The next day, inside the office of the Hokage Building.
Leaning on the desk, Tsunade forced her face up, her gaze sweeping over the five reports before her.
Two were written by Sakura, detailing her analysis of Naruto and Sasuke's strength.
The remaining three were written by Kakashi and two elite Anbu who observed the battle from the sidelines.
The subject of analysis in all reports was the same person… Haruno Sakura!
"Sasuke and Naruto's strength is already approaching Jonin-level, and Sakura..."
Tsunade wasn't quite sure how to evaluate these five reports. Extracting the main points from Kakashi and the two elite Anbu basically condensed into one word… Monster!
She had witnessed yesterday's spectacle herself. Who would have thought the sky torn asunder before everyone's eyes was caused by a single attack?
'The three of them have remarkable strength. Perhaps the mission targeting the Akatsuki can be entrusted to them...'
Stacking the reports, placing them in a special container to burn, Tsunade fell into deep thought.
The mission she had wanted Sakura to undertake before was precisely about gathering intelligence on the Akatsuki.
Recently, intelligence networks scattered outside the village sent back a piece of information that greatly concerned Tsunade: someone was secretly collecting information on the Tailed Beasts.
Following Tsunade's orders for the Anbu to investigate from multiple angles, they discovered the funds purchasing this information seemed to trace back to Amegakure… the village that years ago was confirmed by intelligence brought back by Sakura and Jiraiya to be controlled by the Akatsuki.
"The increasingly chaotic Ninja World, ambitious schemers targeting the Tailed Beasts, the reappearance of Wood Release..."
Tsunade crushed the burned report ashes. "Is the Ninja World about to return to that era of endless war, Grandpa?"
'If... Grandpa had known his choice would lead to larger-scale wars, would he have regretted it?'
'Perhaps I would have to wait until the day I died to ask him properly in the Pure Land.'
Bang!
The door to the Hokage's office was slammed open, startling Tsunade from her melancholic thoughts.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura hurried into the office, their faces filled with anxiety.
"Tch, what's the trouble now, you old folks?"
A look of impatience tugged at Tsunade's lips as she lifted her head, looking at the two through her nostrils.
After Danzo's death, the personnel and resources originally belonging to the Root were absorbed into the Anbu. The Root's overseas intelligence network, however, was handed over to the two before her.
If it weren't for the need to coordinate with top-secret spies who had no documented records, Tsunade would have kicked them out to retire long ago.
"There's trouble, Tsunade!"
Before Koharu could react, the calmer Homura stepped in front of her, reporting to Tsunade. "We received an urgent report from our spy in Sunagakure. The Fifth Kazekage, the Jinchuriki of the One-Tail Shukaku, Gaara, has been abducted from inside Sunagakure!"
"Huh?"
Tsunade, who had been digging in her ear with her pinky finger, froze for a moment before showing an incredulous expression.
Sunagakure, ranked among the top five of the dozens of Ninja Villages in the entire Ninja World, let their own Kage get kidnapped within their own territory.
'What's wrong with this Great Ninja Village? Did they become this weak just from losing the Fourth Kazekage?'
"Sunagakure is currently leaderless. I'm worried they might go on a rampage like they did in the past!"
Having experienced the Third Great Ninja War, Koharu was truly afraid of Sunagakure… the epitome of weak but arrogant, always stirring up trouble.
The trigger for the last Great Great War was the disappearance of the Third Kazekage. The Sunagakure's Ninjas' frantic search aroused the greed of the brutes from the Land of Lightning, who took advantage of the situation to invade the Land of Wind.
"Not only that, but our spy also discovered traces of other spy activities while retreating..." Homura sighed, delivering even more distressing news.
"Sunagakure is really beyond saving!" Tsunade couldn't help but curse.
As an intelligence agency, infiltrated to the top… as a military organization, unable to protect its own leader… incompetent at intelligence, lacking in strength… how had such a Ninja Village survived for so many years?
Oh, Konoha protected it!
Knock knock knock!
The door to the Hokage's office was knocked on again. A Chunin wearing a flak jacket rushed in, hurriedly reporting to Tsunade.
"Tsunade-sama, we just received an urgent communication from Sunagakure. They have formally requested assistance through diplomatic channels, hoping we can help them retrieve the Fifth Kazekage from the Akatsuki."
Tsunade, Homura, Koharu: ...
This request for aid basically dumped the entire mess onto Konoha's lap. This kind of tactic to drag others down was likely the work of some old fossil in Sunagakure.
After all, following the Konoha Crush incident, Sunagakure and Konoha had signed a loan repayment treaty, and less than one-fifth of that debt had been repaid so far.
Moreover, if Konoha stood by and watched Sunagakure weaken, Iwagakure and Kumogakure would surely take the opportunity to invade.
To avoid its ally's destruction and being forced into a one-against-three predicament, Konoha would inevitably get involved. A new Great Ninja War would erupt in an instant.
"A move we can't refuse!" Homura lowered his head in contemplation.
Koharu smiled self-deprecatingly. "But what can we do even knowing it's a move we can't refuse? We're tied too deeply to Sunagakure."
Alliance with Sunagakure to counter Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure was also an old policy left from the Third Hokage's era. Years of alliance had indeed created too many interconnected interests between Sunagakure and Konoha, making it difficult to change direction abruptly while also facing immense policy inertia.
"Then let's face it head-on! We Konoha don't need to be as impoverished in schemes as Sunagakure!" Tsunade sneered, turning to order the chunin beside her. "Notify Team 7 to come here!"
"Yes!"
The messenger Chunin bowed and immediately used a Body Flicker Technique to exit the Hokage's office, disappearing from the view of the three.
Moments later, a yawning Sakura directly flashed into the office. Sasuke and Naruto arrived shortly after.
"Team 7, listen up!"
Seeing Team 7's three members assembled, Tsunade issued the Hokage's orders with a serious expression. Koharu and Homura silently retreated behind her.
"The Kazekage of Sunagakure has been kidnapped. You three are hereby ordered to proceed to the Land of Wind to carry out a mission to support Sunagakure!"
Hearing Tsunade's words, a faint gleam flickered in Sakura's eyes. She knew it was most likely the Akatsuki beginning to act. If there were no surprises, Gaara was probably already on his way to... meet his mother.
"Sakura, for this operation, I want you to use that… in front of Sunagakure and possibly appearing Ninjas from Iwagakure and Kumogakure!" Tsunade looked up, her smile not concealing her contempt for Sunagakure.
Roundabout methods were never Tsunade's style of governance… she always preferred overwhelming force to create miracles.
No matter what kind of schemes, they were merely jokes before the power that pacified the Warring States Period, not to mention the fact that Sunagakure's previous Kazekage had attempted to assassinate the bearer of that power and failed.
Now, Konoha, repaying evil with good, sending Sakura to rescue the Fifth Kazekage, was a demonstration of their magnanimity.
Such a magnanimous act… shouldn't Sunagakure be saying thank you?
"Understood, Hokage-sama!" Sakura also replied to Tsunade formally for once.
"Also, you might face that Akatsuki this time. Remember to gather as much information about them as possible!" Before they departed, Tsunade gave Sakura's team an informal reminder.
"Oh, leave it to us, Granny Tsunade!" Naruto patted his chest, giving a thumbs-up.
Sasuke crossed his arms, cautioning, "Idiot, don't underestimate the enemy. Akatsuki is an organization gathering many S-rank Missing-Nin."
"I've fought Akatsuki before, I have experience!" Sakura nodded at Tsunade, then turned to Naruto and Sasuke.
"Alright then, let's move out!"