Sunagakure's Choice

The crow arrived at Konoha Hospital at dawn.

When Lin Ye rushed into the emergency room with Gaara over his shoulder, the medical ninja on duty jumped in alarm. But when they saw the character for "love" on Gaara's forehead and the obvious traces of tailed beast chakra, they immediately realized how serious the situation was.

"The One-Tail Jinchuriki?!" the medical squad leader exclaimed. "Quick! Notify Lord Hokage and Lady Tsunade!"

Ten minutes later, outside the intensive care unit.

After examining Gaara, Tsunade's expression turned grave. "Part of his tailed beast was forcibly extracted, but strangely, the process was interrupted. The Jinchūriki's life force is draining, but very slowly, as though... someone deliberately controlled the pace of the extraction."

"It was the Akatsuki," Lin Ye said. "They wanted to extract the entire tailed beast, but we interrupted them. Lord Jiraiya is still in the Land of Rain, holding the enemy off."

"That idiot Jiraiya..." Tsunade frowned. Green chakra lit up her hands as she pressed them against Gaara's chest. "I'll stabilize his vital signs first. But damage this severe will require a long recovery and reinforcement of his seal."

The Third Hokage hurried over, followed by his two advisers, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

"How is he?" the Third asked.

"He'll live, but the tailed beast's seal has loosened. He could go berserk at any moment," Tsunade said. "We need to reinforce it immediately, preferably with Sunagakure's Sealing Squad here. But the problem is..."

"Will Sunagakure believe us?" Utatane Koharu finished. "The One-Tail Jinchuriki is in our hands, and the only people at the scene were ours. Sunagakure has every reason to suspect Konoha attacked Gaara to steal his tailed beast."

Mitokado Homura nodded. "And Kazekage Rasa only recently died. Sunagakure is now ruled by its council of elders, and they were already wary of Konoha. If we mishandle this, our alliance treaty really could collapse."

The Third fell silent for a moment, then looked at Lin Ye. "Ye, was there any other evidence at the scene? Anything that could prove the Akatsuki was responsible?"

Lin Ye considered it. "Kisame's residual chakra was very distinct. We can send sensory ninja to confirm it. I also detected fluctuations of Rinnegan chakra. They were faint, but definitely there."

"The Rinnegan?" Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both paled.

"The legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths?" Mitokado Homura asked in disbelief. "Does the Akatsuki's leader really possess that kind of power?"

"At least one pair," Lin Ye said. "And the feeling those eyes gave me... was sorrow. As though they carried tremendous pain and despair."

Tsunade's hands paused in their treatment. "Sorrow? You can see that, too?"

"An additional ability of my Mangekyō," Lin Ye said without elaborating. "In any case, the attackers weren't from Konoha. But if Sunagakure refuses to believe us, nothing we say will matter."

"Then let them see for themselves." The Third made his decision. "Send an urgent message to Sunagakure immediately. Explain the situation and invite them to send envoys to Konoha. Give them the coordinates of the scene as well, so they can send their own people to investigate."

"What if their envoys arrive and demand to take Gaara back?" Utatane Koharu asked.

"Then we let them," the Third said. "But only after Tsunade completes the initial treatment and ensures the Jinchūriki won't go berserk on the road. We also need Sunagakure to understand that Konoha saved Gaara. We didn't attack him."

"That will require negotiation," Mitokado Homura said. "And sufficient leverage."

"Our leverage is intelligence," Lin Ye suddenly said. "Intelligence about the Akatsuki. What Sunagakure wants to know most right now is who attacked Gaara and why. We can tell them, but in return, Sunagakure must cooperate closely with Konoha during the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams so we can face the Akatsuki's threat together."

The three senior officials exchanged glances.

"The Chunin Ninja Exams are indeed approaching," Utatane Koharu said. "Konoha is hosting them this time. If Sunagakure cooperates, we can demonstrate the strength of our alliance and deter the other ninja villages."

"But will Sunagakure agree?" Mitokado Homura asked doubtfully. "They've always wanted to escape Konoha's influence."

"They have no choice," the Third said. "The attack on the One-Tail Jinchuriki exposed a flaw in Sunagakure's defenses. If the Akatsuki strikes again, they may not be able to protect him. Cooperation with Konoha will at least give them another layer of security."

"Then it's settled." Tsunade finished the treatment and wiped away her sweat. "I'll keep this kid alive for now. Ye, you'll handle contact with Sunagakure's envoys. The details your Mangekyō can see will be more convincing than any report."

"Yes." Lin Ye nodded.

With the meeting over, everyone set to work.

Lin Ye returned to the corridor outside the ward and leaned against the wall to rest. The constant fighting and travel, along with the drain from his Mangekyō, had left him exhausted. He glanced at his system panel:

[Last wishes fulfilled: 313/1344]

[Rinnegan fragments: 10/1000]

[Current mission: Special last wish · Save the Jinchūriki (1/9)]

[Progress tip: Save all Jinchūriki to receive the additional reward "Six Paths Power fragments"]

Six Paths Power fragments? Lin Ye perked up. If I collect all the Six Paths Power, could I gain a complete Six Paths Mode directly? Then I'd have a fighting chance against Kaguya and Otsutsuki.

But there were nine Jinchūriki, and he had only saved one. Of the remaining eight, Naruto and Killer B would be relatively easy to deal with, but the others were scattered across different villages, some even on hostile sides. Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, was a rogue ninja from Iwagakure, and Utakata, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, was a rogue ninja from Kirigakure.

Saving them all meant traveling throughout the shinobi world, dealing with every ninja village, and possibly waging an all-out war against the Akatsuki.

"One step at a time," Lin Ye murmured.

Just then, a figure appeared at the end of the corridor. It was Kakashi.

"Thanks for your hard work." Kakashi approached and handed him a boxed meal. "Lady Tsunade asked me to tell you that Sunagakure's delegation will arrive tomorrow at noon. Elder Chiyo and Ebizo are leading it, along with Baki, a Jonin."

"Granny Chiyo?" Lin Ye knew of her: a veteran of Sunagakure, a master of the Puppet Technique, and Sasori of the Red Sands' grandmother.

"It seems Sunagakure is taking this seriously," Kakashi said. "Elder Chiyo has been retired for years. Her coming in person shows that Sunagakure is deeply divided over this incident. Some suspect Konoha, while others want to use this opportunity to strengthen cooperation with us."

"Then what should we do?"

"Tell the truth, but be tactful," Kakashi said. "Elder Chiyo is sensible. She knows Konoha has no reason to attack Gaara. But Sunagakure has hardliners who might use this incident to stir up trouble. Your job is to make Elder Chiyo believe everything you saw, including the Rinnegan."

"Will she believe me?"

"She's seen records of the Rinnegan," Kakashi said. "Sunagakure's sealing scrolls contain legends about the Sage of Six Paths. If you can describe the Rinnegan in detail, she'll believe you."

Lin Ye nodded. That made things easier. He had seen the Deva Path's Rinnegan firsthand. He could describe both their rippling pattern and their distinctive chakra fluctuations.

"By the way, what about Naruto and Sasuke?" Lin Ye remembered that Team Kakashi had also gone to investigate.

"They found traces of the Akatsuki near the Land of Rivers' border, but arrived a step too late," Kakashi said. "They're back now and resting. When Naruto heard you'd saved Gaara, he insisted on coming to see you, but Sakura held him back."

"Let them get some proper rest," Lin Ye said. "They'll be the stars of the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams."

"So will you." Kakashi looked at Lin Ye. "The Third has decided that you'll take part in these Chunin Ninja Exams as a Konoha Genin."

"Me?" Lin Ye froze. "But I..."

"You're only nine, so you meet the age requirement. Besides, you need more combat experience, and you need to show Konoha's strength to the shinobi world," Kakashi said. "More importantly, people from all the ninja villages will come during the exams, including Jinchūriki. This is your chance to meet the others."

Lin Ye understood. In name, the Chunin Ninja Exams selected Chunin. In reality, they were a platform for villages to display their strength and gather intelligence. Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, was a Kumogakure Jonin and wouldn't attend. Yagura, the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, was the Mizukage; Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, was a rogue ninja; Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, was an Iwagakure Jonin; Utakata, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, was a rogue ninja; and Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, was a Takigakure Genin-Takigakure was a small village and would very likely send people to the Chunin Ninja Exams.

If he could meet the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, he could start making plans to protect her.

"I'll participate," Lin Ye said.

"Then prepare well." Kakashi patted his shoulder. "I'll leave Sunagakure's envoys to you. I'm going to check on Naruto and the others."

After Kakashi left, Lin Ye finished his meal and returned to the temporary hospital room assigned to him. But instead of sleeping, he began organizing his thoughts.

His next steps:

Deal with Sunagakure's envoys tomorrow and win their trust and cooperation.

Approach Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, during the Chunin Ninja Exams and try to establish contact.

After the exams, begin a systematic search for the other Jinchūriki and find them before the Akatsuki did.

But there was another problem: how could he leave Konoha to seek out Jinchūriki in other villages? With his current status, he needed to report any departure from Konoha, and he could easily attract Danzo's and the Akatsuki's attention.

Perhaps he could use a mission as a pretext. He could request a long-term assignment outside the village to investigate the Akatsuki. Or he could establish cooperation with other villages by offering to reinforce their Jinchūriki's seals.

"Sealing..." Lin Ye suddenly recalled that the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu formed the foundation of Jinchūriki seals. If he learned their techniques, he could approach the villages as a "sealing expert."

Konoha possessed fragments of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu, but the most complete inheritance had been with Kushina Uzumaki-no, Kushina was already dead, though her memories might still exist in some form. There was also Karin Uzumaki. She should still be in Kusagakure.

Learning the complete Uzumaki Sealing Technique would not only help the Jinchūriki but also strengthen him. Sealing Jutsu was an effective means of dealing with tailed beasts and powerful ninja.

"That settles it," Lin Ye said, making up his mind. "First, I'll learn Sealing Jutsu. Then I'll use it to approach the Jinchūriki."

He closed his eyes and used his Mangekyō's "chakra information vision" to review his battle with the Deva Path. He wanted to see exactly what secrets those Rinnegan concealed.

On the level of chakra information, countless "threads" connected to those Rinnegan. Some stretched deep into the Land of Rain, linking to the other Pain bodies. Others extended to the moon, connecting to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. One thread stood out: red and filled with pain and obsession. It connected to Nagato's true body.

Lin Ye followed that thread, trying to "see" its other end.

A hazy image appeared: a skeletal red-haired man sat on an enormous mechanical apparatus, his back studded with black rods. His eyes were the Rinnegan. Beside him stood a blue-haired woman-Konan.

"Nagato..." Lin Ye murmured.

Suddenly, Nagato seemed to sense something. He snapped his head up and looked toward Lin Ye. Across space, their gazes briefly met.

"You can see me?" Nagato's voice rang directly inside Lin Ye's mind.

Startled, Lin Ye immediately severed the visual link. But he was too late. A powerful mental force invaded through the connection, trying to burrow into his brain.

"Divine Dominion!" Lin Ye instinctively activated his defensive field, forming a barrier on the mental plane.

The two forces collided. A sharp pain stabbed through Lin Ye's head, but he successfully blocked the intrusion. He hurriedly deactivated his Mangekyō and severed every connection.

"That was close..." Lin Ye panted, sweat beading on his forehead.

Nagato's mental power was terrifying-worthy of a Rinnegan wielder. Without Divine Dominion's absolute defense, that attack might have penetrated his mind.

Clearly, he couldn't use his Mangekyō's abilities carelessly, especially when probing powerful opponents. They might trace the connection back to him.

"I have to get stronger, fast." Lin Ye clenched his fists.

At noon the next day, Sunagakure's delegation arrived in Konoha.

As Kakashi had said, Elder Chiyo and Ebizo led the group, accompanied by Baki, a Jonin. They also brought more than a dozen Sunagakure ninja, including medical personnel and members of the Sealing Squad.

The reception took place in the Hokage Tower's conference room. Representing Konoha were the Third Hokage, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, Tsunade, Kakashi, and Lin Ye. Sunagakure's representatives were Chiyo, Ebizo, and Baki.

The atmosphere was tense from the outset.

"Hiruzen, let's skip the pleasantries," Chiyo said bluntly. "Where is Gaara? What condition is he in? And what evidence do you have that the Akatsuki attacked him?"

The Third signaled for Tsunade to explain. She detailed Gaara's injuries and treatment plan, then concluded, "Approximately one-tenth of his tailed beast's chakra was extracted, but the process was forcibly interrupted. The Jinchūriki's vital signs are stable now, but his seal has loosened and needs reinforcement."

"As for the evidence..." The Third looked at Lin Ye. "Ye, explain."

Lin Ye rose and walked to the center of the conference room. Without wasting words, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.

"The Mangekyō!" Baki exclaimed. Chiyo and Ebizo also looked startled.

"An Uchiha brat who's awakened the Mangekyō." Chiyo narrowed her eyes. "It seems this Uchiha orphan is no ordinary child."

"Elder Chiyo, I saw everything at the scene with these eyes," Lin Ye said. "There were two attackers. One was Kisame Hoshigaki, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure who wields Samehada and specializes in Water Release and chakra absorption. The other..."

He paused and looked at Chiyo. "The other possessed the Rinnegan."

"The Rinnegan?!" Ebizo shot to his feet. "Are you telling the truth?"

"I can describe those eyes," Lin Ye said. "A rippling pattern, one ring inside another, with pale purple at the center. Looking at them too long draws you into sorrow and despair. And those eyes connect to something enormous, something like... the moon."

Chiyo's expression changed. She looked at Ebizo, who nodded slowly.

"Sunagakure's ancient scrolls do contain records of the Rinnegan," Ebizo said. "The legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, said to possess the power to create and destroy the world. They're also connected to the moon, because the Sage of Six Paths used the Rinnegan to create it and seal away a terrifying being."

"The Akatsuki's leader really possesses that kind of power?" Baki asked in disbelief.

"That's not all," Lin Ye continued. "The Rinnegan wielder's techniques were unusual, too. He could unleash powerful repulsive and attractive forces, create black holes to seal everything away, and summon all kinds of monsters. And he wasn't the real body, just a remotely controlled duplicate."

"A duplicate with that much power?" Chiyo's brow furrowed. "How strong must the real body be?"

"That is why this is so serious," the Third said. "The Akatsuki possesses the Rinnegan and is capturing tailed beasts. We don't know their goal, but they clearly pose an enormous threat to the shinobi world. Gaara was the first target, but he won't be the last."

"So you want to join forces with Sunagakure against the Akatsuki?" Chiyo asked.

"Not just Sunagakure. Every ninja village," the Third said. "But we need a starting point. Sunagakure and Konoha are allies. If we stand together over this incident, we can set an example for the other villages."

Chiyo fell silent and looked at Ebizo. The siblings exchanged glances, seemingly communicating without words.

After a long while, Chiyo spoke. "We'll take Gaara back to Sunagakure. But before that, we want to inspect the scene ourselves. We also need Konoha to provide all its known intelligence on the Akatsuki."

"Agreed," the Third said. "You already have the coordinates. You can go whenever you wish. Kakashi will compile our intelligence into scrolls for you. And if Sunagakure agrees, we can formally sign an agreement to fight the Akatsuki together during the Chunin Ninja Exams."

"The Chunin Ninja Exams..." Chiyo considered it. "We'll send a team. But before then, Gaara must return safely to Sunagakure, with his seal reinforced."

"Tsunade will personally oversee the reinforcement," the Third said. "We also suggest that Sunagakure's Sealing Squad exchange techniques with Konoha's during the process. Against an enemy like the Akatsuki, we need stronger Sealing Jutsu."

The proposal moved Chiyo and Ebizo. Sealing Jutsu was confidential in every ninja village. Konoha's willingness to share it genuinely demonstrated sincerity.

"Very well." Chiyo finally nodded. "Sunagakure agrees to deepen cooperation with Konoha. But the specifics will require further discussion."

"Of course." The Third smiled.

The tension finally eased. The discussion turned to technical details: how to reinforce the seal, exchange intelligence, and cooperate during the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Listening from the side, Lin Ye inwardly sighed in relief. At least the first step had succeeded. Cooperation between Sunagakure and Konoha would lay the groundwork for saving the other Jinchūriki.

After the meeting, Chiyo called Lin Ye over.

"Uchiha brat, come here."

Lin Ye approached. Chiyo studied his eyes carefully before speaking. "The Mangekyō Sharingan is the Uchiha's supreme ocular technique. But every use drains its ocular power, eventually leading to blindness. You know that, don't you?"

"I do," Lin Ye said.

"Then why keep using it?" Chiyo asked. "For Konoha? Or for the Uchiha's last wishes?"

"To break the curse," Lin Ye said.

Chiyo paused. "The curse?"

"The Uchiha's fate is cursed." Lin Ye did not elaborate. "I want to change it. Not just for the Uchiha, but for everyone bound by fate."

Chiyo gave him a long look. "You remind me of someone."

"Who?"

"My grandson, Sasori." Chiyo's eyes dimmed. "He wanted to break something, too, but he took the wrong path. Child, power is a tool. Don't let it become your shackles."

"I understand," Lin Ye said.

Chiyo nodded and turned to leave. After two steps, however, she looked back. "If you truly want to break a curse, you may need to find the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu. Those techniques were passed down from the Sage of Six Paths. They might help you."

"Do you know where I can learn the complete Uzumaki Sealing Technique?"

"Konoha should have part of it, but the most complete version may be in Kusagakure," Chiyo said. "That was a long time ago, though. Whether it's still there is hard to say. If you truly want to learn, ask Tsunade. She might know more."

With that, Chiyo left for good.

Lin Ye remained where he stood, digesting her words. Kusagakure, Karin Uzumaki, the complete Uzumaki Sealing Technique.

It seemed he had his next destination.

Three days later, Gaara's seal was fully reinforced, and Sunagakure's delegation took him back to the Land of Wind. Before leaving, Baki sought Lin Ye out privately.

"Uchiha Ye, thank you for saving Gaara," Baki said solemnly. "He may be a Jinchūriki and unpopular, but he's still the Fourth Kazekage's son and Sunagakure's future. Sunagakure will remember this debt."

"No need to thank me. I only did what I should," Lin Ye said.

"No. It wasn't something you were obliged to do. It was something you chose to do," Baki said. "In the world of ninja, choices matter. Yours could change many things. I hope we can be allies in the future, rather than enemies."

"So do I."

After Sunagakure's people left, Konoha began preparing for the Chunin Ninja Exams. Registration information arrived from countries and villages one after another. Lin Ye's name was also on the list, as a member of Konoha's Genin Team 9. His teammates were two unremarkable Genin, there merely to fulfill the formalities. He would act alone most of the time.

Then, one week before the Chunin Ninja Exams began, Jiraiya returned.

Covered in wounds, but alive.

Konoha Hospital, Jiraiya's room.

"I almost didn't make it back." Lying in bed, Jiraiya gave a bitter smile. "That Pain is absurdly strong. Six duplicates, each with the Rinnegan and a different ability. If I hadn't escaped fast enough, I would've died in the Land of Rain."

"Six duplicates?" Tsunade asked as she treated him.

"Yes. The Deva Path, Asura Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Preta Path, and Naraka Path," Jiraiya said. "All of them have the Rinnegan, but their abilities differ. They're remotely controlled, too. The real body wasn't there."

"Who is the real body?" the Third asked.

"I found out." Jiraiya's expression turned solemn. "It's Nagato."

"Nagato?!" Tsunade and the Third exclaimed in shock.

"Yahiko and Konan were there, too, but Yahiko is already dead. His corpse was made into the Deva Path. Konan is still alive, staying with Nagato." Jiraiya's voice was low. "Nagato is now... suffering terribly, and deeply obsessed. He believes peace can only come by making the world feel pain. And the Rinnegan is his tool for achieving that goal."

"Why did it turn out like this?" Tsunade struggled to accept it. Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan had all been her students, kindhearted children.

"War, and... certain people's schemes." Jiraiya looked at the Third Hokage. "Old man, I suspect Danzo interfered in the Land of Rain. The Akatsuki that Nagato and the others founded was originally a peace organization, but Danzo and Hanzō later joined forces to wipe it out. Yahiko died, and Nagato went berserk. That's how things ended up this way."

The Third Hokage closed his eyes, his expression pained. "Danzo... just how much has he done behind my back?"

"Now isn't the time to assign blame," Jiraiya said. "What matters is that Nagato has completely succumbed to darkness. He's capturing tailed beasts to create an ultimate weapon, one he'll use to bring 'pain' to the world and force every nation to stop fighting. But he doesn't know that his Rinnegan were actually transplanted into him. He's nothing more than a pawn."

"A pawn?" Lin Ye asked.

"Yes. The man who transplanted the Rinnegan into Nagato was Madara Uchiha," Jiraiya said. "Although Madara is dead, his will lives on through a man named Obito Uchiha. Obito posed