Kushina , in Yasu's arms, had dozed off again, nestling her head in his embrace.
Feeling her even breathing, Yasu felt as if he had been injected with steroids, his whole body brimming with strength, and he felt light as a feather.
He felt himself filled with an indescribable sense of happiness.
When he returned to Konoha, it felt like the blink of an eye, and he sighed inwardly at how quickly time passes.
Back in Konoha, his smile instantly vanished, replaced by an unapproachable demeanor.
The few ninjas guarding Konoha's gate noticed Kushina in Yasu's arms and immediately surrounded them.
"Yasu, what's going on? Why are you and Kushina Uzumaki returning from outside the village at this time?"
Now that the situation was becoming increasingly tense, Konoha ninjas needed to register before leaving the village.
Yasu's icy gaze swept over the ninjas surrounding him: "Kushina was kidnapped from Konoha by Cloud ninjas. Haven't you noticed by now?"
"What?!"
The Konoha ninja guards were incredibly shocked.
Kushina Uzumaki being kidnapped wasn't much of importance to them; what mattered was that she was kidnapped from Konoha.
One of the ninjas immediately rushed to the Hokage Building to report the matter to Hiruzen.
Yasu ignored the others' questions and walked forward on his own.
One of the ninjas, seeing that Yasu was ignoring them, immediately became displeased and questioned, "Hey! We're asking you a question! What do you mean by leaving without answering?!"
Without turning his head, Yasu coldly replied: "What good would it do if I answered you? As ninjas guarding Konoha, you're completely unaware of this matter. I don't know if it's because you lack ability or you're neglecting your duties. Either way, I don't seem to have any obligation to answer you, because you're not my superiors. Now, shoo shoo."
Yasu shoed him away and continued to ignore their flushed faces walking straight ahead.
He then arrived at Mito Uzumaki's residence.
Mito had already returned to the residence.
When she discovered that Kushina, who should have completed her mission and returned long ago, was still missing, she immediately went to find Hiruzen and told him about it.
Hiruzen immediately sent Anbu to find Kushina's two companions to inquire about the situation. After learning that she had left long ago, Hiruzen realized something was wrong and had dispatched almost all of the available Anbu ninjas to search for her.
Mito was worried about Kushina's safety in the residence.
Hearing the movement at the door, she couldn't help but stand up to open it.
When she saw Kushina sleeping soundly in Yasu's arms, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a weight lifted from her heart.
Yasu said expressionlessly: "Lady Mito, I've brought Kushina back. She is very tired. Please take her to her room to rest."
Mito carefully took the sleeping Kushina. She had only been focusing on Kushina just now, but now that she paid attention to Yasu, she realized that his body was covered in traces of battle, and his clothes had many burnt holes and blood.
Mito asked with concern: "Yasu, are you injured?"
"I'm not injured. I still need to go to the Hokage Building to report this matter to the Hokage. I'll take my leave now."
Yasu bowed to Mito and left.
Mito watched his departing figure, her eyes flickering slightly.
Yasu hadn't gone far from the Hokage Building when an Anbu appeared in front of him: "The Hokage wants you to see him immediately."
Yasu nodded and followed the Anbu to the Hokage Building.
After arriving at the Hokage's office, Hiruzen and Orochimaru were both inside.
Yasu bowed and said: "Lord Hokage, Teacher Orochimaru."
Hiruzen walked up to him and asked with a solemn expression: "Yasu, what exactly happened?"
Yasu then told Hiruzen what had happened.
Hiruzen's face became very unsightly, and Orochimaru's expression also became very serious.
Hiruzen looked at Orochimaru: "Orochimaru, what do you think of this matter?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment and then said: "In any case, one thing is certain: enemy ninjas have already infiltrated Konoha, otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to kidnap Kushina so easily."
Hiruzen's expression was so gloomy: "It seems they can't hold back anymore."
Yasu suddenly intervened: "Lord Hokage, I brought back the heads of the three Cloud ninjas."
He took out the scroll and handed it to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's mood lifted up, and he praised: "Well done, Yasu! With their heads, we can have the Yamanaka ninjas analyze the memories in their brains to obtain intelligence."
Hiruzen immediately summoned the Anbu ninjas and ordered them to hand the scroll over to the Yamanaka ninjas for analysis.
Yasu continued to report: "Lord Hokage, there's one more thing I need to report. I was carrying out a mission to eliminate pirates and discovered three ninjas mixed in among them. Because I didn't know the identities of these three ninjas, but I believe they were trying to infiltrate the Land of Fire, I didn't kill them and captured them alive."
He then used the Summoning Technique to summon the White Snake.
"White Snake, spit out those three ninjas."
"Yes, Lord Yasssu."
The White Snake opened its snake mouth, and its abdomen wriggled, spitting out the three ninjas from its belly.
Unfortunately, the ninja whose spine was severed by his sword back was crushed to death due to the narrow space inside the White Snake's body.
However, the other two ninjas were still alive and had already woken up.
Seeing Yasu, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Orochimaru staring at them, especially Yasu, they retreated in terror.
Hiruzen summoned another Anbu, and had the ninja who had died taken away along with the scroll so that the Yamanaka ninjas could analyze the memories in his brain. The other two ninjas who were still alive were taken to the Interrogation Department for some 'gentle' interrogation.
Hiruzen walked to the map on his desk and asked Yasu: "Yasu, where did you encounter those pirates?"
Yasu pointed to a location on the map.
Seeing the location he pointed to, Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
Orochimaru's hoarse voice came: "It seems... the Hidden Mist Village also intends to enter the game."
Because the place Yasu pointed to was next to the Land of Waves, and the right side of the Land of Waves was the Land of Water.
The Land of Fire and the Land of Waves currently have no contact.
On the contrary, the Land of Waves has a very good relationship with the Land of Water.
Therefore, if ninjas from the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water want to land on the coastline of the Land of Fire, they must pass through the Land of Waves.
Hiruzen's face became increasingly unsightly. The addition of the Hidden Mist Village meant that four of the five great ninja villages were at odds with Konoha.
Once the war starts, Konoha would have to face the Cloud, Rock, Sand, and Mist ninja villages.
Moreover, this would be a war covering the entire Land of Fire, endangering Konoha Village.
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