Naruto : The ultimate Troublemaker

The laboratory exuded a smell of chemicals and ancient scrolls. Shikai walked with a firm step, his black cloak billowing slightly behind him. His eyes pierced through the darkness, illuminated by a cold determination. At the center of the room, Orochimaru waited, his face hidden behind a mask, bent over alchemical instruments. Nearby, Hinata was bound to a stone pillar, struggling with rage, her white iridescent pupils expressing raw anger.

"Ah, KageYami, you're finally here," Orochimaru hissed in a drawling voice. "Your guest is... particularly agitated."

"Hinata," Shikai murmured as he approached, ignoring Orochimaru.

Hinata stopped struggling for a moment, her eyes fixing on him. "Who are you?" she spat with contempt.

Shikai remained silent for a few seconds, his gaze resting on her. Then he spoke, his voice deep but imbued with an unexpected gentleness.

"You don't recognize me, Hinata? I'm Shikai..."

Hinata laughed, an bitter and incredulous laugh. "My Shikai is dead. Don't utter such absurdities."

Shikai moved closer, until he was just a few steps away from her. "If I'm not Shikai, then how would I know that? We met for the first time in the snow, do you remember? You were crying, lost in the cold, and I comforted you. And especially where is the necklace I gave you."

Hinata stopped laughing, her eyes widening slightly, but she remained silent.

"And when you thought I didn't know, you constantly spied on me with your Byakugan," Shikai continued. "I pretended not to notice, but I always knew when you were there."

Hinata trembled slightly, but she said nothing.

"And that time when I took you to the moon to train with Toneri... Do you remember?" Shikai added, his voice becoming softer.

Hinata gasped slightly, tears beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes.

"Is... is it really you?" she murmured, her voice trembling with emotion.

Shikai slowly nodded.

Hinata scrutinized his face, his features different, his stature more imposing, his aura much darker. "Your appearance... is so different," she said, almost in a whisper.

Shikai averted his gaze for a moment. "Many things have changed, Hinata. But I'm still me."

Hinata, still incredulous, gradually calmed down. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she stopped struggling. Shikai, seeing this, made a gesture with his hand. The chains that held her fell away and dropped to the ground with a metallic clatter.

Hinata, hesitant, moved towards him, her legs wobbling slightly. She looked up, seeking confirmation in his eyes.

"Shikai..." she murmured before throwing herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Shikai held her close, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry, Hinata," he murmured. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone."

Hinata burst into tears, her face buried against his chest. "I thought you were dead... I thought I had lost you forever."

But suddenly, Shikai felt something strange. Hinata, still in his arms, became suddenly limp. He furrowed his brows and stepped back slightly to look at her.

That's when he saw the gaping hole in her chest.

"Hinata!" he cried out.

Hinata spat blood, her face pale, her lips trembling. "What... what...?" she didn't have time to finish her sentence.

A black portal appeared behind her, and a pale, inhuman hand emerged from the void, seizing her lifeless body.

Reaching out to catch her, the portal closed, taking Hinata with it.

A silhouette then appeared in the room, emerging from the shadows. It was Kaguya Otsutsuki, her hair floating.

"Shikai," she said in a grave voice. "They're attacking."

She said no more, plunging into another portal, following the unknown silhouette.

The entire castle shook under the effect of Shikai's unleashed chakra. His eyes glowed with a menacing light, and his chakra intensified, becoming almost unbearable.

"How dare they..." Shikai murmured, his voice rumbling. "Penetrate into my castle... kill someone under my nose... and get away with it."

'I let my guard down.'

He turned his head abruptly towards Orochimaru, who observed the scene with a disconcerting calm.

"Orochimaru," Shikai said, his voice an absolute command. "Call everyone. We must prepare for war."

Orochimaru nodded slightly. "Of course, Shikai. But be careful. If the enemy can strike so easily, they are more dangerous than we imagine."

Shikai clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm. "No matter their numbers. No matter their power. They will pay."

And as Shikai's chakra continued to intensify, a sense of inevitability settled in: an unprecedented war was about to begin.