For the first time, Kai discovered that Kakashi could actually be this adorable!
Hearing Kakashi's words, Tsunade had no time to deal with Kai anymore. With a loud thud, she shot up from her seat, hands braced on the desk as she stared at Kakashi: "You're saying Sasuke Uchiha has defected!?"
To Konoha, the name Sasuke Uchiha represented far more than just a simple Genin. As the sole surviving member of the Uchiha clan, he embodied one of the ninja world's three great dōjutsu bloodlines!
Moreover, with Hiruzen Sarutobi still alive and having taken over as Hokage, Tsunade had learned from the Third that before Danzō's death at Kai's hands, Konoha had made a deal with Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke's safety was the most crucial bargaining chip in that arrangement. Tsunade couldn't afford to have a Kage-level powerhouse like Itachi turn against Konoha.
"Yes!" Kakashi confirmed once more.
Without a moment's hesitation, Tsunade commanded decisively: "Kakashi, immediately organize a squad and bring Sasuke Uchiha back at all costs!"
"I'll take this mission instead," Kai suddenly spoke up, explaining: "The one targeting Sasuke is Orochimaru. If it's Kakashi, he might not be able to handle it."
"Orochimaru!?" Tsunade frowned: "How did Sasuke get mixed up with Orochimaru?"
"Living Corpse Reincarnation—it's recorded in the Scroll of Seals. It's a jutsu developed by Orochimaru that can transfer the caster's soul into another body. Orochimaru's desire for the Sharingan has reached pathological levels. He's absolutely determined to obtain Sasuke's body," Kai explained.
The plot had completely changed. During the Chūnin Exams, when Orochimaru saw the situation turning against him, he'd fled swiftly—and his hands' souls hadn't been sealed either.
No one could say for certain whether Orochimaru might suddenly appear during the mission to retrieve Sasuke.
"That bastard Orochimaru! Damn it!" Tsunade slammed her fist on the desk. Fortunately, this desk had been reinforced with Kai's Wood Release—otherwise, that single blow would've destroyed it completely.
"Kai, depart immediately and bring Sasuke Uchiha back!"
Understanding the stakes involved, Tsunade abandoned her insistence on sending Kakashi and directly assigned the mission to Kai.
Just as Kai was about to leave, Tsunade called him back: "Nara Shikamaru and Hyūga Neji have just been promoted to Chūnin and need some real experience. On the surface, I'll arrange for them to lead the team, but you'll protect them from the shadows. Just make sure there are no casualties."
To maintain a ninja village's long-term prosperity, relying on one person's strength alone was far from sufficient. Ensuring the growth of the village's new generation was the most critical factor!
Kai looked at Tsunade with some surprise—he hadn't expected her to have such natural talent for being Hokage, grasping these principles so quickly.
Noticing Kai's gaze, Tsunade's face reddened as she shouted somewhat defensively: "What are you staring at? The old man told me all this, alright?"
Kai's expression showed sudden understanding as he smiled, then vanished from the Hokage's office.
Tsunade immediately summoned Shikamaru and Neji, giving them a lengthy explanation before having them select a group of Genin to pursue Sasuke.
Meanwhile, Kai took Haku and Kimimaro and followed far behind the group of youngsters. Even though Neji possessed the Byakugan bloodline limit, as long as Kai didn't want to be discovered, Neji couldn't detect even a trace of him.
The Sound Four's strength wasn't actually poor. As Orochimaru's personal bodyguards, they certainly couldn't be mere Genin or Chūnin level.
Among the four, even the slightly weaker Kidōmaru and Jirōbō were roughly at Special Jōnin level, while Sakon and Tayuya were at least full Jōnin-level in strength.
But unfortunately, they encountered Naruto and his group of determined youngsters.
And so, for the sake of plot progression, they were all defeated.
Without major changes, Chōji defeated Jirōbō, Neji triumphed over Kidōmaru, and with reinforcement from Gaara's three-man team, Tayuya fell to the combined efforts of Shikamaru and Temari. Sakon and Ukon were completely countered by Kankurō's two puppets.
The only difference was the absence of Kimimaro's interference. At the Valley of the End, Gaara and Naruto joined forces to capture Sasuke in his cursed seal state.
"Sasuke, come back to the village with us! I promised Sakura I'd definitely bring you back!" Naruto shouted emotionally at Sasuke, who was bound in sand.
Before Sasuke could respond, a cold laugh rang out: "Heh heh heh... Sasuke-kun won't be going back with you."
Along with the voice, a black-haired woman with sinister eyes rose from the ground nearby.
"You're... the one who fought Grandpa Third during the Chūnin Exams." Naruto clearly recognized the newcomer's identity—it was Orochimaru.
Gaara also stared at Orochimaru with hatred. No matter what, Orochimaru was the killer of the Fourth Kazekage—his own father!
"Sand Burial!"
Without any hesitation, Gaara launched a direct attack on Orochimaru!
But in normal state, Gaara's strength was at most comparable to a Jōnin. How could he possibly match Orochimaru at peak Kage-level power?
In just one exchange, Orochimaru not only blocked Gaara's sand with Water Formation Wall, but the pythons released by Hidden Shadow Snake Hands also tightly bound both Naruto and Gaara.
He directly used chakra to shatter the sand restraining Sasuke while tossing him a kunai.
Orochimaru looked at Sasuke with a twisted smile: "Sasuke-kun, tell them your choice, then sever your bonds here completely!"
Sasuke gripped the kunai tighter, a flash of struggle in his eyes, but ultimately walked before Naruto, raising the kunai as he spoke: "I choose... to leave Konoha and follow Orochimaru! I'm sorry, Naruto!"
At that moment, Sasuke suddenly discovered with horror that no matter how hard he tried, the kunai in his hand simply wouldn't fall.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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