After Kushina, Mikoto, and the others saw Adult Sasuke, Naruto, and their group off at the estate, their lives returned to the usual peace and quiet. Yet a lingering trace of doubt remained in Temari's heart. She was intensely curious about Kaoumi, wondering what on earth she had said to Sarada and Himawari during those few short days of their stay that had left the girls so conflicted and seemingly stripped of their former vitality and spirit. Although full of questions, Temari saw that Kaoumi was keeping her lips tightly sealed and refused to reveal so much as a whisper, so she stopped pressing the matter.
Meanwhile, Kaoumi headed to the Hokage's Office to assist with the workload, as expected. After all, the Chunin Exams were approaching, and every detail required careful preparation and arrangement. At the same time, Jiraiya set off with Naruto toward the Land of Hot Water. Traversing the vast, boundless deserts of the Wind Country to reach the Land of Hot Water made for a truly long journey. But Jiraiya already had a plan in mind; he decided to use this long trip to diligently teach Naruto a few things. This time, however, his focus was not on boosting Naruto's strength, but on guiding him toward a deeper ideological understanding and personal growth.
After four days of arduous trekking, Yamato and Might Guy finally led a group of youngsters safely back to Konohagakure. Without a moment's rest, Yamato hurried to the Hokage's Office to report on the mission's execution …
Chapter 230