vncnus Chapter 474 Naruto's Pursuit Operation! [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Chapter 474 Naruto's Pursuit Operation! [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Chapter 474 Naruto's Pursuit Operation! [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village), Hokage Building.
Night had fallen, and thick clouds obscured the stars and moon, plunging the entire village into a somber darkness.
The Hokage Building, which is usually quiet, is brightly lit at this moment.
At the building entrance, several ninjas wearing ANBU masks stood like stone statues, the atmosphere even more somber than the night itself.
Hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Jiraiya strode ahead, his long white hair billowing behind him, the hem of his red coat rustling with each step.
His face showed none of his usual frivolity and nonchalance; his brows were furrowed and his lips were pressed into a line.
Kakashi followed silently behind Jiraiya, not missing a step.
He maintained his lazy posture with his hands in his pockets, but his right eye, which was exposed, was half-open and half-closed. His eyeball moved slightly, scanning the ANBU ninjas standing guard on both sides of the corridor, and he keenly noticed a change.
The edges of these masks in the dark areas all have unique root-like patterns.
Danzo's men have completely taken over the Hokage Building.
Two Root ninjas pushed open the conference room door.
The atmosphere inside the meeting room was so somber it seemed to freeze.
The long conference table was already full of people.
The girl in the first room on the left, Xiaochun, was leaning on a cane with both hands, her wrinkled face full of seriousness.
Mitokado Yan, who was standing next to her, pushed up his square-framed glasses, revealing a solemn expression behind the lenses.
Nara Shikaku, sitting in the first position on the right, had his arms crossed in front of his chest, his expression solemn, and his index finger tapping his arm steadily and rhythmically.
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza sat beside him, their formation as coordinated as on the battlefield.
A man wearing small round-framed sunglasses sat at the conference table, which faced the entrance.
He wore a black hooded robe, his face was cold and stern, and his expression behind his sunglasses was unreadable. He was none other than Aburame Ryoma, the elite of the Aburame clan and the newly appointed captain of the Dark Division.
As soon as Jiraiya entered, Jiraiya immediately pinned his face to Ryoma Aburame.
With Danzo absent, Ryuma Aburame, his confidant, convened this emergency meeting in the capacity of acting Hokage.
Koharu's gaze swept across Jiraiya and Kakashi's faces, lingering on Kakashi for a moment.
She cleared her throat and spoke first, setting the tone for this emergency meeting: "I presume you two already have a basic understanding of the situation."
She paused, looked at Jiraiya, and then continued, "Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, left the village without permission tonight, which is a serious violation of the ninja code."
"This is the first time Konoha has encountered a Jinchuriki defection since it acquired the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
"The nature of this is extremely heinous."
As she finished speaking, she struck the ground heavily with her cane, making a dull thud.
"Wait." Jiraiya raised a hand, fingers spread, his voice suddenly rising: "Hey! Old woman! What are you talking about? What do you mean by defection?"
He glared at Koharu Utatane, his eyes wide beneath her white hair, a flicker of anger burning within them: "Naruto did tell me today that he wanted to go find Menma and get some answers! That kid's always been so single-minded, doing whatever comes to mind, he doesn't understand anything about defection or anything like that!"
"Besides!"
Jiraiya stood up straight, crossed his arms, and said decisively, "He is my disciple, the Toad Sage Jiraiya!"
I will bring him back myself!
The room was completely silent.
The Jonin exchanged glances.
Everyone present knew about Jiraiya's relationship with the Third and Fourth Hokage.
Now that the Third Hokage has passed away, Naruto's guardian has naturally become Jiraiya.
His protection of Naruto was exactly what everyone expected.
only----
Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and spoke slowly, his voice calm to the point of being almost icy: "So, Jiraiya, you knew beforehand that the Jinchuriki had the idea of leaving the village?"
That's an extremely tricky question.
This is tantamount to questioning Jiraiya: if you knew about it but didn't report it, doesn't that also constitute condoning it?
"What do you mean?" Jiraiya strode toward the two advisor elders, his aura suddenly escalating.
"I'll say it again, this isn't defection! That kid just acted on impulse! Besides, we don't need you to send any secret agents!"
"I'll go myself! I'll personally drag that brat back and teach him a lesson!"
"and----"
He stopped in front of Mitokado Homura, looking down at the advisor elder with a lower voice that only added to the oppressive atmosphere: "Why does he want to leave? Don't you all know?"
Jiraiya's gaze swept over Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, then glanced at Ryoma Aburame, who sat in the main seat. His words were barbed: "Ever since someone took over, the rumors about Naruto in the village have become increasingly outrageous! Something about the trouble caused by the demon fox, something about the murderer who killed the Third Hokage—"
"Where did these rumors come from? Who spread them?"
He slammed his hands on the table with a loud bang, making the water in his teacup slosh around: "Instead of investigating these matters, you're here accusing my disciple of 'defection'?"
"Lord Jiraiya." A deep voice rang out.
Nara Shikaku, who had remained silent, looked up with a serious expression: "Please calm down."
Shikaku's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a weight that compelled listeners: "First of all, I agree with you; Naruto isn't necessarily a defector. But now there's a more complicated situation—"
He paused briefly, scanned the reactions of everyone present, and then slowly said, "Naruto wasn't the only one who left the village without permission."
"What?" Jiraiya was taken aback. He looked at Shikaku, his face filled with confusion.
Kakashi also tilted his head slightly.
Shikaku did not answer immediately, but looked at Aburame Ryoma, the new captain of the Anbu of Daizoku, and finally spoke.
"Anbu ninja, number 012606, Uchiha Sasuke, also disappeared at the same time." His voice was hoarse as he observed everyone's reactions through his sunglasses.
The air inside seemed even more stagnant.
Ryoma Aburame slowly stood up, walked around the conference table, and went to the Konoha map hanging on the wall. He pointed to an area outside the village: "In addition, the Anbu search team found three Root ninjas who were responsible for monitoring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in the reeds by the stream southwest of the Third Training Ground."
He pointed his finger at the map, then turned around, his sunglasses aimed at Jiraiya: "All three are dead."
"The fatal wound was pierced through by the ninja sword; it was a fatal blow."
"The traces left at the scene indicate that the murderer used a high-intensity illusion to interfere with the three people in a very short period of time, causing them to attack each other and finally be finished off with a clean and efficient method."
Ryoma Aburame's voice was completely flat, as if the dead were just a few insects.
Kakashi turned his head to look at Jiraiya.
He understands now.
Just now on the street, Jiraiya stopped me and asked if I had been to the Third Training Ground. So that's why.
The three corpses were all Root ninjas monitoring Naruto.
The killer is skilled in illusion magic and can kill with a single blow.
There are very few genjutsu ninjas in Konoha who can kill three elite Root ninjas instantly without them having any chance to escape.
Kakashi, who possesses the Sharingan, is the most direct suspect.
After Kakashi was ruled out as a suspect, there was only one answer.
Uchiha Sasuke.
Jiraiya's expression stiffened slightly.
His suspicions were confirmed, which only made him more agitated.
After ruling out Kakashi, Sasuke was the first person he thought of. However, he didn't expect Sasuke to act so quickly, and—he actually took Naruto with him!
In the short time he left the training ground to find Kakashi, things had developed to an irreversible point!
"Now." Koharu's voice drew everyone's attention back.
"What we need to discuss is how to retrieve the Jinchūriki."
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is related to the safety of the village. We must immediately send out elite ninjas to forcibly bring Naruto Uzumaki back."
""
"Wait, I'll go!" Jiraiya turned around without hesitation, his voice booming, "I'll personally go and bring that brat Naruto back! No need to alert the Anbu—"
'
"You can't do it," Xiaochun interrupted him as he moved to another room.
"Why?" Jiraiya's eyes widened.
Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance.
Mitokado Homura cleared his throat and said unhurriedly, "The Anbu is already assembling its pursuit force. However, due to recent organizational restructuring and personnel changes, the troop assembly will take some time. The most elite troops will be dispatched at that time."
"The most elite?" Kakashi, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke up.
His voice remained languid, but every word resonated with everyone present: "If Naruto goes berserk, are the Anbu ninjas confident they can bring him back?"
Upon hearing this, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Ryoma Aburame all fell silent.
Naruto is different from other Jinchūriki.
He is the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
In the entire Hidden Leaf Village, the number of ninjas who could subdue Naruto and bring him back safely while the Nine-Tails was rampaging could be counted on one hand.
The best candidate is, of course, Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin.
He is incredibly powerful, is Naruto's teacher, knows Naruto inside and out, and possesses the inheritance of Sage Mode and Sealing Techniques from Mount Myōboku.
In terms of ability, experience, and even personal feelings, he is the most suitable candidate.
but----
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado's gazes lingered on Jiraiya for a moment.
Jiraiya's reaction just now was too intense.
When he said that Naruto "just wanted to find Menma to get some answers," the protective tone in his voice made them uneasy.
If Jiraiya had chased after Naruto and, upon finding him, not only hadn't forcibly brought him back, but had instead condoned or even helped him travel to the Land of Stars, the consequences would have been...
Another person who can restrain the Nine-Tails is Yamato, who possesses the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai.
His Wood Release is naturally effective against Tailed Beasts. As long as the Nine-Tails doesn't go completely berserk, Yamato can keep the situation under control.
The problem is that Yamato was relieved of his post as captain of the ANBU just a few days ago and is now idle at home.
Now that he's been recalled to carry out such an important mission, it's not only a loss of face for the two advisors and elders, but also a blow to the prestige of the acting Hokage.
A heavy silence fell over the meeting room.
Just as things reached a stalemate, Nara Shikaku gently raised his hand and intervened: "I have a compromise."
All eyes immediately turned to him.
Shikaku suggested, "Since it was Uchiha Sasuke who took Naruto away—let the tenth and eighth teams from the same class go after them first."
"Class 10, Class 8?" Xiaochun, who was turning over a new room, frowned slightly.
"Yes." Shikaku nodded, his tone certain: "Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Sakura Haruno. They are all Naruto and Sasuke's classmates and are the closest to each other."
He paused, then turned his gaze to Kakashi and Jiraiya: "If we can persuade them to come back willingly through friendship and bonds, that would be the best outcome. If not, they have a long-standing friendship from their school days and won't easily kill each other."
Mitokado pushed up his glasses, seemingly beginning to consider the feasibility of the plan.
Shikaku continued, "The two teams of six genin, while not strong enough to forcibly suppress the rampaging jinchūriki, can at least serve a restraining role. They can slow down Naruto and Sasuke's advance, buying enough time and space for the elite ANBU forces to pursue them."
His logic was clear: "This way, we can minimize casualties from direct armed conflict and also give the village an explanation."
"I agree," Yamanaka Inoichi, who had been silent until now, was the first to speak up.
"I agree," Akimichi Choza added, his voice rough but his tone firm.
He was certainly worried about his son's safety, but he never doubted Nara Shikaku's judgment.
Ryoma Aburame peered at Shikaku through his sunglasses and said in a hoarse voice, "What if neither team manages to bring them back?"
"That's perfect." Lu Jiu met his gaze, his tone unhurried.
"This means the situation is more serious than we anticipated. But by then, they've at least slowed down Sasuke and Naruto, allowing the Anbu pursuit force to easily complete the encirclement. The two plans aren't contradictory; it's just a matter of team coordination."
He paused, then turned his gaze to Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado: "Furthermore, sending our classmates first will avoid using the Anbu from the start. Firstly, it gives those two kids a chance to turn back, and secondly—it won't make outsiders think that Konoha is in such a state of chaos that the Anbu need to be deployed to capture two kids."
These words struck a chord with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
The issue of saving face.
The acting Hokage has just taken office. Whether it's dispatching the Anbu to pursue two twelve-year-old genin or the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's defection, if this gets back to the other ninja villages, it will undoubtedly become a laughing stock.
But if it's just a group of friends from the same period who "persuade" him to come back, that's a completely different story.
Jiraiya remained silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically: "I have no objection to Shikaku's plan."
Aburame Ryoma remained silent for a few seconds.
He had already obtained authorization to act as the acting Hokage Danzo, and could forcefully make the decision to have the Anbu pursue him.
However, the two advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, have clearly been persuaded by Shikaku, and Jiraiya and Kakashi have already expressed their opinions.
There's no need for Ryoma Aburame to go against everyone over this.
Furthermore, Lord Danzo is still on his way to the Land of Iron, and the ninja sent to make contact will need time to relay Lord Danzo's orders.
So Ryoma Aburame pushed up his sunglasses and finally spoke: "Then, let's do it this way."
Koharu Utatane took a deep breath, stood up, and, leaning on her cane, announced: "In the name of the Acting Hokage, I order Teams 10 and 8 to depart immediately on a Rank B pursuit mission. The objective is to bring Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha back to the village. No mistakes allowed!"
One hour later.
The main gate of Konoha at night.
Two lanterns swayed gently in the night breeze, casting overlapping shadows on the stone path with their dim yellow light.
"What a nuisance. Why did I have to be called out in the middle of the night?" Nara Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets, looked up at the dark night sky, and yawned deeply.
He had faint dark circles under his eyes, and his whole being exuded a strong sense of resentment.
"Shikamaru—I'm so sleepy—" Choji Akimichi rubbed his sleepy eyes, pulled out a bag of potato chips from his pocket, tore it open, and weakly stuffed a handful into his mouth, as if trying to boost his spirits with food.
Ino Yamanaka stood next to Choji, fiddling with her pale blonde ponytail. Her emerald green eyes swept across the dimly lit street, her brow furrowed slightly. "What kind of mission is this that requires us to set off in the middle of the night? Can't we do it tomorrow?"
She had barely finished speaking when footsteps came from the other end of the street.
Kiba Inuzuka was the first to emerge from the shadows. He was wearing a gray coat, a hood, and had red paint applied to his face in an inverted triangle shape.
Akamaru poked his fluffy little head out from his hood and barked warily.
Shino Aburame followed closely behind, his high-necked coat obscuring most of his face.
Sakura Haruno was the last to arrive, her medium-length pink hair slightly disheveled from running so fast.
She was panting as she jogged along, checking the kunai and rations in her ninja tool bag with her right hand, while carrying a large backpack that didn't quite fit her size in her left.
"Damn it, damn it, how did this happen so suddenly—" Sakura had just finished muttering when she ran up to the front and suddenly realized something was wrong.
She raised her head, her gaze passing over Kiba and Shino, landing on Shikamaru and the other two, before quickly scanning around to the left and right.
There was no Jonin leading the team.
There were only six of them, genin.
"Wait a minute." Sakura put down her backpack, her emerald green eyes filled with confusion.
"Where's Asuma-sensei? Where's Kurenai-sensei? Where's our team leader, Jonin? What mission is it that summoned us so late?"
Kiba frowned, and Akamaru barked twice above his head. He turned to Shikamaru and asked, "Shikamaru, what's going on? I just heard something that sounded like a B-rank mission?"
Rank B missions are generally not missions that genin (lower-rank ninja) should accept!
This means that there may be Chunin-level ninjas among the enemies, or even Jonin!
Shikamaru yawned again.
He rubbed his temples with his fingers, seemingly trying to shake off his drowsiness, before slowly speaking in a lazy voice: "Rank B—I suppose so. The mission objective is to retrieve two people."
"Chase them back?" Ino blinked. "Who was it? Running out of the village in the middle of the night?"
Shikamaru's gaze swept across the faces of the five people in front of him.
He took a deep breath, shrugged slightly, and then uttered the name that instantly brought everyone to their senses.
"Naruto Uzumaki"
"He was taken away from the village by Uchiha Sasuke."
A brief silence fell over the entire entrance.
The wind suddenly stopped, and even the candlelight inside the lantern stopped flickering.
Sakura's pupils suddenly contracted, and a look of astonishment and disbelief flashed in her emerald eyes.
She almost instinctively gripped the backpack strap, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force: "Sasuke-kun—did you leave the village with Naruto?"
Her voice trembled slightly in the night wind.
Shikamaru glanced at her and said only, "You're going to see Menma, aren't you?" Shino Aburame, wearing small sunglasses, broke the second round of silence.
He slightly raised his head, and the half of his face exposed beneath his high collar showed little expression.
He paused, then said with even greater certainty, "Moreover, Sasuke's clan—is also in the Land of Stars."
Of the six people present, besides Shikamaru, Shino is probably the smartest.
Akamaru, perched atop the fang, barked twice in protest, clenching his fists indignantly. "What are those two doing?! And what's with Menma?! My friend of so many years—"
His voice grew softer and softer until it finally turned into a muffled groan of frustration.
Ya couldn't continue.
Although he always bickers with Naruto, they grew up together.
They are classmates.
They are partners.
"Then our mission—" Choji stopped chewing, his hand holding the bag of potato chips hanging in mid-air, unusually not continuing to stuff more into his mouth.
"Should we bring them back?"
"Yes." Shikamaru nodded, his voice calm but with a rare hint of seriousness: "If we can't bring them back, the village will officially declare them deserters."
He paused, then extended his right index finger and pointed it into the night sky: "Then, the Dark Guard's pursuit force will be mobilized."
The word "hunt down" was like a bucket of ice water poured over the heads of the six people.
Sakura's face paled instantly.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn't utter a single word.
"Hey! You guys!"
Amidst this oppressive atmosphere, a passionate voice rang out from the direction of the village, breaking the silence of the night.
Everyone turned around in unison.
Lee Rock, carrying a large backpack, was sprinting towards them with a bright smile on his face, revealing a set of white teeth.
Sweat streamed down his watermelon-shaped head, glistening in the lantern light.
"Xiao Li?" Xiao Ying was taken aback.
Behind Xiao Li, Tenten and Kurama Yakumo also jogged over.
Every day, she wore that pink sleeveless cheongsam-style top and carried a ninja tool scroll that was bigger than herself. Kurama Yakumo was still wearing that plain white kimono, with her long black hair flowing behind her, and her breathing was a little disordered from running.
"Sorry! We're late!" Xiao Li ran up to her, pushed off the ground with his left foot, and came to a steady stop. He then turned to Xiao Ying, clenched his right fist, and pointed his thumb sharply upwards.
"Sakura! So you're on this mission too!" He blinked, his teeth gleaming white in the lantern light. "Don't worry! I'll protect you!"
Sakura felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.
She shuddered and instinctively moved closer to Ino.
"So, what's the situation with this mission?" Tenten calmed her breathing and looked at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru's gaze swept over Lee, Tenten, and Yakumo, and he explained in his usual lazy tone, "Sasuke's Sharingan genjutsu is very strong. Among us, there aren't many people who can resist genjutsu."
"So we called in Yakumo Kurama, who is good at genjutsu, Tenten, who is good at setting up ninja tools, and Rock Lee, who is good at taijutsu."
"As a support team."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Li's smile became even brighter, as if hot air was about to burst from his nostrils.
"Leave it to me!" He clenched his fist, striking a fighting stance. "This is youth! Carrying out missions in the dead of night, chasing targets, and engaging in thrilling battles! If Teacher Kai knew, he would be so proud of my youth!"
Tian Tian couldn't help but rub her forehead and mutter under her breath, "I knew it—"
Kurama Yakumo caught her breath, a hint of nervousness still on her face: "My name is Kurama Yakumo. This is my first time participating in such a combat mission—please take care of me."
Shikamaru nodded, then looked down at the watch on his wrist.
The time is 2:17 AM.
Naruto and Sasuke had been away from the village for four or five hours.
Shikamaru quickly calculated in his mind how far two ninjas could travel in that time.
While Naruto, that idiot, might waste time getting lost, Sasuke is different. He's been in the Anbu for years and has excellent counter-surveillance and wilderness mobility skills. Besides, he's determined to leave and won't delay on the way.
time does not wait!
"Time is running out." Shikamaru lowered his wrist, the laziness on his face disappearing somewhat, replaced by focus and calmness.
"Everyone, the mission objective is clear: intercept Naruto and Sasuke before they reach the border of the Land of Stars." His gaze swept over everyone present.
"Remember a few things."
"First, if we encounter a direct confrontation, we must be careful of Sasuke's Sharingan genjutsu. Sasuke has been in the Anbu for many years and has far more combat experience than we do. In a one-on-one fight, none of us are his match."
Ya snorted, but did not refute.
"Second." Shikamaru's gaze lingered on Sakura's face for a moment.
"Our mission is to bring them back, so we'll focus on communication. Especially Naruto; if we can persuade him, things will be much easier with Sasuke."
"Third." He held up three fingers.
"If communication fails, execute delaying tactics. Slow down their advance and wait for the covert pursuit force to arrive. Remember, we're not going to fight to the death, but to buy time for the village."
"Well then—" Shikamaru turned around, facing the dark forest outside the village gate.
"Let's go."
As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead, his figure flashing in the night before disappearing into the dark forest.
"Hmph, it's finally starting!" Kiba grinned and patted Akamaru's head.
"Akamaru, can you smell it?"
"Woof!" Akamaru poked his nose out from under his hood, sniffed the air, and then pointed his paw toward the forest to the west.
"Alright! Let's go!" Ya used all four legs and dashed into the forest like a wild beast.
Shino followed silently, the faint sound of insect wings fluttering emanating from her sleeves.
Choji carefully put the remaining half-bag of potato chips into his ninja tool pouch, his face showing some reluctance, but he still followed Shikamaru closely and jumped out.
"Let's go, Ino-boo." Sakura slung her backpack over her shoulder and said to Ino beside her.
"Who's going to walk with someone with a forehead like yours!" Ino retorted instinctively, but her feet didn't stop for a second. The two of them disappeared into the darkness almost side by side.
"Be careful, Yakumo." Tenten held the ninja tool scroll with one hand and made a gesture to Kurama Yakumo with the other.
"Hmm." Yakumo nodded gently, took a deep breath, and lightly chased after him, stepping on an invisible wind.
Xiao Li was the last one.
He stood there as the night wind rustled the green fabric of his bodysuit, glanced back at the outline of the village, then turned to face the dark forest, slamming his right fist into his left palm with a crisp crack.
"Then——
'
"Youth! Sprint with all your might!!"
He crouched down, his calf muscles suddenly tensed, and he shot out like a green bullet, instantly disappearing into the depths of the layered tree canopy.
[PS: It's almost the end of the month, please give me some monthly votes.]