Sasuke Defects, and Tianqi and the Others Wait

"But your heart is consumed by hatred. Hatred can only provide so much power, and I can't offer you much advice on this. Perhaps following me isn't the best choice for you. Maybe someone else could give you a different outcome!"

"Someone else?" Sasuke fell into deep thought. Just then, he touched the Cursed Seal on his neck and muttered to himself, "Is it Orochimaru?"

"You and Itachi are both my precious children. I'd be very worried if anything happened to either of you. But you have to believe that what you see isn't always the truth. I know the whole truth, but I can't tell you right now because that wouldn't be fair to Itachi. You have to uncover the truth for yourself. Maybe the answer will slowly come out if you go somewhere else!"

After saying Tianqi jumped off the roof and went to the hall to have tea.

After thinking it over for a while, Sasuke decisively went back to his room to pack his things, shouldered his belongings, and went off to pursue power.

Tianqi did not interfere with Sasuke's choice; he simply locked himself in his room.

News of Sasuke's defection quickly reached Tsunade's ears. Tsunade immediately dispatched several Konoha 1s to pursue Sasuke, while she herself ran back home. Sasuke's escape was not without reason; it must be related to Tianqi.

When Tsunade returned home, she found that Tianqi had locked the room, so she simply punched her way in.

"Tianqi, tell me, is Sasuke's escape related to you?!"

"It was his own choice; I merely gave him a suggestion!" Tianqi did not deny it when faced with Tsunade's questioning.

"It really was you! Why, why did you do this? Don't you know you'll ruin Sasuke?! You bastard!" Tsunade grabbed Tianqi by the collar and said angrily.

"You can't stop someone who wants to leave, and this is Sasuke's own choice. No one can stop him. I don't think doing this will ruin him. On the contrary, I believe that Sasuke will find the ultimate meaning of his life by leaving. I advise you not to interfere in Sasuke's affairs!"

"Hehe, you'll regret this, Tianqi, you'll definitely regret what happened today!" Tsunade chuckled and left dejectedly.

"Regret? There's no room for regret now. Sasuke won't let us down!" Tianqi shook his head and sat down again.

Not long after Tsunade left, Karura also approached Tianqi with a frown.

"Tianqi, aren't you going too far? Tsunade's only emotional support was Sasuke. Now that Sasuke is gone, what is she going to do?!"

"Whether what I'm doing is right or wrong will soon be proven. Just wait and see!" Tianqi smiled as he thought of that thing, believing that its arrival would reveal Sasuke's change.

Sasuke's defection was ultimately a done deal. Several Konoha ninja were carried back, all severely injured, especially Naruto, who was carried back unconscious.

Tianqi went to Kushina's house to visit Naruto as well.

"Tianqi!" Kushina stood up to greet Tianqi when she saw Tianqi.

"No need for formalities. How is Naruto?"

"Naruto is fine. He just overexerted his Chakra and fell into a coma. He'll recover after a couple of days of rest!" Kushina shook her head as she looked at Naruto lying on the bed. For some reason, she saw the shadows of Jiraiya and Orochimaru in Naruto and Sasuke. Everything seemed so similar.

"Sigh, these kids!" Tianqi sighed, then lifted up and began treating Naruto.

"Sasuke, Sasuke..." Naruto slowly opened his eyes after the treatment ended, still calling out Sasuke's name.

Seeing that he was back home, Naruto calmed down. However, when he saw that Sasuke's grandfather was also there, he jumped off the bed and questioned him.

"Grandpa Tianqi, why? Why? With your strength, bringing Sasuke back would be no difficult task at all. Why did you choose to remain silent? Why?!"

"Naruto!" Kushina was also unhappy as she watched her son pointing at Tianqi and questioning him. She was about to stop Naruto when Tianqi stopped her.

"Kushina is alright!" After shaking his head at Kushina, Tianqi looked at Naruto and said calmly, "Sasuke's mindset has changed. It was destined that he would go astray, and no one can change that, not even me. But you, Naruto Uzumaki, are different..."

At this Tianqi Ting paused for a moment, then continued, "I believe you can bring Sasuke back. You are the only one who can change Sasuke, lead him out of the darkness and into the light. I believe in you!"

After saying this, Tianqi left. The only person who could change Sasuke was Naruto; he could only entrust everything to Naruto.

"The only one who can change Sasuke?" Naruto muttered to himself. After a few seconds of silence, he ran to the door and shouted, "Grandpa Tianqi, don't worry, I will definitely bring Sasuke back! I swear to you!!!"

Upon hearing Naruto's shout, Tianqi, who was leaving, smiled. He didn't know who else he would trust to take care of Sasuke, but Naruto was an exception, and he felt very comfortable entrusting him with the Naruto.

"What a trustworthy child! Hahaha..." Tianqi laughed as he returned home.

Returning home to an empty house, he shook his head helplessly. Since Sasuke left, Tsunade had buried herself in work, with Karura and Shizune by her side. Apart from Tianqi, there was no one else in the spacious house.

"I've been ostracized again. Nobody understands me!"

Tianqi didn't care about this situation. He was happy to be alone and had some peace and quiet. For a whole month, Tianqi either went out to chat with people from the big families or sunbathed in his own yard. He was completely laid-back.

However, this period of leisurely living only lasted for a month. As the time was almost up, Tianqi stopped going out for leisure and expanded his perception barrier to cover the entire Konoha. He was waiting, waiting for that person to arrive.

For three days in a row, Tianqi failed to wait for that person. Just when he was about to give up, thinking that something out of control had happened, a strange fluctuation appeared in Konoha on the afternoon of the fourth Tianqi. The two people, one big and one small, entered Tianqi's perception barrier.

Sensing the two people Tianqi smiled and immediately withdrew his perception barrier.

"They've finally arrived. It seems there were no unexpected events!" Tianqi was in high spirits upon learning that there were no surprises. He didn't go looking for the two people but instead sat quietly at home.