The Choice

Ling appeared suddenly in front of the Hokage Building with an unconscious Anbu on his back, startling the two Chunin guarding the entrance. Once they recognized him and saw the person he was carrying, their expressions shifted instantly.

"Go notify the two advisors! Urgent military intelligence!" Ling's voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of urgency.

One of the Chunin snapped to attention and bolted into the building. Ling, still carrying the wounded man, headed straight for the building's medical station. He knew this news could not be kept secret, nor was there any need to. He needed to see how the various factions would react.

After handing the casualty over to the medical ninjas who rushed to the scene, Ling stood outside the medical station, leaning against the cold wall to wait. His face remained expressionless, but his mind was racing. Tsunade and Jiraiya meeting with trouble at the same time was highly irregular. Danzo had the motive, but did he have the capability to plot against two of the Sannin simultaneously? Or had a third party intervened?

Footsteps approached in a hurry. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado arrived, flanked by a group of guards, their faces etched with shock and gravity. Following closely behind was Shimura Danzo, his gait steady despite his cane. His single eye swept over Ling before shifting to the medical room, his gaze profound.

"What is going on?" Koharu Utatane asked first, her tone sharp and hurried.

Ling relayed the words the Anbu had spoken before losing consciousness, keeping it brief: "He was found in the northwest outside the village, severely wounded. Before passing out, he said Lady Tsunade had been ambushed and Lord Jiraiya was trapped."

The faces of the high-ranking officials turned ghastly.

"Is the information reliable?" Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses, peering into the medical room.

"He is direct-reporting Anbu; his mask and chakra signature are verified. These wounds cannot be faked," Ling replied calmly.

Danzo spoke slowly, his voice low: "The target location in the northwest is near the border of the Land of Rain. With the situation unclear, rashly sending a large-scale reinforcement force might lead us into a trap or even trigger a larger conflict. The priority is to immediately strengthen the village's defenses to prevent the enemy from luring us away."

His words sounded high-minded and filled with concern for the village.

Ling sneered inwardly. Danzo was trying to stall, or rather, he had no intention of letting Jiraiya and Tsunade return.

"Is Elder Danzo suggesting we leave the two Sannin to die?" Ling looked up, locking eyes with Danzo. His tone was devoid of emotion, but his words carried significant weight.

Danzo's single eye narrowed: "Uchiha Ling, watch your phrasing. I am merely prioritizing the safety of the village. Besides, with the strength of Jiraiya and Tsunade, how could an ordinary ambush trap them? If they cannot handle it, sending others would only increase our losses."

"It is precisely because the opponent is likely extraordinary that we need to provide support," Ling countered without yielding. "If even the Sannin have fallen, the threat is far beyond our predictions. If we leave them be and wait for the enemy to consolidate their gains, will Konoha be the next target?"

The two advisors fell silent, their faces full of conflict. Danzo's words made sense, but Ling's concerns were equally realistic. It was a dilemma.

Just then, the door to the medical station opened. A medical ninja stepped out with a solemn expression: "My Lords, the patient has woken up, but he has lost too much blood and his chakra is exhausted. His mental state is very unstable; he keeps muttering about 'Rain Village,' 'monsters,' and 'dark-colored things.'"

Rain Village? Monsters? Dark things?

Ling's brows furrowed tightly. The Rain Village—the place ruled by Hanzo the Salamander, the so-called "demigod," and later rumored to be controlled by the "Akatsuki." A flash of a withered leaf with a decaying aura crossed his mind.

"It seems the situation is more complex than imagined," Danzo spoke again, his tone carrying a hint of calculated intent. "Involving another nation's ninja village requires cautious handling. I believe we should immediately convene the Jonin squad to discuss countermeasures and send reconnaissance teams to the border to obtain more accurate intelligence."

More delays.

Ling knew he couldn't wait any longer. By the time they argued their way to a decision, it would be too late. Danzo could afford to wait, but he could not. Jiraiya dying was one thing, but Naruto was still out there!

He took a deep breath and made his decision.

"No need to discuss," Ling's voice cut through Danzo's words, drawing surprised looks from the two advisors. "I will go."

A glint of light flashed in Danzo's single eye, as if he had been waiting for this: "You? Uchiha Ling, although your strength is not lacking, the opponent is likely a powerful enemy capable of trapping the Sannin. For you to go alone is far too reckless and makes Konoha look weak."

"I am not going in the name of Konoha," Ling said, looking him in the eye, enunciating every word. "I am going as the leader of 'Dawn Wind' to rescue my ally, Uzumaki Naruto."

He emphasized "ally" and "Uzumaki Naruto." He was making it clear to Danzo and the advisors that this was a personal action, unrelated to Konoha's official stance, yet the core target of his rescue was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—a cause of righteousness no one could criticize.

The two advisors exchanged glances, both seeing the temptation in the other's eyes. Ling volunteering solved the immediate dilemma without forcing Konoha to officially assume the risk; it seemed like the best option for now.

"Are you certain you can do this?" Koharu Utatane asked hesitantly.

"No," Ling replied bluntly. "But it is better than wasting time here."

He ignored them and turned to leave. As he passed Danzo, he paused slightly and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Elder Danzo, you had better pray that Naruto is fine. Otherwise, I don't know what I might do."

The knuckles of the hand Danzo used to grip his cane turned white, but his face remained as still as an ancient well.

Ling walked straight out of the Hokage Building. He did not return to his small compound but instead activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, arriving directly at the Tanzaku Town base.

He quickly informed everyone of the situation.

"I'm going with you," Kimimaro was the first to step forward, his tone devoid of hesitation.

"Me too!" Haku added immediately, his eyes firm.

Zabuza hoisted his heavy blade and grinned: "An opponent who can trap the Sannin? Sounds interesting. Count me in."

Ling looked at them, feeling a warmth in his heart, but he shook his head: "No. We don't even know who the opponent is. The situation is critical; too many people will only make it easier to be exposed. It is more convenient for me to act alone. Besides..."

His gaze swept over Izumi and the other Uchiha survivors. "Konoha cannot be left unguarded. Danzo will never sit still. While I am gone, you must hold this place. If—if I don't return, 'Dawn Wind' belongs to Izumi. Lead everyone and survive."

Izumi's eyes turned red instantly. She bit her lip and nodded firmly: "You must bring Naruto back!"

"Don't worry," Ling patted her shoulder, then looked at Kimimaro, Haku, and Zabuza. "Guard our home."

He said no more and turned to walk to the center of the base's open space. He formed hand seals, sensing the faint traces of chakra left by the unconscious Anbu from the northwest, and compared them with the coordinates stored in his system to pinpoint the location.

The Flying Thunder God Technique required precise perception and a spatial anchor. He could not teleport directly to an unknown battlefield, but he could transport to a border region he knew that was as close as possible.

Chakra surged within his body, and the space began to distort slightly.

"Wait for my return."

As the words fell, a flash of golden light erupted, and Ling's figure vanished completely from the base.

The group stared at the empty space, their moods heavy and suppressed.

This time, their leader would face, alone, an unknown danger capable of trapping the Sannin.