Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

At that moment, Karin watched the scene unfold, envy flickering in her eyes. So they're a couple, huh? No wonder she was so worried earlier.

She couldn't help but sigh as her thoughts drifted to her relationship with Sasuke, which had yet to progress...

And then there was that pink-haired girl on the other side...Sakura. Karin remembered that Sakura had been in Sasuke's class back in the Academy, and they had been placed on the same team after graduation!

This realization made Karin grit her teeth, as though she was preparing for a fierce battle.

Sure, by sequence, she was the later arrival, but when it came to feelings, who cared about who came first? She absolutely wouldn't hand Sasuke over so easily!

As for the other matters, Karin could sense that something was off, but since Natsuro wasn't connected to her in any personal way, it wasn't her place to worry.

She simply sighed at how ruthless the political infighting of these larger villages could be. Natsuro was practically the Sixth Hokage already, yet even his own village conspired against him!

Kakashi, observing Natsuro, said nothing. He had pieced some things together and was reasonably sure of his conclusions.

In the past, he might have worried about Natsuro being in danger. After all, the person targeting Natsuro had been deeply entrenched in Konoha for years and was not someone who could be easily taken down.

But now, after witnessing Natsuro's sword strike, Kakashi had no such concerns. In fact, he felt a trace of pity for Natsuro's enemies.

How could they not despair upon realizing just how strong Natsuro has become?

Even Kakashi's gaze now carried a hint of anticipation, he was curious to see how Natsuro would shape the future. It was bound to be fascinating.

"You stay here. Sasuke and the others are on the other side, right? I'll go check on them," Natsuro said as he sensed the Flying Thunder God marking on the other side.

"Yeah. Sasuke, Jūgo, Sakura, and Chiyo, who caught up later, are over there fighting Sasori of the Red Sand. They should be fine," Kakashi quickly explained, filling Natsuro in on the situation.

"Got it. Wait for me." With that, Natsuro's figure vanished before their eyes.

After Natsuro left, Kakashi gently laid Naruto down, glanced at Ino and Karin, and said, "Ino, check Gaara's condition. Karin, you can use medical ninjutsu, right? Take a look at Naruto."

"Understood, Kakashi-sensei." Ino nodded and quickly went over to Gaara, who had been lying on the other side. As her examination deepened, sweat began to form on her brow, and her face revealed a tinge of sorrow that came from being unable to save a patient.

Karin didn't refuse Kakashi's instructions either. She was genuinely curious about this so-called distant relative of hers.

Honestly, she wouldn't even mind letting him bite her to restore his strength, it would be compensation for their familial bond. But judging by his state, he wouldn't need it.

In a mountain valley.

The area was littered with the remnants of puppets. Though it had been a battle between only a few people, the aftermath was as devastating as that of a full-scale war.

Amid the scattered limbs and debris stood several figures.

They were none other than Sasuke and his team. However, their condition was far from good. Each of them bore various injuries, the most severe of which were on Chiyo. Sakura was busy treating her.

Sasuke, panting heavily, glanced at the fallen Sasori of the Red Sand, whose red hair was sprawled out on the ground.

At first, the battle had seemed manageable. After all, Sasuke's Sharingan allowed him to see Sasori's chakra threads, making it easy to sever them.

Indeed, they had quickly forced Sasori to emerge from the outermost puppet shell.

But they hadn't expected Sasori to have transformed his own body into a puppet, all while rambling about "eternal beauty."

To Sasuke, this so-called art was nothing more than a grotesque aesthetic. If your body is no longer human, what's the point of any of this?

Though he couldn't comprehend it, the battle continued. Once Sasori revealed his true form, the quality and quantity of the puppets he controlled far exceeded their expectations.

After all, this was someone who had turned a Kazekage into a puppet and could simultaneously manipulate hundreds of puppets. That was why the area now resembled a battlefield for hundreds.

Even so, they could have managed if it had ended there. It was Sasori's final counterattack, triggered by his last scroll, that nearly turned the tide. Fortunately, their numerical advantage ultimately secured the victory.

"So this is the Akatsuki?" Sasuke muttered through gritted teeth, thinking of the likes of Itachi, Kisame, and now Sasori of the Red Sand...

Each of them was incredibly strong. If Natsuro was facing such enemies, just how much danger was he in? Sasuke didn't even dare to imagine it.

The worst part was that Sasori's strength had forced them to fight at full capacity, leaving no room to interrogate him. As a result, they still had no clue about Natsuro's whereabouts.

Sasuke had already questioned the small greenish-black snake that had led Natsuro to this area, but it knew nothing. According to the snake, Natsuro had gone to the same place they had.

Yet, despite being in the same location, they hadn't found any sign of Natsuro, not even traces of a battle.

This only deepened their belief that Natsuro might have fallen into a trap.

At that moment, Sasuke's Sharingan, with its three tomoe, spun rapidly, his gaze filled with a chilling light.

If something had happened to Natsuro... would it mean that man had taken another important person from him?

Before, he had lost everyone close to him to that man's blade. Now, he had found new people to cherish, but was that man still unwilling to let him go?

In Sasuke's mind, he could once again see that shadow under the moonlit night, holding a blood-stained sword, cutting down everything he held dear. Would Natsuro and Naruto be next?

Naruto was fine for now, but if the Akatsuki's goal was the Tailed Beasts, it was only a matter of time before they came for him. Then…

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura... and everyone in Konoha, perhaps.

No. He wouldn't allow it. Absolutely not. How could he!

Sasuke's Sharingan spun furiously, the three tomoe whirling faster and faster. He needed more power, he had to!

"What are you thinking about?"

Suddenly, a voice rang out beside him.

Startled, Sasuke looked up to see Natsuro standing in front of him, wearing a relaxed smile. He froze in place.

"Forcing the Mangekyō open is not a good idea. Even if you succeed, which isn't guaranteed, you'll still pay a heavy price," Natsuro said gravely. He had been shocked the moment he arrived.

Sasuke was trying to forcibly recall painful memories to force his eyes to evolve.

If Natsuro remembered correctly, Sasuke already had the three-tomoe Sharingan. So was he trying to forcefully awaken the Mangekyō?

Natsuro didn't think Sasuke could succeed. If the Mangekyō were so easily obtained, it wouldn't be as rare or as powerful as it was. And if the attempt failed, the best-case scenario would be Sasuke needing a long recovery.

The worst-case scenario? He might lose the chance to awaken the Mangekyō altogether. That would be disastrous.

So Natsuro immediately stopped him.

"Natsuro... you're okay?" Sasuke stared at Natsuro, scrutinizing him carefully. Seeing him unharmed, Sasuke's eyes widened. He wasn't imagining this, was he?

"Of course I'm fine. Who do you think I am? Did you really think a mere ambush could kill me?" Natsuro replied with a confident smile.

Looking at Sasuke, Natsuro couldn't help but reflect on how close he had come to finishing off Sasuke's brother, Itachi, in one strike.

In fact, Natsuro had debated whether to leave Itachi for Sasuke to handle. But under the circumstances, he decided it was better to strike first and avoid unnecessary risks.

Unfortunately, he hadn't succeeded in taking Itachi down.

"Hah... If you're so strong, then how did you fall into the ambush?" Sasuke countered.

"Well, that's unavoidable. The lack of intelligence was too severe," Natsuro shrugged, speaking with a hint of helplessness.

"Then how did they get such detailed intelligence on you?" Sasuke pressed, staring intently at Natsuro.

"Ah, seems like you've been digging up quite a bit in the ANBU," Natsuro said, pausing briefly as he caught the underlying meaning in Sasuke's words.

"Not much. Mainly, the Fifth Hokage didn't seem inclined to hide that information," Sasuke replied. Then he asked, "So, what are you going to do? Just let this slide?"

"Let it slide? That's not my style." Natsuro smiled, turning his gaze toward Konoha. "But since I'm essentially the Sixth Hokage in waiting, it'd be a bad look to act against him without solid evidence."

"Need my help?" Sasuke asked, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

"No need. We'll take it slow. Eventually, we'll catch him slipping. And you shouldn't think about taking those people on by yourself, it's not worth it," Natsuro said firmly, looking Sasuke in the eye.

Judging from how much Sasuke had uncovered, he probably already knew that the Uchiha clan's massacre was tied to the older generation in Konoha, and he might be grappling with his emotions.

Natsuro understood that if he asked for Sasuke's help, Sasuke might immediately act recklessly, even going as far as killing and defecting.

But did Natsuro want Sasuke to do that? Absolutely not.

To him, such a move would be the worst possible choice, it was self-destructive and counterproductive. It wasn't even worth considering.

Besides... Sasuke wasn't strong enough to take them on right now anyway.

"Alright." Sasuke paused for a moment before nodding.

"Sasuke, we're not the ones in a hurry right now, it's 'that' person. So don't do anything foolish at this time. I have my own plan," Natsuro reminded him once more, still a bit uneasy.

"Understood."

Sasuke glanced over at Sakura, who was still treating Chiyo, then suddenly spoke again.

"Natsuro."

"Hmm? Something else?" Natsuro asked, puzzled.

"If you truly become Hokage, then I'll stay in Konoha and support you," Sasuke said.

For a moment, Natsuro smiled and then asked, "Only me? What about Naruto?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Natsuro, clearly annoyed, and replied, "If it were that guy, I'd rather take the position myself."

Natsuro chuckled lightly. "In that case, get ready to stay in Konoha. It shouldn't be long before that 'acting' title of mine gets removed."

"Alright!" Sasuke didn't ask for specific details, but since Natsuro said so, he chose to believe him.

Sakura had already noticed Natsuro's presence. When she saw him, she breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't go over since she still needed to treat Chiyo.

Meanwhile, Jūgo, who was sitting against the wall, glanced at Sasuke before closing his eyes again. Whatever decision Sasuke made, it didn't matter to him, he would simply stay by Sasuke's side and watch over him.

Check out the patreon and get 55 chapters in advance

Currently on Chapter 258 - The Hyūgas