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In an awkward silence, Naruto's firm declaration broke through:
"Sasuke… is our comrade! I will bring him back! When the time comes, I'll plead for him with Granny Tsunade. Everything will go back to how it was. It will!"
"That's right!" Sakura, whose thoughts had grown heavy moments ago, nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Is that even possible?" Sai asked, looking genuinely surprised.
But seeing Naruto pounding his chest in assurance, he could only admit his own ignorance.
Just then, a chuckle echoed from nearby. Naruto turned to look and saw it was Kurotsuchi. Compared to their encounter during the Five Kage Summit, she had grown taller.
However...
Although Naruto had ghostwritten for Jiraiya's popular Icha Icha novels, becoming a rising star among male readers, and had even developed the Harem Technique, he had no indecent thoughts towards girls other than the one he liked.
Looking at Kurotsuchi, he was simply confused and asked, "What's so funny, Shirotsuchi? Oh right, with such fair skin, your name is Shirotsuchi, right?"
Kurotsuchi's face darkened instantly.
'This guy hasn't changed at all since the Five Kage Summit. Still just as clueless,' she thought, taking a deep breath before responding, "Although I appreciate the compliment about my fair skin, my name is Kurotsuchi, Naruto."
Realizing his mistake, Naruto quickly apologized, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Seeing his genuine apology, Kurotsuchi's expression softened slightly. Answering Naruto's earlier question, she said, "I was just laughing at how naive you all are, like little kids."
"Calling me a kid again…"
Naruto was about to respond, recalling how Kurotsuchi had called him the same thing during the Five Kage Summit, when her next words made his expression change.
"It's been two years, and you're still so naive, Naruto. Do you really think this is some kind of game? Uchiha Sasuke is now an S-rank missing-nin from Konoha, and that fact won't change. He's not coming back with you."
"If you're not prepared to kill him the moment you see him, I'd advise you Konoha brats to turn around and go back to the village. Otherwise, you might lose your lives and drag us down with you."
Kurotsuchi's words were blunt.
She didn't understand how Konoha had trained Naruto and his friends to be this way. But now, they were her teammates. If they couldn't face reality and hesitated in battle, it would only lead to disaster for her team.
"Kill Sasuke…"
Naruto was about to protest when Yamato suddenly appeared by his side, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him. With a serious expression, Yamato said, "Don't forget that our main mission is to investigate Jōmae Village. We should avoid unnecessary fights if possible. As for Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, as Konoha shinobi, I hope you focus on the mission."
Faced with Yamato's rare stern gaze, both Naruto and Sakura nodded silently.
Seeing this, Yamato turned to Kurotsuchi and said, "Rest assured, Kurotsuchi, the Konoha shinobi know what they need to do."
"Alright then." Kurotsuchi shrugged, letting the matter drop. After all, the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was a powerful ally, as long as he knew his role.
Though she had teased Naruto for his naivety, in truth, if she had a friend like him, she would be happy too.
Unfortunately, her childhood friend, Deidara, had abandoned everything, including the prestigious position of Tsuchikage's disciple and even her, for his obsession with art. To this day, Kurotsuchi found it unbelievable and often wondered if Deidara's head was filled entirely with explosives.
With that brief internal conflict resolved, the joint team of Konoha and Iwa continued their silent advance toward Jōmae Village.
As they passed over a steel bridge spanning a canyon, both Naruto and Sakura remembered this place from when Sasuke had passed through and fought alongside Kakashi-sensei. They also recalled Kakashi's rumored girlfriend and, most importantly, their time fighting side by side with Sasuke.
Crossing the bridge, Naruto, who had been deep in thought, approached Yamato and spoke in a low voice, "Captain Yamato."
Yamato turned to look at him.
Naruto asked quietly, "Is that really how the village feels about Sasuke?"
Yamato was silent for a moment before replying, "Naruto, remember, you're a Konoha shinobi."
Naruto hung his head.
Naturally kind-hearted, Yamato couldn't help but feel for Naruto. After thinking for a moment, he patted Naruto on the shoulder and smiled warmly, "Naruto, if you don't want to have any regrets, then keep growing. Grow until you're so strong that no one can ignore you. Then, when you speak, people will listen."
Though he had only been with Naruto for a short time, Yamato quickly grew fond of the boy who had been shunned and hated by so many in the village but had never succumbed to darkness. Naruto had remained cheerful and slowly but surely changed the perceptions of those around him through his actions.
As the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Yamato believed Naruto had the potential to achieve what he had just said.
"Yeah!!" Naruto nodded firmly, his determination reignited.
Returning to Sakura's side, Naruto raised his hand, clenching it into a fist, and declared, "I won't give up on bringing Sasuke back. That's my nindō! Of course, like Kurotsuchi and Captain Yamato said, for everyone's safety, if I have to break Sasuke's arms and legs, I'll do it."
"Naruto…"
At that moment, Sakura realized how much Naruto had truly grown.
He had grown to a level that even she couldn't reach.
But she was no longer the girl who only cried.
So…
"Naruto, let's both do our best."
Sakura tightened her gloves and smiled brightly.
Beside them, Sai, watching Naruto and Sakura's shifting emotions, couldn't quite understand. Human emotions were so complicated.
'Maybe I should buy a book on emotional intelligence when I get back,' he thought.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The team swiftly crossed the steel bridge, moving through the forest and over hills with stealth and speed.
Ten minutes later, a glimpse of a building belonging to the secret village of Jōmae came into view, nestled within the forest and hills.
As the nominal leader of this mission, Yamato raised his hand, and the team instantly came to a halt.
With everyone watching, Yamato approached a large tree, pressing his hand against it. Using Mokuton, he began to sense everything within the surrounding forest.
(End of Chapter)
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After sensing the surroundings, Yamato frowned and reported, "There's no one here."
It was unusual for a village known for selling information to have no guards at its outskirts.
"The village is also completely silent," Kurotsuchi said, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized the village ahead.
Had the people of Jōmae Village already relocated? Had their mission been compromised? Both Kurotsuchi and Yamato considered this possibility.
Regardless, the mission had to proceed.
Yamato gestured, and the group immediately moved into the village, sneaking forward.
Click.
The sound of a lock being picked echoed softly.
With the massive lock on the door falling away, Naruto and Sakura quickly entered the house, sweeping their gaze from left to right.
Finding nothing of note, they returned to the entrance, where Yamato, Sai, Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, Bunya, and Ichiha emerged from the houses they had searched. After exchanging glances, the group continued their search through Jōmae Village.
One by one, giant locks were opened. One by one, houses and secret chambers were inspected.
Still, no useful clues were found.
Everything was too clean.
"Sasuke…" Naruto, having finally gotten some news of Sasuke, clenched his fists, unwilling to let this opportunity slip away again. He quickened his pace, searching the village with increasing urgency.
Sakura, seeing Naruto's determination, also sped up.
...
Time passed quickly.
Having searched most of the village, the Konoha and Iwa shinobi gathered at the entrance of a large underground base. Together, they ventured into the base, moving swiftly through rows upon rows of densely packed rooms, continuing their search.
This was once the intelligence storage center of Jōmae Village.
Room after room contained scrolls meticulously organized by time period, displayed neatly on shelves—a truly impressive sight.
Now, however, the rooms were empty.
The few scrolls that remained were blank.
"There's nothing… nothing at all…" Naruto ran through corridor after corridor, pushing open door after door, only to be met with disappointment time and again.
Just as he was starting to lose hope, the group pushed open the last door of the underground base.
Blinding sunlight streamed in, causing everyone, who had been in the dark for so long, to instinctively lower their eyes.
In that instant, Naruto's eyes widened, his face lighting up with joy.
"Sasuke."
He saw him!
Outside, bathed in sunlight, was the person he had longed to see—the one who had grown taller and looked more mature.
"Sasuke!!!" Naruto finally couldn't hold back his emotions and shouted.
"Sasuke?" Sakura looked in disbelief, her eyes welling up with tears.
Yamato, Sai, Kurotsuchi, and the others quickly tensed, realizing they had finally caught up.
"Sasuke, do you know those people?" asked Yuikei, the captain of Jōmae Village's security squad, who had just finished the final tasks and was preparing to leave according to plan. He glanced at the newcomers and questioned Sasuke.
Sasuke turned around, his gaze calmly passing over Naruto and Sakura. Though it had been two years, he still recognized them immediately.
He nodded calmly and said, "They were my teammates from my time in Konoha."
Upon hearing this, Izumi, dressed in her ninja attire, looked over the group, focusing particularly on the emotional Naruto and Sakura. Smiling faintly, she said, "It's clear you had a close bond."
"Indeed," Sasuke replied without hesitation. He had long abandoned the belief that severing bonds was the only way to grow stronger, as Itachi had once told him. While he no longer had strong feelings toward Konoha, the bond he shared with Naruto, Sakura, and Team 7 still existed.
Of course, while there was still camaraderie, Sasuke's new identity meant he wouldn't let those bonds hold him back if it came to a fight.
"Sasuke…"
Hearing Sasuke's words, Naruto was overwhelmed with emotion. He had so much he wanted to say, but when the moment came, he didn't know where to start.
"Should we say goodbye before we leave?" Uchiha Jin, the only one from Jōmae Village who hadn't spoken yet, asked. Having married and had children, his previously sharp demeanor had softened considerably, allowing him to speak with more calmness.
As for the potential danger ahead… the pride of the Uchiha still remained.
As members of the squad responsible for wrapping things up, Jin, Sasuke, and Izumi all had three-tomoe Sharingan, while Yuikei, the captain, was an elite jōnin.
The incoming group stood no chance of stopping them.
This was why Jin and the rest of the squad were so confident, even making light jokes with Sasuke.
Hearing Jin, Sasuke gave a casual nod, his gaze briefly sweeping over the unfamiliar Iwa shinobi.
"Iwa shinobi, huh," he muttered, easily guessing their purpose for being here. After all, he had been the one to capture the Iwa jōnin that Gensou used as a sacrifice for Edo Tensei.
Sasuke turned his attention back to Naruto, Sakura, and the other Konoha shinobi he didn't recognize. He spoke calmly, "It's been a while, Naruto, Sakura."
"Where's Kakashi? Didn't he come?"
Sasuke was slightly suspicious that Kakashi, known for his sneak attacks, might be hiding somewhere nearby.
Yamato stepped forward and answered, "Captain Kakashi isn't here. I'm leading the mission this time. The objective is to bring you, Sasuke, back to Konoha."
The mission to investigate Jōmae Village had already failed. For Yamato, the next best thing was to bring Uchiha Sasuke back.
Sasuke surely had valuable information about Jōmae Village.
Not just Sasuke, though—his companions might also have information.
Yamato's eyes briefly scanned Izumi and the other two.
Though they gave him a vague sense of danger, the addition of the Iwa team put them at a numerical advantage.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi spoke up, "Uchiha Sasuke, right? Let me ask you, what happened to Iwa shinobi Ishikawa, who came here a week ago?"
Sasuke turned his head. "Ishikawa? If you mean the big guy who specialized in Doton, he's no longer with us."
"What do you mean 'no longer with us'?"
"Obviously, I killed him."
Crack!
Kurotsuchi clenched her fists, her gaze instantly turning cold.
"A missing-nin like you dares to be so arrogant!"
"Doton: Dosekibari!"
Not wanting to waste any more time, Kurotsuchi swiftly formed hand seals, and bamboo shoot-like rocks erupted from the ground, aiming to pierce through Sasuke and the others from Jōmae Village.
Seeing this, Yamato and the others had no choice but to join the fight.
The battle had officially begun.
(End of Chapter)
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