777torn777: No need to apologize haha, I always appreciate counter arguments. No, Karin is not dead, there is no point in killing her off. About the training trip, it will be for future me to decide, I guess.
X-X
Now dressed in a blue, standard Konoha uniform and his chunin flak jacket over it, Naruto looked more shinobi-like then ever. He was currently waiting for Jiraiya at the gates of Konoha. The standard shinobi uniform was oddly comfortable, the material was not hard, but it was sturdy. Unlike his kimono which provided no protection what so ever, the flak jacket could actually repel a kunai.
"Ah, here on time. I see." A voice came from behind him.
"Unlike you, yes." Naruto replied.
"Eh, lighten up a bit. This will be a long mission, we do not need to hurry." Jiraiya said.
"Will you tell me, who exactly are we trying to find?" Naruto questioned.
"The next hoka-."
"I know that, I am asking for their name." Naruto said, cutting off Jiraiya.
"Stop cutting me off, brat!" Jiraiya exclaimed.
"Will you answer me?" Naruto sighed out. It was going to be a tough mission with this childish old man.
"Tsunade Senju, of course." Jiraiya said.
"Huh? Is Konoha short on Hokage candidates?" Naruto questioned.
"Why do you say that?" Jiraiya countered.
"She has not been into the village for almost 20 years now. She is as good as a rogue." He said.
"Well, it is not like your thoughts, or mine in fact, has any weight. We are doing what we are asked to." Jiraiya said.
"Ordered to." Naruto corrected.
"Yeah yeah, ordered to. Regardless, she will be the perfect hokage." Jiraiya said.
"And why do you say so?" Naruto questioned.
"She is the grand daughter of the first and grand niece of the second." Jiraiya explained.
"So? I was not aware that the position of the hokage was hereditary." Naruto said.
"Yeah, brats your age usually shut up after hearing of her heritage, I have not prepared the speech any further." Jiraiya half sighed.
"So, do you want to learn a technique?" Jiraiya asked.
"What type of technique?" Naruto questioned.
Jiraiya just raised his hand as a blue sphere of chakra formed in his hands.
"This is the rasengan, it drills into whatever it touches." Jiraiya said.
"Hmm, I actually have a similar technique, I created it during my fight with Gaara." Naruto said, forming his chain drill.
"Well, just from the first glance, rasengan is already a superior technique." Jiraiya said.
"How so?" Naruto questioned.
"It is instantaneous, easy to hold on to, and can be released in a second." He said, the rasengan vanishing.
"Fine then, teach me." Naruto said.
"Now we are talking." Jiraiya said, summoning an air balloon and handing it to Naruto. "You have to burst this balloon with your chakra alone." he said.
"Don't worry if you cannot do it right away, it took me an upwards of three months to master the first step too." Jiraiya said.
POP.
"Hmm, it was all about power. Then I suppose next step will be about direction?" Naruto questioned, throwing away the busted balloon.
"H-hey, how did you do that?" Jiraiya asked, indignant.
"Do you think my, a jinchuriki's, chakra lacks the density to pop a balloon?" Naruto questioned.
"Yeah yeah, smart ass kids. Here, take this one." Jiraiya said, passing him a water balloon.
X-X
"Yeah, why don't you go to the hotel, Naruto? I will guide this lovely lady around." Jiraiya said, leering at the woman who had approached them.
"You will guide a local in her own village? So, you are as retarded as you are perverted." Naruto said. "Well, whatever, do what you like." He finished and headed towards the hotel, using his chain to snatch out Jiraiya's wallet. What? He was not gonna spend his own money on this.
X-X
Currently, Naruto was a the third step of the rasengan. He had completed the second step in a few hours, but it had taken jiraiya a week to find the rubber balloon. So, sitting alone in the room was the only time he could practice. He was already tired of Jiraiya's constant bickering.
DING.
Sensing the visitor's chakra, he could tell that none of them was Jiraiya. Calling a bird from his window, he asked it to get Jiraiya there somehow. Walking towards the door, he suppressed his chains that were popping out due to the vicious chakra of one of the men.
Opening the door, there were two men in front of him. They had distinct defining features. One of them was shorter and had stress lines on his face. The other one was...Well, Huge and... blue. The pair of them were wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it.
"What do you want?" Naruto questioned.
"We want you." The shorter one replied.
"I am not into men." Naruto said and shut the door on their faces. He did not have much time to dodge the sword that broke through the door, but he was successful none the less.
"As I said, you will be coming with us whether you like it or not." The shorter one said again.
"And, why would you need me, you weird old man?" Naruto questioned again.
"We need the beast inside of you." The taller one said.
"And, I will have you know, I am only 18." The shorter one said.
" Sorry, no can do. He is attached to me." Naruto replied and a dozen chakra chains erupted towards them. Staying true to their S-rank title, the two of them were able to dodge the chains easily enough, only to realize that they were not the actual target. The chains had attached to the door behind them, using the door and chains as a catapult, he launched himself towards the corridor.
X-X
A sparrow had landed on the lady's shoulder and poked into her neck, enough to draw blood. The feeling of pain, in turn, released her of the genjutsu she was in. As soon as Jiraiya realized what was going on, he sunshined towards their hotel.
X-X
"Toad Mouth Jutsu." A voice came out as soon as the duo came to the corridor, and the whole area transformed into inners of a toad.
"Jiraiya of the legendary three." The shorter one said, his eyes turning red.
"Itachi Uchiha." Jiraiya said., looking dead into his eyes.
"We cannot take him Kisame, run." The now named, Itachi Uchiha, said.
"Fine." Kisame huffed.
"I am sorry for bursting your pretty little bubble." Jiraiya said. "But, you are not getting out of here." He concluded.
Heedless of his warning, Itachi and Kisame ran towards a dead end. Just when it seemed like they will have to stop, black flames erupted from Itachi's eyes and created a hole for them to jump off of.
X-X
"Flame Sealing. Kai." Jiraiya said, sealing the black flames for further research.
"So, who were they?" Naruto questioned.
"The Akatsuki." Jiraiya said. "As far as I know, they are a organization of S-rank rogue ninja who free lance. But, recently they have shown a major interest in the tailed beasts." He explained.
"Wow, great. Now I have this to deal with too." Naruto sighed out.
"Eh, don't worry. You have plenty time to prepare." Jiraiya said.
"Yeah sure." Naruto murmured.
X-X
"This surely seems like Tsunade's doing." Jiraiya said. Naruto and Jiraiya were currently at a restricted site where the temple had fallen from an 'earthquake'. Jiraiya was looking for any clue that would lead them to Tsunade while Naruto was maintaining a purple ball of chakra in his hand.
"Hmm, nothing. She probably sunshined away from here." Jiraiya said.
"Can't you trace her chakra signature in your sage mode?" Naruto questioned.
"I could if there was any chakra to trace. Her chakra control is so impeccable, that she wastes not a single drop of chakra while using any jutsu." Jiraiya replied.
"Fine then, do you have a photo of her?" Naruto questioned.
"Yes, I actually do." Jiraiya said, summoning a photo of Tsunade and him in a bar.
Calling all the nearby birds towards him, he asked them to find the lady in the village. "Let's go, we will know of her location in a while." Naruto said, prompting Jiraiya to head towards their new hotel.
"What was that?" Jiraiya questioned.
"My information network. Well, sort of." Naruto said. "I can talk to birds." He finished.
"That's quite a skill you have." Jiraiya said.
X-X
While walking towards their hotel, a bird came to sit on Naruto's shoulder.
"Found her." Naruto said.
X-X
AN: Confrontation with Tsunade on the next chapter. Drop your reviews or suggestions. Until next time!