allendalepharm Chapter 21 Split Operations
Chapter 21 Split Operations
"Huh! Isn't that Iruka-sensei...?" Sakura exclaimed in surprise when she suddenly saw Umino Iruka walking alone on the street.
She carefully observed Teacher Iruka, noticing his furrowed brows, unusually heavy expression, and deep-seated worries.
Sasuke followed Sakura's gaze and, sure enough, spotted that familiar figure in the bustling crowd—Teacher Iruka Umino.
At this moment, Iruka-sensei was walking silently with his head down, his whole being enveloped in a melancholy atmosphere.
"Hey! Iruka-sensei! Iruka-sensei!" Sakura quickly waved and called out to Iruka-sensei, trying to get his attention.
However, Iruka-sensei was completely absorbed in his own world, passing by them oblivious to everything around him.
Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance. They didn't understand why Iruka-sensei was so distracted, so they quickened their pace and caught up with Umino Iruka.
"Iruka-sensei..." Sakura called softly, reaching out to gently pat Iruka's shoulder.
Iruka then snapped out of his daze, turned around, and a look of confusion flashed in his eyes, as if he were somewhat bewildered by the scene before him.
After a while, his gaze gradually cleared and finally focused on Sakura and Sasuke's faces.
"Oh, it's you guys... What's the matter?" Teacher Iruka's voice was a little hoarse, revealing a deep sense of exhaustion. He forced a smile, but the smile looked extremely bitter.
"Honestly, Iruka-sensei seems so absent-minded today. I called you several times and you didn't answer at all," Sakura complained with a hint of dissatisfaction.
After hearing Sakura's complaint, Iruka Umino gave an awkward smile.
He subconsciously touched the back of his head and then said softly, "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something and got a little distracted. I didn't hear you calling me."
Seeing this, Sakura's lips curled up slightly, and she teased, "Hehe, could it be that Iruka-sensei confessed his feelings and got dumped? Is that why you're so sullen?"
Upon hearing Sakura's teasing, Iruka Umino immediately became agitated. He waved his hand dismissively, his face showing displeasure, and retorted, "Don't talk nonsense! There's nothing like that! You kids shouldn't joke around like that! Besides, what kind of student teases their teacher like that!"
Just then, Sasuke, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Iruka-sensei, is it because of Naruto and Boruto?"
Upon hearing Sasuke's question, Iruka Umino, who had been somewhat impatient, suddenly fell silent. His eyes dimmed, and his expression became complicated in an instant.
Sasuke noticed Iruka Umino's expression and immediately came to a conclusion; it seemed his guess was correct.
Umino Iruka remained silent for a moment before finally deciding to speak: "...Ah, it seems you've all heard about this." There was a hint of helplessness in his tone.
"When I was going through files and documents at the Ninja Academy, I accidentally discovered that Boruto was investigating the Nine-Tails attack alone. I reported this discovery to the Third Hokage, but the Third Hokage just smiled and told me not to worry."
"However, if Boruto is indeed the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, as rumored, then his investigation into the events of that year could potentially have a negative impact on Naruto Uzumaki."
"The thought that Boruto might be the Fourth Hokage's child makes me unsure how to react, so if possible, I hope you can pay close attention to their situation."
......
Sakura explained the situation to Boruto: "We felt something was wrong and wanted to talk to you guys, and then we saw you chasing Naruto."
After carefully listening to the detailed account of the entire incident, Boruto began to complain.
"Putting aside whether I am really the Fourth Hokage's son, even if I really wanted to spread these rumors in the village, do you think any villagers would believe me given my influence?"
Sasuke couldn't help but think of the villagers who were easily influenced by others and followed the crowd, who might actually believe some unverified rumors.
After all, people are more willing to believe what they hear than to investigate the truth.
This phenomenon is common in real life, and often, rumors spread in this way.
Boruto paused briefly, then continued, "The reason I chased after Naruto is because he is currently under the influence of the Nine-Tails. His behavior has become abnormal and may even pose a threat to the village. So I have to catch up with him and control his mind to prevent him from losing his mind and causing the Nine-Tails to break free of its seal."
"Isn't it a bit too hasty to conclude that I'm going to harm Naruto just like that?" Boruto shook his head helplessly, his tone full of grievance: "Seriously, isn't it a bit too disrespectful to treat me like a comrade?"
"Well... Sasuke and I were just a little impatient because we were worried too much. Anyway, the most important thing for us right now is to find Naruto, right? We've already wasted too much time here, and we don't even know where Naruto is now." Sakura scratched her head awkwardly, trying to change the subject to ease the current awkward atmosphere.
Upon hearing this, Boruto pouted and unabashedly complained, "You know you wasted a lot of time... I was almost catching up with him, but you guys stopped me."
"We can't afford to waste any more time. Who knows when Kurama will completely control Naruto?" Boruto's eyes revealed a sense of urgency. If they couldn't find Naruto and solve the problem as soon as possible, the consequences could be unimaginable.
"Wait!" Sasuke, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation.
He frowned and said seriously, "If it is really as you say, and the enemy we are facing is the Nine-Tails, then with just the strength of a few of us, it is impossible for us to contend with it."
Sakura's face turned pale, and she asked nervously, "What should we do? Are we just going to watch things unfold like this? We can't just sit here and wait to die."
Sasuke fell into deep thought, silently devising a plan. After a moment, he looked up and said, "I've decided that Boruto and I will split up and each go to find Naruto and try to delay him. Sakura, you should use this time to find the Third Hokage as soon as possible and report the situation here to him."
Sakura felt slightly relieved after hearing Sasuke's plan, but she was still worried. She knew the danger of this operation, but at the same time, she realized that it was the most appropriate strategy at the moment.
After finalizing the specific action plan details, they did not hesitate at all and immediately turned around and split up to take action.
Sasuke and Boruto quickly ran off in different directions, their figures gradually disappearing into the distance, while Sakura sped off towards the location of the Third Hokage.