[Uchiha Obito @All of Hidden Sand Village:
You lot think you can stop the Akatsuki? What a joke.]
[Uzumaki Nagato @Uchiha Obito:
Sorry, but you don't speak for the Akatsuki.]
[Uchiha Obito @Uzumaki Nagato:
Oh? So that's your answer to me?]
[Uchiha Madara @Uchiha Obito:
You really screwed this up.
But don't worry. Once I'm resurrected, I'll deal with Nagato myself—he's my pawn, after all.]
Konoha – Chūnin Exam Grounds
Uzumaki Naruto walked up to Gaara.
Naruto:
"Gaara, don't worry.
In the future, I will stop the Akatsuki.
I won't let them take you!"
Gaara nodded:
"Thanks, Naruto.
But I'm already strong now.
I'll protect myself—for the sake of Hidden Sand Village."
Hearing that, Naruto broke into a wide grin.
Nearby, Kankuro, Temari, and the other Sand shinobi all lowered their heads in shame.
They had mistreated Gaara again and again,
yet Gaara still treated them like it was their first love.
At that moment, everyone silently made a new resolution in their hearts—
From now on, they would do everything they could to make it up to Gaara.
And when the Akatsuki made their move on Hidden Sand Village three years later—
Even if it cost them their lives,
they would never let Gaara be taken.
The image on the scroll continued:
[Sending Naruto into action was a huge risk. After all, he was one of the Akatsuki's prime targets.
But to Tsunade, Naruto wasn't just a jinchūriki weapon bound to the village—
He was the one who inherited the dreams of both the Shinju Tree and Dan.
He was the boy who won the gamble she made on the future.]
[Naruto had once said:
"Until I become Hokage, I won't die.
Keeping my word—that's my ninja way."]
[Tsunade bet it all on Naruto's strength. But she wasn't reckless.
She also deployed Guy's Team, who had just completed a mission, as reinforcements.]
[With Konoha's two strongest squads dispatched, the mission to assist Hidden Sand Village was carried out flawlessly.
Not only did they successfully rescue the Kazekage,
but they also defeated one of the Akatsuki's core members—Sasori of the Red Sand.]
The chat group exploded.
Even this brief section of the scroll had revealed a massive amount of information.
Chat Group:
[Senju Tsunade @All Akatsuki Members:
So the ones you sent at that time were Sasori and Deidara, huh?]
[Uchiha Sasuke @Senju Tsunade:
Please let me join the mission when the time comes.
I'll take care of Deidara myself.]
[Uzumaki Kushina @Senju Tsunade:
Tsunade, your evaluation of my son is spot on!
I really admire you!]
[Minato Namikaze @Senju Tsunade:
Lady Tsunade,
I'm entrusting Naruto to your care.]
[Might Guy @Team Guy:
Did you all hear that?
Our squad and Team 7 are considered Konoha's two strongest teams!]
[Rock Lee:
Whoa! We're ranked alongside Team 7?
Then we need to push our youth even further and become the strongest team!]
[Might Guy:
Let's go, go, go!]
[Rock Lee:
Train, train, train!]
Tenten and Hyuga Neji, members of the same team, felt immense pride.
But neither of them said anything in the chat.
Because—
They were too embarrassed!
[Might Guy @Kakashi Hatake:
Looks like we really are lifelong rivals.
Even the teams we've led have become Konoha's strongest.
But don't think I'll accept defeat just yet!
I swear I'll lead my squad to surpass yours—this will be our new competition!]
[Kakashi Hatake:
Oh really?
Bring it on.
But I doubt you'll ever win.
After all, I became the Sixth Hokage, and in my squad, Sasuke becomes the Seventh, and Naruto will likely become the Eighth Hokage.
That's the ultimate lineup—how do you plan to beat that?]
[Might Guy:
Youth means never giving up!
Youth means striving till the end!
We won't lose! Team Guy will never lose!]
[Rock Lee:
You're right, sensei!
But… when will you teach me to turn into light?]
[Might Guy:
Lee! You must be patient!
You still need to train harder.
Your current body simply can't handle the transformation into light yet!]
[Rock Lee:
Got it!
I'll train even harder so I can reach that level as soon as possible!]
Meanwhile, Tenten and Neji, watching from the same team,
had black lines forming above their heads.
Honestly—
Being on the same squad as Rock Lee was… reassuring.
But sometimes—
It was just plain embarrassing.
Lee actually believed he could turn into light.
Like—seriously?
Back in Hidden Sand Village, Chiyo-baasan was still in shock.
Because—
In the image just shown…
It really wasDeidara and Sasori who had been sent to capture the One-Tail.
And the Akatsuki member who ended up dead—
Was Sasori of the Red Sand.
And—
The one who defeated him—
Was none other than herself, Chiyo!
Chat Group:
[Chiyo-baasan @Sasori of the Red Sand:
You could have dodged that final attack of mine—
Why didn't you?!]
[Sasori of the Red Sand:
Who knows.]
[Hidan @Sasori:
Never expected you to be the one who dies during the One-Tail retrieval mission.]
[Kakuzu:
Well, now that our plan is exposed,
we shouldn't send just Sasori and Deidara next time.
Let's just go all in—everyone together.]
[Kisame Hoshigaki:
Idiot!
Even if we could do that,
don't say it out loud in the group chat!
Now both Hidden Sand Village and Konoha will prepare a countermeasure!]
[Kakuzu:
My bad… I wasn't thinking…]
[Uzumaki Naruto @Senju Tsunade:
Granny Tsunade, thank you!]
[Senju Tsunade:
Naruto, don't let me down.
I've pinned all my hopes on you.]
[First Hokage, Hashirama Senju @Senju Tsunade:
Tsunade, my granddaughter—
You've got a good eye.
I agree—Naruto is the hope of Konoha's future.]
[Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju:
Hey, don't forget me, nii-san!]
Rain Country – Akatsuki Hideout
Sasori sat silently, having typed only:
"Who knows."
He couldn't believe it.
That he would die like that.
Deidara walked up to him:
"Sasori,
Even though our views on art are different…
I have to apologize on behalf of my future self.
I couldn't protect you."
At the head of the table, Nagato sat deep in thought.
Given what he now knew—
If he truly intended to continue the One-Tail capture operation,
He would have to choose:
Either follow Kakuzu's advice and send the entire Akatsuki to ensure total success—
Or simply don't send Sasori at all.
Meanwhile in Hidden Sand Village, Chiyo fell silent as well.
She missed Sasori every moment of every day.
She had longed to see him again.
But when they finally met—
It was their last goodbye.
Because she had been the one—
To end his life.
Thinking of this, Chiyo felt she had to change that future.
So she tagged Sasori in the chat.
[Chiyo-baasan @Sasori of the Red Sand:
Come home, my child.
From how you acted at the end…
You still care about Hidden Sand Village, don't you?]
But sadly—
There was no reply.
And the image continued:
[During the mission to assist Hidden Sand Village,
an unexpected bonus was also obtained—intel on Orochimaru.
However, Kakashi was left severely drained and ended up hospitalized again.
To make matters worse, the intel had only six days of validity left.]
[Uchiha Obito:
Is this all about me again?
What now—gonna blame my eye again?]
[Kakashi Hatake @Uchiha Obito:
Obito—
I never blamed you.
Please… come back.
Let's fulfill the promise we made together… okay?]
[Uchiha Obito:
Impossible.
Maybe—maybe if you hadn't just stood by and let Rin die…
But from the moment you let that happen—
No one can stop me anymore.]
Obito's descent into darkness—
Had all started when Uchiha Madara deliberately manipulated him into witnessing that scene.
To this day, Obito still couldn't understand—
In the vision about Kakashi—
How could he, Obito, end up making the choices he did?
It made no sense to him.
And with that—
The image continued.
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