[Shizune suggested sending another team to handle the mission, but Tsunade insisted: this task could only be carried out by Team 7.]
["Naruto and Sakura are desperately trying to reunite with their former comrade.
Naruto more than anyone wants to bring Sasuke back.
That kind of strong will can lead a mission to success."]
[However, Tsunade's decision was met with strong opposition from Konoha's elders—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.]
[Homura questioned Tsunade:
"Can you guarantee Naruto won't be defeated by the Akatsuki?
Can you guarantee that if they get the Nine-Tails from him,
it won't bring disaster to the village?"]
[Tsunade replied firmly:
"Naruto won't be defeated—I believe in him!
And if Konoha ever faces a crisis,
I will, as the Fifth Hokage, fight to the death to protect everything."]
[But in the eyes of the two elders, Tsunade's conviction was nothing more than stubborn arrogance.
Because of the huge disagreement over the issue of jinchūriki,
they brought out Danzo.]
[And thus, after being suppressed underground by the Third Hokage for years,
Root resurfaced.]
Chat Group:
[First Hokage Hashirama Senju @Homura Mitokado @Koharu Utatane:
You two… I'm truly disappointed!
I entrusted Konoha to you because I trusted you!
And this is how you repay that trust?]
[Second Hokage Tobirama Senju @Homura @Koharu:
Looks like my ungrateful student was right after all.
You two have aged, but haven't grown a single bit wiser.]
[Homura:
Everything we did was for the sake of the village.
Naruto is a Nine-Tails jinchūriki, and the Akatsuki is targeting all the Tailed Beasts—
I was just thinking of what's best for Konoha!]
[Koharu:
That's right! We truly acted for the good of the village!]
No one knew why—
or when exactly it started—
But now, whenever someone said "It's for the good of the village"…
It always made people want to laugh.
[Second Hokage Tobirama @Danzo:
What now?
You planning to stir up trouble again?]
[Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi @Homura @Koharu:
I worked so hard to suppress Danzo's power underground…
You two knew that—so why did you still bring him out?]
Root Base
Danzo looked completely speechless.
He had literally done nothing—yet was catching strays from all directions.
Fortunately, this time the main targets were the two elders.
So he chose to remain silent.
[Kushina Uzumaki @Homura @Koharu:
You two old geezers better watch out!
You clearly don't trust my Naruto!
@Naruto, help Mama teach these two a lesson!]
[Naruto Uzumaki:
Mom… but they're high-ranking elders in the Land of Fire…
Wouldn't beating them up be kind of… bad?]
[Kushina Uzumaki:
What, are you not going to listen to your mother?]
[Naruto Uzumaki:
Alright, Mom!
When I get a chance, I'll definitely give those two a good beating.]
Hearing this, Homura and Koharu began trembling.
Forget how strong Naruto was in the future visions—
Even now, he was already Konoha's rising hero.
The hope of the entire village.
If Naruto really came to beat them up,
even as high officials,
they knew—they'd be completely helpless.
The image continued:
[Later, the Akatsuki invaded the Land of Fire again.
The Fire Temple, with a thousand-year legacy, was destroyed by Hidan and Kakuzu.]
[Tsunade, always the type to act decisively, dispatched twenty teams and gave the order:
"Do not let them leave the Land of Fire.
If they cannot be captured alive—kill them on the spot!"]
[However, Tsunade may have acted too aggressively this time.
Though the twenty teams were numerous,
spreading them out for a large-scale search diluted their combat effectiveness
and made mutual support difficult.]
[Asuma's team encountered the enemy and held out for thirty minutes
before the nearest backup finally arrived.]
[In that mission, Asuma Sarutobi was killed.
After this heavy loss, Tsunade never dared to act recklessly again.]
Chat Group:
[Asuma Sarutobi:
So I really do die in the future, huh…
And now I know why.]
[Senju Tsunade @Asuma @Kurenai Yuhi:
I'm sorry.
It was the future me who acted rashly.
I'll be more careful from now on.]
[Kurenai Yuhi:
Lady Tsunade…
Why are you apologizing to me?]
[Asuma Sarutobi @Kurenai Yuhi:
Kurenai…
You forgot?
Our relationship's already been exposed.]
[Hidan @Kakuzu:
Hahaha! We made a hell of a team—
Truly unbeatable, the perfect duo!]
[Kakuzu:
That mission was nothing to us—just a walk in the park.]
[Hidan:
Of course! With you by my side, Kakuzu-senpai,
even if Konoha sent all its ninja, they'd still fail!
Because you, Kakuzu-senpai, even managed to—]
Rain Country – Akatsuki Hideout
Kakuzu slammed his hand over Hidan's mouth.
Phew—that was close.
He'd almost spilled it.
Hidan:
"Kakuzu-senpai, what was that for?"
Kakuzu:
"Didn't you notice?
We've been exposed again in the scrolls!
Didn't I tell you—we have to keep our real strength hidden?!"
Hidan:
"Ah! Right!
I totally forgot.
We've got to keep the intel about you being able to beat the First Hokage under wraps.
That way, when the truth comes out, it'll shock everyone!
I can't wait for that moment—muwahahaha!"
He immediately started daydreaming again, grinning like an idiot.
[First Hokage Hashirama Senju @Hidan:
Excuse me?
You think this highly of yourselves?
You really look down on Konoha, huh?]
[Second Hokage Tobirama Senju @Hidan:
What?
Cat got your tongue?
You think it takes all of Konoha to deal with just you two?]
Rain Country – Akatsuki Base
Seeing Kakuzu's warning look, Hidan quickly straightened up and nodded:
"Understood, Kakuzu-senpai.
We're hiding our strength, right?"
Kakuzu nodded.
Hidan:
"Let them keep bragging for now.
When your true power is revealed,
they're going to be so humiliated!"
And with that, Hidan began cackling again like a moron.
Kakuzu, meanwhile, was growing more and more anxious.
He was in way too deep.
This tall tale he had spun—
just to shut Hidan up—
had now completely backfired.
Not only did Hidan believe it,
he took it to heart.
If the truth ever came out—
The one getting slapped in the face wouldn't be Konoha—
It'd be him, Kakuzu.
"Please let that day come… much later…" he thought desperately.
The image continued:
[When Kakashi led the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho on a revenge mission,
Tsunade assigned reinforcements—Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Sai.
With all eight of them together, they successfully eliminated both Akatsuki members—Hidan and Kakuzu.]
Rain Country – Akatsuki Base
Hidan's laughter came to a screeching halt.
His face twisted in disbelief.
Kakuzu looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole.
He had just been thinking he hoped the day of reckoning wouldn't come too soon—
And now…
It had already arrived!
He glanced at Hidan—
only to see Hidan staring right back at him.
His face was already starting to hurt.
"How… how am I supposed to explain this to him?!"
And things only got worse.
Because in the chat group,
everyone from Konoha jumped in to mock and ridicule them.
Before, Kakuzu could always use the "we're hiding our strength" excuse
to keep Hidan from revealing his lie—
But now, with the truth in plain sight—
There was no way Hidan would believe him anymore.
And worse—
If Hidan actually outed his lie in the chat group—
His reputation would be utterly destroyed.
Not only that—
Hashirama and the others from Konoha would probably grind him into dust.
Chat Group:
[First Hokage Hashirama Senju:
Didn't you say that even if all of Konoha went after you,
we still wouldn't be able to take you down?
So how come you both ended up dead?]
[Second Hokage Tobirama Senju:
Seems like all the Akatsuki are good at is talking big.
Didn't that Nagato guy also claim
he'd carry all of us up to the second floor with a bag of rice?]
[Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi @Asuma Sarutobi:
When that day in the future finally comes,
you must protect yourself at all costs!]
[Asuma Sarutobi:
For Kurenai's sake, I'll make sure to stay alive.]
[Kurenai Yuhi:
Stop it~ You're making me blush!]
[Second Hokage Tobirama @Hidan:
What, you only died in the vision so now you're just gonna stay quiet?
Playing dead already?
You trying to copy my ungrateful student?
@Danzo]
Danzo twitched.
"Why me again?! I didn't even do anything this time!"
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