Half a Beat Too Slow

The weather was nice today, pleasant and sunny. With nothing going on, he casually looked through a telescope, feeling quite pleased. The Third Hokage stared at a crystal ball and chuckled. An ANBU appeared. "Lord Hokage, the jinchuriki surveillance team sent to relieve the shift has reported in. The team that carried out the mission last night has been wiped out, and the jinchuriki is now missing. The ANBU have already been mobilized to investigate. There should be news soon."

The Third Hokage, who had been in a good mood, now looked black as charcoal. "Owl, summon Jiraiya and Orochimaru." A shadow flashed across the wall and vanished through the window. "Hiruzen, something happened to the jinchuriki! I have already sent Root ninja in pursuit. This matter seems to involve the Uchiha Clan as well. I told you long ago they were restless. Perhaps this time they coordinated from within and without. Sending a large force after them may simply be an attempt to cover their tracks." A gloomy man in casual clothes appeared in the Hokage's office. The Third said nothing. He had only just received the news, yet Danzo already knew most of the details and had even dispatched ninja in pursuit. He had obviously known about this beforehand. Those three Uchiha brats had probably been dragged into this without understanding anything. Judging from the Uchiha's reaction, they had left in a hurry and should have been completely unprepared. After all, that team had received special attention from the entire Uchiha Clan. Someone had interfered with the ANBU, or they would not have been delayed by so much. Danzo, you're getting restless again. What are you trying to gain from this opportunity...

Just as the Third Hokage remained silent, Jiraiya jumped in through the window. Orochimaru knocked on the door before entering. "Orochimaru, you and Jiraiya will each take a team of ANBU and begin pursuit immediately. If you encounter members of the Uchiha Clan or Root ninja along the way, you have the authority to deploy them. Here is my written order and the Hokage's command seal. Go at once." After speaking, the Third Hokage took out a scroll and a command seal bearing the character for fire, handing them to Orochimaru. He then waved them away, clearly unwilling to explain anything further. The two said nothing and turned to leave.

"Hiruzen, the ANBU bear inescapable responsibility for what happened to the jinchuriki. I told you long ago, hand her over to Root, and I guarantee—" Before Danzo could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Enough, Danzo. Now is not the time to discuss this. The most important thing is to recover the jinchuriki and investigate what happened. We can discuss everything once she is back."

Uchiha Yo looked at the team resting ahead and estimated that they were nearly at the border. Turning to Minato, he said, "We'll launch a surprise attack in a moment. I'll hold them back. You take your companion and head straight back the way we came. We have reinforcements behind us." The blond kid nodded. "The two on the left—I should be able to handle them if we ambush them." The original story had you save her all by yourself. You can be more confident. Uchiha Yo nodded. "I'll take the ones on the right. One of them is a jonin. I won't be able to hold out for long, so move fast." He then made a gesture, signaling that it was time to act. "Uchiha Shuriken Technique!" "Shuriken Manipulation Technique!" "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!" Uchiha Yo unleashed three techniques in succession, separating the three ninja on the right from the other two before charging fiercely at them. He killed one instantly and clashed with the enemy jonin. "You three, take them and go first!" The jonin fought while signaling for his companions to leave. Uchiha Yo yanked hard on the wires, and the thrown shuriken stabbed viciously toward the fleeing ninja. He then used the pull to leap backward and aimed at that ninja. "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw Red!" After successfully killing him, he continued fighting the jonin as though his life depended on it. At that moment, Minato made his move. He swiftly drove a shuriken into the back of one ninja's heart, used the man's body as a springboard, and leaped above another ninja, throwing a shuriken that struck him squarely in the neck. He then quickly scooped up Kushina and sprinted back the way they had come.