Chapter 268 – Konan Joins
Kakashi blocked the attack, shielding Naruto and Sakura. Immediately afterward, Obito took Sasuke and Karin and vanished from everyone's sight.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.
"I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied, rubbing the wound on his cheek.
At that moment, a loud, sharp voice rang out.
"What were you doing there, Sakura?!"
The anger in that voice echoed through the area.
"S-Sensei, I…" Sakura lowered her head awkwardly.
"Hmph. If you were going to kill Uchiha Sasuke, why did you stop halfway?" Tsunade said coldly as she stared at Sakura.
"Couldn't you do it? I honestly don't understand why you could fall for someone like that. Is it just because of his looks?" Tsunade sneered.
"I don't know either, Sensei," Sakura replied, her face filled with sorrow.
"Sakura," Yusuke said at that moment. "If you truly can't bring yourself to kill Sasuke, then the one who should bring him back to Konoha isn't Naruto—it's you. Naruto has no obligation to carry your burden and retrieve Sasuke for you."
"I understand, Yusuke-sensei," Sakura said.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Naruto had done so much for her, yet she had selfishly forced him to shoulder the responsibility of bringing Sasuke back. That was her own weakness. If Sasuke was to return, she had to rely on her own strength.
"Alright, Tsunade," Yusuke said, "let the kids handle their own matters. There are things you won't understand until the very end. Besides, Sasuke isn't truly a bad child."
"Hmph, I get it. Really, stop lecturing me all the time," Tsunade said irritably.
"Hahaha. Come on, let's head back to Konoha," Yusuke said. "Sakura, there are some things you need to think through carefully. The Sasuke you love now might not be the Sasuke from before. Don't regret it later."
"I won't regret it, Sensei," Sakura said. "I don't even know what my feelings for Sasuke really are, but from the moment I first saw him, my heart couldn't think of anyone else."
Yusuke nodded slowly.
Sakura was someone who had often been hated—even by fans in his previous world. She had disappointed many people, yet she gave everything she had to Sasuke alone.
Yusuke nodded once more.
"Alright. I'll take you all back to Konoha now," Yusuke said.
After that, he transported them directly to his house.
"I'm home," Kakashi said as they arrived.
But suddenly, Kakashi froze in place, his body going stiff.
"Y-You… who are you?"
"It's been a long time, Kakashi."
"Rin…? Is that you, Rin?" Kakashi stared at the woman before him, memories flashing through his eyes as the image of the girl from his past slowly overlapped with the person standing there.
"Yes, it's me, Kakashi," Rin said with the same gentle smile she had back then.
Kakashi's eyes trembled.
A true man might not cry easily, but when faced with the deepest wound in his heart, even he couldn't hold it back.
The woman before him was an irreplaceable comrade—and the final request of his closest friend, one he had failed to protect.
Smack!
Just as Kakashi was about to drown in those emotions, Yusuke slapped the back of his head hard. The atmosphere shattered instantly, startling Kakashi.
"What are you spacing out for? If you just stand there like that, how are we supposed to get inside?" Yusuke said impatiently.
"Nii-san, I was just too shocked seeing Rin," Kakashi replied irritably.
"Then at least let us go in before you get shocked to death," Yusuke said with a helpless look.
After that, they went inside.
Everyone was visibly surprised when they saw Konan.
"Sister Konan? You're here too?" Naruto asked cheerfully. With his simple nature, he didn't find it strange at all.
"Yes, Naruto," Konan replied with a nod.
"Well," Yusuke said, "from now on, Konan will be living with us."
"Oh, I see! Sister-in-law Konan, welcome to the Hatake family!" Kakashi said with a mischievous grin toward her.
Hearing that, Konan's face instantly turned red. Kurenai remained calm, but Tsunade shot Yusuke an angry glare.
Yusuke looked at Kakashi with a dangerous gaze, thinking to himself, This kid really needs a lesson. He's getting bolder by the day.
"Nii-san, Sister-in-law, I still have something to take care of. I'll head out now. Rin, come on—I'll take you to meet our old classmates," Kakashi said hurriedly.
"Leaving?" A dangerous smile appeared on Yusuke's face.
In the blink of an eye, Yusuke was beside Kakashi. He grabbed Kakashi's shoulder, and the two of them vanished from everyone's sight.
Not long after, Yusuke returned with Kakashi.
Kakashi's silver hair was now decorated with scorch marks from ice and magma, while his clothes were riddled with traces of lightning.
"Kakashi, are you okay?" Rin asked, looking shocked.
"I'm fine. I'm not dead," Kakashi replied flatly.
He had been genuinely terrified just now. Disasters like natural calamities had struck him one after another. If Yusuke had truly intended to hurt him, he didn't know how many times he would have died already. Despite how terrifying it looked, the injuries were actually just minor scratches—and Yusuke had already healed them. They only looked serious.
"Hahaha," Rin covered her mouth as she laughed softly.
"Kakashi, you've changed," Rin said.
"Have I?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes. You've become warmer… more human. Not like before," Rin said gently.
"Is that so?" Kakashi scratched his head and smiled foolishly.
"Alright, Kakashi, hurry up. You'll need to help me later," Yusuke said, now dressed casually as he stood at the kitchen entrance.
"Oh, okay, Nii-san," Kakashi replied and quickly moved.
"Finally, I get to taste Yusuke's cooking again," Rin said with a small smile.
"He… can cook?" Konan asked, looking at Rin.
"Yes. Back when we were in the Ninja Academy, I tried it once. It was really delicious," Rin replied.
"Tsunade-neesan, is Yusuke's cooking really that good?" Konan asked curiously.
"Of course. He's usually the one who cooks," Tsunade said.
Hearing that, Konan began to look forward to Yusuke's cooking.
"By the way, Konan, now that you've come to Konoha, do you still want to be a ninja?" Tsunade asked.
"I think so. If I suddenly changed professions, I probably wouldn't adjust," Konan replied.
"Really? Then how about joining ANBU and helping me?" Tsunade asked, her eyes lighting up. She knew Konan's strength well—she was clearly Kage-level.
"Alright, Tsunade-neesan," Konan replied with a gentle smile.
She was no longer as cold as she once had been. In Akatsuki, there were almost no women. And after Yahiko's death, Nagato had changed.
Aside from when she was with Yusuke, she almost never smiled. But with Tsunade and Kurenai, she felt like she was finally home.
"Tsunade-neesan is really good at recruiting people right in her own house," Kurenai teased.
"You brat, stop talking nonsense. Just look at Konan—honestly, if I'd known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have become Hokage," Tsunade complained.
"Don't worry, Tsunade-neesan. Once everything's over, won't Kakashi be able to become Hokage without any obstacles?" Kurenai said.
"Hmph. That bastard too. If he hadn't interfered, things wouldn't be this troublesome," Tsunade said, glancing toward Yusuke, who was busy in the kitchen.
"He must have his reasons," Konan said.
"Konan, don't defend him. That bastard is just an annoying bastard. No one knows what goes on in his head every day," Tsunade grumbled.
Hearing that, Konan covered her mouth and smiled softly.
Yusuke's personality really was incredibly irritating.
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