Naruto: Aizen's Shadow in Konoha

Hearing that Cloud Shinobi had fallen into their trap, Zashi clenched his fist tightly, his face brimming with excitement.

"Sakumo, Yoru, the three of us will lead the most elite Jōnin as the vanguard and infiltrate Cloud Shinobi Village first. The rest will act as reinforcements if needed. What do you think?" Zashi suggested.

"No problem," Hatake Sakumo and Yoru responded in unison.

With Zashi's orders, the entire team began to move with precise coordination.

---

Soon, Mitarashi Zashi, along with Hatake Sakumo and over 50 Anbu ninjas, slipped into Cloud Shinobi Village under cover of night. 

With the spy, Wood Worm, feeding them detailed intelligence, they chose the least-guarded route into the heart of the village. 

Aside from neutralizing a few patrols along the way, everything proceeded smoothly.

Before long, the group arrived near the secret intelligence base of Cloud Shinobi. The sight of its heavily guarded entrance made Zashi frown.

"Zashi, with so many of us, it will be impossible to sneak in without raising an alarm. I think only the three of us should go in," Hatake Sakumo suggested after carefully sensing the environment.

"Yeah... That makes sense," Zashi replied after a brief hesitation. 

Though risky, sending only three would limit their exposure and give them the best chance of success. 

With a nod, Zashi ordered Tanaka to hold position with the others. Then, he, Sakumo, and Yoru slipped toward the base entrance.

However, as soon as the three landed near the building, Sakumo's expression changed drastically.

"No! It's a trap! Retreat now!" he shouted urgently.

Before Zashi and Yoru could react, Sakumo grabbed them and began retreating at full speed. 

But it was already too late.

Shhhhhh!

A barrage of kunai, shuriken, and hidden weapons came at them from all directions. Some were even laced with explosive tags, glowing ominously in the dim night. 

Faced with such an overwhelming attack, Zashi and Yoru had no choice but to brace for impact. Escape was no longer an option.

"Lightning Style: Abstract Wave!"

Reacting instantly, Zashi formed a series of rapid hand signs. He unleashed a massive amount of chakra with reckless abandon. 

Crackle! Crackle!

From his hands, arcs of purple lightning spiraled outward, generating powerful electromagnetic waves that pulsed across the area. 

The incoming projectiles were slowed, then disrupted entirely as the electromagnetic field interfered with the explosive tags and metal weapons.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zashi and Yoru swiftly retreated toward the outskirts of the base.

"Zashi! Since you've come this far, don't think about leaving alive!" 

A thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield.

In the next instant, Third Raikage appeared, flanked by two powerful Cloud Shinobi elites, launching a relentless assault against Zashi.

A sneak attack led by three Kage-level powerhouses—one of them being the near-invincible Third Raikage—spelled mortal danger for the intruders.

"Shattering Slash!"

At the crucial moment, Sakumo unleashed his technique, splitting into countless dazzling white streaks, each slashing at lightning speed. 

To those present, even peak-level Kage fighters could only perceive his afterimages.

The sheer sharpness of Sakumo's White Fang blade forced Third Raikage and the others to stagger back, unwilling to face his deadly edge directly.

"Konoha's White Fang!!"

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Third Raikage stared at Sakumo, a figure who seemed like a divine warrior descending upon the battlefield.

---

Meanwhile, outside the base, Tanaka—one of Zashi's trusted allies—was about to lead reinforcements in when he heard a familiar voice.

"Don't go in, there's trouble inside!"

Tanaka turned and saw what appeared to be Hatake Sakumo. The sight of him instantly calmed Tanaka's nerves.

"Sakumo-sama!" Tanaka greeted respectfully.

"Listen carefully, this is just my Shadow Clone. You must not rush in, no matter what. I'll get Zashi and the others out soon—protect them at all costs once they emerge. Understood?" 

Tanaka straightened and nodded solemnly. "Understood!"

With a nod, the clone vanished in a puff of smoke.

---

Inside the base, despite Sakumo's earlier efforts, reinforcements from Cloud Shinobi poured in, surrounding Zashi and Yoru. 

Normally, with Zashi's Purple Lightning Chakra Mode and Yoru's Swift Release, they should have easily broken through the enemy ranks.

However, every time they tried to escape, they found themselves inexplicably heading in the wrong direction, trapped in a disorienting loop.

"Zashi, Yoru, follow me!"

A familiar voice jolted them from their daze. 

"Sakumo?!" 

Relief washed over Zashi and Yoru as they recognized Sakumo's chakra signature. Without hesitation, they followed him deeper into the base.

---

As they entered what they thought was the heart of the stronghold, the scenery around them shattered like glass, revealing the true environment hidden beneath the illusion.

"Zashi Sama!"

Tanaka and the other reinforcements rushed forward, relief evident in their expressions.

---

Zashi stared at the dissipating illusion, a chill creeping down his spine. "Was that... an illusion? It seems the real escape route was right at the core of the base. I never imagined Cloud Shinobi would have such a powerful technique. Even Yoru and I were caught without realizing it."

Yoru nodded, still shaken from the encounter.

"That wasn't just any illusion," Sakumo said grimly. "It wasn't a simple genjutsu. This technique involved continuous Hypnosis, affecting all five senses of those trapped within it. If you tried to escape without heading directly to the core, you would only get more lost."

Sakumo's cold gaze swept over the group. "And this illusion didn't come from Cloud Shinobi. I suspect it originated from Konoha."

The words hit like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone stunned.

"What? Sakumo, do you mean..." Zashi's expression stiffened as the implications dawned on him.

"There's no time to explain in detail," Sakumo warned. "But Zashi, be vigilant. After we escape, you'll need to be even more cautious."

As the Cloud Shinobi army closed in on their position, Sakumo gave Zashi a firm, final reminder.