"The only other choice is to," he took a deep breath and prepared himself, "kill Sasuke,"

The Preparations

"Neji, Hinata!" Rock Lee cried.

"Hello, Lee," said Hinata shyly, "what's wrong?"

"Lee, what is it?" Asked Neji firmly.

"Hokage-Sama has summoned both of you to her office, we have a mission to do, a big one at that, I don't know the details, but she seemed deeply troubled,"

"Right, lets go," said Neji

"I'll go let my father know," said Hinata as she walked through the door to her house.

"Wait, both of you, this isn't an ordinary mission, that's why we need both of you, so please pack your things and supplies for a few days, perhaps more, but we must travel lightly,"

"Understood," responded Neji, who already understood the missions basics, for he was one of the original five who failed three years ago.

"Ok Lee, we'll be ready momentarily," said Hinata, who didn't understand the mission at all, but knew that her cousin understood and that it was likely to be very dangerous.

"Lee, were are your bags? Aren't you coming?"

"I have been ready for the past hour, my belongings are already at Hokage-Sama's office" said Lee cheerfully.

"Right, we'll be along shortly, it would be best for you to gather the others, I know the three of us can't return him alone, the wound may have physically healed, but I remember the mission, it couldn't have been completed without the five of us, Lee if you had been there from the start things may have turned out different that time,"

"Right, this time the team will be chosen and lead correctly, we will not fail this time,"


"Yo, Chouji, get up, we've got a mission," Shikamaru said rather loudly but yet void of any enthusiasm.

A distant grumbling could be heard, signaling Chouji was awakening to those who knew him well enough.

"Why this early, and why me," complained Chouji

"Because its probably the most important mission we'll have for a long time, Hokage-Sama might not have filled me in on the details, but I pretty much figured it out on my own, that's why you have to go," he explained

"Very well, will it be long, and dangerous?" Chouji asked as he packed food into his bag

"Both, very long, very dangerous, its been three years so we'll have to move with haste,"

"Three years from when?"

"We're going after him again,"

A dead silence filled the area, even the wrinkling of a potato chip bag was not present, Chouji finally understood the mission, and was scared, because he knew what was going to probably happen if they failed, even if the mission was a success, it almost happened to him the last time. There stood two more of the original five, both rather scared, but understood they had to do it.

"Ok," Chouji said, finally breaking the unrestful silence


Footsteps came from up the street coming towards the place of residence for another of the Ninja. A girl in a bright red dress and black undershorts, bright pink hair and emerald eyes walked up to a house and knocked on the door. She waited a few minutes with no response, until she finally heard a groan signaling the person inside was waking up. She waited another minute and knocked again. She stepped back from the door and a few seconds later a kunai's point had come partially through it.

"Tenten, come on, we've got a mission," Sakura said, "get up."

"I'm tired, its too early, come back later," Tenten yawned, very oblivious to the world around her.

"I SAID GET UP!" Sakura yelled in a voice so loud that a few dogs barked and the glass in the door rattled.

"YES, Yes, I'll be ready in a few minutes!" Tenten cried, a little startled

"Pack supplies for a few days, and for a dangerous mission as well, this is going to be thee one that tops every other one you've ever had,"

"Ok," she responded, a little confused.

"Meet at Tsunade-Sama's office when you're ready,"

"Will do,"


"BARK, BARK!" Cried Akamaru

"What is it boy, what's wrong?" asked Kiba, his companion

Akamaru continued to growl and bark to Kiba, explaining what he sensed, that someone was approaching.

"Can you tell who it is? Lets at least try and find out,"

They continued to try and discern who was coming by their smell and chakra level for a while.

"One of them is Shino, I can't tell who the other one is, did you get the same thing?"

Akamaru barked in agreement. A minute passed then there was a light knock at their door. Kiba got up and went to answer it, Akamaru went with him.

"Yo Shino, what's up?" Asked Kiba

"A mission, you and Akamaru get ready, bring supplies for a long one, also it will be more dangerous then any other we have ever been assigned, that is all Hokage-Sama said, meet at her office when you are ready, I'll see you there," responded Shino as he started walking off.

"Heya!" said the other person who had been with him., "how's it going?"

"You're Ino aren't you,"

"Yep,"

"Why were you with Shino, he's not the type to just walk with someone for a nice chat,"

"I saw him pass my family's shop so I said hi, he told me to come for a mission, I already brought my things to Hokage-Sama's office, just decided to come out and find you,"

"Alright, we'll be right there!"


"You've all been gathered here for a very important mission. Five of you should know what is going on, but its different from before. Since some of you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll explain in full. A little under three years ago, Uchiha Sasuke of team 7 fled from Konoha to a man known as Orochimaru. As I expect all of you to know already, Orochimaru is one of the three Sannin, and a very powerful man now. He created a forbidden technique that grants him immortality. However the body will rot away over time, even if the soul does not. Orochimaru's goal is to learn every single technique in existence, and then to continue to create some of his own. That is why he sought out Sasuke, the survivor of the Uchiha clan, who also has a burning desire for revenge. He took advantage of this and had Sasuke find to become stronger. Naturally the stronger Sasuke is the better for Orochimaru, because he wants to transfer into him. He wants him because of the Sharingan, the ability to see and copy Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu. This brings us to the new mission. Unlike the original, which was to return Sasuke, your mission is to now prevent Orochimaru from attaining the Sharingan at all costs. Meaning you will do whatever you must to stop him from achieving his dream. You may have to kill him, as unlikely as that is, you may have to kill Sasuke to make him useless, you may even have to destroy his eyes to make them useless. Either way, whatever you must do, I trust the eleven of you. You will also be accompanied by Jiraiya, another of the Sannin. He will not be in charge, but then again no one will. This mission is to important to bank on one person's leadership. I expect you all to work to your potential. Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Hinata, you both possess the Byakugan, which will help scout the area. I know it has a blind spot, Neji, that is the thing that made you suffer last time I remember." at this Neji twitched a little, "this time, you and Hinata must work together and assure your comrades that there is no blind spot were they can be attacked and you not inform them about it. Shikamaru, you are the most intelligent in the group, and can analyze the situation faster then anyone else, I expect you to relay this to everyone else. Everyone else, do your best, and do not let emotions of Sasuke get in the way, if he must be killed, then kill him completely, otherwise the mission will be a failure."

"YES, Hokage-Sama" they all shouted, all scared, but all knowing of what they had to do.

"'K, lets meet at the Konoha gates in half an hour, pack your bags, bring supplies and medicine, and any special things you need to help you fight and survive," Jiraiya told them.

"No problem, we expect to see you there as well," Lee told him

"Of course,"

They all started filing out of the room until Tsunade made one last call.

"Just to let you know, the time limit for this mission is roughly two days and a few hours to complete the mission in full," she said, so piercingly that all of them shuddered and started off to gather their things, "Naruto."

"What is it, we have to hurry!"

"Do not do anything rash, do not try and lead, follow and do what they ask of you, you got a little more intelligent over the past three years, but you're still the hot-headed idiot from before. DO not jeopardize the mission!"

"Tch, like I would do that, fine, but when it comes to fighting Sasuke, they all better stay out of my way!" And he ran off

"Idiot, as long as he finished this the right way," Tsunade exhaled deeply and thought throughly about what had just happened.

"Well, looks like the preparations are complete, now how much faith do you have in us actually completing this mission?" Jiraiya questioned

Tsunade had little confidence, she knew that a bunch of chuunin, even with Jiraiya, a Sannin had little chance of defeating Orochimaru and all his tricks and power, but she took another deep breath and said, "I have my full confidence that this team of 12 will complete the mission and return home with the news of success."

"Success, possibly, but with spirit, not likely," He said sullenly, and Tsunade nodded her head in agreement.