Author's Note: Universal disclaimer is now up. Go read.

(smells deeply of the air) Ah. It feels so good to be back…but it's been how long? Wow, over five months. C.C;

I MUST COMMIT SEPPEKU TO ATONE!

But I digress…time to finally get this story back on track! Expect at least four contiguous updates. Oh, and to the 700th reviewer; I will not abandon this story.

Begin!

xxxx

Return to the Bridge where Destinies Clashed! Back to the Wave Country!

xxxx

/Dorai River, En Route to Wave Country, Fire Country/

"This seems like a good place to stop for now."

Despite the oxymoronic name – Dorai River, or 'Dry' River – the small river (easily prone to drying up during the summer, so that might explain it) calmly rushed along, cooling the sandy banks at its edges. A forest lined both sides of the river, though the road to the Wave Country lied shortly beyond the left side. It was here that Team Seven had opted to stop for lunch.

Uchiha Sasuke calmly performed the familiar hand seals for Chidori. However, he quietly unsheathed his katana, letting the electricity surge from his right hand into the sword of mujounium. Sure enough, it crackled with blue electricity. Hmm. This gives me an idea for a technique…

"That is the Chidori of Hatake Kakashi, is it not?"

Sasuke glanced over at Sai, who sat on a large gray boulder, pulling out a scroll and that odd wooden cylinder attached to his thigh. "What of it?"

"The name is odd," commented Sai as he untwisted the small cap on the cylinder, pulling out what appeared to be a paintbrush dipped in black ink. "I see lightning, and I do not think of one thousand birds. I think of lightning. Or storms."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow as he jabbed his sword into the water. The electricity dispersed; moments later, dead salmon floated to the surface. "So?"

"It's just an oddity. Much like your friend's pink hair."

"Stop making cracks about my hair!" retorted Haruno Sakura, her feet silently dunking into the river after Sasuke removed his katana. Her toes basked in the chill of the water.

"Stop squabbling; it's counter-productive," remarked Yamato as he performed several handsigns. "Mokuton; Tsukenebou no jutsu!" His chakra surged through the ground as roots suddenly erupted, twirling about each other to form a net that crossed the Dorai River. The fish that were being swept downstream were quietly pulled into its cradle. "Wood Element; Root Net."

Sakura stared. Wood element ninjutsu…

Sasuke was quiet.

"Yamato-sempai is the best in the Leaf when it comes to Mokuton techniques." Sai quietly kept doodling on his scroll. "That he was chosen to replace Hatake-san is only natural."

Yamato shyly rubbed the back of his head. "Now now Sai, no need to praise me. I'm not that good."

"I am only stating facts." He gazed over at Sakura. "Haruno-san is the apprentice of Godaime-sama. She is a medical-nin with very advanced chakra control, enabling her to achieve forces far beyond the capacity of her musculature alone."

Sakura frowned. This guy must have researched our techniques before coming…

"She also has a gaudy hair color and is exceptionally loud when she wants to be."

Sakura snarled. "Say WHAT?"

"I am only stating fact," remarked the unblinking ninja, his face contorted into that quiet, unfeeling smile of his. "Haruno-san is also very prone to fits of anger and is easily provoked. She also does not hesitate to get into a fight. Very lacking in feminine traits."

Sakura snarled. Only Sasuke's left hand – gripping her shirt collar – was holding her back.

Then, Sai quietly stared at Sakura. He kept staring as he put away his paintbrush and rolled up his scroll. What in the world was he thinking?

Then…it happened.

"Haruno-san, considering that you seem to be more masculine than feminine, I must ask: do you have a penis?"

Yamato stared. Sasuke blinked. Sakura's jaw dropped. Squirrels watched in curiosity. The dead fish were still dead.

Moments later…

"You…"

Sakura's subsequent right hook to Sai's cheek echoed throughout the woods. "DAMNED HENTAI! SHANNARO!!!"

"Ow." The Konoha-nin calmly landed on his feet over forty yards away, rubbing his aching jaw. He still kept that affable yet empty look on his face. "If you are trying to assure me of your femininity, you aren't succeeding."

Sakura was beginning to see red. This guy was almost as annoying as Naruto! "Get over here, YOU-!"

"Mokuton; Shichūrō no jutsu! Wood Element; Four Pillar Prison!"

Pillars of wood suddenly burst from the ground, imprisoning both Sai and Sakura. The medic-nin immediately came to a halt, balking at how quickly Yamato had been able to entrap her within the rectangular prison. So quick!

"I really don't think it's in our best interests to be nipping at each other's heels so soon. Besides, Sasuke and I have already finished making lunch." He gestured over to Sasuke, who – most likely after Sakura had unleashed her rage upon Sai – had started a fire to roast the fish with a simple Goukakyuu. "Now…will you two behave?"

Sakura nodded; the pillars quietly fell down.

"I will continue to behave," answered Sai as the pillars fell as well.

Sakura couldn't help but twitch. 'Continue' to behave? Yeah, RIGHT.

A few minutes passed in silence.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke, looking up from his second fish, mumbled, "What?"

"Last of the Uchiha. Highly skilled in Katon ninjutsu. Graduated at the top of his year's class. Proficient in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu." Sai spoke as if reading from a list. "Possesses the kekkei genkai of the Uchiha, the Sharingan. Has mastered its ultimate form, the Mangekyou. Learned the Chidori from Hatake Kakashi…though the blade of mujounium was not included in the report." Sai glanced at the katana once, before turning his gaze back towards Sasuke's eyes. "Had a brother named Itachi, who not only slaughtered the Uchiha, but joined the criminal organization Akatsuki. Betrayed Konoha to join Orochimaru in exchange for the power to kill Itachi. Received amnesty from Godaime-sama in exchange for becoming a Konoha-nin again." Sai – did his expression ever change? – calmly finished, "Is that everything, Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke could've reacted in any number of ways. Indignation, snorts, anger…or he could've just ignored it.

But all he did was quietly, with a small smile, reply, "What of it?"

Sai stared. Sasuke did not react with any apparent pain toward his past. Or anger. The reports he had read told of a morose and stern Uchiha from his days before the betrayal…yet one who was constantly driven to become stronger. Quite vociferously, especially as time had passed…or, to be more precise…as he began to learn about his other teammate more.

The one aside from Sakura.

The Jinchuriki.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Sakura's stare suddenly hardened. Sasuke's lips were pressed thinly together, his lucid gaze matching Sai's perfectly. Yamato watched in silence, nibbling away at his roasted salmon.

"Graduated at dead last of his year's class. Stole a hidden scroll and learned the forbidden Kage Bunshin ninjutsu. Student of the Sannin Jiraiya-sama. Host of the Kyuubi, a Jinchuriki. Son of Uzumaki Mantarou, leader of Akatsuki." Sai's smile remained fixated upon his face; how could his tone remain so even? "His academic record notwithstanding, his actual mission record is more impressive. Unfortunately, he willingly accepted the power of the Kyuubi. A very odd choice, if I may so." No change in tone. None. Did he feel ANYTHING? "His father is also someone to note. The leader of Akatsuki, whose goal was to obtain all Jinchuriki for the sake of finding a way to the demon world Makai. Naruto's very existence drew the attention of Akatsuki to Konoha. Also, according to the reports I've read of Mantarou's history, it was his influence that allowed Orochimaru to accrue the resources needed to stand up Otogakure. Resources that enabled Orochimaru to eventually invade Konoha, killing many of our shinobi in the process. Then Akatsuki's Nukenin attacked more recently, invading Konoha – alongside a multitude of Oto-nin – and killing even more shinobi and civilians. And then Akatsuki's Leader came himself to Konoha, seeking Naruto. In the process, he killed one shinobi and wounded several others. Naruto's mere presence in this village seems to have been nothing more than a burden. As a matter of fact…" He kept staring. What would their reactions be? "Had things proceeded a bit differently in the battle against Mantarou, the Kyuubi would have been freed to do as it pleased. Highly irresponsible behavior."

By this time, Sakura's stare had morphed into a deadly glare, her fists tightening. Sasuke kept staring quietly, thought the tenseness of his frame couldn't be ignored.

Sai kept going. "Although I personally see Uchiha-san as worthless trash because of his betrayal, I would have to regard Uzumaki-san, because of the trouble he's brought to this village, and because of his decision to accept the Kyuubi's power without thinking of the consequences, as something even lower than trash. I have several words in mind. How does 'scum' sound to you? Or perhaps 'weakling'? 'Dumbass'?"

"You…" Sakura prepared to stand, her fist itching to smash Sai's head open. How dare he talk about Naruto that way…HOW DARE HE? "I'LL-!"

"Sakura."

Sakura paused. Sasuke held his hand out in front of her, staring intently at Sai. "You'll have to understand, Naruto means a great deal to the two of us. And to a lot of people. So despite your little 'testimony'…I have to say that it's a load of crap." His Sharingan flashed to life, and his lips twisted into a small scowl. "Since you don't seem to know Naruto at all, I suggest you keep your mouth shut. Only Naruto's friends can insult him…and you're not one of them."

Sai kept on smiling. "So you do show emotion…" The ninja calmly stood up, pulling out his scroll. "It seems that your buttons can't be pushed very easily, unlike your teammate…but I'll keep your reaction in mind." He performed several handseals, muttering, "Ninpou; Chōjū Giga." He unrolled the scroll, and out leapt lions…made of ink.

Sakura and Sasuke stared out of bewilderment. Seven leonine felines stood, their forms quivering from the ink that comprised their being. Eyes glared, despite their transparent nature; they were like liquid wire frames, with nothing in between. The ninja closed his scroll again, saying, "Ninja Art; Super Beasts Imitation Picture." He turned his gaze over to Yamato. "Yamato-sempai, I'll be patrolling the perimeter. Signal me before we head out."

"Very well," remarked the Mokuton user as he bit into his fish one last time, removing the last piece of meat from the bone.

Sai nodded as he and his seven ink lions split up, leaving not a trace of their presence. Not even the lions left any tracks.

Once he was gone, however, Sakura growled. "UUUUGH! I HATE that guy!"

"I take it you're displeased?" asked Yamato.

"To say the least," muttered Sasuke, his eyes returning to their normal hue of black.

"Don't hold it against him personally. He's like that." Yamato sighed as he gazed at the flickering flames, as vibrant and lively as Sai was not. "He has no emotions…a side-effect of his ANBU training in Root."

"…Root?" confusedly asked Sakura.

"A subdivision of the ANBU Black Ops that went defunct shortly after Orochimaru's invasion three years ago." Yamato kept his ears open. He couldn't hear Sai or his lions; good. "Root was founded by Danzo, a militaristic shinobi who had once been considered for the position of Sandaime Hokage before Sarutobi-sama was chosen. Root's prime directive was to succeed at any mission they were assigned, no matter what it was. Nothing else mattered." The Mokuton user sighed out of frustration. The whole idea of Root put him on edge. "In order to make sure nothing else mattered, all emotions were eradicated through psychological training and psychiatric therapy. Because of this, Sai knows what emotions are, but he cannot 'conceive' them…but he uses his emotionless nature to poke and prod at his allies, determining their weaknesses by exploiting any emotional or mental loopholes they possess."

Sasuke frowned. Sai sounded like a real head case. Then again, he supposed a large number of shinobi were head cases in a way. Both he and Naruto could attest to that. And Gaara. DEFINITELY Gaara. And Orochimaru…yeah, he'd better stop now. Too many to list. "So he was testing us?"

"As a former member of Root, the mission matters more to him than anything else. He won't let anything get in the way of its successful completion. He did the same thing with me when I took him under my wing over two years ago." Yamato sweatdropped as he recalled how Sai had pinned him down as a calm guy who could get stern if pushed, but also a suck-up. He had never really gotten over that. He inwardly moped, I'm NOT a suck-up. "Ahem…in any case, he did that to gauge your weaknesses. He wants to know if he can depend on you all in battle. Or whether or not you will break under interrogation if captured."

Sasuke chuckled. The guy had jerked them around as a test? He played us for a fool. He'd have to get revenge one day. "Hmph. He shouldn't worry."

"Still, he didn't have to go so far," grumbled Sakura, still sore over the Sai's insults. (Inner Sakura: Me? WITH A PENIS?! -rips clothes off- See these?! I'M SEXY DAMMIT!)

Yamato sighed. What an eccentric group he had. I'm already beginning to miss being an ANBU. "Anyhow…the mission."

Sakura and Sasuke became silent.

"Although the official reason is that we're supposed to establish a trade relationship with the Wave Country, our true reason for being there is far more clandestine," explained Yamato as he recalled his meeting earlier that morning with the Hokage.

xxxx

/Flashback/

/Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Sit Aoneko. And remove your mask."

The ANBU quietly sat down, pulling off his red-and-white cat mask. The brown-haired shinobi asked, "May I ask why you have summoned me here?"

Tsunade pointed over to the silver-haired man leaning against the wall, his dog mask strapped onto his face. "Kakashi is returning to active duty as an ANBU, and you're taking his place as captain of Team Seven for the time being. However, given certain 'difficulties', I would rather not have your actual name be known. For this purpose, you will be given a different name during your service as the Team 7 Captain: Yamato."

The newly-christened Yamato nodded as he momentarily glanced at the Copy Ninja. I hope Kakashi-sempai is okay. "Very well then Hokage-sama. Is there a mission assigned?"

"Yes." Tsunade calmly pulled out a portfolio full of sheets, graphs, and maps. "You are to go the Wave Country and formally establish a trade relationship with them. Team Seven has been there before, and the populace will have fond memories of them…of course, I wouldn't request you to come out of the ANBU simply because of that."

"Of course," remarked the even-headed Jonin as he thumbed through the folder of pages. Geographical information about the Wave Country, economic data, maps of the ports…wait. "What's this?" His eyes narrowed at the sight of the specs for a rifle.

"Intelligence shows that a large tanker from the River Country will be docking in the Wave Country tonight. Official information lists that petroleum comprises most of the tanker's cargo hold, with iceboxes of beef, pork, and poultry taking up the rest of the hold." Tsunade frowned, feeling a headache coming on. Why did this upcoming mission seem so foreboding? "Although this seems fine enough, a quick look will show that the company that owns that tanker is actually under the control of the River Country's military. I want you to check that tanker out."

Yamato frowned. "To be honest Tsunade-sama, it's not odd for a number of private companies to be under some measure of military or governmental control. We do this here in the Fire Country as well; a small number of Konoha's businesses are operated by shinobi. Why is this tanker such a concern?"

Tsunade rubbed her eyebrows. Saying this would be difficult…because it sounded like justification for the actions of a group of deranged and depraved criminals. "As much as I hate to say this, the River Country's advances in military technology were hindered for a long time by Akatsuki."

Yamato blinked while Kakashi scowled. The former asked, "How so?"

"Despite Mantarou's actual plan, he had to keep up pretenses for the sake of appeasing his fellow Nukenin. That's why a good number of Akatsuki's missions were aimed at hindering, subverting, or cutting down various aspects of the River Country's growing military. According to our spies, the following can be attributed to Akatsuki: the assassination of multiple military scientists. The confiscation and destruction of military hardware. The elimination of infantry weapon blueprints. Sowing dissent and suspicion amongst the higher echelons of the military command. So many actions were able to hold back the River Country…by my estimations, the River Country's military, assisted by the shinobi of Sawagakure, would have allowed that country to become a major power by…five years ago."

Yamato and Kakashi both froze. Had the River Country really become that much of a threat? "So you're saying…that Akatsuki was beneficial in this aspect?" asked the Mokuton user.

"Yes, as hard as it is for me to say." Tsunade gazed at Kakashi, taking note of his terse grunt. I'm sorry Kakashi, but it is true. Mantarou provided a service for us by holding back the River Country. Even if the River Country made a move now, Konoha's newest generation of shinobi had finished maturing. They would be prime for war, should that ever arise. "But word on the ground says that the River Country is making a number of moves now. Word of Akatsuki's fall must have spurred them into a frenzy…and such a large ship moving towards the Wave Country? It's unsettling. I want it investigated."

Yamato nodded. "Yes ma'am." He gazed over at the wall that Kakashi stood next to. "Sai, did you get all of that?"

A mat suddenly flipped over, and Sai was there. Kakashi stared at the teen in mild surprise. "I was wondering what the odd presence I felt in here was…a more advanced version of Kakuremino no jutsu?"

Sai replied with a smile. "I am glad I was able to please, Hatake-san. I've been waiting here for everyone since before Godaime-sama came in this morning."

Tsunade shook her head as Yamato grinned. His special ink enables him to bend the light reflecting off of the mat, making any discrepancies between him and the wall vanish. Despite his oddities, Sai was a bonafide genius.

"You have your orders." Tsunade glanced over at Kakashi. "You'll be notified of an assignment when one is available." She glanced over at Yamato and Sai. "You two. Go meet up with Sasuke and Sakura and head to the Wave Country ASAP."

"Hai," replied all three shinobi as they bowed.

"Dismissed."

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Dorai River, En Route to Wave Country, Fire Country/

"And that is our mission," finished Yamato, a stern gaze adding to his serious countenance. "The River Country might be making a move towards the ports of the Wave Country: a valuable asset for any military force looking to invade the Fire Country."

"A pincer maneuver," commented the Uchiha, his mind contemplating the various angles of this mission. New parameters meant new risks, new dangers…but also new ways to approach the problem at hand. "The River Country from the west, and an invasion force from the Wave Country in the east…"

"All in all, this is a stealth mission more than anything else." Yamato quietly stood up, kicking some dirt over the fire to snuff it out. "You all know the mission. Now we must hurry; I want to make it to the Wave Country before nightfall." He calmly pulled out a small whistle and blew into it, releasing a melodious sound into the air, not unlike a pigeon.

But there were no pigeons in this particular part of the Fire Country. Only natives would know that.

Sai and his lions appeared moments later, hearing the pigeon call. "Are we ready to depart?" A trio of nods told him the answer. "Very well then." He opened up his scroll and performed several katas. "Ninpou; Chōjū Giga Gyaku!" His scroll glowed, and the lions suddenly leapt back onto the scroll, shrinking down into the form they once held as a tiny picture. "Ninja Art; Super Beasts Imitation Picture Reverse." He rolled up the scroll and returned it to his backpack. "I'm ready."

Yamato took note of the stern gazes Sakura and Sasuke gave Sai. Sai – as if noticing the looks being sent in his direction – said, "I would like to apologize for my actions, except I do not feel any regret."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "Rrr…" Sasuke only sighed out of irritation.

Yamato, on the other hand, sighed out of remorse. Such horrible group dynamics…why me? "Well, let's go."

And then the four shinobi were gone, dashing to the east.

xxxx

/Yamanaka Household, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"So…this is where I live?"

God, he hated to hear her ask that.

Yamanaka Inoichi managed to choke out, "Yes Ino…" He calmly led her through the halls, giving her a tour of the clan's ancestral home. That he had to do this with his daughter was horrific enough. No…what was truly horrific was that his daughter might not remember anything at all. "This is where you live. For lunch, you usually ask for broiled tomatoes with a side of goma dango."

"…goma…dango…?"

Inoichi winced inwardly. He had to explain THIS? "A dumpling made of rice flour. That's a dango. The goma variety is covered with sesame seeds."

"…it…sounds good…"

Well, that was some progress. But it irritated him to no end. "Your teammates should be waiting for you outside."

"Teammates…you mean the people called Chouji and Shikamaru?"

'The people called Chouji and Shikamaru.' Why did she have to phrase it like that? Was her amnesia THAT far-reaching? "…yes."

Yamanaka Ino sighed as she stared down at the wooden floor beneath her feet. Her feet. Her. Was anything 'hers'? She couldn't even fully grasp the idea that this man was her father. Was she supposed to feel sad about that? Such questions plagued the girl's mind…yet they didn't bother her. They didn't make her feel sad or angry. Just an emptiness, an oblivion of confusion and uncertainty. It was actually worse that way, to be so apprehensive of what was what. At least with anger or sorrow, there was some emotion attached: she would have at least understood why she felt that way. She would've known what she had lost. But now…she had no idea what she had lost. Or how to grasp what meant what. Or how she should feel about certain things.

If anything, it only made her feel fear.

Inoichi took note of this look and felt nothing but rage. How could this have happened to his daughter?! To think that she had amnesia! Damn you Mantarou.

A father's rage knew no bounds.

The doors were slid open, and Ino stepped into the sunlight. She saw her two teammates; the fat one with the long spiky chestnut-colored hair (he was kind of shaped like a chestnut too…) and the guy with the pineapple head. Why did she think of food when seeing these two?

Chouji glanced at Ino, and then he turned to Shikamaru. "Okay Shikamaru, you ready?"

The black-haired Chuunin sighed out of irritation. "Fine, fine…" He sent an annoyed gaze towards his plump friend. "You know, I never figured you'd use your fight to hold off Jirobo from me and my team as leverage."

Chouji couldn't help but chuckle at how he'd forced Shikamaru to go along with this. Definitely out of character for him to use a battle he had nearly died in to make Shikamaru do something, but it was for the greater good. "Yeah, but remember: it's for Ino."

"Yeah, I know," grumbled Shikamaru. Troublesome…

Yamanaka Ino slowly walked forward. All of her platinum blonde hair was let down, and she was dressed in only a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and blue sandals. Not exactly similar to her shinobi uniform, but hey, she was considered off-duty for the time being. "Um…hello…"

"Kage mane no jutsu!"

Ino paled as Shikamaru's suddenly zoomed towards her shadow, linking up with it. Her body was suddenly paralyzed. "Eh…wha?"

Shikamaru then placed his hands on his head, dancing around in a jerky, oddball manner. I cannot believe I'm doing this. Damn it Chouji, I'm not paying for your meal next time you ask! Even if this was for Ino, there was a limit to what was acceptable! And since he was a Nara, that limit was exceptionally tiny.

And apparently, Ino was feeling the same way as well. She didn't take kindly to suddenly being moved against her will (even amnesiacs have base feelings you know). "Hey…stop it…what's…stop it…I MEAN IT…!" She was getting irritated right now…more so than she really felt. How come?

Finally, Shikamaru stopped and released his jutsu.

Ino promptly came over and smacked him in the face, shaking him by the collar. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA YOU MORON?!"

Shikamaru stared grumpily at Chouji. "I think it worked."

"WHAT WORKED?!" roared Ino.

Chouji smiled with slight relief. "Well, whenever we'd make you mad, you'd often throw a fit and smack either me or Shikamaru. We wanted to see if the same thing would happen."

This immediately made Ino pause. A…test then…? "So you wanted to see if I still…reacted the same way?"

"Pretty much," muttered Shikamaru as he rubbed the new hand mark on his cheek. "And for the record, it was Chouji's idea. Slap him if you're angry."

Ino just stood back for a moment, thinking about what had just happened. So…what she had just done…was something she would have normally done? Then…there were still some things that she could remember? Did this new information give her a goal? Or an objective? Possibilities, means to an end…so many thoughts swirling through her mind now. But they were charged with hope. It made the apprehension she felt wane. Somewhat. And that was good enough for her. "Um…I don't feel like slapping anyone anymore." She bowed to both Shikamaru and Chouji. "Thank you."

Shikamaru and Chouji both shared a glance that said 'Well, it's a start.' The latter happily said, "Well, Operation: Make-Ino-Remember-Who-She-Is has met its first goal! Let's go eat to celebrate!"

"You're paying Chouji."

"Aw, come on Shikamaru!"

Ino followed the bickering duo in silence.

Inoichi watched from afar; if anyone could help his daughter, it was those two.

xxxx

/Fire Country-Wave Country Border/

Sakura hated graverobbers. As a medic-nin, she knew that those who died were to be respected, even if they were lost forever. Basic human decency called for graves to be respected. Those who defiled them…were utter lowlifes.

Which was why the sight of two familiar graves – upturned and torn apart – made her recoil.

She remembered helping to bury the two who had once lied there.

"Zabuza…Haku…?" Sakura stared out of shock. Their corpses were gone, along with Zabuza's sword and Haku's belongings. "Who could have…?"

Sasuke frowned. These graves had been placed fairly deeply within the forest near the bridge connecting the Fire Country to the Wave Country. It was also in close proximity to the nearby cliffs, which plunged directly into the ocean. Nobody would go out here unless they did so with intent. So who…who would come out here with the intention of robbing these graves?

Yamato knelt down at the upturned soil, grabbing it and sniffing it. "Hmm…the dirt's not stale…still a little moist…these graves were dug up fairly recently. I'd say within the past week or so." But we can worry about this later. He stood back up, walking over towards the nearest tree. Using a kunai knife, he carved out a small strip of bark. Encompassing it in his palm, his chakra flowed into the bark; when he opened his hand again, only three small pods remained. The wood had been condensed into seed-like objects. "Swallow these: they correspond to my chakra. I'll be able to keep track of you this way."

Sai swallowed without hesitation. Sasuke quickly examined the pod with his Sharingan before swallowing it. Sakura just stared at it momentarily. Man, Mokuton techniques are incredibly useful…hmm. She swallowed it.

"Good. We can submit a report regarding Zabuza and Haku once we get back. Until then, focus on the mission at hand."

"Hai," replied all three shinobi.

Yamato calmly led Team Seven out of the forest and back onto the road towards the bridge. Traffic – horse-drawn carts, animals for sale, and merchants carrying sacks of their wares – loudly moved back and forth along the road leading to the bridge. The commercial traffic had gotten far more prevalent the more they neared the Wave Country.

It made Sakura smile. It was a sign of economic vitality. And for the Wave Country, that was a sign of life.

I wonder how well off Tazuna-san, Tsunami-san, and Inari-kun are…

They came to the bridge.

Large, strong, and wide. Capable of holding tons and tons of weight, as evidenced by the heavy traffic crossing it. Armed guards wielding spears and daggers stood at the sides of the bridge, presumably to alert security further inland of any potential troubles.

But the sign atop the front of the bridge made the four Konoha-nin stare out of shock.

THE GREAT NARUTO BRIDGE

Yamato and Sai stared out of slight curiosity. Sakura stared out of mute surprise. Sasuke stared before chuckling. "Kukuku…poor Kakashi. Looks like they didn't think enough of us to include our names on this bridge. What a gyp." Sasuke didn't sound too irritated…well, maybe a little. He had fought just as hard as anyone else…though Kakashi had had to fight Zabuza twice. Why not call it the Great Kakashi Bridge? Damned favoritism.

"Man, if Naruto saw this, he'd get a huge ego trip," commented Sakura, a small smile on her face.

The smile swiftly vanished as she thought of Naruto. He was gone…he'd never get the chance to see it. Naruto…

Sai noted the suddenly sullen looks on Sakura and Sasuke's faces. "My. Uzumaki-san must have been far more than the sum of his parts to have this kind of reaction."

Before the two original members of Team Seven could retort, Yamato interrupted, "Now now, let's just keep going. We'll meet with the Wave Country's Administrative Council before anything else." He briefly recalled the portfolio of notes Tsunade had handed him. They had included notes on the Water Country's system of government. "Considering the paltry size of the Wave Country, they have a rather simplified system of government." A large billboard could be seen affixed above the bridge; it had a map of the Wave Country on it, along with the message 'YOU ARE NOW IN THE LAND OF WAVES.' "The 23 small islands that constitute the Wave Country are each considered districts, each one headed by a democratically elected daimyō. These 23 daimyō constitute the Council of Lords, which is responsible for administrating the Wave Country."

As Yamato spoke, Sakura's thoughts drifted to how busy the place was. Three years makes a huge difference…

Merchants bartering with customers. Bazaars lined with people. Markets rife with goods.

A stark contrast to the scene of yesteryear, where poverty reigned supreme.

"Sakura? Sasuke?"

The two turned around, causing Yamato and Sai to stop.

Standing before them, holding a basket of freshly baked loaves, was a kid with dark brown hair; his lightly-tanned body was lean yet muscular, gleaming with sweat (finished with a hard day's work?). Green pants wrapped around his waist by a belt matched the dark blue T-shirt he wore; a belt lined with pouches full of tools crisscrossed his torso, giving off the appearance of a repairman or a maintenance worker. Those dark eyes stared at them, his face lighting up with a smile. "Guys! It's been years!"

Sasuke blinked while Sakura muttered, "Inari-kun…?"

xxxx

/Tazuna's House, Naminou District, Wave Country/

And that was how Team Seven suddenly found themselves in front of the old house of Tazuna, practically dragged there by an exuberant Inari (so exuberant at seeing a couple of old friends that he hadn't asked about Naruto. Had he only assumed that Naruto was simply on another mission? Sakura hoped so.).

"This child is quite loud," remarked Sai.

Inari huffily glanced back at the artistic shinobi, as if finally noticing the third member of Team Seven wasn't Naruto but someone else. "Who's this creep?"

Seeing the opportunity, Sasuke quickly replied, "His name is Sai. Naruto was switched out of our team for this guy for this particular mission."

"Man, that sucks," grumbled Inari.

Yamato shifted his eyes over to the Uchiha. Good move Sasuke. The less questions about Naruto, the better.

The young man of the Wave Country rapped on the door with his knuckles, calling out, "I'm home! And I have guests!" Opening the door, Inari stepped inside towards the kitchen, where two more familiar figures awaited.

Stirring a pot of rice was a 32-year-old woman with long, navy blue hair, clad in a long skirt the color of cherry blossoms and a blue cotton shirt with white flower patterns. Her dark eyes lit up at the sight of Sasuke and Sakura. "Sakura-chan! Sasuke-kun!" She whirled her head around towards the other figure. "Otou-san! Look who's here!"

The wizened old man of 62 leaned forward out of his chair, a gleam lighting in his eyes out of recognition. His gray hair had thinned a little more along the crown, but he still managed to exude an aura of strength that belied his age. Clad in an elaborate kimono of dark purple with light red patterns in the shape of crashing waves, his red obi managed to come across his entire stomach, which had gotten a tad tubbier since Team Seven had last come to the Land of Waves. Readjusting his glasses, the old man grinned with pleasure at the sight of his old bodyguards. "Well well, ain't this a sight for my sore eyes!" The old man's narrow eyes widened out of considerable joy. "Long time no see!"

"It's good to see you Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san," respectfully replied Sakura. She was glad to see that everyone remained relatively unchanged…except Tazuna. "What's with the kimono?"

"Heh, must look odd!" Tazuna groaned as he stood up, letting everyone see his kimono. "Just a lowly bridge builder, yet enough people thought I was fit to be elected daimyō of this district!"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. This drunkard, a daimyō? Would wonders never cease.

Tazuna's eyes scanned over the four Konoha-nin. "Say, where's that bratty blonde and that silver scarecrow with the weird eye?"

"Naruto and Kakashi? They were assigned to different missions," explained Yamato.

"Fah!" Tazuna snorted. "That Kakashi fellow, I can understand…but that Naruto? Like he'd turn down the chance to come back and see us. He's that kind of guy."

"Ninja don't choose their assignments."

The daimyō chuckled as scratched at his facial hair. "I seem to recall that same blonde complaining so much that your village's leader gave him a C-Rank mission just to shut him up."

Yamato sweatdropped. …well, never heard that.

"It would seem that Uzumaki-san can also be quite rude," commented Sai.

"Hush you," grumbled Sakura.

"So… you could at least tell me what they're up to now," asked Tazuna.

Sasuke was quick to answer. "Kakashi is with a new unit now. Black Ops. Classified."

"Ah…" Tazuna turned his eyes to Sakura. "And missy, where's the idiot?"

Sakura couldn't help but flinch. "Well…he…"

Yamato grimaced at Sakura's stuttering. Sasuke merely sighed inaudibly. Sai kept the same lucid expression on his face.

But Tazuna saw that look. Barely managed to catch it…but he caught it anyway. That hesitance and discomfort that bubbled to the surface whenever the blonde's name was mentioned…

"Shinobi Rule #25: No matter what the situation, a shinobi must keep emotions on the inside. You must make the mission your top priority, and you must possess a heart that never shows tears," stated Tazuna, as if reciting something from a book he had read a long time ago.

Sakura blinked. "…?"

Tazuna smiled sadly at Sakura, as if he already knew why she had hesitated. "You told me that on the bridge, a long time ago. I think you still need work on it."

Shoot, he knows. The pink-haired shinobi nervously replied with a sad smile on her face. "Yeah…I guess so…"

Now Inari was smart enough to get what was going on. Then again, even a fool would be able to pick up on the subtext of this conversation. "Wait…what happened to Naruto?" When he got no immediate answer, the 11-year-old's lip began to tremble. His eyes narrowed out of frustration. "Why aren't you answering? WELL?!"

"He's gone."

Everyone paused and turned towards Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall with his katana in hand. Before anyone could even elaborate on what he meant, the Uchiha continued on. "He was taken away by someone. Someone very powerful…stronger than all of us. And where he took Naruto…we don't know how to get there." The thought of Makai drifted into Sasuke's mind. How hellish of a place was the world of demons? "But Naruto and I…our last match ended in a draw." He pulled out his katana, letting its surface gleam in the dim light of the kitchen. "I still have to settle things with him…and he wants to settle things as well. He's not the type to give up. So either we'll find a way to get to him…or he'll find a way to get back to us." He sheathed his weapon. "That's all there is to it."

Sakura blinked out mute surprise. Sasuke-kun…

"Put it that way…then all we can do is worry about how long it'll take," remarked Tazuna with a grin. "That blonde may be crazy, but he'll find a way. In the meantime…Tsunami, let's get some extra seats!"

"Of course!" answered Tsunami as she gladly pulled four extra dinner chairs out of a storage closet. "I hope you all are hungry."

"I would be lying if I said no," gratefully replied Yamato. Not only were they in the residence of a daimyō that happened to be an old friend of Sasuke's and Sakura's, but he didn't have to pay for Team Seven's meal. It was win-win!

As it turned out, the meal consisted of a bed of white rice that was covered by steamed shrimp and broiled scallops in a soy sauce mixed with garlic flakes. A bowl of soup filled with bamboo shoots, crabmeat, and soba.

The sight of the meal at the beginning had warranted a hearty 'Itadakimasu!' from Sakura (Sasuke, Sai, and Yamato were naturally far more subdued).

At the end of the meal, Yamato turned to Tazuna. "Sir, when is the next meeting of the Council of Lords? We're here on business from Konoha."

"Tonight!" answered Tazuna as he readjusted his glasses. "Why do you think we have a big meal?"

"Because it's a special occasion?" replied Sakura.

Tazuna snorted. "Because several of them are windbags who make the meeting last hours."

Even Sasuke couldn't help but snicker slightly. Politics sounded so troublesome. Why in the world would Naruto ever vie for that kind of position? He glanced over at Sakura; she was nodding fervently, as though she had an eyewitness account of Tazuna's words. Not surprising, considering she was the Godaime's assistant.

"Anyhow…" The old man rumbled as he stood up, stretching his back and getting a few cracks out. I'd best be going. This meeting's taking place in the Namimori District straight up north. Should get there in twenty minutes if I hurry."

"And I have to go to," muttered Inari as he got up as well. "Got a big ship coming in tonight at the port in the Namienkai District in less than an hour."

"That tanker from the River Country you told us about yesterday?" remarked Tsunami, missing the suddenly stern gazes in the eyes of the Konoha-nin.

Inari grinned as he picked his belt of tools up off of the floor, putting it back across his torso. "Yep! The dock foreman wants everything to go well; considering how big of a shipment this is, everyone's likely to get a raise if things go off without a hitch!"

"Then you're doomed," taunted Tazuna.

"OLD MAN!"

As Tsunami and Tazuna shared a laugh at Inari's outburst, Yamato quietly glanced at both Sasuke and Sai. Turning back to Tazuna, he asked, "Tazuna-san. Forgive me for not formally introducing myself earlier, but I am Yamato, current captain of Team Seven. Sakura and I would like to accompany you to this meeting of the Council of Lords."

"What about Sasuke and your other team…mate…?" Tsunami looked around out of curiosity. Sasuke and Sai were gone. "Where'd they go?"

Yamato replied, "It doesn't matter. Sakura and I will be able to accomplish this mission on our own." At least, this PART of the mission. Besides, Sai isn't the diplomatic type…and Sasuke doesn't appear to be one either.

Inari shrugged. "Oh well. I'll be heading out now. See ya'll later!" With that, the young boy left.

"Be safe Inari-kun! Try not to get hurt!" called out Sakura. She only hoped her warning wasn't prophetic.

Yamato turned towards Tazuna. "Well…shall we?"

xxxx

As Inari calmly exited his home, two shinobi quietly stood upon the rooftop of his home, their bodies mere silhouettes against the light of the sun that was nearly below the horizon.

"He's heading east," commented Sai. "According to the Wave Country map we saw on our way in, Namienkai is directly to the east of Naminou. I would estimate…less than three miles."

"Then we just have to determine which dock the tanker will be coming in." Sasuke had to admit, he found Sai's seriousness one thing that he wished Naruto had. Then again, he hadn't gone on a mission with him since…well, the battle with Akatsuki (and he hadn't been an official Konoha-nin at that point) and the battle with Mantarou. Not exactly similar to this current one.

Sai glanced toward the ocean; Inari's home was built directly next to the ocean that bordered Wave Country to the south. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from his backpack, he gazed at the dark horizon. "I see our target."

Sasuke grabbed the binoculars from Sai and gazed to the south.

Sure enough, there it was: a long, gigantic behemoth of a ship, painted black. A flag could be seen flying above the tanker. It was the flag of the River Country, consisting of a green rectangle with a stripe of blue across the middle. "Hmm. Think we can run all the way there?"

"At top speed, it should take…ten minutes. Though the waters are quite choppy. You don't intend to fall, do you?" asked Sai.

Sasuke snorted. "Of course not."

"Then by all means, let's go." The former ANBU stood up, fastening his tools tightly. "For the sake of the mission."

The two shinobi landed in the water and burst off, their chakra surging through the feet, altering in flow and concentration with each step.

They were as blurs in the darkness.

xxxx

/R.C.S. Shindaisha, En Route to Wave Country/

The gruff man clad in a dark gray shinobi uniform with a dark green vest glared at the men milling about, all wearing casual clothing befitting seamen who had been out in the sun all day. But he couldn't afford to be lax.

His hitai-ate – bearing the symbol of the Marsh, a small ovular pond with three grass chutes sticking out of it – reflected the last light of the eve, the western sky nearly completely dark now. His face was laden with scars; his body undoubtedly had more.

The man's dark eyes narrowed as he scratched at his mane of rough, gray hair. "You!"

The nearest seaman gazed over at him, his orange lifejacket glowing brightly as the white, fluorescent lights of the R.C.S. Shindaisha kicked in. "Yes sir, Numa-sama?"

Numa growled, "Is everyone in position below?"

"Yes sir. Everything is ready."

Numa frowned. "Good. Make sure to be innocuous. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention until we land." His head suddenly whirled around; his eyes glared at the covered lifeboats hanging over the side of the tanker. "…"

"Numa-sama?"

"Hmm…nothing." Had his ears been playing tricks on him? He could have sworn he had heard the ruffling of fabric in the wind…

Meanwhile, underneath one of those lifeboat covers, Sasuke and Sai sat in silence; they quietly suppressed their chakra as much as possible before talking. "Did you see that shinobi?"

"Indeed I did. Did you see his hitai-ate, Uchiha-san? The symbol of Sawagakure: the Hidden Marsh Village."

"His body and hair color indicate that he's in his late 40s at the least…and all of those scars on him…he's a survivor of many battles. I bet he's a Jonin. Seems that the old lady was right to have us investigate," muttered the Uchiha. "But whatever's inside this ship will determine our next course of action."

"I agree wholeheartedly, Uchiha-san." Sai calmly pulled out his scroll from earlier, coming up to the picture of his lions. He pulled out his familiar canister of ink and drew a single stripe across it. Performing a few handseals, he whispered, "Sumi Bunshin no jutsu."

The lions suddenly began to come forth from the scroll, as before…but their bodies were bound by the stripe, mixing them together into one solid being. A humanoid resulted…and in a few seconds, it looked exactly like Sai. "Ink Clone."

"How does your ink do that?" asked Sasuke.

"My ink is special: it is mixed with my blood, and I infuse it with chakra. That way, it is bound to my inner coils…so I can manipulate in any way I wish." As if to make his point, Sai performed a few more handseals. "Sumi Henge; Aburyū. Ink Transformation; Horsefly Style."

The ink clone of Sai suddenly liquefied and dispersed, becoming hundreds of horseflies that quietly flittered about. Without so much as a word, they separated and flew about outside of the lifeboat.

"They will enter the tanker from numerous entryways and make their way inside. Then they will reform at an opportune spot." Sai leaned back and closed his eyes, keeping his hands in their final kata: Nezumi, the Rat. "I will need you to keep watch while I do my work."

Sasuke was silent as he kept a hand on his katana.

The tension was getting intense now.

xxxx

So many horseflies.

Buzzing about, entering in at random intervals. All in all, it took them about ten minutes to file into the tanker, entering through ventilation shafts and the various nooks and crannies that abounded aboard the ship.

The last horsefly to come in was suddenly smashed against the wall outside the bridge door by Numa. "Damn flies…" Removing his hand, he suddenly paused.

Why had he sensed a flow of chakra escaping from the horsefly as it had been squashed?

Raising his hand, he grimaced. Ink?

His nose began twitching. Something was wrong.

"Hmph." The Sawa-nin kept his senses open. Something was fishy.

xxxx

/Supervisor Compartment, Within Hold, R.C.S. Shindaisha/

A man in the uniform of the River Country's military – dark green, with a long triangular cap bearing a badge with the symbol of the River Country – calmly spoke into the microphone, directing instructions throughout the hold.

Dull duty, really. Not much to prepare for now. Not when everything was almost complete.

Still, it was his job.

"Make sure your rifles are in working order. Review on what to do if they jam. Raise the bulkheads in preparation for the operation."

Etcetera.

Boring.

Alas, it was his job.

But he didn't notice a horde of horseflies quietly converging behind him, morphing and coagulating into the form of a Konoha-nin.

Sai's clone stared at his surroundings. Dim and murky; a single glass panel separated this room from the hull. Even from here, the hold's dusty yellow lighting revealed that the tanker's bulkheads were rising. But why? Hmm. He glanced to his side; a small door led to the communication equipment that relayed the microphone's transmissions to the rest of the ship.

Perfect.

The Sumi Bunshin quietly crept up behind the man, his right hand swiveling around his left hand's index finger, lengthening into a long, sharp, inky spike. His right hand then slowly reached for the microphone's On/Off switch.

The man droned on. "Make sure all shells have been loaded. All vehicles must be fuelled to maximum levels."

The microphone was suddenly turned off. "Hey-!"

SHICK.

Through the neck. A cut through the brain stem from below, skewering the actual brain as well.

Quick. Painless. The man was gone in seconds. He blacked out and was gone. The shinobi of ink retracted his finger and returned it to normal.

Sai's clone calmly dragged the body into the equipment closet and closed it tight. Turning off the only light in the compartment – which really didn't do much to illuminate the place anyway – he immediately left, creeping towards the nearest set of pipes and latching onto them. Clambering in absolute silence, the former ANBU slinked along the walls and then along the ceiling, using his chakra to cling to the pipes. Although the hold was reasonably well-lit, the light did not extend to the ceiling.

Sai's doppelganger was nothing more than a shadow.

He finally reached a set of rafters that along the edges of the hold (apparently for maintenance use). Fortunately for him, the bulkhead sluices – small openings in the bulkhead that could be opened or closed from the deck above – were open, allowing the rafters to span from compartment to compartment in the hold.

Sai's clone gazed at everything he saw. "Hmm." Settling on one image, he closed his eyes.

A small cloud of horseflies drifted away from his body; a large chunk of his back was gone, revealing only ink in its wake.

Sai repeated this process seven more times. By the seventh – the eighth one in total – he was nothing more than an inky stick figure with a human face.

His work done, the clone dispersed into horseflies, flittering about for the nearest exit to the outside.

It was about this time that the dead body was found.

Numa snarled at the stench of the man's blood. But what made his eyes narrow in a dangerous glint was the sight of ink at the wound.

Ink. Just like that horsefly.

Numa immediately reached for the small radio transceiver attached to his neck and set it to the open frequency of all nearby Sawa-nin. "We have an intruder onboard. Considering the political situation back home, I'd say it's either a Suna-nin or a Konoha-nin…my money's on the latter. Be on the lookout."

"Hai." Twenty voices replied.

Numa switched his frequency to that of the bridge. "This is Numa. Increase speed. Ram into the port."

"Sir, but-!"

"We've been compromised. No use in pretending anymore. DO IT."

"…yes sir."

Numa scowled as he stormed out of the Supervisor Compartment. The plan had to go forward now…but now he would have to take a more proactive role. No matter though; he was in command of twenty Sawa-nin, all Jonin and Chuunin. They were here for one reason: to counter any shinobi that threatened to circumvent this first strike.

Nothing would stop their Raigunryo… the Lightning War of the River Army!

xxxx

/Daimyō Suimaru's Residence, Namimori District, Wave Country/

Suimaru, the daimyō of the Namimori District, had a much larger residence than Tazuna. Almost like a mansion; he was a businessman in the transport industry who had hit it big after Gato kicked the bucket. Granted, he was more humble and modest in his business pursuits (no one wanted a Gato copy); he was very much a good man.

And he was good at business.

Which was why he was considering the various advantages and disadvantages of setting up a trade relationship between Konohagakure and the Wave Country. "Hmm…you make a compelling case Yamato-san…" The man rubbed a hand through his slicked back hair of light brown, his wrinkles and defined cheekbones making him look older than he really was. "A trade agreement with Konohagakure will allow our country's products to be distributed through the second most important city in the Fire Country, behind only its capital. Konoha's relatively close proximity to the four countries of Waterfall, Grass, Rain, and River makes it a lucrative place to set up shop. Likewise, the presence of businesses here in the Wave Country would allow your local businesses easy access to our ports: a very attractive venture for a landlocked village like yours. The only disadvantage I could see is that business from other countries like Water and Lightning might worry about a close relationship between us and Konoha, especially if their own shinobi villages carry enough clout."

Yamato sighed as he glanced at Suimaru, Tazuna, and the other twenty-one daimyō of the Council of Lords. "Well, I'm sure it's a concern of sorts. However, considering how a number of your districts possess ports of their own, I'm sure it could be arranged that businesses in Konoha have access to only a few of them. Water access won't be monopolized by us; after all, we are just one village. Concentrating on just a few districts is better than trying to spread ourselves thinly over all twenty-three."

A number of murmurs came across the circular table, as the daimyō debated amongst themselves about the merits of Yamato's proposal. Sakura couldn't help but marvel at how well he had worked the room. Wow. He should be Konoha's official negotiator.

"I can't find myself disagreeing. It allows us to work around other trade agreements as it is; for instance, my district is out of the question." The bald daimyō of the Namienkai District twirled his moustache with a smile. "If you all will recall our last meeting one month ago, the trade agreement we established with the River Country gave them exclusive use of the Namienkai District's port. A bit exclusive, sure…but it's been a boon for us."

A chorus of nods from the other daimyō greeted him…but Yamato and Sakura both frowned.

Namienkai was where the tanker was supposed to be docking.

Sakura grimaced as she gazed out the window to the south. Sai-baka…Inari-kun…Sasuke-kun…be careful…

And you can't really blame Sakura for calling Sai a baka.

xxxx

/Lifeboat, R.C.S. Shindaisha, En Route to Wave Country/

Sai opened his eyes. "Done." He sat up, looking at Sasuke. "Any disturbances?"

"No."

"Good." He looked down at the open scroll in his lap, his hands still in the kata of the Rat. "The first picture should be arriving any second now."

As Sai had said, a stream of horseflies quietly filtered in under the covered lifeboat, merging with one segment of the scroll, forming a square-shaped picture.

It was an image of a soldiers, all in uniform, standing in position. All in the hold.

Sasuke frowned. "Are those rifles in their hands?"

"Apparently so," remarked Sai.

"…so this is an invasion force."

Soon came the second stream. This was an image of a rack of rifles. The third picture was of number of boxes that the soldiers had gathered around, pulling out supplies and other equipment. The fourth picture was of three Sawa-nin.

Sasuke scowled. "Marsh ninja."

"Protection for the soldiers, apparently."

"How many?"

"Unknown. If I were staging an operation of this scale, at least ten."

The fifth picture was of soldiers participating in a target practice drill. They were all pretty good shots. The sixth picture was of wheeled machines that could hold one driver and a person in a passenger pod to the side. "What are those? Bicycles?"

Sai answered, "Considering the River Country's rapid technological advancement, I would surmise that they are self-propelled vehicles."

"Kind of like small carriages that don't need a horse. Sounds interesting," replied Sasuke with a smirk. This was getting to be an interesting mission.

The seventh picture was of large, cylindrical shells. And the eighth…

Sasuke and Sai's frowns deepened. "This is…"

"I believe the parameters of this mission officially need changing," remarked Sai. "This picture shows at least thirty."

"They aren't playing around." The Uchiha felt an odd tingle down his spine. The battle against Akatsuki and Orochimaru had presented its own unique challenges…but this was honestly something he had never encountered before. A force of at least several hundred men, bearing advanced weapons…accompanied by shinobi, to boot?

Four Leaf ninja against all these guys, huh? Sasuke chuckled. The odds of victory against such an overwhelming force were slim.

But it didn't matter.

As if feeling the silent eyes of Uchiha Itachi staring at his back, Sasuke quietly thought, Don't worry about anything…my victory over you was no mere fluke. I'll prove the strength of the Uchiha here and now!

Sai gazed outside of the lifeboat to the north. With a casual tone – as though he were discussing what to wear for the day – he observed, "Hmm. We're about to ram into the port."

xxxx

/Port, Namienkai District, Wave Country/

"Why isn't the Shindaisha slowing down?"

Good question, thought Inari as the massive tanker neared the docks. A number of rafters and railways had already been extended to service the ship and let the crewmembers onshore. Pumps were set up to suck out the oil and store it into large storage tanks.

They should've slowed down by now.

Why not?

The workers all began to sweat as the Shindaisha kept coming closer…and closer…AND CLOSER…

"It's not stopping! RUN!!!" screamed one of the workers as he fled for his life. Naturally, most of the people took his lead. The men ran for all the worth as the tanker neared.

Inari grimaced as he hid behind one of the large storage tanks. What's going on here?!

Collision.

THOOOOOM…

An immense, booming sound as wood splintered, concrete cracked, and metal crumpled. The bow of the tanker rumpled from the blow…but it still floated.

That's when a large hatch – certainly not a specific part of any tanker Inari had ever seen – dropped, allowing access to the hold via a ramp. The hatch slammed into the ground, embedding itself in the rubble of the docks.

Then they came.

Dozens of men, garbed in dark green uniforms with gray backpacks, thick helmets, and long sticks that had a hole in the tip. Inari had no idea what the odd contraptions were…but he knew an attack when he saw one. What the heck is going on? Are these all Nukenin?!

No…it couldn't be. Something felt off about these guys. What was going on?!

Then…the things emerged.

Their wheels, covered by treads, whirred. Thick, gray metal stood hardily, reflecting the light of the rising moon; the only discoloration came in the flag of the River Country that was painted on their sides. Long barrels gleamed in the dim light, screaming a deadly aura that was completely offsetting. How could such odd contraptions – as large as two horse-drawn cargo carts put side-by-side – exude such a lethal presence?

They were accompanied by smaller vehicles; the motorized bicycles, each housing two men: one as the driver, one in the small pod that was attached to the side.

So many men, so many things…Inari's mind boggled at the scale of it all. What the…?

Then the twenty-one Sawa-nin hopped down from the tanker, landing atop the large vehicles to the rear. The color drained from Inari's face as the shinobi began to disperse. What the! Ninja?!

Numa grinned. "Now…the tanks shall strike first! Unleash the River Army's Raigunryo upon this puny land! Front line of Kurohyougunsha: FIRE!!!"

The barrels of the Kurohyougunsha – Panther Tanks – in the front unleashed a salvo of fiery metal.

Explosions lit up the night, signaling the arrival of war.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

The River Army's Raigunryo Strikes! What will Team Seven do?!

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well. It's certainly been a while. College is painful…and I am never beta-reading ever again. Sorry Tellemicus, beta-reading Legacy of the Rasengan was nice, but it absolutely killed my updating schedule.

NEVER SHALL I ABANDON MY WORK!

Chapter turned out to be longer than I thought. The battle takes place next time.

Well, war is once again back. Astute readers will obviously note that the River Army's inspiration was the army of Nazi Germany: down to the style of warfare (Lightning War: Blitzkrieg and Raigunryo).

Sai is going to be an interesting character for me. I think his abilities have a lot more practical uses than have been currently shown in the manga. And his comments about privates now center on Sakura instead of Naruto. Personally, I think they're more appropriate. ;)

Expect some contiguous updates. Hopefully ya'll won't go that long without an update ever again!

See you soon, and please review!