The Sasuke Recovery Mission

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At the rooftop of the Hokage's Office...

Tsunade stood alongside Rock Lee...

"So, you've decided then?" Tsunade inquired.

"Indeed! I'm undergoing physical training to prepare for the surgery. My plan is to bounce back as quickly as possible after it, so…" Lee responded.

"Lee!" Tsunade exclaimed, "You know, you wouldn't meet your end if you stopped aiming to be a Shinobi. What's with your obsession with being one?" She questioned.

Rock Lee took a moment, then answered, "My entire being is committed to proving that I too can excel as a Ninja..."

"But you might not survive, even if you do succeed…" Tsunade warned.

"Even so… That's my dream..." Rock Lee declared, wearing a cheeky grin.

Tsunade gazed towards the sky, lost in thought, "This village is nurturing a generation of promising kids..." She thought to herself, "Sarutobi Sensei, you truly were an extraordinary Hokage." A smile graced her lips as she reminisced.

"The surgery is scheduled for this afternoon, so brace yourself..." Tsunade instructed, "Let's move Lee! Are you ready?" She said as she began to walk away.

"Yes!" Rock Lee affirmed, trailing behind her. . .

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"Sasuke, how about we change the venue? This cramped space isn't ideal for a showdown, don't you think?" Naruto suggested.

"The hospital's rooftop... Sounds like a perfect place to knock your pride down a peg..." Sasuke retorted.

"Pride? I think there's only one person here with an inflated sense of self, and that's you..." Naruto quipped, flashing his signature smile.

As they began their ascent to the hospital's rooftop...

"Naruto, Sasuke, maybe you should reconsider, this isn't n..." Sakura attempted to mediate, but was cut off by Sasuke.

"Stay out of this, Sakura..." Sasuke remarked.

Naruto and Sasuke stood toe-to-toe...

On the rooftop of the hospital in Konoha,

Naruto and Sasuke stood, both poised for combat, separated by a mere few feet of space. Naruto, with his trademark grin plastered on his face, beckoned to Sasuke.

"Okay, Sasuke... Let's see what you've got. Show me how much you've grown since we last sparred," Naruto issued his challenge, his tone light, almost teasing. His eyes, however, held a spark of anticipation and excitement.

Sasuke responded with a determined glare. "I'm not the same as before, Naruto," he declared, his voice confident and steady. He was resolved to demonstrate his growth, his progress, his will. Sasuke lunged forward, initiating the combat with a swift and powerful punch.

Naruto, however, was a step ahead. He easily sidestepped, a mirthful chuckle escaping his lips. "Is that all, Sasuke? Really?" he asked, his tone filled with playful mockery, Yet, his words were not meant to belittle Sasuke, rather to push him, to provoke him into bringing out his full potential.

The fight proceeded in this manner, with Naruto clearly having the upper hand but not using his full power. He was toying with Sasuke, yet Sasuke held his own. He was not squashed, not overwhelmed. He fought back with all his might, demonstrating his determination and resilience.

Just when the fight was reaching its peak, a familiar voice echoed through the air. "Enough!" Kakashi commanded, his tone stern. He had been observing from a distance, letting the two rivals spar, but decided to step in before things escalated further.

Hearing this, Sasuke pulled back, a frown adorning his face. He was not satisfied, not yet. He felt weak, not because Naruto was stronger but because he was not strong enough.

With a final glance at Naruto, Sasuke turned around, leaving the rooftop and his unresolved feelings behind.

"See ya, Sasuke! You put up a good fight!" Naruto called out, his voice echoing in the silence.

"Naruto, what's the big idea? We shouldn't be at odds right now, you get me?" Kakashi chided.

"Ah, got a bit swept up in Sasuke's dumb challenge, my bad. But hey, you holding up alright, sensei?" Naruto queried, his words laced with a hint of nonchalance.

"Holding up? Nah, I'm just going with the flow," Kakashi responded with his usual relaxed demeanor.

"Alright then, got a couple things on my plate... I'll be off... " Kakashi announced, making his exit.

"Hey, Sakura, don't sweat it. He'll be fine, trust me... " Naruto comforted. "I gotta get moving too, catch you later." With that, Naruto made his departure, leaving Sakura alone. After a moment's pause, she too, departed.

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Sasuke sought solace in a tranquil corner of Konoha, perched on a tree branch, his mind awash with memories from the Chunin exam. The battle with Gaara, where he couldn't land a single blow, yet Naruto had defeated him with ease.

He recalled his encounter with Itachi, where he was effortlessly defeated, the memory stoking the flames of his frustration.

Lost in his past, he was abruptly pulled back to reality as a thread coiled around him, pinning him to the tree. It was Kakashi...

"What's the idea here?" Sasuke questioned, struggling against his restraints.

"Let's be honest, you'd bolt if I didn't do this. You're not one to sit still for a sermon," Kakashi retorted.

While Kakashi and Sasuke conversed, the Sound Four observed them from afar...

"That's Kakashi of the Sharingan, if I'm not mistaken," one of the ninjas noted.

"Sasuke... Let go of this revenge fantasy," Kakashi advised.

"What did you say?" Sasuke spat, irritation clear in his voice.

"In my line of work, I've come across plenty like you. Let me tell you, their endings aren't pretty. They're tragic tales of self-destruction. Revenge will only lead to more pain, more torment. Even if you succeed, all that's left is a void..." Kakashi warned.

"Silence! What do you know? Don't pretend you understand!" Sasuke erupted, his frustration boiling over.

"Easy now..." Kakashi attempted to soothe.

"How about I kill someone dear to you?" Sasuke proposed.

"You'll soon realize how misguided your words are. But go ahead, if you must. Sadly, there's no one left for you to target... They're all gone..." Kakashi revealed with a casual smile, leaving Sasuke stunned.

"I've seen more than you, lived through worse times. I know the torment of loss all too well..." Kakashi confessed, prompting Sasuke to lower his gaze.

"We're both unlucky, no doubt about that. But it's not all bad. We've found comrades we care about, haven't we?" Kakashi offered with a hopeful grin.

Memories of Team 7, Naruto, and Sakura flooded Sasuke's thoughts...

"It's because I've suffered loss that I understand," Kakashi admitted, releasing Sasuke from his bindings.

"Chidori is a power I granted you because you have something precious to protect. It's not a weapon to use against your comrades or for revenge. I trust you know its true purpose. Consider carefully whether my words hold any merit," Kakashi advised before making his exit.

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Meanwhile, As Kakashi disappeared into the distance, Sasuke found himself confronted by the Sound Four.

"Sasuke Uchiha...we've been watching you," said Jirobo, the most bulky among them.

"And?" Sasuke questioned, his voice brimming with indifference.

"We're here to offer you a proposal," Tayuya, the only female member, explained. "Join us... and gain the power you crave."

Sasuke's eyes widened, though he quickly masked his surprise. He scoffed and retorted, "Why would I join the likes of you?"

"Sasuke, you're strong. But you're not strong enough. Not yet," said Kidomaru, adjusting his glasses. "We can help you surpass Naruto."

Sasuke's eyes hardened at the mention of Naruto.

"You can't even land a single blow on me, what makes you think you can make me stronger?" Sasuke challenged them.

Without wasting a moment, the Sound Four launched themselves at Sasuke. Despite his best efforts, he was overwhelmed. Their strength was immense, far beyond his expectations.

"See? This is the power we possess, the power of the curse Mark," Sakon said, grinning at the beaten Sasuke.

Sasuke, bruised and battered, struggled to his feet. His pride was hurt more than his body. He was reminded of his defeat against Gaara and Itachi. The feeling of being left behind by Naruto amplified his desperation.

The Sound Four reminded Sasuke of his vendetta against Itachi Uchiha, emphasizing that the village was only inhibiting his growth and strength. They left him with the proposition of seeking power, enticing Sasuke with the allure of ascendancy.

After the Sound Four's onslaught, Sasuke was left bruised and battered.

Deciding to depart from the village, Sasuke returned home to pack his belongings. En route, he encountered Sakura...

"Why are you lurking around this area at such a late hour?" Sasuke inquired.

"This is the path one takes to exit the village," Sakura responded.

"Return home and rest," Sasuke advised.

Despite Sakura's earnest attempts to dissuade him, Sasuke remained unyielding. As tears streamed down her face, Sasuke subtly approached her from behind.

"My gratitude..." Sasuke expressed before he cast a Genjutsu, causing Sakura to fall into a deep slumber.

Subsequently, Sasuke rendezvoused with the Sound Four outside the village. They provided him with a Mind Awakening Pill, designed to expedite the maturation of his cursed seal, the initial stage of which they had previously implanted. As Sasuke's body underwent its transformation, the Sound Four took charge of transporting him.

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The following morning...

Sakura was dozing off on the bench near the spot where she met Sasuke.

Two skilled ninjas strolling by noticed her sleeping there. They called out to her, and after a few moments, she woke up.

She recounted everything that had happened the previous night and how Sasuke had left the village to those ninjas.

When the ninjas arrived at the Hokage's office to deliver the documents to Tsunade, they relayed Sakura's story to her.

"What?! Are you serious?" Tsunade asked, unable to believe it.

"Yes," one of the ninjas replied. "According to Sakura Haruno, it seems there is no mistake." The other ninja explained.

"This is unbelievable... They must already be on the move..." Tsunade thought to herself.

"Izumu! Kotetsu! I need you to bring someone here!" Tsunade commanded.

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After some time, Naruto stood before the Hokage's office as Tsunade summoned him.

"Uchiha Sasuke apparently left the village late last night," Tsunade revealed.

"Left the village? Why on earth?" Naruto asked, finding it hard to believe.

"I reckon, he's probably heading for the sound village!" Tsunade suggested.

"But, what for?" Naruto enquired, puzzled.

"He's been lured by that snake, Orochimaru!" Tsunade asserted.

"Orochimaru, again? Why does Sasuke fall for his tricks?" Naruto wondered.

"What matters now is not why, but when. Your first assignment as a Chunin is of the utmost urgency," Tsunade clarified.

"So, I've to bring Sasuke back?" Naruto inferred.

"Correct! The mission is time-critical and may pose a real challenge," Tsunade responded.

"Here I was thinking it'd be as simple as defeating you," Naruto retorted, grinning.

"I'll overlook that remark for now. But, be aware that Orochimaru's followers might be influencing Sasuke," Tsunade warned.

"Alright, alright. Just lay out the mission for me," Naruto urged.

"Gather your top pick of genins within the next half-hour and make a move," Tsunade directed.

"The top genins, eh? Hinata is surely one, but if I'm looking for genins that can match my level, I'm out of options..." Naruto pondered aloud, grinning wider.

Tsunade glared at him.

"Alright, alright.. don't look at me like you're going to strangle me, I was just messing around, see you in two hours max..." Naruto said as he exited the Hokage's office...

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Naruto first approached Shikamaru and Choji, being his closest allies.

Next, Shikamaru proposed Kiba and Akamaru join them...

"So, Neji's the final piece of the puzzle, huh?" Naruto mused to Shikamaru, with Kiba, Akamaru, and Choji tagging along.

"Seems like it... But the task's a tricky one, so we could use all hands on deck..." Shikamaru observed.

"Point taken, but we're against the clock here, no spare moments to scout for more..." Naruto countered.

Upon stumbling upon Neji with Shikamaru, Naruto filled him in on the circumstances and Tsunade's orders, and Neji was ready to roll...

Rock Lee was a tad disappointed about missing out on the mission as he watched Neji depart with the squad....

Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, and Choji gathered at Konoha village's entrance, all set to bring Sasuke back home...

"Firstly, we gotta strategize..." Naruto stated, as all eyes turned to him...

"Right... Since I'm the boss, guess it's up to me to plot our moves.."

Naruto took center stage "First off, we gotta pinpoint Sasuke's whereabouts..." Naruto declared

"We could lend a hand with that..." Kiba offered..

"No need, mate. I've got a seal on Sasuke's hand from way back. I can track him with that. But I can only pinpoint Sasuke. So, for getting a lay of the land, I'll need your sharp sniffer, to sniff out the enemy and their environment..." Naruto elaborated...

"Next, Neji, since we're the pursuers, they'll want to stall us, which means traps. With your Byakugan, you should be able to spot all the traps in our path.." Naruto laid out...

Neji gave a nod of approval...

"Choji, you're our muscle..." Naruto pointed out and ran his fingers through his hair "That's all for you..." Naruto concluded.

Naruto turned to Shikamaru "As for you, Shika... You and I will be the wild cards. We'll adapt and act as required... You good with that?" Shikamaru responded.

"It's a pain, but yeah, got it..." Shikamaru agreed.

"Alright, let's move out. And remember, our mission is to bring Sasuke home. He's one of us, a Konoha shinobi. So we do whatever it takes to get him back...." Naruto declared, leading the way "Let's roll..." Naruto ordered.

Just as they were on the cusp of departing the village, a voice echoed, "Hold on..." Spinning around, they saw Sakura, her face etched with concern.

"Sakura! Word reached me about the situation, but fear not, I give you my word that Sasuke will return safely." Naruto assured her, his tone exuding a unique blend of confidence and nonchalance.

Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes, spilling over as she pleaded, "Naruto, please... bring him back."

With a reassuring smile, Naruto responded, "It's a promise, Sakura." He then added, "We must get going now..." With that, the group pivoted and exited the village.

[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]