Road to Ninja Part 16 (incomplete)

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Road to Ninja Parts stops here, as it needs another 20 or so chapters to conclude its part, which will be done in the future

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Somewhere inside a dark underground path…

Multiple sounds of footsteps echoed around the empty path as few fully clothed silhouettes made their way through.

"Move your lazy asses," A figure leading in the front spoke.

"…" A couple of meters away, two groups emerged.

"Quickly,"

"They are getting away," One of the men in the groups shouted.

"Hmm?" The figure at the front of the group of bandits turned back.

"Tsk,"

"Ginro!" The leading male shouted.

"Hyah!" The man named Ginro threw two flying objects that were directed towards the two groups.

"What is that?" One of the men in the two groups asked.

"That is…"

"Everyone, DODGE!" The man shouted at the top of his voice.

(Whoosh!) The two objects landed in front of both groups,

(BOOM!)

Two Hand grenades exploded causing some debris to fall in the tunnel.

"You're not getting away!" The leader of both groups shouted immediately trying to clear up the debris.

"Tsk," The man named Ginro clicked his tongue.

"The Leaf Police Force is no joke," Another person amongst the bandits commented.

However, at that moment.

(Whoosh!) (something flashed past the group)

"Huh?" The man leading the bandits frowned unable to make sense of what just happened.

"DISPERSE!" The leader immediately shouted his order upon seeing a silhouette flash by; however, it was too late.

(Whoosh), (Whoosh)

(Whoosh), (Whoosh), (Whoosh)

Few Shurikens flew out in all directions.

"It's shurikens," One of the bandits was surprised; however, that wasn't enough to scare him. 

("Hmph, As if I'd be scared by a mere shurikens,")

("Even ninjas are unable to stall us the phantom thieves,") The man thought to himself.

However, all that thought process stopped the moment a shine caught his eyes.

("Just now,")

("What was that?") The man asked himself as he tried to observe the shuriken once again.

Despite the Shuriken's high velocity and spin, the man was used to having quick reflexes and thus took the milliseconds he had on hand to observe the shuriken. And that's when it dawned upon him.

("Those aren't regular shurikens,") The man thought as he observed the elliptical path the shuriken took.

The shuriken appeared to him as though someone was controlling it. However, in the next moment, the shuriken traveled in such a way that all the little light the underground path had suddenly shined on a thin thread-like material that was attached to it.

It was at this point that the thief remembered something a while back he had heard from his captain while discussing their plan for the heist.

< Manipulating Windmill - Quintiple Blades >

(Whoosh), (Whoosh)

(Whoosh), (Whoosh), (Whoosh) All five Shurikens neatly circled around their targets and pinned them in their place.

*bz* *bz*

Electricity trickled around the wires.

"Gah!" The five bandits shouted in pain at the sometime before passing out. 

"…" The two groups chasing from behind were slack-jawed.

(Whoosh!)

A man in dark robes appeared out of thin-air beside the five bandits who were unconscious on the floor. 

"As expected of the Chief's husband," the leader of one of the two groups commented as he stared at the man in dark robes.

 …

The man in dark robes walked towards the two groups, slowly revealing his face in what little light the underground tunnel contained.

The man was obviously Uchiha Sasuke, who belonged to the world of the limited Tsukuyomi.

"Uchiha Sasuke," The leader of one of the groups responded.

"Hand these four to the torture and interrogation department," Sasuke said, following which he left the scene.

"Yes, Sir," the man saluted.

"He left," A woman amongst the squad commented with a dreamy look.

"You do realize he's married, right?" Another one asked with concern for the woman.

…

(Whoosh!)

A silhouette whizzed past the silent dark tunnel. The figure in question was the leader of the bandits from before.

 "Uchiha Sasuke…" The man thought back to the silhouette of Sasuke that flashed past him, capturing all his men in one full swoop.

"I swear, I'll have my revenge," The man said, following which the gaze of his eyes shifted towards his body that was in constant motion entirely focused on making a getaway

…

"The tunnel ends here," The woman commented as she stared at a patch of grass at the foot of a hill at the edge of the town.

"Hinata," A voice called out towards the woman.

"How rude," One of the members of the two teams that stood behind Hinata commented upon hearing the voice.

Hinata frowned a bit as her gaze turned towards the source of the sound.

"Menma,"

"Wait!" Shikamaru called out from behind with a lack of breath from trying to hard to match Naruto's pace

…

"He's coming!" Hinata warned her team.

"Team 1, Prepare!" The leader of Team 1 ordered.

"Yes," The members of team 1 shouted in return, activating their Byakugans and getting into a stance with one palm out.

The members of team 2 sighed, seeing that the enemy was already overwhelmingly outnumbered since the beginning.

…

Inside the tunnel, The bandit leader saw the exit of the tunnel up ahead.

"Time to disappear," The man said, following which he upped his speed.

"Hah!" The man shouted with confidence as he burst off the door.

< AIR PALM! > Team 1 shouted together and slammed the bandit leader.

(Bang!) The air palms landed on the leader of the Phantom thieves rendering senseless without another wasted move.

("That many air palms at once?") Naruto gulped hard, imagining the pain of the person who was at the receiving end of it.

"We'll be taking him with us, chief," A member from Team 2 walked over and informed Hinata.

"I'll leave it to you," Hinata said.

"Mm," The person nodded following which he turned towards his group.

"Let's go!" Following which both teams left, leaving Naruto, Shikamaru, and Hinata behind.

"Looks like you didn't need a hand," Naruto chuckled, seeing Hinata standing alone while also being reminded of his wife, the older version of Hinata, who had belonged to him back in the previous timeline.

Hinata looked at Naruto.

"Menma,"

"Even if we know each other, you are to address me as 'chief' when I'm on duty," Hinata commented in a monotonous tone.

"Oh…yeah…" Naruto was reminded of the cold reality of this world once again. But he already knew that he couldn't blame anyone; after all, this was just a fake world he entered of his own violation. That aside he forgot the rule applied to the Hokage was the same with anyone with a similar authority. Such people were indeed called by their title at the post.

"I see that you are back in the village,"

"Just a few days ago, I heard you became the new leader of the Akatsuki, Congrats" Hinata said while investigating the tunnel from which her team captured the Bandit leader.

"Yeah…"

"Just got a few days off, so I'm here in the village," Naruto said.

"I see…" 

"Is there anything you need help with?" Hinata asked turning towards Naruto after having confirmed that the tunnel was empty from her side.

"Anything…"

"…"

"None at all…" Naruto spoke slowly as he stared at her.

"I see…"

"Please excuse me,"

"I must head back to Police HQ," Hinata said, following which she walked away from Naruto.

"…" Naruto silently stared at Hinata, walking away. Though she paused, it was only to acknowledge Shikamaru's presence.

Shikamaru looked at Hinata.

"Chief," Shikamaru called.

"Yes?" Hinata looked at Shikamaru.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where I can find Sasuke," Shikamaru asked.

"Uchiha Sasuke is handling a matter for me right now,"

"Is there a message I can pass to him?" Hinata asked.

…

Shikamaru then passed the details of how he was arranging for a boys night out, to which Hinata agreed to give the message. A moment later, Hinata left, leaving Naruto and Shikamaru alone.

"Is anything wrong, Menma?" Shikamaru asked.

"…" Naruto silently stared at the void where Hinata stood previously, thinking about the past between the two.

"Menma?" Shikamaru called out.

"Ah,"

"It's nothing,"

"Let's go," Naruto said, following which the two left once again in the direction of the Kaminarimon Group building.

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Back at BurgerOu,

Hanato was busy typing on Denki's laptop.

"What's he doing?" Metal asked, trying to figure out what was going on through the laptop's display.

"Shh!!"

"You'll disturb him," Denki warned Metal.

"…" Metal stared quietly.

"It's done," Hanato stared at his work on Denki's laptop.

"Let me see…" Denki started reading over the data Hanato had provided.

"This could help stabilize our position for a while,"

"Gee…Thanks, Hanato," Denki smiled.

"Anytime," Hanato smiled.

"So when is it?" Denki asked.

"What?" Hanato asked.

"You know,"

"The party," Denki said.

"I haven't decided," Hanato said.

"I see…" Denki nodded dejectedly.

"Oy Hanato," A voice called out. 

"…" Hanato looked up to see Raiju making his way over.

"You've got to try this slushie,"

"Its soo good," Raiju said, following which he handed over a cup.

"What flavor is it?" Hanato asked. "Its called Citrus Blast," Raiju smiled. "Hmm…" Hanato stared at the Yellow-colored drink in the cup.

"Trust me," Raiju said with a confident smile.

"Here goes nothing…" Hanato drank a sip.

"…" "It's Sour!" Hanato commented in a low voice.

"BuHAhahahaha," Raiju laughed at the top of his voice, staring at Hanato's face that was alternating between red and blue from the after taste.

"That's our target…" A few meters away from the place where Hanato and the rest gathered, two men stared at the group.

"That boy will be the one to test the tool,"