of distracting that beast!" Guy exclaimed.

"You and Tenten focus on getting the people to safety. With our combined efforts, we'll show that the Flames of Youth cannot be extinguished!"

Neji couldn't help but crack a small smile at his teacher's enthusiasm, even in the face of such a situation.

He nodded. "Tenten and I will get right on it."

With a boisterous "Yosh!" Guy pivoted and charged straight towards the One-Tail, opening the Gate of Life to boost his speed and strength.

As he closed in, he dodged the beast's wild attacks with his incredible agility.

"Now's your chance!" he shouted back to Neji and Tenten. "Get the civilians out of here while I keep its attention!"

Neji and Tenten sprang into action, using their skills to deflect any stray attacks and quickly guide the fleeing villagers to safety.

Though the situation was dire, Guy's booming voice could be heard over the chaos, "Don't give up, my youthful comrades! The Flames of Our Will burn brightly today!"

Reinvigorated by their teacher's passion, Neji and Tenten doubled their efforts, all three working in perfect sync to protect their village and its people.

----------

Meanwhile, Sasuke, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally joined the battle, his eyes fixed on the One-Tail.

The beast relentlessly assaulted Guy and Sasuke, unleashing blasts of compressed air and torrents of sand.