Chapter 10:

Naruto and the rest of the team stood in front of the Hokage's desk.

"I see." The blonde put her chin on her intertwined hands. "Well it is great news knowing that my old teammate is still hurt, but I still wish we could have got a spy out of it or at least learned more about Sasuke."

Naruto and Sakura looked down at the mention of their old friend's name.

Tsunade sighed. "All right everyone you are dismissed till further notice. Naruto, you stay here."

Everyone filed out except for the one who was told to stay. "What is it granny?"

Tsunade was collecting her thoughts. "While your team made contact with Orochimaru at the bridge, the team that I sent out with Kakashi on it, made a discovery of their own. While you had his attention, Kakashi and his team were able to find the base that Orochimaru was currently using." Naruto's eyes widened at this. "By now, from what you have said, he has already moved, but here comes the best news. Kakashi knows where he would be moving to next."

Naruto actually smiled at this. "So what the hell are we waiting for let's go!"

Tsunade managed to repress a smile at his enthusiasm. "First I have to assign the team that will be going."

Naruto looked slightly confused. "It is obvious isn't it granny? You send me, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and you can add Yamato-taichou as well."

Tsunade shook her head. "Naruto, I can't send Sakura." Naruto didn't look to happy at this. "Why not granny? You know that she wants to get him back as much as I do, why not her too huh?"

Tsunade was expecting this reaction. "Naruto look, I want to send her along as much as you do but we can't. She is my apprentice and one day she will probably be stronger than me, but she still needs a lot more training. I wouldn't even send you if it wasn't for the fact that I witnessed you beat Kakashi."

Naruto didn't want to agree but she knew the older blonde was right. Since he had been back, while she had gotten a lot stronger, he noticed his long time crush still had a ways to go. He didn't answer except for a small nod.

"Good, now the team will be as you said except in place of Sakura I will be arranging for Shikamaru to join you." Naruto was actually slightly happy about this. He had always taken a liking to the lazy genius, and they had become decent friends before he left. As he thought about it, another thought came to his mind. "Granny, how are we gonna keep Sakura from coming once she finds out about the mission?" Tsunade had already had a plan for this. "We will simply say that you are on a mission other than the real one." Naruto thought this over. "What about when we get back with Sasuke?" Tsunade thought for a moment then gave a smile. "I am sure that she will forgive us once she sees Sasuke." Naruto nodded amusingly in agreement.

Tsunade got back to the task at hand. "Now I know you just got back, and Kakashi hasn't been back long either, but we can not delay. You will leave first thing tomorrow at the first crack of sunlight. You shall meet the rest of the team at the main gate." The Godaime then ushered him out and he was gone.

The next day the sun had been up for nearly an hour, our blonde and two of the other members of the assigned team were waiting for the perpetually late porn reader.

"I sweat that guy will be late to his own dang funeral." Naruto always hated this about his sensei and it showed.

"I am glad he wasn't my sensei, gee this is so troublesome. I could be at home sleeping right now," complained the ever lazy shadow manipulator.

Yamato was about to add his two sense when a swirl of leaves and puff of smoke came and in them appeared the eye smiling, motionless waiving, Kakashi.

"Yo sorry I was late I got lost on the road of life." Was the only reply he had.

Naruto was about to yell at him, but he had matured after all so he simply replied. "Yeah, I have been down that road a time or two myself actually."

After sweat dropping Kakashi continued. "Well anyway I suppose we need to head on out seeing as we are already late."

Everyone grumbled about it being his fault they were late in the first place, but head off into the trees anyway.

Sakura was in her master's office. "Sensei do you happen to know where Naruto is?"

Tsunade was a bit disgruntled at the question, for she hoped that she wouldn't have to answer it for at least a few more days. "Yes actually I do, I sent him on a mission."

Sakura was confused. "But we got back less than 24 hours ago. Why did you send him out again so fast?"

Tsunade played the speech over again in her head before speaking. "Naruto was sent to the Sand because he was requested by the Kazekage." She hoped Sakura wouldn't question it knowing the past the two jinchuuriki had.

To her dismay, Sakura didn't leave the subject. "We were just there though; I wonder what Gaara could want with him so soon."

Tsunade quickly came up with a retort. "Unfortunately that is classified until he gets back."

Sakura looked suspicious but didn't push it further. "Well may I ask who is on his team?"

Tsunade relaxed but only a bit. "The team consisted of Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato, and Shikamaru."

Sakura's 'spidey' sense was tingling then. "Why Shikamaru? Why not me?"

The hokage was tired of all the questioning. "Enough Sakura. They were sent, not you so act like a ninja and accept it. Now I will expect to see you at the normal area for some rigorous training 3 o'clock sharp got it?" She added the last hoping to remove Naruto from her mind.

Sakura was surprised and happy, it had been a while since they did any training in the field. For a while now they had been perfecting her medical ninjutsu in the hospital. "Yes Hokage-sensei."

The pink haired kunoichi then left ready for her intense combat training that would ensue later that day.

A few hours had past since the four had left for the secret base.

Kakashi who was the dubbed captain spoke. "The base is well hidden on a mountainside near Kirigakure." We will reach the border in about a day's time and after that, we will have another two days to reach the mountain."

Everyone nodded and continued toward their destination.

Deep in a mountainside near the mist village, hundreds of men lay on the ground out of commission.

"Truly a genius, he went through them all and not even a scratch or trace of blood on them." Said a voice that had a hiss like accent to it.

Sasuke stood at the end of the pile of broken men. In his hand was a glistening katana that had blood dripping off the end.

Orochimaru's voice came out again. "You are quite impressive Sasuke, however you didn't kill a single one of them. You are still far too soft for your own good."

"Whatever, when it comes time to kill him I will not show any mercy." Was the only response the Uchiha gave.

It was almost nightfall and the group was close to the Countries border.

We will soon reach the border of Fire country. We will need to stop and make camp here for the night. Once we pass through the border, we may come across a few enemies so it will be best to rest now."

After camp was set up, the group was sitting around the camp fire eating fish caught from a near by creek.

Yamato swallowed a bite of Salmon. "So what will be the plan of attack sempai?"

Kakashi spoke. "Though we know where they are hiding, the layout of the location is still a mystery. Because of this, I think it best that Naruto and I send in a shadow clone each to try and perform a bit of espionage and see if we can get a better idea of what will be awaiting us."

There was a nod from everyone except Naruto. "What do you mean sensei? How will sending in a couple clones help us know what we are gonna face?"

Kakashi looked dumb founded. "Naruto, you have been using the kage bunshin for this long and you still don't know its true purpose."

Naruto shook his head still bewildered.

"Alright you and I will create a clone we will then send them in to the forest where we can't see them." Kakashi and Naruto created a clone and sent them on their way.

Shortly after, the forest clones dispelled themselves, and a light bulb went off in the somewhat slow on the uptake blonde.

Naruto nearly jumped in shock. "Hey they went in there and played rock-paper-scissors. My clone won."

"Exactly," Kakashi said. Everything that happens to a clone, once the clone is dispelled the memory turns into your memory.

Naruto mouthed an o in understanding.

The rest of the night went on with nothing to eventful happening as each person took a look out shift until it was time to move out again.

A few days had past and the group arrived at the bottom of the mountain looking a ways up and seeing the entrance to a cave.

Kakashi turned to the youngest member of the team. "Alright Naruto time to create our clones and send them ahead."

He gave a quick nod and created his double. Soon after the two were off.

Half an hour past and the clones still hadn't relayed any info. After another five minutes, Naruto slightly jumped at the flood of information, while Kakashi simply closed the book he was reading.

Kakashi was the first to tell what he knew. "It seems our clones split up when they got there. Mine was only able to find several long corridors filled with empty rooms until he sensed some one coming and had to dissipate."

Hearing what Kakashi had to say, the group turned to an angry looking Naruto.

"He is here, my clone found his room. He is in a room flanked by the rooms of Orochimaru and Kabuto. Once we go in we go straight and when the way ends we take a left. After that he take the next two rights and another left and his room is the one in the center."

"Alright here is the formation. I will go in front with my sharingan out. I will be flanked to the right by Yamato and to the Left by Shikamaru. Yamato I want you to be ready to trap Sasuke with your wood, while you, Shikamaru, have your shadow jutsu ready to hold Kabuto when he comes to Sasuke's aid. Once Orochimaru gets there, I will face him myself and hold him off. I won't be able to last long so you guys will have to execute the plan quickly. Naruto I want you to wait as a back up and join in to help either me or Yamato whichever needs it most."

Naruto shook his head. "Sorry sensei I can't just sit back and let you guys do all the work."

Kakashi had a feeling Naruto wouldn't take kindly to his plan. "Naruto as your captain and your superior as a Konoha shinobi, I order you to do as I say." Kakashi hated and rarely used this tone, but he had to make sure Naruto wouldn't do anything stupid."

Naruto gave his sensei a look that could kill him. "Fine." Was all he muttered.

The three then rushed Sasuke's room to find there target seemingly waiting for them.

This made the group pause in utter astonishment.

"While I am surprised you were able to find us, did you really think I wouldn't notice the clones wandering the place. By the way where is Naruto?"

Naruto came out of a shadow and staired into the eye's of his former teammate. "Sasuke…" Was all he could manage.

The former only stood there with his sharingan active. "Been a while Naruto. Gotten any stronger?" In a blur the eighteen year old (A/N: Sorry about the age thing, I know he is supposed to be a few years younger but I always like to think of certain characters as my age. Yes all of Naruto and the rest of the rookie nine are this age as well.) was next to his former best friend with his sword at his neck.

Naruto stood shell shocked, his body wouldn't respond to his command to move.

"I may have spared you once, but I have no problem in killing you now." Sasuke went to end Naruto, but had to jump back to dodge the Chidori Kakashi had aimed at him.

Yamato was next to move as he pointed his palm at Sasuke as his other hand wrapped around his wrist. Large wood blocks began to sprout out around Sasuke and envelope him. As the closed around him, he used his superior to earth lightning chakra to put a whole in his cage and jump out of the room up to hire ground.

As Sasuke landed, he felt the sudden urge to bring his sword up in front and as he did he barely managed to block an incoming attack from Naruto holding a kunai.

"Get your ass back to Konoha you stupid bastard." Naruto shouted as his attack was blocked and he fell back to where his team stood.

"Why the hell do you stay with that snake? You know as soon as you are ready he is only going to steal your body for his own." Naruto began pleading with his friend.

"I only live for one thing. Revenge, so if that is what it costs to get it then I am ok with that. Now if you want me to come back with you, then your going to have to force me."

Furious, Naruto bit his thumbs and brought forth his massive swords. "I will break everyone of your bones and drag you back if I have to." He then charged Sasuke ready to strike.

"Well it seems you did learn some new tricks. However you should have focused on getting even stronger rather than chasing after me, I am on a whole other level now."

Naruto brought his sword down to maim his taunter, but was block with ease. He then quickly spun to swing his second sword to attack as his first was keeping Sasuke's one busy. He thought his attack was about to connect, when his second sword was simply blocked by Sasuke's free hand which was wrapped in electric chakra. "Well it seems you did learn some new tricks. However you should have focused on getting even stronger rather than chasing after me, I am on a whole other level now." Naruto, then jumped back ready for another strike when he saw Sasuke's blade coming toward him in a lethal blow. He knew he couldn't dodge and was prepared for death, but right before he was cut down, he was grabbed from behind by his one eyed teacher while the attacker's arm was haulted mid strike by none other than Orochimaru himself. Once Kakashi had himself and Naruto back into safety, he looked up. Orochimaru was standing there holding Sasuke with Kabuto on the other side.

"Let go of me." Sasuke looked at his so called master.

Kabuto got a little agitated. "You will learn to gain some respect around Orochimaru-sama."

Sasuke shook his arm loose grunting, "Whatever."

Orochimaru then spoke. "Enough it is time for us to go."

The three then vanished before Naruto's very eyes.

Naruto's head hung down, as tears of anger began to form in his eyes. "I-am-still-to-damn-weak!" The group turned looking sympathetic at their friend.

Kakashi was sad as well, he had let his favorite student (A/N: Obviously it was his favorite, he showed that at the chunnin exams) go again. Looking down at Naruto he grabbed his shoulder and met his eye. "We will get him back together. I was also able to do nothing, but we will get stronger and get him back. Along with Sakura."

Yamato smiled while Shikamaru was busy staring at the clouds in the open roof. "As a somewhat member of team Kakashi, I will do everything I can to help."

This made Naruto smile a little knowing he had friends to back him up. "Alright everyone let's get home, I have some hardcore training to do."

Done! I really enjoyed this chapter and I hope everyone else did as well. Sorry to all of you hardcore Sakura fans out there, she will play her role eventually. Please read and review, review, review! I am not getting as much response as I would like, but hey it's my first one so any response is better than none. And I have to give a giant thanks to everyone who has took time out to read and review you guys rock! Anyway hope you guys enjoyed it!

p.s wasn't the biggest Sai fan so he won't be in the story to terribly much, unless I get a hair up my butt and change my mind.