This kind of proposal is naturally impossible to refuse.
Tsunade instructed someone to notify the four Hokage to return to Konoha and sent others to the Hidden Sand Village to order them to investigate the Akatsuki Organization's information.
However…
The plea for help from the Hidden Sand Village arrived.
The Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, was taken away by the Akatsuki Organization!
As the elder sibling in the alliance of great nations, Konoha must live up to its responsibility. Tsunade couldn't refuse the Hidden Sand Village's request for help and immediately dispatched people to the Hidden Sand Village. Team 3 and the reassembled Team 7 were sent out directly.
Root Base.
Akihara Kagura sat in the office, browsing through a scroll, while Uchiha Sasuke kneeled on one knee before him, listening to the mission Akihara Kagura was issuing in a low voice.
"Team 7 has already set off."
Akihara Kagura lightly traced the characters on the scroll with his fingers and said, "Sasuke, follow them, go monitor and protect them."
"The enemy is..."
Uchiha Sasuke recalled what Akihara Kagura had once mentioned.
"Just as you think."
Akihara Kagura put down the Ninjutsu Scroll in his hand and softly said, "The Akatsuki Organization took away the Fifth Kazekage. Naruto and the others are going to rescue the Kazekage. They will definitely encounter members of the Akatsuki Organization—"
"Uchiha Itachi..."
Uchiha Sasuke squinted his eyes.
Even if he might not encounter Uchiha Itachi this time, he could seize the opportunity to capture an Akatsuki member and force information about Uchiha Itachi out of them!
"Go on."
Akihara Kagura waved his hand, letting Uchiha Sasuke proceed with the mission.
After Uchiha Sasuke left, White Zetsu emerged from the ground. It seemed to already know Akihara Kagura's thoughts: "Kid, are you going to report to Pain and the others?"
"Mm."
Akihara Kagura nodded, casually saying, "Go report to him. The reinforcements Konoha sent are just a bunch of kids; the Akatsuki Organization can easily send a team to hold them off—"
"Alright."
White Zetsu burrowed into the ground.
The Akatsuki Organization acted quickly. After Deidara and the Red Sand Scorpion captured Gaara, they immediately gathered and began extracting the One-Tailed Shukaku from Gaara's body using the Phantom Dragon Nine Consuming Seals, hoping to seal Shukaku into the Gedo Statue as soon as possible.
The Hidden Sand Village and Konoha also acted swiftly.
Konoha's Team 3 and Team 7 quickly arrived at the Hidden Sand Village.
After Kankuro woke up in the Hidden Sand Village, he reported to the village's elders about the enemy he encountered, particularly the abilities his opponent displayed, which immediately caught the attention of the village elder, Chiyo.
"The enemy claimed to be a Puppet Master…"
"Perhaps he should be a Puppet Master from the village, because he showed a deep understanding of my puppets. I was no match for him. In an instant, his body released a dozen bombs that shattered all my puppets in one move…"
Kankuro reported the information about the enemy he encountered while looking at his puppets that were blown to pieces with a pained expression, "That guy's fighting style is extremely strange, even completely beyond my understanding..."
"Track them along the path they escaped..."
Chiyo sighed helplessly. She had a guess but couldn't extract more information from Kankuro.
However…
The Hidden Sand Village has had no successors.
Chiyo wanted to verify her guess and decided to directly follow Konoha's Team 7 to trace the opponent's whereabouts; Konoha's Team 3 assisted in tracking the enemy's movements.
Meanwhile.
The Akatsuki Organization also received the intelligence.
They even had detailed personnel arrangements.
Pain ordered Deidara and the Red Sand Scorpion to prepare two living bodies and remotely used the Form Transformation Jutsu to create two puppets of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame.
Although these puppets only had one-third of their power, they should be sufficient to cover Deidara and the Red Sand Scorpion and prevent interference with their progress in extracting the One-Tailed Shukaku.
A desert oasis.
Team 7 and Chiyo pursued along the traces.
A figure dressed in a Root Ninja cloak, wearing a cat-faced mask, closely tailed them, following them tightly.
"Is someone following us from behind?"
Naruto Uzumaki always felt a peculiar feeling.
"..."
Kakashi Hatake was well aware of the Root Ninja monitoring them from behind and said to his disciple in a perfunctory manner, "It should be an illusion, focus on tracking the Kazekage's whereabouts first..."
The next moment!
Their steps involuntarily came to a halt!
Because within their sight, a figure clad in a Cloud Black Robe bearing a red cloud motif appeared in the forest of this oasis, seemingly waiting for their arrival deliberately.
This figure...
Looked extremely familiar.
"Uchiha Itachi..."
Kakashi Hatake's heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
Everyone present stopped, nervously watching Uchiha Itachi.
"Mr. Kakashi."
Uchiha Itachi slightly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of scarlet eyes, "I've been waiting here for you for a long time, sorry, the passage ahead is now forbidden."
Though this Uchiha Itachi was merely a Form Transformation Puppet with only thirty percent strength, it possessed enough ability to stop this team!
"Sasuke's brother..."
Naruto Uzumaki and Haruno Sakura were long familiar with this name.
"The infamous Clan-Eraser Itachi, huh..."
Chiyo couldn't help but sigh, recalling the legend the annihilated Uchiha once created: "Still, be cautious, the Sharingan isn't something easily defeated..."
"Of course, I wouldn't underestimate him..."
Kakashi Hatake held his Ninja Headband and said softly, "Although Uchiha Itachi was once defeated by Kagura, he was only ever defeated by Kagura..."
Kakashi Hatake's fingers slowly brushed over his transplanted Sharingan, having diligently trained with this Sharingan over the years and gradually grasped some of its miraculous uses.
The same was true.
Kakashi Hatake also felt an adverse effect.
That is, once he used the Sharingan's miraculous abilities, it would result in a decline in his vision, exerting a heavy burden on his brain and body.
"We may not lack a chance of victory..."
Chiyo, with her wealth of experience, proactively guided these juniors, "Since ancient times, there's been a saying for dealing with the Sharingan: one-on-one, fledgling away, two-on-one, reach behind… There are four of us; one can draw his attention while the rest launch an attack from the Sharingan's blind spot, but I heard this Uchiha Itachi isn't simple..."
"I'll handle this."
A voice echoed from within the forest.
With the emergence of that voice came a figure wearing an animal mask, garbed in a Root Ninja uniform, and draped in a Root cape appearing instantly atop a tree.
"Continue with your mission to rescue the Kazekage..."
This Root Ninja pressed his palm onto his animal mask and spoke coldly, "Leave this to me; I will take care of him..."
"Someone from the Root..."
Haruno Sakura's expression instantly turned grave, frowning tightly, "Why is someone from the Root following us..."
"Hm?"
Naruto Uzumaki found the person's tone somewhat familiar, curiously rubbing his chin, "Why does this guy sound so arrogant when he talks..."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake couldn't help but rub his forehead.
"Root, they say?"
Chiyo's face turned solemn.
While the Root of Konoha might not have a reputation in the Ninja World, the person propping up the Root Ninjas loomed like a gigantic tree, daring no one to offend!
"He has his mission..."
Kakashi Hatake softly defended the Root Ninja slightly and asked the other party, "Taking care of this guy, can you handle it?"
"Of course."
The Root Ninja's palm pressed firmly against his mask, "You carry on with your task, I'll handle mine, and we'll regroup after completing our respective missions..."