Not long ago, Mei Terumī mentioned that most of Konoha's elite Jonin had been dispatched to the Land of Wind.
Something serious had clearly happened in Sunagakure—the Fourth Kazekage was suddenly dead.
And with no clear successor, chaos had already begun to brew.
Without a Kazekage to lead them, the factions within the Village would inevitably clash, each supporting their own candidate.
Under normal circumstances, Baki would have supported Gaara and helped stabilize the situation. But it seemed even Baki's role had become uncertain.
Otherwise, Sunagakure wouldn't have needed Konoha's Jonin for aid.
With most of Konoha's elite forces gone, Sasuke's defection began.
And since Orochimaru was involved, it was only natural that Konoha was thrown into panic.
Still… the timing was far too convenient.
Shigure couldn't shake off that feeling. The Jonin leaving for Sunagakure just as Sasuke defected—there was no way that was a coincidence.
And indeed, it wasn't.
It was all part of Danzo's plan. By sending Konoha's strongest Jonin away, he deliberately weakened the Village's defenses.
In doing so, Danzo tightened his grip over Konoha's internal affairs. Moreover, to solidify his cooperation with Orochimaru in the matter of Sasuke, this was the perfect opportunity to "transfer" the boy.
There would never be a better time to send Sasuke away.
With Konoha's forces stretched thin, even defending the Village was a challenge—pursuing a runaway elite Genin was almost impossible.
As a last resort, the Hokage faction had sent a request for assistance to the Hidden Mist Village.
That, too, was possible only because of Shigure—the alliance between Konoha and the Mist had been built through him.
...
At that moment, in Konoha Village...
The Ninja chosen to lead the mission was none other than Shikamaru Nara.
He stepped out of the Hokage Building, his expression heavy.
Sasuke defected.
Shigure left the Village.
The so-called "Konoha Three Monsters," once praised as prodigies, had crumbled overnight—just like the Three Legendary Sannin before them.
Shigure's departure had been classified as top secret, known only to a handful of Konoha's upper echelon—Homura Mitokado, Utatane Koharu, Danzo, and Gekkō Hayate among them.
Even Kakashi Hatake was unaware.
However, the sharp minds of the Nara clan had already pieced things together. Both Shikaku and Shikamaru suspected the truth—the alliance between Konoha and the Hidden Mist couldn't have formed without a significant exchange.
Among the current Genin, Shikamaru was likely the only one who knew the real reason behind it.
Still, that knowledge brought him no comfort.
Shigure, a genius of Konoha, had been treated like a bargaining chip—all for the sake of political stability.
Shikamaru couldn't accept that.
And now Sasuke had chosen to leave as well.
Unlike Shigure, Sasuke's defection was voluntary.
To Shikamaru, it almost seemed like Sasuke had fled in fear—afraid that he would be the next pawn in someone else's scheme.
He had left the Village by evening, and by the time it was discovered, he already had a significant head start.
His destination: Otogakure, where Orochimaru himself awaited.
If Sasuke managed to reach the border of the Land of Fire, it would be too late—this pursuit would fail.
He had about a half-day lead. From Konoha to the border would take less than two days of travel.
A team had to be assembled immediately.
...
No Jonin could be assigned. The team consisted of Lee, Neji, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru himself.
Kakashi and Might Guy were both away from the Village.
Kakashi, upon hearing the news, had rushed back overnight—but no one knew if he'd make it in time.
Ino was included for her Chakra-sensing ability; once they were close enough, her skills would help them locate Sasuke.
Still, Shikamaru couldn't help but worry.
Even if they did catch up—could this small group really bring Sasuke back?
After all, none of the so-called "Konoha Three Monsters" were easy opponents.
"Shikamaru, this mission is in your hands," said the Jonin briefing him.
As he listened, Shikamaru's thoughts drifted again.
Besides Lee, the rest of the team—Neji, Choji, Ino, and himself—all hailed from Konoha's major clans.
If this mission failed, they wouldn't just be risking their lives; their families would also bear the political and financial consequences of failure.
And that, Shikamaru suspected, was exactly what Danzo wanted.
By orchestrating all of this, Danzo could weaken the great clans' influence, consolidate power, and pave his way to the Hokage's seat.
If Shigure knew about this scheme, he'd probably applaud Danzo's cunning.
One move after another—each calculated and precise.
The only obstacle left was Tsunade.
If Orochimaru succeeded in preventing her return to Konoha, Danzo's rise to Hokage would be inevitable.
And once that happened…
The Fourth Great Ninja War might erupt sooner than anyone expected.
"Don't lose hope," said one of the senior Ninja. "The Village has already requested reinforcements from the Hidden Mist. They should be sending help soon!"
Hidden Mist reinforcements?
At best, they would send a few Chunin squads. Could Kiri really spare Jonin for Konoha's internal crisis?
Shikamaru wasn't optimistic.
After briefing his team and packing minimal supplies, they departed at once.
By now, Sasuke's group should have stopped to rest, following normal physical limits.
That gave Shikamaru's team a slim window to close the distance.
As long as Ino could sense Sasuke's Chakra, they still had a chance.
...
A Thousand Miles from Konoha
A thousand miles away from the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Sasuke sat beside a small bonfire, quietly recovering his stamina.
Around him were four figures — the Sound Four, Orochimaru's personal bodyguards sent to escort him.
Sakon and Ukon, Kidōmaru, Jirōbō, and Tayuya.
Tayuya crossed her arms, her sharp eyes fixed on Sasuke.
"Still got energy to spare, huh? Then why stop now? What, you hoping Konoha's dogs will catch up?"
Sasuke's dark gaze flicked toward her, cold and cutting.
"If they do catch up, how are we supposed to fight them when we're completely drained?"
His voice was calm, but there was steel in it.
"Besides, if I didn't want to leave Konoha, I wouldn't be here. Once a shinobi defects, there's no turning back."
Tayuya clicked her tongue, caught off guard. She hadn't expected him to snap back so easily — and worse, he was right.
This guy really wasn't any fun.
Sasuke rose to his feet, brushing the ash from his cloak.
"Rest time's over. Let's move. Since you all think stopping is a waste of time, we'll keep going — for three straight hours."
He glanced at them over his shoulder, his Sharingan flashing faintly in the firelight.
"I hope your stamina lives up to your mouths."
The Sound Four exchanged looks, their expressions sour. None of them liked the Uchiha's tone — but none dared challenge it either.
The night wind carried away the last embers of the fire as they set off once more, shadows moving swiftly beneath the moonlight.
...
TN:
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