Chapter 192 - Cap 178: Oh God no.

Thirty minutes had passed and the 'capture' team was running to the point where Sasuke had given his last report.

"Can't you turn off your gravity seals?" - Kurama asked as he watched his teammates fall further and further behind.

"We've already done it!" - exclaimed Tenten angrily - "But we're not monsters like you! Look! Even Lee can't handle you!"

"This is proof that I need to train more!" - exclaimed Lee as he sweated like a pig in summer.

"It's because he hasn't yet deactivated his gravity seal," said Neji as he looked at his girlfriend.

"Why haven't you deactivated the seal?!" - exclaimed Tenten.

"Because it' s not youthful!" - exclaimed Lee.

"F.u.c.k you! This isn't training, it's a mission goddamn!" - roared Tenten.

"This will be a very long mission..." - muttered the ginger as he cursed his luck that he didn't have a Hiraishin point to teleport to.

* * * * *

"I see..." - whispered Sasuke as he saw a crow on top of a tree. His eyes changed to his Sharingan as the crow nodded before he flew off - "I guess it's time..."

"Sasuke-sama!" - said an Otonin as he approached young Uchiha.

"What's the matter?" - asked Sasuke as he frowned.

"Orochimaru sent us his orders and we are awaiting your presence," said the Otonin.

"Ok, let's go," said Sasuke as he followed the shinobi.

After a few minutes, Sasuke and the Otonin arrived at the main tent.

"It is good to see that you decided to come, Sasuke," said a blond boy very much like Minato, only much cooler than the old Hokage.

"I did not come to see you, Menma, I only came because I heard that Orochimaru sent his orders," Sasuke said with disdain.

"I thought that after all these years, we would be friends," Menma said sarcastically. " Anyway, we'd better get this over with, I still have to keep training"

"Yes... I'm sure Orochimaru will be pleased when he finds out that you trained your ass" - replied the Uchiha while looking at the messenger - "As the blond man said, let's end this once and for all"

"As I commanded, Sasuke-sama," said the messenger as he pulled out a scroll and opened it. "According to Orochimaru-sama, it is time for us to begin the expansion plan of Otogakure no Sato to get more shinobis and new test subjects"

Menma and Sasuke were silent when they heard this, though for different reasons.

Menma did not even seem to care about invading the nearby villages while Sasuke said nothing because he did not know exactly what to say.

"Okay, tell me when we will start and who our first victims will be," Menma said neutrally.

"The Fuma clan," said the messenger.

"Didn't they already say they would submit to Orochimaru?" - Sasuke asked as he frowned.

"But a few days ago we got information from one of our spies that they have been gathering strength to make one last attack to escape from Oto.

"I see..." - nodded Sasuke as he shook his head - "Those idiots don't know what they've done"

"I agree, they missed the opportunity Orochimaru-sama had given them" - the messenger nodded - "Getting back to the subject, the campaign will begin in a few days so that they can start their preparations"

"I understand, you may leave" - said Menma with neutrality as he left the tent.

"Go away, we have our orders," said Sasuke as he activated his Sharingan.

"H-Hai!" - exclaimed the messenger as he ran out.

"Hmph!" - Sasuke only snorted before he left the place. He had a few more things to do before he escaped from this place and returned to his family.

* * * * *

"We are here, rest a moment so that we can move again" - said Kurama while he saw how the members of the Team Gai were on the floor breathing hard.

"Ugh... I swear I'll never go on another mission with you, Kurama-san..." - said Tenten as the idea of going for a long, cold shower came to her mind.

"Kurama-kun's youthfulness level broke the limits" - murmured Lee as he stood up with difficulty - "I promise I will train even harder from now on!"

"This is hell..." - murmured Neji as he sat down on the floor with difficulty and activated his Byakugan.

"Can you see anything?" - Kurama asked seriously.

"Trees," Neji replied sarcastically.

"I am serious, you fool," said Kurama disdainfully. "You can save your newfound sense of humor for another time.

"In answer to your question, there is no sign of life in the vicinity..." - Neji replied as he frowned - "Although I can notice that a large number of people were walking eastward... their footprints are still 'fresh'..."

"Okay, let's do this, I'll go ahead and try to find Sasuke through his chakra while you rest," said Kurama as he looked around. " With Neji, it won't be hard to find me"

"Right, your chakra is like a fire in the middle of the forest... I'd have to be an idiot not to find you" - answered Neji calmly as the group watched Kurama disappear.

"I guess we'll just have to wait a while before we continue," sighed Tenten as he took out three food pills - "This will reduce our rest time..."

* * * * *

"I didn't think it would go so fast..." - Sasuke muttered in a low voice so that no one would hear.

"You sound as if I were slow," replied Kurama's voice on an almost imperceptible level. " Calm down, I put a seal of silence so that no one would know we were talking."

"Yes... but they can still read my lips" - answered Sasuke - "It puts the illusionary seal so that it looks like I'm training"

"Ok..." - nodded Kurama as he created an illusion around the two of them - "That will be enough"

Slowly, the redhead's silhouette came out of the shadows and approached Sasuke - "It's been a while..."

"Yes... and I'm still surprised at your new look," Sasuke answered calmly. "But I guess we can leave that for later, I understand Kakashi sensei sent you to pick me up"

"Exactly, I suppose Itachi told you so with his raven," Kurama replied calmly. It was not the first time that information had come to him quickly through Itachi's invocation.

"I have no problem getting out of this f.u.c.k.i.n.g place... I even appreciate it," Sasuke said as he frowned. " Orochimaru was beginning to lose his patience and my a.s.s was in danger"

"Uh... I guess you're lucky," replied the ginger as he shrugged. "Anything interesting to say?"

"Only that Orochimaru is about to begin expanding his territory, the first unfortunate ones being the Fuma clan," replied the young Uchiha.

"Fuma clan? Hadn't they already sworn loyalty?" - Kurama asked in surprise. Of the times he had come to speak with Sasuke, he had gotten information from the Uchiha that was mostly curious.

"Exactly, but it seems they were not as loyal as they claimed to be," Sasuke replied. "They are planning one last attack before trying to escape from Oto... I am sure they heard Orochimaru's plans for them"

"Somehow I can imagine where all this is going," Kurama said as he frowned. If he knew the Snake as well as he thought he did, then he would use the men as new 'recruits' while the women as test subjects, of course, unless one of them has a special skill that makes it possible for them to enter his forces - "Anyway... are you ready to go back to Konoha?"

"You bet," Sasuke replied excitedly. He already wanted to see his mother, his younger sister, and his pregnant girlfriend, and finally be able to spend all his time by their side.

"By the way, congratulations on becoming a father," said Kurama as he shrugged his shoulders, "I am sure the others will congratulate you too when you return"

"Have you thought about what to say when I return to Konoha to cleanse my honor?" - Sasuke asked seriously.

"According to Kakashi, we will only tell the truth," the redheaded man replied. "After all, that you sacrificed your physical integrity, mostly anal, as well as your mental one, for the sake of Konoha, is more than enough merit to be called a hero"

"I didn't need that part of anal integrity," said Sasuke as he frowned, "but it's not that far from the truth..."

"By the way... where do the members of the Fuma clan live?" - Kurama asked curiously.

"Are you going to help them?" - Sasuke asked in surprise.

"It is the least I can do when they are Kin's kin," Kurama answered with a shrug. "It is not as if I can let them become extinct when I can prevent it"

"I didn't know she was a member of that clan," said Sasuke as he frowned. "If I had known, I would have tried to help them a little"

"Don't worry, that would only have caused misunderstandings" - answered Kurama while looking at his friend - "Not to mention that it would have put them even more in Orochimaru's sights"

"Right..." - nodded Sasuke - "And in answer to your question, they live about 3 miles north of here"

"Okay, I'll send a clone to talk to them while I send another one to talk to our blond friend," said Kurama with a smile, "We'll soon have you out of here.

"We?" Sasuke asked in surprise. "Who else is here?"

" Team Gai," replied Kurama.

"Oh God no..." - said Sasuke, knowing that he would have to put up with Lee on his return.

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As a matter of fact, this week I might upload the chapters at different times because I have an appointment with the psychologist, and next week I won't upload anything because the same psychologist told me I had to take a week off for everything because I've been under a lot of stress for different personal reasons.

As for this, I will make some small changes in the schedule, chapters every day so there will only be one chapter today, the other one I will upload on Sunday.

Other information I will be giving during the week