After passing through the forest, Sasuke's calm voice suddenly rang out: "Be careful, someone's approaching."
Instantly, Team Seven formed a protective swastika around Shibuki, shielding him securely.
Shibuki's already anxious expression instantly turned to terror.
Even without Sasuke's warning, the team had already sensed the disturbance. The newcomer made no attempt to conceal their presence, charging directly toward them at breakneck speed.
'An enemy? Or...?' Sakura's eyes narrowed warily as she fixed her gaze on the approaching figure, assuming a combat stance.
'So it's her.'
Sensing the newcomer's colossal, undisguised chakra—rivaling that of Yugito Nii, whom Sasuke had previously encountered—a name surfaced in his mind.
"Hello!"
A lively, crisp voice rang out. Simultaneously, a young girl with green hair and dark skin materialized before them.
The Seven-Tailed Jinchūriki—Fu!
Unfazed by the team's cautious demeanor, Fu spread her arms wide and exclaimed enthusiastically, "Village Leader Shabuki, I heard you were coming back soon, so I came to pick you up! Touched, aren't you? Happy?"
"Fu?" Shibuki froze for a moment upon seeing Fu, but his expression quickly shifted to alarm as he rushed forward.
"What are you doing running off from the village like this? Where is Hanami and the Kiyo? Didn't I tell them to keep an eye on you before I left?" he demanded anxiously.
"Do you realize how dangerous this is? If others were to discover your true identity, they would..."
Shibuki's voice trailed off into a barely audible whisper, and he cast a wary glance at Team Seven, leaving Naruto scratching his head in confusion.
"Relax, relax! Everything's fine, Village Leader Shabuki!" Fu waved dismissively, offering a flippant reassurance. "Konoha and the village have always been allies, right? Nothing to worry about!"
"You—!"
Seeing Fu's carefree attitude, Shibuki's anxiety surged, but he found himself at a loss for words.
Fu grinned mischievously and darted over to Team Seven, her eyes sparkling with childlike curiosity. "You're Konoha shinobi, right?"
"Thank you all for escorting the Village Leader back! You've worked so hard!" she declared loudly, bowing deeply.
"Uh..."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. Just as he was about to say something, Fu stood up, extended her hand, and flashed a radiant smile.
"I'm Fu from Takigakure! Let's be friends!"
'Friends!?'
Seeing Fu's sincere expression and her eyes sparkling like starlight, Naruto froze for a moment before quickly recovering.
He reached out and shouted, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto from Konohagakure! I'm really happy to be your friend, Fu!"
Fu giggled and skipped over to Sakura, introducing herself again and offering her hand.
'This girl's just like Naruto, so friendly.' Sakura thought with a touch of resignation, but she still shook Fu's hand.
"Hatake Kakashi."
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Then we're all friends now!"
Fu clenched her fist, leaped up with joy, her entire being fluttering like a cheerful butterfly.
This wasn't just a metaphor.
Though Sasuke hadn't activated his Sharingan, his extraordinary perception allowed him to faintly glimpse luminous wings behind Fu, resembling those of a cicada or butterfly.
Fu.
Sasuke's gaze shifted slightly as he observed the cheerful, dark-skinned girl before him.
Although official sources in his previous life had never explicitly stated that Fu was a perfect jinchūriki, her behavior after her introduction in the original timeline—freely drawing upon the Tailed Beast's chakra, mastering the Seven-Tails' ninja techniques, and communicating effortlessly with the Seven-Tails—made it clear: Fu was indeed a perfect jinchūriki.
Fu's personality could be described as a female version of Naruto: outgoing, eager to make friends, generous, and utterly guileless.
However, unlike Naruto, who faced universal ostracism and rejection in Konoha, Fu enjoyed a position akin to the village darling in Takigakure.
The only restriction on her freedom was her status as a jinchūriki, which prevented her from leaving the village without authorization.
"Konoha, I apologize for any trouble she's caused," Shibuki sighed, stepping forward to pull Fu back. "Fu is a ninja from our village. She's been spoiled by her father and me since childhood, making her somewhat willful and naive about the ways of the world. My deepest apologies."
"What are you talking about, Village Leader Shabuki?" Fu retorted, crossing her arms and scowling. "Didn't you tell me myself to make more friends? Can't you see? The ninjas from Konoha are already my friends!"
"Isn't your way of making friends a little too abrupt?" Shibuki's lips twitched, and a vein bulged on his forehead.
"It's not a big deal, really," Sakura chimed in, trying to smooth things over. "Fu's just really enthusiastic, and we're happy to be her friends."
Fu grinned triumphantly. "See, Village Leader? Sakura-chan already considers me her friend!"
"Alright, alright..." Shibuki sighed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.
After this brief interlude, the group, accompanied by Fu and Naruto's increasingly affectionate banter, stepped into the Land of Waterfalls and headed toward Takigakure.
Along the way, Shibuki sidled up to Fu and whispered, "Where are Hanami and Kiyo? And why did you suddenly run off? Didn't I tell you not to leave the village without permission?"
"Oh, come on! I just heard the Village Leader was coming back, so I wanted to give you a surprise!"
'A surprise? More like a shock!' Shibuki's expression darkened.
"As for those two... hmm..." Fu stroked her chin, pondering for a moment.
"They chased after me the moment I escaped, trying to drag me back. But this young lady had finally broken free, so of course I wasn't going to let them catch me! I shook them off easily enough. Don't worry, Village Leader—I told them I'd return after meeting you."
"Huff..."
Shibuki's expression darkened further. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
Seeing his distress, Fu shook his arm playfully, grinning. "I was so bored all alone in the village! You weren't there, Village Leader, and no one was around to chat with."
"Sigh..."
Shibuki's heart softened at Fu's earnestness. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he sighed resignedly. "Fine, I'll deal with you when we get back."
"Hehe, I knew the Village Leader was the best!"
The group continued their journey. After several hours of walking, they finally reached their destination: a colossal waterfall cascading into a mist-shrouded valley.
"Welcome to Takigakure!" Fu exclaimed, beaming as she stepped forward and spread her arms wide.
Naruto's eyes widened in awe. "This is Takigakure? It's so beautiful!"
"Was the mission really completed this easily?" Sakura murmured skeptically, her face etched with suspicion. "It shouldn't be this simple."
Kakashi adjusted his forehead protector, his voice laced with resignation. "It was just a standard C-rank escort mission, Sakura. You're overthinking it."
Sakura nodded heavily, her voice grave. "Let's hope so."
"Follow me, everyone!" Fu announced, gesturing toward the waterfall with the enthusiasm of a welcoming host. She led the group toward the cascading water.
Screech!
Just as they were about to step behind the waterfall, a piercing eagle's cry suddenly echoed from high above, cutting through the air.
'Hmm?'
Kakashi's expression shifted subtly. Under the curious gazes of the group, he extended his arm, and the black eagle swooped down to land on his hand.
"This is a ninja eagle used by Konoha to transmit messages," Kakashi explained, stroking the bird on his arm. He removed a small scroll from its leg and unfurled it.
The moment he opened the scroll, Kakashi's gaze sharpened. He calmly rolled it back up, tucked it away, and shook his head with a resigned sigh.
"Honestly, you know I'm on a mission."
"Sorry, kids, I have to head back first. The rest is up to you."
Kakashi turned to Team Seven and said casually.
Sakura's expression tightened as she asked urgently, "Has something happened, Teacher Kakashi?"
"Don't worry, Sakura," Kakashi said with a smile, downplaying the situation. "It's just a temporary emergency meeting for the Jonin."
"Head back once you're finished."
Sasuke nodded. "Understood."
"No problem! Leave the rest to me—Naruto, the future Hokage!" Naruto declared, looking completely unconcerned.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then I'll take my leave now."
Before he finished speaking, Kakashi vanished in a fancy way.
"I knew it... something really has happened!" Sakura sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead in exasperation.
Though Kakashi had acted casual, Sakura had noticed his hurried departure.
'Could this mission really be as I feared?'
Sakura felt her anxiety growing.
During their previous mission to the Land of Snow, their initial lack of familiarity with the climate, terrain, and the Snow Ninja's unique Chakra armor had caused them considerable hardship.
Fortunately, they had ultimately emerged unscathed, but Sakura sensed that any unforeseen complications this time would be far more dangerous than their previous encounters in the Land of Waves and the Land of Snow.
"Trouble?" Naruto's ears perked up, and he turned his head, puzzled. "What kind of trouble? Hahaha! Don't worry so much, Sakura! Even if something goes wrong, I'll protect you!"
He gave a thumbs-up. "I swear it!"
"Let's hope I'm just overthinking things," Sakura sighed, her gaze drifting involuntarily to Sasuke, who stood beside her with his head bowed and silent.
It was as if she sought reassurance from him.
Naruto followed Sakura's gaze.
"Stay vigilant," Sasuke said after a moment of silence, meeting their eyes.
"Sasuke, do you feel it too?"
Hearing this, Naruto's usual playful grin faded into a more serious expression. He had long experienced Sasuke's sharp instincts over the years.
"Mm."
In fact, Sasuke had noticed this even earlier than Kakashi.
Ever since they left Konoha, the Anbu operatives who had been secretly following them had vanished some time ago.
The Anbu shadowing Team Seven typically adjusted their speed and frequency of observation to match the team's pace.
For example, during their mission to the Land of Waves, when Team Seven's travel speed was slow, Sasuke could sense the Anbu's gaze roughly once every hour.
This time, it had been about once every twenty minutes. But it had been half an hour since Sasuke last detected the Anbu's presence.
They must have encountered an enemy—and a formidable one at that!
Could it be members of the Akatsuki?
Sasuke cast a lingering glance in the direction where he had last sensed the Anbu's presence, then turned to the others and said:
"Let's go!"
With that, Sasuke strode toward Shibuki and Fu, who had been waiting by the waterfall. Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance and silently followed him.
Sasuke planned to resolve the situation here quickly and immediately head to Kakashi's location to provide support.
Regardless of whether the Anbu had encountered Akatsuki members—or even if they hadn't faced any enemies at all—Sasuke needed to investigate.
After all, Kakashi was his teacher, even if Sasuke's initial motives for approaching him had been ulterior.
Deep down, Sasuke couldn't bear the thought of Kakashi being in danger.
If the Anbu's opponents truly were Akatsuki members, their usual tactic was to operate in pairs.
As for the legend of "Hatake the Fifty-Fifty,"
it was just that—a legend.
Sasuke knew that with Kakashi's current strength, he would struggle even against a single Akatsuki member, let alone two.
The reason Sasuke wasn't rushing there immediately was his suspicion that something else might have gone wrong within Takigakure itself.
While Naruto and Sakura possessed decent strength, whether they could handle unknown dangers unscathed remained a serious question.
After leaving Team Seven's sight, Kakashi's casual demeanor vanished, replaced by a heavy gravity.
The signal he had just received was an emergency alert indicating an attack on the Konoha Anbu.
He had been aware of the Anbu squad secretly shadowing Team Seven all along.
Moreover, the squad leader was someone he knew well:
Yamato, wielder of Wood Release.
'Who could these enemies be? To make you send out the highest-level danger signal...'
Kakashi's gaze sharpened. With a few swift leaps, he accelerated through the thunderous forest like lightning.
Meanwhile, in a forest dozens of kilometers away from the Takigakure's waterfall,
The once-lush woodland had been ravaged by some immense, inexplicable force.
As if bulldozers had churned through it repeatedly, the forest trails lay twisted beyond recognition, with clods of earth and shattered rocks strewn across the ground.
Clang! The screech of clashing blades erupted, sending sparks flying as two figures clashed and separated.
"Captain, are you alright?"
Two Anbu members rushed to Yamato's side, shielding him behind them.
Gripping their swords tightly, they glared intently at the two figures clad in black robes with red cloud patterns in the distance.
Around them lay the bodies of several Anbu members, their deaths caused by various means: sword wounds, blunt force trauma, burns, electric shocks, and more.
"I'm fine," Yamato said, shaking his head slightly. A massive gash marred his chest, blood seeping through his flak jacket in an unstoppable flow.
Fortunately, thanks to his possession of the First Hokage's cells, this injury was nothing serious to him.
"But these two... who are they?" Yamato swept his gaze over his fallen comrades, his heart heavy with sorrow, before fixing his gaze on the two mysterious figures in the distance.
Sensing Yamato's attention, Hidan grinned wickedly, licked the blood from his Feilian, and turned to the silent Kakuzu beside him. "Kakuzu, I'm faster than you this time!"
With a swift motion, Hidan used his scythe to carve a mystical blood sigil into the ground: a circle containing a triangle.
"Evil God, savor this sacrifice I offer you!" Hidan's face twisted into a maniacal, grotesque grin as he raised his scythe, preparing to plunge it into his own chest.
'No!'
The crackling roar of Chidori echoed through the air as Kakashi, having used Lightning Flash Technique repeatedly to rush to the scene, witnessed this bizarre and disturbing scene.
Though Kakashi couldn't understand exactly what Hidan was doing, his years of experience told him that whatever the enemy was planning, it would be disastrous and dangerous if completed.
'We have to stop him!'
Kakashi lunged forward to intercept Hidan, but the distance was too great. He had only just started his sprint when he saw Hidan's scythe plunging toward his chest.
At his current speed, he had no chance of intervening in time. He could only watch helplessly.
Bang!
Just as Hidan was about to complete the ritual, he was suddenly struck with tremendous force.
He was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the ground and sending rubble and dust scattering across the earth.
'In-fighting?'
Kakashi frowned, confused. He couldn't understand why the man beside Hidan, who appeared to be his ally, would suddenly attack him.
True to his cautious nature, Kakashi chose not to pursue. Instead, he turned and leaped back to Yamato's side.
"Damn you, Kakuzu! What the hell are you doing?!" Hidan roared as he staggered to his feet, his voice seething with fury. "How dare you disrupt my ritual for the Evil God! Do you have a death wish?!"
Kakuzu remained unfazed by Hidan's frenzied killing intent and accusations.
He replied coldly, "I have no interest in your rituals, Hidan. I told you, this one possesses Wood Release, so he must be killed by me!"
___
This Sasuke Is Strange 230 advanced chapters: (5 ch updates everyday)
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