Haku knelt before Zabuza and Mei, his kimono rustling softly as he settled into a formal position. Despite the feminine attire, his posture was all business, eyes focused and voice steady as he began his report.

"The Konoha ninja appear to be growing suspicious of Gato's actions," Haku stated, his tone neutral. "During my time at the daimyo's court, I engaged one of their genin in conversation. He seemed naive, but his sensei was far more observant."

Zabuza leaned forward, interest piqued. "What did you learn about their intentions?"

"They're negotiating control of the bridge with the daimyo," Haku replied. "It seems they're trying to secure a long-term presence in Wave. The genin I spoke with didn't reveal much, but his sensei was clearly gathering intelligence on the political situation."

Mei tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Konoha's not usually so proactive in matters like these. They must suspect there's more going on than a simple bridge construction."

Haku nodded. "I believe so. They're treading carefully, but they're definitely investigating Gato's activities."

"And what of the location the Demon Brothers found?" Zabuza pressed.

"I was able to confirm it," Haku said. "It appears to be some kind of hidden facility. There's heavy security, and they're bringing in large numbers of workers from the local population. I couldn't get too close without risking detection, but there's definitely something significant happening there."

Zabuza grunted, digesting the information. "Good work, Haku. Anything else to report?"

"Nothing concrete, but..." Haku hesitated for a moment. "There's an atmosphere of fear among the courtiers. They're putting on a show of luxury and excess, but underneath, many seem worried. I suspect Gato's influence extends further than we initially thought."

Mei's eyes narrowed. "That aligns with what we've been hearing. Gato's reach is growing, and not just in Wave. We need to tread carefully here."

Zabuza nodded, then fixed Haku with a stern look. "Alright, you've done well. Now get out of that ridiculous getup."

Haku remained impassive, but Mei chuckled. "Oh, don't be such a grump, Zabuza. He looks absolutely adorable." She winked at Haku. "You should wear it more often."

"Mei," Zabuza growled warningly.

Haku stood, bowing slightly. "If there's nothing else, I'll go change and prepare for our next move."

As Haku left the room, Mei's expression grew serious. "This situation is more complex than we anticipated. Gato's ambitions clearly extend beyond mere profit."

Zabuza nodded. "Agreed. And with Konoha sniffing around, things could get messy fast."

Mei was quiet for a moment, her mind working through various scenarios. Finally, she spoke. "I think it's time I took a more active role in this investigation."

Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what exactly did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to check out the location the Demon Brothers found," A sly smile spread across Mei's face. "Then I believe it's time I... introduced myself to our Konoha friends."

----------------------------------------

Shikamaru crouched low, his eyes scanning the treeline as he and Sakura made their way through the dense forest. The air was thick with humidity, and the constant chirping of insects provided a natural cover for their movements.

"This way," he whispered, gesturing towards a small clearing ahead. "According to my calculations, the restricted area should be just beyond those trees."

Sakura nodded, her rabbit ears twitching as she listened for any signs of danger. Beside them, Pakkun sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling slightly.

"There's definitely something strange going on," the ninken muttered. "The scent of humans is strong, but there's an underlying odor I can't quite place."

With a quick hand sign, Sakura summoned Mochi and Carrot. The two rabbit summons appeared in a small puff of smoke, immediately alert and ready for action.

"What's the situation?" Mochi asked, his voice low.

"We're investigating a restricted area," Sakura explained quickly. "Gato's been moving a lot of ships around here, and we need to find out why."

Carrot's nose twitched. "I smell... something familiar. But I can't quite place it."

The group moved forward cautiously, using the undergrowth for cover. As they neared the edge of the clearing, the sound of machinery and human voices became more apparent.

Shikamaru held up a hand, signaling them to stop. Slowly, he parted the leaves in front of him, revealing the scene beyond.

Before them lay a massive excavation site. Dozens of villagers, clad in protective gear, worked tirelessly under the watchful eyes of armed overseers. Large hoses snaked into a deep pit, pumping an unknown substance into rows upon rows of barrels.

Sakura's eyes widened as she took in the scale of the operation. "This is much bigger than we thought," she whispered.

Shikamaru nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Look there," he pointed towards a large tarp off to the side. "Are those... statues?"

Sakura squinted, her enhanced vision allowing her to see more detail. "They look like... people. But made of stone."

Pakkun growled softly. "Something's not right here. We need to get closer."

Carefully, the group made their way around the perimeter of the site, using the natural cover to avoid detection. As they drew nearer, snippets of conversation became audible.

"...still be weeks before we can finish pumping out this stuff," one overseer was saying to another. "And that's before we can even get to what the boss wants."

The second overseer scowled. "The boss wants us to go faster. He's getting impatient."

"We're already risking burning out the machines as is," the first replied. "Any faster and we'll—"

His words were cut off by a sudden commotion. Another overseer was shouting, pointing at a worker who had stumbled while carrying one of the barrels.

"Watch it, you idiot!" the overseer yelled. "If you spill that—"

But it was too late. The barrel tipped, its contents splashing over the unfortunate worker. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Then, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air.

Sakura and Shikamaru watched in horror as the worker's body began to change. His skin hardened, taking on a gray hue. His movements became jerky, then ceased altogether. Within seconds, where a living, breathing person had stood, there was now only a statue.

"What... what was that?" Sakura whispered, her voice trembling.

Shikamaru's face had gone pale. "I don't know, but whatever's in those barrels, it's incredibly dangerous."

Pakkun and the rabbit summons exchanged glances, a look of recognition and worry passing between them.

"We need to see what's in that pit," Shikamaru said after a moment. "It's the source of whatever that liquid is."

Carefully, they made their way closer to the edge of the excavation. The pit was deep, illuminated by powerful floodlights. At the bottom, partially submerged in what looked like a small lake of clear, oily liquid, was a structure that made both genin gasp.

"Is that... a temple?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Shikamaru nodded slowly. "And it's made entirely of gold."

The temple gleamed in the harsh light, its surface untarnished despite being submerged. Intricate designs covered its walls, and at its center, a symbol stood out prominently.

"That symbol," Shikamaru murmured, his eyes narrowing. "It looks like an archaic representation of the number three."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere among the summons changed. Mochi turned to Carrot, his expression urgent.

"You need to tell Queen Joousa about this," he said quickly. "Now."

Without hesitation, Carrot dispelled herself, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Pakkun growled, his hackles rising. "We're leaving," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "Now."

Shikamaru noticed the sudden tension among the summons. "What's going on?" he asked as they began to retreat. "What was that place?"

Mochi's expression was grim. "That place is more valuable than you know."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We saw the gold, Mochi. It's pretty obvious it's valuable."

"The gold isn't what makes it so valuable," Pakkun snapped, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced by urgency. "That clear liquid? It's a byproduct of the area being infused with Natural Energy."

Shikamaru frowned, not recognizing the term, but Sakura's eyes widened in realization.

"Wait," she said, "isn't having a location like that what makes the Snakes and Toads the top two summon clans?"

Pakkun nodded, his expression a mixture of excitement and frustration. "Exactly. And now that rabbit's gone and gotten a head start informing her leader." He growled in annoyance. "I need to dismiss myself and report to my own boss immediately."

As they moved swiftly through the forest, a feminine voice suddenly cut through the air, stopping them in their tracks.

"Indeed, the place is quite valuable," the voice said, seeming to come from all around them. "Every summon clan will desire it and offer great concessions and extremely favorable contracts to gain possession of it."

The group immediately formed a defensive formation, backs to each other as they scanned the surrounding trees.

From behind a large oak, a woman stepped into view. Her long, auburn hair fell in waves around her face, partially obscuring one eye. Despite her relaxed posture, there was an unmistakable aura of danger about her.

"Mei Terumi," Pakkun growled, recognizing the woman. To the genin, he barked, "Run! Signal Kakashi!"

Mei smiled, the expression not reaching her eyes. "I think it's best this stays our little secret for now, don't you?"

Shikamaru's hand went to his pocket, reaching for a signal flare, but before he could grasp it, another Mei appeared beside him, knocking it from his hand.

Sakura, seeing an opening, bolted at her top speed, her enhanced rabbit physiology pushing her faster than any normal genin could move. But in a blur of motion, Mei appeared before her, moving even faster.

Not hesitating, Sakura launched into a series of rapid Taijutsu strikes, drawing on everything she had learned from her training with Serena. But Mei countered each move effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise.

As she fought, Sakura couldn't help but notice the similarity to sparring with Kakashi or Asuma. The level of skill was far beyond what she could hope to match.

Pakkun, seeing the genin outmatched, attempted to use his Hound Clone Technique, creating multiple copies of himself to provide a distraction. But Mei merely smiled, exhaling a cloud of corrosive mist that dissolved the clones instantly. The real Pakkun barely managed to leap away, the acid singeing his fur.

Shikamaru, his mind racing, positioned himself with Mei and her clones to one side. Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a flash bomb, intending to use the bright light to disorient their attacker and extend his shadow's reach. But before he could activate it, a kunai tore it from his hand, shattering harmlessly on the ground.

Realizing their dire situation, Shikamaru and Sakura moved back-to-back, their eyes darting around for any sign of an opening. Beside them, Mochi looked increasingly nervous, his ears twitching as he tried to track Mei's movements.

"I must say, you're quite exceptional for genin," Mei called out, her voice filled with genuine admiration. "I almost missed it."

From the shadows, another Mei clone emerged, holding a struggling Mochi in her grasp. The rabbit's eyes were wide with fear as he looked at Sakura.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice filled with shame. "I failed you."

Sakura's eyes widened as she let her bushin of Mochi beside her fade. As it dispelled, she bit her thumb, preparing to summon Caerbannog. If there was ever a time for desperate measures, this was it.

But before she could complete the summoning, a fist slammed into her stomach with devastating force. The air rushed from her lungs, and she saw stars explode across her vision. Beside her, Shikamaru let out a grunt of pain as he too was struck.

As consciousness began to fade, Sakura heard Mei's voice, now tinged with a hint of regret.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be my guests for a while," she said. "There's much to discuss, and we can't have word of this getting out just yet."

The world went dark, and Sakura knew no more.

----------------------------------------

Asuma stood guard on the bridge, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of trouble. Beside him, Ino and Chouji remained vigilant, their senses attuned to any potential threat. The past few days had been tense, with sporadic attacks keeping them on edge.

Suddenly, Ino's head snapped up, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Sensei," she said, her voice low and urgent, "I'm picking up a chakra signature heading our way."

Asuma tensed, his hand instinctively moving to his trench knives. "Zabuza?"

Ino shook her head, her ponytail swaying with the motion. "No, it doesn't feel like him. It's... bigger, somehow. And it's moving slowly, like it's not trying to hide."

A chill ran down Asuma's spine. If it wasn't Zabuza, then who? His eyes scanned the water's surface, searching for any sign of movement.

Then he saw her.

Walking across the water's surface with casual grace was a woman with long, auburn hair. Her very presence seemed to radiate power and danger.

Asuma's eyes widened in recognition. "Mei Terumi," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Without hesitation, he turned to his students, his voice sharp with urgency. "Ino, Chouji! Evacuate the workers off the bridge immediately! Go!"

The genin sprang into action, rushing towards the startled workers who had paused in their tasks at the commotion.

Asuma turned back to face Mei, just in time to see her hands forming seals. His eyes widened as he recognized the technique. "Lava Release," he muttered, his own hands flying through a series of signs.

As Mei unleashed a torrent of molten rock, Asuma countered with a powerful gust of wind. The two techniques collided in mid-air, creating a spectacular display of elemental fury. Steam hissed and rock fragments scattered as the attacks nullified each other.

Not wasting a moment, Asuma charged forward, closing the distance between them. His trench knives, infused with his wind chakra, sliced through the air as he engaged Mei in close combat.

Behind him, he could hear Ino and Chouji directing the panicked workers off the bridge. A flare shot into the sky, its bright light signaling for backup. Asuma allowed himself a small nod of approval at his students' efficiency.

Mei's voice cut through the sounds of battle, her tone almost conversational. "I must say, Asuma-san, you've trained your team well. I wonder, was that little Nara I have now trained by you as well?"

Asuma's blood ran cold. Shikamaru. And if they had him, that likely meant Sakura was captured too. He cursed inwardly, realizing his mistake. He had grown complacent, assuming that with the light attacks and two jounin present, it would be safe for the genin to investigate with just summons as backup.

"What have you done with my students?" he growled, his attacks becoming more ferocious.

Mei simply smiled, effortlessly dodging or deflecting his strikes. "Now, now, Asuma-san. They're perfectly safe... for now."

Their battle raged across the water's surface, chakra keeping them afloat as they exchanged blows. Asuma could feel himself being pushed to his limits. Mei was strong – stronger than he had anticipated. He found himself hoping Kakashi would arrive soon; he wasn't sure how long he could hold out alone.

Suddenly, Mei leapt back, her hands forming seals once more. "Suiton: Suijinheki!" A massive wall of water rose between them, momentarily obscuring Asuma's vision.

He sliced through the water barrier with his wind-enhanced blades, only to realize too late that it had been a distraction. Mei had maneuvered around him, placing herself between him and the bridge.

Before he could react, Mei unleashed a corrosive mist attack towards the now-evacuated bridge. Asuma's eyes widened in horror as he realized he couldn't stop it in time.

The acidic fog swept across the structure, eating away at metal and concrete alike. From the shore, Tazuna let out an anguished cry, held back by Chouji and Ino as he watched his work crumble before his eyes.

With a sickening groan of tortured metal, the bridge collapsed, sections of it plunging into the water below.

Mei clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "I expected better of you, Asuma-san. To think you'd let me destroy the very thing you were meant to protect."

From the shore, Ino's voice rang out, filled with anger and frustration. "Sensei! Don't let that Christmas cake beat you!"

The moment the words left her mouth, Ino froze, paralyzed by the wave of killing intent that emanated from Mei. The woman's eyes narrowed dangerously, her previous amusement replaced by cold fury.

Asuma's own anger flared at the threat to his student. "Enough!" he shouted, his voice carrying across the water. "What are you doing here, Mei? What do you want?"

Mei's expression softened, though the dangerous glint remained in her eyes. "I suppose I should thank you, actually," she said, her tone deceptively light. "With Zabuza now under my banner and the payday from Gato, my Mist Revolution can begin earlier than planned."

Asuma's eyes widened at the implications. A coup in Kirigakure could destabilize the entire region.

Mei continued, "Don't worry about your little genin. We'll be sure to return them once we've taken Kirigakure." She paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Well, at least the Nara. If the pink one's bloodline proves too useful, we might just keep her."

"That's not happening," Asuma growled, his grip tightening on his trench knives.

Mei wagged her finger at him, as if scolding a child. "Now, now, Asuma-san. I'm the one holding all the cards here." Her expression softened slightly. "But I can be generous. If you and your Konoha-nin leave now, I'll return one of them immediately. I have no desire for bad relations with the Leaf, after all."

She gestured towards the shore, where Tazuna and his family huddled with the bridge workers. "We'll even leave the bridge builder and his family alone. I'm sure I can convince Gato to do the same."

Asuma's jaw clenched, his mind racing. He knew he was outmatched, but the thought of abandoning his students was unbearable. "I won't be letting you leave with any of my students," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Mei's expression hardened. "I'm afraid there's no 'let' about it, Asuma-san."

As if on cue, several figures appeared on the water's surface. Asuma recognized Chojuro, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, along with several other ninja bearing Kirigakure headbands.

Fury coursed through Asuma's veins, but he forced himself to think rationally. He was outnumbered and outgunned. Engaging now would only put Ino and Chouji at risk as well.

With a growl of frustration, he began to fall back towards the shore. "Ino, Chouji!" he called out. "We're retreating. Head to the house and link up with Kakashi and his team. Now!"

As they moved swiftly away from the bridge, Asuma's mind raced. They needed to regroup, to come up with a plan. Shikamaru and Sakura were counting on them, and he'd be damned if he let them down.

Behind them, Mei's voice carried across the water. "Until we meet again, Asuma-san. Do give my regards to your father."

Asuma gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to look back. They had a long fight ahead of them, and he knew it was only just beginning.

As they reached the shore, Ino and Chouji fell in beside him, their faces etched with worry and determination. Tazuna and his family followed close behind, shell-shocked by the destruction of the bridge.

"Sensei," Ino said, her voice tight with concern, "what are we going to do?"

Asuma's expression was grim as he led them away from the water's edge. "First, we regroup with Kakashi. Then, we figure out how to get our teammates back and stop whatever Mei has planned."

They moved swiftly through the forest, every sense on high alert for potential pursuers. Asuma's mind whirled with possibilities, strategies, and worst-case scenarios. He had underestimated their opponents, and now Shikamaru and Sakura were paying the price.

As they neared Tazuna's house, Asuma could see Kakashi and Naruto in the distance, their postures tense and alert. They must have seen the flare.

"Kakashi!" Asuma called out as they approached. "We've got a situation."

Kakashi's visible eye widened as he took in their disheveled appearance and the absence of two team members. "What happened?"

Asuma quickly filled him in on the encounter with Mei, the destruction of the bridge, and the capture of Shikamaru and Sakura. With each word, Kakashi's expression grew more serious.

"This is bad," Kakashi muttered, his mind already racing through potential strategies. "If Mei's planning a coup in Kirigakure, it could destabilize the entire region. And with our genin as hostages..."

Naruto, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the explanation, suddenly burst out, "We have to go after them! We can't just leave Sakura-chan and Shikamaru!"

Asuma placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, understanding the boy's frustration. "We will, Naruto. But we need to be smart about this. Rushing in blindly will only put them in more danger."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Asuma's right. We need to gather more information and come up with a solid plan. Mei Terumi is not an opponent to be taken lightly."

Tazuna, who had been listening silently, stepped forward. "I... I'm sorry," he said, his voice heavy with guilt. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't lied about the mission..."

Asuma shook his head. "What's done is done. Right now, we need to focus on getting our people back and stopping Mei's plans."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and the remaining genin. "I want you three to secure the perimeter. Set up traps and keep an eye out for any of Mei's forces. We can't afford any surprises right now."

The genin nodded, their faces set with determination as they moved to carry out their orders.

As the younger ninja moved away, Kakashi turned back to Asuma, his voice low. "We need to contact Konoha. This situation has escalated far beyond a simple escort mission."

Asuma nodded grimly. "Agreed. But how? We're cut off here, and any message we send risks being intercepted."

Kakashi's eye crinkled slightly, a hint of his usual demeanor showing through. "I might have an idea about that. But first, we need to secure this location. Once we're sure we're safe for the moment, we can start planning our next move."

As they moved to fortify their position, Asuma couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of guilt. He had let his guard down, and now two of their genin were in enemy hands. He silently vowed to do whatever it took to bring them home safely.

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the land. Somewhere out there, Shikamaru and Sakura were counting on them. And Asuma was determined not to let them down again.