Konoha: Otsutsuki from the Earth

The next morning after returning to the village with Naruto, everyone involved in the pursuit gathered at the hospital.

Choji, Kiba and Naruto were all lying in the hospital after they returned. Among them, Naruto's injury was the most serious.

In the battle with Sasuke, he inspired the nine tails sealed in his body. While he obtained the tailed beast coat to enhance his strength, he was also eroded by the tailed beast chakra. In addition, he was severely injured by Sasuke. After treatment, his whole body

Wrapped like a mummy.

If it weren't for his extraordinary talent, normal people would really not be able to withstand such a serious injury.

After staying in the hospital for one night, Choji and Kiba basically recovered.

Everyone was gathering in Naruto's ward at this time to summarize the results of this mission.

"I'm sorry, everyone. It's my fault that I couldn't keep Sasuke in the end." Naruto, who was sitting on the hospital bed, first lowered his head and said with a low expression.

"No, everyone tried their best." Shikamaru said quickly.

He had witnessed the battle between Naruto and Sasuke in the Valley of the End. If he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, Shikamaru would never have believed that it was a duel between two genin.

In contrast, he, a chuunin who was instantly killed as soon as he went up, should have killed himself.

"I think everyone has felt it. Our opponent this time is extremely powerful, basically exceeding the level of ordinary ninjas." Shikamaru began to take the lead in analysis.

As his first mission after becoming a chuunin, and also his first failed mission after becoming a squad leader, Shikamaru carefully deduced the entire mission process after the war.

He found that with the power he had at the time, there seemed to be no better way to get Sasuke back.

Even if we change the idea and let each member resist an enemy individually, the final result will not be much better, and may even be defeated one by one by the opponent due to their weak strength.

Thinking of this, Shikamaru couldn't help but glance at Qi Fei, who was standing beside him without saying a word.

As a smart person, he had doubts when he was deducing the mission: Qi Fei seemed to be deliberately hiding his strength at that time. Although he was just a clone, it was an indisputable fact that he could kill three sound ninjas in an instant.

But what he was confused about was why Qi Fei did this. Is it to let Sasuke leave?

But as far as he knew, Qi Fei himself was very kind to the people of Team 7. When they were in the Forest of Death, he went out of his way to save Team 7 from the Sound Ninja and helped Sasuke suppress the curse seal.

Team 10, who was also injured at the time, was also taken care of by him. With his indirect help, he defeated other ninjas and grabbed the scroll.

Including everything that happened later, he felt that Qi Fei had always been taking care of them as a "predecessor" and "elder".

Therefore, he really couldn't think of any reason for Qi Fei to let Sasuke leave even though he knew that there would be no recovery if Sasuke left.

And at the end of the pursuit mission, Qi Fei helped him and Naruto stop the equally powerful Kimimaro.

"Could it be that the clone has any restrictions on how to use power? Or was he worried about something at the time?"

In the end, Shikamaru could only speculate on this aspect.

"But in the final analysis, we are still too weak." Summarizing the entire mission, Shikamaru finally came to such a conclusion.

It is a fact that the other party is stronger than them, but on the other hand, doesn't it mean that they are too weak?

Recalling the battle between Naruto and Sasuke in the Valley of the End, Shikamaru's idea became even stronger.

"I won't lose again next time, ah~" Choji echoed Shikamaru as he kept stuffing potato chips into his mouth.

"Ah, you're right." Recalling the "Forest of Bones" he saw before, Kiba said while hugging Akamaru.

"I will definitely bring Sasuke back next time." Naruto said firmly as he looked down at the forehead protector with a horizontal stroke on his hand.

Tuk Tuk——

After a knock on the door, Tsunade and Sakura walked into the ward: "What a coincidence, everyone is here."

"Grandma Tsunade! Sakura..." Seeing Tsunade and Sakura, Naruto was happy at first and then disappointed.

"Naruto, how do you feel?" Tsunade said hello to Naruto after glancing around to confirm that all the members who had participated in Sasuke's pursuit mission were there.

"Ah, it's okay." Naruto, who was wrapped like a mummy, replied.

But then he looked at Sakura behind Tsunade, and said disappointedly: "Sakura, I'm sorry... I couldn't bring Sasuke back."

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Sakura couldn't bear to say when she saw Naruto covered in bandages.

"Looking at you like this, you must be trying to be brave again. You look like a mummy." She walked to the window and opened the curtains to let the sunlight shine into the ward.

"Sakura, I will definitely abide by my promise, a lifelong promise!" Facing the sun, Naruto said confidently: "I will never betray what I have said. This is my nindo!

"

Seeing Naruto's bandages all over his body due to his injuries and his face still full of faith, Sakura couldn't help but reflect on herself.

Is she too weak? Has she always been too dependent on Naruto and Sasuke?

If she could have the strength to catch up with the two of them, could she be able to persuade Sasuke to come back when he left, could she be able to contribute to the pursuit of Sasuke, and lead to different results.

"Thank you, Naruto!" Naruto's words not only illuminated his determination, but also illuminated Sakura's heart.

For the first time, she wanted to become as strong as possible, try her best to catch up with the two of them, and stop chasing their backs.

Just when Naruto was swearing his determination, Shikamaru walked up to Tsunade and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, I couldn't bring Sasuke back..."

"No, although on the surface the mission failed. But for me, if you can return safely, it is already a success in my heart." Tsunade encouraged Shikamaru: "If you can bring everyone back safely, do it!"

Well done, Shikamaru."

After all, according to the information she obtained, the opponent's strength this time was much greater than theirs. The failure of Shikamaru and the others was not unexpected.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Shikamaru lowered his head and thanked him.

After encouraging Shikamaru, Tsunade looked at Qi Fei, who had been silent all this time, and said: "Qi Fei, come to the Hokage's office to see me later. I have something to ask you."

Of course it was not unexpected that Shikamaru and the others would fail, but this mission also made her discover many unexpected things. Qi Fei was one of them.

The reports from Shizune and Shikamaru made her pay more attention to Qi Fei: he has the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, the Blood Succession Limit of Ice Release and Melting Release, and even... the Blood Succession Limit of Wood Release

, origin unknown to anyone, parents unknown...

In the archives of the Third Hokage period, the only information about Qi Fei was the records after he entered school. Before he entered school, there was also a blank record, only a few words about his grudges with the Hyuga clan were recorded.

You may perform better in ninja school, but everything will be normal after graduation.

Now it seems that everything that is normal is the most abnormal.

"What do the three generations of old men think..."

She had just taken over the position of Hokage and was so busy dealing with the mess caused by Orochimaru's "Konoha Collapse Plan" that she had no time to pay attention.

After everything was on track now, she finally had time to learn more about Qi Fei's origins. As someone who might become a disciple in the future, this approach was also necessary.

"yes."

Qi Fei did not refuse. To him, as long as his biggest trump card was not exposed, nothing mattered.

The longer he lives in the ninja world, the stronger he will become. Just like boiling a frog in warm wine, the bottom line of the people around him will only be lowered by him.