A.N. - Hey and welcome to another chapter
I'm really sorry this is a week late, and even more sorry that it might be a trend for the next few weeks, or probably April. See i am currently sorting out a mortgage for my very own place. it has been hectic and things are moving forward now so i may not be able to update until things are clearer.
i will finish the story, of that have no fear, i just might take a bit longer between chapters.
Thanks for your support and understanding, on with the Chapter
Hidden Sound Base – Deep in Fire Country.
A heart pounded, unwilling to accept the outcome. The mouth gaped wordlessly, spilling precious life essence from its depth. Arms and legs were heavy, as if caught in a struggle, unable to fight, yet unable to flee.
The mind however had already been aware. It had known the end, had seen its fate. It had been the hearts treachery that blinded the body; but now, now it would help the body accept and slowly succumb to the last rest.
Sasuke merely looked on, almost in contempt as the body slid gracelessly of his blade. He had barely exerted himself, not once had he even utilised his Sharingan, the fight had not required it.
"Next"
This was what the might of the Uchiha Clan had been reduced to. A great and noble Clan with long history, fallen to the dark of history, the forgotten tales, with only a traitor still drawing breath….
-and his executioner, trimming Orochimaru's pen.
"Next"
The ninja's around made valiant attempts to show no fear, but in the face of the Uchiha's black mood they were all wishing to be away from his presence. Even the act of fighting and dealing with Orochimaru's rejects did nothing to help; rather it seemed to feed the black mood, such that even the victims in the floor below were being driven to madness by the strain of his presence.
Even the most blind to chakra perception could tell the absolute wrongness that was Uchiha Sasuke and his 'Guardians could feel the cumulative dread grow ever more as the situation seemed to get worse.
They were running out of bodies to give the young killer, and there was nothing stopping him from turning on them.
"Next" Damn
"Forgive me, Uchiha-Dono." A messenger appeared in the room, head bowed in subservience.
"We have received word from Orochimaru-Sama. He calls you back to his side; Kabuto-Dono is on his way to escort you to him."
Sasuke turned slightly, his eyes flashed and the temperature dipped.
"I have no need of him. I will make my way back to Orochimaru."
The Messenger Nin bowed even further as he spoke hastily.
"Forgive me Uchiha-Dono, but Orochimaru-Sama had relocated bases again. As of this moment only Kabuto is aware of the next location, that is why he is coming. Since the attacks the outlying facilities have kept silent as per Orochimaru-Sama's wishes."
Sasuke paused, slowly going over the message; slowly the tension began draining from the atmosphere, allowing all present to relax.
"I want to be gone as soon as Kabuto arrives" Sasuke didn't wait for the reply as he strode out of the room.
The simple act of walking allowed much of his initial irritation to bleed from him and think more of his situation.
Since leaving Konoha there could be no doubt that he had gotten much stronger, far more so than if he had stayed with the village. Orochimaru had been a hard taskmaster, a ruthless scientist and even more ruthless ninja. He had pushed Sasuke to the very limits of his sanity and skill, and when he faltered had engineered the means so that he could keep on pushing.
Sasuke enjoyed the fruits of those many labours; the power he commanded was euphoric.
But is it enough?
That had been the lingering question at the back of the Uchiha's mind. Out there in the world his quarry still breathed free air, while the Uchiha Clan lay in tatters.
Sasuke hissed as his head throbbed. His nose itched; he ran a hand over it and pulled back, noting how ichor stained it. He could feel it still running down his nose, followed swiftly by his left eye.
He hissed again, fighting of the pain with rage, unrelenting fury until they were both one and the same.
"Uchiha-Don-"
The hesitant voice had barely finished when he struck!
A tang filled the air and his pain slowed, the fury ebbed. He took several deep breaths, regaining control over himself and blinked away the last vestiges of the ache. His brought his right hand to his face and started briefly; lightning chakra ran rampant across his digits and along his forearm. The current was so wild it sent his arm into spams. Also on his arm was blood spatter, closer inspection revealed blood along the sleeve of his top as well as the right side.
Sasuke slowly turned his head, looking behind him, and found the source as he suspected.
A body lay mangled by the left wall. A burnt and electrocuted mess, with the left side almost caved in, while the right shoulder and neck looked mauled.
At least, that could be visibly determined.
"This is getting tiresome." Sasuke sighed to himself as he slowly rubbed his face. His mind played the instant over and over;
Before the words were through Sasuke had already crossed the distance. His body was wreathed in chakra and his right hand cackled in fire. In one swift motion his had the unknown figures neck in a crushing grip and smashed the body into the left wall. His chakra burnt the figure; there wasn't even enough time for it to scream. Lighting chakra surged, further wreaking havoc across the body before Sasuke snarled in disgust and hurled it along the wall down the corridor.
Peeking through the gaps of his hand he noted the drag marks across the wall, leading from just where he stood to where the body ended up, a several feet behind him. A part of him was impressed at the force he had managed to exert in the sudden instance, the other was chastising him for his loss of control.
That had him worried. His episodes had been growing with more and more frequency as of late. Always the pain precluded the rage, and unless he managed to calm himself, nothing was safe in his presence.
Orochimaru and Kabuto had done extensive testing on his, checked his bloodwork and unravelled his genes to see what triggered the instances, and to their constant bafflement and irritation they could never find a single thing.
Sasuke snorted at their feeble attempts. He knew what it was, a boon and a curse. The blessing and the malediction.
It was the will of his clan, made manifest in him. Their cries and their curse upon him. He had sworn an oath, sold his life to end Uchiha Itachi, and his Clan had born witness and accepted. His fate was now chained to theirs. There was now only one path for him:
Find and kill Uchiha Itachi, or forever be tormented and driven to madness by the judgement of his Clan.
"It is ironic don't you think" Sasuke spoke softly, to the mangled body as he leaned against the blood stained wall, "I, who so eagerly drank from this cup, now wish I could part from it. I hear my Clan's cries every day and every night. They haunt my dreams, urging me to take the fight to the 'Traitor' and reclaim what he has taken."
Sasuke sighed and tilted his head back. His eyes closed and he slumped. A slow chuckle echoed around the empty hall.
"This is not about vengeance. This is not about justice. This is about freedom. Freedom from pride, freedom from duty, from oaths made long ago."
"My Clan is bound by traitor's blood, and only by traitor's blood can it be freed. I am bound by my Clan, and only by my Clan can I be freed. So you see, I must kill the traitor, free him from the mortal coil of life, only then can we be truly free."
"Except you" Sasuke titled his head to the body, a slight look of apology, overshadowed by the crazed look in his eyes. "I'm afraid you were freed a little earlier than you would have liked. Still, you made them stop for a time."
He sighed and sniffed slightly, the tangy scent of blood a now familiar presence after majority of these episodes.
Still, if only they would stop reminding him of bamboo….
The next didn't do much to improve the mood of the Sound base. The body had been found and quietly disposed of; it had been done enough times now that it was second nature to the Oto Nins.
Sasuke meanwhile was either unaware or simply didn't care about the feelings of the surrounding Nin. He had lingered far too long by the snake's side and was eager to begin his hunt for his treacherous brother. Kabuto had better hurry; Sasuke could feel the last dregs of his patience withering away.
Speak of the Devil…
No sooner had he blinked Kabuto was in the room. Sasuke made to speak but took note of the slightly tense stance the spy was sporting, his customary smirk replaced with a more serious tone.
"Sasuke-Kun." Kabuto gave a slight nod to the Uchiha, before turning around to bark orders.
"All the research data and sensitive material need to be stored in these scrolls." Kabuto tossed the items around the room. "Everything else will be purged. You have fifteen minutes, get started."
At that the room was abuzz with activity. Researchers and assistants scurried around, pulling out notes and files, calling across rooms, the din getting louder as the seconds crawled by.
Kabuto stepped through the noise to Sasuke's side.
"We are abandoning this base." He stated without preamble.
Sasuke turned to him unimpressed.
"And I care because? Let Orochimaru keep his trinkets and papers. Still I am glad for once we are moving quickly, I grow tired of waiting."
"Those trinkets and papers are part of the reason you have gain power, do not forget that in your haste." Kabuto intoned softly, the familiar mocking in his voice, enough to sour Sasuke's mood further
"Once we have everything of import, we can leave." Kabuto continued, not allowing Sasuke to retort.
Sasuke's mouth clicked shut and his head tilted curiously. Kabuto was looking tense. An air of anticipation was around him.
His confusion was cleared by Kabuto's next words.
"Konoha is aware of your current location. We received an unexpected gift, detailing when they will arrive and who."
"Team Seven is coming for you. And despite what some may think, I doubt Naruto-Kun intends to bring you in alive…"
It Never Rains….
Tsunade could feel her headache growing its very own headache. If she concentrated she could almost sense the sympathies it had for her as they were dealt another massive spike in pressure.
As a Medic, she knew this wasn't very good for her continued health. As the Hokage, it was a small sacrifice for the great tree that was Konoha.
As a person she just wanted to punch something soft yet hard. Something that would resist a little, before absolutely giving way to her prodigious strength.
Her attendants left a five foot radius around her.
"It never ends" she muttered as she tried vainly to stem the thumping in her skull.
"When did this happen?"
One of the attendants stirred at the query.
"The Emergency Action Message (EAM) came in early this morning Hokage-Sama. From what we can determine it was sent immediately Suna came out of lock-down."
"So, we can safely say that the Kazekage was taken around midnight. Suna protocols are similar enough to ours. They however allow for an eight hour cycle to send secure messages if they deem necessary. I would say this qualifies." Tsunade commented as she looked at the notes.
"What is their current status?"
"As of right now they are still on heightened security. We should be receiving another message anyt-"Suddenly the doors burst open. The intruder was immediately surrounded by several ANBU however none had drawn any weapons.
At her gaze the lead ANBU let the intruder through. Shaking off the shock she hastily stepped forwards.
"Forgive the interruption Hokage-Sama, but we have just received another EAM from Suna. It was marked 'eyes only' with the highest level prefixes."
Tsunade tore the paper out of the ninjas hand and gave it a quick once over.
Kuso!
"Everyone out now! Someone get me Jonin Commander Shikaku and the current head of ANBU"
Within seconds the room was clear. Tsunade continued to curse as the note continued to crumple in her grip.
Less than two minutes later the ANBU Commander was with her, followed closely by Shikaku. Without a word she handed the encrypted note to the two men as she took her place in her seat.
Shikaku's gaze was hard as he worked through the contents.
"Is there any way to verify this?" Shikaku finally queried as he looked up.
Tsunade shrugged but her gaze remained firm.
"Jiraiya is still investigating; but we can work on the basis it is accurate."
The silence did not bode well for the room.
"How many do they have right now?" Shikaku queried again.
"…three"
Shikaku swore out loud and even the ANBU Commander was tense. Tsunade nodded in agreement before she continued.
"And now with the Kazekage that would make four. Four Bijuu obtained, while the world is unaware of the dangers."
"We need to get to Suna." Shikaku spoke out, every inch the Jonin Commander he was. "We need to assemble a team and reinforce our allies. Then pick up whatever trail may be left and retrieve the Kazekage. If nothing else we can narrow down where this group might be hiding."
"My scouts will be sent further afield Hokage-Sama." The ANBU Commander spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. "We will widen our search, with any luck we will find out more about the situation."
Tsunade nodded.
"We need to recall Uzumaki back to the village." Shikaku began, this time delicately. "Given what we know it might not be the best for him to be out of the village right now…."
Tsunade understood his views, even sharing some of them. However it was an idea she meant to quash, thoroughly.
"Keeping him locked up will be a waste of talent; put aside the fact that he is our Jinchuriki, his combat skill and tactical abilities, his training under Jiraiya and his existing relationship with Suna and the Kazekage are too important to simply hold back. No, we need to send word out to redirect Team Seven."
Shikaku simply nodded at the statement. He definitely agreed with her; however it was his role as Commander and Adviser to put alternatives through, even the ones that were not often agreeable.
"Will we be able to reach Hatake's Squad in time? They would be miles from the village by now, given how driven Uzumaki-San is…" The ANBU Commander queried.
Tsunade nodded and pulled out a scroll.
"Naruto gave me this, in case of an emergency. It is one time use only." Seeing the questioning looks she elaborated. "It is supposed to be a secure means of communication, cannot be intercepted or tracked by any known surveillance jutsu."
Both Nins looked on with renewed curiosity at the scroll. They were aware of Naruto's foray into the realms of sealing. However something to ensure secure transmission over great distances, with real time updates. That was worth its weight in gold; many attempts had been made with various means, none truly breaking through.
Tsunade used her blood to break the seal; the scroll unravelled revealing a fuinjutsu script. The styling was instantly familiar to the veterans.
Summoning?
Chakra flared and smoke poured out. Immediately the atmosphere changed. While not sensors to any degree, the veterans could tell there was an additional presence in the room.
Two of them in fact.
"To use our scroll without first hearing our verdict. One could argue it is an insult, unworthy of our consideration." A cultured voice rose from the smoke, clearly unimpressed at being summoned.
"One could also argue that we facilitated the need. We offered the scroll on this basis. We even gave the boon. And consider so far he has followed our request and restrictions without complaint. It may speak well of his character." Another cultured tone countered the first. Both were eerily similar in mannerism and speech, it felt like one person arguing with himself.
The smoke cleared and Tsunade and her advisors could get a look at the new arrivals. Tsunade looked incredulous.
"Rabbits. A summons…for rabbits."
For a while neither side spoke, the newly summoned creatures took time to survey their current surroundings, content to merely observe for the moment. Meanwhile, Tsunade and her entourage could only look on baffled.
For all intents and purposes, they were rabbits. They stood just under four feet in height. Both were sporting pristine white robes over their equally white fur coats. Their ears stood at an angle, with the top end curling backwards slightly, finally on their foreheads was what appeared to by a stylised tattoo marking.
"Oh look brother" The first rabbit spoke, the sneer in his tone dripping with acid "A mon-keigh, in its natural state. It is a wonder they have managed to develop this far."
"Peace brother" The second soothed, however its gaze was somewhat haughty and stern as it focused on Tsunade. "We have our own name for us, which roughly translates to "Lagomorpha" or "Lagomorph" in the common tongue. In future I request you refer to us as such."
The implied authority in the tone irritated the senior ninjas and Tsunade. Her lip curled and she readied a comment when the second rabbit dared to stop her, with an eyebrow raised.
"If you find this difficult to accept, we can always return back to our domain. You requested us, not the other way around. As far as I am truly concerned we fulfilled our oaths to the letter. You summoned, we came."
Tsunade's teeth ground audibly, and much to her irritation the two rabbits seemed to take pleasure in her state.
"I was under the impression the scroll was a means of secure communication." She ground out slowly, pushing her tempers downwards. The first rabbit seemed put out that she was no longer rising to their baiting; she flashed a quick smirk counted a tally in her favour.
The second rabbit was much more focused on her.
"Your impression is correct. However, what is left to determine is why we should bother to do this for you."
Tsunade was ready to lash out, however a throat cleared to her left. She turned and spotted Shikaku; the Jonin Commander gave a slight nod and stepped forwards. As soon as the rabbits locked gaze with the Nara the air shifted. Their stance shifted and their gaze was more forceful and calculating.
It was an exact mirror of Shikaku's. The only difference was that he was smirking.
"As I understand, you have an oath with Chunin Uzumaki, which involves the capacity to communicate over great distances in real time with maximum security." Shikaku probed lightly, but with the grace of a shark scenting blood.
"That is one small capacity in the nature of the scroll, mon-keigh" The first rabbit drawled, slowly and with caution.
"But it is in this capacity you were summoned correct?" Shikaku queried pointedly. Silence reigned but there was a grudging air of accent from them.
"It matters little to us, your oath or contract with Naruto-Kun. However if we are to speak of honour, shall we now call yours into question. Your oath has been invoked, with clear guides as to its capacity. If you are however incapable or unwilling…" Shikaku trailed off, a guileless smile on his face.
Neither rabbit spoke for a while, the features fleeted from shock to fury, to grudging respect.
"I don't believe my brother and I got your name-"The second rabbit paused, as if unsure how to address Shikaku, before shrugging lightly and settle for neutrality- "human."
Shikaku shrugged in a similar manner
"The same could be said of you, lagomorph"
A smile grew on the second rabbits face and he turned to his pensive brother. Something passed between the two of them, they nodded in sync and turned back towards Shikaku.
"I am called Zhang Liao" The second rabbit introduced, sculpting a polite bow. His brother mimicked his stance.
"And I am called Zhang Fei."
Shikaku gave a quick glance to Tsunade. Seeing the nod to go ahead he turned back to the rabbits.
"I am Nara Shikaku, Jonin Commander. This is the leader of our village, the Hokage." Both rabbits raised eyebrows as the name was deliberately left out of the introduction, but made no comments.
"We need to establish a secure line of communication with Naruto right now." Tsunade picked up after the introduction, her features having calmed.
"I'm sure you are aware of his status," Seeing the confirming nod she continued "it involves that. We have received word from one of our allies that a similar Jinchuriki has been taken, one that Naruto is close to."
"Sabaku no Gaara" Zhang Liao called out suddenly going stiff. Beside him his brother snapped to focus.
The room occupants blinked at the change and familiarity. Giving a hesitant nod Tsunade could barely utter a word as chakra pulsed around both rabbits. Their ears extended to their full lengths, their forelimbs coming together in seal.
"Zhang Fei-"Zhang Liao called out to his brother.
"Ah, I have him." His eyes snapped open as he replied. He turned to his brother and continued "He has covered some distance but I should join with him before long."
Zhang Liao nodded.
"Perhaps it is for the best; I will remain here and await word."
Zhang Fei nodded, without ceremony he took one step and simply faded into nothing.
Tsunade blinked at the action and turned a questioning gaze to the rabbit left behind.
Zhang Liao settled himself on his hind legs, his face returning back to neutral.
"We are aware of the one called Sabaku no Gaara. Naruto often spoke highly of him, a rival and a comrade. If he is as encumbered as you say, then I see no reason not to honour the agreement."
Before Tsunade could even process the statement the rabbit stiffened.
"My brother has reached him and made contact." Surprise rippled across the room.
"That is fast, I had thought they were far into Fire Country to reach so quickly." Shikaku murmured. Zhang Liao's ear twitched as it picked up the words.
"They are, quite a distance at that." He replied, a smug smile filling his face.
"Despite what you know, there are more summons in the world than you could truly imagine. Most are content to remain in their borders, not interacting with the 'outside world'. And most of us are not ignorant to the state of your borders."
"We heard much of the one you called Konoha no Kiiroi Senko" Zhang Liao's tone displayed a measure of respect yet retained a mocking lilt. "It amused us as we realised how very few understood, or even knew the truth of the ability, its origins."
The rabbit threw a pointed gaze at Tsunade, who looked like she had swallowed a lemon. The next comment threw all three Konoha Nins off kilter.
"Not to mention the fact that we have not required to such overt setups to utilise that skill in a very long time."
Kakashi kept a wary eye on his team.
Both his teammates had graduated from the rookie years. They were consummate ninjas now, experienced, professional, and capable.
Experience told Kakashi that they were gearing up for a massive explosion. This fight was going from duty…to personal.
Sakura was good but she couldn't really hide her anticipation from his trained senses. And while not really obvious, she made subconscious moves and reactions, over her midsection, right were the medics were forced to operate around a kunai, lodged in place by her former teammate.
Naruto however was easier and harder to read; for all intents and purposes Naruto was like a mannequin, like one of his many puppets.
But with Naruto this was his greatest tell; the greatest sign of his mental state.
Much like a puppet given a set of commands, Naruto's mind had been reduced to one single focus; one command.
Retribution.
So far neither of them had acted out, following his commands appropriately. That said he wasn't sure he was ready to have at it with whatever they found in the base while they were so wound up. They needed to something to pull them out of their state-
No sooner had his thoughts filtered; a barrier sprung a few feet in front of them. The team reacted immediately, halting in their tracks and moving to defend. Sakura's profile grew sporadic as earth circled her limbs. Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, taking in the barrier, trying to figure how they triggered it, what possible effects it had and how to disable it.
Naruto however pulsed his chakra, strongly. He brought his left hand up, slowly as if weighed down by an invisible force. Chakra swirled around the limb, growing more turbulent to the senses, Kakashi with his Sharingan to make out the spinning and pulling of the chakra. As he peered closer he could almost make out shapes; the chakra slowly shifting, forming an elaborate pattern, a kanji on the spiritual composition, before trying to pull its way into the physical world.
Naruto grunted and thrust his hand at the barrier. Kakashi watched, fascinated, as the chakra collided with the barrier. Immediately it flashed to his Sharingan, whatever Naruto had done overlaid over the barrier, trying to rip it apart.
The barrier however held firm.
"It seems you have improved somewhat in your skills, Uzumaki." A voice called out, Kakashi couldn't place the dialect. He noted however that Naruto immediately relaxed at the voice, and more life seemed to come into his features.
Kakashi was thankful for the reprieve and slowly stood down, followed by Sakura.
A figure slowly stepped into focus in front of them. One that left both Kakashi and Sakura blinking at the sight.
"Zhang Fei" Naruto called with a polite bow. "I was not expecting you."
The rabbit merely sniffed at the address, busy observing his barrier with a critical eye.
"I bring word from your Hokage, a rather feisty woman of an old bloodline." Naruto's gaze narrowed as he pondered the implications. Kakashi looked on slightly confused and turned to Naruto for an explanation.
"I left Tsunade-Sama with a means to reach me in case of an emergency. It is unfortunately a one-time use, for her to use it now, I cannot think why" Naruto explained, still pensive.
"Naruto" Sakura called out slowly, "Why do you have a ra-?" before she could continue Naruto was besides her, stilling her voice.
"They are lagomorphs; they take offence to the other title, and are very particular in the manners of address" Naruto cautioned, just as the rabbit turned towards them with a sharp glare. Before things could degenerate Naruto quickly brought them back to focus.
"Zhang Fei, we are minutes away from our target, can your barrier secure us?"
The rabbit snorted and brought his paws together. Chakra pulsed softly and the air shifted, the nature of the barrier changed somewhat and extending to form a dome around them.
"We will not be disturbed, and I highly doubt they could find us, even with those eyes." Zhang Fei rebuked. Before Naruto could comment the rabbit's eyes pulsed and it went into a trance.
"Connection established Uzumaki Naruto. I am linked to my brother. You may begin."
Naruto turned his head to Kakashi, deferring to the Jonin. Kakashi nodded and slowly stepped closer to the rabbit. The glowing eyes of the rabbit was disconcerting, however Kakashi shook of his worries and prepared himself.
"…So, what is going to happen?"
Tsunade looked on in fascination as the rabbits breathing slowed and its stance tranquil. The expressive eyes were glowing with chakra and both ears were ramrod straight, unmoving.
"We are connected" Zhang Lao's voice had an echo to it. "You may commence."
Tsunade looked at her advisors in confusion, when her ears perked at a familiar voice."
"…So, what is going to happen?" She glanced sharply at Shikaku and the ANBU Commander, both of them just as surprised. Seeing her hesitate slightly Shikaku stepped forwards while the ANBU Commander moved to cover her.
"Hatake-San?" Shikaku called out carefully.
"Shikaku-San?" Shikaku reared back. "I was under the impression that Tsunade-Sama had urgent news."
Shikaku shook his head in amazement; somehow the two rabbits, no lagomorphs, were using themselves a conduit, a relay to connect them to Team Seven. It was an ingenious ability, and little wonder Naruto was certain of the security.
Tsunade stepped forwards, now sure that everything was safe and addressed Kakashi.
"Hatake, your current mission has been aborted. We need you and Team Seven to redirect to Suna immediately"
Somehow, even in the office they could pick out the gasp of shock from Sakura and the snarl of fury from Naruto.
"Acknowledged Hokage-Sama. However we are minutes away from engaging. Can I ask what has changed?" Kakashi spoke mildly. Tsunade could tell however the Jonin wasn't too happy with the switch either.
Given their situation though….
"Last night Suna was attacked." Tsunade stated bluntly. All sound ceased from Zhang Lao, showing that her listener's interests were peaked. It was time to drop the blow.
"It was a team from Akatsuki. They made it passed the defences and from what we know it is only by sheer will the village is still standing."
…
"Naruto….Gaara has been taken. Kankuro is in critical condition."
The only thing Naruto could hear was the blood rushing through his head.
Gaara had been taken. Gaara, had be taken!
"Do you understand Naruto? We have independent confirmation that Akatsuki now has three in their possession and Gaara is the fourth. Your team needs to be in Suna with all due haste."
Naruto remained still, unmoving.
"We also have word from Suna; Kankuro engaged one of the Akatsuki members. He managed to obtain information before being critically wounded. It had your name on it, so far no one has been able to decrypt it."
Kakashi turned to his student, before facing the rabbit again.
"From our current location we can make it to Suna by nightfall. However even then we will be unable to commence our search until the day after, at least." Kakashi spoke as he did a mental tally. That kind of travel would wipe him out, but given their situation they could do nothing else.
"Acknowledge Kakashi. I've put together a secondary team. They will rendezvous with Temari's unit and update them on the situation. One of my best Medics is with them, Sakura you will both see to Kankuro."
"Understood Hokage-Sama."
Naruto had his head bowed; his chakra had gone deceptively still.
"Naruto" Tsunade's voice called again. "This now takes priority. Do everything possible to find and secure the Kazekage."
Silence reined.
Naruto looked up, deep into the forest. His sole eye blazing with anger and frustration. They had been close, so close. The traitor was just there
He could feel it.
He could feel it.
His murderer was just there, quietly stalking in the forest, the darkness.
Sasuke could barely hold his anticipation, his glee, which was surprising to him.
Team Seven were coming together. Not a happy reunion he would admit, he wasn't going back with them. But for a time they would be together, and do battle.
Definitely do battle.
"I don't understand, they should be here by now." Sasuke heard Kabuto comment in the background. "Run the patrols again, and get the last files ready to go."
Sasuke ignored much of the Sound bustle as they vacated the area. He was just waiting, anticipating his arrival.
You are coming aren't you? You are coming for me…aren't you….?
Aren't you….?
Sasuke blinked as a sudden change fleeted in the air. He looked on in curiosity…and a hint of disappointment.
"I guess we will not be reunited today after all….Such a shame Naruto." Sasuke called out softly, barely audible.
He turned around and went back into the base.
"Sasuke-Kun" Kabuto turned to him in confusion. He got no reply.
Next time, I will not walk away….
Naruto gritted his teeth as he pulsed more chakra. Immediately the roar of his glider increased, and so did its speed. Behind him he felt the two Kage Bunshin Gliders tethered to his chakra increase their speed and the slight panic from Sakura and quiet exhilaration from Kakashi.
If they were going to abandon their mission to help Suna and save Gaara, then he wasn't going to waste time being slow. Kakashi said they'd be there by nightfall…what a joke.
"I'm extending my sensor range as we fly" Naruto's tone held no nonsense. "Hopefully by now the secondary team have met up with Temari. Soon as we identify the Medic we grab them both, the others can make their way."
"At pace, Suna will be in sight in four hours…less if I can help it."
A.N Hey again, i hope you enjoyed this chapter. i didn't spot any questions this time so all i'll say is thanks a lot for the reviews and please keep them coming, along with critiques, that way i can work and improve.
Till the Next
