At four in the morning, the Hokage's office.
Tsunade stood before the window, clutching the report the Anbu had just delivered. The report contained only one line: "Sasuke Uchiha left Konoha at 2:17 a.m., heading toward the Sound Village." She slammed the report onto the desk, cracking its surface. It was not monstrous strength—it was fury. She was not furious because Sasuke had defected—she was furious because she had promised the Third Hokage that she would protect Konoha's new generation. Yet less than a week after taking office, one of that generation was already gone.
"Shikamaru." Tsunade's voice was cold enough to cut like a scalpel. "You lead the team. Bring Sasuke back. Pick your people, and I'll grant the authority. There's only one condition—bring him back. Not kill him—bring him back."
Shikamaru stood before the desk with his hands in his pockets and his eyes half-lidded. He was not slacking—he was thinking. Thinking about the Sound Four's abilities, the route of pursuit, and who should fight whom. After three minutes, he spoke.
"Naruto. Neji. Kiba. Choji. And Ringo."
"Ringo?" Tsunade looked up, not questioning him—confirming it. "He's not one of your usual choices."
"Not a usual situation." Shikamaru spread a rough map across the desk, showing the Sound Four's positions. His finger landed on Sakon and Ukon. "Sakon and Ukon are twins—one body, two souls, shared touch. No matter which one you attack, the other can sense it. For an ordinary ninja, fighting one means fighting both at once. But Ringo's ultrasound can sever their sensory connection—not attack them, interfere with them. Cut off the synchronization between their two souls, and Sakon and Ukon are just two ordinary jonin. One against one, no disadvantage. It's not that Ringo is stronger than the other genin—his technique just happens to counter