Next Chapter of Blood Is Thicker Than Bone. With the aftermath of the attack and Sarutobi's passing, it is now time to recover from the losses that have happened. But the period to do so is short however, as there are still many new threats and details that reveal themselves as this is just the beginning as a much greater danger one that takes the form of Red Clouds is starting to reveal itself.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
The Entire Village of Konoha looked on at the shrine and gravesite, looks of sadness on their faces as set in the center of it was a picture of Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Sandaime of Konoha who had passed away in the attack.
Naruto Uzumaki, dressed in black like everyone else and standing next to his team looked on as many people wept and cried over the loss of the beloved man who was like a grandfather to so many people. He watched and looked on as Konohamaru cried while Asuma put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him despite the stone face expression he too was broken hearted over what had happened. Many of them held candles and walked over to the grave and sat them down paying their final tribute to the man who had given his life to the village he loved.
Sakura was next to him standing between him and Sasuke and she was sobbing and he looked at her as tears flowed down her face. Reaching over he took her hand in his to comfort her. To his surprise she didn't reject it. He looked at her and the others and then back at the Grave.
Sarutobi had given his life to stop Orochimaru, his treacherous student who had attacked Konoha two days ago. It was a period of mourning for not only his death but all the others who died as well in the attack.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at Iruka who looked down at him with a sad expression in his eyes. Naruto looked around at the people of Konoha. Gai, Kurenai, The Rookie Nine, even The ANBU he could tell had sorrowful expresssions on their faces hidden beneath their masks.
"It's alright to feel sad Naruto, you don't have to wear a mask here." Kakashi said behind him. "This is what Sarutobi would've done, His love for Konoha and desire to protect it and its people was as great as the strength he had. He would've given his life a hundred times in order to protect Konoha and the people he loved."
"Old Man…" He said sadly and bowed his head. Hard to believe he was gone, the first person who inspired him to become a ninja and vow to become Hokage. He remembered the happy memories he had with him: Eating at Ichiraku's as a kid, Catching him reading those dirty books when he was suppose to be doing paper work, The smile he gave him after beating Neji, full of pride and happy he had won. Those and other memories appeared through his mind as the realization of the man he had loved as Grandfather was gone now.
Anger crossed his eyes as he recalled the one responsible for all this, The one known as Orochimaru The Snake Sannin. And to make things worse, he had once been The Sandaime's prized apprentice and student, how could he do such a thing to the man who trained him! Stabbing him in the back and betraying The Village. He thought of his cousin the ill Kimimaro Kaguya who was hospitalized and in bad shape it looked like. He might not make it out alive the way it sounded.
Naruto looked on as others stepped forward and paid their respects to him and departed. He watched on and gave Sakura's hand another comforting squeeze as he saw Konohamaru and Asuma walk forward and paid their respects to Sarutobi. He saw Ino and her family lay a bouquet of flowers on it and Chouji and his parents laid a plate of his favorite meal on the shrine, they and others paid their last respects to him.
"C'mon," Kakashi said to Team 7 and they stepped forward and looked at the shrine. The group bowed their head paying tribute to the man.
After a while people began heading home but Naruto still stayed looking on at it.
Taking a deep breath he walked toward the Grave and stopped as he looked at the picture of Sarutobi staring into his eyes.
"Sarutobi," He said quietly. "Thanks, thank you for everything you did to me. If it hadn't been for you, I never would've even thought about my dream." He said and tears started to well up in his eyes but they soon hardened in determination. "I promise you, I promise you that I will make you proud. I will become Hokage! I'll make sure that everything you did for Konoha was not in vain, I'm going to avenge your death. I'll become a Hokage that you, The First, The Second, and The Fourth will be proud of!" He vowed
Meanwhile…
The Redhead had been dormant and quiet, rarely speaking or saying anything. Tayuya of The North Gate and one of The Sound Four of Otogakure sat in her cell a blank expression on her face. Her eyes that once held fire in them had nothing in them, not of the fire or anger she possessed before ever since her capture during the failed attack. Her chakra was sealed preventing her from able to do anything, every six hours two men would come in and force her to take a pill that would sap her of Chakra preventing her from using it or trying to escape.
Her master had abandoned her, the others hadn't even spared her a glance or tried to help her when she got injured and unable to move. They had retreated and left her for dead and she had been captured and imprisoned thrown in a dark cell with little light in it and given sparse amounts of food and water.
She had struggled and yelled and screamed cursing as loud as possible the first couple of hours but soon the realization sunk in on her that she was captured and her master had left her behind without a second glance. All she had done for him and he had left her behind.
She wished her flute hadn't been taken away, at least then she could play music to brighten her mood and make her forget for a moment at least what had happened to her.
The door to her cell opened to her surprise as six hours hadn't passed it and an ANBU walked in and stomped towards her and grabbed her by the arm.
"I'm going to enjoy making you feel the same pain and agony all of us have felt thanks to you!" The ANBU said as he threw Tayuya to the floor. The Redhead tried to stand but was kicked in the ribs causing her to cry out. "I'll make you squeal like a pig!" He vowed to her smacking her. "Don't bother crying out no one's going to hear you or come to your aid even if they did." He said to her as he pinned her down.
His hands started to reach for her shirt and she cried out and slapped at him trying to stop him. "Quiet you whore!" He shouted smacking her again. "You deserve what I'm going to do to you." He said and went to undress her
However before he could a senbon struck him in the neck and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fell to the ground unconscious. Tayuya lifted her head and looked and saw who had done it.
"You…" She said as standing in the doorway was The Toad Sannin Jiraiya who walked over.
Jiraiya looked down and spat at the unconscious body disgust in his eyes that he would try and do such a thing. She maybe an enemy ninja but Rape was something he would never tolerate. He was taught better than that as the unconscious ANBU was dragged off by others as he stayed alone with her in the cell.
"Good thing I left Sarutobi's funeral early." He said and her eyes widened and she looked downtrodden. "Many people are calling for your execution you know. Want to see you hanged in broad daylight in front of the entire village." Jiraiya said to her. "But I can help you out, if you can give us information about Orochimaru and help us out maybe I can have you placed on parole." He informed her who didn't respond.
Jiraiya looked at her and stared into her brown eyes, eyes that looked lost and confused. She hadn't expected for Orochimaru to discard her like yesterday's trash. In a way she too was another victim of his, having that accursed marking on her neck that he had suppressed.
"I advise you to think about my offer, here." He said and reached into his outfit and pulled out her flute. "Figured you might want that back. I'll talk to you again two days from now, for your sake I hope you consider it." He said to her as she took it from him.
He exited her cell and started to walk down the hallway when he stopped and listened hearing the sound of a flute being played.
Meanwhile…
Orochimaru was furious and he could not recall a time he had ever been so mad. Not only did his attack to destroy Konoha had failed, Kimimaro had betrayed him siding with that wretched Uzumaki boy, and to make things worst that damn Old Man had sealed his arms before he died preventing him from using them or any Jutsu!
A loud cry of anger and pain escaped him that could be heard all throughout the compound of the base he was at. Kabuto entered the room carrying fresh bandages to apply to his arms. The Medic paled seeing how bloody they were as he had just put them on an hour ago.
"Damn him, Damn that man!" He snarled in fury as Kabuto applied the bandages.
"Orochimaru-sama what are we to do? Not only did the attack fail but we lost Kimimaro as well when he defected and Tayuya was captured."
"Shut up! I'm thinking!" He hissed at him. First Haku took away his planned sacrifices, then Kimimaro betrayed him and to top it all off his arms had been sealed thanks to Sarutobi!
Things had not gone the way he had envisioned…
"Tsunade-hime…" He said suddenly after a few minutes as it dawned upon him. "I've got to find Tsunade!" He said and stood up surprising Kabuto.
"Sir?"
"She's the only one who could possibly reverse what that wretched man did to me." Orochimaru explained to him. "The Slug Sannin and Legendary Healer, my former teammate along with Jiraiya. I've got to find her and make her fix my arms!" He said with a hiss.
"My lord, no one knows where Tsunade has been, it's been years since she's been spotted." Kabuto said to her but was ignored.
"Yes, she could repair the damage done to them. But I must find her fast," He said and his eyes narrowed in anger. "No doubt Kimimaro is at death's door due to using his Cursed Seal in the battle against The Suna Jinchuurki and has days if not hours left, if I know that boy that is his cousin and if he's anything like Jiraiya, he'll do anything he can to try and cure him." He said thinking of Naruto who would no doubt once he had heard of her set out to find her. "Come Kabuto we must go at once." He said preparing to leave.
"Now? But sir you are in no condition to-" Kabuto's protest was cut off when Orochimaru turned his head around and extended his tongue which turned into a snake and was just inches away from sinking its fangs into his neck.
"I will be the judge of that." Orochimaru said and his tongue turned back to normal and went back inside his mouth. "Let's go, inform the Sakon, Raiga, and the others. We go now!" He said as he exited the room.
"Yes Orochimaru-sama."
The next day in Konoha…
"What?" Naruto said in surprise as he stood in front of Kakashi and others in a room.
"You have been selected to become Chunin Naruto." Kakashi said to him.
"What? But why? The Exams were cancelled after the attack." Naruto said not understanding what was going on.
"True, but from what was seen you were deemed the most impressive out of all the participants, we all voted and you narrowly beat Shikamaru Nara to be selected Chunin." Tsume Inuzuka said although she seemed reluctant to speak considering the last time he meet them and called them out.
"The purpose of the Exams and the tournament is to select the one who uses the best tactics, the one who wins doesn't always become the chosen one to be made Chunin. Your skill and abilities were deemed the most impressive as no one expected you to be able to withstand Neji's Jyuken attacks and be able to defeat him." Hiashi said to him, part of him disappointed that Naruto had won as it had ruined his plan to get him in an arranged marriage with one of the Branch Females.
"You have earned this Naruto. Take it and wear it with pride." Kakashi said and handed the green vest to him.
Naruto took the green vest in his hands and ran his fingers over the fabric as he looked at it, this was what he wanted. To become Chunin and achieve his first step in fulfilling his dream. Before he had been willing to give everything for this opportunity.
And it come as a big surprise to all onlookers when he handed the vest back to Hiashi…
"I'm sorry but I can't accept it, not right now." Naruto said surprising them as he rejected it handing it back to him. "Right now, I've got too much on my mind to deal with the tasks of being Chunin right now. There's too much going on for me to accept it, being awarded and made a Chunin is a big responsibility and a huge honor but right now I'm not ready for it. Give it to Shikamaru, he'd make a fine Chunin." He said to them.
"Naruto…" Kakashi said looking on at him.
"Are you sure? You realize you'll have to retake the Chunin Exams again and who knows when or where it will be held." Hiashi asked him honestly surprised along with many others not expecting him to decline it.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I've got a lot going on right now that I need to focus on and I'm afraid that I'd neglect my duties as a Chunin if I was made one with all that's happening." Naruto said to them all. "When the next time it is held, I'll prove that I am worthy of becoming one and wearing it."
"…Very well then, we respect your decision Naruto Uzumaki. Shikamaru Nara shall be informed he was made Chunin soon enough."
Naruto left the building and looked at the surroundings at the damage that had been done due to the attack, repairs were being made but it would take time for Konoha to fully heal over what had happened. He looked around at the buildings that had been damaged and destroyed and the lives last and his gaze stopped at the hospital were Kimimaro was at. The white haired boy who had defected to the Leaf and helped him in defeating Gaara was there, strapped to numerous machines and on life support and the doctors weren't giving him much longer to live.
There had to be a way to save him, his blood that had healed him before wouldn't do the trick as the disease was too strong for it to fully heal him.
He thought of Tayuya and anger entered his heart at the fact she had betrayed them it seemed like, she was locked up and he hadn't gone to see her but he was hurt over what she did. Having really been a ninja under Orochimaru, he had started to care for the girl thinking of her as a friend during that month period of training and she had gone and aided him.
"Naruto," A voice said and he looked and saw Sakura and with her was many others including Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Shino, TenTen, and others. Sasuke he could see in the back looking on as well.
"Shikamaru, congrats. You're being made Chunin." He said surprising the lazy boy. "They decided you did the best out of everyone."
"Troublesome, figured they would've picked you instead." He replied.
"Y-You've g-gone through a l-lot Naruto." Hinata said twiddling her fingers not looking up at him.
"I'll be fine, I've just got a lot on my mind as of late."
"Your cousin?" TenTen asked looking at him remembering how she fought the white haired ninja who defeated her easily as it was revealed Kimimaro and Naruto were related.
"Yeah, that's part of it. I'll talk to you all later." He said and turned and started to leave.
"Naruto," Sakura called out to him. "Remember we're here for you if you ever need help." She said to the blonde.
Naruto looked back at them and nodded and went on his own.
Elsewhere…
"Ya hear? I heard someone tried to attack Konoha during the Exams recently. I heard The Sandaime died from his wounds."
"That's just gossip, you shouldn't believe everything you hear."
A group of men were talking to one another in the bazaar of the medium sized city located in Fire Country. The group chatted amongst themselves exchanging rumors and stories they had heard.
As they talked they were unaware that a person was listening in to their talk with interest. Listening in, the feminine appearing boy listened to their talk.
"So he went and pulled it off anyway, sounds like he failed though. Good." He said as he heard them talk about what had happened. His disgust at the man's tactics and methods leaving him to abandon him and his followers and thwarting his plans by taking away the three he had planned on using.
"I hear one kid, some blonde boy beat a Hyuga prodigy who was favored, they say he could pull out his bones and use them as weapons!"
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of, you're just making that up!"
The boy smiled guessing the name of the boy who had done it pleased he was doing well.
He walked through the bazaar of the City and soon came to the Inn he and the others where staying at while they were here. He entered the building ignoring and being ignored by the patrons as he ascended up the stairs and came to a door and knocked fast two times and then slowly three more times and felt the door was unlocked.
He opened it and stepped in looking at the three former Sound Nins.
"Haku." Kin Tsuchi said to him with her Zaku Abumi and Dosu Kinuta the four having fled Konoha the night before Orochimaru had attacked. Evading their fate as sacrifices used for Edo Tensei.
"We've been hired for a job." He said to them.
At Konoha…
Naruto was by himself staring down into the water of the lake looking into the clear blue water as he saw the fish swim in it without a care in the world. He envied them at the moment, they didn't have anything to care about happening to them with their simple lives. His life with all that had happened was anything but simple.
Suddenly he felt two presences behind him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he sensed danger. Faintly he heard the sound of footsteps on the grass and they soon stopped as they got closer.
For several long minutes he stood there not moving as his back was to whoever was behind him. Finally he slowly turned around and looked at who was standing before him.
Two men, each one wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it. Each wore a traditional hat to cover their head and both men had their nails painted and wore a ring on one of their fingers with a symbol on it. The first one it seemed had blue skin and cold cruel eyes with black spiky hair underneath his hat and a grin on his face revealing several sharp teeth. Strapped to his back was a sword covered up. Across his forehead he wore a hitai-ate with the Mist symbol with a cut across the middle of it. A deep throaty chuckle escaped him as he looked at Naruto who turned his attention to the other one.
The other one was quiet not saying anything but as Naruto looked at him and stared at him seeing his hitai-ate he wore that had the Leaf symbol and a slash across the middle of it. Naruto looked at him and saw his eyes recognizing them instantly and what they stood for.
The Sharingan…
"So…you're Itachi Uchiha. The one who murdered his best friend for power and wiped out all his family on a whim." Naruto said looking at the taller ninja before him who stared at him silently. "Missing Nins don't really belong here, there must be something important you want coming to a place that wants you dead." Naruto said casually looking at Itachi.
His companion let out another chuckle in amusement his grin growing.
"You…" Itachi finally said pointing a finger at him. "I want you Naruto Uzumaki, or to be more precise. I want the Kyuubi that resides in you." He said to him. Naruto looked at him and narrowed his eyes.
"Itachi, should I cut off his legs to keep him from running?" The Shark Man asked him starting to reach towards his sword.
"Easy Kisame, there is no need to resort to your methods just yet." Itachi replied calmly.
Naruto glared at the two.
"Naruto!" A pair of voices cried out and Naruto turned his head and saw Asuma, Kurenai, and Might Gai appear running towards him.
"Get away from him!" Might Gai shouted and leapt at Kisame and kicked at him who dodged it getting his sword out but keeping it unraveled. Asuma using his speed had his trench knives in hand and slashed at him using a wind element to send razor cuts which he dodged avoiding the attacks.
"Not like the other ones, the last ones were left to die by their village when they came to get them." Kisame said in amusement as he blocked Asuma's attack. Gai appeared from behind using his speed and kicked at him knocking his hat off revealing his head and hair. He lashed at him with his sword which was still raveled. Kisame formed hand symbols and fired a giant ball of water at them knocking them down. Gai got up and activated the gates and rushed at Kisame surprising the Shark like ninja who avoided his attack. Gai threw a fist that the friction in the air caught on fire and his hand became engulfed in flame narrowly missing Kisame. Might Gai then leapt over him and appearing behind him grabbed the handle of his sword.
To his surprise however, spikes protruded from the hilt almost impaling his hand. "Samehada doesn't like it when someone aside from me touches it." Kisame said and swung at Gai but was blocked by Asuma.
"Now!" He shouted and suddenly The member of the Seven Swordsmen was surrounded and ensnared by vines and sharp branches trapping him. He looked and saw that Kurenai having stayed behind had cast the Jutsu on him trapping him holding him in place.
However it suddenly broke making him get free and the Genjutsu expert found herself trapped in her own Jutsu. She struggled to get loose but was unable too as her own tactic was being used against her. Itachi was revealed to have used his Sharingan to reverse her attack making it affect her instead of Kisame.
"Now you die!" Kisame shouted and threw his sword at the trapped Jonin looking to kill her. Kurenai braced herself for the attack seeing no way out.
Suddenly the branches and vines holding her vanished and Kakashi with his mask down revealing his Sharingan eye grabbed her and pulled her out of the way before it could hit her.
"Hatake Kakashi, it's been a while." Itachi said looking on at him who narrowed both his eyes at the two.
Before he could say anything a voice yelled out full of fury and rage.
"Itachi!" Sasuke shouted running towards the scene having heard the commotion and seeing his brother for the first time in years.
"Hello brother…" Itachi said to him who was seething with rage.
"YOU!" Sasuke shouted charging at Itachi murder in his eyes. "Fire Release: Great Fireball!" He shouted and fired a large fireball at him from his mouth. The attack hit him dead on and seemingly consumed him but when the smoke cleared Itachi was unharmed.
"Pitiful, this is a fireball!" Itachi said and forming a Jutsu fired his own Fireball which was twice as large as the one Sasuke had fired.
"Move!" Kakashi shouted and they leapt out of the way as it destroyed all in its path. The Jonin fell to one knee feeling exhausted from having to use the Sharingan to save Kurenai "Sasuke stay back don't do anything!" Kakashi shouted at him but to no avail as he charged him again activating the cursed seal as the sounds of loud chirping was heard.
"Chidori!" He shouted and thrusted the attack at him but Itachi dodged it and reappeared behind and jabbed him in the back with a finger sending him crashing through a tree breaking through it.
"I must admit I was expecting more from you Sasuke…" Itachi said to him who slowly struggled to get up. Sasuke got to his feet and turned but was grabbed by the throat Itachi appearing in a blur and his eyes changed activating the Mangekyo Sharingan he had.
Images swirled through Sasuke's mind as the day he discovered his clan and family dead went through his mind and he cried out in pain and terror at what he was re experiencing. Itachi dropped him on the ground looking down at him nothing in his eyes a stunned look in the younger Uchiha's eyes.
Naruto looked on shock at what he just did and effortlessly defeating Sasuke like it was nothing. Itachi turned his head and looked at him and Naruto gritted his teeth. He suddenly sensed something from behind and he turned but wasn't quick enough to avoid Kisame slamming his sword into his rib cage knocking him to the ground. Naruto got up and getting several bones out threw them at Kisame who deflected them with Samehada.
Naruto followed it up with combining two swords into one and charged him and slashed but Kisame dodged it and swung his sword and his sword broke through his bone swords surprising Naruto who narrowly dodged his next attack.
"Ugh, what a pest you are being." Kisame grumbled in irritation "To think the Uzumaki of all clans would be related to those guys and have their Kekkai Genkai." He said when Gai and Asuma reappeared aiding Naruto. The two Jonin rushed him and attacked and the Mist Ninja avoided their attacks expertly as they fought.
"This foe is beyond you Naruto, get out of here." Kakashi said to him.
Kisame using a clone knocked Asuma aside and using it trapped Gai in water and was ready to cut off his legs when suddenly a battle cry was heard. The Shark man whipped around and looked up and his eyes widened in shock as Kimimaro leapt down at him and slashed at him across the chest with a sword.
Kisame howled in pain and stumbled backwards as it cut through his cloak and blood spilled out of it and he reached at his chest. It was a small wound and one that should heal in time but the fact he had cut him infuriated the Swordsmen. "What the?! YOU!" He shouted at Kimimaro who was panting heavily struggling to stand on his own too feet. "You just made a big mistake my friend!" He snarled and slashed at him with Samehada and Kimimaro avoided it in the nick of time and swiped at him with a bone sword which he blocked.
Kimimaro panted breathing hard having just made it in time. He had sensed what was going on and got out of the hospital despite the attempts to hold him back and made his way there. Forcing his body to go and push it beyond its limits in order to get here.
"Hmph, I can tell just by looking that you don't have much longer left. I know you, you're Kimura's boy." He said with a smirk recognizing him as the son of the Kaguya Head. "You have his self destruction tendencies though for ticking me off!" Kisame said to him and swung at him and Kimimaro blocked it but staggered backwards, if he was even remotely healthy he could hold his own but with the condition he was in he knew he likely wouldn't last long against the S class nin. "Last of the Kaguya and Last of the Uzumaki, looks like I'm going to eliminate two clans today!" He shouted and swung at Kimimaro who formed several blades out of his chest and blocked the attack and he slashed at Kisame who dodged it.
"It's been years since someone actually left a cut on me, for that I compliment you! Water Release: Water Shark!" He shouted and fired a pillar of water taking the shape of a Shark which hit Kimimaro knocking him to the ground.
Kimimaro tried to get up but began coughing and clutching at his chest in severe pain. He started to cough up blood as he was having an attack. "Now you die…" Kisame said and unraveled his sword preparing to kill him.
Suddenly before he could he and Itachi were suddenly transported and found themselves inside something a giant red enclosed wall it looked like with acid around them. "What trickery is this!" He said in surprise.
"Kisame don't let the acids touch you!" Itachi shouted dodging the dripping fluids. Kisame batted away at the walls keeping from being crushed "This way." He said and took off and Kisame followed after him and the two soon saw an opening and exited through it and found themselves facing a white haired ninja glaring hard at them and with him several other ninjas.
"Akatsuki, I should've guessed you would've shown up eventually." Jiraiya muttered.
"Akatsuki?" Naruto said not understanding.
"A organization hidden in the shadows that consists of elite ninjas all of them S Ranked missing nins. Orochimaru was once a member of the group…" Jiraiya said to him who looked on.
"Jiraiya, The Toad Sannin. Kisame it is best we leave." Itachi said to him who nodded reluctantly and the two disappeared in a swirl of leaves making their exit.
"Akatsuki, they've revealed their hand at last." Jiraiya muttered watching them leave. "I didn't expect them to appear so soon though." He said as he looked on as several people tended to Sasuke who had a blank look in his eyes as if he was staring into the abyss. He wasn't speaking or anything as they tried to get a reaction out of him but to no avail.
Naruto looked on at what happened as the injured were tended too and thinking back of what just happened. Now they were after him as well?
"Naruto!" Jiraiya called out. "C'mon help me take Kimimaro back to the hospital, we've got to get him back there before its too late."
Jiraiya looked at him and at Kimimaro who was coughing up blood. Sasuke was being tended to as well the boy stunned he couldn't even lay a finger on Itachi.
(His only hope of living maybe her.) He thought to himself
The next day…
"If we're going to save your cousins life Naruto, there is someone we must find." Jiraiya said to the blonde haired who looked at the unconscious Kimimaro asleep on the hospital bed not moving. The only sound other than the machines was his faint breathing "Right now he's barely living, if you can call that living. Sooner or later he will die of the disease he has. He's lucky he didn't yesterday when he saved you. None of the medics here are capable of healing him, nor anyone else in the world most likely."
"So am I just suppose to give up and let him die?" Naruto asked him looking up.
"No, that's not what I'm saying. There's a person who perhaps has the best shot at saving him and eradicating that disease. Someone who can also heal Sasuke as well as he was affected by Itachi's attack, he'll recover but it will take some time for him to fully heal. But the problem is finding her."
"Who is she?" Naruto asked curious.
"The Slug Queen and Sarutobi's third student and my former Teammate. Tsunade." Jiraiya said to him with a smile. "She's perhaps the greatest Medic to ever live, if anyone can heal Kimimaro it's her."
"Where is she? Let's go!" Naruto said standing up.
"Hold on, that's the problem, no one really knows where she's at as she went around the same time we all went our separate ways. I ain't seen her since after you were born Gaki. I've only heard rumors of where she's been but she's our best shot. There's a number of towns that have casinos and she's likely to be found gambling there. If we find her we'll have to convince her to come back here and heal him." Jiraiya said to him.
"We still don't have a clue as to where she could be. If we go one place she'd be at another." Naruto said feeling a bit disheartened but Jiraiya only smirked.
"That's where she's coming in." Jiraiya said and the door opened and in stepped being escorted by two ANBU was Tayuya her hands covered in chakra restraining cuffs.
"What's she doing here?" Naruto asked pointing an accusing finger at her remembering what she did.
"I've talked to her and she's agreed to help us find Tsunade in exchange for not being executed. I've found out that Orochimaru has also been tracking Tsunade these past years and her most favorite spots to go, Tayuya knows the information and will give us aid. Won't you Tayuya-chan?" He asked with a smirk to the girl.
"Up yours you fa-Ahh!" Tayuya started to say but cried out as Jiraiya formed a seal as she felt a sharp pain go through her shoulder near her seal as he had put it on her that he could activate to keep her under control, once she had given her aid and done so he would remove it. "Fine…" She muttered through gritted teeth and the pain went away.
"Alright then, remove those cuffs they won't be necessary." Jiraiya ordered and the ANBU did so and she shook herself loose of their hold.
Naruto glared at her with suspicion not trusting her considering what happened before but he felt he had no choice in the matter, if she knew where Tsunade could be he'd have to put up with it.
"Alright then, go gather supplies and gear Naruto. We'll leave in the hour." Jiraiya said to the blonde who nodded.
He looked back at Kimimaro making a silent vow to find Tsunade and bring her back so she could heal him.
A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.