'She can't....' Kaito's eyes were wide. 'I....was correct.'

He gripped his kunai tight. 'There's only one way to find out.'

He charged forward, this time at a low jonin speed, to Kakashi's shock.

'Why...is he so fast now?' Kiori dodged his every strike.

'I have to hel-' Kakashi's thoughts were cut off as he found Zabuza using his sword to stop him. "Your fight is with me."

'I can't....at this rate, I need to use my real speed....but I'll be discovered,' Kiori glanced at Kakashi's direction to see him fighting with Zabuza.

'Not worth the risk,' Kiori thought as the mist thickened. 'I'll just kill him a-'

"Got you."

Kaito shoved his kunai into Kiori's stomach.

Her eyes widened.

There was a sound of rattling as Kaito's kunai fell to the floor.

'I smell blood.'

'It won't....pierce through...?' Kaito stared at her, eyes wide in horror.

"I'm sorry...." Kiori narrowed her eyes as her gaze turned cold. "I have to kill you."

She was about to charge at him when she heard a shout. "The great Naruto Uzumaki has arrived!!!"

Kaito glanced at Naruto before turning back to his enemy only to be pushed back.

"It's over."

Pinning him to the ground while choking him, she aimed a kunai to his neck and was about to strike when he held her hand tight.

"N-Not here...n-not n-now...." Kaito choke out, pushing her hand up.

"Die....you must die..." Kiori growled.

"I-It's A-A...."

"Shut up...." Tears stained Kiori's eyes, slowly flowing down her face and dripping onto his mask.

"A-Ayato...."

She froze.

"She always comes in from this direction so we're searching around this area for her," Shikaku traced a section in the map. "We haven't got any clues except that she might be from this area."

"Hokage-sama!" The door opened to reveal a person in lab uniform. "We received reports from Neko-san's team that they found a some hair at the site."

"I'll go there now," Hiruzen nodded. "Lead the way."

"Agh!!!" Sasuke cried out in pain as another barrage of senbons hit him and the dobe. The dobe just got in a few minutes ago, that idiot.

He could've attacked from the outside but he didn't, and now he's trapped in here too.

He glanced outside through one of the gaps to see Kakashi and Zabuza fighting. It was quite inte-

He was hit by another barrage of senbons as blood trickled down his chins. He should've paid attention. If this goes on....

"Shadow clone jutsu!!!!"

"Stop it, dobe! You're wasting your chakra!" Sasuke growled. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!!!!"

It didn't work again. Damn those Ice mirrors. Why won't they just melt and let him finish all of this already? He wanted to train to defeat Itachi.

"Yeah....Like you're not wasting your chakra too..." The dobe muttered under his breath.

"That wouldn't work on me," Haku said.

He's so annoying!!! He keeps repeating that after he uses his fireball jutsu!!!

Stupid fake hunter nin!!!!

Stupid Itachi!!!!

Stupid Peppa Pig!!!

"A....ya....." Kiori stared at him, eyes wide. She gritted her teeth and punched him in the face, knocking his mask off. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, you're not him, I'm dreaming again!!!!"

"K-Kio-" He was cut off with another punch to his face. "H-Hold-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!" Kiori screamed, tears trickling down her face. "I-I-I don't w-want to do this a-anymore....I-I just want to g-go home...to a-anteiku..."

"N-Note...." Ayato muttered as he weakly pulled a paper out from his pocket.

Kiori, face blank, open the note slowly and read it.

|| Dear Kiori,

If you're reading this, we're so glad you're alive. Shocking, isn't it? For some reason us ghouls died and got transported to this weird world of ninjas.....

Anyways, listen. I have found a few ghouls around my area including Ayato which may be right in front of you now. We're working on gathering all the ghouls around the world.

We currently have Touka, me and Banjo on our side. And of course, Ayato. There are no investigators or humans from our world yet, so far.

We hope you could join us soon.

|| Kaneki

"T-They're...." Kiori choked out a sob. "T-They're all...alive...."

Ayato sat up with a groan and hugged her tight. "Yeah.." he smirked. "I missed you..."

"A-Ayato," Kiori whispered, hugging him back tight. "I missed you too..."

Kakashi blocked an attack from Zabuza with a kunai. He could very well hear the cries of pain from Sasuke and Naruto's direction. It wasn't very relieving, but at least they were still alive.

But about Kiori....

He glanced at her direction but couldn't see anything because of the mist.

"Don't lose focus, Hatake!" Zabuza swung his sword at Kakashi, earning a grunt as the Hatake narrowly dodged the attack.

His eyes widened as he felt a weird chakra. Familiar, evil.

The Kyuubi chakra.

Kiori and Ayato finished their small cute hugging session just as they felt a malicious chakra that sent shivers down their spine.

"What's....that?" Kiori muttered, standing up.

"I don't know..." Ayato answered.

They flinched as they heard a loud roar from Haku's direction. There was a sound of mirrors shattering in the distance as Ayato's eyes widened.

"Haku...I-I've got to-"

"No, Ayato!" Kiori sobbed. "Please..... Don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleaveagain...."

"Kiori..." Ayato frowned.

"I-I've been having nightmares of you ever since I came...." she clutched her hand. "Y-You were just....smiling....staring at me....and then....you....you..." she broke out into choked sobs. "Damn that Arima!!!"

Ayato sighed. "Kiori.....calm yourself. I'll stay here, okay?" He squatted, down, glancing at Haku's direction every now and then. "Listen, Kiori...."

Blood.

Blood on his hand.

Blood trickling down Haku's chin.

Again...not again.

Kakashi's hand slightly trembled as he released Haku, shaky breathes coming out of his mouth.

Itwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoff

Naruto was talking.

Zabuza was crying.

But he didn't notice any of those.

He stared at his hand.

Itwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoff

He didn't hear the screams and wails of pain of the people that Zabuza slaughtered.

Itwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoffItwon'tcomeoff

He didn't hear Sakura screaming Sasuke's name, Naruto laughing in happiness and relief. He didn't see Kiori's tears as she stayed away from the group.

It just won't come off.

He blacked out.