Chapter 168
Akatsuki.
Afterglow.
The two most powerful organizations in the entire shinobi world.
Both sides possessed extraordinarily powerful members—almost every Kage and jinchūriki from the various villages, along with countless famous shinobi.
And Afterglow even held a slight advantage over Akatsuki.
With only a little investigation, Haruno Sakura had easily obtained this almost transparent information.
The Nine-Tails jinchūriki.
The Fourth Mizukage.
Two of the Legendary Sannin.
The White Fang of Konoha.
The Yellow Flash.
Although Afterglow had two fewer members than Akatsuki, Hiruzen Sarutobi—while not listed as an official member—was in reality the organization's supreme commander.
And even without counting the Third Hokage, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki alone more than made up the difference.
In fact, it surpassed it.
That was the intimidation of the strongest tailed beast wielded by a perfect jinchūriki.
And it was the foundation of Tsunade's absolute confidence.
Sakura felt her scalp go numb.
She had subconsciously assumed the two Konoha villages stood on equal footing.
But the Konoha before her now was far stronger—far beyond the one she came from.
If they wanted to take the Nine-Tails back from this Konoha…
They would have to pay a very heavy price.
"What does Lady Tsunade want?"
Sakura asked gravely.
Tsunade snorted.
"What we want—you don't have."
"And what you have—we don't care about."
Tsunade spoke bluntly.
Sakura frowned.
"So your meaning is… you won't return the Nine-Tails?"
She slowly stood up, her emerald eyes sharpening.
"What do you have?"
"The only thing you value—the Nine-Tails—is exactly what we need."
Kushina suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of sadness watching Tsunade and Sakura confront each other.
Her son was being fought over like a commodity.
As her thoughts drifted—
Kushina suddenly bent over and began retching.
"Aunt Kushina!"
Karin cried out in alarm and rushed over.
"Aunt Kushina, what's wrong?"
Seeing the concern on Karin's face, Kushina forced a smile despite her discomfort.
"I'm fine, Karin."
But the sudden interruption stopped the argument between Tsunade and Sakura.
"Lady Tsunade, someone on our side isn't feeling well."
"Let's stop here for today."
"I'll return to discuss matters with our people. We'll talk again the day after tomorrow."
Sakura rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"Very well. Do as you wish."
Tsunade waved casually.
Hiruzen watched the four visitors from the other world leave.
He slowly took out his pipe and lit it with practiced ease.
From beginning to end, he hadn't spoken.
He had only been observing.
After all—
There was almost no chance he would hand over the second Nine-Tails.
Tsunade glanced at the calm old man, took a sip of tea, and spoke.
"So, old man. What do you think?"
Hiruzen slowly exhaled smoke.
"What do I think?"
"You already know the answer."
Tsunade clicked her tongue.
Ever since Hiruzen had stepped onto the battlefield during the Third Shinobi War, she had felt as though her teacher had regained the boldness of his youth.
When uncertain—
Break through with force.
Although this wasn't a battlefield, Tsunade could still sense that decisive attitude in the way he handled recent affairs.
Leaning back against the sofa with her arms crossed, Tsunade crossed her legs.
"Uzumaki Kushina hopes that Uzumaki Menma can stay here."
"After all, he's her biological son."
Hiruzen responded indifferently.
"Isn't that perfect?"
"She wants her son to stay here."
"And we're willing to accept him."
Tsunade studied the man across from her.
Through the drifting smoke, the expression of the elderly Hokage was hard to read.
"Uzumaki Menma is a dangerous individual."
"Even though Kyūsei sealed his Nine-Tails and chakra…"
"That doesn't mean he'll serve us."
Hiruzen fell silent for a moment.
He set down his pipe, rested his cheek against his hand, and closed his eyes.
Looking at him, Tsunade couldn't help but think of something.
A tiger.
A resting tiger.
—
"You're kidding me… we have to go back again?"
"And then come back here again?"
"It feels like I've walked more in these few days than I have in my entire life!"
Uchiha Sasuke groaned as Sakura prepared to return to their own Konoha.
"Huh?"
"You think we can handle something like this without discussing it with the village first?"
Sakura glared at him.
Meanwhile, Karin ignored their argument entirely.
Her gaze was fixed in a certain direction.
The direction of Konoha Hospital.
From there she sensed a familiar chakra.
A chakra that made her strangely restless.
"You two go ahead. I'll stay here and wait for you."
Kushina shook her head.
"Hm?"
"Aunt Kushina, what's wrong?"
Karin snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her clan elder.
Kushina gently placed a hand over her abdomen.
"I'm pregnant."
"I shouldn't be traveling long distances."
"What?!"
"Huh?!"
Sasuke and Karin stared at her in disbelief.
They knew Kushina wasn't feeling well.
But they never expected this.
Sakura stepped forward immediately and grasped Kushina's wrist.
She was a medical ninja.
An extremely powerful one.
Kushina calmly watched her examine her pulse.
After a moment, Sakura frowned deeply.
She really was pregnant.
And it had already been nearly two months.
Sakura's expression changed several times as she looked at Kushina's calm yet sorrowful face.
Finally, she sighed.
"Forget it."
"Sasuke, Karin—you two stay here."
"Take care of Aunt Kushina."
"I'll return as quickly as possible."
Even though she suspected Kushina might be hiding something…
She simply couldn't be ruthless toward this suffering woman.
"Huh?"
Karin and Sasuke were still stunned by the pregnancy news.
"Aunt Kushina is pregnant. Take care of her."
Sakura waved and left without another word.
Soon she disappeared from sight.
—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Coming."
Kyūsei set down the scroll he had just been studying after returning from Nao's place and walked to the door.
When he opened it—
Kushina stood there.
"Sister Kushina?"
Kyūsei glanced behind her.
Karin.
Sasuke.
"Kyūsei, I'll have to trouble you for the next few days."
Kushina smiled softly.
"That's no problem."
"But my house can't fit this many people."
Kyūsei looked at the two behind her.
"That won't be an issue."
"There's an inn nearby. We'll stay there."
Karin pushed her glasses up her nose as she spoke.
"Oh, alright. Come in."
As they entered, Karin's gaze drifted toward the study.
Through her sensing ability, she could feel Menma inside.
"Menma! Your mom's here!"
Kyūsei shouted.
"Shut up!"
"Stop bothering me!"
Menma's irritated voice came from the study.
Kushina's eyes dimmed slightly upon hearing her son.
Just then—
The door opened again.
A blonde girl walked in carrying a basket of vegetables.
"Kyūsei, for lunch today—"
Before she could finish—
A figure suddenly appeared before her.
"My beautiful lady."
"Would you honor me with dinner tonight?"
Uchiha Sasuke somehow produced a bright red rose and offered it to her with a dramatic pose.
Kaoru blinked in confusion.
She accepted the rose instinctively.
"But… that might not work."
"Someone would get jealous."
Sasuke smiled arrogantly.
"How could that be?"
"For a beauty like you—"
Whoosh!
A golden chain shot past his ear.
"What the—"
Sasuke turned stiffly.
Kyūsei was gripping his collar with a dark expression.
"You've got some guts."
"You dare flirt with my girlfriend?"
Sasuke laughed awkwardly.
"Misunderstanding… just a misunderstanding…"
"Misunderstanding my ass!"
Kyūsei swung a punch.
Seeing the attack, Sasuke immediately leapt backward to dodge.
"Kyūsei!"
Kaoru quickly grabbed him to stop him.
Meanwhile Karin grabbed Sasuke by the ear and dragged him back.
"Ow! Ow! Karin, let go!"
"Apologize right now, idiot!"
Karin was furious.
Damn it.
Flirting around their own village was bad enough.
But doing it here too?
Did he even know who this woman was?
The counterpart of Namikaze Minato—
The Golden Flash's counterpart, Namikaze Kaoru !
His lust really had no limits.
"Sorry!"
This Sasuke was nothing like the original.
He had absolutely no sense of shame.
He apologized instantly.
"I mean it!"
A loud bang echoed as the study door was kicked open.
"Can you idiots keep it down?!"
A tall blonde young man stood in the doorway.
Uzumaki Menma.
The target of Sakura's mission.
"Oh? Menma."
"Long time no see."
Sasuke rubbed his ear.
"Tch."
"What are you doing here?"
"Where's that crazy woman Haruno Sakura?"
Menma scoffed.
In Konoha, the only people who could rival him were Sasuke—
And the Fourth Hokage's daughter.
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