Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Hearing Kirito's question, Sasuke answered without hesitation: "It's very simple—just make sure no one interferes when Itachi and I settle things."

[Well... that's straightforward.]

Sasuke's response was exactly what Kirito had expected.

If this was all Sasuke requested, Tsunade likely wouldn't refuse. However, Naruto and Sakura might have strong opinions about it.

Knock, knock. Just as the two were talking, there was a knock on the door behind Kirito.

Kirito wondered who else would come to visit at this hour. After confirming Sasuke had no objections, he called out, "Come in."

Click! The door opened, and a girl with long red hair, glasses, and a white coat stepped inside.

She seemed startled to see Kirito. "Kirito? Why are you here?"

"Long time no see, Karin," Kirito replied, equally surprised. "What brings you here?"

From what Kirito knew, after completing her studies under Tsunade, Karin had been working at Konoha Hospital. Unlike Sakura and Ino, who were often out on missions, Karin stayed in the village, focusing on her medical duties.

The last time Karin had participated in fieldwork was during the Chunin Exams, where she served as Kirito's substitute and earned the rank of Chunin alongside TenTen and Rock Lee.

With Kirito rarely visiting the hospital after graduating from Tsunade's training, he and Karin seldom crossed paths except during Tsunade's occasional group lessons.

Facing Kirito's question, Karin sighed. "Lady Tsunade assigned me to monitor this 'young master' and check on his condition."

She tossed a pile of documents onto the table, exhaling dramatically. "Seriously, with Lady Tsunade and Shizune busy running the village, and the rest of you off on missions, all the hospital work falls on me! If Sakura didn't help occasionally, I'd have collapsed by now."

Karin plopped herself onto the table and crossed her legs. "And now, on top of everything else, Lady Tsunade has me checking on this guy. Honestly, it's turning me into a workhorse..."

Kirito chuckled, offering an explanation. "I came earlier to investigate Orochimaru's death. Lady Tsunade sent me this morning."

"Must be nice to get the investigative tasks. Meanwhile, I've been stuck monitoring him since the day he got here," Karin grumbled, casting a sideways glance at Sasuke, who sat silently with his eyes closed.

"Lady Tsunade wants to know if his power boost came from drugs, if there are lingering effects from the Curse Mark, or if there's any trace of Orochimaru left in him. After all, Orochimaru was infamous for his body modifications."

Leaning back, Karin added with a smirk, "To be honest, if he weren't so good-looking, I wouldn't have volunteered to work in such a dreary place. What a shame his handsome face belongs to such a cold rock of a person."

Kirito almost burst out laughing but composed himself. Rising from his chair, he said, "Well, I'll leave you to it. My mission here is done."

"Don't go!" Karin protested suddenly. "We haven't seen each other in so long. Can't we have a little reunion?"

Kirito glanced back suspiciously. "Don't you have a mountain of work waiting for you?"

Karin groaned, throwing up her hands. "Exactly! So why don't you help me finish some of it?"

"Goodbye!" Kirito slipped out of the room without looking back.

Karin raised her fist in mock frustration, shouting after him, "You owe me for ditching me like this, Kirito!"

[In this world, being handsome really does open doors...]

Although Sasuke hadn't saved Karin in this timeline, she still seemed to harbor some affection for him. Kirito figured this was likely why Karin tolerated working in the prison, despite her clear disdain for it.

As the evening sun dipped lower, Kirito strolled through the bustling streets, eventually returning to the Hokage Building.

Upon opening the door, he found the Hokage's office bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and others were gathered inside.

"Hey there!" Jiraiya called out, leaning casually against the desk. "Our young hero finally returns to the village. How's the love life going?"

"Not bad," Kirito replied dryly, brushing off the teasing.

After greeting everyone, he turned to Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, I've uncovered the details surrounding Orochimaru's death from Sasuke."

With Tsunade's nod of approval, Kirito recounted the confrontation between Orochimaru and Sasuke, describing how Sasuke ultimately consumed Orochimaru.

"I see..." Tsunade muttered, her gaze downcast. Although she had long suspected Orochimaru's death, hearing it confirmed stirred an inexplicable mix of relief and sorrow.

"It's ironic," Jiraiya mused, staring at the blood-red sunset. "Orochimaru, who spent his life stealing other people's bodies, dies while trying to take one last body. What a fitting end."

Kakashi added thoughtfully, "At least this means the threat of Orochimaru's forces is finally over."

While Kabuto and a few remnants remained, Orochimaru had always been the real threat. Without him, the remnants were unlikely to survive for long.

"That leaves 'Akatsuki' as the primary threat to the village," Jiraiya noted grimly.

As the group discussed the implications of Orochimaru's demise, Kirito interjected. "There's one more thing—Sasuke offered to cooperate with the village."

"Cooperate?" Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kirito explained, "Sasuke wants the village's help in avenging Uchiha Itachi. His specific request is that no one interferes during his duel with Itachi."

"This is..." Kakashi hesitated, his mind immediately jumping to Naruto and Sakura, who would undoubtedly oppose the idea.

Jiraiya turned to Tsunade. "What do you think? Can Sasuke's words be trusted?"

Tsunade frowned, her expression thoughtful. "The request itself is simple enough, but..."

She hesitated. While Naruto's loyalty to Sasuke had softened her view of him, Sasuke's ties to Orochimaru made it difficult to fully trust his intentions.

At that moment, Kakashi spoke up. "I believe Sasuke can be trusted. I was his teacher, and I know he's a good person at heart, even if hatred has clouded his judgment."

Pausing, Kakashi continued, "At the time, Sasuke left the village because he believed it was the only way to gain the strength to exact his revenge. If we can help him achieve that goal, I think he'll be able to move forward and reintegrate into the village."

With a deep breath, Kakashi added resolutely, "If I'm wrong and Sasuke betrays us, I'll take responsibility as his teacher. I'll deal with him myself."

(End of Chapter)

>>>>>

If you would like to read 80 Chapters ahead , check out Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)

Gimme power stonesssss

And, leave a review please 

50% discount code (DDBFC)