"Kyosuke, what happened?" Minato asked immediately, his voice tight with concern.
Kyosuke looked at Kakashi, Guy, and Noriko. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before replying, "I discovered Sasori of the Red Sand while on my mission. I immediately retreated to report back."
"Sasori of the Red Sand? Who is that?" Guy asked loudly, tilting his head. Kakashi and Noriko also looked at Kyosuke with intense curiosity.
Minato, however, took the initiative to explain.
"A few months ago, there was a violent rebellion in the Hidden Sand Village. A rogue Sand ninja released a Tailed Beast, causing catastrophic damage, and then successfully escaped the Kazekage's pursuit. That rebel is named Sasori. Because of his lethal mastery over puppets and poison, the Ninja World has dubbed him 'Sasori of the Red Sand.'"
After finishing the grim introduction, Minato looked back at his student. "Can you absolutely confirm his identity?"
I've read the manga, of course I can confirm it, Kyosuke thought.
Outwardly, he lied smoothly. "He stated his name himself. The enemy was unbelievably proficient in Puppet Ninjutsu and possessed terrifying power. I was incredibly lucky to escape with my life. Based on that, I am certain it was him."
According to Konoha's intelligence, Sasori had nearly toppled the Sand Village. For a criminal of that magnitude to appear deep within the Land of Fire was a massive threat. Minato instantly recognized the severity of the situation.
"This intelligence is critical. I need to report this to the Hokage immediately," Minato said, turning to the others. "You three should let Kyosuke rest. Come with me."
Minato ushered them out, and the hospital room quieted down. However, Kyosuke didn't go to sleep. He sat up against his pillows, waiting patiently.
Sure enough, a minute later, Minato silently slipped back into the room through the window.
"You looked at Kakashi and the others earlier and hesitated before speaking," Minato noted sharply. "Is there something you couldn't tell them?"
Kyosuke nodded. "Sensei, some things are just my personal guesses, but I was afraid that saying them out loud in front of the others might cause unnecessary trouble."
Minato stood by the bed. His hands moved in a blur of seals, and a complex Sealing Jutsu formula spread across the walls and door of the room.
"You can speak freely now," Minato assured him. "No one can eavesdrop on our conversation."
Being able to use Sealing Jutsu is so incredibly convenient, Kyosuke thought, looking at the glowing runes with deep envy. He couldn't wait to master it himself.
"Sensei, recently, Danzo's Root division tried to recruit me, but I firmly refused," Kyosuke began. "Now, on what was supposed to be a standard, low-rank mission, the intelligence provided was ridiculously, lethally wrong. I suspect..."
Complain! I absolutely must complain! Kyosuke thought. If you have a powerful backer, you use them! Otherwise, what's the point of having a backer?
Minato raised a hand, stopping Kyosuke from finishing the accusation.
"Kyosuke, do not speak unfounded guesses aloud, especially concerning the village elders. It will only bring you massive trouble," Minato warned gently but firmly. "However... I will officially recommend you to join the Anbu. In the future, you will receive orders directly from the Hokage himself. You won't need to worry about Root anymore."
Joining the Anbu would indeed shield him from Danzo's petty revenge tactics. Kyosuke nodded and didn't push the issue further.
Minato's recommendation went through seamlessly. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was more than willing to pull an exceptionally talented junior like Kyosuke into the Anbu for specialized training.
The confirmed presence of Sasori also alarmed Hiruzen, prompting him to dispatch elite hunter squads to track the rogue puppet master down.
As for the "faulty" intelligence that nearly got Kyosuke killed, Hiruzen had his own dark suspicions. But Danzo's methods were spotless, leaving zero evidence behind. The Third could only issue a stern, private warning to Danzo before burying the matter.
Down in Root, Danzo was mildly surprised to learn that Kyosuke had survived an encounter with Sasori of the Red Sand.
"Should we arrange another... accident to eliminate him?" a subordinate asked.
Danzo waved a hand dismissively. "Kyosuke is a minor piece on the board. Since Hiruzen has taken him under his direct wing, we will leave him be for now."
The Ninja World was teetering on the brink of war. Danzo spent his days analyzing intelligence, evaluating the major hidden villages, and plotting how to weaken Konoha's enemies to ensure their absolute victory in the coming bloodshed. A brat like Kyosuke wasn't worth the distraction.
While Kyosuke recuperated safely in Konoha, deep within the arid deserts of the Hidden Sand Village, Chisuke was surrounded by the village's heaviest security.
The guards included the Anbu Captain, the Third Kazekage, Pakura, Rasa, and a dozen other elite Jonin. It was the absolute pinnacle of Sunagakure's military might.
Inside the newly constructed underground altar, the walls were heavily inscribed with intricate sealing matrices. The Sealing Squad stood at the ready.
Chisuke lay flat on the stone altar, his bare torso painted with mysterious, dark symbols.
Everything was prepared. The Third Kazekage raised his hand, his voice solemn. "Begin!"
The Sealing Squad sprang into action, taking their positions at the four corners of the altar and cycling through complex hand seals.
The Sealing Jutsu flared to life. The symbols on the walls and on Chisuke's body emitted a brilliant, pulsating purple light. The runes seemed to peel themselves off the stone, weaving together in the air to form a massive, glowing net.
The net swept across the center of the room, violently yanking a colossal, shifting shadow out from a containment urn.
It was the Ichibi—the One-Tails.
Realizing it was about to be sealed into a human vessel again, the beast roared furiously. Its ethereal body thrashed against the glowing net, desperate to tear it apart.
Though it lacked a true physical form in this state, the beast's struggles unleashed a tidal wave of violent, suffocating Chakra that swept through the cavern.
"Such monstrous Chakra!" Rasa yelled, shielding his face.
The pressure was so immense that the elite Jonin were forced to stagger backward, struggling just to breathe.
"Chisuke, you must endure this!" Pakura shouted. She planted her feet firmly into the stone floor, raising an arm to block the violent gales of Chakra, her eyes locked anxiously on her disciple.
The beast struggled so violently that the sealing net began to emit alarming cracking sounds.
"Kazekage-sama!" the lead sealer panicked. "Please suppress the beast, or the seal will shatter!"
Laying on the altar, Chisuke felt a spike of pure terror.
It's over! I really hope the Kazekage's injuries have fully healed, otherwise this ceremony is going to fail, and I'll be ripped to shreds!
Once the sealing process started, Chisuke was physically locked to the altar. The net wasn't just trapping the beast; it was anchored directly to Chisuke's flesh, blood, Chakra, and very soul.
If the One-Tails broke the net, the backlash would kill Chisuke instantly.
Fight, Kazekage! Suppress it! Don't just stand there looking cool! Chisuke mentally screamed, instantly becoming the Kazekage's biggest cheerleader.
The Third Kazekage stood tall amidst the chaotic Chakra storm. His robes fluttered wildly, making him look like an untouchable god of the desert. Chisuke just prayed it wasn't all for show.
"Silence!" the Kazekage commanded.
He extended his right hand. A massive torrent of dense iron sand materialized in the air, instantly condensing into a gigantic, heavy hand that slammed down onto the beast. The sheer weight of the iron reinforced the failing net, violently pinning the One-Tails to the ground.
After months of utilizing the best medical resources Sunagakure had to offer, the Kazekage had recovered about eighty percent of his strength. Suppressing a partially sealed Tailed Beast was well within his current limits.
If he hadn't been confident, he never would have initiated the ceremony. The risk of the beast breaking loose in the heart of the village was too catastrophic.
Under the Kazekage's crushing Iron sand, the sealing net finally stabilized. It began pulling the thrashing shadow down, inch by excruciating inch, driving it directly into Chisuke's navel.
Half an hour later, the glow faded. The One-Tails was completely contained within Chisuke's body. The seal had held.
Chisuke had successfully become the One-Tails Jinchuriki. Everyone in the cavern let out a massive, collective sigh of relief.
At that exact moment, Chisuke felt his consciousness pulled inward. He opened his eyes to find himself standing in a vast, dark spiritual mindscape, staring up at the towering, roaring form of a giant tanuki made of sand.
Chisuke smiled brightly and offered a friendly wave.
"Hello, big cat! Let's be best friends!"