#16

Orochimaru swallowed the mechanical arm into his stomach with a flick of his long tongue. He was always cautious. Before using it himself, he needed someone else to test it first.

Mufasa didn't mind. Trust took time to build, and Orochimaru would eventually understand that he was a reliable boss.

"Alright, I think you understand my expectations now. I'll contact you once I'm done with my current business." Mufasa's voice was calm but firm. "I assume you're eager to return to the Land of Sound and change your body."

Orochimaru relaxed slightly. He chuckled. "Aren't you afraid I'll just disappear?"

Mufasa's eyes flashed with electricity. The lightning was bright, cold as ice.

"Orochimaru, you wouldn't want anything to happen to Sasuke, would you?"

Orochimaru's smirk froze. His body stiffened. Sasuke was the vessel he had set his sights on for years. He had even risked war with Konoha to obtain him.

Sweat beaded on his pale forehead. Mufasa had found his greatest weakness.

Orochimaru met Mufasa's piercing gaze and sighed in defeat. He lowered his head slightly. "Understood. I'll be waiting for your call."

Mufasa smirked. "That's the right attitude."

He leaned in slightly, his voice carrying an air of assurance. "Orochimaru, think long-term. After working with me, you'll realize there's a much bigger, far more mysterious world out there. One Sasuke, one Sharingan—those are trivial in comparison."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes but remained silent. He wasn't convinced, but he knew when to stay quiet and observe.

"I hope so," he muttered.

Mufasa chuckled. He could see the scheming in Orochimaru's snake-like eyes, but against absolute strength, such thoughts were meaningless.

Orochimaru would come to understand in time.

"Then, farewell, Orochimaru."

With a casual farewell, Mufasa took off, soaring into the sky towards the southwest.

Gaara and the others should have reached the border by now.

Orochimaru watched Mufasa disappear into the distance and finally allowed himself to relax.

"Tayuya, gather the others," he ordered. "We're heading back to the base."

Dawn broke over the land.

Mufasa met Takamaru, the messenger hawk responsible for communications, mid-air. Under Takamaru's guidance, he found Gaara and the others resting in a valley at the border between the two nations.

As Mufasa descended, Gaara and Temari looked up, their expressions brightening.

"Sensei, we completed the mission," Gaara reported with quiet confidence.

Mufasa landed smoothly, his gaze shifting to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—bound tightly and unable to move.

Because of Mufasa's training, Gaara, Temari, and the others had grown far stronger than in the original timeline. Gaara, who had now mastered Shukaku's power, was nearly at Kage level.

Even with the Nine-Tails and the support of Gamabunta, Naruto was no match for him.

The chase had turned into a trap. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had walked straight into the jaws of a beast.

Gaara had taken down Sasuke and Sakura with ease before turning his attention to Naruto.

Naruto had summoned Gamabunta, and Gaara had responded by unleashing Shukaku's full form. But unlike before, he no longer needed the False Sleep Jutsu to control it.

In the original story, Naruto had barely won by teaming up with Gamabunta and using a sneak attack.

This time, it was different.

Gaara versus Naruto and Gamabunta.

The giant toad barely held off Shukaku.

Naruto himself had been no match for Gaara.

Had Mufasa not ordered them to keep the targets alive, Gaara would have crushed Naruto in a sand coffin without a second thought.

Mission accomplished.

Mufasa smiled. "Gaara, Temari—you both did well."

Gaara and Temari exchanged pleased glances.

"Where's Kankuro?" Mufasa asked, noticing his absence.

Temari's expression darkened. "He fought against Konoha's Aburame Shino. We lost track of him… He's probably in Konoha's hands now."

Mufasa sighed. The Aburame clan's chakra-devouring insects were the worst possible matchup for a puppet master. No matter how advanced the puppet, the chakra threads were always a weak point.

It was no wonder puppet users had faded into obscurity in later years. The strongest "puppeteer" had turned out to be Kabuto, a man who didn't even use traditional puppets but corpses.

A bitter irony for Sunagakure's proud puppet masters.

Mufasa placed a reassuring hand on Temari's shoulder. "Don't worry. Konoha won't harm Kankuro."

Temari nodded but still looked troubled. "Boss, we have the targets. What's next?"

Mufasa's expression sharpened. "How's the battle with Konoha going?"

Takamaru stepped forward to report. "We lost. Many Sand Shinobi were captured or killed in the attack. The rest are scattered and fleeing back to the Land of Wind."

Mufasa nodded. "Send a message: all surviving Sand Ninja are to regroup here. I will personally lead them home in victory."

Temari and Gaara stared at him, stunned.

Victory?

Their forces were in shambles, morale was at an all-time low, and their army had no organization left.

How could they possibly win now?

But Mufasa's gaze was unwavering. He already had a plan.

"Go," he said. "Tell them that I, Mufasa, the Unscientific Ninja of the Sand, — I am here!"

"Victory is within my grasp."

Takamaru soared through the skies, his wings cutting through the wind as he headed southeast toward Konoha. His mission was clear—to deliver critical news about Mufasa to the retreating Sand ninjas.

In the dense forest below, Baki led his remaining forces, dodging Konoha's relentless pursuit. When Takamaru swooped down with the message, Baki's heart pounded with excitement.

"Mufasa has made his move."

Mufasa had only acted once before, but that one time was legendary—a lone warrior against hundreds. His name was whispered in both fear and admiration. Even the Kazekage, despite his composed demeanor, secretly harbored deep concern over Mufasa's existence. That alone spoke volumes.

"He chose the perfect time to strike," Baki muttered, a fierce grin forming on his face. He wasted no time, passing the message to the surviving Sand ninja. "Everyone, regroup at the valley. Mufasa is there. He will save us."

One by one, the Sand ninjas adjusted their course, all making their way toward the valley. But such a sudden shift in movement didn't go unnoticed.

Konoha's pursuit unit quickly caught on. After successfully repelling the joint invasion from Sand and Sound, the Leaf forces split into two groups—one to secure the village, and the other to hunt down the fleeing enemy. The team assigned to track the Sand ninja consisted of Kakashi, Might Guy, and the former Ino-Shika-Cho trio: Akimichi Choza, Nara Shikaku, and Yamanaka Inoichi.

As they followed the enemy's trail, Shikaku narrowed his eyes. "Something's not right."

The Sand ninja had been scattering, making them harder to catch. Now, they were all heading in the same direction. That was suspicious.

"Inoichi, relay a message to the others. Tell them not to act recklessly. This could be a trap."

Inoichi nodded and quickly sent the message through his mind communication jutsu. The Konoha ninjas gathered to assess the situation.

Shikaku's voice was calm but firm. "This sudden change in movement means something is up. We need to proceed with caution."

His strategic insight was trusted without question.

Kakashi, however, was growing restless. "We can't afford to wait. We need to stop them before they get away."

The report he had received earlier was weighing on him. Squad Seven, who had been sent after Gaara, had vanished. He feared the worst.

Shikaku placed a hand on his chin. "Relax, Kakashi. Morino Ibiki is already working on extracting information from a captured Sand ninja. We should have answers soon."

As if on cue, Ibiki arrived with intel. His expression was unreadable as he relayed the message.

"The enemy left behind two words: 'Victory awaits.' The valley is their destination."

Choza stomped his foot, scowling. "Victory? After running for their lives? Arrogant fools."

Kakashi, however, knew better. "Don't underestimate them. Especially not Mufasa."

The others turned to him. "Mufasa?"

Kakashi nodded grimly. "He's... different. We have to be careful."

Choza waved him off. "Ninja tools? Puppets? I'll crush them with one punch."

Guy crossed his arms, a fiery glint in his eyes. "Kakashi, my eternal rival, bet your youth on this—I will take him down!"

Shikaku sighed. "If Mufasa really is alone, we should be able to handle him. Let's move."

With that, the Konoha squad followed the Sand ninja toward the valley. They didn't engage just yet—better to let the enemy gather in one place. Then, they would strike.

At the valley, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura slowly regained consciousness. Naruto groaned, blinking up at the sight of a familiar face.

"Old man? Why is it you?!"

Mufasa smirked. "Nice to see you too, kid."

Naruto scrambled to sit up. "Old man, when did you get here? Did they capture you too?!"

Sasuke and Sakura, still tied up, shot him exasperated looks.

Sakura snapped, "Idiot! Can't you see? He's with them!"

Naruto blinked. He finally took in his surroundings. Mufasa wasn't bound at all.

"Ah!" Naruto yelped. "Then what do we do?!"

He recoiled as if expecting Mufasa to smack him, memories of past painful encounters flashing in his mind. Instead, Mufasa just chuckled.

"Relax, Naruto. I'm not here to hurt you. Once I finish my negotiations, you'll be free to go."

Naruto brightened. "Really?! That's awesome!"

Sasuke, however, wasn't buying it. He eyed Mufasa warily, muscles tensing as he tested the restraints on his wrists. He wasn't going to sit still and wait for someone to save them.

He shifted slightly—and immediately felt a piercing gaze on him.

Gaara.

Perched on a nearby rock, Gaara's lifeless turquoise eyes bore into Sasuke, his presence radiating silent menace. He looked like a statue, motionless yet ever-watchful.

Sasuke stiffened, remembering their last encounter. He had no desire to experience that kind of pain again. He stayed still.

Mufasa's voice broke the tension. "You know, if we're being logical, our villages were allies once. This whole mess? Just a misunderstanding. Once it's cleared up, things can go back to normal."

Naruto's face lit up. "That's great! So, old man, can you untie us now?"

Mufasa shook his head. "No can do. You're hostages, and hostages should stay put. So don't go trying anything stupid. Otherwise..."

Gaara finished the sentence for him, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"I'll kill you all."

A chill ran through Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Gaara wasn't joking.

Mufasa sighed. "Gaara, you really need to work on your social skills."

Before anyone could say more, Temari appeared, returning from her scouting mission.

"Boss, the reinforcements have arrived."

Mufasa's smirk widened. "Good. Let's see what Konoha does next."

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Word count: 1760