Night fell over the fields surrounding Konoha, but it brought no peace. The Sasuke rescue team, led by Shikamaru, moved forward with determination, each member aware of the gravity of their mission. Naruto's urgency was a constant driving force, and his teammates responded to the unusual seriousness of the normally loud ninja.
The first encounter was not long in coming. Kidomaru, the spider-thread wielder of the Sound Four, laid an ambush. Web arrows flew from the trees, forcing the team to scatter.
Neji, with his Byakugan activated, was the first to react, deflecting the attacks with precision.
"It's an ambush!" Shikamaru shouted, his mind already processing countless scenarios. "Naruto, Kiba, flank! Neji, Chōji, with me!"
The battle erupted. Chōji, with his Partial Expansion Technique, created a massive distraction while Kiba and Akamaru launched coordinated attacks. But Kidomaru was cunning; his combat style, based on distance and manipulation, was a formidable challenge.
Naruto charged forward, his blue eyes blazing with fury and despair. He remembered Gojo's words: "Apply what you've learned." He had tried to use Emperor's Haki before, but the pressure of battle and the target of his anger drove him on.
He concentrated his will, and a surge of invisible energy erupted from him. It wasn't as potent as Gojo's, but it was enough to make the frogs around him faint and to make Kidomaru feel an inexplicable chill, momentarily losing his concentration.
"What was that?" Kidomaru muttered, his chakra threads trembling.
That split second was all Naruto needed. He leaped forward, creating several Shadow Clones and launching an imperfect but powerful Rasengan. The attack forced Kidomaru onto the defensive, forcing him to reveal his position.
Meanwhile, Gojo Satoru watched the battle from a safe distance, levitating undetected high above the trees.
His Six Eyes absorbed every detail: Shikamaru's strategy, Naruto's determination, Neji's skill. He saw the chakra fluctuations, the weaknesses and strengths of each technique.
Interesting, Gojo thought, a slight smile curling beneath his blindfold. The Blond is starting to understand. That "Haki" is more adaptable than he thought. And his determination is truly terrifying.
He wouldn't intervene. It was his rule. Naruto needed to forge his own path, make his own mistakes, and find his own solutions. The mission wasn't for Gojo to save Sasuke, but for Naruto to become the ninja who could do it. However, his presence wasn't entirely passive. Imperceptible to the ninjas below, Gojo subtly manipulated the environment.
A tree that was about to fall inopportunely would be slightly deflected; a gust of wind would strengthen just enough to confuse an enemy. Small "helps" that ensured the plot stayed on course without direct and obvious intervention.
The battle continued, and although Shikamaru's team was formidable, the Sound Four were users of forbidden techniques and imbued with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal, granting them unnatural strength and endurance. Each member of the Konoha team would be forced to push their limits to the extreme.
Meanwhile, far from the battle, Orochimaru recovered in one of his many hiding places. The humiliation at the hands of Gojo Satoru ate at him. The mere mention of the sorcerer's name sent shivers down his spine. His arms, rendered useless by the Death Demon Consuming Seal, were a constant taunt.
"Gojo Satoru..." Orochimaru hissed, his face twisted with hatred. "I don't care what you are, or where you come from. You will not stand in my way again."
Kabuto Yakushi, his loyal follower, approached cautiously. "Lord Orochimaru, we have received reports. The Konoha team is approaching rapidly. And it seems Sasuke Uchiha has already activated the first phase of his Cursed Seal."
Orochimaru smiled, his expression grim. "Excellent. Sasuke's wrath will make him mine. And as for this 'Gojo'... I will find a way to deal with him. No one is untouchable."
His eyes flashed with a dangerous light. Gojo's knowledge of the "plot" was unknown, but Orochimaru, in his own way, was also a player in the plot, willing to rewrite it at will.
The night dragged on, and the battles for Sasuke were just beginning. The Konoha team faced challenges that would test not only their skills, but also their friendship and their will. And above all, Naruto would realize the true price of friendship and fighting for what he believed was right, with the watchful and distant eye of his peculiar sensei watching everything.