When Itachi and Sasuke left together, they took Karin Uzumaki along, too. Itachi had suggested it. Hadn't Sasuke said he wanted to restore the Uchiha Clan? Going out on missions was no reason to cut off his romantic life. He should bring his girlfriend and make sure they spent some quality time together.
Karin wholeheartedly supported Itachi's suggestion. When she heard she could go on the mission with Sasuke, she was nearly beside herself with joy. Of course she was going!
And so, the group set off.
Meanwhile, Meihui went to Orochimaru's place, where he met Kabuto Yakushi for the first time in a long while.
"Meihui, you're here."
"Yeah. How's the cloning technology coming along?"
"I've started preliminary cultures using Naruto's and Sasuke's cells. I've found that after implanting Sasuke's cells, stimulating them with an appropriate amount of yin release chakra produces unusual changes. Naruto's require yang release chakra instead."
Meihui nodded after hearing this. That's Orochimaru for you. His reputation as the Shinobi World's scientist certainly wasn't undeserved.
"Then you could try cultivating the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan and combining them with Hashirama cells. You might get some interesting reactions."
"Yes, I'll give it a try."
Orochimaru had never considered doing that. After all, Madara Uchiha had awakened the Rinnegan by transplanting a piece of Hashirama's flesh into himself. Perhaps Orochimaru's technology could successfully clone a Rinnegan. Of course, that was only a theory. No one really knew what the result would be.
As for Naruto, Meihui had already sent him on a mission in the opposite direction from Sasuke and Itachi.
What even Meihui might not have known was that this trip would bring Naruto face-to-face with his ill-fated romantic connection-Shizuka.
And so, Naruto arrived at Nadeshiko Village without realizing it.
Honestly, it was a very strange village.