The Raikage hummed, turning to Jiraiya with a look of surprise.
"Do you have an idea?"
Jiraiya pulled a blank scroll from his pocket, unrolling and flattening it on the ground. Taking out an ink brush, he glanced at the Raikage and smirked. "Why would I have come to you if I didn't?"
Without waiting for a response, he dipped his brush in saliva, lowered his head, and began writing the sealing formula.
Darui raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Wait, wait. Did I hear that right? Isn't Amaterasu supposed to burn forever?"
C, standing nearby, studied Jiraiya's actions and nodded. "If anyone can do something about it, it would be him. After all, he's one of the legendary Sannin, on par with the Hokage."
"Yoshi!"
Jiraiya finished inscribing the seal and formed a one-handed hand seal—slower than a two-handed one, but still precise.
"Fūinjutsu: Fire Sealing Method!"
He pressed his palm against the scroll, activating the sealing technique. Instantly, blue chakra seeped out from four marked arrows on the scroll. A low humming sound accompanied the emergence of a faint blue smoke, which drifted toward the Raikage's burning arm.
"Raikage-sama, don't move!"
The Raikage stood still, watching in shock as the blue smoke enveloped the black flames. Slowly, almost impossibly, the flames of Amaterasu began to fade as if being drawn away, absorbed into the seal.
"This is…!"
The smoke carried the last traces of Amaterasu back into the scroll, where the four arrow symbols transformed into a twelve-pronged circular seal. A red marking briefly flared in the center before fading away, signaling completion.
Jiraiya swiftly rolled up the scroll, taking out a rope. He bit one end between his teeth while securing the scroll with his other hand, wrapping and knotting it tightly.
C trembled with excitement at the sight. He freed himself from Darui's grasp and stepped forward, bowing deeply to Jiraiya. "Thank you, Jiraiya-sama."
The Raikage, despite his pain, couldn't help but acknowledge the feat. "If I'm not mistaken, that was Uzumaki Clan fūinjutsu."
There were few in the world who could use sealing techniques powerful enough to contain something like Amaterasu. The Uzumaki were one of them.
Jiraiya tucked the scroll away and muttered, "Raikage, I just saved your arm, and I don't even get a thank-you?"
The Raikage snorted, then turned to C. "C, heal me now. After that, we continue hunting down Uchiha Sasuke."
Though the black flames were gone, his arm was still severely burned. It was a serious injury.
"Yes, Raikage-sama," C replied immediately, stepping forward to begin treatment.
Darui stood nearby, watching closely in case C needed assistance.
Jiraiya, seeing that the situation was under control, made his way back to Tsunade.
Meanwhile, as C healed the Raikage's wounds, his mind raced through observations. Sasuke had been able to land a hit on the Raikage despite his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. He had survived multiple powerful attacks. His left eye wielded Amaterasu, while his right eye seemed to control and manipulate the flames. That level of power was undeniable.
Sasuke was indeed a threat.
---
Not far away, Gaara stepped forward just as Tsunade prepared to advance. "Hokage-sama, please wait."
Tsunade turned to him. "What is it, Kazekage?"
Gaara took a moment before speaking. "Let me talk to Sasuke first."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow but nodded in agreement, stepping back slightly.
Gaara crossed his arms, walking up to Sasuke. He looked at the Uchiha with a calm but firm expression before exhaling. "Your eyes… they haven't changed."
Sasuke's left eye was closed, still bleeding. His right eye, however, locked onto Gaara. He understood exactly what the Kazekage meant.
Years ago, during the Chūnin Exams, Gaara had told Sasuke that his eyes were like his own—filled with rage, hatred, and the relentless desire for power, driven by pain and loneliness.
Gaara looked at him, sympathy flickering in his gaze. "Living only for revenge won't solve anything. I've been there. You still have time to change. Don't let hatred consume you, trapping you in an endless cycle of solitude. There's no escape from that."
Sasuke's expression shifted slightly, serious for once. "And if I did go back, what would even be there for me?"
Kankurō, watching from the side, sighed. "Gaara, that's enough. If Naruto couldn't talk him down, you won't be able to either. Sasuke's already an Akatsuki criminal. He's on a different path now."
Temari added, "Besides, Akatsuki has harmed too many people. The Raikage and the others won't forgive him. He was already a wanted man before attacking the Five Kage Summit. There's no future for him anymore."
Gaara remained silent for a few seconds.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at Sasuke again. "You and I are alike. We've both walked in darkness. Even a faint light should be able to reach your eyes. It did before. It can now."
A smirk tugged at Sasuke's lips, but it held no warmth—only bitterness. "I've already closed my eyes. My only path lies in the darkness."
Kankurō, seeing Gaara about to say more, murmured under his breath, "Don't make it personal, Gaara. You're the Kazekage now."
Gaara exhaled, then said one last thing: "Sasuke, I only feel sorry for Naruto."
With that, he stepped aside, looking at Tsunade. "Hokage-sama, I leave the rest to you. If you need assistance, just say the word."
Tsunade nodded. "I appreciate the offer, Kazekage."
Jiraiya returned to Tsunade's side, his gaze lingering on Sasuke with a slight frown. "There's something about him… Something familiar."
Tsunade didn't need to ask. She knew what Jiraiya was thinking.
Gaara had said Sasuke reminded him of himself, but there was someone else Sasuke resembled even more.
Orochimaru.
For Tsunade, the thought was unsettling.
Because deep down, she wanted to save him, just as she had once wanted to save Orochimaru.
Now Sasuke is similar to Orochimaru
Tsunade , Why didn't She Want to Save Sasuke
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