A/N: I am so, so sorry for how late this is coming out. I completely bungled my schedule this week, and got sick last weekend, but I've written through that stuff before.

On the brighter side, I do feel a little better, so you can expect consistent, weekly updates again for the foreseeable future. I still very much enjoy writing this story when I'm not a total mess lol.

This chapter will be rather predictable, as there are some things that just *need* to happen to set everything into motion, but my hope is that it's well-written enough to keep your attention.

And so, it begins. The final arc of Into The Abyss. It's been a long road getting here, and really not the easiest at times, but I've loved it, and I hope you guys have too. The goal is to make this a worthy ending to the fic. Both emotionally and dramatically.

Time for Chapter 66

Enjoy!


Shikamaru's eyes snapped open as he was shaken by the shoulders. When exactly he had fallen asleep, he could not recall. Sitting up slowly, the Chunin scanned his surroundings. He was situated on a bench, with the gate of the northern border fifty-odd feet to his right. His head was aching, and a sharp pain was nagging at him from the back of his neck.

"Rough night?"

Shikamaru flinched and looked left, where he was greeted by the sight of Kotetsu Hagane, one of the Chunin who regularly patrolled the border. He looked some combination of amused and concerned, with a leaning toward the former. Rubbing his head and neck, Shikamaru let his legs fall over the side of the bench and sat up straight. As he did so, memories flooded back in at rapid speed. What he recollected was bone-chilling.

"He was butchering people."

"I'm prepared for that."

With every word that poured back in, anxiety built up in his gut. He had caught her halfway. There had been a chance to put a stop to it all before things could truly fall to pieces, be it through words or force, and he had failed on both fronts. Satsuki had fled, and she had left him unconscious in her wake. Shooting up to his feet in an instant, Shikamaru quickly oriented himself.

"What time is it?" he asked frantically, earning a look of skepticism from Kotetsu. The sun had still yet to rise, and the area around them was dark. Dawn was still on its way, it seemed.

"Half-past four." the older Shinobi replied. Shikamaru's mind raced. As far as he knew, the Hokage's office only opened for entry an hour later than it currently was. In most cases, five-thirty would have left more than enough wiggle room, but at present, it was absolutely unacceptable. Shooting up to his feet, the Nara looked off toward the administrative building. It was less than a mile and a half away. Well within running distance. There was still a reasonable chance Hiruzen was already occupying his desk, if not quite prepared for visitation.

With his mind set on the only action he could possibly take, Shikamaru took off in a dead sprint toward the Hokage building, leaving Kotetsu unaddressed and uninformed. Though he could hear the shouts of protest from behind him as he tore away, Shikamaru kept his focus on the task at hand. Though he had no way to ascertain Satsuki's rate of travel, or her exact destination, the simple fact remained that she was well over six hours ahead. No matter where she was headed, or who she was with, there was ground to be made up.

The following four minutes may as well have been an eternity. He ran at a pace he had never even begun to approach before, and in spite of the burning in his legs and lungs, he maintained it. Time was of the essence, and he was far from quick to begin with. Thankfully, the streets were as empty as the egregious hour dictated they should be. There were no obstacles. Just empty space to run through. With every step, Shikamaru dove deeper into the situation's implications.

If and when he informed Hiruzen of all that had transpired, it was likely that a recovery squadron would be dispatched immediately, or at least as soon as Satsuki's destination was determined with some level of confidence. Predictable as the outcome was, it had the possibility of creating a mess. Naruto, no matter how harshly he had been treated of late, was bound to be incredibly distraught. As such, it stood to reason that he would demand assignment to any team sent out in pursuit of the Uchiha. His chances of having such a wish granted were likely low.

Even on a more personal level, the unfortunate honor of breaking the distressing news almost certainly fell to Shikamaru himself. It would be an ugly scene, no matter how he presented it all. Shaking his head and wiping a few beads of anxious sweat from his brow, the Chunin pushed the stressful thoughts aside for the moment. He still had yet to complete even the first step of the process. Focus was paramount, as was his delivery of the information.

Soon enough, the outline of the Hokage building came into view through the early-morning fog hanging in the air. Picking up his pace even further, Shikamaru reached the lobby door within moments. Throwing it open, he took a rushed look around the entryway room. It was empty save for the middle-aged receptionist seated behind the front desk. The very same woman who had attempted to halt him during his quest to quell Gaara. What the Chunin did next was both wholly out of character, and entirely illegal.

With a deep breath to steel himself for the trouble he was bound to stir up, Shikamaru walked across the room, ignored the tired greeting of the receptionist, and trudged right past the desk. Immediately, the woman protested, but as with before, Shikamaru paid her no attention at all. He would deliver his message, within his rights or otherwise. Thankfully, he was more than familiar with the route to Hiruzen's office from the hallway behind the desk. Jogging along, he rounded several corners until reaching a flight of stairs.

He only made it halfway up before the sound of an entity appearing behind him froze him in his tracks. A firm hand then landed on his shoulder, slowly turning him around. Once he had fully rotated, Shikamaru saw that he had been stopped by Genma Shiranui, his one-time exam proctor, and full-time member of the Hokage's Honor Guard.

"Care to explain what you're doing back here?" Genma asked calmly. His demeanor was even, but the undercurrents of his voice made it all too clear that he would not tolerate deceit or rebellion. Shikamaru forced himself to calm down.

"I need to see Hokage-sama, and I need to see him now." he said. Genma furrowed his brow, offering a similarly quizzical reaction to Kotetsu. Unlike before, however, the Nara would undoubtedly need to explain further.

"Visiting hours don't start up for another fifty minutes or so. Can this wait at least that long?" he asked. Frustration flooded into Shikamaru rapidly. It was an unsurprising response, but a hindrance all the same. With little else to say, he told the truth.

"Satsuki's gone. She left the village last night. And before you ask, I'm completely sure." he said. Genma's usually half-lidded eyes opened wide. He appeared to believe him, hearteningly. He then took a glance up the stairwell.

"I can't promise that he'll be happy to see you this early, but I can get you in." he said curtly. Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief. Genma then released his shoulder and took off up the stairs at a brisk pace with the Nara in pursuit. Moments later, after having pushed past another few guards, the pair reached the door to Hiruzen's office, which Genma promptly opened. He then stepped inside, casting a look back Shikamaru's way before doing so. The Nara stayed put despite his impatience. He was being done a favor.

"Forgive the early intrusion, but I think you'll want to hear this." he said to the unseen leader within. Brief discussion ensued, taking up only a few moments, with the end result being Genma stepping aside gesturing for the Chunin to enter. Quickly obliging, Shikamaru stepped into the office. The door was closed behind him. As per usual, Hiruzen was situated behind his desk with a stack of miscellaneous paperwork on either side. The only meaningful deviation from the usual state of his office was the man himself, who looked positively exhausted. If he had slept at all the night before, it hadn't been much.

"Speak. My schedule is far from flexible right now." the Hokage ordered sternly, not bothering to greet the younger Ninja. Shikamaru's reply came without pause, and rife with panic.

"Satsuki left the village. She's gone." he said. In an instant, Hiruzen's mood shifted from haughty and irritated to serious and concerned. Intriguingly, however, there was no shock or surprise to be found in his features. Only unease.

"When did she depart, and with whom?" he pressed. The unsavory face and laugh of Orochimaru echoed through the Chunin's mind.

"Last night, and I'm not exactly sure. She knocked me out before I could get much out of her. But I…do know where she's going. Or at least, who she's looking for." he said. He then hesitated a moment, regathering his coherence.

"She's after Orochimaru. She wants to train under him, as far as I could tell." he finished. He was breathing heavily. Voicing the events of the previous night had not been easy. For a time, the Hokage sat in silence, processing all he had been told. When the tension threatened to finally crack Shikamaru open all over again, the old man spoke.

"What time was it when she incapacitated you?" he asked. Shikamaru racked his brain momentarily, but found that he could only muster up a vague guess.

"Midnight, maybe. She's got a huge lead on us." he said. Hiruzen nodded grimly, wringing his wrinkled hands as he pondered their next course of action.

"While I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon, I can't say I'm shocked. That girl has been unstable for months now, and understandably so. If anybody would be vulnerable to Orochimaru's manipulation, it would be her." he said. Shikamaru nodded. His thoughts on the matter were similar, if less composed.

"We need to dispatch a recovery team, and we need to do it now." he insisted. The Hokage stood up from his desk and straightened his robes.

"I agree, and that responsibility will fall to you. Consider it your first assignment as a leading Shinobi." he said. Shikamaru frowned deeply.

"Shouldn't a group of Jonin be handling something like this?" he pointed out. Though he had no personal qualms with directing the operation, he couldn't help but feel that he was underqualified.

"You'd be right in most cases, but things are still tense. I've managed to lessen hostilities between ourselves and Suna, but there are still reasons to be concerned. I need as many Jonin in the village as possible. I'll do what I can to provide you reinforcements, but it's bound to take some time, and we absolutely must move quickly." he explained. Shikamaru glanced down at his flak jacket. He had expected greater responsibility upon his promotion, but the mission being laid at his feet was far beyond his wildest projections.

"Alright, fine. What are my conditions?" he asked. Hiruzen walked over to the leftmost wall, where a continental map was pinned.

"I'm confident she isn't traveling alone, and with that in mind, she's likely being led to the Land of Sound. As of our most recent intel, Orochimaru is both the de facto leader of the nation, and resides there much of the time. Though, we aren't sure exactly where." he began, tapping Otogakure's designation on the map.

"Your mission will be to intercept her, deal with whomever is accompanying her, and return Satsuki alive by any means necessary. I'm sure you're already aware, but timing is paramount. If we miss our chance, we will not have another." he said. Shikamaru nodded, making his own personal calculations all the while. Hiruzen then returned to his desk, but did not sit down.

"Gather a team. Keep it fairly small. Six or less. I'll leave the rest to your discretion. I want you out of this village inside the next hour. Have I made myself clear?" he concluded. With one final nod, Shikamaru turned on his heel and took a step toward the door.

"Crystal."


Naruto was roused from his sleep by the sound of a fist pounding against his front door. He had awoken to worse sounds, but it was no less unpleasant for that fact. Rubbing his eyes, the Jinchuuriki sat up on his mattress. When his lucidity had fully returned to him, Naruto took a sweeping look around the room. It was empty, save for himself.

'I…guess she headed out early.' he thought to himself. Satsuki was nothing if not a cipher at times. Another set of loud knocks then echoed from his living room. They were more forceful than the first wave. Sighing heavily, Naruto quickly dressed himself in a pair of stray shorts and strolled out of his bedroom. By the time he reached his front door, whoever was on the other side was actively trying his handle. When he pulled it open to reveal the culprit, he was quite surprised to find Shikamaru on the other side, looking far more animated than usual.

"What's up? It's not even six yet." the Jinchuuriki asked. Shikamaru shook his head and stepped through the doorway without bothering to wait for an invitation. Though he likely would have complained in most circumstances, the Nara's behavior was so odd that his puzzlement overrode his irritation.

"I need you to sit down and listen to me for a few minutes." Shikamaru said, gesturing to the dining room table. Naruto briefly hesitated, but soon made his way across the room and sat himself down. Shikamaru did not join him at the table, instead remaining on his feet.

"Satsuki's gone, Naruto. She packed up and ran last night." the Chunin said. Naruto's eyes widened to saucers.

"What?" he questioned. Shikamaru pursed his lips and started pacing back and forth in the small kitchen. He was more unsettled than the blonde had ever seen him.

"I caught her heading for the border last night. I tried to talk her out of it, and she just wouldn't budge. I tried using force, and she knocked me out. I woke up on a bench less than an hour ago." he revealed. Naruto's heart had found its way into his throat. He had never entertained the notion much, but he had long harbored an unfocused fear that his teammate, now partner, would snap to the point of unreachability. She nearly had on several occasions, but for one reason or another, each and every time, things had repaired themselves. It seemed such luck had run itself dry.

"Please tell me you're joking." he said in a pained tone. Shikamaru quit pacing and took a deep breath.

"I barely joke, and never about anything serious. This is real. As much as I wish it wasn't." he answered. Several things began to come into clearer focus within Naruto's mind. Things he had noticed, but not identified the previous night. From the very start, Satsuki's demeanor had been strange. He had written it off as simple guilt, and while the assessment had likely been true in a literal sense, the assumed context had been incorrect.

It had not been the first time Satsuki had offered him an emotional outpouring. She had done so after his near-death at the hands of Orochimaru, and then again upon their reunion just prior to the final round of the Chunin exams. Yet, for all its similarities, the Uchiha's mood had not been unstable, brittle, or erratic. Rather, it had been sad and regretful. As though she was on the verge of a crossroads. At this recognition, Naruto finally synthesized the myriad of details into an explanation.

She had been saying goodbye.

It made a painful amount of sense in hindsight. Her sudden admission of love. Her rapid advances. Her melancholy disposition. It had all been to make up for time soon to be lost. As she always did, Satsuki had pushed the details to the wayside. She had told him nothing.

"Does Hokage-sama know?" Naruto asked urgently. Shikamaru nodded, folding his arms across his chest.

"He sent me, actually. For reasons I don't have the time to explain, I've been put in charge of the recovery effort. As such, I'm allowed to pick a team myself. I figured that you'd be all for it." he explained. Naruto rose up from his chair.

"When do we leave?" he asked. No debate was needed. Had he been aware of the girl's departure, he may have pursued her alone, and possibly without express orders.

"In the next forty-five minutes. We need four more people. I've got some names in mind, so it shouldn't take long. Once we've got them, we head out." Shikamaru said. Though he was as far from at peace as he possibly could be, the presence of a concrete plan eased Naruto's stress a notch or two.

"Let me put a shirt on and grab some kunai. We can head out after that." he said, jogging back toward his room. As he stepped back into the dark bedroom in a rush, Naruto quickly found himself a shirt and threw it on. He then rummaged around the ever-present mess for a few moments and gathered up what supplies he could find. Stuffing it all into a pouch, Naruto turned around to exit the room again. Before doing so, he paused and took a long look at his bed.

For just a few hours, hardly more than two, things had felt so blissfully perfect. He had been given an apology. They had reconciled. There had been laughter, warmth, and love. They had crossed a boundary together. And now, mere hours later, his world had been ripped asunder. He couldn't help but kick himself for his own lack of inquiry. He had indeed noticed her odd tones and strange mood. But he had never pressed for answers. He hadn't had the foresight to nip it all in the bud. Though, there was a significant chance she was already beyond reason by that point.

With a mind full of confusion, and a heart heavy with preemptive grief, Naruto stepped out of his room and moved to join Shikamaru.

'If you wanna throw your life away, you're gonna have to go through me to do it.'


Shikamaru looked over his ramshackle, short-notice squadron as they stood assembled by the gate. It measured six in total, including himself. Among the group was Neji Hyuga, Shino Aburame, Rock Lee, Choji Akimichi, and Naruto. Each of them had been briefed on the situation at hand, Orochimaru's involvement included, and every single one of them had reacted similarly, though with greatly variation in their intensity. They were somewhat ahead of schedule, with eight minutes remaining before Shikamaru's one-hour deadline reared its head.

Of four before him, Neji had been by far the most difficult to acquire for the mission. Not for his elusiveness, Lee had been far harder to find, but for the tedious series of explanations he had been forced to offer up to even enter the Hyuga compound in the first place. Shino had been asleep in the estate he shared with the rest of the Aburame clan, Choji had been eating an early breakfast at an all-hours cafe, and Lee had been performing a cardio routine on a rooftop on the outskirts of the village. As a whole, the recruitment had been timely, if not entirely convenient.

"Alright, we've already gone over the specifics, so I'm gonna keep this short. Our mission is to bring Satsuki home, preferably alive, by any means necessary. Our strongest assumption is that she's headed for the Land of Sound." Shikamaru said, addressing the entire team. A collective nod.

"We have concrete reason to believe that Satsuki isn't traveling alone, and that whoever is escorting her is both hostile and extremely dangerous. If and when we catch up to them, be prepared for combat." the Nara continued. Another set up nods. With nothing more left to say, Shikamaru turned toward the vast forest beyond the gate.

"Let's move!" he barked, taking off into the trees. His team joined him in an instant, settling into a rapid pace immediately.

And so, a heavy, bloody undertaking had begun in earnest.


Hiruzen blew smoke from his lips as he sat in tense silence behind his wooden desk. Shikamaru's recovery team had set out just over forty minutes ago. The Chunin's selection had been sound. Both Neji and Shino were capable trackers for differing reasons, while both Rock Lee and Naruto were extremely capable combatants, as were Choji and Neji. A well-rounded cell to be sure, led by a brilliant mind. Well equipped though they seemed, Hiruzen could not allow his nerves to settle. He was nervous. Greatly so. Orochimaru was nothing if not thorough, and Satsuki was bound to be well-guarded.

'He manipulated her from a distance, all through that seal. I should have removed it when I had the chance.' the Hokage lamented, setting his pipe down on a handkerchief. It was a lost cause now. All that could be done was to prevent the Uchiha from falling into the Sanin's hands. If she were to come under his control, it would spell disaster for the continent at large. Hiruzen knew all too well what Orochimaru wanted from the girl, and what he would become should he attain it.

Shikamaru had been entirely right in his assessment that the task of Satsuki's retrieval was better suited to a cell of Jonin, but unfortunately, international tensions had tied the old man's hands. Even if circumstances had been more favorable, assembling a group of Jonin was not a simple process. Many were already obligated to other missions, and a fair few were sticklers about pay. Though he would certainly try to dispatch a more qualified force, it was going to take time. As such, Hiruzen had immediately resorted to the secondary option, that being a team of genin unhindered by outside responsibility. What they lacked in experience, they made up for in response time.

Though the group Shikamaru had put together was more than formidable, easily surpassing many Chunin individually, a single possibility loomed large. If Orochimaru himself was accompanying Satsuki, Hiruzen had effectively sent a group of teenagers on a suicide mission. No matter how enraged Naruto became, no matter how much Shikamaru schemed, and no matter how many gates Lee forced open, none of them stood a ghost of a chance against the Sanin. All he could do was pray that Orochimaru, as he tended to do, had handed the task down to his far more palatable subordinates.

As Hiruzen pondered the many grim possibilities of the mission unfolding beyond his observation, a knock came at his door.

"Enter." the Hokage called out, sitting up straighter and clearing his throat. A beat later, Genma slipped into the room for the second time that morning.

"We've escorted him as you instructed. He's waiting in the lobby." the younger man said vaguely. Needing no further clarification on the matter, Hiruzen coolly laced his fingers in front of his face.

"Good. Bring him up." he ordered. Genma exited the office. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and while the old man certainly considered Shikamaru's last-minute assignment something resembling such, a second, much more divisive option had conveniently fallen into Hiruzen's lap. For several long moments, the elderly leader sat in near-silence, with the only sounds being the footsteps rising up the stairway beyond the office door. Just as the clock struck six, the door was opened a second time, once again by Genma.

Through it stepped two figures. One familiar, one foreign. Once the two new arrivals were firmly within the office, Hiruzen gestured to Genma, who promptly vanished into a puff of smoke. Returning his focus to his guests, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.

"Take a seat, lad. We've much to discuss." he said. With a calm air of smugness, Gaara of the Sand was provided a chair from the corner of the room by his companion, a woman with extremely pale skin, pure white hair, and red eyes. Slowly sitting himself down, the Jinchuuriki offered a pleasant face.

"How might I be of service?" he asked. His tone was formal and polite, but it was clear that absolutely none of it was genuine. The boy despised authority, and the disdain in his eyes exposed it openly. Hiruzen ignored the silent disrespect.

"I'm well aware that you've been sent as an ambassador and nothing more, but something rather…troubling has come up. Something I think you might be useful for." he said, cutting straight to the point. The arrangements for Gaara to sully the Leaf with his presence anew had been made several weeks prior. It was a shrewd political play on the part of Suna. To prove that their most dangerous commodity could be peaceful abroad would certainly boost their falling status internationally. Hiruzen hardly liked it, but he had agreed to host the Jinchuuriki regardless for the sake of relations.

In a stroke of pure, unfettered luck, Gaara's arrival had coincided with the aftermath of Satsuki's disappearance. The moment the Hokage had recognized the overlap, he had set the border patrol and Honor Guard to escort Gaara directly to his office when he arrived.

"And what would that be?" the redhead asked. Hiruzen untwined his fingers and folded his hands down on the desk.

"One of our own has gone on the run. Satsuki Uchiha, to be more exact. I'm sure you're familiar." he said. The Jinchuuriki's lips pulled into the slightest of smirks.

"Orochimaru, I assume?" he replied. Though he was rather taken aback by the suddenness and accuracy of the response, Hiruzen kept his outward calm. It made a fair degree of sense, given that Gaara was much more familiar with the Sanin than most. Even so, it was cause for questioning.

"Correct. May I ask how you knew?" Hiruzen shot back. Gaara scratched his cheek absently, his eyes drifting around the room.

"He mentioned her a day or two before the invasion. He had quite the fixation with her. I might even call it an obsession." he recalled. Satisfied with the explanation, the Hokage moved on.

"Based on what we know, which admittedly isn't much, we've deduced that Satsuki is likely being escorted into the Land of Sound, where Orochimaru's primary outpost is located. We've already sent out a recovery team." he said. Gaara raised an eyebrow.

"Who's on it?" he inquired. Hiruzen eyed his pipe, tempted to take another short drag from it, but opted against it.

"Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga, Choji Akimichi, and Rock Lee." he listed off. Gaara chuckled dryly and leaned back in his chair.

"Sorry to say, but they're as good as dead." he said. The Hokage scowled, leaning across his desk.

"And what makes you say that? Do you know something I don't?" he questioned. The Jinchuuriki was unfazed by the interrogation.

"If I had to make a guess, Orochimaru assigned his four favorite pet projects to guard her. There might be a fifth if he's feeling cautious." he explained. Hiruzen leaned back again, now intrigued.

"And you're certain none of the Ninja I sent are capable of handling this group?" he asked. Gaara thought for a moment.

"Naruto could probably handle the first four, but if there is a fifth, he can't win. Aside from him, the rest struggle. Even Lee, since his body burns out quickly." he said. Though had clarified his statement to a degree, Hiruzen could not help but feel that he was being purposefully vague.

"Good to know." he said shortly. Frustrating as it was, even if Gaara had opted to be detailed, the information would never reach the group in time to matter. Adjusting his hat by its brim, Hiruzen laced his fingers a second time.

"As I'm sure you've gathered by now, I'd like for you to pursue them, and act as extra manpower. Backup, as it were." he said. Though it was not commonplace, Kage were capable of commanding foreign Ninja so long as said Ninja were within their area of jurisdiction, which Gaara obviously was at present.

"I'd be happy to. Just one question, though." Gaara said. Hiruzen nodded and awaited further extrapolation. Gaara quickly took the cue.

"Am I allowed to exercise…lethal force?" he asked. Though he hid it well, the Jinchuuriki's voice had the slightest hint of relish mixed into it. Hiruzen exhaled through his nose.

"Within reason." he said. Debating definitions would waste more time than could be afforded. Risky and very nearly wrong as it felt to dispatch Gaara, over whom the old man had practically no control, the fact remained that the Jinchuuriki was an extremely powerful asset. One that could likely turn the tables on his own if push came to shove.

"Good enough for me. I accept." the redhead said. Hiruzen stood up from his desk, prompting Gaara to rise to meet him.

"Leave as quickly as possible, and move swiftly. You're free to go." he said. Gaara then stepped around his chair and moved to leave the room, with his pale comrade beating him to it. For a short moment, Hiruzen and Gaara were alone. Taking full advantage, the Hokage made his voice heard one last time.

"One more thing, actually." he said. Gaara halted, glancing back over his shoulder. Stretching up to his full height, Hiruzen glowered at the redhead from across the office.

"I know exactly who you are, and I know what you've done. I showed you mercy when I found you at death's door despite that. But know this. If you interfere with this mission in any way, I will not treat you so softly a second time." he warned. If his words shook Gaara in any way at all, it did not show in the boy's posture or his eyes. Without a word, the Jinchuuriki slipped out of the office.

Alone once more, Hiruzen slowly lowered himself back into his chair, letting the tension in his frame dissipate. The sun was still young in the sky, and a tremendous amount had already happened. Far too much. Gazing out the window, Hiruzen closed his eyes in a silent prayer.

'Bring her home, and keep yourselves safe.'


A/N: Like I said up above, I owe you all an apology for how egregiously late this chapter is coming out. I promised you Tuesday, and now here we are on…Sunday. I got very sick last saturday, but I've written through that kind of thing before.

I enjoyed writing this chapter, so you don't need to worry about burnout, but I did take a while to start it. My goal is to upload again on Monday or Tuesday.

So, for this chapter, I tried my best to cut out the unimportant parts, and just give you the essentials, since there isn't much else to say about the situation that hasn't already been said. I hope you all enjoyed it regardless of how bland it may have been. And yes, I know Naruto didn't get much perspective in this chapter, but I promise you that he'll be the overwhelming focus of the arc after this point, with some Shikamaru thrown in.

I know a fair few of you are going to question why Gaara would know so much about the Sound Four, but I think that it's logical to assume that he had to deal with them during Rasa's assassination. We have canon confirmation that Kimimaro was present, at the very least, so I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that the rest could have been as well.

Also, I have a question:

For the Sound Four fights, would you prefer if I allowed Neji, Choji, and Shino's battles to happen off page, or do you have a strong desire for me to write them out? Shikamaru vs Tayuya and everything to do with Kimimaro are scheduled to be fully written, but I'm on the fence about the others.

Tell me what you think either way.

Leave me a review if you can. As always, I really do love the feedback you guys give me. Keeps me nice and motivated.

I love you all

Read and Review!