A/N:

Caliko: I just wanted to get something out- I finally had the infamous secret written, anything else was just going to bog the chapter down- I just hope I didn't lose too many readers now that the secrets out, 'cause now the real story can begin.

End A/N

Tsunade rose to her feet with a wince, "Say I do believe this, which is saying a lot," she fought to keep a neutral expression, "Now you want to mount a full scale rescue of Itachi with the limited resources we have?"

"No, Itachi is capable, I just need a little help- I just want the rookie teams plus Gai's team."

Tsunade face faulted for a moment, "That's still a lot, but why those teams?"

Naruto smiled, "Because I've seen what each of them can do."

All this time Kakashi hadn't said much of anything, reeling from Naruto's revelation, a single tear fought its way down Kakashi's cheek, Naruto saw the tear and faced him with a smirk, "Got something in your eye Kakashi, I could lend you my old goggles" he said in one last moment of Minato showing through. Then without the slightest outward signs he slipped back into the persona he'd hidden himself in for 17 years.

"If you can convince them, I'll leave it to your judgment how much to tell them," Tsunade conceded, realizing- how could she not- this was The Fourth Hokage. "This is going to take some adjustment-"

"Don't," Naruto held up a hand, "Don't try and adjust, don't let anyone else know, I am Naruto, I have been for 17 years, and I will until I die for real, when I become Hokage again, it will be by my current accomplishments, not from my past life," he smiled confidently, pointing to himself as he spoke. Then he turned and left to gather the teams.

Kakashi turned to Jiraya as Naruto left, "So what was it like, training your student all over again."

Jiraya chuckled, "It was almost just like last time, because of the Kyuubi's chakara he really has had to learn it all over again, Iruka kept him back time and again until he finally showed signs of progress, nobody understood why Iruka was so harsh on him, they all thought it was because of his parents, but it was because they both wanted him to be capable again before he took the next step. The whole Naruto thing," Jiraya lowered his voice, "it's not an act, he really has become a different person, growing up all over again."

Tsunade smirked, "Well then I guess I can't call him for cheating our bet."

kiKIkiKIki

Kisame couldn't move without pain, because of the burns all over his body, he cursed internally. He hadn't expected Itachi to take this serious from the start. But he still had a couple tricks left…

"Should have known it would come down to this one day. I'm surprised I didn't figure you out sooner." Kisame kept moving through the pain, if he stood in one place for too long Itachi would finish him for sure. "I know you never got his name, the man who killed Akira, and Shisui."

Kisame smiled when he got the desired results, Itachi paused before he could finish another grand fireball. "Yeah, your story makes sense now," Kisame continued, "Teshiro was my mentor- and a fellow member of the seven swords, he taught me everything, including his techniques against the Sharingan."

Kisame took his sword, and swung just as Itachi regained the sense to move. But he caught one of Itachi's arms, the one he kept against his body. Itachi swore as he leapt back a couple more times, adding distance between them. Itachi already suspected Kisame knew enough to avoid the Sharingan, but to know the advanced techniques specific to besting it, just guaranteed this would be a fight at range, fire versus water. Which gave Kisame the advantage, because water weakens fire, but Itachi was more powerful, and had a greater store of Chakara. Itachi smirked, apparently this would be a drawn out fight afterall…

naNAnaNAna

Naruto dashed down the streets as he found Shikamaru, "Hey- hey! Shikamaru, get your team together fast, Tsunade's orders, meet me by the gates!"

Naruto didn't even stop to explain yet, he'd explain it to them all before they left, he dashed right by Shikamaru without another word. He hopped onto a rooftop and across the street to the next when he finnaly spotted Sakura- "Sakura-chan! Big trouble, meet me and everyone else for a big mission by the gates!" and he dashed by her too-

"NARUTO! HEY! What's going on!" She began chasing him down before he got several blocks ahead. "Damn you Naruto!" she punched a lamppost and toppled it over completely. Several kids standing by all jumped because of the racket.

"N-Naruto!" Naruto stopped suddenl as he heard Hinata call out to him-

"ah- Hinata-chan, I was hoping to find someone from your team, I need your help…" Naruto told her the same thing and move on before Hinata could say much. She smiled privately as Naruto left, then blushed before she ran off to get her team. Naruto ran into Neiji and gave him a similar half story running off before Neiji could ask him anything.

"Hey, Kakashi!" Naruto stopped at last back by Tsunade's office as Kakashi was leaving, "I'll need you to explain the mission, it'll be strange for everyone if I suddenly am giving orders."

"Yeah, I suppose it would, what do you want me to tell them?"

Naruto ran through a quick speech off the top of his head as they made it to the gate where everyone else was already waiting.

"You're LATE, Kakashi I've come to expect it from, but what kept you Naruto!"

"We ran into an old lady along the way, she needed help with her groceries," Naruto smiled as he provided the excuse instead. Kakashi smiled as well, but fought the desire to chuckle.

"I realize this is a lot of shinobi, which should make clear right off the difficulty of this mission, it's easily an S-rank mission. However due to the shortness of time, we're the most effective group to be pulled together, especially as most of us have worked together time and again before. The short version is this is a rescue mission, a story was made up some years ago, about one Uchiha Itachi, allowing him to infiltrate the organization Akatsuki, he has recently sent messenger requesting retrieval. His cover must have been blown. This mission is to get in, find Itachi, and do just enough damage to get out. If we can do this without engaging Akatsuki members, it's preferable, but doubtful."

Without asking for questions, Kakashi turned and headed for the gates. Everyone followed; being proper shinobi no one asked questions anyway. Gai caught up with Kakashi as they went, "It will be wonderful working with my rival once more-"

"Gai- please take that thing off," Kakashi pointed to the detective hat Gai was still wearing- "and stop influencing Rock Lee so much," Kakashi said with a sigh as he spotted Rock Lee imitating Gai as usual, with an identical detective hat on his head. 'thank you,' mouthed Neiji and Tenten with relieved and grateful expressions.

itITitITit

Kisame came down with his sword at Itachi. Itachi stepped in close inside the range of his sword, and with one hand did the seals for another grand fireball. Kisame was forced to let go of his sword and still get half caught in the fire as he leapt away and crumpled as his legs gave out on him on landing. Kisame tried to pull himself away, but his legs were burnt beyond use. He was heaving with deep breaths to ignore the pain. The sky closed in and a light rain began to fall, but it was too late. Kisame didn't have the strength to do any more jutsu, and he couldn't stand on his crumpled legs. Itachi took Kisame's sword with his good arm, lifting it with only a little more effort than Kisame, he turned and walked over to Kisame, and plunged his own sword into him, impaling him through the chest.

Itachi stood in silence over the body for a moment, both in respect, and to meditate and restore his strength. Using Kisame's sword to absorb the last of his chakara before the soul left the body.

Deidara was the first to arrive to investigate. Deidara spotted Itachi still standing over Kisame's body with Kisame's sword firmly embedded in the ground through Kisame's chest. Deidara smirked, ignoring the fact that Kisame was dead, "I knew you were too perfect to be true."

Itachi looked up at Deidara, opening his eyes at last. Itachi let go of Kisame's sword and turned to face Deidara, "Turn away Deidara, I have no qualms killing you as well, but I'd rather just leave."

"Killing me," Deidara mocked, "when you fought me before I knew nothing, now I know how you fight, I've been WAITING for an excuse to destroy you!"

Itachi was unfazed by Deidara's proclamation. Turning his back to Deidara he took Kisame's sword from Kisame's body, which gave a post-mortem grunt from the force of the pull.

As Itachi turned to face Deidara again it was as he'd expected, behind Deidara stood his partner, Sasori, and behind them stood both Kakuzu and Hidan. Itachi's eyes dropped as he scanned the surrounding area. The water from the rain was being soaked directly into the parched earth, but it was enough, his fireballs wouldn't be as effective, and his Shadow Clone Jutsu would divide his strength too greatly.