Chapter 308: The Honored Guest of the Kumogakure Village
After learning this news, Sasuke didn't react like Naruto would have and immediately thought about rushing to the Kumogakure Village to rescue him.
Although Orochimaru's explanation sounded logical, and many of the things Naruto had said earlier when he came to find him seemed unreasonable…
Because of the bond between Sasuke and Naruto, Sasuke would always trust Naruto more no matter what.
Sasuke was certain of one thing. Naruto might be deceived by others, but Naruto would never lie to him.
So after calmly analyzing everything Naruto had said when he came looking for him, and adding in Naruto's sudden disappearance, Sasuke decided to return to Konoha first.
The Amegakure Village was still another village in the end, and Orochimaru was still a rogue ninja.
If he returned to Konoha, he could at least obtain some real intelligence.
After returning to the village, the first place Sasuke went was the Hokage building.
During his time studying abroad, Sasuke had also learned some basic information about the shinobi world.
Among them was the fact that tailed beasts and their jinchūriki were strategic weapons for each village and extremely important.
Since that was the case, if Naruto had disappeared, the higher-ups of Konoha couldn't possibly be unconcerned.
As long as he reported the news to them, if Naruto had really gone missing, the leadership would naturally mobilize all efforts to find him.
"Hm? Kakashi?"
When Sasuke pushed open the Hokage office door, he discovered that sitting inside was a masked man with a lecherous grin, holding the 'Icha Icha' book.
"Oh? Sasuke. Why did you come back?"
The moment someone opened the door, Kakashi quickly hid the book.
If Sasuke didn't have the three-tomoe Sharingan, he might not have noticed at all.
Don't ask why Sasuke activated his three-tomoe Sharingan just to come ask a question. You should be glad Sasuke hadn't awakened the Mangekyō yet. Otherwise, the Hokage office door would probably have been burned away by Amaterasu instead of simply pushed open.
"Sasuke, you need to show some respect. You should call me Kakashi-sensei. You haven't forgotten you're a member of Team Seven just because Orochimaru taught you for a few days, have you? Naruto and Sakura are still waiting for you to come back."
Kakashi spoke earnestly as he lectured Sasuke.
"Where's Naruto?"
"Where's the Naruto who's supposed to be waiting for me to come back?"
"Kakashi, say something."
Sasuke stepped forward and slammed both hands onto the desk.
Kakashi was stunned by Sasuke's aggressive posture.
He hadn't expected Sasuke to show such an emotional reaction that practically screamed "I am already about to cry."
But very quickly, Kakashi relaxed with a pleased feeling.
The fact that Sasuke cared this much about Naruto's safety showed that their relationship was strong.
Wasn't the reason Kakashi was willing to lead Team Seven because he saw echoes of Minato's old team in them?
"Naruto went to Mount Myoboku to train in sage arts."
Kakashi answered.
"Mount Myoboku…"
Hearing the name, Sasuke remembered when Naruto had suddenly appeared before him earlier, entering Sage Mode through that strange method and displaying strength that completely overwhelmed him.
"So you didn't know. Naruto has already left Mount Myoboku."
Sasuke slowly recounted the whole story. Naruto had come to the Otogakure Village in the Land of Rice Fields to find him. They fought. Someone ambushed them midway. Afterward, Orochimaru told him Naruto had been captured by people from the Kumogakure Village.
"The Kumogakure Village… repeat offenders."
After listening, Kakashi sighed with a serious expression.
"Repeat offenders? So Orochimaru didn't lie to me?"
Sasuke asked in confusion.
"Wait a moment."
Kakashi called over an ANBU ninja wearing a mask and quietly gave a few instructions.
Not long after, the ANBU returned with several document folders.
Kakashi opened the folders, took out the contents, and placed them in front of Sasuke.
"Look. These are classified records kept by the ANBU."
"The Kumogakure Village once attempted to seize the previous Nine-Tails jinchūriki."
"The Kumogakure Village later came to Konoha again under the pretense of negotiations and attempted to steal the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan's main family."
"Recently, during their war with the Iwagakure Village, when they passed by Takigakure, they sent people to capture the Seven-Tails jinchūriki, but they were intercepted in the end."
"Besides that, Sasuke, you can also ask around outside. The Kumogakure Village has always acted domineeringly. This is indeed their usual style."
One case after another was shocking to read.
Now Sasuke fully believed that the Kumogakure Village had abducted Naruto.
"But… why would they want Naruto to…"
Sasuke believed they had taken Naruto, but he still didn't understand why they wanted to…
"Sasuke, although the Kumogakure Village acts domineeringly and the Raikage specializes in taijutsu, they are definitely not people who rely only on brute strength without thinking. On the contrary, they pay great attention to sustainable development."
"Naruto's importance isn't just that he is a jinchūriki. It's also that he carries the bloodline of the Uzumaki clan, which is naturally suited for becoming a jinchūriki, along with their sealing techniques."
"Sasuke, don't panic. Naruto is a member of Team Seven and also an extremely important jinchūriki of Konoha. The village will negotiate with the Kumogakure Village. Calm down first."
After Kakashi's persuasion, Sasuke gradually calmed down and returned to his empty house.
He didn't go to find the remaining member of Team Seven, Sakura. He felt he had no face to see her.
Naruto had run out to find him, yet now he had returned while Naruto was gone.
If he couldn't bring Naruto back, what right did he have to return to Team Seven?
Three days later.
Sasuke appeared in the Hokage office again.
"I sent people to the Kumogakure Village to strongly condemn them for seizing Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchūriki and demanded that they return Naruto immediately. The reply came back… and they refused."
"However, Sasuke, you don't need to worry. The ANBU ninja I sent to negotiate secretly made contact with Naruto. Naruto hasn't been mistreated. He's being treated like an honored guest in the Kumogakure Village, with good food and good care."
"It's said that the Kumogakure Village first conducted a full medical examination on Naruto. They discovered that not only was he malnourished, but he also recently had a large deficiency of… that… which caused some mild kidney weakness."
"In order to ensure the proper continuation of the Uzumaki clan bloodline, they are currently doing everything they can to restore Naruto's vitality and prepare him for reproduction."
After hearing Kakashi's description, Sasuke fell silent.
Naruto was living even better in the Kumogakure Village than he had in Konoha.
According to the flashbacks during their battle at the Valley of the End, Sasuke was one of the few people who had been watching Naruto since childhood and openly admitted that seeing Naruto's loneliness made his heart ache.
Compared to Jiraiya or Kakashi, who had connections to Namikaze Minato, Sasuke actually understood better how Naruto's childhood had truly been.
Now that Naruto was living so well in the Kumogakure Village, should he really bring Naruto back to Konoha?
"Sasuke, don't worry. I'll send people to negotiate again."
Kakashi said to the somewhat distracted Sasuke.
"Kakashi, give me a mission."
"Huh?"
"Just give me any mission."
Sasuke extended his hand.
"Oh."
Kakashi understood. Sasuke wanted to take on a mission to relax a bit and shift his focus.
So he casually pulled out a simple bandit suppression mission and handed it to Sasuke.
"A low-level mission. With your current strength, Sasuke, handling it alone should be enough, right?"
"Yeah."
Sasuke didn't say anything more and turned to leave the Hokage office.
(End of this chapter)