The urgency was palpable in the Fifth Hokage's office. Naruto, his fists clenched and pain etched on his face, stood at attention in front of Tsunade.
"Please, Tsunade-obachan! I have to go find Sasuke! I can't let him go!" Naruto pleaded, the determination in his eyes unwavering.
Tsunade, though irritated by the drama, saw Hiruzen's sincerity and Will of Fire reflected in the young man. She looked at Jiraiya, who nodded with a grave expression.
"We can't let him go, Lady Hokage," Jiraiya stated. "Sasuke is a Konoha ninja, and Orochimaru's influence is dangerous."
Tsunade sighed, rapping on the desk. "Fine. We'll form a rescue team. But they won't go alone." Her gaze shifted to the door, where Shikamaru Nara was lazily entering, yawning.
"You called me, Lady Hokage? I'm in the middle of a very complicated shogi game..." Shikamaru began, before noticing the tension in the room.
"Shikamaru, I need you to lead a team to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha," Tsunade ordered bluntly. "Your intelligence is what we need on this mission."
Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Me?! But I'm a lazy genius... and besides, rescue teams are usually suicidal."
"That's an order, Shikamaru," Tsunade declared. "We need strategic minds. Form a team. I want the most capable genin available. And make it right now."
Naruto, upon hearing that they would be forming a team, felt a spark of hope. Shikamaru was intelligent, if lazy, and Naruto knew he could trust him.
Shikamaru reluctantly accepted the mission. With his prodigious mind, he quickly assessed the available resources and selected his team members:
* Choji Akimichi, loyal and powerful in battle when provoked.
* Neji Hyuga, with his Byakugan and formidable taijutsu.
* Kiba Inuzuka, with his keen nose and Akamaru's tracking aid.
Once the rescue team was assembled, with Naruto leading their determination, Tsunade gave them final instructions. Gojo Satoru, however, watched from a distance, leaning against a wall in the hallway of the Hokage's Mansion.
His presence was a silent anomaly. He offered no advice, showed no signs of intervening, and his blindfold hid the gaze of his Six Eyes. Naruto looked at him, waiting for some encouraging word or a peculiar strategy.
"Gojo-sensei..." Naruto began.
Gojo winked at him. "Relax, Blondie. This is your show. I've taught you the basics. Now it's time for you to apply what you've learned and become stronger on your own."
Naruto frowned. "But... what if something goes wrong? What if I can't bring Sasuke back?"
"If you can't, then you weren't strong enough. And if he doesn't want to come, then you can't force him," Gojo replied with a coldness that surprised Naruto.
"But I don't think that's the case. You have the motivation, and now you have the tools. Besides, this is a crucial growth point. I'm not going to take away your moment."
Gojo knew the importance of Naruto taking on this mission. It was a defining moment in the canon, and direct interference, however tempting, could derail the plot in unpredictable ways. His role wasn't to be a babysitter, but a catalyst. With his power, he could solve the problem in seconds, but that would rob Naruto of the development he needed.
This is your journey, Blondie, Gojo thought, as he watched the genin team leave the village under the crescent moon. Show everyone what you can do. And yourself, too.
As the rescue team headed into the night, Gojo allowed himself a rare smile of anticipation. The battles against the Sound Four would be brutal, and the final confrontation with Sasuke would be painful for Naruto. But from that ordeal, a new force would be born, one that would be vital to the challenges ahead in the ninja world.
And Gojo would be there, watching from the shadows, ready to intervene only if the "plot" threatened to collapse completely.