Naruto: Set a goal, conquer the universe.

Page 83

"It's over. You... it's nothing, go!"

"You go first, I'll go and say a few words to the higher-ups in Konoha!" Itachi's cold voice rang out from under his mask.

The masked man said nothing, then transformed into a vortex and quickly disappeared.

After the masked man left, Itachi finally couldn't hold on any longer, knelt on the roof, and burst into tears.

After threatening Danzo, Itachi found the Third Hokage and asked him to take good care of Sasuke and protect his safety!

Itachi stood in the woods outside Konoha, gazing in the direction of Konoha Village.

What kind of spy am I now?

Chapter 16 Handshake

After watching Itachi's memories, Sasuke canceled the Heart-to-Heart Pact and breathed heavily.

He felt the immense pressure Itachi was under.

The suffocating pressure almost made him unable to breathe.

Sasuke looked at Itachi and recalled a scene from his memory where Itachi had to hide his crying from everyone, afraid that no one would see him.

If you put him in Itachi's position, he would also feel incredibly suffocated. Although the Third Hokage said he wanted a peaceful resolution, just as he said, he still hasn't come up with a solution.

The three high-ranking officials of Konoha were hostile to the Uchiha clan, with Danzo being even more so. He did not allow the Uchiha clan and the village any hope of peace and personally severed the bridge of peace between the two sides.

Shisui ultimately jumped off a cliff and died, entrusting everything to him.

Most of the Uchiha clan members still couldn't see the situation clearly and were clamoring for a coup.

Itachi was only 13 years old at the time, what more could he possibly do?

If it were me, I probably would have done the same.

"I will seek revenge on Danzo and that masked man. As for you, I will come after you!" Sasuke said to Itachi, and before Itachi could reply, a sharp spear of Chidori pierced his heart.

Itachi's body slowly transformed into another person.

When Sasuke returned to Naruto's side.

Gaara has recovered, and everyone is waiting for him.

"Did you find out everything from Itachi?" Naruto asked as soon as he saw Sasuke return.

"Mm." Sasuke nodded gently in response.

"Alright, let's go back to Sunagakure." Naruto didn't ask any more questions; now was not the time to ask about that. Let's get Gaara back first.

The group began their journey towards Sunagakure.

They encountered Chiyo and Temari on their way.

"Gaara!"

When Temari saw Gaara's figure in the distance, her eyes instantly reddened. She rushed forward without hesitation and opened her arms to hug the red-haired boy tightly.

This time, Gaara's sand did not stop Temari from getting closer!

"Gaara!" Her voice trembled with lingering fear, her carefully maintained composure crumbling at this moment. "Do you know how worried we were? Those bastards in the Elder Council even considered abandoning you... If you really..."

She choked up and couldn't continue, her fingers gripping Gaara's clothes tightly, as if her brother would disappear if she let go.

Gaara was slightly swayed by the sudden hug, but did not push it away.

Feeling his sister's warm tears soaking his shoulder, his stiff arm hesitated for a moment before gently patting her back and saying in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, I scared you... sister!"

When Temari heard Gaara call her "older sister," she stiffened and then hugged him even tighter.

At that moment, Granny Chiyo's gaze swept across the crowd, her aged voice carrying a barely perceptible urgency: "Where's Sasori? Where is he?"

Kakashi paused for a moment, then spoke bluntly: "Sasori is dead."

Chiyo's back hunched over a little, and a complex light flashed in her cloudy eyes, a mixture of relief and pain, which eventually settled into a deep weariness.

She slowly closed her eyes, her withered fingers unconsciously rubbing her cuffs, and murmured, "Is that so... She didn't even get to see him one last time. This child, in the end, took his own life."

The sand was blown past her feet by the wind, and her sigh was so soft it seemed to melt into the desert.

Temari, who was standing to the side, finally released Gaara, but still held his wrist, her tone filled with lingering anger and the stubbornness of someone who had survived a near-death experience: "This time, I will never let anyone use you as a tool again! You may be the Kazekage, but you are also my younger brother!"

The flames burning in her eyes were hotter than the desert sun.

Now that Gaara has acknowledged her as his older sister, what reason does she have not to do everything in her power to protect her younger brother!

Gaara's eyes softened with tenderness as he looked at Temari, as if Naruto was telling the truth.

He has also found someone he deserves to love, and someone who loves him!

He found light and warmth!

He is no longer the lonely and desolate Gaara!

Naruto smiled gently as he looked at Gaara and Temari.

Congratulations, Gaara! You will no longer be alone!

At that moment, a soft little hand grasped Naruto's hand.

Naruto paused for a moment, then looked at Hinata, who was also looking at him.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

When Naruto and his group accompanied Gaara to the gates of Sunagakure, the village entrance was already submerged by a dense crowd.

All the ninjas stood on tiptoe and craned their necks.

The moment the red-haired Kazekage's figure pierced through the sandstorm, the deathly silence suddenly exploded into a deafening cheer.

"Kazekage-sama!!"

The sound wave swept in like a sandstorm, and several young female ninjas, carrying carefully prepared desert thorn flowers, stumbled out of the crowd as their companions pushed and shoved them.

The girl in the lead blushed, shoved the bouquet with the Sand Ninja headband into Gaara's arms, and choked back tears, stammering, "You...you're back, it's so good! You protected our family that night..."

More bouquets of flowers rushed toward Gaara, their unripe petals, stained with sand, clinging to his blood-stained clothes.

Temari keenly noticed that this time, no sand automatically defended itself. The boy who had once isolated everyone outside the sand fortress was awkwardly cupping the thorny flower stem with his fingers, as if touching a fragile dream.

Kankuro, dragging his still not fully recovered body, stood up from the crowd, looked at Gaara, and his eyes showed a hint of relief and tears.

As the eldest brother, Kankuro was like a father to Gaara. If Kankuro truly had no feelings for Gaara, he wouldn't have followed Akatsuki's trail alone and found them.

He knew he couldn't defeat the two Akatsuki members, but he didn't hesitate at all, willing to die to save Gaara!

Temari wiped her eyes and stepped forward, but pushed Naruto in front of her younger brother.

"It's time to say goodbye," she said, her voice still trembling with tears, but a smile played on her lips. "The sun of Konoha."

The blond boy approached, scratching his head, and the Sand Ninja spontaneously made way for him in a circular clearing.

The midday sun poured down, turning the two of them into a dazzling gold.

As Naruto extended his right hand, sunlight streamed along his forearm, but Gaara's gaze remained fixed on the other's azure eyes.

There was a light he had seen in the darkness of death.

"Hey, don't make that face!" Naruto grinned, lightly bumping Gaara's shoulder with his fist. "Now you're the Kazekage-sama, with the entire village to protect!"

The red-haired boy looked down at the hand extended in front of him.

Similar images from his memory flooded back: the intimate embrace on the streets of Konoha as they went to eat ramen; the medical ninjutsu used at the Konoha hospital to help him recover; the Yang Release technique pressed on his chest when he was on the verge of death.

He suddenly opened his arms and hugged Naruto tightly, startling the flowers into falling to the ground.

"Thank you!" A hoarse whisper brushed past Naruto's ear, but the trembling arm he was holding betrayed a deeper meaning: for their encounter in Konoha, for the warmth of being saved, and even more so for the words, "We are the same kind of people!"

Naruto was taken aback for a moment, then a warm smile appeared on his lips as he hugged Gaara back.

Sasuke crossed his arms and lowered his eyes: "Tch!"

When the two finally clasped hands, the cheers of the Sand Ninja lifted up the sand dunes.

The overlapping backs of their hands were etched with overlapping spots of light by the sun, like two lonely tracks finally breaking through the darkness and converging here.

Chapter 17 Intercepting the Two, Taking Action

"Even though you've become the Kazekage, you can't let your guard down, because I'm sure I'll become the Hokage too!" Naruto said with a confident smile.

"I believe you can definitely do it. When the time comes, I will congratulate you as the Kazekage!" Gaara replied with a smile.

"Speaking of which, I have a plan that might require your support, Gaara!" Naruto said earnestly.

"As long as it's you, I'll do anything, even if it requires my sacrifice!" Gaara replied just as earnestly.

"Thank you!" Naruto saw Gaara's determined look and laughed heartily.

No wonder he's a 'brother' who's the same kind of person as me!

Suddenly Naruto's expression changed. "I have something to attend to, I'll be leaving now!"

His body vanished instantly.

Gaara looked a little confused as his hand, which had been holding Naruto's, suddenly went empty.

"It's the Flying Thunder God Technique!" Kakashi stepped forward, his expression turning serious.

"Naruto left using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Something serious must have happened!" Kakashi's brows furrowed deeply.

Could something have happened in the village that made Naruto leave in such a hurry?

"Let's hurry back to Konoha, Kakashi!" Sasuke said hastily. He didn't know why Naruto had left so suddenly, but if it was something serious that made Naruto leave in such a hurry, it must be something important.

Only by returning to Konoha will we know what happened.

Hinata also looked anxious.

"Alright, Lord Kazekage, the mission is complete. Let's head back!" Kakashi nodded slightly to Gaara and said.

Gaara nodded slightly, watching the three of them hurry towards Konoha.

While Naruto and his friends were saving Gaara.

Asuma and the others also arrived at the Temple of Fire.

Following the trail left by Hidan and Kakuzu in the Fire Temple, Akamaru tracked their scent and, after a great effort, finally intercepted them before they crossed the border of the Land of Fire.

Seeing Kakuzu carrying a box and Hidan arguing with him over Sora, the three of them had serious and cold expressions.

As for Shikamaru and the others, Asuma told them to stay aside and not let them participate in the battle.

"Hahahaha!" Hidan saw Asuma and the other two and burst into maniacal laughter. "What great luck, Kakuzu! The elite Jonin of Konoha have delivered themselves to our doorstep! Perfect, let's use their blood to please Lord Jashin!"

Kakuzu stared at Asuma, his eyes filled with greed, and replied in a low voice, "Stop talking nonsense, Hidan. Finish this quickly, but leave me with that guy's head. He's worth 3500 million ryo on the black market, which is more valuable than that monk from before."

Hidan waved his hand impatiently: "I know, I know! You greedy bastard, the stronger the sacrifice, the better! Hey, you old man smoking over there, and you pretty lady, you are my sacrifices!" He pointed his huge scythe at Asuma and Kurenai.

Kurenai immediately sensed the chaotic and evil chakra emanating from Hidan and whispered, "Asuma, be careful, this person's chakra is very strange."

"Ah, I know." Asuma replied calmly, the Flying Swallow Chakra Blade between his fingers gleaming coldly, a spark igniting from the cigarette dangling from his mouth. "There's nothing more to say to this kind of madman. Kurenai, cooperate with me!"

Asuma didn't say much, he just got right to work!

He threw several shuriken at Hidan first, then quickly formed hand seals: "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"

A few shuriken quickly multiplied into dozens, shooting densely towards Hidan.

"Tch!" Hidan swung his scythe and quickly parried the attack with his shuriken.

"Kai, could you hold off that green-eyed guy for now? Once Red and I have dealt with this slick-haired guy, we'll come help you!" Asuma said, making his decision.

"Don't worry about it, leave it to me!" Kai said, flashing his white teeth.

He charged towards Kakuzu: "Konoha Whirlwind!"

Kai unleashed a whirlwind kick aimed at Kakuzu's head.

Kakuzu's eyes remained expressionless as he raised his hand to shield his head.

Kai's whirlwind kick landed on Kakuzu's hand, but there wasn't even the slightest vibration.

Kai's attack was blocked by Kakuzu so easily.

His expression changed slightly; it was so hard!