Crusade Against the Evil Akatsuki

Chiyo's body was taken back to Sunagakure by her people.

Gaara still had important matters to discuss with the Hokage and the Raikage, so he returned to Konoha with Uchiha Yoru and the others.

"Kakashi-sensei, Yoru-sensei, Gaara—why do you all look like that?"

Naruto Uzumaki had just returned to the village and happened to run into them.

They all looked unusually downcast.

"Naruto, keep your voice down!"

Sakura stepped away from the group and pulled Naruto aside.

Then she told him everything that had happened while he was away.

Uchiha Yoru and the others entered the meeting room.

Uchiha Itachi and the Raikage were waiting there.

After hearing their report, the Raikage slammed his fist through the table. "Why could Gaara be saved, but Yugito couldn't?"

"Raikage, calm down!"

"None of us wanted this!" Uchiha Itachi urged.

Uchiha Yoru was blunter. "Of course saving the Kazekage took priority. As the leader of a village, you should understand what matters most. We had to choose between Yugito and the Kazekage!"

After his outburst, the Raikage knew he had been unreasonable. After all, it was someone from Sunagakure who had given her life to save the Kazekage.

Why would Sunagakure save someone with a lesser position who had nothing to do with them?

But the way Uchiha Yoru said it grated on him.

"Are you saying Yugito didn't matter at all?" the Raikage asked. If Uchiha Yoru offered even a little explanation—or simply gave him a way to back down—he would take it.

Uchiha Itachi shot Uchiha Yoru a look, urging him to ease off and not provoke the Raikage further.

After all, a Ninja the Raikage had brought with him had died.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. And I'll tell you this: even if Yugito were the Raikage and Gaara were