Rock Lee, the only one of the five who had a good impression of Haruno Sakura, tried to remind her, "Sakura, Naruto has gone out to train with Jiraiya-sama. He's not in the village."
"Training? When?" Sakura's voice cracked as she lost control of her emotions, tears welling in her eyes.
Rock Lee hesitated for a moment before answering, "About half a month ago."
"How could this happen? How could Naruto just leave? What about Sasuke?" Sakura collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Shikamaru Nara had had enough. His patience had run thin, and he said sternly, "That's enough. I don't know what's going on between you and Team 7, but if you really want Sasuke back, then don't waste our time. If you want to cry, go home and cry."
Turning away, he signaled to the others, "Neji, Kiba, Chouji, Lee, let's go."
Just as Shikamaru was about to lead the team forward, hurried footsteps sounded behind them. At the same time, a calm and composed voice spoke, "Wait. There's no need to go. The mission has been canceled."
At the same time, Fujiwara Kirito had finished his breakfast and was preparing to leave.
"I'll be heading out first. I still have a mission to complete on my end," Kirito said as he got up.
"Be careful out there. Don't get caught by ninjas from other villages," Tsunade said, her tone slightly awkward. Her gaze flickered for a moment before she quickly looked away.
Kirito smirked. "You really don't know how to be honest, do you, tiger woman?" He bent down and patted Chinatsu on the head before lifting her up and placing her back on the ground.
"Daddy, you must come back to see me often," Chinatsu said with reluctance in her voice.
Kirito gently stroked her head and then met Tsunade's gaze. They nodded at each other in silent understanding. With a quick hand seal, Kirito activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared from Tsunade's home.
Tsunade sighed as she picked up her daughter and looked toward the Hokage Building. "And now, it's back to dealing with more troubles."
In the dimly lit underground laboratory, the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls. Orochimaru, drenched in cold sweat, suffered from an unbearable fever.
A large snake, as thick as an arm, suddenly lashed out, sending four heavy thuds echoing through the underground chamber.
The Four Sound Ninjas were sent flying, crashing into the stone wall with enough force to leave cracks in its surface.
"You're all useless. Four of you couldn't even deal with a brat who hasn't even grown his fangs yet, and you still have the nerve to come back? Did you all grow up eating garbage?" Orochimaru's golden slit pupils glowed with a terrifying rage as he glared at them.
The Sound Four struggled to their feet, kneeling on one knee while clutching their chests. Their heads were bowed, afraid to even breathe too loudly in front of their enraged master.
Standing beside Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, his most trusted subordinate, was the only one with the courage to speak.
"Lord Orochimaru, please calm down. After all, their opponent was Fujiwara Kirito. They're lucky to have even returned alive to report what happened. Besides, Fujiwara Kirito promised to train Sasuke for a month. By then, Sasuke will be even stronger and a more suitable vessel for you."
Orochimaru's furious expression finally eased slightly. However, his sharp gaze remained fixed on Kabuto. "Your last report stated that Kirito had already left the Land of Fire. So how did he suddenly appear in Konoha?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his expression composed. "He did leave the Land of Fire. However, Lord Orochimaru, do you remember what he took from you during the Konoha Crush Plan?"
"You mean… he mastered that technique?" Orochimaru's mind flashed back to the moment Kirito had threatened him. The memory stirred a deep sense of humiliation and unease within him.
"There's no other explanation," Kabuto said, though a flicker of envy passed through his eyes. He waved his hand, signaling the Sound Four to leave.
Once they were gone, Kabuto continued, "But that's not the most troubling issue. Although I don't know why Kirito wants to 'save' Sasuke, if he left a Flying Thunder God mark on him, it could be disastrous for us."
"If Sasuke is marked, they could track us down at any time. And, Lord Orochimaru, your body may not last another month. I suspect Kirito did this deliberately to force an early reincarnation. Because of this, I strongly suggest you abandon Sasuke. The risk is too high—I can find you a new, safer vessel."
Orochimaru suddenly burst into eerie laughter, his sinister chuckle echoing through the underground chamber. "Hehehe… Hahaha…"
Kabuto's brows furrowed. "Did I say something wrong?"
Orochimaru smirked, his expression returning to its usual confidence. "Kabuto, you still don't understand that devilish trickster. Fujiwara Kirito loves nothing more than orchestrating chaos. There is an inevitable battle between Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi. Every major player in this world knows it—me, Itachi, Kirito, and even Sasuke himself."
"This is a thrilling battle between brothers. Do you really think Kirito would miss such an exciting show? He wouldn't let Sasuke die so easily."
"By delaying things for a month, he's forcing me to reincarnate early, ensuring Sasuke gets three years to grow stronger. And do you know what else?" Orochimaru sneered. "He won't teach Sasuke anything."
Kabuto was taken aback. "He won't?"
"Of course not," Orochimaru spat. "When we were in Akatsuki, he once told me that this world has a twisted master-disciple dynamic. If a disciple becomes too strong, they often end up killing their master."
"Now, it's all coming true. He predicted that I would kill the Third Hokage. And now, he's setting the stage to see whether Sasuke will kill me after three years."
Kabuto broke out in a cold sweat. "Then… should we still retrieve Sasuke?"
"Why wouldn't we?" Orochimaru growled. The images of Hiruzen, Sasuke, and Kirito flashed through his mind, fueling his burning resentment. He clenched his fists tightly. "I am not that old man Sarutobi. I am immortal. I will not die at Sasuke's hands. In the end, I will be the one to seize everything."
Kabuto had never seen Orochimaru this agitated before. He swallowed hard. "Understood. I will arrange for Tayuya and the others to retrieve Sasuke when the time is right. But… do you still want to reincarnate now?"
Orochimaru exhaled sharply, gritting his teeth. The pain was unbearable, the sensation of his very soul being burned beyond anything he had endured before.
"No… I can hold out for one more month. As long as Tayuya and the others bring Sasuke back on time… in the end, I will be the one who wins."
As if in response, a fresh wave of excruciating pain tore through him, sending him writhing in agony.
In the dark chamber, his heart-wrenching screams and furious curses echoed once more.
"Ahh! Damn old man Sarutobi! Damn Fujiwara Kirito! Aaaghhh!"
(End of this chapter)
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