--AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE BOUT BETWEEN FRIENDS ARC--

As Tsukasa walked through the village, he spotted Tenten and called out to her. She turned around and smiled when she saw him.

"Hey, Tsukasa! What's up?" Tenten asked.

"Nothing much, just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out for a bit," Tsukasa replied.

"Sure, that sounds like fun," Tenten said, as they began walking together.

As they walked around the village, they talked about various things, including their respective weapons and jutsu. Meanwhile, the girls, including Sakura, Ino, Karin, Sena, Temari, Konan, Kaida, Koharu, Taiku, Rin, Fū, Kurotsuchi, and Ayane, watched from a distance, peeking around corners and ducking behind buildings.

"I can't believe Tenten is hanging out with Tsukasa like that!" Sakura said, her face flushed with jealousy.

"I know, right? She knows I have feelings for him!" Ino added, crossing her arms.

The other girls nodded in agreement, all feeling a pang of jealousy in their hearts. However, they continued to watch as Tsukasa and Tenten talked and laughed together, clearly enjoying each other's company.

As the sun began to set, Tsukasa and Tenten said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. The girls breathed a sigh of relief, glad that their crush on Tsukasa hadn't gone too far.

"Let's not tell anyone about this," Karin said, speaking for the group.

"Agreed," Sakura said, still feeling a little upset.

The girls dispersed, each going their separate ways as well, with thoughts of Tsukasa still lingering in their minds.

The scene begins with Tsukasa sound asleep, tossing and turning. Suddenly, he jolts awake, panting heavily with sweat pouring down his face. He had just had a terrible nightmare where his deceased loved ones and friends were being killed one by one by Takashi. Tears stream down his face as he remembers the nightmare, realizing it was all just a dream.

Tsukasa takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He looks around and sees all of his friends sound asleep, snoring quietly. He couldn't believe how real the nightmare felt, and he was still shaking from the experience.

He sits up in bed and looks out the window, hoping to distract himself. As he stares out into the dark sky, he begins to have flashbacks of Fujishi, Kobayashi, Reina, and Rikako. He remembers the happy times they shared, but then the memories turn dark as he remembers their deaths. He grips the sheets tightly, feeling a surge of pain and sadness.

Tsukasa suddenly feels a soft hand on his shoulder, and he turns to see Kurotsuchi looking at him with concern. She tells him it's okay and to talk to her if he needs anything. Tsukasa nods and takes a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing.

As he lies back down, he sees his friends still sleeping peacefully, and he hopes that they'll never have to experience the pain he went through in his nightmare. He closes his eyes, hoping to get some rest before the day ahead.

As the dust settled from the destruction wrought upon the waterfall village, Takashi stood amidst the ruins with a sinister smirk on his face. The Takikage lay lifeless at his feet, a cruel testament to Takashi's power and his utter lack of mercy.

Kane and Nori, the two Akatsuki members who had aided Takashi in his destruction, trembled in fear as they watched their leader revel in his triumph. They knew that they were mere pawns in his game, and that their usefulness to him had come to an end.

"Please, Takashi-sama," Kane pleaded, falling to his knees. "Have mercy on us. We did everything you asked of us."

Takashi glared down at the pathetic figure of Kane, a look of disgust on his face. "Mercy is a luxury I cannot afford," he spat. "You and Nori are deadweight to me now. If you become a hindrance to my plans again, I will not hesitate to end your lives in the quickest, most painless way possible."

Nori cowered behind Kane, his eyes wide with terror. He knew that Takashi was not one to make idle threats, and the thought of facing his wrath again was almost too much to bear.

With a final glare at the two Akatsuki members, Takashi turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind a devastated village and a trail of destruction in his wake.

Tsukasa, Ayane, and Tenten arrived at the destroyed Hidden Waterfall Village, shocked by the sight of the dead bodies littering the ground. They approached the last remaining shinobi, who introduced themselves as Chino, a member of the Chinoike clan like Tsukasa. Chino explained that the village was attacked by someone named Takashi and two other shinobi from the Akatsuki.

Tsukasa felt a sense of unease and anger rise within him. He knew that Takashi was a dangerous and unpredictable opponent, and he feared for what could happen if he continued to wreak havoc on the shinobi world. Ayane and Tenten were equally disturbed by the destruction they saw and the senseless loss of life.

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Chino led them to the village's central plaza, where they found a message left behind by Takashi. It read, "This is only the beginning. I will destroy all of the hidden villages and create a new world order." Tsukasa clenched his fists in anger at the audacity of Takashi's words.

Chino then revealed that she had been sent by the Chinoike clan to help them stop Takashi and the Akatsuki. Tsukasa felt a sense of relief knowing that he had another ally in the fight against his former friend and rival. Together, they resolved to stop Takashi's plan and protect the peace of the shinobi world.

The scene starts with Ayane, Tsukasa, Tenten, and Chino arriving at the destroyed Hidden Waterfall Village. As they walked through the village, they saw countless dead bodies on the ground. Suddenly, a lone surviving shinobi emerged from the rubble.

The shinobi introduced herself as Chino, and she revealed that she was also a member of the Chinoike clan, just like Tsukasa. As they talked, the group heard footsteps approaching, and Takashi appeared with Kane and Nori, the two Akatsuki members working for him.

Takashi approached the group and taunted Tsukasa, saying that he was disappointed to see him still alive. Without warning, he went after Tsukasa and Tenten, while Kane and Nori went after Ayane and Chino.

Chino quickly revealed her Ketsuryūgan and used it to overwhelm Kane, while Ayane struggled against Nori. Remembering Tsukasa's teachings, Ayane copied his combo taijutsu and used it to defeat Nori, knocking him out.

Meanwhile, Takashi easily overpowered Tenten, leaving her badly injured. He then turned his attention back to Tsukasa and charged at him with his katana, ready to kill him. Chino tried to block the attack, but she was no match for Takashi, and he pierced her chest with the katana. Tsukasa watched in horror as Chino fell to the ground, dead.

Takashi grinned at Tsukasa's despair and threw Chino's lifeless body into a nearby tree. He then turned to Kane and Nori, who had become deadweight, and quickly sliced them into pieces with his katana.

Tsukasa activated his Ketsuryūgan, notifying Chino that she wasn't the last Chinoike alive. He mourned Chino's death and vowed to avenge her by defeating Takashi. The three remaining shinobi then dashed off to find Takashi, with the weight of their losses heavy on their hearts.

As they ran, Tenten struggled to keep up due to her injuries. Ayane and Tsukasa supported her, helping her to keep moving forward despite the pain. They knew that their journey would be a difficult one, but they were determined to see it through to the end.

Tsukasa spotted Sakura, Ino, Karin, and Hinata nearby and immediately approached them with Tenten in his arms, who was severely injured. "Sakura, Karin, please help Tenten," Tsukasa said urgently, his eyes full of worry.

Without hesitation, Sakura and Karin rushed over to examine Tenten's injuries, while Ino and Hinata stayed back with Tsukasa. Hinata's hair was a bit disheveled, so Tsukasa crouched down and gently fixed it for her. "You always look beautiful, Hinata," he said with a small smile.

Hinata blushed a bit at the compliment, but she also felt comforted by Tsukasa's caring nature. She and Tsukasa had developed a sibling-like bond, and she was grateful to have him as a friend.

Once Tenten had been tended to, Tsukasa explained the situation with Takashi to the group. "He's a dangerous shinobi, and he's already destroyed the Hidden Waterfall Village. We need to stop him before he causes more harm," Tsukasa said, his expression serious.

The girls listened attentively, realizing the gravity of the situation. They knew that they needed to help Tsukasa in any way they could. "We'll do whatever it takes to stop him," Sakura said determinedly.

Hinata nodded in agreement. "We're all here for you, Tsukasa. We'll work together to protect our friends and our village," she said, a fierce determination in her voice.

Tsukasa smiled at them gratefully, feeling a sense of relief that he wasn't alone in this fight. He knew that with the support of his friends, they could take down Takashi and put an end to his destructive plans.

Ayane stood before Takashi, pointing her weapon at him. "You were my friend, then after you killed Fujishi, I didn't want Tsukasa to get upset. So I'll get my revenge for Fujishi's sake," she said firmly.

Takashi smirked. "You think you can beat me alone, Ayane? You're just a weak little girl." He quickly created a clone and disappeared, reappearing behind Ayane and striking her with his sword.

The fight between Ayane and Takashi became a furious taijutsu battle, both of them wielding their swords with deadly precision. Tsukasa and the others heard the commotion and rushed to where Ayane had gone.

Ayane used her last resort kenjutsu attack, Kumo-Ryū Kaengiri, on Takashi, breaking her blade in the process. But Takashi was not done yet. He used a medical jutsu called Chakra Scalpel, immobilizing Ayane.

Takashi's eyes became bloodshot as he took out his katana. "You'll meet your friend Fujishi in a quick second," he growled, infusing Chidori with his blade and striking Ayane in the chest.

Ayane thought about her friends and thanked Tsukasa for being there for her. She saw nothing but darkness as she flashed back to her depressing childhood, the friends she had, and meeting Tsukasa and Fujishi. Her last words were, "Fujishi, I'm sorry I failed you, but at least we can see each other again."

Tsukasa arrived where Ayane lay with the others and collapsed on the ground. He was both enraged and devastated at the sight of Ayane's lifeless body. "How could you do this, Takashi?" he yelled, tears streaming down his face. "I'll make you pay for what you've done!"

The others could only look on in shock and horror as Tsukasa mourned the loss of his friend.

Takashi approached Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, in the dark and eerie hideout where the organization was based.

"Leader, I have a proposal," Takashi said, bowing respectfully to Pain.

"Speak," Pain replied, his voice monotone and emotionless.

"I propose the creation of a new division within the Akatsuki, with me as the leader," Takashi said confidently.

Pain raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what would this new division do?"

"We would focus on intelligence gathering and espionage, as well as targeted assassinations of high-value targets. We would operate independently from the other divisions and report directly to you, leader," Takashi explained.

Pain considered the proposal for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Very well. You may proceed with the creation of this new division. Choose your members carefully and report any findings directly to me."

Takashi bowed deeply. "Thank you, leader. I will not disappoint you."

As Takashi turned to leave, Pain spoke once more. "Choose your supporter carefully as well. She must be skilled and trustworthy."

Takashi nodded, already having someone in mind. "Yes, leader. I already have the perfect supporter in mind. Her name is Delta, a rogue kunoichi from the hidden sand village."

Pain nodded in approval. "Very well. You may begin your preparations."

Takashi left the hideout, a sense of excitement and power surging through him. He couldn't wait to start his new division and prove himself to the leader of the Akatsuki.

As he walked away, the words of the new division's name echoed in his mind: The Phantom Division.

----END OF ARC----