Chapter 523: Reunion (2)
"News from the Mist Ninja," Tsunade said solemnly, "They found signs of the Three-Tails' revival."
Haruno Sakura frowned slightly and asked: "What does this have to do with us reforming Team 7... Could it be the Mist Ninja want us to go help capture the Three-Tails?"
The Fifth Hokage nodded.
"That's right. The Mist Ninja currently lack high-end combat power, and considering Akatsuki is also coveting the Three-Tails, they hope Konoha can dispatch some experts to help them capture the Three-Tails. I think it's most appropriate for your Team Kakashi to complete this mission."
Team 7 lacks neither strength nor experience, and the Mist Ninja have cooperated with Haruno Sakura once and trust her more.
"Would the Mist Ninja be willing to let us participate in the Three-Tails capture operation?" Haruno Sakura's face showed doubt, saying, "Aren't they afraid we'll secretly take the Tailed Beast away?"
She smirked: "Hehe... actually, if we directly robbed it by force, they couldn't do anything to us either."
It wasn't that Haruno Sakura looked down on Mist Ninja Village.
She had personally gone there and seen the current situation of Mist Ninja Village: talents withered, a lack of successors.
If it weren't for being isolated overseas and easy to defend but hard to attack, Mist Ninja Village would probably have been wiped out by some hot-tempered guys in the ninja world long ago—that's right, talking about Cloud Ninja Village, which had been secretly training troops and strengthening armaments for the past decade.
In short, a perfectly good Mist Ninja Village, one of the top five in the ninja world, after decades of relentless torment by the Fourth Mizukage, those who could fight had either died in internal strife or defected, leaving only Mei Terumi to carry the main burden alone.
This resulted in the situation where even if the Three-Tails revived near their village, the Mist Ninja couldn't find a suitable person to capture it.
They could only seek help from Konoha.
"Compared to Akatsuki taking the Three-Tails, the Mist Ninja are probably more willing to take the risk and trust us." Tsunade explained, staring at Haruno Sakura and said, "And we don't need to play any tricks at this critical juncture."
"Don't have blind thoughts, Sakura."
"Tailed Beasts are a very sensitive matter. If we snatch the Mist Ninja's Tailed Beast, the consequences might be far more than just Mist Ninja Village withdrawing from the alliance; other ninja villages will also feel in danger! At that time, if the Five Village Alliance collapses, unable to join forces against Akatsuki, eventually leading to ninja villages being overturned and the ninja world destroyed, we will become sinners of history."
The Fifth Hokage instructed solemnly.
Ruining the big picture for petty gains was Danzo's style. In the current situation, there was no need for Konoha to offend the Mist Ninja and other ninja villages for an average Tailed Beast.
Right now, Konoha didn't lack the high-end combat power of this Tailed Beast.
Haruno Sakura was convinced by her master's decision and view of the big picture.
She put away her joking tone and nodded: "Hn, understood. Then what is the situation over there now? Do you want us to set off right now?"
"Not yet." Tsunade picked up the letter, shook it in her hand, and said, "Actually... the Mist Ninja only found signs of the Three-Tails' revival, they haven't determined its location yet."
"Why?" Haruno Sakura was a bit puzzled, "Since they have already found traces of the Tailed Beast's revival, can't sensory ninja detect the Three-Tails' location?"
Tsunade shook her head and smiled.
"If the accurate location of a wild Tailed Beast's revival could really be found so easily, the Mist Ninja wouldn't be so nervous."
"The news from the Mist Ninja says they found a very strange storm formed on the sea surface, but it's very rare for a storm to form in this season... They believe this is the result of the Three-Tails' revival."
"And the location of the Three-Tails' revival, the Mist Ninja speculate is within that storm."
She pulled out a page from the letter and handed it to Haruno Sakura and Naruto: "You can take a look yourselves."
Naruto pretended to read two pages, his eyebrows and nose all crinkling up.
He handed the letter paper to Sakura, raised his hand, and asked with a face full of confusion: "Granny Tsunade, the mission is for us to go help the Mist Ninja capture the Tailed Beast, right! But according to you, they seem to have only seen some inexplicable storms, and haven't even found a shadow of the Tailed Beast. How are we supposed to complete the mission?"
"Hn, Naruto has a point." Haruno Sakura took the letter paper, looked at it, and also nodded, "The intelligence is too vague. This alone doesn't prove anything."
"So we don't need to rush." Tsunade took back the letter paper, put it aside, and smiled.
"Before the Mist Ninja have further news, you guys can form a team and train a bit to find your past tacit understanding."
"Of course, don't underestimate Mist Ninja Village! Since they sent such an urgent dispatch, it means they are very confident in the credibility of the intelligence. Just wait! I think more definite news will arrive soon."
"In short, you must take this mission seriously. Because it not only involves another village, but very likely also involves Akatsuki..."
Tsunade said earnestly.
Looking at the two people in front of her whose childishness hadn't completely faded, the Fifth Hokage suddenly felt a bit emotional.
Ninja of this age have to shoulder such an important mission. She didn't know whether she should sigh that Konoha has successors, or regret that Konoha's middle generation is not striving enough?
"Then... the following time is left to yourselves."
Tsunade said faintly.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Haruno Sakura heard Tsunade's intention to see guests out.
She tactfully pulled Naruto out of the Hokage Office, leaving the space to that pair of older single dogs in their fifties who were still alone.
"Hey hey!" Naruto was pulled by the back collar of his clothes by the girl, dragged backward, and shouted inexplicably, "Why pull me out in such a hurry? I still have things to say to Perverted Hermit!"
Haruno Sakura didn't stop until she dragged Naruto out of the Hokage Building. Hearing this, she gave him a fierce glare.
"Idiot!"
"Naruto, can you be a bit more observant? Can't you see what my master meant? Or do you want to stay there as a ten-thousand-watt super third wheel?" She explained grumpily, "If you have anything, just find time to tell Jiraiya later."
"Is that so..." Naruto scratched his chin where a beard hadn't grown yet, frowned, and thought hard, "So Perverted Hermit and Granny Tsunade have that kind of relationship!"
"No, according to my observation, the two of them don't have that relationship for now."
Haruno Sakura looked around, and seeing no one, she leaned close to Naruto's ear and whispered: "It should be your master pursuing my master, but my master is still hesitating!"
Naruto frowned in distress: "Don't really understand... Adults' world is too complicated!"
"If you don't understand, forget it." The girl shrugged and walked aimlessly forward, "Where are we going next?"
"Of course, to find Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto smiled playfully on his face, followed behind Haruno Sakura, and said without hesitation, "Haven't sparred with Sasuke for a long time."
"Hehehe... I'm going to use my new ultimate move and give Sasuke a big surprise!"
Haruno Sakura glanced at him.
This guy's new ultimate move is very easy to understand, either a new Rasengan technique or a new way to grow tails...
Anyway, Naruto would tell her whatever progress he made, and also ask her to keep it a secret from Sasuke.
"Sasuke and Kakashi are probably still executing missions in Anbu at this time..." She thought for a moment and said.
"We can—"
Just as she was speaking, a loud shout suddenly came from behind: "Sakura-sensei!"
The two turned around and looked back. A young ninja behind them waved to the girl and ran over.
The boy had a long scarf draped around his neck, almost dragging on the ground, fluttering in the air as he ran; the newcomer was Konohamaru from Haruno Sakura's team.
"Sakura-sensei, you're back!" Konohamaru rushed in front of the girl, grinned, and said, "We haven't seen you for a month!"
After greeting, he only then noticed the person standing beside Haruno Sakura.
"Ah! It's Naruto Nii-chan!" Konohamaru widened his eyes, pointed at Naruto, and shouted loudly, "Naruto Nii-chan, you're back in the village!"
"It's Konohamaru!"
Naruto chuckled, looked over, and was a bit surprised to see he wore a forehead protector on his head: "Eh? You... you have already graduated?"
"Hehe, I graduated last year!" Konohamaru struck a pose and laughed smugly, "I am already an official ninja, and under sensei's teaching, I have become very strong yo!"
Haruno Sakura nodded gratifyingly beside him.
Konohamaru was a student she personally trained. He developed comprehensively in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu, had quite rich combat experience, and his strength was quite excellent in his age group, which could be described as the new generation genius of Konoha.
Although this child was usually a bit mischievous, he had always been quite respectful to Haruno Sakura.
"Let me show you my ninjutsu!" Konohamaru said complacently.
What kind of ninjutsu would it be?
Konohamaru should have already mastered the "Genjutsu: Phantom Sound of the Voiceless", right? If he performed it, even Naruto would be startled.
It could also be the combination jutsu he learned from the Third: casting ninjutsu of different attributes simultaneously through the main body and shadow clones, combining them into a compound ninjutsu with doubled power.
It might even be a new ninjutsu he created recently...
Haruno Sakura was looking forward to seeing what kind of proud ninjutsu her student would use.
She saw Konohamaru's hands rapidly forming seals.
With a poof, a lot of chakra smoke suddenly popped out in the clearing; amidst the lingering smoke, a bumpy and exquisite figure walked out.
"Secret Technique: Sexy Jutsu!"
Unlike manga and anime, in the real ninja world, those smokes generated due to imperfect chakra control will dissipate quickly, instead of always blocking key parts...
So, Haruno Sakura could see it completely clearly.
The expression on the girl's face suddenly froze.
"How is it, Naruto Nii-chan!" Konohamaru completely didn't notice the abnormality on Haruno Sakura's face, and still pulled Naruto excitedly and said, "Pert enough, perky enough, white enough, right?"
"Pfft." Naruto smiled disdainfully.
"...Konohamaru, we are all already true ninja." He looked serious, patted Konohamaru's shoulder and said, "We can't use this level of jutsu like playing house anymore!"
Konohamaru was stunned, awed by Naruto.
Haruno Sakura's expression cleared up a bit: "Naruto traveled for two years, sure enough, he has grown..."
"I'll teach Konohamaru a severe lesson later!"
Then she heard Naruto continue to say with a righteous face: "True ninja should use more complex and practical sexy ninjutsu!"
"Watch my Harem Jutsu!"
The girl's eyes widened.
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