Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto or SAO, but hey, a guy can dream right?
Cognizance:
Over the next three weeks, time seemed to fly by and quickly became routine. The morning after repelling the invaders Sinon changed villages right after breakfast. It was a fairly smooth affair, especially since plenty of leaf nin witnessed the blue-haired girl helping their village. Fortunately, she had received a one-time refund of the points she had invested into her jinchuriki skills.
Afterwards, the trio spent the majority of their time doing D-rank missions that consisted of helping to rebuild the village. They had decided that forty percent of their profits from missions would go in a squad account. This would be used for anything from getting the three a proper home to share, to everyone doing repairs and upgrades when needed. Since Naruto could spam Shadow Clones like they were going out of style and send them to complete lots of menial tasks, their squad account had grown rather quickly. It had only taken them two days before gathering the funds to get a house with some space for the three friends. Kirito and Sinon had agreed that Naruto would get their share of the mission funds for the missions he soloed.
Then, there was their training. They had actually improved their teamwork quite impressively since joining forces and realized that they all covered each others weaknesses nicely. Sadly their targets for training were mostly Shadow Clone mobs. The bright side, was that since learning about the shared memories, Naruto could quickly point out any weaknesses.
Kirito was mainly a very fast-paced damage dealer with his twin swords and his swift release, but he couldn't take very many hits. Normally that wouldn't be any issue, but against tougher opponents his speed may not be enough.
Sinon was mainly a ranged player and would bombard her enemies with projectiles and occasionally explosives from a distance. The boys had even convinced her to try her hand at archery, even though it wasn't a skill by itself. Fortunately, other skills did affect her shooting and she quickly became a crack shot with her bow. Unfortunately, she lost her biggest weapon when in hand to hand combat; her nails were a side affect of her jinchuriki status beforehand.
Then there was Naruto, if his friends were honest, he only really had one weakness still. It seemed he would never get a good grasp on genjutsu. He still needed some more ways to attack from a distance, but for now they were pretty confident that Sinon would keep that department locked down. He still couldn't keep up with Kirito's speed, but he made up for it with the amount of damage he could take. Simply put, Naruto was a tank. With his healing factors from being a jinchuriki along with another unknown healing buff, he just recovered health too quickly for most opponents. He could also pull out some amazing combos when using his clones.
All together they made a very well rounded team with very few weaknesses. All three had been making great progress lately. They did notice on their few trips outside the village to fight mobs of bandits, that the enemies seemed to be getting stronger and smarter just as fast.
Today however, they were taking their first day off since the invasion and Naruto was nowhere to be found. Sinon had already logged out for the night and returned the day the boys were taking a break.
After finding Kirito at home and questioning him, Sinon began searching for their blond haired friend. She was kind of annoyed that Kirito brushed his absence off, preferring to nap on the couch instead. 'I can't believe he can be so lazy and yet so strong,' she thought as she checked Naruto's favorite ramen shop. After being told by the owner that they hadn't seen the blond today and running into Jiraiya who was also looking for Naruto, she began searching the teams normal training areas with no success. Finally it hit her, 'The Hokage monument she thought before taking off towards the stone faces.
On top of the fourths head:
Naruto was finally dealing with the emotions of losing the Third Hokage. He had already cried until his eyes became dry and was now sitting in his favorite spot in the village with a solemn expression.
"Naruto..." he heard from behind him. He had felt Sinon approaching long ago. She walked beside him and sat down. They sat in silence for a few minutes before it was broken by the girl, "Are you okay? I've been looking for you since logging back in."
Naruto tried to smile as he turned to her, "I'm fine, just enjoying the view."
Unfortunately for the blond, his companion could see that his smile didn't reach his eyes. She frowned at the fake smile. "Don't lie to me Naruto," he saw his smile falter before she continued, "I have too much experience faking emotions for others benefit. Now talk to me please, or at least talk to Kirito."
Naruto looked down as his eyes somehow began watering again. "I know it sounds dumb," he said as his eyes turned towards the Third's face, "but I miss him." He looked back and saw that his friend had concern in her eyes. "Until Kirito came, Hiruzen was the only happiness I had here besides the Ichirakus. This may just be a game, but from my perspective, this has been my life for six years."
"Naruto," she said as her eyes began watering as well. "I may not fully understand your situation but," she took a breath as she seemed to gather her confidence. "I do understand somewhat where you're coming from. I...I need more time before I can tell you guys the full story, but let's just say that Kirito and you are my only friends..."
Suddenly Naruto's hand was on hers, she looked up from their hands to see that, while there was still sadness in his eyes, his smile seemed to finally reach his big blue eyes. "Thank you Sinon. It really means a lot to me that you care. As soon as you feel up to it, I would be happy to learn more about you. Take all the time you need, and no matter what happens, know that I will always be here for you, you've become one of my precious people Sinon."
His words seemed to break her and suddenly he was the one providing emotional support for her. She tackle hugged him as the proverbial damn broke open. After a few minutes of hugging her back and rubbing her back he heard her again. "Promise me that you'll always be my friend?"
Finally he gave a genuine smile as they sat up, "Sinon, I promise that I will always be here for you and that you'll never again feel alone. It's the promise of a lifetime and I never go back on my promises because that's my ninja way."
Sinon felt a warmth spread through her as she stared into his blue eyes and at his smile. She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder and they sat there for a few minutes before she remembered the other person, well the NPC, that had been looking for her blond. 'Wait, MY blond, when did that start?"I almost forgot," she said as she sat up straight blushing slightly from her thoughts. "Jiraiya ran into me earlier and was looking for you, he said something about a mission and to meet him at the front gate at noon."
Naruto perked up at the idea of getting out of the village. "Well then," he said as he stood up and offered her a hand, "lets go get our lazy teammate and see what the old perv wants."
She took the offered hand and stood up, "I swear, I can't understand how Kirito is so strong."
Naruto looked shocked at her statement, "I thought it was just me that couldn't figure that out?!" They both stated laughing before realizing they were still holding hands. Naruto quickly withdrew his hand and they both looked away at the same time, both missing the blush on the others face. "S-sorry about that," he sputtered out.
"I-Its okay," she said obviously just as flustered.
Later at the gate:
As the three players were approaching the gate, conversing between themselves, they were suddenly caught off guard when a poof of smoke appeared in front of them. "Thanks for telling your boyfriend about meeting me, but I'm afraid I only need him."
While Sinon looked away blushing, Naruto folded his arms on his chest and narrowed his eyes at the Toad Sage. "These are my teammates, where one of us goes, we all go," he said with steel in his voice.
Jiraiya sighed, "Look gaki, this is time sensitive. I don't have time to babysit."
Kirito narrowed his own eyes at the man, "I thought I told you already, we don't need your supervision. We're coming with him whether you like it or not." Sinon, after recovering from her thoughts, joined the boys in their defiant stance.
Jiraiya finally gave up, "Fine, but I'm only teaching Naruto," he said as he turned to walk away.
"Fine by me," Kirito and Sinon said in unison as the three followed Jiraiya out the village.
After an hour of walking:
Jiraiya looked to Naruto, "Pop this by focusing your chakra in your hand. Once you do that I'll show you the second step to learning a unique jutsu," he said as he placed a balloon in the blonds hand.
After about two minutes of walking the whole group stopped as they heard a loud pop. Everyone looked to Naruto, "Step two please," he said as he flicked water off of his hand while grinning.
Later in a nearby town:
Jiraiya had sent Naruto and his team to a hotel they would be staying the night in and left chasing a woman who had shown interest in the Sannin. Currently they were all sitting in the same room talking about training while Naruto was working on the second step to his new jutsu.
'BANG', all three jumped before looking to see the rubber ball in Naruto's hand had exploded. Just then, they felt a foreign, yet familiar chakra spike.
Naruto and his friends turned to the door. "Sinon, suppress your chakra as best as you can, go out the window and find Jiraiya. If the source of that chakra is hostile, we have no chance without the perv."
She nodded and made her way to the window before stopping, "Naruto," she called out. When he turned to her she continued, "Don't forget your promise to me."
He grinned, "I wouldn't dream of it." She nodded and hoped out the window. He turned towards his remaining teammate, "Go out the window and enter through another room, come up behind him incase we need a surprise attack. I'll have a Shadow Clone distract the person if possible." Kirito nodded and left via the window just as there was a knock on the door. 'Shit, that's too close to use a clone. The person will feel the chakra.'
He got up and approached the door, one hand holding his new trench knives behind his leg with a flash tag in the hand he used to open the door. He came face to face with an older version of Sasuke and a person who looked like a shark with blue skin and gills. They were matching black cloaks with red clouds.
"Naruto Uzumaki?" asked the shark man.
The blond narrowed his eyes, "What's it to ya fish face?"
"Please, come with us Naruto," the older Sasuke said staring into Naruto's eyes with his Sharingan active.
The teen rolled his eyes, "Well, when you ask while trying to place me in a genjutsu, it makes me really not wanna go Itachi. But I'll come quietly under one condition."
Both men narrowed their eyes, "What's that kid?" 'Fish face' asked. Naruto grinned, closed his eyes and just as the flash tag went off, held it out to blind them.
"Say cheese bitches!"
Suddenly both were kicked in the stomach. Itachi managed to get a small guard up, but it still felt like being hit with a tree. Kisame grunted but tanked the blow as his sword came around to defend him from more shots.
Itachi, after his vision cleared had Kisame back off, "I'll take care of this, he's just delaying for Jiraiya." He then vanished faster than Naruto could react and picked the boy up by his collar to place him in a strong genjutsu.
Before he got the chance, Naruto spit in his eyes and replaced himself with a broom and fled out the window of the hotel room with Kisame hot on his trail. Just as Itachi was about to give chase he found a kunai pressed hard against his jugular and one against his spine. "Flinch and I'll bleed you dry," came the cold voice behind him.
Itachi calmed down, "You must me Kirito Uchia?" The elder dojutsu user scattered into crows before stabbing the boy from behind, "You're out of your league here kid."
Suddenly the younger Uchia poofed into smoke as the elder was hit in the back of the knees with an arrow each. Immediately afterwards a hole was blasted in the wall behind Itachi and Jiraiya appeared just as Sinon was reloading her bow and glaring at the Akatsuki member. "Where is Naruto-kun?!" she demanded.
Just after Itachi Uchia, S-rank missing min who massacred his clan in a single night, felt a shiver run down his spine, a blond and battered missile came bursting back into the hall followed by Kisame. "Kisame lets go, we're leaving!" he said as his partner helped him make their escape.
Naruto decided to taunt them a little as they ran, "And don't come back ya pussies!" Then he passed out as his friends ran to his side.
Jiraiya came walking back a moment later from trying to catch the two nin, "Bastards got away." Then he took in the blonds condition, 'Kids lucky to have survived against a tank like Ol' Fish Face.'"Kirito, carry the idiot, we're gonna need a different hotel."
The next day:
Naruto groaned as he began to stir. Then he noticed that his pillow was warm and steadily rising and falling. His eyes snapped open and he noticed the slender arms wrapped protectively around his chest. He looked up and blushed when he saw Sinon leaned up against the wall just as she opened her eyes and looked down at him with a light blush.
Then just as Naruto was about to make an excuse to get up, she started crying. He reached up and placed a hand on her cheek, "Hey, no tears Sinon-chan. Look at me, I'm fine thanks to you."
'When did he start adding the chan?' she wondered, 'not that I didn't add a 'kun' to his name yesterday.' Then she stopped crying and glared down at him, "Fine?" she asked with an edge to her voice.
He visibly gulped, "Well, I'm alive."'For now,' he added as an afterthought while looking at her angry look.
She relaxed slightly, "You scared me." She relaxed more thinking of the emotions she felt after seeing the blond in such a broken state. "I thought we were going to lose you there for a moment," she said quietly.
He smiled up at her and lightly flicked her forehead before sitting against the wall next to her and wrapping an arm around her as she relaxed into his chest. "Silly Sinon, I made you a promise didn't I?" He felt her smile at the reminder before she mumbled something. "What was that?"
She looked up at him, "Shino Asada, that's my real name. You can't keep your promise once you're out of here if you don't know that." She then laid her head back on his chest, "By the way, this doesn't mean anything other than I was concerned about you."
They laid there for a few minutes before Shino felt him stiffen and his breathing increased. "Naruto? What's wrong?" she asked as she saw a glazed over look in his eyes for a moment.
Just as quickly it cleared away and he met her eyes. "My name is Naruto Namikaze, and I think I just remembered everything!"
Kirito and Jiraiya's room:
They had just been discussing how long to wait before waking the couple in the next room she they heard a shout.
"KAZUTO! Get over here now!" they heard Sinon shout.
Kirito instantly vanished off his bed and was in Sinon's room a second later. "Where did you hear that name?!" Then he saw Naruto smiling with his arm around the girl, 'I'll ask later.'"Please tell me it's true!" he said with a hopeful smile.
Naruto nodded, "Pleased to see ya again Kazuto Kirigaya."
"Aw man, you shouldn't go using my real name?"
Shino realized why he said that before Naruto could. She stuck out her hand and smiled, "Pleased to officially meet you Kazuto, I'm Shino Asada."
Kazuto sighed but smiled and shook her hand. "So what triggered your memories?"
Naruto started thinking, "To be honest, I'm not a hundred percent sure. We were sitting here talking and I just felt at peace since the first time since, well ever as far as I could remember. Then it all came back to me."
Kazuto nodded, "Maybe you're mind was just able to relax and drift." Then he realized something, "Wait, can you log out now?"
Naruto's eye's widened for a moment before he thought for a moment. "Shino-chan, you've got a few more days of in game time right?" She nodded into his chest and he continued, "How about we wait till this mission is complete? It'll only take a few more hours real time and I kind of want to finish learning the Rasengan that way it'll be easier once my dad releases the full version of this game." This shocked Shino but she noticed something before she could question the blond.
Kazuto flinched and looked down, "Um, we kind of need to talk about the accident Naruto. It may be a good idea if this was private."
As Shino started to get up she felt Naruto's breathing hitch and his grip around her waist tighten. She looked back at his pleading eyes and felt her heart ache, "I'll stay if you want Naruto-kun." He nodded and she wrapped her arm around him again as she leaned back into his chest. 'He's so warm,' she thought.
Seeing that Naruto wanted her present Kazuto sighed and looked away, "Naruto, there's really no earty way to say this." Kazuto paused to collect his thoughts.
Naruto had tears in his eyes as he had already assumed the worst. "They didn't make it did they?" he asked as he felt Shino's grip tighten.
Kazuto shook his head as all three started crying. He took a seat on the bed and placed his had on Naruto's shoulder as the blond and Shino both sobbed.
Finally, after around ten minutes Naruto spoke with a shaky voice, "What am I going to do now?"
Before Kazuto could mention his mother being Naruto's godmother, Shino spoke up. "You can stay with me until you figure something out. I won't let my first friend be homeless."
Both became a wreck again before Kazuto could say anything. 'I'll tell him later,'"I'm gonna go get Jiraiya and we'll check out, meet us downstairs when you're ready."
Later in Tanzaku:
After Shino helped Naruto calm down the group of four had left towards Tsunade's last known location. Jiraiya sensing that something was wrong decided Naruto would talk to him if he felt the need and started his apprentice on the next step of the Rasengan, combining the first two steps and containing it within an aired up balloon. After a few hours of walking they arrived in Tanzaku, a small village on the edge of the land of fire, known mainly for its bars and gambling halls.
They had been searching the bars and casinos for a few hours already. "We'll check this last bar, if she's not here we'll pick back up the search tomorrow," Jiraiya told them.
Naruto nodded numbingly while the other two gave an 'Okay.' Walking in, he instantly spotted their target and was about to point to her before Jiraiya laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Tsunade!" he called out.
The busty blond looked up at the Toad Sannin, "Jiraiya? What are you doing here? And what's with the brats, don't tell me you took on another team after your last ones all died."
The group walked over and pulled up another table to join the Slug Sannin. "Nope, just the blond. The other two are his teammates and I needed my new apprentice for a mission."
Tsunade quirked an eyebrow, "Another apprentice so soon after the last one wasted his life like his predecessors?"
The entire bar was instantly flooded with enough killing intent that most almost passed out. Everyone looked to Naruto as he glared at his fellow blond with red slit eyes, "You may wanna take that back. That's my father you're talking about bitch!"
Jiraiya and Tsunade both almost had a heart attack on the spot before Naruto calmed down a little, red eyes shifting back to blue. 'When and how did he find out?!' they both were thinking.
Naruto held up a hand, "You're questions aren't important to me. Right now I just wanna get back to the village, and you're coming old lady, whether you like it or not. They've decide that you're the Fifth Hokage"
Tsunade snapped out of the trance her and Jiraiya had been in, "And what makes you think I'd accept the position? All of the Hokage have been fools who have thrown away their lives for that village!"
Seconds later outside:
Civilians were waking by enjoying the festival that was going on. When suddenly a blond woman came crashing through a window and into the street. She was quickly followed by a orange blur.
The blur turned out to be Naruto as he held Tsunade down by her throat, his jinchuriki cloak with two trails surrounding him. "You have until tomorrow to get your affairs in order, then we're leaving. UNDERSTOOD?!"
She nodded as he let her go and stormed off towards a hotel, his teammates in tow. Shizune, Tsunade's apprentice, rushed to her master and began healing her throat of the chakra burns. Once healed, and with Jiraiya staring after his apprentice, Tsunade spoke up quietly. "Meet with Kabuto tonight, tell him I need to see his master at first light."
The next day:
Naruto and his team were in the hotel eating breakfast when Jiraiya came stumbling in.
Kazuto smirked at the sage, "Have a good night?!" he asked loudly figuring Jiraiya was having a killer hangover.
Naruto looked up at the Sannin before returning to his meal, "If you call a 'good night' being drugged by Tsunade then I'm sure his answer will be yes."
Jiraiya and Kazuto were shocked, "How could you possibly know that?" they asked in unison.
Shino eyed the blond for a moment before standing up, "You're a clone," she stated more than asked. 'Naruto' nodded, so she continued, "Where's your boss?"
Standing and stretching he turned towards the group, "Observing the discussion between the Slug and the Snake pedophile. Follow me and we should make it before the end of the inevitable clash." He then threw a vital towards Jiraiya, "Stole the antidote out of her bag, that should clear you right up."
At the site of the meeting:
Naruto was watching as Tsunade was trying to pulverize Orichimaru. He had offered to bring her ex and her little brother from the dead if she healed the damage to his arms, courtesy of the Third. Suddenly, Kabuto stepped in front of the snake, pulled out a kunai and...'Did he seriously just stab his own hand?' Naruto wondered, until he saw Tsunade freeze and get knocked away by Orichimaru. Shizune began guarding her master from Kabuto as Orichimaru taunted Tsunade, 'What kind of fucking medic is afraid of blood?!' Naruto screamed in his head.
"Just get down there before both of those worthless humans die!" Kyuubi screamed back at him, "Or don't, I couldn't care less as long as you shut up."
Naruto grumbled as he prepared a completed Rasengan to use on Kabuto and rushed in to save the two women. 'To be honest, since Kazuto arrived I'd kind of forgotten about your furry ass!'
Kabuto vs Shizune
Kabuto smirked as he approached the beaten young medic with his Chakra Scalpel, "Well that was a nice little warm up, but I'm afraid our time together is at an end." He reached back to thrust the killing blow.
Suddenly, Naruto was in his face, "You're damn right it's over!" he declared as he thrust his hand and body weight forward. "RASENGAN!" he shouted as he blasted Kabuto away.
Just as Orichimaru was about to rush the blond another voice was heard, one that instantly had the snake gritting his teeth.
"Damn gaki, you didn't tell me you finished learning it," Jiraiya said as he landed facing his traitor of a teammate. He was flanked on both sides by Naruto's team.
Naruto smirked as he had Shino cone over and heal Shizune as much as possible. When he heard a sound coming from Kabuto's direction he got serious again. "Shizune, go heal the Toad of that poison and then find a way to get the stupid blond back in the fight." The medic nodded and took off, "Sinon," he started, making sure to address her as her avatar since their were hostiles around, "go protect those too and provide assistance for Kirito, he's gonna have to stall the pedo as long as possible."
She nodded, then she shocked him by kissing him on the cheek before going to fulfill her role, "Make sure you return to me."
He nodded as he narrowed his eyes and watched Kabuto bolt to his master's side, Naruto appearing between Kirito and Shino.
"You know what to do Kabuto," the Snake Sannin said.
Kabuto nodded, wiping blood in a tattoo on Orichimaru's forearm and quickly running through seals that everyone recognized. "Summoning Justsu!" he yelled as there were two large poofs of smoke.
Jiraiya ran through seals of his own, "Earth style: Swamp of the Underworld!" Immediately a swamp appeared under the two snakes. Sadly it was barely deep enough since there was still poison in his system.
"Alright, everyone knows their roles, Jiraiya don't jump in unless they need you. We need you back at 100. I've got Kabuto, Kirito you're taking the pedo for now. Can you handle it?" he asked wanting to make sure.
Kirito took his stance with both blades drawn, "I got him, just hurry up with healing that perv okay lady."
"I'll have him good as new soon." Shizune said, she was scared for the team but they seemed very confident.
Naruto grinned, "One last time guys, let's go wild!" he said as he fueled up using Kyuubi's chakra. He then vanished and they all saw Kabuto get blasted back towards where their fight started with a Kyuubified Naruto dashing after him.
Kirito and Sinon vanished next, Kirito lashing out at Orichimaru with both blades sparking with lightning chakra as the Sannin bended his body to avoid the strikes.
Sinon was seen running up the back of the snake summon, she slashed Orichimaru's ankles from behind before continuing and jumping off the front of the snake slightly to the side and turning in midair. She pulled out her bow loaded three arrows and fired. Two drilled into the summons eyes while the third impacted deep in between and the girl swung under its head using ninja wire. She came back up as Kirito sliced both swords across Orichimaru's stomach and she drop kicked the Sannin off the snake.
When he landed on the ground, fingers came out of his mouth prying it open and out came another Orichimaru with his tongue wrapped around a sword. "It's too bad that you chose the wrong side, you two are promising," he said as he rushed them after they landed. Suddenly, he was punched with a hellacious haymaker.
Jiraiya landed in front of the two teens. "Now don't tell me that you've gone and forgotten about your old teammate," he said with a grin before becoming serious. "Kirito, Sinon, that was some amazing work. I had to jump in before Shizune could finish but with you two here we should be fine. Kirito back me up but be careful, his sword is poisoned and not even Tsunade can clear it from your system, too many hits and you will die." Kirito nodded and the Toad Sannin glanced quickly at Sinon, "Sinon you... just keep doing your thing, Naruto is lucky to have a girlfriend like you."
Sinon's cheeks became red from a mix of a blush and anger, "We're not dating you old perv!"'Maybe down the road though...'
Jiraiya chuckled, "You keep telling yourself that. Anyway, lets go."
Thirty minutes later:
Naruto had been beating Kabuto around without a problem until he received a Chakra Scalpel to the stomach out of nowhere and was kicked away. He rolled right in front of Tsunade and passed out for a moment. That seemed to finally snap her out of her shock as she got up thinking him dead and proclaimed that Kabuto would not harm him in front of the Fifth Hokage anymore. Naruto woke up to see Kabuto blasted into the Snake Sannin and jumped to Jiraiya feeling what was about to happen as Tsunade, Kabuto, and Naruto all ran through seals in synch. "Summoning Jutsu!" they all shouted. It turned into a slaughter for team snake and they appearred to flee.
Everyone was standing around coming down from the battle with Tsunade healing everyone when Naruto noticed some rubble a distance away shift before a sword came out at high speed. He reacted on instinct and shoved the target, Tsunade, out of the way. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to dodge afterwards and was pierced through the heart by the Kusunagi.
Everyone froze, "NARUTO-KUN!" Surprisingly, Sinon was the first to recover. Quickly followed by Kirito who sliced the tongue off of the sword and quickly pulled it out of his friends chest just before the blond collapsed into Sinon's arms. "What were you thinking?!"
Naruto gave a weak smile as the combination of the heart wound and the poison had his health plummeting. He reached up and brushed his hand across her cheek wiping away tears, "Shi...no-chan, no...tears. I-" his hand dropped mid sentence as everyone watched him let out his last breath.
Shino grabbed his hand before it could hit the ground, "You what?! Come on?! You can't die, remember your promise, you have to make it back so we can meet in the real world!"
Everyone was silently crying as they watched the horrific scene in front of them. Kazuto had fallen to his knees and begun punching the ground yelling, "You idiot!" Around the time his knuckles started bleeding he realized something and his eyes went wide, "Shino, he got his memories back, he may still be alive! I'm sending you the info for the hospital, get there as soon as possible!" he yelled as he finished sending the message just before he was disconnected.
Shino archived the message on her system for access in the real world as she quickly logged out after kidding his forehead.
Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune, noticing none of this began walking away as if nothing happened as the world became black and a yellow flash was seen next to Naruto.
Author Style: Cliffhanger Jutsu!Before anyone says anything, I will be coming back to Elemental Nations Online! And no I'm not starting a whole different story, this one will continue for awhile. If I need to tell you the outcome then you have no imagination.Now to answer the question of 'why stop here?' To be honest, I never intended on stopping my ENO arc here. I actually didn't intend to even have Naruto gain his memories until the fight with Pain and then they would log out. But as my some of my fellow authors will tell you, sometimes the story writes itself. It was after the previous chapter that I decided I would either end it here or during the Sasuke retrieval arc pretty much the same way. The problem I noticed is that it seemed like our heroes were playing on easy difficulty and that's not what I wanted (Stupid story, writing yourself and shit!) I just couldn't imagine a way for Sasuke to successfully kill Naruto if even Orichimaru failed, and that was my logic behind ending it here. If this has been uploaded early, that is because I already have the next chapter finished and I'm working on the next chapter. If that's the case then the next chapter, Link Start Again, will be uploaded on 10 July 2017. I will not hold out on you simply because I was impatient. If this is uploaded on time however, then it will be 17 July for Link Start Again.Well, thats all for this chapter. To be perfectly honest I really like how the fight with Pedo-Teme turned out. Unfortunately for me, my opinion isn't important. The people who take the time to read my work is who's opinions I want so please leave me done reviews and let me know what you all thought. Good, bad I don't care as long as you're constructive about it if you put it down. I can't improve if no one tells me what they did and didn't like. Ja ne!