The Kidnapping
Chapter 3: The Kidnapping
The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow in the Uzumaki household. The usual hustle of the morning was underway, with Boruto eating at the table and Himawari playing with her toys, but Sarada sat quietly by the window, her eyes distant and filled with unease. Her gaze seemed focused on something far away, though she could barely make out the shapes of the trees outside. She hadn't spoken much since breakfast, and when Hinata tried to involve her in a game with Himawari, she declined with a weak smile.
Naruto noticed the silence. His usual energy, the kind that always filled a room, felt a little dimmed as he watched her. She hadn’t had another nightmare, but it was clear she was still unsettled.
"Sarada-chan," Naruto said gently, walking over and kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"
She glanced at him, forcing a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "I’m fine. Just tired."
Naruto’s brows furrowed, his protective instincts kicking in. "Are you sure? You’ve been up all night again, huh?"
Sarada nodded, not trusting herself to speak. How could she explain the way the fear clung to her every time she closed her eyes? How could she tell him that she didn’t want to sleep anymore, for fear that the nightmare would come back?
"Hey, if you need anything, I’m here," Naruto said, ruffling her hair gently. "You know that, right?"
Sarada nodded, but the unease in her chest didn’t ease. She missed her mother so much. And the feeling that something was wrong... something beyond her control... was growing stronger with each passing day.
---
At noon, as Sarada sat on the porch watching Boruto and Hinata tend to the garden, Naruto met with Kakashi once more.
"Naruto, have you noticed anything… strange?" Kakashi asked, his eyes scanning the village surroundings. The conversation had turned from mundane to serious. Naruto hesitated for a moment.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi answered, his expression serious. "I’ve received word of some strange activity—unexplained sightings near the village borders. I’m not certain, but it’s worth noting."
“Do you want me to head to the borders to see if there is something amiss?” Naruto asked. The feeling of dread he’d been carrying for days was starting to feel more like a warning. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was wrong.
"Do you think is the same person who is targeting Suna?" Shikamaru asked, his voice quiet but filled with concern.
"I’m not sure," Kakashi replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But we should stay vigilant. It might be nothing, but it’s better to be cautious."
Naruto clenched his fists at his sides. He couldn’t shake the sense that danger was on the horizon, and the feeling only intensified with every passing moment.
“I’m going to the village borders to see if there is something wrong. As soon as I come back, we’ll see how we act”, Naruto said.
---
Meanwhile, across the village, a figure moved in the shadows. Hidden in an alley, he watched Sarada from a distance, his eyes calculating. He had been observing the Uzumaki household for days now, noting Sarada’s movements, the times she spent with Hinata and the kids, and her interactions with the villagers. He also tried to avoid Naruto, as he didn’t want to get noticed by him.
But the Uzumakis weren’t his concern; it was Sarada, the last Uchiha, the perfect person to enrage Sasuke. After having been defeated, his group decided that Sasuke would pay for it. While he observed Sasuke’s daughter, her emotional state intrigued him the most—her vulnerability, her unease. He wanted to crush her and make Sasuke suffer. A cold smile appeared on the figure’s lips, and a sense of purpose filled his gaze. “Soon,” he thought. “Soon, she’ll be in my grasp.”
With a swift movement, he disappeared into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as he had appeared, leaving no trace behind.
---
Sarada was sitting by the window again, her dark eyes staring out at the village below. She was exhausted, but she didn’t want to take a nap. She couldn’t. The nightmares were too real, too close. When she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, she jumped from her seat. It was Hinata, who looked at her with a gentle smile.
"You know, Sarada-chan," Hinata said quietly, her voice warm and soft, "When I was your age, I used to get scared, too. I didn’t always understand what was happening around me, but I learned that I could be strong, just like you are."
Sarada didn’t speak, but she nodded slightly, the weight of Hinata’s words settling in her chest. Hinata didn’t pressure her. Instead, she simply stayed with her, offering quiet companionship. And for the first time in a while, Sarada felt a tiny sliver of peace.
---
Back in the Hokage’s office, Kakashi was lost in thought when Naruto and Shikamaru entered.
“I couldn’t find anything strange. I asked the ANBU patrolling the borders, and they said they hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary,” Naruto said.
“We could assign an Inuzuka and Hyuuga patrol to the borders. With their abilities, it could be easier to track anyone entering the village,” Shikamaru suggested.
Naruto and Kakashi exchanged a look.
"Alright," Kakashi said, his voice grim.
---
Meanwhile, at 17.00, the sun shone warmly as children played in the park. Sarada, still adjusting to life away from her mother, was quietly playing with her friends—Boruto, Chocho, Inojin, and Shikadai. She was reluctant to leave the Uzumaki household, but seeing Boruto and Himawari’s bright faces, she decided to go to the park with them. At this moment, Boruto was too busy showing off his ninja skills, but the other children seemed to gravitate toward Sarada, who was still withdrawn.
Hinata, Ino, Temari, and Choji were sitting on a nearby bench, talking quietly amongst themselves. It was meant to be a calm afternoon, a way to let Sarada unwind and find comfort in the company of her friends.
Hinata was the first to speak, her gentle tone full of concern. "I’ve noticed Sarada-chan is struggling a lot lately. She’s been having nightmares, and she’s still so quiet and distant. I can tell she misses Sakura deeply."
Temari nodded. "I can imagine. It must be hard for her to be away from her mother, especially at such a young age."
Ino chimed in, her face serious. "It’s not just that. I think the stress is starting to wear on her. You know how intense those Uchiha kids can be—they try to hide their emotions, but it gets to them. If she’s not careful, it could affect her health."
Choji, with deep concern, added, "So what do we do? We can’t protect her from everything, but we should be doing more to ease her mind. Maybe if she spends time with more people, she’ll start feeling more at home."
Hinata sighed softly, watching the kids playing.
---
After getting bored of looking at Boruto, the kids decided to play hide-and-seek. Sarada didn’t want to play, but her friends insisted so much that she didn’t want to spoil their mood. At that time, it was Boruto’s turn to look for his friends. Sarada found a place near the trees surrounding the park and hid there. She crouched behind a cluster of bushes near the edge of the park. She pressed herself against the cool earth, trying to quiet her breathing. A few moments passed, and she relaxed, thinking the others would never find her. She couldn’t see Hinata and the other adults, but she could hear the sound of all the kids running and laughing. Suddenly, something felt off. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves, and for a brief moment, she thought she heard something behind her. A shiver ran down her spine as the air grew colder. She glanced over her shoulder, but no one was there.
Before Sarada could react, a masked figure emerged from the shadows, his hands quickly covering her mouth. She tried to scream, but the sound was muffled. Her body trembled as she struggled in his grip. She was lifted off the ground, her small body helpless against his strength. The figure tightened his hold, and in panic, Sarada twisted and kicked, but the figure’s strength was overpowering. Her heart raced as she realized she was about to be taken somewhere, far away from where the others were playing. She could barely see the world around her. She bit the figure’s hand but felt a hard hit to her temple that knocked her unconscious.
---
Back on the park bench, the other adults continued to chat, unaware of the chaos unfolding just beyond their line of sight. The children had been playing for nearly an hour now, and the game was winding down. Then, the kids, except for Sarada, got closer to the adults.
“What’s going on?”, asked Hinata.
"Have you seen Sarada?" Boruto asked, looking around. "We are playing hide-and-seek, but we can’t find her."
Ino blinked, scanning the park. Hinata used her Byakugan, but could not see any trace.
“I can’t see her in the park”, Hinata said, alarmed.
The group of adults quickly spread out, their anxiety growing as the minutes passed and Sarada was nowhere to be found. Hinata led the search, her eyes scanning every corner of the park. But there was no sign of the small girl.
Ino’s voice cracked as she called out. "Sarada-chan! Where are you?"
The park, once full of the sounds of children’s laughter, now felt eerily silent. The feeling of dread that had been creeping at the edges of their minds now consumed them all.
"She was right here…" Hinata murmured, panic rising in her chest.
Temari scanned the area, she moved to the edge of the park, where she saw something suspicious. She hurried over, heart racing. When she pushed through the dense foliage, a horrifying sight greeted her: blood, dark and fresh, staining the ground near the bushes. “Shit… Sarada!”
"Sarada-chan!" Hinata gasped when she saw what Temari had found, rushing over, her voice full of dread. "No…"
The group of parents gathered around, each one overwhelmed with shock and disbelief. Choji, his voice hoarse, whispered, "She was here. She was just here."
Ino crouched by the bloodstained earth, her eyes wide with terror. "There’s no trace of her. They acted quickly."
Boruto and the other children appeared, but the atmosphere had shifted drastically. The playful innocence of the afternoon was replaced by a chilling tension. Boruto, sensing the panic, looked around. "Have you found her?"
Hinata, trembling, finally spoke. "She’s gone."
The adults immediately sprang into action, organizing a search of the area. But it was too late. The kidnappers had covered their tracks expertly. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
"She was just here!" Hinata said, her voice shaking with fear. "She couldn’t have gone far."
Choji stepped forward, his voice grim. "This wasn’t an accident. Someone took her."
The group exchanged nervous glances, realizing the horrifying truth: Sarada had been kidnapped. And no one had seen who was behind it.
“Ok, Choji, go home with the kids. I’ll stay in the park until an ANBU and a track team get here. Hinata and Ino go to the Hokage’s office. Tell what has happened so that a tracking team can come here. Go, now!” Temari said urgently.
---
Meanwhile, in the shadows, the masked figure was on the move, carrying Sarada outside of Konoha. The kid was still unconscious. She had a gag on her mouth, and there was some ninja wire constraining her movements. The wire was so tight that it left marks on her pale skin.
The figure moved further from Konoha until he reached a river, where three more figures had been waiting for his arrival. On the river, there was a raft with a sturdy steel box. One of the figures opened the box, and the man holding Sarada dropped her into it. The hit woke Sarada up.
Her fear and confusion were palpable, but there was no escaping them. She tried shouting, but it was fruitless. She also tried kicking, but the ninja wire was so tight that it sank into her skin, drawing blood. The nightmare of being alone and helpless was real.
"Sarada, you don’t have to be afraid," one of the masked figures whispered, though there was no warmth in his voice. The man grabbed her again, taking her closer to his face, to which Sarada answered by head-butting him hard in the nose. A crack was heard. She had just broken the man’s nose. Furiously, the man made a move towards one of Sarada’s legs, where there was a crack followed by a muffled cry. The man had just broken her leg and then, he dropped her into the cage once again. However, this time, another man closed the cage, leaving her in near darkness. The only light came through some holes in the box cover. “Say hello to the Uchiha clan.” The other men let go of the raft, which began drifting downstream, and then, they disappeared into the shadows.
Sarada remained conscious. Her heart thudded in her chest. Everything hurt: her head, her right leg, her side. Her mind spun with questions: What do they want with me? What have I done to deserve this?
Before she could respond, she listened to the sound of water. However, she also noticed the rocking of the surface beneath her. The motion made her head ache even more, she felt increasingly nauseous. As her anxiety grew, she noticed her breathing accelerating. She began hyperventilating until she slipped into darkness once again.
---
Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kakashi were still discussing their next steps when they heard a commotion in the corridors. It sounded like someone was in a rush. Suddenly, the door opened, and Ino and Hinata appeared, gasping for breath.
"She’s gone. Someone took Sarada-chan," Hinata said, her voice breaking as she relayed what had happened. "We found blood, but no trace. Nothing."
Naruto clenched his fists, his face twisted in frustration and anger. "Where did it happen?"
“In the park. I’m so sorry, we were with the kids, but we didn’t notice anything. How is this possible?” Ino asked, frustrated.
“Do you think this is related to the sightings you said before?,” Shikamaru asked Kakashi. Before Kakashi could answer, he turned to Naruto and found that he had already activated Sage Mode.
“Shit, I can’t find her in Konoha. I can’t sense her here,” Naruto replied.
“How much time has passed since you realized she was gone?” Kakashi asked.
“An hour at most, but we don’t know when she was taken. If I’m right, she may have been taken two or three hours ago.” Hinata said, tears streaming down her face, feeling as though she had failed Sakura.
Kakashi’s eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "We need to act fast. We don’t know who’s behind this, but we need to figure it out quickly." He bit his finger, and his ninken appeared immediately.
“What do you need, Boss?” Pakkun asked.
“Uchiha Sarada has been kidnapped. Go to the park and search for Temari. She found some blood there, but we aren’t sure if it’s Sarada’s. I want you to track the trail and report back immediately if you find something, so we can solve this quickly”, Kakashi ordered.
Shikamaru looked at the others, his mind racing. "I’ll assemble a search team and get the village mobilized. I’ll call on members of the Inuzuka, Hyuuga and Aburame clans."
Although they were all working, a growing sense of dread settled in their stomachs. Sarada was out there, somewhere, alone and scared—and time was running out.