246-250

Chapter 246: Orochimaru

The hall was left with only Sasuke, who was questioning everything.

He slumped onto the ground, Curse Mark of Heaven slowly receding as he returned to his usual cool, handsome appearance.

At that moment, he still hadn’t recovered from the shock he’d just experienced.

He hadn’t expected that even after training desperately for three years, he still couldn't keep up with Aizen. The gap between them felt as insurmountable as an abyss.

Just how much longer would he have to wait until he could finally kill Itachi?

---

Outside

Yamato, Karin, Sakura, and Naruto had already arrived at the base.

“This should be the place,” Yamato said, glancing at the massive stone slab that had sealed shut. He looked to Karin, “Karin, we’re counting on you.”

“I got it.” Karin clasped her hands together, entering a sensory state.

She expanded her perception to sense the chakras of Pakura, Kabuto, Orochimaru, and Sasuke. When she sensed Aizen’s chakra, Karin’s fangirl tendencies flared up, and her nose started to bleed.

“Karin, what’s wrong?” Yamato asked urgently, startled.

Naruto and Sakura both turned to look at her with concern, and Sakura handed her a handkerchief. “Karin, are you okay?”

“It’s nothing, I just sensed an unusually powerful chakra,” Karin said, wiping her nose with a guilty expression.

“So Aizen is in there too?” Yamato said, his face turning serious.

As an ANBU directly under the Hokage, Yamato knew a fair amount about Aizen. One thing he knew for certain was that Aizen possessed an exceptionally vast chakra reserve, although this fact alone wasn’t particularly useful.

Karin nodded. “It’s not just Aizen; that female Akatsuki member, Orochimaru, and Kabuto are all inside.”

“What about Sasuke?” Sakura and Naruto asked simultaneously.

“I did sense a dark chakra, but it felt very cold and distant, quite different from Sasuke’s chakra three years ago. I can’t be sure it’s him,” Karin replied solemnly after concentrating on her sensory ability.

Yamato said, “The Sharingan of the Uchiha clan evolves under intense emotional stimulus, but the process can cause the user to lose many things, making their chakra dark and cold.”

“Based on intelligence, Sasuke’s Sharingan has developed to a three-tomoe state, though it hasn’t reached the Mangekyo level like Itachi’s. It seems likely that this fifth chakra is indeed Sasuke’s.”

“Lose many things?” Sakura and Naruto’s eyes dropped as a wave of complex emotions washed over them.

Noticing their shift in mood, Yamato wasn’t sure what to say. Following the original plan, he administered the Wood Release seeds to Karin, Naruto, and Sakura, then used his Wood Release technique to open an underground passageway.

One by one, they jumped down, initiating their infiltration.

---

Meanwhile, Aizen had arrived at Orochimaru’s lab.

“What a basic lab! But the equipment is surprisingly complete. By the way, Orochimaru, is it only snakes that you study?” Aizen glanced at the jars containing snake specimens, then strolled over to a bookshelf and casually pulled out a book.

In the past, he wouldn’t have understood any of these complex medical ninjutsu books. But ever since he gained god-level medical ninjutsu, this knowledge had become as simple as children’s stories.

“Hehe, Aizen-kun, forgive me,” Orochimaru responded, his face unchanged. He then diverted the conversation. “Are you interested in these medical books, Aizen-kun?”

While he spoke, Orochimaru gestured to Kabuto, who understood and walked over to a wall. Forming a series of hand seals, Kabuto activated a mechanism that opened a round doorway, and he stepped inside.

“It’s not exactly interest,” Aizen said casually. “But traveling around, if I didn’t know any medical ninjutsu, I’d be helpless if I got poisoned or badly injured, not to mention being easy prey. So, I dabble a bit.”

“Then can I assume that the medicine you gave to Danzo and Asuma, the one that made them pregnant, was something you created?” Orochimaru’s golden, slitted eyes gleamed with curiosity and greed as he looked at Aizen.

“So, you know quite a bit, huh?” Aizen narrowed his eyes slightly.

Orochimaru’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. “Of course. After you exposed Danzo’s right arm full of First Hokage cells and Sharingan, he went into hiding, but he did leave children behind. One of them even inherited a trace of the First Hokage’s genes and can perform basic Wood Release, though not as powerfully as Yamato.”

“It seems you’re very interested in that potion.” Aizen grinned.

Orochimaru didn’t deny it. “To make a man pregnant and spontaneously create female reproductive organs… For researchers like us, it’s incredibly fascinating. If you could share it with me as a test sample—or even let me drink it, that would be ideal.”

“Drink it?” Aizen’s lips twitched. “Are you sure?”

Pakura shot Orochimaru a look of disdain. She’d thought him depraved enough already, but now she saw he was worse than she’d imagined.

A grown man wanting to have a child—what a depravity.

“Of course,” Orochimaru replied, indifferent to Pakura’s scorn. Someone like him had long since transcended concerns of gender. In pursuit of immortality, he’d even inhabited a female body before.

As for pregnancy, that was hardly worth mentioning.

As long as it resolved his questions.

The concept of male pregnancy intrigued him intensely; he was impatient to start his research.

“Alright then, open your mouth,” Aizen said, summoning a small drop of Water of the Womb from his system inventory, about the size of a fingernail, and let it hover in his palm.

Orochimaru opened his mouth. With a flick of Aizen’s finger, the droplet shot accurately into his mouth.

As a master of human anatomy, Orochimaru quickly detected changes in his body. To his amazement, the moment he drank Aizen’s “potion,” he felt the formation of a new, distinctly female organ within him: a uterus.

“This… this is…” Orochimaru was thrilled, his voice and body trembling slightly. He looked at Aizen again, this time without a trace of enmity, only admiration. “Marvelous, absolutely marvelous, Aizen-kun.”

“I never thought you could create something like this. You’re a genius. If those with special abilities or rare bloodline limits used this, we could mass-produce geniuses!”

---

*Chapter 247: Sasuke Comes Knocking Again*

Aizen looked a bit unwilling to watch, "Well, you enjoy this wonderful experience. The embryo is inside you, and each day that passes will equal a month of development. In ten days at most, you’ll be able to give birth."

At this, Aizen seemed to think of something, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Oh, by the way, there’s something else you should know."

"Anyone who drinks that water is guaranteed to give birth to a baby girl, inheriting 100% of your genes."

"But if you want more children, you'll need a man next time."

"You could consider Sasuke. Who knows, you might end up with an Uchiha descendant."

Hearing this, Orochimaru licked his lips with his long tongue and grinned wickedly, "Now that’s an interesting proposal. He could make a good backup vessel."

"Uh…" Aizen was speechless for a moment; he hadn’t expected Orochimaru to be that twisted and actually consider having a child with Sasuke. "Guess I’ll help you out to the end; here, take this. It’s the same type I gave to Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen. And here’s one to enhance… a man’s abilities."

As he spoke, Aizen tossed him a bottle labeled "Viagra" and a pill.

"Well, then, I won’t be shy about it," Orochimaru said, happily accepting.

At that moment, Kabuto emerged from a hidden chamber, holding a test tube in his hand.

Kabuto exchanged glances with Orochimaru, who nodded, and Kabuto brought the test tube to Aizen. "Lord Aizen, here are the First Hokage’s cells, as you requested."

"I told you I wanted the purest form, but who knows how many times this has been diluted," Aizen glanced at it and quickly lost interest.

This finally made Orochimaru believe that Aizen had remarkable medical skills. He signaled to Kabuto, who immediately pulled out another test tube from a pouch on his back.

Aizen examined it closely and, confirming it was genuine, stored it in his system’s inventory.

Ding! A unique bloodline has been detected. Would you like to fuse it, Host?

"Not yet." Aizen muttered internally, then turned to Orochimaru, "You’ve completed the first two conditions; now, there’s just one final task."

"So, Aizen-kun, how do you plan to acquire Dust Release from the Third Tsuchikage?" Orochimaru’s curiosity piqued.

"Who said I’d get it from that old man? Haven’t you been collecting corpses of powerful individuals for years? Surely you didn’t miss the Second Tsuchikage. Just resurrect him with the Reanimation Jutsu and use genjutsu to force information out of him."

"Aizen-kun, you know that since my hands were sealed, I can’t perform the Reanimation Jutsu," Orochimaru replied, disappointed. He thought Aizen would plot against Onoki the same way he had against Sarutobi.

"Who said you have to do it? Just because you can’t doesn’t mean others can’t." As he spoke, Aizen turned his gaze to Kabuto, giving a ‘harmless’ smile.

Reanimation Jutsu?

How did he know?

Kabuto was stunned, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.

But, being a spy, he quickly recovered, putting on a flattering smile and feigning ignorance. "Lord Aizen, why are you looking at me like that? I can’t perform the Reanimation Jutsu."

"Who says you can’t?" Aizen replied. "Kabuto, do you know why I’ve always looked at you as an equal and not like those four Sound ninja who have died?"

Kabuto shook his head slowly.

"Because you’re an exceptional talent. You've been imitating Orochimaru’s ways, his jutsu, his everything, but your talent is undeniable. Now, you may not be able to perform Reanimation fully, but that day isn’t far off. You’ll surpass Orochimaru."

"Lord Aizen, you must be joking. I don’t understand what you’re talking about." Kabuto lowered his head slightly, his eyes obscured by the reflection from his glasses, and glanced sideways at Orochimaru, who seemed oblivious, as if he were muttering to himself.

Kabuto was shocked; he knew Orochimaru must have fallen under Aizen’s genjutsu.

"Well, come find me when you understand. I’m sure that day isn’t too far away," Aizen said, turning to leave the chamber with Pakura.

Not long after, a controlled, oblivious Orochimaru instructed Kabuto, "Kabuto, see that our esteemed guests are taken care of. As for Dust Release, I’ll retrieve it once my hands are restored."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto answered, cold sweat dripping down his forehead, thinking, Lord Orochimaru, you were just under Aizen’s genjutsu.

Of course, he dared not say it aloud, knowing that if Orochimaru even suspected him of secretly mastering the Reanimation Jutsu, he would kill him.

Kabuto soon prepared a room for Aizen and Pakura.

After Kabuto left, the door creaked open again, and Sasuke entered.

"So, you finally came," Aizen sat behind a small table, and Pakura poured him tea.

Aizen took a sip and gestured for him to sit. "Take a seat."

"Aizen, tell me how I can become as strong as you?" Sasuke sat down across from him, getting straight to the point.

"Heh, your mood sure changes faster than flipping pages. Just moments ago, you were all set to kill me, and now you’re asking me how to get stronger?" Aizen mocked with a smirk.

Sasuke replied earnestly, "You must know a way. I’ve felt your power firsthand; I’m no match for you. Orochimaru can’t compete with you, not even Itachi. Just tell me—how do I get as strong as you?"

"Then call me 'Father' first, and maybe I’ll be in a good enough mood to teach you a trick or two, enough to surpass Orochimaru at his peak," Aizen teased with a playful smile.

"You…" Sasuke’s face turned red. Despite knowing Aizen probably wouldn’t teach him, he hesitantly asked, "Are you sure you won’t trick me?"

Aizen replied, "It’s not exactly a trick. The first time you called me ‘Father,’ I gave you the Executioner’s Blade and the Ryuchi Cave summoning contract."

"The second time, you called me ‘Father,’ I saved you from being possessed by Orochimaru. Otherwise, could you stand here boasting, only for me to shut you down?"

"When did I ever make you suffer a loss?"

After thinking about it, Sasuke realized that was true. Swallowing his pride, he reluctantly muttered, "Father…"

*Chapter 248: Sasuke vs. Karin*

Just moments before, Sasuke, who had been treated like royalty by Orochimaru, surprisingly called Aizen “Father.” Pakura couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, covering her mouth with a smirk.

“Good boy,” Aizen said, ruffling Sasuke’s spiky hair.

This left Sasuke mortified. His face flushed from purple to red as he fought to contain his anger and said to Aizen, “Now, will you finally teach me how to become stronger?”

“Of course.” Aizen pursed his lips and, after a moment’s pause, abruptly replied, “Nope.”

“Are you messing with me?” Sasuke stood up and slammed his hand on the table in rage.

Aizen chuckled, “I only said I wouldn’t let you suffer, not that I’d teach you how to become stronger. How is that messing with you?”

Sasuke’s face turned ashen with fury, his Sharingan nearly glowing with rage.

“Don’t be so hasty. I’m not teaching you, but surely there are other ways for you to grow stronger, right?” Aizen took a sip of tea and continued, “Ever heard of ‘Living Corpse Reincarnation’?”

Sasuke left with the thought of taking Orochimaru’s soul, just as Orochimaru longed for his body.

After learning about the weaknesses of Living Corpse Reincarnation from Aizen, Sasuke decided to target Orochimaru’s soul. If he could reverse the technique, he could gain everything Orochimaru had. With that, combined with his Sharingan and the Heaven Curse Mark, he was sure he could finally challenge Itachi.

“Why did you tell Sasuke all this?” Pakura asked Aizen hesitantly.

Aizen smiled, “Don’t you think it’s interesting? Sasuke is eyeing Orochimaru’s soul, and Orochimaru is after Sasuke’s body, even considering having a child with him.”

Recalling how Aizen had given Orochimaru some potent "supplements" and a “love potion,” Pakura shuddered. Clearly, a clash was inevitable.

Meanwhile, Sasuke returned to his room, strategizing his approach against Orochimaru. Suddenly, several vine-like wooden branches burst from the ground and wrapped around him. Then came Yamato’s voice: “Wood Style: Thorn Binding Technique!”

A wooden stake emerged from a wall and then retracted, leaving a large opening from which Yamato climbed out. Soon, Sakura, Naruto, and Karin appeared as well.

“Sasuke,” Naruto and Sakura gasped upon seeing him.

Sasuke, still bound, remained calm. “So, we’ve got a Wood Style user here. And Sakura, Naruto, you’re both here. Is Kakashi with you?”

Yamato took a step forward, gazing up at Sasuke. “Apologies, but Kakashi-sensei couldn’t make it due to health issues. I’m the acting leader of Team Kakashi. Our mission is to bring you back to the village.”

Sasuke’s expression didn’t change as he raised his right hand, making a claw. “Do you really think you can do that?”

Boom! Flames erupted from beneath, creating a massive explosion. Orochimaru’s secret base was blown open, revealing a deep crater.

In the crater stood Yamato, Sakura, Karin, and Naruto, while Sasuke stood atop the edge, silhouetted against the sun.

“Stop, Sasuke!” Sakura shouted tearfully.

“Shut up,” Sasuke’s gaze swept over the group, settling on Karin. “So this is my replacement?”

“What a snob,” thought Karin as she stepped forward with a polite smile, “Hi, I’m Karin Uzumaki, the newest member of Team 7. We’ve met before, right? Looking forward to working together.”

“Don’t remember, don’t care.” Sasuke cut her off, turning to Naruto. “Naruto, remember what I once told you? I’ve wanted to fight you for a long time.”

As he spoke, memories of Naruto’s fight with the transformed Gaara flashed through his mind. His Sharingan, with its three tomoe, glinted with excitement.

Naruto nodded. “But I’m not going to fight you, Sasuke.”

“Why not?” Sasuke frowned, feeling both insulted and angered at what felt like pity.

“Because you’re my friend,” Naruto said, voice trembling. “Today, no matter what, I’m taking you back to the village.”

Sasuke’s pupils contracted, recalling the happy times with Naruto, his closest friend since the clan massacre. For a moment, he genuinely wanted to stay by Naruto’s side.

But then, memories of Itachi, who had slaughtered their clan, resurfaced, igniting his rage again. In an instant, he appeared in front of Naruto, placing a hand on his shoulder and slowly drawing his Kusanagi blade.

“Your dream is to become Hokage, isn’t it? Instead of chasing me, maybe you should focus on training,” Sasuke sneered.

“How can I become Hokage if I can’t even save my friends, right, Sasuke?” Naruto didn’t flinch.

“If you’re so determined, I’ll end your suffering myself.” Sasuke raised the blade, aiming for Naruto’s back.

Sakura, paralyzed by shock and tears, could only watch as the blade neared Naruto.

But in that critical moment, Karin suddenly grabbed Sasuke’s wrist. Naruto, not wasting the opportunity, seized Sasuke’s other arm.

“That`s good defense,” Sasuke noted with a smirk as he glanced at Karin. His tone was approving, even though he had let them catch him, intending to release his Chidori Stream.

But before he could act, Karin tightened her grip on his wrist. “I’m not just defending. I can attack too! Naruto, duck!”

Naruto immediately ducked, and in the blink of an eye, five chains of light shot out from Karin’s back, encircling Sasuke and blocking his retreat.

 end

Chapter 249: Sakura's Slip-Up

"This girl… how does she have such strength?" Sasuke muttered, shaking off Karin's powerful grip with a click of his tongue. He activated Chidori Stream, infused lightning chakra into his Kusanagi sword, and slashed as he retreated swiftly.

Clang! Clang!  

In the vast, empty cave, Sasuke's figure flickered continuously. His Chidori Blade clashed repeatedly with the adamantine chains, creating intense friction and sparking bursts of light.

To Sasuke's surprise, the Chidori Blade, which he thought was unstoppable, met its match. Rather than slicing through the chains, his blade's chakra was severely suppressed upon contact, reverting the blade to its original Kusanagi form.

"What are these things…?" Sasuke's face darkened.

Karin taunted, "Uchiha Sasuke, you’re using the Chidori Blade, aren’t you? You infused lightning chakra into your blade and tried to use Chidori Stream to cover your body. Am I wrong?"

Sasuke didn’t respond, dodging the chains with a deepening scowl.

As Tsunade’s student, Karin had trained for three years alongside Chika, often receiving combat tips from Aizen. Her confidence was evident as she continued, “So naive! I may not know Lightning Style, but Chika does.”

"Chika…?" Sasuke's pupils contracted, recalling his defeat by her three years ago.

“Compared to Chika’s Lightning Style, yours is child’s play.” Karin exploited his distraction, directing five adamantine chains to surround Sasuke, blocking every escape route.

“Shut up.” Sasuke’s anger flared as the Cursed Seal spread over his body, activating his second state.

With large wings unfurled, he lunged toward the chains, underestimating their power.

However, the adamantine chains, capable of binding even Tailed Beasts, quickly immobilized Sasuke’s Cursed Seal state.

Seeing Karin capture Sasuke so effortlessly, Naruto was astonished. He hurried forward, attempting to talk him down. “Stop this, Sasuke!”

“Shut up.” Sasuke struggled, his face flushed, with sweat trickling down his brow. His usual composure was gone.

“Don’t be stubborn, Sasuke. If you keep going like this, you’ll die. You know Orochimaru just wants your body!” Naruto pleaded.

But Sasuke cut him off coldly, “Then so be it. Right now, neither I nor Orochimaru is a match for that man.”

“I’m an avenger. As long as I can kill him, even merging with Orochimaru is fine by me. If you really want me back in the Leaf, you’d better be prepared to kill me.”

“Such arrogance. Do you really think that merging with Orochimaru will let you kill Itachi? How naive.” Karin tightened the chains binding Sasuke.

Sasuke, fully restrained, fell to the ground.

"Sasuke!" Sakura, who hadn’t intervened so far, finally stepped forward.

Karin looked at Sakura in exasperation and turned to Yamato. “Captain Yamato, we need to move quickly—Orochimaru and Kabuto are on their way.”

“I understand.” Yamato nodded, forming a hand seal. “Wood Style!”

Before he could finish, Sakura suddenly moved toward Karin, eyes shaded and head lowered, clenching her fist for an attack.

“Sakura, what are you doing?” Yamato exclaimed, redirecting his Wood Style technique to restrain her hand. “Sakura, what’s going on?” Naruto shouted.

“What else? She’s under Sasuke’s genjutsu,” Karin said, irritated. Though Sakura had no formal genjutsu training, she had an innate talent for resisting it.

In theory, Sasuke’s three-tomoe Sharingan shouldn’t control her easily, unless… she had willingly allowed it.

"Haha, that's right. She fell for my genjutsu. This fool, knowing I have the Sharingan, still dared to make eye contact with me." Sasuke laughed from the ground, mocking her.

"Sharingan truly powerful," Yamato sighed, realizing Sakura had likely fallen for Sasuke’s genjutsu intentionally.

“I got it,” Naruto said.

But before they could intervene, Sakura’s free hand moved to her own neck, and Sasuke taunted coldly, “Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill her.”

“Sasuke, you’re insane. She’s Sakura—our teammate. She cares about you!” Naruto shouted in desperation.

“Enough! I’m an avenger. I don’t have to like her, nor am I obliged to be liked by her. If you’re smart, let me go, or I’ll kill this stupid girl.” Sasuke’s grip on Sakura’s neck tightened, her bones creaking audibly.

“Sakura!” Naruto cried.

“Then make that red-haired girl release me,” Sasuke demanded coolly.

Naruto and Yamato both turned to Karin, who sighed and reluctantly loosened her adamantine chains.

Taking his chance, Sasuke jumped to the top of the cavern. “Consider yourselves lucky today. There won’t be a next time. Next time, I’ll kill you all without hesitation.”

With a puff of smoke, Sasuke vanished from sight.

Sakura finally regained her senses, collapsing to her knees, gasping for air. “Where’s Sasuke? Where is he?”

No one answered.

Naruto sank to his knees, defeated, tears welling up for his failure to bring Sasuke back.

Karin and Yamato exchanged a look of mutual disappointment—directed at Sakura.

Above the pit, Aizen and Pakura had witnessed the entire battle.

Watching Sasuke flee, Aizen smirked mischievously. “Seems like Sasuke had a rather rough loss.”

*Chapter 250: Chika Joins Team 7, Sakura Becomes a Bystander*

“Lord Aizen, what exactly is that chain? It can actually suppress chakra,” asked Pakura with a serious expression. She could feel the threat emanating from that chain.

Aizen smiled slightly and explained, “That is the unique power of the Uzumaki clan, Adamantine Sealing Chains. When used, several chakra chains extend from the back, serving as a powerful offensive weapon and also capable of creating barriers. Its strength depends on the amount of chakra. With Karin’s chakra, she could easily suppress not just Sasuke's Cursed Seal of Heaven, even Naruto in his half-tailed beast form.”

“That really is an impressive jutsu,” Pakura marveled.

“Alright, the show’s over, and our mission is complete. Let’s head back.” Aizen nodded and placed his right hand on Pakura’s shoulder. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, they vanished.

*Ten Days Later, at Konoha Village.*

*Hokage’s Office.*

Present were Yamato, Naruto, Sakura, and Karin.

“Lady Tsunade, that’s the summary of what happened,” Yamato reported, standing at attention after explaining the mission.

Karin bowed her head slightly, frustrated that she hadn’t had the chance to speak with Aizen.

Naruto and Sakura shared a similar frustration, but for different reasons—they were upset that they hadn’t brought Sasuke back.

“I didn’t expect things to turn out this way,” Tsunade sighed, feeling exhausted as she leaned on her desk. How had things escalated so quickly, with that man getting involved with Orochimaru again?

Yamato nodded, “Yes, Lady Tsunade. Given the situation, if Aizen had taken action, there was a high probability that Naruto, who lost control, would have been captured by him.”

“However, it appeared that Aizen wasn’t keen on capturing tailed beasts. On the contrary Akatsuki specifically sent him to kill Orochimaru this time.”

“Not only did he disobey that order, but he also used the opportunity to threaten Orochimaru. From the information my Wood Clone gathered, Aizen has threatened Orochimaru this way more than once, and Orochimaru is helpless against him.”

“It seems that even one of the legendary Sannin fears Aizen. Overall, the Akatsuki isn’t as unified as we thought. It’s a small silver lining.”

“Threatening Orochimaru—that definitely fits his style,” Tsunade muttered, letting out a resigned sigh. Her gaze shifted to Sakura, suddenly turning stern. “Sakura, don’t you have anything to say?”

“I’m sorry, Lady Tsunade.” Sakura’s eyes grew dim; she knew the mission’s failure was largely her fault.

“I’m not blaming you,” Tsunade said gently. “I just want you to understand one thing: no matter what, you must always prioritize the lives of your comrades.”

“Blame her?” Naruto looked at Sakura in confusion. “What’s going on here?”

Yamato explained, “Sakura has the ability to dispel genjutsu. Even with Sasuke’s Sharingan, he could only put her in a genjutsu, not control her completely. So, you get it now, don’t you?”

Naruto gasped, “So that means... Sakura let Sasuke go on purpose?”

Tsunade said, “Alright, that’s enough. Sakura, take some time to rest. Starting tomorrow, report to the medical unit.”

“Yes, Lady Tsunade,” Sakura replied, dejected, and left the Hokage’s office.

“Why... why is this necessary, Granny Tsunade?” Naruto looked at Tsunade. “Just because of this, Sakura has to leave Team 7? Sasuke’s already gone, and now... now this means...”

Team 7 would cease to exist as it was.

“No, it’s not because of this,” Tsunade shook her head.

Shizune, standing behind Tsunade, quickly interjected, worried Naruto might misunderstand, “Actually, this decision was made when you were on the mission to retrieve the Kazekage.”

“Then why do this?” Naruto asked, still confused.

“With me included, Team 7 would have two medical-nin. You know how important a medical-nin is to a team. They’re so rare that many teams don’t even have one,” Karin said.

“Then why don’t you go—” Naruto began without thinking.

Before he could finish, Karin’s fist landed on his head, leaving a bump. “Idiot! You think I want to be stuck with you?”

Yamato, still a bit shaken, explained, “Naruto, after battle at Tenchi Bridge against Orochimaru, you should understand how crucial Karin is.”

Naruto, with steam rising from his head where the bump was, recalled his berserk state and shivered, sweat forming on his forehead.

“So, who’s the new member of Team 7?” he asked instinctively.

“It’s me.” A clear voice suddenly echoed. Before they could react, there was a puff of smoke, and Chika appeared on desk, arms crossed.

“Chika?” Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief, especially Naruto, who hadn’t seen Chika’s fight with clone Itachi due to being in a genjutsu. He pointed at her, astonished, “Granny Tsunade, are you serious? This kid—”

“Chika isn’t just any kid; she’s very strong,” Tsunade said with a smile.

Hearing this, Yamato, Team 7’s temporary leader, felt uneasy. “Lady Hokage, I heard from Kakashi about Chika’s exceptional performance during the Kazekage retrieval mission, but if we’re going up against Akatsuki in the future, wouldn’t she—”

“It’s precisely because we’ll face the Akatsuki that Chika needs to be in Team 7. Naruto,” Tsunade said sternly, looking at him.

“Yes,” Naruto stood at attention.

“With what you experienced in the fight against Sasuke, you should know the gap between you two,” Tsunade continued.

“Yes,” Naruto swallowed, filled with frustration.

“So, starting today, you’ll train under Chika to improve the Rasengan and make it your own jutsu.”

“Train under Chika?” Naruto was stunned. “Uh... Granny Tsunade, are you sure you don’t mean Kakashi-sensei?”

“Absolutely. Chika is very strong and proficient in all five basic nature transformations,” Tsunade said, with a mysterious smile. “Considering the risk of the Nine-Tails’ chakra going out of control, Yamato and Karin will be there to keep watch, and Kakashi will also help you. The rest is up to you.”

As she spoke, Chika formed a small Rasenshuriken in her hand, showing it to everyone.