Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the intellectual property associated with Naruto.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. Tsunade and Kakashi engage in a brief fight, but Kakashi has brought reinforcements, and she gets rescued by someone unexpected.
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Chapter 4
The tension in the pub heightened after Kakashi made the aggressive proclamation.
Tsunade wiped her mouth, placing the bottle of sake on the counter with an annoyed expression."Why don't we engage in a drinking competition instead? The first person who is unable to drink any more alcohol must forfeit and comply with the other person's request."
"A drinking competition?" Kakashi mused. "That hardly seems like a fair challenge for me. Instead, I prefer to test my abilities in a straightforward fight."
"How bothersome. Why did you bring the little girl if you were expecting a fight?"
"I thought I might tempt you with the prospect of having another apprentice," Kakashi drawled. "Sakura still has a long way to go, but her Chakra Control is nearly on par with yours. What do you think?"
Sakura looked excitedly at him. "Is that true, Kakashi-sensei? I would be thrilled to become Tsunade's apprentice."
"No way in hell," Tsunade exclaimed as she slammed her fist into the counter, which shattered into pieces. The customers fled the bar immediately after witnessing her display of strength. "I already have one apprentice, and she is an absolute pain in my backside."
"You're one to talk," Shizune muttered.
"I guess there's only one way to settle this," Kakashi sighed. "If I win the fight, you come back to Konoha with me. If you win, I'll leave you alone."
Tsunade rose to her feet. "Let's move the fight outside of the village. I know the perfect place."
Tsunade led them to a clearing located roughly a mile from the village. Kakashi and Tsunade positioned themselves at a distance of ten feet, facing one another. Shizune and Sakura stood on the outskirts of the clearing, ensuring they didn't get in the way as they observed the approaching confrontation.
"Who do you think will win?" Sakura asked, her expression filled with anxiety.
"It's hard to say. I haven't been back to Konoha in a long time," Shizune replied. "I don't know Kakashi's current level of strength."
"Is she going to be okay? Tsunade looks drunk."
"She's just pretending," Shizune reassured her. "Even before we arrived here, she burned off the alcohol in her body."
They watched with bated breath as the fight was about to begin. A breeze swept across the field, causing their clothes to flutter. As soon as the wind ceased, Tsunade burst into action, charging at Kakashi with the intention of striking him with her fist.
Kakashi swiftly retreated to avoid the oncoming strike. Tsunade's powerful blow struck the ground, sending tremors rippling through the earth. Cracks spread out from the impact zone, illustrating Tsunade's immense strength with a single punch.
Sakura gasped in disbelief. "Oh, Kami. If that attack had landed, it would have been a one-hit knockout. I can't fathom how she possesses such extraordinary strength."
"It's her chakra control," Shizune explained. "She reinforces her fists with chakra. Now, hush and watch the fight."
Kakashi swiftly performed six hand seals, unleashing a colossal fireball that surged forward with explosive force, targeting Tsunade.
However, Tsunade was no longer there. She deftly employed a simple substitution technique, vanishing and reappearing to the side, evading the fireball altogether. The unleashed fireball made contact with the ground, causing a massive explosion that cratered the ground.
Undeterred, Tsunade swiftly advanced, launching herself towards Kakashi with surprising speed. Where did it come from?
Kakashi sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the brutal blow. The force of Tsunade's punch created a powerful gust as it hit the air. Reacting swiftly, Kakashi retrieved a Kunai knife from his vest and stabbed at Tsunade's back, but she expertly intercepted his arm with her own, stopping the attack.
With relentless ferocity, Tsunade launched another punch at Kakashi's body, successfully connecting with her target. However, to her astonishment, Kakashi transformed into water and fell to the ground with a splash. A water clone.
"Your strike could have dealt serious damage," Kakashi remarked, speaking from his new position behind her. As he spoke, his hands were already in motion, preparing to unleash his next jutsu.
Kakashi unleashed an orb of compressed air from his mouth, while Tsunade swiftly reacted by slamming her hands into the ground and conjuring a wall of earth before her. The orb collided with the wall, causing significant damage, but it managed to hold under the impact.
Tsunade leapt into the air, right before Kakashi emerged from the ground beneath her, intent on trapping her with the Headhunter Jutsu. She fell to the ground like a meteor, hurling her fist towards the spot where Kakashi had been seconds ago. The impact shook the ground and tore the earth apart, and a tremor shook the ground. Before Tsunade could regain her feet, a barrage of kunai came hurtling towards her, with explosive tags attached to them.
Sakura instinctively shielded her head from the resulting shockwave, which tore at her clothes and threatened to push her back. A colossal cloud of dust enveloped the area, rendering it impossible for her to see what was happening.
"Is Tsunade alright? Sakura asked anxiously, trying to see through the veil of dust.
"This is nothing," Shizune assured her. "Tsunade is renowned as one of the legendary Sannin and possesses unparalleled regenerative abilities. Even if she sustained serious injuries, she could heal them almost instantaneously. It will take a lot more to defeat her."
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, secretly rooting for Tsunade's victory, even if it meant that she would not return to the village.
Gradually, the haze settled, revealing Tsunade and Kakashi amidst a scene of utter devastation. The terrain had become unrecognizable, dotted with craters, scorch marks, and heaps of debris scattered across a wide expanse.
Tsunade was standing inside a transparent dome, while Kakashi stood opposite her. As the barrier dissipated, Tsunade scowled at her opponent.
"Kakashi has one clear advantage over Tsunade in that she hasn't had a real fight in a long time, so she is rusty," Shizune informed her. "However, Tsunade still possesses far greater chakra reserves than Kakashi and still has a secret weapon up her sleeve. If Kakashi persists in carelessly using up his chakra reserves, then he is not going to last long. It almost seemed as though he was doing so intentionally…"
The fight continued, with a back-and-forth exchange of furious attacks. Neither of them was able to gain the upper hand. Kakashi's tactical approach and speed kept him in the battle, but Tsunade quickly adjusted her strategy. Instead of rushing ahead, she used her extensive range of Jutsu to engage Kakashi on his own terms. She even employed Genjitsu, which caught Kakashi off guard momentarily. However, he managed to escape its effects by stabbing his thigh with a Kunai.
To gain an advantage, Kakashi revealed his Sharingan, allowing him to react faster and counter Tsunade's dominance. Nevertheless, it proved to be too little, too late. Kakashi found himself depleted of chakra, forced onto the defensive. He couldn't rely on Taijutsu due to being severely outmatched in strength.
As if following an unspoken agreement, the fight abruptly came to a halt. They retreated from each other until they were separated by a significant distance.
"This fight is over, Kakashi-brat," Tsunade confidently declared, her voice laced with a tinge of triumph. "I possess an abundant reservoir of chakra, while you, on the other hand, are running on fumes. It's time for you to concede defeat."
"You haven't lost any of your formidable strength, Lady Tsunade," he acknowledged. "However, I never harboured any illusions of emerging victorious in this bout."
"Then why, might I ask, did you subject yourself to this wager?"
"Oh, I was just thinking that I might have a shot, given your well-known track record of losing when it comes to any form of gambling. But I have a backup plan."
Suddenly, like spectres emerging from the shadows, shinobi materialised from the trees on the outskirts of the clearing. They rallied behind Kakashi. Their ranks consisted of Anbu operatives, every single one of them looking composed and ready to fight.
The unexpected turn of events left Shizune momentarily frozen in shock. Before she could regain her senses, another Jonin swiftly closed in from behind, brandishing a deadly kunai at her throat. The situation had taken a perilous turn, raising the stakes considerably.
Tsunade angrily raised her fist at Kakashi and exclaimed, "You're a deceitful snake, Kakashi! Where is your sense of honour?"
"Honor is reserved for the samurai," Kakashi replied. "We are shinobi."
Tsunade assessed her chances against the shinobi and realised that the odds were not in her favour. Despite possessing a vast reservoir of chakra, it wouldn't be sufficient to defeat them all. Desperately, she scanned her surroundings, searching for another way out of this predicament.
"Surrender, or else I'll have my man kill your apprentice. Unlike you, she is dispensable." The threat came from a man standing next to Kakashi, wearing a white mask.
Kakashi raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Please, Spook, let's remain calm. Our goal is to persuade her to return to Konoha peacefully. If we kill her apprentice, she will surely rampage and take out half of us in the process."
"Don't worry about me, Tsunade," Shizune called, unfazed by the kunai at her throat. "You need to leave this place immediately."
But there was no way Tsunade would comply. Shizune meant the world to her. After losing so much already, she couldn't suffer another loss. She couldn't believe Danzo was truly willing to go to such extreme lengths just to bring her back to the village. It seemed incredibly short-sighted to her.
Sakura watched the whole exchange with increasing anxiety. She couldn't understand what was happening here. It was clear that this mission was more than just a simple retrieval mission. There were hidden currents at play, and she couldn't fully grasp their meaning.
"Why didn't you take advantage of her weakness?" Spook asked Kakashi. "If you showed her some blood, it might have made things easier for you."
"I wanted to challenge myself against her and see where I stand. Even if I had exploited her weakness, there's a good chance I would have still lost."
Spook addressed Tsunade once more. "You have had enough time to decide. Surrender now, or I will kill your apprentice. You have ten seconds. Ten... nine... eight... seven..."
"It seems I arrived just in time," a voice echoed across the clearing.
"Who's there?!" Spook demanded.
Suddenly, the shinobi who had been holding Shizune hostage collapsed to the ground. Shizune stumbled forward, caught off guard by her sudden release. Two elderly toads hopped onto her shoulders, causing her to emit an alarmed exclamation.
One of the toads spoke, its voice sounding like it was a male. "Lady Tsunade, it has been some time since we last met."
Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise. "Fukasaku! Shima! What brings you both here?" she yelled.
Shima replied in an assertive tone, "We have come to rescue you, Tsunade. Isn't it obvious?"
Kakashi watched with a concerned expression. "Could it be true that Jiraiya would betray Konoha to this extent?"
"Anbu, apprehend Tsunade before she manages to escape!" Spook ordered.
The Anbu moved swiftly, rushing towards Tsunade to engage her. In response, Tsunade bit her hand and performed a rapid sequence of hand signs. Placing her hand on the ground, she shouted, "Summoning Jutsu!"
A gigantic slug appeared on the battlefield, towering over everyone as if they were insignificant insects. Its predominantly white body featured three vertical blue streaks that ran from its head to its tail. Surprisingly, despite being a slug, it didn't look terribly repulsive.
"Katsuya, give me time to get away!"
"Understood, Tsunade-sama."
"Shizune!" Tsunade yelled. "Grab the girl. We are taking her with us."
"What?!" Sakura gasped.
Before Sakura could react, Shizune swiftly executed a knife chop to Sakura's neck, causing the girl to immediately lose consciousness. Shizune caught Sakura in her arms.
Meanwhile, Katsuya opened her mouth and expelled a powerful stream of yellow acid. Anticipating the attack, the Jonin swiftly evaded to the side. As it hit the ground, the acid began bubbling and melted the earth beneath it.
Helpless to intervene, Kakashi could only watch as Tsunade retreated to Shizune's side. Behind her, Fukasaku had prepared a scroll in advance. They positioned themselves on the scroll, and Fukasaku rapidly performed a series of hand signs.
"Reverse Summoning jutsu," Fukasaku called out.
In an instant, they vanished from the clearing. Adding insult to injury, the shinobi in the clearing were assaulted by the foul stench of the acid bubbling away in the ground.
"It appears that Jariaya no longer maintains any allegiance to Konoha. I must report this to Lord Hokage," Spook stated, turning to Kakashi. "If only you had utilised all available methods to combat Tsunade, we wouldn't be in this predicament. Why didn't you command us to engage her sooner?"
"If you had intervened, she would have gone all out, and we would have sustained casualties. We had a good plan, but Jaraiya's interference was not something we could of anticipated."
Kakashi locked his gaze on the spot where Sakura had disappeared. Another one of his students lost. Would she be safe? Perhaps, given the current circumstances, it would be best for her to distance herself from Konoha. After all, with witnesses having seen her being abducted, she couldn't be branded a missing-nin.
In all honesty, he didn't want to force Tsunade into returning to the village. In some ways, they were similar. They allowed the tragedies in their lives to define them, and use unhealthy coping mechanisms to avoid confronting their emotions. Who was he to tell her how to live her life? It would make him a hypocrite.
"Stay safe, Sakura," he whispered.
Naruto lay on the ground, breathing deeply. Despite the soreness throughout his body, there was a smile on his face.
"You're improving," Fu said. "Leaving you to develop your own Taijutsu style appears to have been the correct decision. You still have a long way to go before mastering it, though."
Naruto chose not to respond. He had no intention of giving that sadistic jerk any credit for helping him.
"If you want to enhance your Taijutsu style, incorporating your Shadow Clones into the mix would be beneficial," suggested Fu.
"I've been prioritising improving the basics for now. Besides, didn't you mention earlier that I shouldn't use jutsu in my Taijutsu training?"
Fu clarified, "You can utilise Shadow Clones specifically to enhance your Taijutsu style."
Naruto had engaged in yet another rigorous sparring session with Fu, but unlike their previous encounters, he avoided the crushing defeat that usually befell him. The reason behind this newfound resilience was Naruto's gradual development of his own unique Taijutsu style.
With each session, the relentless pressure exerted by Fu pushed Naruto to refine his movements and explore his fighting abilities without being confined to any specific style. Over time, a distinctive fighting approach began to take shape, although it appeared to be a disparate mix of powerful strikes, grappling techniques, and nimble evasion.
What truly set Naruto apart, however, were his exceptional counterattacks. To Fu's surprise, Naruto demonstrated an uncanny skill for turning his opponents' attacks against them. What Fu remained oblivious to was Naruto's secret weapon - his experimentations with his own gold chakra during his bouts. Naruto strived to establish a deep connection between his gold chakra and his unsuspecting adversaries.
It came about when he questioned whether he could push the extent of his chakra's utility to another level. To assist him in anticipating an opponent's moves and understanding their intentions. While the initial results seemed promising, they were far from flawless.
First and foremost, maintaining a connection between his chakra and the opponent was crucial, but its range was limited to a few meters. Whenever Fu stepped beyond this range, the connection would break, requiring Naruto to establish it again.
The second obstacle was the difficulty in sensing someone's intentions, especially when dealing with highly trained individuals like Fu. Fu's body almost appeared to fight instinctively, leaving Naruto with little time to interpret the information and respond accordingly.
Naruto was making good progress in other areas as well. He had successfully mastered the chakra control exercise that involved walking on the walls. He was now able to effortlessly dodge Kunai while sticking to them. However, his next challenge was to adapt to walking on water, which posed an entirely different challenge. Unlike a solid surface, water was constantly in motion, requiring him to make subtle adjustments in order to stay above its surface. He became drenched after completing his initial training session. The task of walking on water proved to be more challenging than anticipated.
Even though he worked hard, his chakra control will always remain a challenge because his reserves were constantly being reinforced due to the seal.
"We are going to be doing something different today," Fu said. He took a slip of paper out of his pocket.
Naruto got to his feet. "What is that?"
"This is chakra paper," Fu explained. "It can assist in determining your chakra affinity. The majority of individuals possess chakra that aligns with one of the Five Elements of Nature Transformations. To ascertain an individual's affinity, specially crafted paper made from a unique type of tree is used. This paper reacts to even the faintest trace of chakra, exhibiting various responses that correspond to the inherent nature of the chakra."
"Channel your chakra into the paper," he instructed, handing him the slip of paper.
Naruto infused chakra into the paper, causing it to instantly become damp and split into two halves.
"A strong affinity for Water and Wind," Fu noted.
Although his expression remained blank, Naruto knew something was bothering him. "What's the problem?"
"The two elements are not common here," Fu replied. "Most Konoha shinobi have affinities for Fire and Earth. You mainly see the Water affinity in Kirakigure. Regardless, having two strong affinities is incredibly useful. Water is strong against Fire but weak against Earth. Lastly, Wind is strong against Lightning but weak against Fire."
Naruto nodded, pleased to have two strong affinities, as it meant he had excellent coverage against other elements. This didn't mean he couldn't become proficient with the other three, but it would be easier for him to learn Water and Wind Release jutsu
Fu left, mentioning that he would be back soon. In the meantime, Naruto decided to do a few gentle stretches to alleviate some of the discomfort in his body. As he was finishing up, Naruto couldn't help but get the sensation of being watched. He quickly turned around and glanced towards the doorway.
He managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of someone hastily retreating. Naruto dashed to the doorway and peered down the hallway, but the person had vanished without a trace. Who could have been spying on him?
Several minutes later, Fu came back with a scroll in his hand.
"This scroll contains the ninjutsu for Water Release: Gunshot," Fu informed Naruto. "It's a C-rank jutsu. The user harnesses their chakra to create water within their body, which they then spit out as orb-shaped projectiles. The destructive potential of these projectiles depends on the amount of chakra infused into them."
Fu tossed the scroll to Naruto, who caught it with hand. "Take your time to study the scroll before you attempt the jutsu. Given your innate water affinity and your current chakra control, mastering it shouldn't be too difficult for you."
Naruto took a seat and unravelled the scroll. Despite his aversion to being imprisoned and mistreated, he couldn't ignore the fact that he was becoming stronger. The prospect of acquiring new jutsu always filled him with excitement as well.
"This looks much better," Kurama growled.
"Thanks, Kurama," Naruto replied with a bow. "If my shinobi career doesn't work out, I could always become an interior decorator."
His mindscape had completely transformed. The only thing that remained from before was Kurama's cell. Instead of the sewer-like surroundings, there was now a narrow river flowing through the space. Kurama had explained that the water in the channel represented his chakra being converted to strengthen Naruto's reserves.
Naruto couldn't remove the physical manifestation completely, so he changed it to a river. The pipes had changed to resemble the roots of a massive tree, feeding chakra to his core and body. The rest of the mindscape had a nature-themed setting as well, with a grove of trees and a mountain range as a backdrop. The space hadn't increased in size, but the perception of it had. He chose this scenery because Kurama had requested it. Since the fox was confined to this place, Naruto was happy to cater to his wishes.
Kurama interrupted his thoughts."Now that you have become proficient in manipulating the visual aspect, let's delve into the true purpose behind this exercise."
"Did you mean that you wanted more than just a change in scenery?"
"Of course, stupid human. I would like you to manifest a physical representation of your chakra core. If my theory is correct, the space will not change on its own. Instead, it will expand beyond its current boundaries, where the tree roots vanish outside of its borders to connect to your core."
"What benefits would that provide me with?"
"It will provide you with a clear understanding of your chakra reserves initially," Kurama explained. "But you may be even able to manipulate how your chakra moves within your body. I suspect that any visual alterations you make to this space will have physical repercussions, for better or worse. This seal is really unusual, like nothing I have seen before."
"Okay, that sounds awesome. But how will that help me with the Tailed-Beast transformation?"
"You will create a construct of yourself that symbolises your transformation into your Tailed-Beast form. Instead of transforming yourself directly, I will infuse my chakra into the construct, allowing you to observe the process from an external perspective. If my intuition is accurate, this approach will significantly expedite the process."
"Great, let's start with the Tailed-Beast transformation," Naruto said. He started to form a mental image of himself when an idea struck him."Wait a minute! Can I create a Shadow Clone within my mindscape? It would make things much easier."
Kurama pondered the idea for a moment. "I don't see why not. It's simply another form of chakra manifestation."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu," Naruto called out, and an exact replica materialised beside him.
"Hey, boss," The clone greeted him, before noticing his surroundings. "Wow, that's one massive fox!"
Kurama slammed his head against the cage and grumbled, "Now there are two annoying brats. What was I thinking?"
Ignoring Kurama, Naruto explained the situation to his clone.
"Alright, I can do this," the Naruto clone confidently raised a fist. "Believe it."
"Sit down!" Kurama roared.
Startled, the clone quickly complied.
"This might work out better than my original plan," Kurama mused. "Instead of manually infusing my chakra into it, the clone can play a more active role."
Naruto nodded in agreement. He wanted to closely observe his clone's attempts to transform into the tailed-beast form.
"Pay close attention to every detail," Kurama instructed.
Naruto hoped to learn more without the influence of Tailed-Beast chakra distracting him. Normally, he learned best through doing things, but this was a rare case where it wouldn't work. So, he sat down and watched as his clone began releasing the Tailed-Beast Chakra.
The angry, violent cloud of red chakra swirled around the clone as he struggled to control it. He managed to form a crude tail shape, thanks to Naruto's memories of his numerous attempts beforehand. Moments later, the clone vanished with a pop and the chakra dissipated.
Naruto fell to the ground, startled, as he absorbed the memories of his clone's transformation. He experienced everything from the clone's point of view, including the intense pain when Kurama's chakra finally overwhelmed it.
"That was strange," Naruto said, after assimilating the memories.
"What's wrong?" Kurama asked.
"When the clone was destroyed, I received all its memories from the moment I summoned it," Naruto answered.
"You've never noticed this phenomenon before?"
"I think I would have noticed. I am not that stupid," Naruto retorted. "I've summoned thousands of Shadow Clones since I learned the jutsu. It's kind of my thing."
Kurama raised a paw and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, unintentionally looking comical in the process. "Perhaps it's a unique side effect of the mindscape. Let's try it again."
Grumbling, Naruto summoned another clone and repeated the process until it was destroyed. This time, he was prepared and experienced less pain. As a result, he retained more details from the clone's failed attempt. Although no new insights were gained, it gave him an idea.
"Why don't we attempt it with two shadow clones?" Naruto suggested. "If multiple versions of my clones try to master the first tail of Tailed-Beast mode, maybe we'll have a breakthrough."
"We'll add one clone at a time. You have to be cautious because they may overwhelm you," Kurama said. "Absorbing too many memories at once could break your mind."
Naruto shuddered, easily imagining the potential consequences. This time, he summoned two clones. There were no adverse side effects when their memories were returned to him.
By the end of his training session, he had made a lot of progress. He ended up utilising five clones in total, and one of them achieved a minor breakthrough. At the end of the training session, Naruto briefly held one tail of Kurama's chakra before losing control of it. Finally, progress was being made. The ability to absorb memories from his Shadow Clones was overpowered. It made him contemplate the possibilities of applying it to other areas of his training, although it wouldn't be practical for learning jutsu, as their chakra reserves were finite.
Naruto jolted awake, a sudden feeling of being watched gripping him. Surrounded by pitch-black darkness, he was unable to see anything. Determined to uncover the source of this presence, he extended tendrils of his chakra out of his body, hoping to identify the intruder. Could this be yet another one of Fu's cruel tests, even in the dead of night?
"Hello, Naruto. It's surprising to see you here," a voice spoke from the darkness.
Naruto rose from his bed, cautiously surveying his surroundings. He was certain he recognised the voice. Suddenly, a light illuminated the room, coming from a lantern. It revealed a person standing in the middle of the room.
Naruto gasped in surprise. "Kabuto? What are you doing here? And where's your Snake Mistress, Orochimaru?"
"Snake Mistress? Ah, I see. You're referring to Orochimaru inhabiting a female form. How amusing," Kabuto responded.
His chakra tendrils connected with Kabuto, and Naruto caught a glimpse of his emotions. Amusement and satisfaction were the dominant emotions, though slightly subdued. It seemed Kabuto possessed a similar mental conditioning as the Root members.
"You still haven't answered my question," Naruto scowled. "You're not supposed to be here. Did you sneak into the compound?"
"No, I was actually invited," Kabuto said. "But I shouldn't be here in this room, talking to you."
Naruto seized upon the first part of his statement. "Are you working with Danzo?"
"No, that would be Orochimaru. If I had a choice, I wouldn't work with Danzo. There's too much bad blood between us," Kabuto clarified.
Judging from Kabuto's repressed emotions, he spoke the truth. He wasn't meant to be here; he was actively plotting against Danzo.
"Well, you might as well tell me why you've paid me a visit," Naruto said, sinking back onto his bed. "Before a patrol catches you trespassing."
Kabuto's smile was overshadowed by the coldness in his eyes. "It's quite simple. I want to sow chaos for Danzo. I offer my services to help you escape this place."
Naruto was taken aback. That certainly wasn't what he expected Kabuto to say.
The shinobi gathered at a secret meeting place. They were seated around a table, and Jiraiya took his place at the head. They donned masks to protect their identities in case of discovery. All of them shared a common goal—to escape the village and Danzo's tyrannical rule.
"Let me begin with some news of my own," Jiraiya announced. "I'm glad to report that Tsunade has been rescued and is currently residing in Mount Myoboku. Once we establish our new village, I hope to persuade her to join us."
"She would be a valuable asset," one of the shinobi agreed.
"How are the preparations for the evacuation going?" Jiraiya asked.
"Slow," another shinobi replied. "What did you expect? We're trying to make preparations for our people and possessions while under the watchful eye of the Anbu."
"I won't wait any longer than two weeks," Jiraiya declared. "The risk of our operation being discovered is too great, and I want my godson freed from imprisonment. Have you located Danzo's new hideout?"
He turned his attention to a shinobi seated at the other end of the table.
"Yes, I've found it," she confirmed. "However, it's a heavily fortified location beneath the ground. Infiltrating it without causing significant damage won't be easy."
Jiraiya grinned, sporting a fierce look. "I'm not concerned. The bigger the commotion, the better."
They discussed various subjects related to their impending defection from Konoha, and Jiraiya was content with their overall progress.
"Now, before we conclude this meeting, there's another matter to address," Jiraiya spoke up. "Have you discovered the location where the Kazekage's three kids are being held?"
"Not yet," the same woman from before admitted. "It would have been simpler if they were imprisoned in the Root compound, but it seems that's not the case."
"Need I remind you that our cooperation hinges on rescuing Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro from their confinement?" A previously silent shinobi finally broke their silence and spoke.
"I am aware," Jiraiya assured them. "Danzo has kept their location secret so far, but we will find them in time."
They had established an alliance with shinobi from Suna, who were easily persuaded to join their operation due to Danzo's assuming the role of Hokage. Suna recognised the high stakes involved and chose to take action rather than wait for the inevitable. Their plan was to retrieve Gaara and his siblings and assist a portion of its people in defecting from the village. It would greatly strengthen their own standing, as long as their involvement was kept secret.
"It's almost time, Naruto," Jiraiya whispered. "Hang in there."
So what do you think? Next chapter, Naruto makes his escape.
Thanks for reading.