Chương 370: Hidden Sand Elders
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Lee and Neji who were now holding Konan from both sides stepped further making her come in front as well.
"She is a member of the Akatsuki that we have taken hostage." Lee said.
"A hostage? Why didn't you just kill her? I don't think someone as strong as her would open up about her organization just because the intelligence team tortures her. Are you planning to hand her over to the Yamanaka clan to extract information?" Sakura bombarded Lee with questions.
Neji decided to step in and explain the entire situation. "Sakura the Akatsuki has taken Asuma and Kurenai's squad as hostages. So either we let the Akatsuki escape from the desert safely or take a hostage of our own. Luckily we have come to an agreement with them and now the hostage exchange will be held at a meeting where all the Kages will be present in the hidden leaf."
"Wow, that just opened a whole lot of questions." Kankuro quipped in between. The fact that all the Kages met together was not something that could be pulled off easily.
Neji explained further and told them everything that had happened since they left the hidden sand village...the cultists...the Akatsuki everything.
"Sakura you have already done so much for the shinobis of this village and I should thank you and Tsunade for that. Can you check her as well? We don't want to take any chances with her now." Gaara asked politely which made Sakura a little awkward.
"Ya...I understand. Of course, I can do that. Please lay her on a bed nearby." Sakura said and pointed toward an empty bed.
She then instructed a few nearby doctors and nurses to properly secure Konan to the bed so that she wouldn't try to flee or hurt anyone.
"Do any of you have any injuries as well? I suppose the fight must have been quite tiring since the opponents were S-ranked criminals." Sakura asked to which Naruto showed his Palm and said "Granny Chiyo asked me to get this checked but I can wait for you to check her first. Other than that you have to ask Yami because he is the one who fought the most."
Yami shook his head and said "All I need is some good food. We can't stay here for tonight though. We should leave within the next few hours."
"Yami is right. The more time we waste in transporting her to the hidden leaf the more time it gives the Akatsuki to make an attempt to rescue her." Kakashi said.
Yami and the others left the hospital to eat and get some rest. Kakashi and Guy went to the Kazekage building as Gaara had invited them to a meeting with the elders.
As the sand elders along with Kakashi and Guy were sitting at the round table, Temari who had taken the role of her brother's advisor explained everything to the elder. The elders nodded as they heard what had happened. After the entire narration finished one of the elders looked at Kakashi and asked "Why take the prisoner to the hidden leaf? It would be risky to transport her from here to your village. It will take almost 3 days with her."
"You are right that it is risky and time-consuming but she will eventually be needed in the hidden leaf during the meeting. That is where the hostage exchange is supposed to happen." Kakashi said.
Another elder stood up and said "The part of the Kazekage going to the hidden leaf is an entirely different thing. After the death of the previous Kazekage, it took nearly 2-3 years for Lord Gaara to stabilize and control the village. If something happens to him there then the fallout could be disastrous."
"I agree...the last time the Kazekage went to visit the hidden leaf, he didn't return alive." another elder chimed in.
"B-But..." Guy was about to stand and say something but Kakashi stopped him. He knew that throwing accusations would just create more problems.
Gaara raised his hand for the elders to sit down and said "About my father's death, it was something he brought upon himself when he decided to collaborate with Orochimaru and attack the hidden leaf. We can't blame them for this. And the main reason I was able to stabilize the village was due to the support of you all elders and the hidden leaf who provided us with rations when no other village did."
The elder who had just blamed Raza's death on the hidden leaf looked at Chiyo and asked "Lady Chiyo...what are your thoughts on this?"
Chiyo looked at the 2 elders who were standing a few seconds ago and said "What is there to think? The hostages that the Akatsuki has are hidden leaf shinobis...the hostage that we have now taken was also thanks to Yami Uchiha who is a leaf shinobi and the meeting is going to be held there as well. And I don't think that Gaara will be in any kind of danger in the hidden leaf. So stop with all your yapping. I only have one condition" For the last sentence Chiyo looked at Kakashi and Guy.
"A condition? What kind of condition?" Guy asked. He was happy that the old woman had shut down all the opposition but he knew that there would be no freebies."
"It isn't much, to ensure the complete safety of the hostage and Gaara, me and Temari will come with you all." Chiyo said which shocked not just Kakashi and Guy but also Gaara and Temari.
"Huh? Do you mean today when we leave? You all will also come?" Guy asked in a confused tone to which she nodded.
Guy didn't know what to say so he turned toward Kakashi who nodded and said "We have no objections in that matter."
Chiyo stood up and said "Great now that we have decided our next course of action, Except Gaara, Temari, and Baki others can leave. Kakashi and Might Guy you two should also get some rest."
Everyone nodded and started leaving the room. Baki who was standing behind Chiyo bowed a little close to Chiyo's ears and asked "Elder what are you conspiring?"
"What could a helpless old lady like me even conspire at this age? Don't think much of it and get me some water. These idiots have forced me to speak until my throat went dry." Chiyo said.
As everyone else left the room and only 4 of them remained, Chiyo saw Gaara, Temari, and Baki looking at her waiting for her to spill what was on her mind.
"What are you all staring at me for?" Chiyo asked as she drank water.
"Why do we have to go so early for a meeting that has almost half a month and which isn't even confirmed yet." Gaara asked.
"Gaara the meeting is going to happen. That is for sure. The Akatsuki are someone who have proven to be a problem for all the villages and the only ones that need convincing are the hidden cloud and stone." Chiyo said to which Temari asked "What about the hidden mist? I heard that they are regaining their lost strength at quite a fast pace."
"The hidden mist faced adversaries way more tough than we did and one of them is even called as a myth by everyone in the shinobi world. But the ones to solve them all were the hidden leaves shinobis...especially Yami Uchiha so they won't deny a meeting with the hidden leaf." Chiyo said.
"But it still doesn't answer my first question. Why are we going so early? And who would protect our village at a time like this?" Gaara asked.
"The Akatsuki don't make any moves without an aim and right now their aim are the tailed beasts and if the tailed beast isn't in the hidden sand then why would they come here? As for why I want to go there days before the meeting is because of two reasons. Firstly, I want to meet that Tsunade. She has bested me and I can't seem to accept it unless I come face to face with her." Chiyo said making an ugly face as she talked about Tsunade.
"What about the other reason?" Temari asked.
Chiyo gave a smile as she looked at Temari and said "It is to marry you off."
"WHAT??? Marry me off? What are you saying, elder?" Temari asked with her cheeks blushing pink.
"I was first thinking about marrying you to Yami Uchiha but that kid is a monster and I don't wanna mess with him. Then I was thinking about either Sasuke Uchiha or Neji Hyuga as it would solidify your place in the hidden leaf but then I heard an interesting story about you being shown around the hidden leaf by the heir of the Nara clan. What was his name again?" Chiyo asked to which Temari immediately said "Shikamaru...Shikamaru Nara."
"Rolled right off your tongue, didn't it?" Chiyo chuckled as this prompted Baki and Gaara to turn toward Temari in shock which forced Temari to hide the smile and blush of her face.
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