Chapter 67: Lingering Danger
Naruto was relentless now. He was training constantly until he collapsed, which at his new level took nearly a week. The news about Nomad didn't send him into a power rage as Sakura's news had, but it gave him a lot of determination. His main training method was combat against Chaos, Naruto had gotten to the point where he could at least avoid the lethal aspect of the attacks.
Elvo just watched the two go at it, wondering if Naruto would make it in time. The village was a week away, giving them a week until they had to start back. He still had two percent to go, and they seemed to be the hardest two. At noon they took a break for lunch, Naruto wasn't a god yet, and still needed food.
"Hey Elvo, how long do I have in Konoha, if I become a god?" Naruto asked looking up from his food.
"Me and Chaos vanish the day you're due back, and you join us a week later. If you finish early, you get those days extra in your village," Elvo said.
"How long until we need to start back?" Naruto asked.
"Six days," Elvo said.
"And how far am I?" Naruto asked.
"Ninety-eight percent," Elvo said.
"Do you think I can make it?" Naruto asked.
"There's no way to tell. I'm sure that you will eventually, you're still young and I've no doubt you'll keep training. But if it's not before we get back to the village, you wont be a god, at least, not until you die," Elvo said.
"You mean if I don't make it here, but do afterwards you might still make me a god when I die?" Naruto asked.
"If we need to. If we find it that necessary. Then again, if it gets to that, we might take you when you achieve full potential," Chaos said.
Naruto nodded slowly as he continued eating.
x-X-x
"Any word?" an elder asked walking into Tsunade's office.
"On what?" Tsunade asked.
"On what? You know what, the mission!" the elder said waving his arm at the window.
"No, I don't. there are several missions right now. Many of them A and S class. Some of those having a long duration meaning we'd get regular reports. Which mission do you want to know about?" Tsunade asked irritated, it was obvious she was not happy about resuming this job.
"The terrors. The ones you sent after Sasuke our rogue ninja," the elder said.
"No, nothing. And don't expect anything either, I told them only to send word if it was necessary for any reason," Tsunade said.
"What? Why would you say that?" the elder demanded.
"Because of who they're tracking. Sasuke isn't a fool. He knows we have people after him. he might even know the terrors are after him. we need them as hidden and invisible as possible," Tsunade said.
Before the elder could say anything there was a knock on the door. Tsunade called for them to come in and Sakura opened the door and peeked her head in.
"Come on in Sakura, let me just finish here and…" Tsunade said.
"No, we're done. I've learned what I wanted to," the elder said before walking out, he nodded at Sakura as he passed her at the door.
"Sorry Tsunade-sensei, I didn't know you were busy," Sakura said staying at the door.
"It's alright come in, I could use a break," Tsunade said leaning back.
Sakura nodded and walked in the office, standing opposite her desk, "I was just wondering when I would get missions again, or be scheduled at the hospital again," Sakura asked.
"You can sit down, Nomad had the chairs brought in for a reason, and I think him smart for it," Tsunade said and Sakura sat down. "Good. Now, tell me, how are you feeling?" Tsunade asked.
"Fine, the stab wound is a small scar now and there's nothing lingering internally," Sakura said quickly.
"And what about emotionally? How's your focus? How's your concentration? How are your reactions? Are your back to what you were before?" Tsunade asked.
"I believe I am," Sakura said slowly, twisting her hands in her lap.
"You're still distracted. I can't let you on a mission if your mind is elsewhere. And you'd be no good in a hospital either," Tsunade said.
"It's not Sasuke thought!" Sakura almost shouted, "really, I may still be a little shocked at that, but we all are," she said in a quieter, calmer voice.
"It's Naruto then. Sage said he'd be back in less than a year, and there's less than a week left until it's been a year. you're worried about him," Tsunade said.
Sakura didn't answer right away. She looked at the floor in front of the desk and spoke, "When Sasuke attacked me, I thought Naruto would appear out of nowhere and stop him. I thought he'd hold Sasuke back, and maybe talk sense into him. But he didn't, he didn't show up at all. He's never not been there before, except when he died," Sakura said.
"And even then he managed to save you," Tsunade said quietly.
"Yeah…. maybe I rely on him too much, maybe I expect too much of him," Sakura said slowly.
"Maybe you do. And maybe you just miss him, because he's always taken away from here. He's always getting missions that take years outside of the village. And he gets them one after another. I think you just want to spend some time with him before he gets sent away again," Tsunade said.
"I guess I should get used to him being gone. I should be used to it by now even. But I just want to see him again, I just want to know that he's okay, that Sasuke didn't find him and hurt him," Sakura said tears flowing freely from her eyes.
The door opened and both girls looked to see who it was. Grim walked into the office and looked down at Sakura, "You got nothing to worry about. The guy Naruto's with could easily beat me. And I put Sasuke in the hospital, remember. If he tries to attack Naruto while he's there, Sasuke'll be in worse shape than what I did," He said.
"Sakura smiled slightly and whipped her tears away, "Thank you Grim-sama," she said quietly.
"No problem, and for the last time, just call me Grim," Grim said returning the smile.
"What's the reasoning behind you failing to knock?" Tsunade asked looking up at Grim.
"I could hear you outside. I was going to wait my turn, but I had to tell her that, so she wouldn't worry over nothing," Grim said putting a hand on the back of Sakura's chair.
"Well, now that you're here, what do you need?" Tsunade asked.
"We got a guy at the gates, all his paper check out but I think his reason's a lie," Grim said.
"Who is it? Where is he from?" Tsunade asked.
Grim handed Tsunade the papers, "His name's Vin, he's from the Cloud village," he said.
"Vin? He was in the chuunin exams with Naruto, what would he be doing here?" Sakura asked.
"Maybe to check in on Naruto if he's passing by," Tsunade said.
"That's what he's saying, but when I said Naruto was on a mission he still asked to come in, that's why I came here," Grim said.
"I'm coming," Tsunade said standing up.
Grim nodded and started out of the office, Sakura rose to her feet and watched him leave, "what do you think it is Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura asked.
"I don't know. And I'm not doing anything with missions for you right now, I'm still not sure how set you are," Tsunade said walking past Sakura.
Sakura huffed as she watched Tsunade walk out and soon followed her but didn't head off to the gates. Grim was already there when Tsunade arrived. Vin didn't look any different aside from being taller.
"Hokage-sama, what brings you here?" Vin asked.
"You. You're still a chuunin, your missions are done as a team, what are you doing here alone?" Tsunade asked.
"This has nothing to do with a mission. I came to see Naruto, my mission is nearby," Vin said.
"Where's your team. And why are you still here knowing Naruto isn't," Tsunade said.
"I'm still here because I don't believe you. And I was sent out alone," Vin said.
"Then show me your mission documentation," Tsunade said.
"You know I can't," Vin said with a slight grin.
"And you know you won't get in," Tsunade said handing his papers back to him.
"You were more hospitable last time," Vin said taking the papers and putting them away.
"Yes. And there wasn't the air of something foul going on either," Tsunade said.
"Very well then, if I am not allowed passage I shall leave, goodbye," Vin said turning and leaving.
"Something's definitely going on," Grim said to Tsunade once Vin was out of earshot.
"Or it's trying to," Tsunade said her eyes on the path before them, "now who's that?" she asked.
Grim turned to see a man approaching the village passing Vin. He looked oddly familiar and it took until he was nearly at the gate for Grim to remember who he was, "Tusk, his name's Tusk. He was kind of an inside man when we attacked the Alliance last time," Grim said.
"What's he doing here?" Tsunade asked.
"Most likely looking for Sage, he was the contact," Grim said before Tusk got to close to continue talking.
"Hello Grim, is Sage around?" Tusk asked when he reached them.
"No, he's got a mission, what do you need?" Grim asked.
"Word is a rogue ninja's running around taking down the high powered guys. He's already made an attempt on the Kazekage and a few others," Tusk said.
"Rumor of red eyes?" Grim asked.
"Yeah, I guess you've heard of him then," Tusk said.
"He started here, he killed Nomad, but we didn't know he was going after other villages," Tsunade said.
"He took out Nomad? Man, he's stronger than I thought. Well, just letting you know, I' heading out," Tusk said turning around.
"Wait, did he manage to kill any others, like the Kazekage?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes, I don't know who, but the Kazekage survived the attack. Let's hope we don't meet again," Tusk said walking away with a wave that Grim returned.
"Well, that's done, thanks Tsunade, you can head back," Grim said once Tusk was gone.
"Yes come get me if anything else needs my attention, and don't bother waiting before barging in next time. If it needs my attention, it needs it immediately," Tsunade said.
Grim nodded and she walked away. Grim watched her go before turning back to his post at the gate. Moments after he reached his post he heard something calling from behind him, "Hey Grim, long time no see," the voice called.
Grim spun around to see a cloaked Elvo and grinning Naruto standing there.