On top of Konoha's city wall, Uchiha Itachi and Kisame stood in their black robes adorned with red clouds, wind chime hats resting on their heads, as they overlooked the village.
"It seems Orochimaru's failure was complete. The damage to Konoha isn't nearly as severe as expected," Kisame commented.
"After all, this is the village founded by the First Hokage. Even if it's not as prosperous as before, its foundations remain strong," Itachi said thoughtfully.
"True. To force a ninja of Fujiwara Kirito's caliber to retreat, it seems we'll need to tread carefully this time," Kisame nodded in agreement.
Moments later, the two leapt down from the city wall.
Accompanied by the faint chime of their hats, they followed Uchiha Itachi's lead, locating a weak spot in Konoha's sensory barrier. After disabling the guards, they slipped into the village unnoticed.
Ichiraku Ramen Shop
Naruto, preparing to leave Konoha for training with Jiraiya, was saying his final goodbye to Iruka Umino. As a farewell gesture, Iruka treated Naruto to ramen.
"Hey, your tonkotsu ramen is ready! Naruto, I heard you're going out to train with Master Jiraiya, so I added extra fish fillet for you," Teuchi said cheerfully, placing two bowls of ramen on the counter.
"Thanks, Uncle Ichiraku!" Naruto said with excitement, grabbing a bowl.
Iruka smiled warmly and pushed his bowl toward Naruto. "Naruto, take mine too. Train hard and give it your all with Master Jiraiya."
"Mr. Iruka, I will!" Naruto beamed as he took the second bowl, devouring the food with joy.
Outside the ramen shop, Boruto watched his father eat with satisfaction. His mouth twitched as he muttered, "So even in this world, Dad is obsessed with ramen... and so easily pleased."
"Yeah," Uncle Sasuke said with a small smile, recalling his past with Naruto. "It seems some things never change, no matter the world or time."
At that moment, the sound of wind chimes echoed through the street. Both Boruto and Uncle Sasuke turned their heads to see Uchiha Itachi and Kisame, wearing red cloud robes and wind chime hats, walking toward them.
As they passed by, Uncle Sasuke immediately recognized Itachi, his pupils contracting in shock.
Itachi's gaze lingered on Uncle Sasuke for a moment, sensing something familiar, but he ultimately walked on without stopping.
Boruto watched them disappear and exclaimed, "Red clouds and black robes... they're just like the others we've seen. Are they part of the same group? Mr. Sasuke, do you know them?"
"Yes," Sasuke replied quietly, his voice tinged with sadness. "The one without a sword is Uchiha Itachi."
Boruto's eyes widened in shock. "You mean he's..."
"Stay here and watch over Naruto. Don't lose sight of him. I'll be back soon," Sasuke instructed before vanishing.
Konoha Hospital
"Lady Tsunade, please help Asuma!" Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji pleaded as they led Tsunade to Asuma's bedside. Behind them, Might Guy waited for her to examine Rock Lee.
"Is this Asuma?" Tsunade asked, her eyebrows raising as she observed the figure on the bed.
Asuma's skin was unnaturally smooth and rosy, his chest oddly rounded, and his iconic beard gone. If not for his recognizable facial features, Tsunade might not have recognized him.
Hearing her reaction, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji exchanged awkward glances, their faces reddening.
Shikamaru coughed and avoided Tsunade's gaze as he mumbled, "When the Sarutobi clan was attacked, Asuma was injured protecting his people... and ended up like this."
His voice grew quieter with each word, barely audible by the end.
It was an open secret that Asuma had been castrated during the attack. Shikamaru decided it was better to address the awkward truth outright.
"That's... unfortunate," Tsunade muttered, though it was unclear whether she was referring to Asuma's condition or Fujiwara Kirito's twisted methods. Blue chakra gathered in her hand as she activated her healing jutsu, pressing it gently against Asuma's head.
After a moment, Asuma's eyelids fluttered open.
"I've healed his mental trauma. Let him rest and recover over the next few days," Tsunade instructed before turning to leave. She showed no interest in lingering.
Following Might Guy's lead, Tsunade entered Rock Lee's ward. Upon seeing Lee's nearly crippled limbs, even her usual composure faltered slightly.
"Lady Tsunade, can my disciple be healed?" Might Guy asked nervously.
Rock Lee, equally anxious, stared at Tsunade. His entire future as a ninja rested on her response. If even Tsunade, one of the Sannin, couldn't save him, he wasn't sure he could bear it.
Tsunade took a deep breath and said, "I hope you're both prepared."
Might Guy and Rock Lee exchanged worried glances, their throats tightening. They nodded hesitantly, bracing for bad news.
Then, Tsunade's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Relax, I was just messing with you. He'll be fine. I'll prepare for surgery shortly."
Relief washed over Rock Lee, leaving him almost lightheaded. He exhaled deeply, feeling as though he'd just escaped a life-threatening situation.
"Haha, Lady Tsunade, you really scared me!" Might Guy laughed, though his expression was still tinged with embarrassment.
His demeanor quickly shifted to seriousness as he bowed deeply. "Please take care of my disciple."
Tsunade nodded. Despite her confidence, she wasn't entirely sure she could heal Rock Lee's injuries. However, thanks to the five Senzu Beans Kirito had given her the previous night, she felt more assured. Kirito had suggested using one as a last resort.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached the ward. Shizune burst in, breathless. "Lady Tsunade, we've identified a suspicious person in the village, likely a member of the Akatsuki. Kakashi is tracking them now."
Tsunade sighed, exasperated. "Trouble after trouble... Kirito assured me Akatsuki wouldn't act for the next three years. And yet, here they are."
"Leave it to me, Lady Tsunade. I'll support Kakashi. Please focus on Lee's surgery," Might Guy offered.
Tsunade glanced between Might Guy and Rock Lee, considering. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "Alright, I'll leave it to you."
(End of this chapter)
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