Naruto, what kind of Hokage would you be if you didn't roll around!

Jugo shook his head: "I can't do this kind of thing."

Kabuto Yakushi smiled and said, "Hokage-sama, if I can accomplish this, please grant me more freedom."

Tsunade slammed her hand on the table: "Fine! I promise you!"

"Thank you."

The pharmacist smiled and glanced back.

"Jugo, it seems we've come all this way for nothing..."

"Let's go back."

"it is good."

Tsunade said with some reluctance, "Inoichi, before the news comes out..."

"Lord Hokage, you don't need to say anything more. I understand. I will stay here and wait."

"……Thanks a lot."

Fortunately, Kabuto and his companion were only gone for half a day.

Including the journey back, the two rode at full speed and in just three or four hours they saw the gate of Longdi Cave again.

Yakushi Kabuto strode in and quickly demonstrated his talent.

The White Snake Immortal, being all-knowing, naturally understood his intentions.

Even so, he was gradually persuaded by Yakushi Kabuto's silver tongue.

He shook his head and said, "For Sasuke's sake, I can tell you his whereabouts."

"However, I'm afraid even if you find it, it won't mean much..."

Kabuto asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Are you saying that the person who kidnapped Sasuke is too powerful, and even if they were found, they couldn't rescue him?"

The White Snake Immortal shook his head.

"wrong."

"I'm afraid that Sasuke himself won't want to go back with you!"

Kabuto was even more puzzled: "How is that possible?"

"Sasuke killed Itachi Uchiha and fulfilled his lifelong wish. Now is the time to let go of everything and start living his own life."

Why did he give up returning to Konoha and choose to stay in the Akatsuki organization where Itachi Uchiha was?

The White Snake Immortal let out a cold laugh.

"That's why I said you guys know nothing..."

"As for me, although I know everything, I'm not like Gamamaru, that big mouth, senile old man, who blurts out everything and only makes things more chaotic!"

"I'm already making an exception by telling you Sasuke's whereabouts!"

"Don't even think about getting any other information from me!"

Kabuto had no choice but to say, "Alright, then please tell me Sasuke's whereabouts first..."

The White Snake Immortal did not break his promise and quickly revealed the location.

The pharmacist nodded and prepared to turn and leave.

The White Snake Immortal suddenly said, "I sensed a strange aura on both of you. Perhaps you are also well-suited to cultivate the immortal arts of our Dragon Land Cave."

Both Kabuto and Jugo were taken aback.

"Just the two of us?"

The White Snake Immortal chuckled: "Not bad."

"It's just to correct your claim that there's no one like it before or since."

"If something were to happen to Sasuke, I might actually become somewhat interested in the two of you..."

The two looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Perhaps, but... not now."

After saying this, Kabuto Yakushi and Jugo left Ryuchi Cave together.

"White Snake Immortal, why are you helping them so much?"

Elder Shikijima asked curiously.

The White Snake Sage said calmly, "Although the three holy lands will not get involved in the affairs of the ninja world, everyone knows that we are also involved with the ninja world."

"Mount Myoboku and Shikkotsu Forest both have ninja leaders who have passed down their positions from generation to generation."

"I originally thought that passing on our power to ninjas without reservation was an extremely foolish thing to do."

"But now it seems, perhaps I was wrong..."

"Mount Myoboku has strong backing because of its connections with Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze, and Naruto Uzumaki. If something really happens to Mount Myoboku, do you think these people would just stand by and do nothing?"

The same applies to Shikkulin.

"Perhaps, it's time for Ryuchi Cave to cultivate its own influence in the ninja world..."

The three elders looked at each other, but then nodded.

"The immortal is right."

"Even if we can't see and hear like a sage, knowing everything that happens in the ninja world, we can still sense that this ninja world is about to undergo an unprecedented and major transformation..."

"Planning ahead is indeed essential..."

……

"The location is between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, or more precisely, at the border between the Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water, in a place called the Desolate Forest!"

Yamanaka Inoichi, panting heavily, delivered the final intelligence.

Tsunade quickly replied, "Alright, I've got it! You can rest now, Inoichi!"

Yamanaka Ino nodded, panting heavily, blood flowing from all seven orifices.

"Silence! Take Haiyi to get treatment!"

"Yes! Tsunade-sama!"

Upon hearing the address, Naruto immediately prepared to rush out without saying a word.

Tsunade quickly called out to him.

"Naruto! Don't be impulsive!"

"Jiraiya, Kakashi, stop him!"

Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged a glance and then blocked his way from the left and right.

Naruto wouldn't have paid any attention to anyone else at this point.

But these two people happened to be his teachers.

"Perverted Sage, Kakashi-sensei, why are you stopping me...?"

Jiraiya sighed: "Naruto, you've become a hero of the village, a pillar of the village, so why are you still so impulsive?"

“You were also present at the conclusion of our previous discussion. Sasuke will not be in danger in the short term. Moreover, we have learned about the Akatsuki’s base, which is something that neither the Akatsuki nor that so-called Uchiha Madara could have predicted. Do you understand what this means?”

Naruto was in no mood to think about any of that at the moment.

"not understand."

Hinata stepped forward and stood next to Naruto.

"It's about seizing the initiative."

Tsunade nodded approvingly: "As expected of Hinata, this is truly my disciple!"

Jiraiya gave a wry smile: "Naruto, look at Hinata, she's a member of Team 7. You should learn from her..."

Naruto glanced at Hinata, who returned a gentle yet resolute smile.

It appears casual, but it actually contains profound meaning.

It feels like...

The look in the eyes of a wife who complains about her husband's recklessness but says, "If you go to your death, I will definitely die with you."

Naruto is also gradually growing up, maturing, and maturing.

What was originally a completely solid piece of wood is now sprouting a few buds.

He also understood, to a very slight extent, the meaning behind Hinata's gaze.

Of course, it's only about 20% or 30%.

"Hinata..."

"I understand, Granny Tsunade. In other words, we know their background, but they are completely unaware of it, so we have the upper hand..."

Tsunade nodded: "That's right, Sasuke must be saved, but the rest of the Akatsuki must also be wiped out!"

"Although Pain is dead, it now seems that he was probably just the leader behind the scenes of Akatsuki."

"The real mastermind, the culprit, the one who controls everything, must be that masked man..."

"Uchiha Madara!"

Jiraiya sighed, and thinking of the tragic lives of Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, he felt a deep sense of desolation.

Naruto glanced at him.

"Grandma Tsunade, the perverted sage, that Uchiha Madara..."

"I'm afraid it will be difficult to deal with."

"Although it was just a shadow clone, and it was on the verge of collapse, when I fought it, I didn't find any openings at all, and all my attacks missed..."

"He previously infiltrated the Akatsuki under the alias Tobi, probably to monitor all of Nagato's actions..."

"Back then, in the battle when the Three-Tailed Isobu was resurrected, we also fought him, but now it seems that he was just playing around and didn't show his true strength at all..."

Hinata nodded: "Indeed, and there's something very strange about it..."

"what?"

Tsunade asked curiously as well.

Hinata blushed slightly: "I... I don't know if I should say it, but..."

"This is just my gut feeling. Even if he's disguised as Tobi, that kind of personality and demeanor just doesn't seem to fit the legendary Uchiha Madara at all..."

"I mean, Madara Uchiha was a man who fought alongside the First Hokage, pacified the chaotic world, and founded Konoha. Even though he was an enemy, he was rumored to be a man of great talent, ambition, and extraordinary abilities. Would he... would he pretend to be like that?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat: "Now that Hinata says it, I feel the same way..."

"Uchiha Madara, how could he look like a clown?"

Even if it's a disguise?

Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a glance.

"This point could indeed be very important, but it cannot be verified at the moment..."

"Furthermore, Madara Uchiha should already be dead, killed by my grandfather. It's highly unlikely there will be any reversal..."

Jiraiya said, "In other words, it's very likely that the masked man wasn't Uchiha Madara, but just using his name?"

Kakashi scratched his head: "But even so, he's probably still connected to Madara Uchiha."

"Perhaps, it's his successor..."

"indeed."

Tsunade said in a deep voice, "In short, this time it's not just about rescuing Sasuke, but about truly uprooting the entire Akatsuki organization!"

"I will notify the other forces in the Dawn Alliance, especially the Hidden Cloud Village, to act simultaneously with us, attacking from both sides to completely annihilate all remaining Akatsuki forces!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

……