Tsunade leaned forward on her desk, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Sakura… did you just say that one of the Akatsuki left information about Orochimaru before he died?"
Sakura stood straight, her voice firm but tinged with urgency. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. Sasori mentioned something before the end. I believe we should send someone to investigate immediately."
I didn't need to guess why. If there was even a chance it led to Sasuke, Sakura wouldn't let it slip by.
Tsunade's lips pressed into a thin line. I could tell she didn't like the idea, not because the information wasn't valuable, but because anything involving Orochimaru meant trouble. She closed her eyes for a long moment, weighing her options.
When she opened them, they settled on me. "Naruto… what about you?"
"I want to rescue Sasuke," I said without hesitation, clenching my fists for effect.
Truthfully, it wasn't something I was burning over anymore, but keeping the façade was easier than explaining myself.
Seeing both of us standing there, unwavering, Tsunade finally exhaled. "Fine. But you'll have to wait a little. Your team is without a jōnin leader right now, and Kakashi's still in the hospital. I'll let you know once I've made arrangements."
With that, she waved us off. Even from the doorway, I could see the mountain of paperwork looming behind her, Shizune hovering with a clipboard like a shadow.
Outside the Hokage's office, Sakura walked beside me, her steps quick. "Naruto, I know you haven't let go of Sasuke either. If we work together, I believe we can bring him back."
Her voice was earnest. I almost laughed. The moment we stepped out of Tsunade's office, I'd already put the whole "Sasuke" thing to the back of my mind, shifting instead to the Flying Thunder God Technique. That was where my time was best spent.
But her sudden comment caught me off guard. "Ah… yeah. Let's work together," I answered half-heartedly, shoving my hands into my pockets as we walked.
I'd already poured weeks into studying the technique, breaking down Minato's notes, experimenting with seals. I'd finally grasped a fragment of its principles, but using it in real combat was still far off. It needed more refinement.
Sakura's brow furrowed slightly, like she'd just noticed something was off. I suppose, to her, my tone was too casual. Maybe she expected me to burn with the same desperation I once had.
She hesitated, then stopped me in the street. "Naruto… I know you like me."
I blinked at her, caught completely off guard.
"As long as we bring Sasuke back… I can give you a chance." Her voice softened at the end, almost embarrassed.
A chance? For what? My mind almost short-circuited. Since coming to this world, I've kept my distance emotionally. The old Naruto might've chased after her every word, but that wasn't me anymore.
I raised a hand dismissively. "Sakura, don't overthink it. I was just distracted earlier. I'm not going to compete with Sasuke for you."
The words seemed to hang in the air between us. Her eyes widened slightly, but I was already walking away. If she wanted to interpret that as she liked, she could.
Behind me, I could feel her gaze. Confusion, maybe even a little panic. She was starting to realize it—this Naruto wasn't clinging to her anymore.
For me, there were bigger things at stake. I hadn't come into this world, inherited this body, and gained access to Kurama's chakra just to waste my time chasing a romance from someone else's life. I had the potential to surpass every limit, to reach the realm of the Sage of Six Paths and beyond. That meant mastering the Flying Thunder God, solidifying my strength, and playing the long game in a world full of dangerous, cunning shinobi.
Sasuke was part of that long game, too. But on my terms, not out of desperation.
As for the rest? Let it unfold naturally.
I didn't look back, and by the time Sakura gathered herself, I was already gone.