Sasuke Uchiha's Pursuit

Sasuke Uchiha turned and saw Kurotsuchi standing a short distance away in practical clothes, a practiced smile on her face.

"Kurotsuchi." Sasuke gave a slight nod in greeting. "Iwagakure really has changed a lot over the past few years."

"It has, thanks to a certain artist's wild ideas." Kurotsuchi smiled and stepped forward. "I didn't expect you to come in person, much less take your time sightseeing."

"I was buying gifts for Sakura and the others while I was here." Sasuke Uchiha followed Kurotsuchi. "You were vague on the emergency call. You insisted on meeting the Konoha Leadership face-to-face but refused to say what it was about."

"Can you tell me now?"

Kurotsuchi gestured for him to follow, her expression turning serious. "This isn't the place to talk. Come with me to the Tsuchikage's Office. Deidara is waiting there."

Inside the Tsuchikage's Office, Deidara was making adjustments to a Clay Model. Hearing footsteps, he complained without looking up, "Hey, why are the people from Konoha taking so long? Hm?"

Then he looked up and saw the familiar, cool-faced Uchiha walking in. The rest of his sentence stuck in his throat, and his face fell as though he had swallowed a fly.

"Why is it you?! Hm!" Deidara set down the clay in his hands with a scowl. "Is there no one else in Konoha? Where's Naruto Uzumaki?!"

Sasuke Uchiha ignored Deidara's attitude. "Naruto is on a state visit to the Land of Wind."

"Now, explain the situation."

Deidara clicked his tongue and jerked his chin toward Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi took a deep breath and gave him as concise an account of the Land of Earth Person incident as she could: Ōnoki's secret experiment, the Clone's loss of control, his terrifying strength, and his battle with Deidara and the others.

After listening,