Author's Note: Hello again.

Things have been busy, but I'm still writing. Made some pretty decent progress as of late, actually. Hopefully it continues.

On a related note, my profile keeps track of for writing progress. Check it out if you're ever curious for potential release dates.

Reviews are extremely appreciated by all writers. If you have a favorite story you love seeing updates for, leave them a review. You might even give them some extra motivation.

If you're interested, join my jointly owned Discord server with Yogami Asura, author of the great story "I Promise."

Here is the link: https:/ /discord . gg / UaMZg9qc

Just remove the spaces and you should be good to go. PM me if it doesn't work.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 51: Old Dog, New Tricks

"What a day," Naruto bent down to touch his toes to stretch out his hamstrings and release the tension built up in his lower back. "I really need a vacation on account of almost dying a few times recently."

"Do you even know how to relax?" Karin asked. She was sat on the ground with her back up against the Torture & Interrogation headquarters. "It's like you always need to be doing something dangerous and stupid."

"What? Of course I know how to relax; I was even thinking about going to take a dip in the village hot springs today. I could really use a good soak."

Karin smiled and rested her cheek on her hand. "Oh, is that right? I give it less than a day before you start getting restless."

"You're a real know-it-all, you know that?"

"Of course I do. Like you just said, I know it all."

Naruto sat down on the ground next to Karin. "Guess I walked right into that one," He chuckled. They sat in silence for a while thinking about what had occurred over the course of just a few short days.

They had just finished their hour-long debrief with Shikaku, Inoichi, and Ibiki and were currently waiting for Shikamaru to finish his before leaving. They would have been on their way already, but Shikamaru specifically requested to tag along. Despite Naruto's attestation that he would take a step back and relax for once, there were still a few things he needed to do before that could happen. More specifically, there were people he needed to speak to.

"I was thinking about what you asked me."

Naruto looked over to see that Karin was staring at him intently.

"About staying here in the Leaf permanently, I mean," She clarified. "I've given it a lot of thought."

"Oh, you did?" Naruto perked up. "Great! Uh, so, have you decided anything yet?"

"Yes," She nodded. "If the Hokage allows it, I would like to become a Hidden Leaf Ninja. I can pull my own weight! I'd be great in the Sensory Division, or even a Medic Ninja if needed!"

"Relax, Karin. You've already proven yourself plenty," Naruto assured her. "I'll talk to Granny Tsunade and Master Jiraiya. They'd be fools to turn down someone as valuable and smart as you."

"T-Thanks, Naruto. That means a lot coming from you," Karin said through what she felt was a cheesy smile. "What about Suigetsu? You know he can be a little…"

"Insane, violent, unpredictable; all of the above?" Naruto finished.

"I was going to say difficult to deal with, but yes. He can be all of that and more… Knowing all of that, will the Hokage agree to let him stay?"

"Let me worry about that. Granny and I are close; If I take full accountability for anything the idiot might do, she'll be on board with it. That's if he wants to stay, I actually haven't asked him yet. I know his goal is to collect the Seven Swords of the Mist, and becoming a Leaf Shinobi would certainly get in the way of that– having to go on missions for the village and such."

Karin sighed. "You can never know with that jerk. Even with my abilities, I've never been able to get a read on him."

"Haha, yeah. He's certainly a character."

Just then, a tingle ran up his spine; his heart rate began to elevate, sweat accumulated on his palms, and his pupils dilated. Karin, who was idly gazing up at the clear sky, seemed oblivious to the sudden shift he felt. He took measured steps to calm and control his breathing. It was almost like his unconscious mind was speaking to him through his senses.

Something was wrong.

'What is this sensation?' He thought to himself and began to discreetly scan his surroundings. 'Am I being watched? No, Karin seems unbothered– wouldn't she be able to sense something? It's gotta be something else. Relax, Naruto, relax...'

"You okay, Naruto?" Karin asked. "You seem a little flush, and your chakra is fluctuating unusually."

"No, I'm fine," He shook his head. "I think I'm just a bit tired and stressed, is all. Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, I kind of figured. We're all still a bit on edge."

"Say, can you sense Shikamaru's chakra? Is he on his way?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, he's on his way out of the building now. He'll be here in a couple of minutes."

"That's great," Naruto exhaled. "Can… you feel anyone else's chakra?"

"Hold on, lemme check," Karin furrowed her brow for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. "Nope, that's it. The only chakras I can sense are from the people in T&I HQ; why?"

"... Just wondering," Naruto lied. "I was hoping Kakashi-Sensei would find his way over here. It'd be a lot easier for us instead of having to track him down."

"I'll let you know if I find him on our way through the village. He's the guy with the mask and one eye covered, right?"

"Yep, that'd be him."

"Okay, I think I remember his chakra."

"Thanks."

'Kurama,' Naruto said inwardly. 'Do you have a read on anything? I've got a bad feeling and need to know if I'm just imagining it.'

'I'm not your errand boy,' The Fox spat. 'And when did I give you permission to use that name? Are you trying to infuriate me?!'

'N-No, I-'

'I don't need your excuses, boy; but, to answer your question, no, I do not sense anyone in the vicinity with evil intent. Whatever is plaguing you may very well be in your own mind.'

'Great, just great,' Naruto bemoaned. 'The giant fox stuck inside my head is calling me crazy…'

'I don't make the rules, kid.'

'That… doesn't make me feel better.'

'Good.'

Naruto sighed.

"So, Ibiki threw you out just like that?" Shikamaru clasped his hands behind his head. "What a troublesome guy."

"Tell me about it," Naruto grumbled and kicked a loose rock down the dirt road. He watched it skip along the ground on its unpredictable path before catching up to it and repeating the process for what had to be the dozenth time. "The bastard said he had work to do and that I was 'getting in his way.' Not even a thank you– can you believe that?"

"Did you really expect a thank you from him?"

"No, but it would have been nice!"

"That guy's chakra is as rough around the edges as his voice is," Karin chimed in. "I remember him from the Chunin Exams a few years back. I bet explicitly expressing gratitude causes him physical discomfort."

Naruto rubbed his chin. "Huh, never thought about it like that…"

"Your friend is pretty good at reading people, huh, Naruto?" Shikamaru's eyebrow raised curiously. "Sorry I couldn't introduce myself properly before– the name's Shikamaru Nara," He pointed a thumb toward Naruto and smirked. "I've known this knucklehead since we were both kids."

"This knucklehead'll kick your ass ya pineapple bastard," Naruto muttered.

"My name's Karin," She nodded her head in acknowledgment. "I can see why Naruto sought you out for his plan. You and your dad are geniuses."

"Eh, he's all right," Naruto was clearly still not over the 'knucklehead' comment. "He'd be ten times the Shinobi he is now if he wasn't such a lazy bum!"

"I like to relax," Shikamaru shrugged dismissively. "Sue me."

"I will. Did ya see what I did to Danzo in court? I'll take ya for everything you own."

Their back-and-forth banter elicited a giggle from Karin. This just reaffirmed what she expressed earlier, she definitely wanted to stay here for the long term. This was the place she belonged.

When the building came into view they all quickly quieted down. To their knowledge, there was no longer an imminent threat, but it was better to air on the side of caution. They also had to sit down and have an important discussion and update a certain someone impersonating an old lady.

"Sasuke's already inside with him," Karin informed the others. "Along with another chakra that feels somewhat familiar. I think that's..."

"I have a pretty good idea of who it might be," Naruto said as he opened the door to the tea shop. The trio was not surprised to see Sasuke and Kakashi sitting down at a table inside the otherwise empty establishment. They were, however, a bit thrown off by what the pair was up to.

"Is that hot tea?" Naruto asked incredulously. There was certainly steam wafting from their cups. "Why are you guys drinking tea– where is Suigetsu?"

"He's getting the sweet bun I ordered," Kakashi explained as he absentmindedly flipped through the pages of his favorite Icha-Icha volume. He then looked up to see the new arrivals were all looking at him incredulously. "What? I'm hungry."

"You guys got Suigetsu of all people to take your order?" Karin asked. "How?

"Kakashi might have insinuated that he still needs to be undercover for the mission," Sasuke said simply in between sips of his green tea. "I didn't feel the need to correct him."

"I can't believe this," Naruto buried his head in his hand and held back the urge to laugh. The image of Suigetsu as a server was almost too much.

"Neither did I at first, but the tea is actually quite good," Kakashi ushered them all to take a seat at the table. "Sit down and order something. I hear the Taiyaki from this place is delicious."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." Naruto deadpanned.

"I wouldn't mind some Taiyaki," Karin hummed happily and eagerly took a seat next to Kakashi. She then patted the seat beside her for Naruto to sit down.

"Karin, seriously?" She gave him an insistent look. "Fine," He relented and sat down next to her.

Kakashi's smile was visible through his mask. He turned his attention to the only one left standing. "Shikamaru, are you going to sit?"

Shikamaru looked at the spot next to Sasuke and frowned. "I think I'll just stand," The tone in his voice was slightly off. "I'd rather not sit next to the guy that turned his back on the village."

"Hm," Sasuke appeared unbothered. "Suit yourself."

"That's water under the bridge, Shikamaru," Naruto waved off the harsh words. "Sasuke is one of us again and has already helped the Leaf out a lot. We wouldn't have been able to kill Orochimaru without him."

"Sorry if I'm a little more cautious than you, Naruto, but the last time we were involved with this guy several of my friends ended up in the hospital. Including you, if you remember."

"That's not my problem," Sasuke's arms remained casually crossed at his chest. "I didn't ask for you guys to come to my rescue. I left of my own free will. That's on you, not me."

"What was that?!" Shikamaru said heatedly. "You've got some nerve coming here with that attitude after what you did!"

"You heard me, Nara. That's. On. You."

"Woah, woah, how about we all just relax a little? There are no enemies here, only comrades," Kakashi stood up, prepared to diffuse the situation if necessary. "Shikamaru, take my seat. I'll sit next to Sasuke. Let's just talk. Okay? We're just talking."

After a brief pause, Shikamaru reluctantly agreed and took Kakashi's seat on the other side of Karin. He would occasionally send dirty looks Sasuke's way throughout the conversation, though they would be completely ignored by the recipient.

"So," Kakashi clasped his hands together, gesturing to Naruto before continuing. "Sasuke and I heard a few odds and ends from some of the ANBU stationed around the village, but no one seems to know the full details. I'd like to hear it from you– what happened after you left following the explosion?"

"Alright," Naruto cleared his throat. "Suigetsu, get in here! Your mission is over!"

"But… my sweet bun…"

"I just had a pretty long debrief and don't want to repeat myself again, Sensei. He needs to be in here for this, too."

"Fine… I guess…"

'Poof!'

"Thank God!" Suigetsu dispelled the Transformation Jutsu and bolted out of the kitchen with vigor. "You have no idea how annoying this has been for me, blondie. Oh, and you," He paused, pointing to a blinking Kakashi. "Here's your damn sweet bun. You're lucky it was already done."

"Why, thank you," Kakashi accepted the plated treat graciously, his smile now returned. "This looks delicious! I can't wait to dig in."

Naruto, Shikamaru, and even Sasuke perked up slightly.

"But it can wait until after we talk."

Naruto's face soured, Shikamaru grumbled something about a 'troublesome mask,' and Sasuke went back to shutting his eyes.

Karin noticed the trio's odd behavior. "What was that about?" She whispered to Naruto.

"I'll tell you later," Naruto whispered back before turning his attention back to Kakashi. "Before I start, did you happen to run into Master Jiraiya? I needed to talk to him about something after this."

"Yeah… he mentioned something about going to see Lady Tsunade."

"Unbelievable," Tsunade breathed out. The report in her hands contained some of the most concerning details she'd seen in her time as Hokage. To call the last couple of weeks' worth of events nearly catastrophic to the safety of the home she loved dearly would be an immense understatement. "How could we allow it to get this far? How could I allow this to happen under my watch?"

"The blame doesn't rest solely on your shoulders, Tsunade. I'm responsible for this mess as well," Jiraiya was as lost for words as she was, but he wouldn't allow her to unnecessarily beat herself up. "We're just damn lucky that this didn't end up much worse."

"Well, I'm tired of it!" Tsunade slammed her hands down so forcefully Jiraiya was surprised her palms didn't rip right through the desk. "We've lost too much being reactive; it's time we got ahead of things for a change!"

Jiraiya frowned. It was obvious the loss she was referring to was. "Does Shikaku have a plan on how to proceed?" He asked. "Danzo's men, now these Zetsu– Ibiki and Inoichi would have their hands dealing with that mess by themselves. Can we even expect to get any intel out of loyal Akatsuki?"

"That was a concern of mine, too," Tsunade nodded in agreement. "That's why Sakura will lead a team of medics to examine some of the White Zetsu clones through autopsy… I want to know everything about them right down to their body composition. These abilities are far too dangerous for us to be in the dark, and we can't expect to rely on Naruto's borrowed abilities from the Nine-Tails to bail us out of trouble again."

"I see," Jiraiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Secrets within the flesh are much harder to hide than those in the mind. I'm sure they will uncover something we can use."

"Precisely. We need to operate under the assumption that more clones of Zetsu are at the Akatsuki's disposal– maybe not currently in the village, but out there somewhere; deciphering these secrets could give us a massive advantage in the fight against the Akatsuki."

"And what about the security breach?" Jiraiya questioned. "I saw in the report that Sasori had mentioned something about a weak point in the barrier?"

"From my understanding, it happens once a week for about fifteen minutes on the east border. Shukaku and Shikamaru believe that it probably happens due to suboptimal shift rotations done by the Barrier Corp," Tsunade seemed particularly angry about that oversight. "They have been made aware of it and it's being investigated now. I told them they couldn't go home until the issue was resolved and a detailed explanation on how such a glaring deficiency was missed for so long."

"Seems like we've grown soft as a village in times of peace," Jiraiya lamented. "There's no threat to motivate us to continuously sharpen our skills."

"You call this peace? Between the Akatsuki, the Mizukage requesting a Five Kage Summit, and what just happened to the Tsuchikage in the Hidden Stone, it feels like the lid might blow off any second."

"Are we at war?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well, no, but-"

"Then the naive will assume all is peaceful."

"I suppose you're right," Tsunade dropped her head into her hands. "Speaking of the Summit, I've been trying my best to postpone it as long as possible. The other Kage are getting restless, but I couldn't in good conscience leave the village during such a chaotic time."

"Kicking the can down the road is all well and good… let's just be prepared for it when the time comes," Jiraiya kicked off from his spot propped against the wall, and walked over to the window behind Tsunade's desk. He took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

Tsunade arched an eyebrow curiously, then moved to stand next to him. She leaned over to see past his voluminous white hair. He appeared conflicted and didn't even register her close proximity.

"What's on your mind?" She asked, despite having a pretty good idea. "The brat?"

Jiraiya glanced over at her, then back out the window. "Yeah, I guess so." He chuckled. "It feels like I'm always thinking about him."

"He did a great thing today," Tsunade insisted. "Who knows where we would be right now if it wasn't for his help?"

"Yeah, I know…"

"This wasn't like the other times," Tsunade wasn't finished. "Naruto sought out help from others instead of recklessly doing everything by himself– that alone tells me that he's taken your words to heart! A month or two ago he would have never done that. Shikaku even gave him nothing but glowing reviews, which is something he rarely does."

"Tsunade, I know," Jiraiya repeated. "I'm damn proud of the kid for what he just did; that isn't what worries me."

"If that isn't what you're worried about, then what are you-" His grim expression made her involuntarily take a step back from him. "Jiraiya… what are you planning to do?"

"You mentioned that we need to start being proactive to combat the Akatsuki," He was quiet for a moment as if to choose his next words extremely carefully. "And I've been thinking about the conversation Naruto and I had with the Nine-Tails a while back."

"No," Tsunade said in a low tone. "Don't say another word."

"Someone in the Akatsuki has the Rinnegan, Tsunade!" Jiraiya shouted. "You know damn well that can only mean one thing!"

"We've talked about this already, Jiraiya! You're talking about something that happened over twenty years ago that you've conveniently kept secret until now!" Her voice no longer had its authoritative edge. "Those orphans you trained from the Hidden Rain are dead… chances are, if someone in the Akatsuki possesses the Rinnegan, it's because they stole them from your student a long time ago. Wait until we have more information before being reckless!"

"See, that's the thing… I just got word back from one of my most trusted informants. According to him, the leader of the Akatsuki is holed up in the Hidden Rain Village of all places."

"Jiraiya-"

"This can't be a coincidence," He cut her off. "Nagato is alive and leading the Akatsuki alongside Madara, I know it!"

"So what, you're just going to infiltrate the Hidden Rain with God knows what waiting to kill you on the other side?" Tsunade's frown deepened. "You think he's going to be alone– what if Madara is there with him waiting for you? Not even you would be skilled enough to get back alive! Why can't you stop being an idiot for one second and think!"

"Tsunade… I'm sorry," His tone was somber. "You know I have to do this."

"Yeah, but I'm just supposed to sit back and be okay with it?" She wiped a stray tear that started to pool in the corner of her eye. "Dammit. No one could ever convince you of anything when you set your mind to something. Sarutobi-Sensei and the Elders learned the hard way after all of the times you turned down the position of Hokage. Just– please, I can't lose you too…"

"I don't plan on dying… because I'm not going alone."

"What?" Tsunade blinked, then it hit her. "You want to take Naruto with you to infiltrate the Hidden Rain? That's what you're concerned about– you're worried about putting him in danger?"

"As stupid as it sounds to me now, this is something I would have done by myself just a couple of months ago. I'm not used to bringing other people along on my reckless escapades," Jiraiya sighed. "But I made a promise to the kid; we told each other that we needed to stop only relying on ourselves. He just kept up his end, so I must do the same. Save for maybe Kakashi, there isn't anyone I trust with my life more than Naruto."

"I've been trying to tell you that for decades, and the brat is the one to finally get it through that thick skull? Never thought I'd see the day when the Great Jiraiya finally saw reason," Tsunade's features softened. "How sure are you of this?"

"We need to be prepared before blindly sneaking into a potentially hostile nation. I'll be a lot more sure after we train at Mount Myoboku."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "Mount Myoboku?" She asked. "Now?!"

"It feels like the opportunity, Naruto's part in this whole ordeal with Danzo and the White Zetsu is done. It'll be a while until you've collected any useful information we can use, so we should use this downtime wisely while it lasts." Jiraiya explained. "And, it's finally time Pa and I teach the kid Sage Mode. He's been ready for a while."

"Even though you can be an idiot sometimes, Naruto is lucky to have you in his corner," Tsunade managed a smile. "Minato and Kushina would be proud of the job you've done."

"You've got it backward– I'm the lucky one," Jiraiya said with a chuckle. "These last few years have been the most fulfilling of my life, and I have him to thank for that. I have regrets about not being there for him sooner but once I accepted those, I was able to be there for him fully. It's given me a sense of purpose that hasn't been there for a very long time. I just hope Minato and Kushina aren't too mad at me for the mistakes I've made."

"Jiraiya…"

They had been through everything together; childhood, the academy, ninja training, the Chunin Exams, dangerous missions, war, and most importantly— loss. After knowing the man for nearly fifty years, Tsunade was convinced she had figured him out.

Jiraiya was someone who took his work far more seriously than his personal life. While he was reliable when you needed a mission completed, he was almost useless on an intimate level when deep and complex emotions were involved. Jiraiya retreated in the face of difficult life decisions, refused to take anything meaningful seriously, and lusted for any attractive woman to cross his gaze over forming genuine loving relationships. These are facts she had long since accepted.

And yet, realization had just struck her upside the head like a rock. Standing in front of her was a changed man. Jiraiya was still the person she knew and cared for, but he had emotionally matured to a point she didn't think possible right before her very eyes. She was dumbfounded.

"Welp, I'd better get going," Jiraiya smiled, completely unaware of her internal struggle, "I need to meet up with Naruto early tomorrow to let him know about our training. I think it would be a good idea to get a good night's sleep, then we can head to Mount Myoboku."

…

"I'll see ya around, Tsunade," He slid the window open and got ready to hop out. "You know where to find me if ya need anything."

"Wait, Jiraiya, don't go…"

"Aw, gonna miss me?" He half-joked, then turned to look at her. "Don't worry, I'll swing by again before we-"

To the shock of both of them, Tsunade leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She was delicate, almost hesitant in the act.

They stayed like that for a moment in each other's embrace, though it felt like an eternity. Even though it was fleeting, Tsunade could feel all her worries melt away. Jiraiya suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled away, and looked deeply into her eyes.

"T-Tsunade…" It was rare to see him at a loss for words. "...What the hell was that– have you been drinking!?"

"I don't know," She blushed. "Do you smell any alcohol on my breath?"

"N-No, b-but-" Jiraiya blinked and his face was now flush. "I don't understand. Did I miss something?"

"No, nothing like that," Tsunade shook her head and chuckled. "We just never get a break… not even a single day away from any of this madness. And you… I've only just started to realize it, but you've changed. I mean that in the best way possible."

"Tsunade…"

"Stay here… with me. We both deserve just one night to ourselves. Please."

Jiraiya could only nod dumbly.

He would be a fool not to.

"I never thought I'd say this, but thank goodness for the Nine-Tails," Kakashi let out a deep breath. "We knew Zetsu's abilities were dangerous, and yet we continue to underestimate the capabilities of these Akatsuki. They've played us for fools yet again."

"Remember that we just dealt a huge blow to them, as well," Sasuke reminded the group. "They just lost perhaps their biggest advantage against the Leaf. Going forward, they'll be in the dark about what our next moves are. I think we should take advantage of that fact."

"Are you suggesting a counterattack?" Shikamaru asked, albeit a tad begrudgingly.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting. We know that the Akatsuki operate in pairs," Sasuke placed his palms on the table and leaned in close. "I say we track down one of the remaining pairs and eliminate them."

"That… actually could work." Shikamaru put his hand under his chin. "It should take time before the Akatsuki realize that the White Zetsu's have been captured. They would never see it coming, but with Deidara, Itachi, and Sasori no longer in the picture– what known pairs remain?"

"Hidan and Kakuzu," Naruto said immediately. "The bastards who killed Tazuna, Inari, and Tsunami are still out there. Sasori has given Ibiki plenty of intel on those two… we can get rid of them once and for all."

"That's why there were three additional graves next to Haku and Zabuza," Sasuke remarked with an even tone. "They were killed by Akatsuki?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "They came after me a couple years back during my time training outside of the village. Master Jiraiya and Uddo were able to get me out of there, but it was too late for them… the Akatsuki had Sasori turn Inari and Tsunami into human puppets to use against me, but that's a story for a different day."

"Jesus, dude," Even the somewhat sadistic Suigetsu was at a loss for words. "I can definitely see why you want these assholes dead."

"Naruto," Kakashi appeared uncomfortable. "I know this means a lot to you, but you can't be on this mission."

"What?!" Naruto stood up and slammed his hands on the table. He couldn't believe it. "What the hell are you talking about, Kakashi-Sensei?! You can't take this away from me!"

"It's not my call, they have other plans for you. You need to talk to Master Jiraiya to get the full story. Sasuke and I, along with an undecided third member if deemed necessary, will track down Hidan and Kakuzu. Don't worry, they will pay for what they've done."

"I'm going to be on that mission no matter what. Just you wait, I'll convince Master Jiraiya. Nothing he has in mind could be more important than this."

"Sure, you can take that up with him," Kakashi repeated. "As for now, however, I need to operate under the assumption that you will be unavailable. Please understand the position I am in."

"I get it, Sensei," Naruto's fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "I know something like this isn't up to you; I'm sorry." He took a second, then opened his hands to release the pressure. "To get back on track– there was something that has bothered me for a while."

"What is it?" Kakashi asked.

"Danzo; why did the Akatsuki target him when he was going to be killed anyway? What was the point?"

"Ah, that; I've thought about that myself, and I've come to what I think is the most likely conclusion."

"Really, Sensei?" Naruto asked hopefully. "Are you sure?"

"Yep," Kakashi nodded. "It's really quite intuitive. Think about it– what is the difference between what we would have done and what the Akatsuki ultimately did?"

Shikamaru appeared to catch on. "We were going to study his body, so the Akatsuki made sure we were unable to do that. We spoke with the heads of the intelligence and medic divisions, they won't be able to get any information from his remains."

"Seems like the Akatsuki knew something about Danzo that we didn't, and they wanted to keep it that way," Kakashi hypothesized. "At the very least, they prevented us from recovering Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan. Keeping the Kotoamatsukami out of our possession had to be their number one priority."

"I can see why," Frustrations aside, Naruto realized that his conversation about chasing the Akatsuki needed to be with Jiraiya. For now, he'd put that aside to not be a distraction. "That Jutsu rattled my brain– twice!"

"While you guys handle things on the outside, I'll continue to work with my father on working through any new intel we manage to uncover," Shikamaru cut in– eager to add some value to the operation. "If we learn anything from those Zetsu bodies or Danzo's Anbu, you'll be the first to know."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Kakashi nodded. His gaze drifted over to the clock mounted on the wall before he promptly stood up. "It's getting late, so I suggest we regroup in the coming days. As always, things are going to be happening quickly and could be prone to change. Naruto– I think you should go speak with Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya first thing in the morning."

Naruto rolled his eyes but begrudgingly agreed. His impatient nature made things like this difficult. However, it was times like this that he would make a conscious effort to express a little of that self-control he barely utilized.

"I'm gonna head home, too," Shikamaru was the next to stand up. "I'm sure dinner is about to be ready, and I'd rather not hear anything from my mother." He waved half-heartedly, lingered his eyes on a certain Uchiha, then turned to leave. "See ya!"

"Shikamaru."

Shikamaru paused but didn't turn around. "Yeah, Sasuke?" He responded in a low tone.

"Sorry– about earlier…" One could tell by Sasuke's voice inflection that he was not very experienced in the art of apologies. He appeared annoyed and done with it all, which made his choice to continue surprising to the others present. "I meant what I said, but I didn't intend for anyone to get hurt because of me."

"Like Naruto said, no one died… it's water under the bridge," Shikamaru threw a lazy thumbs-up behind his head and kept walking. "Sorry that I gave you a hard time. If you're here to help out as one of us again, then that's good enough for me. I'll see ya around."

Kakashi smiled at the exchange, then brought a single hand up to form the Ram Seal. "Aw, my adorable little students are starting to play nice…" He teased before body flickering away.

Now all that remained were the four members of Team Hebi.

"Look at you being civil," Suigetsu's sharp teeth showed through his grin. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"That's rich coming from you, Suigetsu!" Karin pointed at him accusingly. "You just might be the most barbaric and uncivilized person I've ever met!"

"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Karin."

"Oh, shut up, you idiot!"

"What? Does defending Sasuke make you all flustered? I wonder why that is…"

"W-Wha-'' She stuttered out. "No! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Yeah, sure I don't… whatever you say."

Karin was practically fuming at this point. From Naruto's perspective, no one could rile her up quite like Suigetsu could. He knew all of the correct buttons to push– one of which was apparently Sasuke. That made sense when he thought about it; Sasuke has been fawned over by those of the opposite gender his entire life. The only exception to that rule seemed to be Hinata, and until recently he hadn't been entirely sure of that.

"I have to agree with Karin on this, Suigetsu," Sasuke uncharacteristically chimed in. "You're about as civil as a starving Ninja Hound."

"Ha!" Karin pushed her finger right into Suigetsu's face and howled in laughter. "Seems we're all in agreement about what a mess you are!"

"C'mon, Sasuke. That wasn't cool, man…"

It always hurt more when the quiet ones made the jokes.

Naruto smiled. Just being around those he considered friends, even if they were simply bickering amongst one another, was something he enjoyed. It was relaxing in times when such a thing was a luxury. They knew that in just a few short days, there would most likely not be much to laugh about.

So they'd better enjoy it while they still could.

"I see," Pain closed his eyes as if he were in deep thought. Not a single muscle in his face moved. The constant thumping of the pounding rain audible from outside didn't seem to interrupt his focus. "This changes things…"

"Did something happen?" Konan asked. Minutes of silence from Pain was commonplace, but it felt as if he was in a different place entirely. Almost as if…

"The Leaf Village has been made aware of the White Zetsu clones," Pain said as his eyes remained shut. His tone remained stoic despite the unwanted news. "I fear that all of them have been captured and brought in for interrogation and medical study."

"What?" Based on Konan's reaction, this was not expected by either of them. "How is it possible that they can see through his Transformation Jutsu?"

"I'm… not entirely sure, though I fear it has something to do with the Nine-Tails Brat." The slightest of twitches wrinkled across his face. "He always seems to be at the center of our problems lately."

"And… How does this change things?" Konan harkened back to what he said earlier and eyed her superior curiously. "You are still going through with the plan, correct? If anything, these developments only help further our cause."

"Tell me– what is his status?" Pain asked cautiously. His decision would depend much on what the answer to his question would be.

"I received word from Black Zetsu just before coming to see you," Konan confirmed. "Madara is currently on the move and will be away on his two assignments for several days, perhaps even weeks depending on if any complications arise."

"Is that right?" Pain stopped and mulled over the information he had just received. "And you're sure of this?"

"Yes, I am."

"Excellent, then that is our window," Pain said. It was finally time to deal what they deemed the decisive blow. "This path will lead to unavoidable sacrifice, but it is finally time."

"Pain… do you mean?"

"Chikushodo is in position… Project Matsuura will be initiated on my mark."

He was moving so fast through the air the trees were merely a blur as he zipped past them. It took every ounce of concentration remaining not to slam headfirst into one of those massive trunks. His heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest, but it was much-needed confirmation that he was still alive. Any and all positive thoughts were necessary at a time like this.

Chaos had been commonplace in his life for what felt like forever at this point, though recently it had worsened significantly. Seems like they wanted to find him more than ever now, not that it mattered much to him. It was pretty obvious what they would do to him if he were caught.

The same thing that happened to the last of his kind.

Once the feeling of dread finally passed, he landed on a sturdy-looking branch and pressed his back against its trunk. His head peeked over the side to get a view behind him. All he saw were trees– a welcomed sight. After a minute or two of nothing, he allowed himself to relax. For now.

"Hopefully that put some distance between us," His voice was deep and his tone was even despite the stressful circumstances. "It won't stay like this for long, though a breather would be nice"

He was a slender young man with pale golden eyes and brown hair that reached down to his shoulders. His hair was parted to the side so a large portion of his bangs covered the left side of his face. His attire consisted of a long, light blue kimono adorned with a small emblem of three bubbles on the back, and a pair of gray pants underneath, along with an orange sash. The kimono hung loose, almost lazily, which exposed his chest. In it, he carried a bamboo jug and a strangely-shaped pipe.

"Hm, what's this?" His eye caught something. Etched into the tree right above his head was a familiar marking. He traced a hand over it and felt a chill go down his back. "This is theirs… but why is it here?"

It was the mark of the Hidden Mist's Tracker Ninja. He'd seen it throughout his travels, and its appearance was usually followed by a team of Hunters. From his limited understanding, this particular mark, which consisted of three vertical slashes and a fourth horizontal right through the middle of the first three, meant that a team was still searching in the area. Once the team finishes its search a diagonal slash is then driven through the entire marking.

There was no such diagonal marking here, and also no indication there were any trackers nearby. He unconsciously reached into his robe and clutched his pipe. Something was wrong, that much was obvious.

"I should have made contact with someone by now if they're sweeping this area. These guys don't just leave their posts without a reason…" He began to circle the marked tree for any additional clues. His heartbeat quickened once more, and dread began to consume his senses. This was not a typical reaction– no, his senses were screaming that something was horribly wrong. About halfway around, his eye caught something and subsequently widened.

On the tree was a bloody handprint, and carved in the bark right next to that was what he recognized as their SOS signal. His stomach did backflips, and his mouth went dry.

Peering over the edge to look down to the forest floor, the wanted man took a deep breath and leaped down. The stench of death and decay filled his nostrils almost immediately. It was something out of a horror story– the mangled bodies of the elite team of Mist Hunter Ninja lay strewn about on the cold ground. Blood stained the dirt, trees, rocks, and any other surface or crevice it could find its way on to.

He resisted the urge to vomit up his lunch at the grizzly sight.

"Who… no, what could have done this?" They were his enemies, and yet he doesn't feel grateful for their deaths… because he could very well be next.

"Utakata of the Six Tails…" A voice boomed what felt like all around him. "It seems I've finally found you."

"W-Who's t-there!?" Utakata's eyes widened as he immediately withdrew his pipe and brought it up to his lips. "W-What do you want from me?"

Just then, right before his very eyes, a rift in space swirled open; a man wearing an orange mask casually strolled out of it as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Utakata could sense just how dire his situation was. His blood ran cold and his feet felt as if they were stuck in densely packed mud.

This man was death– as illogical as that sounded, that was the only thought his conscious mind could formulate. Utakata was staring death in the face, and he did not appear benevolent.

"I am Madara Uchiha, and you are coming with me."

Author's Note: This chapter kicks off the beginning of the next arc. As you can see, a lot of things have been put into motion.

Naruto wants to be on the mission to go after Hidan and Kakuzu, but Jiraiya has other plans for him. Speaking of Jiraiya, did you ever think you'd see any romance in this fic? That had to have been unexpected for some of you. I don't think I have to remind anyone, but a rare moment of romance does not suddenly make this a romance fic. Keep that in mind. Just let my boy Jiraiya have this moment in peace.

Tobi of all people has made his move to capture the Six Tails. Poor Utakata.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, what the hell is Project Matsuura?!

Maybe you'll find out next time with Chapter 52: "The Beginning of the End."

Leave a review and let me know what you thought!

Ky111 - A failsafe would make sense, wouldn't it? Or maybe, the Zetsu were working on their own plan. Who knows?

Flying Raijin - You are completely right. Tsunade clearly agrees with you that they cannot continue to rely so heavily on Naruto. Hopefully their efforts bear fruit.

surya25addanki - Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoy his character! I would hope so. He is the main driver of event in fic, after all.

Xelaki - I know it's mean, but I love cliffhangers lol. And I hope Jiraiya and Tsunade get a pass when you said you'd prefer no ship. Keep in mind romance is not a big aspect of the story and never will be.

Gamesdean1 - Are you asking if this will go to 1 million words? I highly doubt it. I can pretty comfortably say we are quite a bit passed halfway complete with the story. 65-70% if I had to guess. The name of the next chapter is somewhat a reference to that.

Ycat137 - Thank you! I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations.

Arrexu - It was a cruel cliffhanger, but I've had a few that were even crueler. I cannot help myself. It's too fun to imagine you guys getting pissed at me over how I end chapters. I even did it again in this one lmao.