area51novel Chapter 457 Rumors, Sasuke's Defection Plan
Chapter 457 Rumors, Sasuke's Defection Plan
Chapter 457 Rumors, Sasuke's Defection Plan
"Sasuke?" Naruto was taken aback, seemingly not expecting to see him here, and blurted out the name instinctively.
Sasuke didn't answer immediately. He didn't. He took a step, step by step, treading on the rustling dry grass.
His gaze was fixed on Naruto from the very beginning, his dark eyes shining brightly, filled with complex emotions that Naruto couldn't understand.
It seemed like a shared suffering, or a pain that resonated with each other.
Sasuke finally stopped about three steps away from Naruto.
Between the two was a clump of unidentified white wildflowers swaying in the evening breeze.
He didn't speak, he just quietly looked at Naruto.
Looking at this usually loud and boisterous guy who always talks about "becoming Hokage" and seems to have endless energy, he now looks like a fledgling bird soaked by a downpour and lost all direction. His face is still wet with tears, and his eyes are filled with confusion, sadness and helplessness.
Sasuke was no stranger to that kind of gaze.
Many years ago, after that night when blood flowed like a river, in countless nights when he was awakened by nightmares, and in the exhausting twilight when he was practicing alone on the training field, he saw similar eyes countless times in the mirror and in the reflection on the water.
That was the feeling of losing everything, being abandoned, and not knowing where the future lay.
The Naruto before me, though in a different situation, shares a similar pain and confusion with the Naruto I once was.
The evening breeze carried the faint sounds of noise from the distant Leaf Village, making the tranquility of this place all the more apparent.
"Do you want to find that guy?" Sasuke finally spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it pierced through the wind and struck Naruto's chaotic heart.
Naruto jolted, his eyes snapping shut as he stared at Sasuke in surprise, seemingly not understanding his abrupt question.
Sasuke tilted his head slightly, his gaze turning westward.
That's the direction of the Land of Stars, the direction where Menma finally disappeared.
As night fell, only the faint outline of mountains could be seen in that direction.
"Go and find out for yourself." Sasuke's voice was calm, but it was like a chisel, striking at Naruto's closed-off heart.
"Everything about your parents, about what really happened back then, about why he did it, about what he really thought of you."
He paused, then turned his gaze back to Naruto's face, where Naruto had suddenly held his breath.
"Don't you want to ask him yourself? What exactly happened?"
Go in person and ask about the noodles?
This thought flashed through Naruto's chaotic mind like a bolt of lightning in the darkness.
Instead of letting your imagination run wild and making all sorts of guesses, let's stop here.
Why not just ask the person involved directly?
Sasuke saw the intense struggle in Naruto's eyes and knew that his words had worked.
He took a half step forward, bringing the two closer together, and he could even see the tear tracks on Naruto's face.
"Or are you just going to hide here, wallowing in self-pity, and waiting for those high-ranking figures in Konoha to tell you a 'truth' they want you to believe?"
"Even Jiraiya might not know the whole truth, right?"
"Is what he said about your parents, about what happened back then, about Menma—truly the truth?"
"Don't you want to check it out for yourself? Use your own eyes to see, your own ears to hear, and your own heart to judge."
Sasuke's voice wasn't passionate; it even carried his usual indifference. But the doubt in his words and the encouragement to explore for himself struck Naruto's most vulnerable and yearning heart at that moment.
Naruto's azure pupils contracted sharply, his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and he could barely breathe.
Half an hour later, the starlight was sparse and the crescent moon was dim.
Naruto silently followed behind Sasuke Uchiha, the two of them walking silently through the streets of Konoha, which had not yet fully recovered from the war.
Neither of them spoke a word the rest of the way.
The night wind howled through the dilapidated buildings and crooked trees, like a silent lament.
Sasuke's steps were steady and light, but most of his attention was actually focused on Naruto.
Naruto did not answer Sasuke's suggestion.
Sasuke could feel Naruto's dragging steps and sense the chaotic and painful emotional waves churning within Naruto's body.
Sadness, confusion, hesitation, bewilderment, the yearning for the truth, and the friendship with Makoto —
These emotions, like boiling magma, surged and clashed beneath Naruto's seemingly melancholy exterior.
Sasuke wasn't in a hurry.
After returning to the village, the two first passed through the eastern side of Konoha, the area where the daytime battle was most intense and the damage was most severe.
A huge and jagged gap was smashed through the tall Konoha wall, with bricks and twisted metal components scattered all over the ground, not yet completely cleaned up.
Centered on the breach, buildings within a radius of several hundred meters were almost completely razed to the ground, or left only with charred frames and crumbling ruins.
The air was thick with the smells of burning, dust, and a faint stench of blood, which even the night breeze couldn't completely dispel.
Several yellow warning tapes marked "No Entry" and "Under the Jurisdiction of the Secret Service" have been put up here.
Inside the line, there were many figures busily working.
The ninjas of the Anbu were stationed at key points, their eyes, hidden behind masks, scanning their surroundings warily.
Meanwhile, more ordinary Chunin and Genin, under the command of some Jonin, were searching for survivors while carefully carrying the bodies of the victims.
Medical ninjas moved swiftly through the tents, and occasionally suppressed sobs and painful groans could be heard from the makeshift medical tents.
The cleanup and recovery work is clearly only halfway done.
The remains of many villagers and ninjas buried deep under the ruins have not yet been fully recovered, and survivors may still be buried under some building wreckage. The search is underway overnight.
The much larger reconstruction project, which involves repairing walls, clearing all the rubble, replanning the damaged area, and resettling the homeless, will likely take months or even years.
Konoha has truly suffered a devastating blow this time.
Looking at the devastated scene before him, Naruto unconsciously slowed his pace.
During the day, he was mostly restrained or unconscious. Later, Jiraiya took him away directly, and he did not witness the devastation in the area after the battle.
At this moment, in the dim night and under the scattered torches and lights, the shocking extent of the destruction is more impactful than any words.
This is war.
This was also the first time Naruto directly experienced a large-scale battle between ninjas.
Instead of the small-scale skirmishes that their squad had encountered before when they took on missions.
The mastermind behind all this, Orochimaru, and the invading Sound Ninja have long since disappeared without a trace.
Naruto felt a suffocating heaviness.
He instinctively pulled his orange jacket tighter.
Sasuke noticed his pause, glanced back, said nothing, and continued walking forward.
Naruto took a deep breath of the cold air, which smelled of burning, forced himself to look away, and quickly caught up with Sasuke.
Leaving the core destruction zone on the east side, the two entered the commercial street area that was relatively prosperous yesterday but is now desolate.
The buildings here sustained relatively minor damage, mostly just shattered glass from the shockwave of the explosion or cracks in the walls, but the streets were unusually deserted.
Many shops had their doors and windows closed, signs were crooked, and the roofs of some houses had been ripped off, with tiles scattered all over the ground.
A number of villagers with haggard faces and blank eyes gathered at the entrance of the temporarily requisitioned hotel. Most of them were homeless people whose homes in the eastern area had been destroyed or made into dangerous buildings.
In the open spaces and parks along the streets, some simple tents have been set up, with faint candlelight shining from inside, and you can vaguely see huddled figures and hear the suppressed cries of children.
Some villagers, wrapped in thin blankets, sat in twos and threes around the embers of the still-burning campfire, their faces etched with the weariness of surviving a disaster, the grief of losing loved ones, and deep anxiety about the future.
This scene is heartbreaking.
War destroys not only houses, but also the lives and hopes of countless ordinary people.
Naruto walked silently, his gaze sweeping over the familiar yet unfamiliar streets, his emotions a mix of feelings.
Although Menma caused tremendous destruction at the tournament venue, he did not harm the residential areas of Konoha or ordinary villagers, which made Naruto feel a little better.
Although the villagers didn't treat him very well, it was still the village where he and Menma had lived since childhood!
Suddenly, Naruto stopped again, his gaze fixed on a shop at the street corner, its lights off and doors tightly shut.
That's the Konoha branch of "Kado Department Store".
In the past, this place was always bustling with people and filled with a wide variety of goods, making it one of the favorite places for the village children to linger.
Naruto remembers that Menma would sometimes bring him here to buy some strange little gadgets or delicious snacks. Because of Menma, the shop's employees didn't discriminate against him like the other villagers and shop owners did, allowing him to buy many daily necessities.
Later, this place became a place where Naruto would come to do a big shopping spree at least once a week.
The "Wanxiang Sweet Drinks" milk tea shop and "Shinra Tensho" breakfast shop, which should have been filled with sweet aromas, were now dark.
Besides these three shops, several other shops bearing the "Kado Group" logo also had white seals with the bright red stamps of the Konoha Anbu and the Interrogation Department affixed to their doors.
These brand-new seals trembled slightly in the night wind, appearing particularly glaring.
Clearly, after Menma's identity was exposed, these shops belonging to Kado's businesses were immediately seized, controlled, and had their assets frozen by the Konoha authorities after the war, serving as important clues for investigating Menma and the forces behind him.
The symbol that once represented prosperity and convenience has overnight become a symbol of "enemy property" and "suspect".
As Naruto looked at the seals, a mix of emotions welled up inside him.
Just as Naruto was staring blankly at the seal.
call out!
A faint whooshing sound, accompanied by a hoarse growl filled with hatred, suddenly came from the shadows to the side!
"Fox demon! Die!"
Although Naruto was distracted, the conditioned reflexes he had developed over years of ninja training were still there.
He instinctively raised his hand, spread his fingers, and with a "snap," firmly caught the flying object in his hand.
It feels wet, sticky, and has a fishy smell.
By the dim light of the streetlamp, Naruto looked down.
It is a raw egg.
The eggshell shattered in his palm, and egg white and yolk mixed with eggshell fragments flowed down between his fingers, soiling his palm and cuffs.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened, and he instantly turned to stand beside Naruto, his gaze shooting towards the source of the attack like lightning.
From the shadows on the street came a middle-aged man, leaning on a wooden cane and dressed in rags, stumbling out.
He had an injured leg, making it difficult for him to move. His face was covered with soot and deep wrinkles, which were now contorted with excitement and anger. His cloudy eyes were filled with undisguised hatred as he stared intently at Naruto.
He remained in the egg-throwing stance, panting heavily. Seeing that his attack had missed, he became even more enraged, raised his cane, and prepared to strike Naruto on the head.
"It's all your fault, you damned fox spirit! You brought all this trouble! Why don't you just die?!" The middle-aged man roared hoarsely, his voice echoing through the quiet street, particularly jarring.
That roar seemed to ignite a fuse.
"Yes! It's all because of this fox demon!"
"Why are you still alive, you monster! My husband—my husband died at the East Gate while trying to stop those Sound Ninja! It's all because of you!"
"Get out of Konoha! You jinx!"
"The Third Hokage must have been killed by you, you demon fox!"
"Where are the ninjas?! Where are the patrolling ninjas?! Arrest this monster! Lock him up!"
As if drawn by the middle-aged man's roar, twenty or thirty villagers suddenly emerged from the surrounding tents, behind the broken doors and windows of houses, and from the shadows of street corners!
There were women who had lost loved ones, their eyes filled with tears and their expressions contorted in rage; there were young men with their sleeves rolled up, their faces full of indignation; there were elderly people who pointed at Naruto and cursed him, their bodies trembling; and there were even some teenagers who, encouraged by their parents, picked up pebbles and clods of dirt from the ground and threw them at Naruto!
boom!
A pebble the size of a fingernail struck Naruto squarely on the Konoha headband on his forehead, making a crisp impact sound.
The headband tilted slightly, leaving a tiny white spot on the metal surface.
Naruto was stunned.
He maintained his grip on the egg, the yolk still dripping down.
He stood there, head slightly tilted, seemingly still reeling from the sudden, overwhelming malicious attack.
His deep blue eyes were filled with confusion, helplessness, and a tingling pain and fear stemming from countless similar experiences in his childhood.
Why?
Why me?
The intruders were clearly the Sound Ninja, Orochimaru, but the ones causing the destruction were the summoned beasts and the Sound Ninja.
Why did these villagers unleash all their anger, sadness, and pain from losing loved ones on me?
What did I do wrong?
Why—why are you doing this to me?
Feelings of injustice, anger, confusion, and the inescapable nightmare of being a demon fox, like a cold tide, instantly overwhelmed Naruto.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but when his gaze met the burning anger and disgust in the eyes of the villagers, he froze.
He could only stand there, watching the villagers grow increasingly agitated and close in, seeing the naked hatred in their eyes, and hearing their increasingly vicious curses and questions.
Sasuke stood beside Naruto, his eyes quickly sweeping over the group of villagers who were in a state of emotional turmoil, his brows furrowed.
Not right.
Logically speaking, the direct culprits behind the destruction of these ordinary villagers' houses and the injuries and deaths of their relatives should be Orochimaru's Sound Ninja Squad and that giant summoning beast.
Why are these villagers so united and so determined to pin all the blame on Naruto?
It even involves the death of the Third Hokage?
Is someone secretly spreading rumors and deliberately misleading the public?
Or is it that—
Is this the situation that some of Konoha's higher-ups wanted to see?
By inciting the villagers' fear and hatred of the "demon fox," they aim to further isolate and control the nine-tailed jinchūriki.
Or is it to create a public opinion foundation for certain subsequent actions?
Regardless of the possibility, it is not advisable to stay here for long.
Continuing to stay will only provoke the villagers' emotions, and if a large-scale conflict breaks out, or if someone with ulterior motives infiltrates and stirs up trouble, the situation may get out of control.
Moreover, Naruto's current mental state cannot withstand such stimulation.
"Walk!"
Sasuke no longer hesitated. He let out a low shout, grabbed Naruto's left arm, and pulled hard, causing the still somewhat dazed Naruto to stumble. Then, his chakra exploded under his feet, and he leaped upwards with Naruto in his arms!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The two moved with agility, instantly leaping into the air and landing lightly on the still-intact rooftop of a nearby two-story shop.
The movements were clean and efficient, without any hesitation or slackness.
"They ran away!"
"The fox spirit has escaped!"
"Chase him! Don't let him get away!"
Upon seeing this, the villagers below erupted in an even more agitated uproar.
Several impulsive young men even tried to climb the nearby buildings, but how could ordinary people catch up with well-trained ninjas?
Many more people futilely shouted and threw stones in the direction where the two had disappeared, but the stones didn't even touch the edge of the roof before falling helplessly back to the ground.
Sasuke, holding Naruto, leaped and bounded across the rooftops, his figure blurring into a blurry afterimage in the night, quickly leaving the noisy and angry street far behind.
The night wind whistled past my ears, carrying a chill, and also dispersed the gradually weakening, malicious sounds below.
Naruto, carried by Sasuke, mechanically leaped across the rooftops.
He couldn't help but turn his head several times to look at the street behind him, which was rapidly shrinking and eventually being completely swallowed up by darkness and buildings.
The firelight, the throngs of people, the狰狞 faces, the malice—
Like a brand, it was deeply etched into his mind, impossible to erase.
turn out to be----
Even after becoming a ninja, even after going through the Chunin Exams, even after having comrades, even after learning his identity as the "Son of a Hero"—
In the eyes of most villagers, he is still the "fox demon" who brings disaster.
No, it's even worse.
Previously, it was just fear, disgust, and rejection.
But three generations of people were holding back, preventing the villagers from spreading these rumors on a large scale.
Now, the villagers blame all their misfortunes on him and wish they could tear him apart alive!
Rumors spread unchecked among the villagers, and coupled with the long-standing rumors about the "demon fox," Naruto suddenly became a "monster" that everyone in the village wanted to kill.
This blatant malice chilled him to the bone and caused him more pain than any attack.
The two walked silently through the night and soon arrived at the apartment complex where Naruto lived.
Sasuke carried Naruto and gently landed on the rooftop of the old building where Naruto lived. Then, they went to Naruto's window as if they knew the way well.
Sasuke pushed open the window and jumped in first, while Naruto followed somewhat slowly.
The room was completely dark, with only the dim moonlight from the window and a few scattered lights providing a faint light source, barely enough to make out the slightly messy furnishings.
The smell of instant noodles and milk still lingered in the air.
Sasuke released his grip on Naruto's wrist. He stood in the darkness, without turning on the light, and simply looked deeply into Naruto's eyes, who was still bowing his head and remaining silent.
That scene just now undoubtedly opened another crack in Naruto's already crumbling mental defenses.
Sasuke didn't mention what had just happened, nor did he offer any comfort.
"You get some rest, I'm leaving."
After saying that, he didn't linger. With a flash, he darted out the same way he came in through the window and disappeared into the thick night.
Naruto was the only one left in the room.
He stood there, motionless for a long time.
It wasn't until the night wind blew in through the open window, bringing a chill that made him shiver, that he seemed to wake up from a long, dreamlike slumber.
He slowly walked to the bedside, without even taking off his coat and shoes, and fell straight backward, landing heavily on the somewhat hard mattress.
The dull thud of the body hitting the bed was particularly clear in the quiet room.
He stared with his eyes open at the dark ceiling.
There seemed to be some stains there, or just patterns formed by peeling paint, but in the darkness, they seemed to transform into countless distorted, hateful faces—the faces of the villagers, overlapping, shouting, cursing.
"A fox spirit!"
"A jinx!"
"The murderer who killed three generations of officials!"
"Get out of Konoha!"
The sounds seemed to echo right next to his ears, growing louder and sharper, as if they were about to pierce his eardrums and drill into his brain.
"No—I'm not—I didn't—" Naruto murmured unconsciously, raising his hands and covering his eyes tightly, as if this would shut out the auditory and visual hallucinations and separate him from this malicious world.
However, darkness and closed eyelids do not bring peace.
The sensation transmitted through my fingertips was the warmth of my own eyelids, and—a dampness.
I don't know when, but tears welled up again, seeping through my fingers, leaving a cold, wet feeling.
He tried hard to pull himself together, imagining the "heroic deeds of his parents" mentioned by the perverted sage, imagining Iruka-sensei's trust, imagining Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino—
Even Sasuke's occasional awkward expressions of approval.
He wanted to use these warm fragments to fight against the boundless coldness and malice.
But those warm fragments seem so distant and so fragile at this moment.
The villagers' hateful faces and vicious words, like a tidal wave, easily extinguished and drowned his pitiful little flame of warmth.
He covered his eyes and curled up like a wounded kitten.
Physical exhaustion, mental shock, and emotional turmoil gnawed at his nerves like countless ants.
He didn't know what to do, who to trust, or even who he was.
Naruto Uzumaki?
Demon fox?
Son of the Fourth Hokage?
Konoha ninja?
still----
No one could give him an answer.
Meanwhile, Sasuke didn't go far after leaving Naruto's apartment.
He silently stopped on the roof of a building opposite Naruto's apartment.
The view from here is expansive; one can clearly observe Naruto's window and overlook the surrounding streets. It's a...
An excellent surveillance point.
Sasuke chose a shady corner, leaned against the cold base of the water tower, and slowly sat down to rest with his eyes closed.
The night breeze ruffled the black hair on his forehead, bringing faint sounds from afar.
Sasuke's thoughts drifted away.
He recalled the white-haired ninja with a smile who called himself Kabuto Yakushi, whom he encountered on his way back to the Anbu after the great battle during the day.
"There are no more ninjas in Konoha who can teach you."
"You are the only Uchiha in Konoha. The higher-ups have long been wary of you. How could they possibly let you become stronger?"
"With the new Hokage taking over, whether it's Jiraiya or Danzo, your situation will only become more dangerous."
"To defeat Uchiha Itachi, you need the Mangekyou Sharingan. As for how to awaken it and how to use it, only the Uchiha clan of the Land of Stars can give you the most complete answer in the entire ninja world."
Every word he uttered precisely struck at his deepest desires and obsessions.
Become stronger, seek revenge, uncover the truth about the Uchiha clan, and—
Find that gentle figure he almost dares not clearly recall in his midnight dreams.
As Kabuto Yakushi said, he was in increasing danger in Konoha, and Kakashi, who could teach him, only had the three-tomoe skill.
He defected from Konoha and went to the Land of Stars.
It seemed to be his only way out.
Not only can you gain power, but you can also get closer to the truth, and even—you can see your mother.
Although he knew that once he chose this path, there was no turning back.
But that desire for power was eroding his reason.
Taking Naruto away was a "pledge of allegiance" for the plan, and also a kind of "guarantee".
Menma's high regard for Naruto is obvious.
Taking Naruto along will greatly increase his value and safety.
Just then, Sasuke's eyelids twitched slightly.
Someone is approaching.
Footsteps echoed in the stairwell, very lightly.
Sasuke remained in a meditative posture with his eyes closed, without even changing his breathing rate. He simply turned his body slightly to the side, his right hand seemingly casually resting on his ninja tool pouch.
The shadow at the top of the stairs shifted slightly.
Immediately afterwards, a figure slowly walked out and came to the edge of the roof.
The newcomer steadied himself, and the moonlight barely illuminated his profile.
He wore an inconspicuous brown sleeveless top and matching trousers, with a bulging ninja tool pouch strapped to the outside of his right thigh.
His short white hair fell naturally to both sides, and he wore a pair of round-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose. The lenses reflected a faint light in the moonlight, making it impossible to see the eyes behind them.
On his forehead, the headband of the leaf was neatly tied.
Yakushi Kabuto.
He habitually wore that gentle, harmless, and perpetually polite smile on the corners of his mouth. He pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his gaze first sweeping over the dark window of Naruto's apartment across the street, lingering for a moment.
Then, he slowly turned his head and looked at Sasuke.
Dou raised one foot and casually stepped onto the low wall at the edge of the roof. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on his knee, his posture as leisurely as if he were admiring the night view.
He looked across at the other side and spoke softly, his voice carrying a pleasant tone: "It seems—we still need to put in more effort. Our protagonist doesn't seem to have made up his mind yet."
Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.
His jet-black eyes had transformed into three-tomoe Sharingan, coldly fixed on Yakushi Kabuto.
He maintained the highest level of vigilance towards this spy from the Star Kingdom who had suddenly come to his door.
This guy has a gentle smile and polite manners, but his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, always give people a feeling that they are unfathomable and can see through everything.
Moreover, the ability and composure to remain perfectly hidden in the village after such massive chaos as the "Konoha Crush Plan," without being discovered by the Anbu or Root ninjas, is something that should not be underestimated.
However, it cannot be denied that Kabuto's proposed "defection plan" had a fatal attraction for him.
The current state of Konoha, his own predicament, his thirst for power, his pursuit of the truth, and his complex feelings for his mother—
All of these things are cleverly connected by Kabuto, pointing to a single goal.
They left Konoha and headed to the Land of Stars.
Sasuke didn't respond to Kabuto's teasing about "giving it his all," but instead recalled the scene he had just witnessed in the shopping district.
"Did you arrange for people to spread those rumors among the villagers just now?" He frowned slightly and asked in a cold voice.
Upon hearing this, Kabuto spread his hands, his smile even carrying a hint of innocence: "Oh dear, Sasuke-kun, you're really wronging me."
"Although I'm a spy, I still have some principles. I would never incite ignorant villagers to attack a minor, especially—Menma's younger brother."
"As for those who spread rumors and manipulate the villagers' emotions—" He paused, his eyes behind his glasses seeming to flicker, and continued meaningfully.
"Given Sasuke's experience in the Anbu and your understanding of certain Konoha organizations, it shouldn't be hard to guess who's behind this, right?"
Sasuke fell silent; indeed, his first suspect wasn't Kabuto Yakushi.
It is the root.
It is Shimura Danzo.
Think about it carefully, how were these rumors spread among those villagers in such a short period of time?
Indeed, only Danzo's roots could do that.
Kabuto, seeing Sasuke's silent expression, knew that the other had already figured it out.
He chuckled, no longer dwelling on the topic, and instead said, "But regardless of who did it, the result looks pretty good, doesn't it?"
"Without the suppression of the Third Hokage, the fear and resentment towards Naruto-kun, like a long-buried volcano, finally found an excuse to erupt."
"It is foreseeable that before the Fifth Hokage is elected and the situation is completely stabilized, similar incidents will likely become more frequent and intense."
These words seem to be hinting at something.
Sasuke's brows furrowed even more.
He knew that what Dou said was true.
Naruto's situation in Konoha was already delicate and dangerous, but now it has taken a sharp turn for the worse.
Having lost the protection of the Third Hokage, and facing internal power struggles and threats from powerful external enemies, Naruto, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, is like a small boat without a rudder in a storm, which may be swallowed up by the giant waves at any time, or used as a bargaining chip or even a sacrifice by some people.
After a moment of silence, Sasuke spoke again: "When do we make our move?"
He asked when he was confident enough to safely take Naruto away.
Whether they forcibly take him away or try to get Naruto to go with them willingly.
"No rush, Sasuke-kun." Kabuto Yakushi crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, letting out a pleasant hum.
He turned his head, looking at Sasuke through his glasses with great interest. The corners of his mouth deepened, revealing an even more meaningful smile: "A good show always needs enough buildup before the climax can be truly spectacular."
He paused to build suspense, then lowered his voice slightly, speaking in an enticing tone as if sharing a secret: "Don't worry, I already have other plans, and soon—you'll see."
"I promise, that will definitely make you—"
He deliberately dragged out his words, his eyes behind his glasses narrowed slightly, and his smile became somewhat mysterious.
"It's a very pleasant surprise!"
After saying that, he turned around and softly hummed a nursery rhyme that seemed to be from some bygone era, before stepping back into the shadows at the top of the stairs.
The figure vanished silently, leaving no trace.
Only the faint melody of the nursery rhyme seemed to linger in the night breeze, carrying a hint of eeriness that was hard to define.
Sasuke stood there, staring at the stairwell where Kabuto had disappeared, his brow furrowed.
surprise?
He didn't think the "surprise" the pharmacist mentioned would be anything good.
The night grew even deeper.
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