Everything was ready

After Kakashi's brush with danger in the Mask Hall, the ANBU who arrived found him and immediately took him to Konoha Hospital. Kakashi woke that night, and news that Sasuke had slipped back into Konoha reached Tsunade.

Then, while Kakashi was recuperating in bed, a special visitor came to see him.

The man who styled himself the white-haired boy sat on the windowsill with rakish grace, enjoying the night breeze as he listened to Kakashi recount yesterday's harrowing encounter.

Kakashi still felt shaken. "That's how it happened. I admit I let my guard down, but I don't think Sasuke's strength is below mine anymore..."

Jiraiya did not rush to a conclusion. He rubbed his chin and pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "I've heard the rumors about those eyes too. Supposedly, you can only awaken them by killing your closest friend. But Naruto is alive and well, which means something must have happened to Sasuke that we don't know about. Think back. Were there any details you overlooked? Even the smallest thing might help."

Kakashi recalled their brief clash. "I'm not entirely sure, but the aura Sasuke gave off seemed different from before..."

"His aura? That's a rather abstract concept..."

Jiraiya mused, "Generally speaking, strength can improve in a short time, but an aura takes years to develop. Do you think Sasuke was still Sasuke?"

Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "If he wasn't Sasuke, then could it be..."

Jiraiya said gravely, "In the worst-case scenario, Orochimaru has already taken Sasuke's body!"

Kakashi clasped his hands together, repeatedly checking his recollections. "Perhaps I went in with a preconceived idea. But if you say that was Orochimaru, something about it just doesn't feel right. And if it were Orochimaru, would he need me to pass those words on to Naruto? Just to throw us off and hide the fact that he'd taken Sasuke's body? He doesn't seem to have any reason to do that..."

"Hmm." Jiraiya nodded. "That's a fair point. We'll have to consider this further, then. If I find a suitable opportunity to meet him myself, perhaps I can uncover the truth..."

Kakashi said, "In any case, Sasuke's strength is on a completely different level now, and he'll likely only grow stronger. If Naruto truly intends to bring Sasuke back... I'm afraid his chances are slim."

Jiraiya smiled. "Getting him to give up is impossible."

Kakashi sighed helplessly. "That's true..."

Jiraiya grinned. "Don't worry. I won't let him throw his life away!"

"Oh, right..." Kakashi took a scroll from inside his clothes and tossed it toward the window.

Jiraiya caught it. It was an image scroll designed specifically for ninja to reproduce visual information from their minds.

After unrolling it, he fed chakra into it. The image within was imprinted directly into Jiraiya's mind, and the scroll destroyed itself.

The image projected into his mind was a mask.

Kakashi said, "I sketched the mask Sasuke came all the way to Konoha to retrieve, based on my recollection. It was in the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Hall. Not long ago, the Third used the Uzumaki Clan's Reaper Death Seal to seal Orochimaru's arms. It's hard to believe there's no connection. Following that lead might give us a way to unravel the mystery surrounding Sasuke now..."

"Indeed. This information is quite valuable..."

As he spoke, Jiraiya pulled a blue-covered book from inside his clothes and tossed it into Kakashi's hands!

"This is the final installment of my Make-Out series. It hasn't officially been released yet, but you can have it as a special get-well gift~!"

"Oh! Ooooooh~~~~~!" Kakashi clutched it like a priceless treasure.

"Well, take your time savoring its subtleties..."

With an enigmatic smile, Jiraiya jumped out the window, his wooden sandals landing on the soft earth!

"Lord Jiraiya."

Kakashi went to the window and called after him, solemnly entrusting him with a request. "Please take care of Naruto from now on!"

Jiraiya smiled and waved, leaving him with the sight of his broad, gallant back.

On the outskirts of Konoha, where the lights grew sparse, Naruto sat on a bench, staring blankly at Sasuke's rogue ninja forehead protector.

The clack of wooden sandals approached from afar, and beneath the streetlamp, the shadow by the bench became two.

Naruto could not hide his anguish. "Pervy Sage, Granny Tsunade has officially declared Sasuke a rogue ninja. From now on, the village will hunt him down..."

Although Sasuke had deserted before, he had not been placed on Konoha's hit list, thanks to Tsunade's special consideration for Naruto. But after Sasuke infiltrated the village again and injured Kakashi, the Konoha High Command deemed him a serious threat. Neither sentiment nor reason allowed Tsunade to protect him any longer.

"I see." Jiraiya's eyes dimmed a little. "Don't blame Tsunade. She has her own difficulties..."

Naruto gently laid the forehead protector on his knees. "I understand. Granny already told me everything that happened!"

Jiraiya spoke earnestly. "Then you understand, don't you? Even Kakashi is no match for Sasuke now. He might even become stronger than me someday. Even so, do you still intend to bring him back to Konoha?"

Clutching the forehead protector, Naruto sprang to his feet and waved his fist, his emotions surging. "Of course!! It doesn't matter how strong he is! He's the comrade I treasure most! Even if it tears me to pieces, I'll bring him back to Konoha! That's my promise to Sakura! And it's my responsibility to my best friend. Nothing will ever change that, believe it!!!"

"Good. In that case, you'd better be prepared for what it takes!"

Jiraiya said, "I'll compress the three years of training I'd planned for you into one. After that year, depending on how things stand, I'll decide whether to take you to that legendary sacred land to undergo the same training I did!!"

Naruto instantly lit up. "Huh?? A sacred land? The same training as you, Pervy Sage? It must be some incredibly powerful jutsu! I can't wait! Hurry up and tell me what kind of jutsu it is, believe it!!!"

Jiraiya smiled. "It's still too early for you to know about that..."

Naruto circled Jiraiya, wheedling nonstop. "Pervy Sage, come on! Just tell me~~!"

Jiraiya wore a smile, but an indescribable bitterness filled his heart.

He had intended to spend more time with Naruto during their three years of training, making up for the childhood Naruto had missed while building his skills as a ninja... But now, it seemed this journey was destined to be anything but relaxed and leisurely.

Still... there was nothing to be done about it.

The streetlamp stretched the master and student's shadows long. Without bidding farewell to the people they knew, Jiraiya shouldered his enormous scroll, Naruto carried his pack, and they set off on a training journey that was destined to be anything but ordinary.

At dawn three days later, in an underground lair in the Land of Rice Fields where daylight never reached.

After enduring the agony of a complete transformation, Kabuto Yakushi finally emerged changed.

Several times during the process, Kabuto had nearly been consumed by the Hashirama cells. Each time, his tenacious will and considerable aptitude pulled him back from the brink of death. The ordeal had been perilous in the extreme...

Afterward, Kabuto still felt shaken. "That pain probably rivaled childbirth. I truly never want to experience it again..."

Orochimaru smiled. "Hashirama Senju's power isn't so easily mastered. More cruelly still, everyone who receives Hashirama cells is destined only to approach his power, never to equal the original. Even Madara was no exception."

"The White Cursed Seal I tailored for Sasuke-kun is unique. After the Ten Battles, he will gain Hashirama Senju's full power while remaining an Uchiha. That will lay the strongest possible foundation for him to become the very finest Ōtsutsuki..."

Next, Kabuto underwent the transplant of his right eye. With the Hashirama cells, it was merely a natural next step. Once the optic nerve was connected, his right eye became the Mangekyō Sharingan that housed Blade Reversal!

Everything was ready.

Sasuke said, "Let's move. We'll head to Blue Moon Island and prepare for the first of the Ten Battles!"

Orochimaru said, "Blue Moon Island lies offshore near the Land of Water. Setting out from a port in the Land of Fire would be more efficient..."

Kabuto loosely covered his right eye with his right hand. Through the gaps between his fingers, light swirled in his eye.

"Blade Reversal's space-time markers don't seem to disappear after transplantation. That means I can use all the markers left in the past directly. What a pleasant surprise. There's one not far from our destination. We can drastically shorten our travel time..."

—Blade Reversal!

Whoosh! His right eye released a black vortex, and Kabuto drew Sasuke and Orochimaru into it, along with himself!