Lee looked at the ruined village below him. He stood on top of a huge tower in the middle that was once the place where the Hokage sat. He was reminded of his old teacher, Guy. Now that he thought about it, he now looked exactly as him except for the young face he still held. He kept looking at the old training areas and one spot that he and many other ninjas will always keep in their memory, the Forest of Death. It was where everything started from the bite on Sasuke's neck to the fight with those Sound ninjas. He smiled a little as he spotted the place where he saw Shikamaru and the others left to retrieve Sasuke. He remembered exactly how Naruto promised Sakura that he would bring him back but now that was in the past. Naruto was then captured soon after he failed him mission maybe that's what made him into the evil being he was now rumored to be. Lee thought he could bring the old one back just like he promised to do with Sasuke…but this time, he wouldn't fail.

He turned around and saw Shikamaru approach him. He held a cigarette in his mouth and a map in his left hand.

"I think Atasuki will regret messing with us! We found some helpful fighters!!!" he stated with a smirk on his face.

"Who do you find?" Lee asked looking confused at Shikamaru.

"You'll find out soon when we fight. Anyway, reports say that they're approaching us. They'll come in contact with us within the hour."

Lee nodded as Shikamaru walked away. He felt a little uncertainty inside but he ignored it.

Naruto walked evilly through the forest as the whole Atasuki followed his steps. They walked in a big group to cause attention to them for they were one to crave instant action. Itachi walked calmly hoping that the Boss wouldn't notice a disturbing feeling inside but her watchful eye always knew what her comrades thought.

"We stop for now! Get the army prepared, Deidara," she commanded as she approached Itachi. "Itachi, what is it that bothers you?"

"Nothing is bothering me. I'm just itching to go into battle!" he answered quickly. She was suspicious of his response since he always said something like 'nothing'. She smiled and sat nearby. Kakuzo stared at Hidan who began doing a ceremony.

"Jashin-sama, please watch over me as I go into battle with these scum called ninjas! I'm going to go all out, I'm serious!!!!" he yelled. Kakuzo threw a rock at him. He cursed and looked at his partner. "That's disrespectful, Kakuzo!"

"Be careful in this fight, you might get killed this time."

"Hah, you're telling me that Kakuzo!"

Naruto sat alone not paying any attention to anything going around him. He only laughed to himself quietly making Itachi a bit nervous.

"He's laughing?" he asked himself. The Boss looked at him and heard his question.

"Itachi, in this battle, I want you to team up with Naruto! Since that girl, Misha, didn't show up like I thought she would! Hidan should go with Kakuzo and Sasori with Deidara. I'll go with Tobi and Zetsu with the last one!" she informed. Itachi sat confused. "You're my 'second in command' now! Naruto is too raw and out of control to assume that role. You are to take it easy and make sure Naruto doesn't confront his old comrades!"

"He shouldn't have any problem if he confronted his old comrades. Why do you advise against it?"

"He'll probably go crazy with no particular reason. He's not stable right now, as you can see. I went a little too…fast on him…"

Itachi sighed without a care for her orders and nodded his head. She looked at him doubtfully and looked away.

Meanwhile, Konoha prepared for the oncoming battle. Shikamaru looked around and analyzed the situation. He then spotted his reinforcements from a distance as they discussed their plan of attack.

"Kisame, why can't you fight someone else?" Lance asked angrily.

"He betrayed me! I have a bone to pick with him!" the fish man replied.

"In reality, you betrayed Itachi just so we didn't kill you!"

"But that's different, I want to fight him!!!"

"Wait, where's Jiriyiah?"

"You mean the pervert guy…writing his book while watching women change into battle uniforms!"

"And Manimuri?"

"With the pervert guy…"

"And don't tell me, Kakashi too!"

"Yup…"

"Why did you decide to stay then?"

"I was the only one smart enough to use a clone to take my place while I went over there…"

"I see…"

Lance sighed and looked at Shikamaru. He gave him the signal to come over.

"We're supposed to be the reinforcements, right?" he asked while Shikamaru just nodded. "How can we be when they're all watching women changing clothes?!"

"You're supposed to go after Atasuki! You will engage them and take Naruto back! You guys are the only ones with enough techniques to take them! Our training has gotten so low this year that we have to rely on an old pervert and convicts to take them!" he stated as he began to walk away, "oh and Lance, try not to destroy this broken village too much. We need it like it is so we don't have to pay too much to repair it!"

And with that, Shikamaru left Lance and Kisame's clone amidst the preparing ninjas. Lance looked at Kisame and sighed.

"I wonder when my uncle will get here!"