Before long, the bikōchū larva formed a pupa. When its shell finally split, the adult beetle began to emerge.
Sakura hurriedly took out Sasuke's clothing and held it close, making sure his scent was the first thing the insect encountered.
Naruto watched her, briefly considering whether he should interfere.
Then he dismissed the thought.
Let her try. It isn't my problem.
The beetle caught Sasuke's scent, spread its wings, and began flying in a particular direction.
"Sasuke…!"
Sakura stepped after it, unable to contain herself. For a moment, it was as though he were already waiting just beyond the trees.
Shino reached out and caught the bikōchū in a specially prepared container.
"What are you doing?" Sakura demanded.
"Are you planning to follow it right now?" he asked calmly. "Sasuke is with Orochimaru. We need to report this to the Fifth Hokage first."
"But…"
Sakura faltered.
Shino was right. Even if she found Sasuke, she had no hope of fighting Orochimaru and bringing him back on her own.
Reluctantly, she accompanied Naruto and the others back to Konoha.
…
"You actually found one?"
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade stared at them in disbelief.
She had approved the search mainly because she hoped it would convince Sakura to give up. She had never seriously expected them to succeed.
Now they had returned with a bikōchū that had memorized Sasuke's scent.
That left her with a difficult decision.
Of the shinobi currently available to Konoha, only she and Jiraiya could reliably contend with Orochimaru.
Jiraiya, however, was investigating Akatsuki. She could not reach him for the moment, and she had no idea when he would return.
As the Fifth Hokage, she could not simply leave the village. Konoha was still vulnerable. If an enemy learned that she was absent, they might seize the opportunity to attack.
"Sakura," Tsunade said, "you know the situation the village is in. And you've seen what Orochimaru is capable of."
Sakura stood silently before her.
"I'll contact Jiraiya as soon as I can. When he returns, I'll have him take you to find Sasuke."
For a while, Sakura kept her head lowered.
Then she nodded.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama."
She left the office and returned to her medical ninjutsu training.
Everyone assumed the matter had been settled for the time being.
Yet only half a month later, another shocking incident would shake Konoha—something even Naruto had not anticipated, and something that had never happened in the original story.
For now, that was still ahead of them.
…
The very next morning, Naruto received another assignment.
He was already irritated before he reached the Hokage's office.
Three villagers had escaped from the Katabami Gold Mine and, after a difficult journey, reached Konoha to ask for help.
Since the Kurosuki Family had taken control of the mining town, life there had become unbearable.
Members of the gang beat the villagers whenever they pleased. Sometimes, they killed them.
Their preferred method was particularly cruel.
They would seal living people inside coffins and bury them.
They called these executions "funerals."
Their leader, Raiga Kurosuki, presided over the ceremonies himself. He would grin, then weep bitterly over the very people he was burying alive.
The villagers lived in terror.
Only these three had managed to escape and reach Konoha.
Tsunade had accepted their request.
And once again, she had assigned Naruto.
"Granny Tsunade, another mission?" he complained. "I only got back yesterday. Can't you at least give me time to rest? I need to train, too."
Tsunade frowned at him.
"Raiga Kurosuki was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He has at least the strength of a jōnin. Right now, you're the only suitable shinobi I can send."
Naruto sighed.
"Fine. But this is the last one for a while. Once I finish this mission, I want a month to train."
"Agreed."
Tsunade studied him for a moment.
"Who do you want to take with you? Your girlfriend, Hinata?"
"Of course. She needs more mission experience."
"Then take Lee and Tenten as well," Tsunade suggested. "With Neji gone, they could use another Byakugan user alongside them. Hinata should be able to work well with both."
"That's fine."
Naruto nodded.
That afternoon, the four shinobi set out with the three villagers.
Naruto, Hinata, Lee, and Tenten trained whenever they could during the journey. None of them seemed interested in taking it easy.
If not for their companions, they would have reached the mine much sooner.
The three villagers watched their dedication with admiration.
No wonder Konoha was considered the strongest hidden village.
They quickened their own pace, unwilling to hold the team back any more than necessary.
By the following afternoon, they reached the area near the gold mine.
After training throughout the journey, even the four shinobi were tired. Lee suggested stopping at a nearby curry shop he knew.
It was run by Sanshō, an elderly, white-haired woman.
She and her son, Karashi, had once rescued Lee when he collapsed during training. He had never forgotten their kindness, and the shop held a special place in his heart.
But Karashi had since joined the Kurosuki Family.
When Lee learned this, he vowed to bring him back and make him abandon the gang.
That night, however, another problem arose.
One of the villagers, Rokusuke, was desperate to rescue a friend who had been buried alive several days earlier.
Unable to wait any longer, he slipped out under cover of darkness and returned to the mine, intending to dig his friend out.
The Kurosuki Family caught him.
His "funeral" was scheduled for the following day.
Naruto sensed what had happened.
He merely turned over, drew Hinata a little closer, and went back to sleep.
If Rokusuke insisted on rushing into danger alone, he could face the consequences of that decision.
…
Early the next morning, the others learned what Rokusuke had done.
Lee immediately wanted to leave for the mine.
Naruto stopped him.
"Eat first."
"But Rokusuke—"
"We're not going into a fight on empty stomachs. Sit down."
As captain, his decision stood.
Lee reluctantly returned to his seat.
Once everyone had finished their food and drinks, the four shinobi slipped toward the gold mine.
Naruto immediately identified the building where Raiga was staying and led the others straight toward it.
He made no attempt to find the captured Rokusuke first.
His attention was fixed on Raiga.
"Wind Release: Hurricane!"
Naruto rose into the air and brought his hands together.
A massive hurricane descended from above, swallowing the building.
But Raiga had already been warned.
His companion, Ranmaru, had sensed the four approaching shinobi before the attack began.
As the hurricane struck, Raiga burst from the building.
He raised his twin lightning blades, Kiba, and swept them skyward.
A bolt of lightning flashed through the air toward Naruto.
Naruto's body dissolved into wind.
The lightning struck empty air.
An instant later, he reappeared behind Raiga.
Dozens of wind blades swept toward the swordsman's back.