The Vanishing Indra Chakra
Hearing Jiraiya's bold prediction, Minato, after his initial shock, had a sudden realization:
"If that's the case, then everything does make sense!"
The Fourth Mizukage's sudden shift to the conservative faction wasn't because he abandoned reform, but rather to infiltrate the conservative camp more deeply!
Why has the Reformist Faction in the Mist Village developed so rapidly in recent years?
Why has the Blood Mist Policy of Mist Village Concealment been repeatedly and precisely thwarted by the Reformist Faction over the past four years?
Why would the Fourth Mizukage, the leader of the conservative faction, agree to an alliance agreement that would clearly shake the very foundations of the conservatives in the near future?
Because the leader of the conservative faction, the apparent villain of Mist Village — Karatachi Yagura —was actually a spy planted by the Reformist Faction within the conservative faction from the very beginning!
Minato quickly considered the matter in his mind and finally arrived at that unbelievable conclusion:
"The Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, Mizukage Aide Shiina Sora alongside the Mizukage... They were always on the same side!!"
The moment the words were spoken, the entire ward fell silent.
Minato lowered his head, the light in his eyes becoming extremely solemn at this moment.
If this assessment is true, then the Reformist Faction in Mist Village are truly terrifying.
They not only took a huge risk to deceive the conservatives of Mist Village, but also the entire Ninja World, who were secretly observing the movements of the Land of Water from the other side of the continent!
Such cunning, such a strategy, such restraint—it's simply terrifying!
If this scheming were to turn against Konoha one day, it would be a disaster far more difficult to withstand than the Nine-Tails Incident!!
Kakashi looked at Minato's increasingly solemn face under the light and fell silent as well.
Tsunade's eyes flickered under the light, as if she were weighing her options repeatedly.
Jiraiya leaned against the hospital bed, his gaze fixed intently on the direction of Mist Village.
Just as everyone fell silent, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, slowly spoke:
"It's getting late, let's end our discussion here."
The Third Hokage Hokage looked at the "children" before him, and the deep thoughts in his eyes did not dissipate with his words; instead, they deepened.
"After all, all of this is still just speculation at the moment. Only with conclusive evidence can we confirm that it is correct."
"During the few days the Mist Village delegation is staying in Konoha, please give it a little more thought..."
Regarding the matter of whether Konoha should form an alliance with Mist Village.
--
It was already late at night.
The streets were deserted, and the streetlights on both sides cast a warm yellow glow on the road, illuminating the path leading to Kakashi's house.
Kakashi and Naruto walked side by side down the street on their way home.
At this moment, Naruto was no longer possessed, but was walking lightly on the flat stone path according to his own will.
Although Naruto himself didn't mind his parents using his body, Minato and Kushina always insisted on avoiding using it as much as possible.
Aside from discussing important matters, most of the time, Minato and Kushina only had private conversations with Naruto in his mind.
"Great! I can finally go home and get some rest!"
Naruto put his hands behind his head, looked up at the already setting full moon, and excitedly shouted:
"Yosh! Tomorrow I'm going to pick out ten guys on the street who dare to look at me and teach them a lesson, to vent my pent-up frustration from the past few days!"
He waved his fist, muttering to himself with great interest, then his expression suddenly froze:
"Huh? Not allowed? Dad, don't worry, I'll definitely control my strength this time. Beating those troublemakers half to death is absolutely impossible!"
"Hmm? If anyone dares to mess with me, then I don't need to worry about them, I'll just beat them up anyway?"
Hehe, don't worry, Mom! I'll let you in on a secret: I was actually lying to Dad just now...
I came up with a great idea during the day: under the cover of darkness, I would drag the guy who had bothered me out of the house, throw him into the woods, and give him a good beating. That way, no one would know it was me.
So, am I a genius?
Naruto smiled smugly, eagerly awaiting his mother's praise, but the voice that followed in his mind made his face suddenly freeze:
"Huh? What do you mean, Dad, you heard everything?!"
Kakashi watched Naruto walking alone under the streetlights, talking incessantly to himself. A hint of helpless tenderness flashed in his dead fish eyes.
It's a rather heartbreaking scene, but when it's portrayed by Naruto, it somehow becomes so amusing.
Alas, perhaps this is the "sugar pill" that Kou mentioned back then.
Kakashi silently complained to himself, but his gaze involuntarily drifted past Naruto's bouncy little figure and toward the direction of his home in the distance.
"Sasuke... he should still be at home waiting for us to come back."
Thinking of Sasuke, the light in Kakashi's eyes dimmed slightly.
Sasuke was fully aware from the beginning that he was suppressing his emotions and didn't want everyone to worry about him.
But neither he nor Naruto had any way to truly open the child's heart.
After all, none of them had experienced the same pain as Sasuke —being betrayed by loved ones and losing everything...
(Prison soil: Not that it never happened.)
All they could do was stay by Sasuke's side and wait for the day when that child would truly open his heart to them.
Kakashi looked at Naruto vigorously at him, and a gentle smile slowly curved his lips beneath his mask.
"I hope Sasuke recovers soon."
He silently said this to himself, then quickened his pace to catch up with the golden figure ahead who was still waving at him...
Meanwhile, at Kakashi's house.
At this moment, Sasuke, whom Naruto and Kakashi deeply cared about, was soundly asleep in a peaceful dream.
He lay on the soft bed, carefully covered with a blanket, and the tear stains at the corners of his eyes had been gently wiped away.
On that fair face, the fatigue, pain, and depression that had accumulated over the past few months seemed to vanish in that instant.
Kou stood quietly beside him, looking at the sleeping child in front of him with a complicated expression.
In stark contrast to Sasuke, who was currently immersed in a peaceful sleep, his brows were furrowed tightly together, a furrow that had appeared out of nowhere.
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, brimming with powerful ocular abilities, was fixed on Sasuke without blinking.
Whether it's Chakra or ocular power, under the gaze of the Mangekyo Dōjutsu "Inari God" in the right eye, all power has nowhere to hide!
However, no matter how repeatedly and carefully Koko searched, he could not find even the slightest clue to the Chakra that should have existed within Sasuke's body and belonged to the reincarnation of Otsutsuki Indra.
It's as if it was never with Sasuke in the first place!
Kou Qiang suppressed the shock and confusion surging within him, silently processing this shocking reality.
He looked down at Sasuke, who was sleeping soundly and unguarded on the bed, and muttered to himself in confusion:
"What... exactly is going on?"