"If I killed Sasuke?" Sakura looked shocked wondering if he could possibly be serious but his look told her that he was.
"Why would you kill Sasuke?" she asked staring at him in disbelief.
"Just how upset with me would she be?" he asked looking away from her.
"My guess is that she would hate you," Sakura said, "but why would you kill Sasuke. I mean he did run away with Orochimaru but he will be back once he kills his brother."
"You're probably right," Gohan said smiling at her, "well let's just forget that I brought up the subject," Sakura nodded and when she turned away the smile vanished from his face.
"You know you will have to be the one to do it," Kakashi said stepping from the shadows.
"I know, Kakashi can you do me a favor?" Gohan asked stopping right in front of the door
"What is it?" Kakashi asked.
"Find out what happened around the time Itachi massacred his clan," Gohan said so only he could hear him.
"Why what are you up to?"
"I just feel that we are missing something about that night," Gohan said walking thru the door to the hospital. Kakashi vanished as the door closed behind him. When Gohan reached Naruto's room Sakura was already sitting at her side talking happily. Gohan was the only one not smiling and laughing, Naruto was the only one who noticed this.
The next day when they cleared Naruto to leave she rushed to Tsunade off.
"Granny can I have a mission?" she asked smiling.
"Is there a particular mission you have in mind?"
"Yes, I want to go looking for Itachi and capture him," she said grinning Tsunade nearly choked on her sake.
"You want to go out looking for Itachi?" she asked wondering why she wanted to find him, "this wouldn't have anything to do with Sasuke would it?"
"Yes it does you see if we have Itachi then he will have to come back," she said happily.
"Fine but I choice the team that goes with you," Tsunade said Naruto smiled at her.
"When do we leave?" she asked happily.
"In four hours and the team will be waiting for you," Naruto ran out the happy as can be.
"Who are you going to send?" Shizune asked.
Gohan was standing where he had found Naruto the other night Kakashi appeared behind, "I have found out something but it isn't much. Itachi was supposed to be on a mission that night but he went missing before he could complete it."
"Did it say what the mission was?" Gohan asked.
"No," Kakashi answered simply.
"I thought so," he said closing his eyes smiling to himself.
"Am I missing something?" Kakashi asked.
"What if he did finish the mission and that is why he left because he did complete it and there was supposed to be not record of it being an official mission?" Gohan said turning.
"What are you implying?" Kakashi said not liking where he was going.
"I think that he was given a mission to wipe out his clan for some reason or another and a part of this mission was to become a missing-nin all in order to protect someone, because something up until this point hadn't made any sense."
"What would that be?" Kakashi asked.
"If he was strong enough to wipe out a clan why has he failed to get Naruto so far unless he never really tried to get her. Maybe it was all an act," Gohan said.
"What brought along this line of thought?"
"I met him the night Naruto ended up in the hospital Naruto was unconscious and he set her on the bench and started to leave her before I even arrived and he told me why he had come."
"What was the reason he gave?"
"He wanted to talk to Naruto, about his brother."
"Sasuke, what about Sasuke?"
"I think he wants Naruto to kill him and if she can't I am to do it. He told me that he could do it then and he can't do it now," Gohan said sitting down on the bench looking up at Kakashi.
"I heard that Tsunade-Sama was sending a squad out to capture Itachi," Kakashi said watching Gohan to see how much he knew about this mission.
"I think that is a waste of time," Gohan said coolly.
"Why is that?" Kakashi asked in surprise, "If it is as you say and he was working under orders it should be a problem."
"Yes that would be true if he hadn't told me one more thing," Gohan said still grinning.
"What would that be?" Kakashi asked frown under his mask.
"He will be dead before we find him," Kakashi's eyes widened, "he said he was going to end it on his terms so my guess is he is going to let Sasuke kill."
"So he is hoping that Sasuke will come back to this village?"
"No I don't think so I think he knows what I thought when I met him, Sasuke is consumed by hate and he will find someone to hate regardless of how this ends. I hope I am wrong but I think the only way this is going to end is with Sasuke dead," Gohan said Kakashi's eyes fell.
"I had a feeling it might come to that but if it comes down to it let me do it he is my student my responsibility," Gohan nodded, then Kakashi realized that someone was listening to them.
"Show yourself!" Kakashi called Ino stepped into sight visibly trembling.
"Are you really going to…" she asked unable to finish her sentence.
"If it comes to that," Kakashi said, "what is it that you need?"
"Tsunade wanted me to tell you that she needs you both in her office," she said her voice shacking almost as much as she was. Both vanished Gohan arriving before Kakashi they walked into the office.
"There are two things I would like to discuss with you before the others get here," Tsunade said.
"What is it Hokage-Sama?" Kakashi asked as both bowed respectfully.
"I have heard rumors that Sasuke killed Orochimaru so if that is true that means the traitor is a lot stronger than before and more dangerous. I am putting together a team to track down Itachi," when either of them looked surprised she smirked at the two standing before her, "you already knew?"
"Yes Hokage-Sama," Gohan said.
"So you also know that if we do this it will be very dangerous not just because of Itachi's skills but because of the other Akatsuki members and Sasuke on the hunt for his brother. And that is why I need you both to go. With you two there I will feel at easy knowing that everyone will return alive."
"Yes Hokage-Sama," Gohan and Kakashi said together bowing.
"One more thing, do whatever it takes to bring them back alive even if that means you have to kill everyone in your way, including Sasuke Uchiha," Tsunade said her eyes hardened at the mention of his name.
"Very well Hokage-Sama," Kakashi said bowing. Soon people started filing in Hinata, Sakura, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Lee, and Neji.
"You all are going to met Naruto at the main gate and go in search for…" Tsunade started before Sakura cut her off.
"We going after Sasuke?" she asked wondering if she knew that Gohan planned on killing him. She started wondering how much she knew about Sasuke and was there something that she was not telling them.
"No you're going after Itachi. Kakashi is the team leader and if it comes down to it then Gohan," Tsunade said, "dismissed." Sakura ran out of the office she knew she had to tell Naruto maybe she could make sure that he didn't kill Sasuke. But the first blond that she ran into was not Naruto but Ino.
"Sakura what did Tsunade-Sama want?"
"She gave us a mission to go look for Itachi my guess would be to either get answers out of him about the Akatsuki or draw Sasuke back to Konoha," Sakura said.
"Gohan and Kakashi-Sensei aren't going are they?" Ino asked nervously.
"Both of them are going and they are the team leaders," Sakura said.
"This is bad," Ino said panicking.
"Why is this bad?" Sakura asked she knew about Gohan but what about Kakashi-Sensei was bad.
"I didn't hear everything that was said but they are planning on killing Sasuke," she said in a whisper.
"Hopefully Naruto can talk them out of killing him," Sakura said a little more crest fallen not understanding why Kakashi-Sensei would want to kill Sasuke.
Sakura barely made it on time to the gates where they were supposed to meet up with the others; Naruto was talking to Gohan smiling brightly at him Gohan's face seemed to be getting redder and redder. She had to think of away to talk to Naruto without Kakashi or Gohan over hearing them. She walked up to Naruto as they were leaving.
"Naruto I need to talk to you," Sakura whispered.
"About what?" Naruto asked looking a little confused, but she slowed down so they fell back a little ways. Gohan turned to see this wondering what they could be talking about.
"Naruto, you know that Gohan and Kakashi, well they are planning on…" she found it hard to tell her.
"Gohan and Kakashi are planning what?" she asked looking more confused.
"They are planning on killing Sasuke," she said quickly.
"What makes you think that?" Naruto asked frowning, "Did they tell you?"
"Well no but Ino over heard them talking," Sakura said, "and Gohan asked me how upset you would be with him if he killed Sasuke the day after you were sent to the hospital for fainting."
Naruto ran to catch up to Gohan and Kakashi, jumping in front of them causing them to stop. She stared at the two of them. "Is there something wrong?" Gohan asked.
"Are you two going are kill Sasuke," She asked looking between the two of them everyone stopped dead at this accusation.
"Well you see about that…" Gohan started rubbing the back of his head Kakashi cut him off.
"Naruto, would you kill Orochimaru if you could?" Kakashi asked coolly.
"Of course…" Naruto said then Kakashi cut her off hearing what he wanted to hear.
"The reason Gohan and I are here are to make sure you all return in one piece and yes if means I have to I will kill Sasuke without hesitation," Kakashi said coldly causing Naruto to flinch.
"But you said those who abandon their teammates are scum," Naruto retorted.
"And what did Sasuke do?" Gohan asked softly tears welled up in her eyes, "we should get going." Gohan said as he and Kakashi walked past Naruto who stood frozen on the spot.
"If you all are not comfortable with this you can stay here and Gohan and I can finish this mission," Kakashi said not turning around. Everyone but Naruto continued to fallow she just stood there.
"Maybe he will come back and Kakashi-Sensei won't have to resort to that," Sakura said smiling weakly.
"Your right," she said wiping the tears from her eyes then continued to walk. After a few days of traveling Gohan stopped his eyes fixed on something that it seemed only he could see.
"What's wrong Gohan?" Kakashi asked.
"I sense Itachi and someone else with him," Gohan whispered.
"How far?" Kakashi asked.
"Maybe three hours at our pace," Gohan said.
"Pick up the pace," Kakashi called to the others and they all did everyone but Gohan and Kakashi going full speed.
"Even at this pace it will be about an hour," Gohan said frowning slightly.
"How long it take you to get there?" Kakashi asked.
"Full speed maybe two, three minutes," Gohan said scratching his chin.
Gohan stopped again throwing out his hand to stop the others, "we are not alone," he raised his hand blasting a tree in front of them as it exploded a man appeared before them. He was wearing an orange mask with one eye whole, and a black cloak with red clouds.
"Hey careful you could have hurt me with that," he said looking at where the tree had been.
"Lucky he was aiming to kill then," Kakashi said coolly.
"That's good to know but I can let you guys pass so let's play awhile," the masked man said.
"You are outnumbered do you think you can really fight us all," Kiba shouted.
"I don't think he is normal, I think he might be the one of the strongest people that I have encountered while I have been here," Gohan said to Kakashi.
"So if you weren't here how do you think we would stand?" Kakashi whispered back.
"It depends does he want you guys dead or not?"Gohan said coolly.
"So having you go ahead is out of the question," Kakashi said, "so we end this quickly."
"You know it not nice to whisper, I want to know what you are saying," the man said sitting on the ground his arms crossed head down acting like a little child.
"Are you serious Gohan?" Kakashi asked.
"If you met my father you would think he was strong by the way he acts sometimes," Gohan said rubbing the back of his head, "but his life force reminds me of Itachi's."
"Get out of our way!" Kiba said attacking it but it missed.
"So you guys do want to play," he said jumping up to his feet clapping his hands, "okay, okay you all first."
"Very well but you will regret that," Naruto said charging at him. He dodged her kick the clone vanished he turned with to see Naruto inches from him with a rasengan. Everyone thought that it was going to hit him dead center of his chest, but she missed. Gohan and Kakashi stood back watching studying the masked man's moves but his style was erratic. But after awhile he jumped away from the Konoha Shinobi as another man appeared he looked like a Venus flytrap.
"Sasuke just killed Itachi," the thing said.
"Wow, I did not see that coming," the masked man said placing his hands in front his mouth, "I'm just kidding." He said putting his hands down. This made Gohan frown so he was dealing us because he knew we were after one of them and he wanted Itachi dead, but why? He thought to himself.
"What should we do about them?" the Venus flytrap said.
"There are of no concern," he said his voice no longer high pitch and carefree but deep and cold, "let's go. Until next time," he said vanishing along with the Zetsu. Gohan's hair flashed gold then jumped into the air speeding off leaving the others behind. It did not take long for him to catch up beating Zetsu but not Madara, who was standing over Sasuke.
"Back away from him," Gohan said.
"Oh and who are you?"
To Be Continued
