Late in the year 67 of Konoha's calendar, in the Flower District of the Land of Fire's capital.
It was night, the time for relaxation and entertainment for the entire Land of Fire's nobility and politicians.
People of all kinds moved through the streets and alleys, hoping to find a passionate encounter to enjoy the night in this legally sanctioned hunting ground.
Under the cover of darkness, a figure approached from afar and entered the neon-lit streets.
The pursuers behind him, after entering the Flower District's area, found their tracking disrupted by the chaotic atmosphere.
In the end, they could only watch helplessly as their quarry blended into the crowd and disappeared.
The pursued, moving through the crowd, changed his appearance several times before finally stopping at a dilapidated house in a remote part of the Flower District.
After scanning the surroundings to confirm no more pursuers, he scaled the wall and entered the courtyard.
"Hmm? Asuma-san, you're back!"
The people resting inside the house sensed someone entering and immediately went on alert.
However, upon seeing Asuma's face, they relaxed.
"Ah, sorry to disturb your rest!"
The man in the hood removed his disguise, revealing his face… indeed Asuma.
A woman also in the room brought pre-prepared food to Asuma, saying, "Have something to eat. You've been running around all day."
"Thank you!"
Asuma took the baked potato, broke it in half, and began eating.
While breathing out steam, he turned his gaze to the two of them. "I've sent the message about this place to Konoha. And... Sakura will arrive here soon!"
"Sigh, causing our child so much trouble... I'm really a failure as a father!" The starfish-haired man sitting back in his chair covered his face, letting out a deep sigh.
"It seems we're going to worry her." Kizashi, sharing the same expression as his wife, shook his head.
"Hahaha, I actually wished back then that the old man would rely on me more, at least giving me a sense that he no longer saw me as a child!"
Asuma held the steaming potato in his mouth, breathing out hot air to comfort the two before him.
The story of the three meeting went back a few days.
After completing his mission assigned by the Daimyo, Asuma returned to the capital to report and collect his payment.
Who would have thought that waiting for him at the palace would be his old friend Kazuma, who had gone into hiding and resurfaced.
When the two clashed, Asuma was defeated by a sneak attack from a wandering monk of unknown origin, then imprisoned alongside Kizashi and Mebuki, who had also been detained.
After talking with the Haruno couple, Asuma learned they had been captured by Kazuma's men the day the capital was sealed due to their exposed identities and had been imprisoned until Asuma's arrival.
Later, during a mysterious explosion in the capital, Asuma escaped the prison with the two. However, they couldn't leave because the capital was enveloped by a massive barrier.
Ultimately, to avoid the relentless pursuit of the enemy, they had no choice but to hide in the Flower District temporarily while trying to contact Konoha for help!
"Kazuma wants to capture you two to threaten Sakura. For now, you must stay hidden here and absolutely not go outside."
Asuma took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. "The person in charge of the Yoshiwara district is a life-and-death friend. He can be trusted. He'll send people with food and daily necessities."
"Understood. We'll be careful!"
Kizashi pounded his chest in assurance, then looked up at the bright moon outside the window, his thoughts drifting to distant Konoha.
Sharing his upward gaze were Sakura and her team, racing from Konoha at that very moment.
Leaping through the treetops, Naruto, running at the front of the group, spoke up to comfort the girl before him. "Sakura-chan, you don't need to worry too much. Your parents will definitely be fine!"
"I'm actually reassured that Asuma-senpai is protecting them. It's you I'm worried about... sigh." Sakura let out a deep sigh.
With Akatsuki's members hunting Jinchuriki everywhere, having Naruto, such a big target, leave the village was truly unwise.
But this wasn't really Tsunade's fault. It was mainly because Naruto, unable to bear doing only D-Rank missions with the Academy's students, had pestered her relentlessly.
Tasks like cleaning rivers or catching cats and dogs, so different from the missions his classmates and teammates, now Chunin and Jonin, were undertaking, made the already hyperactive (due to excess Yang Release) Naruto feel like he was sitting on needles.
Finally, only with both Kakashi and Sakura, two Jonin, acting as guardians did Tsunade agree to let him participate in this mission.
"Well, well, it's rare for our team to get together for a mission. Isn't that nice?" Kakashi, currently in an extremely Zen state of mind, stepped in to mediate.
Since Team 7's meteoric rise to fame during the Chunin Exams two and a half years ago, Kakashi had been enjoying immense prestige.
Even with his high 'return rate', he couldn't be faulted for producing one Jonin and another on the verge of promotion.
His previous actions of returning students to the Academy were now interpreted as an extremely strict selection process for geniuses, making parents in Konoha with children in the Academy crazily adore him, wishing this 'Konoha's Famous Teacher' could appraise their own treasures.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're talking without feeling the pain, huh? Then Naruto is all yours to watch over!"
Hearing this, Kakashi's face fell immediately. As Team 7's Jonin Instructor, he clearly knew how difficult Naruto, a Ninja who never followed mission protocols, could be.
With the three Ninjas' speed, they reached the outskirts of the Land of Fire's capital in just an hour.
The carefree Naruto wanted to stride forward but was grabbed by Sakura.
"Wait! There's a barrier!"
"It's the same type as the village's barrier!"
After sensing with Observation Haki, Kakashi's perception field revealed a hemispherical barrier. His expression also grew more serious.
Originally, as the financial and commercial center of the entire Land of Fire, the capital should maintain maximum transportation convenience.
But now, a military-grade protective barrier like Konoha's appearing here made Kakashi smell a storm brewing.
"Did the intel sent back say anything else?" Kakashi turned his gaze to Sakura.
"No. It only mentioned changes in the capital and a call for aid. The message was short, the handwriting scribbled. Probably sent urgently while being pursued."
Sakura recalled the distress letter Tsunade had shown her and shook her head at Kakashi.
"Forget it, I can't be bothered to think that much. Wood Release: Wood Human..."
The girl formed hand seals, a vast amount of Chakra rising from her body. The fierce wind stirred up made Naruto's face sting.
"Wait! Doing that will alert the enemy!"
Kakashi formed the Ram hand seal, quickly stepping forward to grab Sakura's fingers. Lightning flashed, slightly hindering her Chakra Flow, allowing her to stop the technique's release.
"It's fine. As long as we eliminate all witnesses, it's a perfect infiltration!" With her parents in sight, Sakura was becoming somewhat impatient.
"This type of barrier is trigger-based. The slightest disturbance, and the entire city will detect it. Are you planning to slaughter the whole city?" Kakashi rolled his visible eye.
Sakura, stroking her chin, seriously considered his suggestion: "That's not entirely out of the question."
"You..." Kakashi was speechless.
Just as the two were locked in debate, someone from inside the barrier, having sensed the sudden burst of Chakra, came to investigate.
Kakashi and Sakura instantly stopped arguing, exchanged a glance, and gradually let smiles spread across their faces.
'The method of infiltration had come to us on its own two legs~'