Baki rushed to the chambers of the two elders. He did not bother to knock. There was no time for pleasantries. The two elders slowly moved to watch the elite jōnin enter their quarters. The two elderly individuals, man and woman, were sitting in front of a small pond, each with a fishing pole.

"Honored elders…I come begging for your assistance."

The elder woman, Chiyo, spoke first. "Like two ancient textbooks, we sit around and collect dust until we are needed for the information we know. What can the likes of us possibly do for you?"

"The One-Tailed, Shukaku, has been taken hostage by a group known as the Akatsuki. If we don't do something soon, terrible things are bound to happen. Lives will be lost."

The elder male, Ebizo, spoke next. "This is your generations problem. We handled our own issues. You do the same."

"If this is a group new to the world, then what makes you think we can help you?" The woman asked. "We're both retired, you know."

"Even during this time of war, you both have maintained powerful channels in each of the Five Great Nations. You know of special routes in and out of all the villages. It is nearly impossible for us, as a village, to gather that kind of information in a short amount of time."

"But I have no earthly ties anymore. I have nothing left to strive for. The only thing that comes to mind is to see my lovely grandson's face one more time before I die." The woman laughed hysterically.

"Sis…don't talk like that." His eyes remained on the water.

Baki steeled himself for what he was about to say. He had a feeling this was not going to go over well. "That's perfect. Your grandson just happens to be the one of the Akatsuki that captured the Kazekage."

The elderly man removed his eyes from the water and looked up at his sister. "Chiyo…"

Chiyo remained silent for a moment, allowing the information to truly settle in her aged mind. Memories of the young boy she raised ran through her mind, feeling with nostalgia and regret. "…What do you need, Baki?"

-Medical center-

Chiyo examined Kankurō as thorough as she could. Now that she was seeing the handywork of her grandson, Chiyo understood why Baki had come to her. "I'm the expert on most poisons in the world…but this one has me stumped. That Sasori…he's really advanced his skills."

"So, what can we do?" The medical nurse asked.

"As much as I hate to admit it, the only one who is more versed in poisons is the Slug Queen, Tsunade Senju. During the first two Great Wars, she completely dismantled every poison I concocted and created antidotes for all of them. She made a fool out of me. The best chance this one has is her. I'd suggest contacting her immediately since we're allies with Konoha."

"Tsunade is Hokage, now. It is not easy for her to leave so casually, especially nowadays. Besides, it's a three-day trip from Konoha. There's no way she would make it in time." Baki stated. "But we have already requested Konoha to dispatch what shinobi they can to help. Hopefully, they can get here in a timely manner."

Chiyo scoffed. "Always relying on others! This silly treaty with Konoha has dulled Suna's edge and completely undermined how great this land used to be! It is fundamentally impossible to co-exist with another Great Village."

"Dulled?!" Baki was the one who was completely behind the treaty with Konoha. Most of Sunagakure's growth over the last few years has been because of the alliance with Konoha. "How dare you…! You are out of your time! You don't know what Konoha has done for this village!"

"They have dragged this village into another war!" Chiyo fired back.

"Enough!" The elderly man shouted. "Let us not lose focus. None of this could be helped. His current status is partly his own fault. Kankurō lost his cool and overextended himself against a more powerful enemy."

"This is what happens when you depend on and trust Konoha. As a village, we have to prioritize the advancement of our own agendas and talents. We have to take care of our own, let the other villages fend for themselves. Besides, I hate that damned Tsunade bitch!"

-Konoha, Hokage Mansion-

"ACHOO!" Tsunade rubbed her nose, trying to fight the feeling of another of sneeze.

"Are you alright, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune questioned. "Maybe you're catching a cold."

"Never mind about me, Shizune." Tsunade shifted through the papers on her desk. "Has Team Gai reported back yet? Are they on their way to Sunagakure?"

The young assistant nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am. We just received word from Master Gai this morning. They are traveling as fast as they can. With any luck, they will meet up with Kakashi and Sakura by tomorrow morning."

Tsunade looked over the current battle-ready shinobi report from Shikaku. "Damn…! I can't spare any more reinforcements for Suna. We're so thinly spread right now, even with the current stalemate." Tsunade sighed. "Are there any genin squads readily available?"

Shizune flipped through her own clipboard. "Um…the only team that we could take from their current assignment is Team Ebisu. But they've just been dispatched to their mission of securing the border town, Tanzaku. And I really don't think sending a genin team is best the option, m'lady."

"It's all we have left to spare." With her frustration mounting, Tsunade leaned back into her chair and tried to formulate some sort of a plan for more reinforcements to help track down and rescue the Kazekage. Their shinobi force was completely tapped out in terms of manpower. There was simply not enough ninja to meet the demand for missions.

There was a knock at the door.

"Go away!" The Hokage was not in the mood for visitors.

"C'mon Baa-chan! I thought you would have missed me a little bit more than that!"

That all too familiar voice echoed in Tsunade's ear, bringing memories of a young boy she once healed back to her mind. She quickly stood from her chair; her eyes glued to the door. Shizune stepped aside to allow her master to see without obstruction.

"N-Naruto?" The Hokage called out to the individual behind the door. The door opened and the master and student walked through. She gasped as she laid her stressed eyes on her godson. "You've…grown so much." The resemblance to his father was, quite frankly, scary. It was like she was seeing a clone of the Fourth Hokage.

The fully teenaged Naruto Uzumaki smiled with pride. "Yeah, I have. I'm all grown up, Baa-chan."

The other Sannin in the room could not help himself. "I'm here too, Tsunade."

"Yeah, yeah." Tsunade felt like a proud mother. The boy she saved from that terrible disease was all grown up. A man. "I see the training as paid off. You definitely look stronger."

The smile continued. "Who knows? Maybe I'm stronger than you now, Baa-chan."

Tsunade snickered. "You'll have to prove that one." The Hokage turned to her fellow Sannin. "You certainly haven't changed at all, Jiraiya."

"Never." The man stated with a smirk. "But I'd say you and I have some catching up to do. There's a few things I'd like to talk about."

Tsunade nodded. "Alright. But it'll have to wait. There's a situation on our hands that must be dealt with first."

Jiraiya's eyebrow raised with curiosity. "What kind of situation?"

"The Kazekage was kidnapped by the Akatsuki earlier this week."

Both Naruto and Jiraiya gasped in shock. It was clear neither of them were expecting the situation to be that severe. The Akatsuki were always on both their minds during training. Naruto used the group as extra motivation to train harder.

"Wait…" Naruto spoke up. "Why would the Akatsuki kidnap the Kazekage? Are they helping out Iwa and Kiri?"

Tsunade shook her head. "No. At least, I'd certainly hope not. Suna's jinchūriki, Gaara of the Desert, is the Fifth Kazekage. He was appointed a little over a year ago."

Naruto could not believe it. Gaara was Kazekage? A small wave of happiness washed through Naruto's body. He had done it. Gaara reached that level of recognition. He was accepted by his village and those around. He knew that was what Gaara wanted. Because, on some level, that is what Naruto wanted too. But that happiness was squashed by the fact that he had been captured by the Akatsuki. He may not know why they want the Bijū, but it did not matter. Gaara saved him before. It was time to return the favor.

"It seems our time is up then." Jiraiya stated. "Have you sent a team to support the Sand?"

"All I've been able to spare is Kakashi, Sakura, and Team Gai. Temari, the Kazekage's sister, just so happened to be in the village helping Shikamaru Nara with the upcoming Chūnin Exams when we received the news. She heard the news and went along with them. Team Gai is abandoning their current mission and rendezvousing with Kakashi in Suna. They should be arriving in Suna today and I should be receiving an update by morning."

Shizune stepped forward to chime in. "We've been trying to find others to send as reinforcements, but the war has our shinobi force spread thin. We can't spare much."

"I'll go." Naruto instantly said, determination filling his voice. "I'm more than enough. I'll be the backup."

"That's a nice sentiment, Naruto." Tsunade stated. "But you're just one person, I need a team-"

"No, Tsunade." Jiraiya interrupted. "He's not boasting or being arrogant. Naruto is all the reinforcement you'll need for the rescue."

Tsunade sat back down in her chair. She contemplated the possible scenarios that Naruto would encounter. The main accruing factor was the Akatsuki. There was no doubt that he, and the others, would end up fighting one or more of the members. They had just lost one jinchūriki. Losing another, especially Naruto, would be catastrophic. "Are you sure he's up for it, Jiraiya?"

"Trust me, I'd love you give you a showcase of the boy's skills. But we don't have the time. He needs to leave now if we want a chance to save the Kazekage."

"The Akatsuki are after him as well." The Hokage pointed out. She looked at the teenager in question. "That's an unnecessary risk for you, Naruto."

"What other choice do you have? Shizune said it. The force is spread thin, and nobody can be spared."

"Then you go with him, Jiraiya. I'd feel better knowing you were there as well."

Jiraiya seemed to contemplate that idea for a moment, seemingly agreeing with it. But Naruto did not. "No. I don't want him to come."

Tsunade's eyes were filled with confusion and anger. "This is the Akatsuki we're taking about! I'm not sending you alone!"

"If Pervy Sage comes then they'll run away like last time!" The teenager snapped. Naruto took in a calming breath. He approached the Hokage's desk, leaning on it with his hands. She understood her worry. "If he comes then I won't have a chance to prove how strong I've become. And I won't be alone, Kakashi sensei will be there and so will Sakura. Let me go, Baa-chan. I won't let you down. I'll come back. There's no way those Akatsuki bastards can take me down. Not anymore." His voice was low and full of resolve. There was no doubt.

Tsunade heard the determination and confidence in her godson's voice. She sensed no fear in his heart. He truly was ready. She sighed. She did not want this but felt as if she had no other choice. "Go. Be safe. I don't want to send a rescue party out for you too."

Naruto's smile returned. It was finally time to take the fight to the Akatsuki. This was exactly what he had been training for. He turned to face his master. "I'll be back."

Jiraiya simply nodded. "Be smart out there. Don't push a fight with an Akatsuki. You are stronger than before, but they are no joke. And be cautious about using that technique. It's still new to you. You need more time to develop the strength for it."

Naruto eyed his master. "I know…" He walked past the man, leaving the office. "Well, I'm off." In the blink of an eye, Naruto was gone.

The door closed behind him. The two Sannin eyed one another. Suddenly, tension filled the air. Shizune noticed their intense stare and realized that she did not want to be there anymore. Without saying a word, she excused herself from the office and closed the door as quietly as she possibly could.

Tsunade stood from her desk chair and walked around to stand before Jiraiya. The Toad Sage towered over the Slug Queen. He easily was the tallest out of the Three Sannin. The stare between the two battle-hardened shinobi was fierce and passionate. As if they could break out in a fight or start having sex.

"Don't coerce me into agreeing to something like that again, Jiraiya. He does not need to be taking on Akatsuki members by himself. He's too young."

"I didn't coerce you into anything, Tsunade."

"You should have gone with him."

"As good as the idea was, I'm with Naruto on this. If any of the Akatsuki saw me then they'd probably run for the hills. We need to take them down, not force them to retreat. The less of them, the better."

Tsunade sighed in frustration. She was getting a headache. "The council won't like this. They never liked him leaving the village."

"It was mainly those two oldies, Koharu and Homura. They don't look at him as a shinobi, but their deterrent. An attack dog. They think he's only useful when somebody is threatening them."

"Trust me, I know. The elders are still convinced that sending him to Mount Myōboku with you was a bad idea. They think he would've ended with war by now."

"Before we left, there was no way." He chuckled. "Now, he might be able to."

Tsunade was surprised to hear Jiraiya praise Naruto that much. He never praised Minato that way. "You're serious? He's gotten that strong?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The things he did, the things he was able to accomplish while training…I've never seen anything like it. Minato was great, but Naruto's…" He paused to gather his thoughts. "…well, let's just say…"

"Actually, don't say anymore." Tsunade interrupted. "My head is pounding. I need to take break." She walked around Jiraiya and opened the door. "I have some sake in my quarters. We can continue there."

Jiraiya was only slightly surprised. He thought being Hokage would have helped Tsunade kick the drinking habit. In fact, it might be making it worse. "This early in the day? This is new for you."

"Oh? You don't want to drink with me? That's new for you."

Memories of a different lifetime came up in Jiraiya's mind. The two of them used to drink all night together. They would share stories, eat good food, partake in fun adult activities. If he was honest, they were the best times of his life. "I'll never say no to a drink with you."

Tsunade smiled. She had missed him. "Then let's go…" As she walked out of the room, she could feel the stare on her backside.

'Oh yeah…I still got it!'

-Sunagakure Main Entrance -

The security for Sunagakure had bee tripled since the infiltration. The shinobi of Sunagakure were not going to allow another dangerous person into their village again. Many shinobi were killed that night, friends and loved ones died at the hands of the Akatsuki. They had lost their leader. It was personal.

"I see them!" A young chūnin called out, looking through a set of binoculars. He could see Kakashi, Sakura, and Temari running through the sand. "Master Kaito, Lady Temari is with them!"

Kaito breathed a heavy sigh. He could not believe he was about to break even more terrible news to her. And he could not possibly imagine what she was going through. Both her brothers were in horrible situations, with the probable outcomes being death for both. He waited patiently for the group to arrive.

"Lady Temari…" The man greeted solemnly.

"Kaito!" Temari was having trouble catching her breath, as were the other two. "What's the situation?! Tell me everything!"

Kaito nodded. "Right! All of you, follow me!"

As the group made their way through the village, Kaito explained everything that had happened thus far. "…You see, Kankurō had gone after Lord Kazekage once he was captured. He was gravely injured."

"Kankurō too?!" Everything was falling part for Temari. Both her brothers were gone or hurt. Guilt filled her soul. She should have been there.

"Yes. Furthermore, he's been poisoned and there is no known antidote. Not even Lady Chiyo can't figure it out. They say he has only a few hours left before the effects become deadly."

"Take me to him!" Sakura spoke up, moving faster to walk next to them. "I'll examine him!"

Kaito nodded. The group made haste to the medical center and burst through the door. They barreled past nurses and all others to get to the correct room at the top floor. Temari and Sakura ran straight into the treatment room. Kaito was right there with them. Kakashi simply walked around the corner.

Chiyo eyes immediately locked on to Kakashi. 'That's…!' She charged directly at him. "White Fang! I'll have my revenge!"

"Huh?!" With a resounding smack, Kakashi was floored by the fist of Chiyo. Everyone in the room stopped to see that she was now standing over him. "What in the world is the matter with you?!"

"On that day…you killed my son! Now, White Fang of Konoha, I will take my revenge on you!"

Kakashi instantly knew the mix up, putting his hands up pleadingly. "Wait! Wait! I'm not him!"

"Silence!"

"Enough sis!" Ebizo pushed his slightly older sister off the man. "Look more closely at him. He's not the White Fang."

"Eh?" With the momentary pause, Chiyo was able to examine the sliver-haired jōnin more closely. While the hair was a direct match, it seemed her brother was right. This man was not the White Fang of Konoha. She suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh well…never mind then!"

Breathing a massive sigh of relief, Kakashi pushed himself off the ground and moved up to stand next to Sakura. The pinkette had already begun her initial examination of Kankurō's condition.

"Everyone stand back and let me take a look."

"Please do." Temari said.

She tied her hair back and put her ear on Kankurō's chest. She listened closely for his heartbeat. Then she forcefully opened his mouth and gathered up some his saliva with her fingers, causing Kankurō to gag. She rubbed between her fingers. The two Suna medical personal were unaware of what she was doing.

"H-Hey!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Relax." Sakura used a rag to clean her hand. "I'm medical shinobi from Konoha." She placed the rag back down. "It seems they used a heavy metal-based toxin. It's the type that attacks muscle cells and eats away at them." She looked over the charts they had already complied on Kankurō. "Most of his cardiovascular system is destroyed. And his heart could stop beating at any moment." She began writing down things on a piece of paper. "I hate to say it, but it'll be difficult to create an antidote in time."

"You don't mean that!" Temari pleaded. "There has to be something you can do!"

Sakura nodded. "There is." She handed the piece of paper to one of the medical personal. "Get these items for me as quickly as you can. And get me a fresh bucket of water."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to extract the poison from his body. That should slow down the effects and give me time to create an antidote. Hopefully, there won't be too much damage done to his internal organs and he'll survive." Sakura noticed the nurse in a bit of shock. "Go! Hurry!"

Out in the hallway, Kakashi was already gathering the necessary information he needed from Baki and Kaito. He wanted to get as much intel as possible before he would send word back to the village.

"Kakashi Hatake, I'm glad Konoha decided to you." Baki was genuine in his words.

"I appreciate that. But we can exchange pleasantries later. Tell me, how is the pursuit of the Akatsuki? Any leads?"

"I'm afraid not. Kankurō went solo and ended up like this. They're more than likely out of the desert by now." Baki grit his teeth in frustration. "He should have waited for back up. Then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"We can't dwell on the past now. We have to deal with the hand we are dealt." Kakashi stated. "Please, take me to the place where they fought. I might be able to get a scent and track them down."

"There's no need for that." Kaito held out a torn piece of fabric. "This was in one of the puppet's hands that Kankurō fought with. It doesn't match the cloth that was on the puppets. It's a safe bet this came off one of the Akatsuki members."

"And seeing how they have the Kazekage, you should be able to track his scent as well." Chiyo added. "Even if they spilt up, we have them both."

"Kankurō turned his defeat into an advantage for us. A true Suna shinobi." Kakashi had known and fought many Suna shinobi. Kankurō proved to be one of the best.

"We should go after them right away!" Kaito yelled. "We're wasting time just standing around!"

"Calm yourself, Kaito." Baki urged the man. "We need a plan first."

"No, he's right." Kakashi interjected. "Time is not on our side. We don't know the Akatsuki's plan. The longer we wait, the more time they have to follow through."

"We don't have enough shinobi to mount an assault on ninja of their caliber." Baki said. "We'd have to forsake the security of the village and the border as well. As much as I want to save Lord Kazekage, I will not risk the safety of the villagers."

"Then it's a good thing there's another team on the way. Might Gai and his team should be meeting us here today." Kakashi turned to leave the building. "As soon as they arrive and Sakura has finished her work, we will head out. Send whatever shinobi you can spare. We will need them."

"Where are you going?" Kaito asked.

"To send word to Konoha and update the Hokage." Kakashi was halfway down the hallway. "Sakura? Did you hear all that?"

"I'm concentrating!"

Sakura was slowly extracting the poison from Kankurō's body by forcing fresh water into the body with chakra. The water sucked the toxin out of the blood stream and out of the organs. Releasing her chakra, the water dropped into the bucket. The once clean water was stained by the purple toxin.

"Another round…"

-Hours later-

"Glad to see you finally made it, Gai."

Might Gai smirked at his eternal rival. "For once, you aren't late, Kakashi."

"So, what's the plan, Kakashi?" Neji questioned.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "Sakura should be finishing up an antidote soon. As soon as she's ready, we'll head out."

"How do we know which way to leave?" Tenten asked.

Kaito stepped up to answer. "We will be following Lord Kazekage's scent through the desert to figure which direction they went." He had a bag packed. He was ready.

"Are coming with us, Kaito?"

The man nodded. "Yes. It was my job to protect the Kazekage. I see it as my job to save him as well. I made a mistake on leaving him. I need to rectify that. Besides, Kankurō is my friend. I won't let what happened go unpunished."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. That's when he noticed the two elders from the medical treatment room walking towards them. The silver-haired jōnin really hoped that Chiyo was not going to insist to come.

"Granny Chiyo and Grandpa Ebizo." Kaito was quick to greet the elders. "What are you two doing here? Here to see us off?"

"Don't be so full of yourself, Kaito." Chiyo berated. "I'm joining you on this mission."

Everyone looked confused by the statement, while Kakashi was already dreading the addition. Kaito did not hide his concern. "I'm not sure that's really appreciate…"

"Don't treat me like a fossil!" Chiyo yelled. "I'm still a better puppet master than Kankurō! Even with one foot in the grave!"

"Sis…"

Chiyo turned to her younger brother. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's been awhile since I've taken care of my adorable grandson."

Ebizo knew there was no way to change his older sister's mind. It was one of the many things he admired, yet hated, about her. When she wanted to do something, there was no stopping her. That is when he noticed the two scrolls on her hip. "Those scrolls…are you taking them with you?"

"This was meant to be, brother. No weapon will be more effective against him. Afterall, they belong to him."

Sakura came running up with Temari and Baki in tow. She had her bagged pack and she looked ready to go.

"Sakura!" Lee cried out. It had been so long since he had seen her. He had forgotten her beauty. And she had only grown more beautiful.

"How's Kankurō?!" Kaito was practically sweating from his worry.

"He's stable for now." Sakura stated. "I was able to extract all the poison from his body and create three antidotes with the herbs your village had. But there was significant damage to most of his internal organs. The rest of his recovery is on him and Suna's medical staff. I can't do anything more for him."

Kaito breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He was glad to hear that his friend was doing better. "Alright, now that she's here, we can leave."

Kakashi nodded. The jōnin looked at Temari. "Are you coming with us, Temari?"

She shook her head. "No. I've been put on border security." It was obvious she did not like her assignment. Rightfully so. Her younger brother had been kidnapped and her older brother had been poisoned and was clinging to life. But orders were orders. Temari looked at the group of shinobi with pleading eyes, tears threatening to fall. "Please…save my brother…"

Gai gave his classic thumbs up and charming smile. "You can count on us!"

"We won't fail." Neji stated.

Sakura placed a comforting hand on Temari's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get him back."

"Everyone!" Rock Lee shouted with purpose. "We leave to save the Kazekage!" The man was about to take off running but then stopped in his tracks. "Uh…which way are we going?"

"HAHAHA!" Gai let out a hardy laugh. "Yes Lee! Let the Power of Youth flow through you! It will guide our way to victory!"

Neji shook his head in disappointment while Tenten slapped her forehead from her teammate's stupidity. Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, this was going to be a long one. Both Kaito and Chiyo were taken back at the master and student's bizarre behavior.

Kaito leaned over to Sakura. "Are they always like that?"

Sakura sighed. "Don't even get me started."

Kakashi slammed his hand on the ground and summoned two of his trusty ninja hounds, Pakkun and Shiba. The smaller of the two hounds, Pakkun, sat atop of Shiba's head as he looked up at his summoner with disinterested eyes.

"What do you want, Kakashi? I was in the middle of my nap."

"My apologies, Pakkun, but I need your nose." The jōnin dug into his back pouch and pulled out the torn cloth that Kankurō was able to get off the Akatsuki member. "We need to track down the Kazekage before it's too late."

"The Kazekage, huh?" The small ninken let out a small sigh. "Yeah, I guess I'll help." The dog jumped off his counterpart's head. "And Shiba is to head back to Konoha, right?"

Kakashi nodded. He knelt down at tied a scroll to the hound's collar. "Deliver this message to Lady Tsunade. I'll send another update when I can."

The dog yelped in confirmation and took off running into the desert. Pakkun sniffed the torn cloth to get the memory of the scent. He instantly caught a whiff of Sasori's smell and began to follow it. The group of shinobi were quick to follow.

"Let's go everyone!"

-Akatsuki Hideout-

A traditional red torii stood alone in the middle of a still river, standing directly in front of a large boulder with a seal tag on its center. With Gaara's body still in the tail's grasp, Itachi and Sasori waited patiently for the boulder to slowly sink into the water below, revealing a large cave inside. The boulder rose back up as soon as the two were inside.

The projections of all the Akatsuki members were already there. "You're late..." The leader, Pain, stated. "I need to make the preparations immediately."

Slamming his hand on the ground, Pain brought forth an enormous, human-like statue with a mummified appearance. There were equally sized spike-like protrusions on its back. Only its upper body and hands were visible, the rest of the statue seemed to be hidden underground. The Gedō Mazō had been summoned.

All members of the rouge ninja organization appeared on the fingertips of the hands, including Itachi and Sasori. Gaara had been left at the base of the statue with Pain.

"This is going to take three full days. Be aware of your physical forms." Pain disappeared then reappeared on one of the empty fingers, next to Konan. The scroll that resides in its mouth was suddenly dropped. "Zetsu, have your physical body stand guard outside. Use the one with longest range. Understood?"

The plant-like man nodded his two-colored head. "Yes, master."

"Three days, you say?" Kisame spoke up. "Shouldn't we allow more time since Orochimaru is gone?"

Pain was already holding the hand seal. "If you think that then we should get started then."

The rest of the Akatsuki members followed suit and held the same hand sign as their leader. Concentration was key for this to work. The statue's mouth opened and began to glow. Each of the statue's fingertips were glowing with each corresponding ring symbol from one of the members.

"Fūinjutsu: Genryū Kyūfūjin!" (Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons)

Nine dragon-like effigies poured out from the statue's mouth and surrounded the captured jinchūriki. All nine phantom dragons enveloped Gaara in their aura, causing him to rise into the air. A pink aura began leaking out of Gaara's mouth, nostrils, and eyes and was being absorbed into the Gedō Mazō.

The Shukaku was being painfully extracted from Gaara's body…

-Somewhere in the Land of Fire-

His vision was blurred due to his high speeds. Naruto had never moved so fast in his life. He leapt great bounds from branch to branch, covering hundreds of yards with each push off. He even would use shadow clones to throw him high in the air to cover more distance. Three years of constant strength training and speed drills were finally paying off.

Despite his blurred vision, Naruto was able to see someone or something moving directly towards him. It was a silver-haired ninja hound. Naruto recognized it as a ninken from the Hidden Leaf. He landed on the forest floor with a loud thud, right in front of the ninja hound.

Shiba came to a sliding halt, panting with his long tongue out. "Naruto? I thought I caught a whiff of your scent."

Naruto was a bit confused. He knew this ninja hound was a summon from his sensei, but he wondered how the dog knew his name. "You know me?"

The dog barked. "Yes sir. I'm one of Kakashi's ninja hound summons. I'm on a mission to deliver this message to the Hokage."

"But how'd you know my name? I've never met you before."

"Master Kakashi made all of us ninken memorize your team's scent in case of emergencies."

"That sounds like Kakashi sensei. Always has a plan." This made a life easier for the blonde. "What's the message say?"

Shiba motioned for Naruto to come closer. "Read it yourself. It's just an update."

Naruto untied the scroll from Shiba's collar and read it. While highly detailed, Naruto was more concerned about where the two teams were headed now that they had left Sunagakure. He had hoped to meet them there rather than waste time in tracking them down. 'Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. I guess I'll just have to use that to see which way they headed. Sorry Ero-Sennin.'

Naruto rolled up the scroll and tied back onto Shiba's collar. "Head to Konoha. I'll catch up to Kakashi sensei, Sakura, and the others."

"Right!" The ninja hound barked, taking off running again. "Good luck Naruto!"

Naruto looked around for a safe place to conceal himself for the time being. This process was going take him a couple of hours. He jumped up into the branches and hide in the brush, it was as if he was not there at all. He sat down in the lotus meditative position, taking in a deep breath through his nose and letting it go out his mouth.

"When gathering natural energy to enter Sage Mode, one must remain completely still. This is so that you can be one with nature and balance the natural energy with their own physical and spiritual energies."

Throughout his time under Fukasaku and Jiraiya, Naruto had learned many different abilities but the one he was about to use was, without a doubt, the toughest one of them all. His body stopped all movement, it seemed he had stopped breathing entirely. But that was not case.

Birds, squirrels, and all sorts of innocent critters approached the ever still Naruto cautiously, unsure if he was a predator or not. As if the animals came to same conclusion, birds landed on his head and shoulders while a squirrel rested itself in Naruto's crossed legs. The nature surrounded him and covered him. They had become one.

An orange pigmentation formed around Naruto's eyes, signifying the change he was feeling throughout the course of his body. He felt the power and bathed in it.

'Sage mode transformation complete.' Naruto thought triumphally. The more trained in gathering natural energy, the more has able to let his mind wonder and let his body unconsciously do it. 'Now, comes the hard part.'

Gathering the energy used to be hard for Naruto, it took him months to learn the proper breathing techniques to control the slight movements of his body. But now, it was second nature to him. He could almost do it in his sleep. An interesting idea to ponder for a later time. Unfortunately, now was not the time.

Sage mode was the pathway to many different abilities and Naruto had barely scratched the surface of them. There was one specific aspect of sage mode that Jiraiya enforced Naruto to learn to its fullest extent. The sensing ability. Sage mode had a wide range of sense, only limited by the user and ability to withstand the amount of natural energy it required. With a substantial amount of senjutsu, a sage mode user could sense a specific chakra signature somewhere in the world and track them down. The only way to improve the ability was to use it. The more energy the user gathered at a time, the more they could store in their bodies.

That was Naruto's weak point with sage mode. He could only store enough natural energy, and keep it balanced, in his body for one full minute. According to Fukasaku, the reason why was because his body was not yet accustomed to the power of senjutsu. It took Jiraiya years to be able to enter sage mode, even longer to yield it for an extended time period. The fact he was able to actively use sage mode like he could was amazing.

Hours of uninterrupted meditation and Naruto was finally able to sense hundreds of miles away from his current location. He searched for the one chakra signature that he could not forget.

'Sakura…'

And he found her. And the others with her. He had only moments left before the natural energy came too much for him. He figured out Sakura's direction of travel and immediately after released the natural energy from his body.

Naruto nearly fell out of his hiding spot on the branch. He scared off the wildlife that were around him with his heaving breathing. He had never meditated for that long before. He reached his limit a good twenty minutes prior but pushed through it because he had not yet found Sakura's chakra yet.

Fighting off his exhaustion, Naruto pulled out his map and used Sakura's direction of travel to learn which way she and the team were headed.

'Land of Rivers…'

There was no more time to waste. Naruto had to catch up to them. He pulled out his canteen and took large swigs of water to help regain his strength and stamina before returning to his journey.

-With Kazekage Rescue Team-

Running, running, and more running. The running had been nonstop. The large team practically sprinted through the sand pit of a desert, even traveling well into the cool night to cover more ground. Pakkun held a scent the entire way, never losing either of the two individuals.

Sakura found the running and jumped branches simultaneously calming and annoying. She was annoyed there was no way around it. Moving like this was usually the quickest way from point A to point B for shinobi, but that didn't mean she had to like it. While it was annoying and unavoidable, there was calmness to it. The rhythmic motion allowed her mind to wander while her body unconsciously did the work.

Sakura prayed they would make it in time. She did not know Gaara personally, but his capture by the Akatsuki sent shockwaves to her very core. She knew why the missing ninja wanted Gaara. For the tailed beast inside of him. Frankly, that made her fear even worse. That meant he would be targeted again.

'Naruto…'

The mere thought of Naruto fighting against those people again nearly made Sakura tear up. She remembered how badly injured he was after they came the first time. She didn't want to see that again.

Once they reached the end of the desert and crossed into the Land of Rivers, Kakashi and Gai decided to stop and rest for a few hours. It was one thing to constantly be on the move, it was normal for them. But this was different situation.

"Why are we stopping, Gai sensei?" Lee questioned. "Is this not a time sensitive mission that we must complete?"

"You are correct, Lee. We don't have a lot of time to waste." Gai answered. "But our opponents are the Akatsuki. Some of the most dangerous people out there. We need our full strength to be able to defeat them."

Lee nodded. "Understood, sensei."

Sakura let out a small sigh as she took a seat against a tree. She rubbed her sore feet, her boots definitely needed replacing after this mission. As she dug through her pack for a small snack, Kaito sat down next to her. Their shoulders were practically touching. Sakura slightly moved a bit so that he was out of her imaginary bubble.

"Oh sorry." Kaito had felt her move. He did not even realize how close he sat to her.

"No worries." Sakura gave a small smile of reassurance. "So, you're Kaito right?"

"Mhm." The man nodded; his mouth was full of a protein bar. He swallowed before speaking. "I'm Lord Kazekage's head of security. It's responsibility to make sure Lord Gaara is safe and secure at all times…" He looked down in guilt. "I…obviously didn't do my job very well."

"Were you not with the Kazekage?" Sakura asked.

Kaito shook his head. "No. He had given me the night off. Selfishly, I took advantage without thinking of the consequences. Maybe if I had been there then he'd still be here…"

Sakura turned and placed a comforting hand on the Suna shinobi's shoulder, causing him to blush. "Don't beat yourself up about it. You're obviously a hard worker. I mean, you're no older than I am right? And you're in a highly decorated position. You deserve some time off here and there. There was no way of knowing this was going to happen. Right now, all we can think about is saving the Kazekage."

Kaito did his best to hide his flushed face. While there were many beautiful girls in Sunagakure, none were as beautiful as the pinkette before him. There were no faults in her complexion, he could only imagine how soft her skin could feel. Her pink hair was unique and vibrant, it seemed to make her more beautiful. Her curves made her drop dead sexy. His imagination could only picture what she looked like without that chūnin vest…even further beyond that.

'Maybe after the mission…I'll ask her out. A girlfriend from another village…' He liked the sound of that.

Throughout the night, the members of the team would take shifts on guard duty and keeping the fire going while the others slept. It was only a few hours of rest, but it is all they could manage. At the crack of dawn, the large team were off again.

Unbeknownst to them, their entire stop was documented by a sneaky watcher. Zetsu had combined his Venus flytrap-like body into a nearby tree to watch over them. He watched them all leave the area, continuing on their path towards the Akatsuki lair. He had to report back.

-Akatsuki Hideout-

"Our enemies approach our lair. Two of which are highly skilled jōnin from Konoha…Kakashi Hatake and Might Gai."

"I know of Hatake. But who is the other?" Pain questioned his ultimate spy.

"Might Gai is an expert in taijutsu. An elite jōnin from Konoha. He also knows the Eight Inner Gates technique. Do not underestimate him." Itachi answered.

"Sounds like a strange beast to me." Kisame spoke up. "I wonder if he'd be a good opponent."

Pain pondered the idea. Their adversaries were getting closer by the hour. They had to be stalled until the job was done. "Kisame…use that jutsu. Kakuzu, you will be going as well. Both of you are the best suited because of your large chakra reserves. Remember, keep thirty percent grounded here for the sealing."

Kisame and Kakuzu nodded in understanding.

"Finally! Some good action!"

"It's good I'm going. I can finally get that Hatake bounty."

-Somewhere in the Land of Rivers-

The Kazekage Rescue team had crossed into the Land of Rivers some time ago. They were drawing closer to their intended target. The terrain was desolate and rocky. Pakkun jumped up on a large boulder and sniffed the air. They were close. But then he caught a whiff of something else.

"What's wrong, Pakkun?" Kakashi questioned.

"Someone's coming!"

Neji instantly activated his Byakugan to see which way the possibly enemy was coming from. He turned around. "Behind us!"

Like a shark fin emerging from the water, a large, bandaged object torn through the ground towards the team. Jumping out of the way, the shinobi stood in their battle positions. They were ready for a fight. The object crashed into a huge rock, creating a cover of smoke. The dust cleared to reveal their enemies. Kisame Hoshigaki and Kakuzu stood together against the Konoha and Suna shinobi.

Kakashi instantly recognized Kakuzu, memories of their encounter in the Land of Waves washed through his mind. "You…!"

Gai looked over at his rival. "You know him, Kakashi?"

Without missing a beat, Kakashi raised his headband to unveil his Sharingan. "Yeah. I've him encountered him before…in the Land of Waves."

Gai remembered the mission and what had happened. Anko was one of the best they had. His eyes burned with fury, ready for payback.

Kakuzu grunted. "It's good you remember me, Hatake. It'll make cashing in your bounty all the sweeter."

"So…that's the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake. I must say, it's quite an honor. Itachi has spoken highly of your skills. I wonder how your Sharingan compares to his." Kisame noticed Sakura. "And look who it is. that brat's little girlfriend is all grown up. I'll be seeing him real soon."

With his Byakugan still active, Neji was able to see the enemy's' chakra flow. "These two…they both have incredible amounts of chakra. I've never seen anyone but Naruto with this much chakra!"

"So…this is the Akatsuki…unbelievable." Kaito had never seen individuals like them before. Their very presence was filled with power and dominance.

"Control your fear, Kaito." Chiyo berated. "This will be your toughest fight."

"That shark guy…Kisame. I've fought him before." Sakura stated. "He's really strong. Don't get cocky against him."

"We have the numbers advantage!" Lee called out. "We can win this!"

"Calm yourself Lee!" Kakashi shouted at the chūnin. "Fighting Akatsuki members together is practically suicide. We need to split them up. Fight them on our terms."

Gai nodded. "There's eight of us in total. Four against one."

"I'll take on Kakuzu, I know some of his abilities." Kakashi stated. "Lee, Tenten, and Kaito follow my lead. Sakura, since you've seen his abilities before, you help Gai, Neji, and Chiyo fight the other one."

"Right!"

Kisame was not going to let them follow through with their plan to separate them. He threw Samehada high into the air, freeing up his hands to create hand seals. "Suiton: Bakusui Shōha!" (Water Style: Exploding Water Shock Wave)

Kisame spit out an enormous amount of water from his mouth, covering the entire small wasteland and creating a small ocean. The two teams jumped into the air to avoid the rapid waves but landed back on a sea of water. Kakuzu was quick to enact his own jutsu as well. He slammed his hand on the surface of the water. "Raigeki!" (Lighting Strike) Blue lighting erupted around Kakuzu's arm and shot into the water, electrifying the water and anything it touched.

'Lightning?!' Kakashi had not foreseen Kakuzu having another ability.

Neji had to act fast before the lightning reached them. Jumping in front of them all, he extended his arms in front of him. "Hakke Kūhekishō!" (Eight Trigrams: Air Wall Palm) While usually an offensive move, this technique could also be used defensively. Using a constant flow of chakra, Neji summoned a wall of wind to ingate the lightning attack.

"You're all open now!"

Kakuzu's black threads formed into the monstrous body and flew into the air and over the group. The mask's mount opened, and a flame ignited. "Katon: Zukokku!" (Fire Style: Searing Migraine)

"Two can play at this game!" Kakashi yelled. "Suiton: Suijinheki!" (Water Style: Water Wall)

Spitting a steady stream of water from his masked mouth, Kakashi created a wall of water to block Kakuzu's fire attack. The ensuing clash created a blanket of steam over the battlefield. Kisame was faster than anybody anticipated. He charged with the help of the water, practically flying across the surface of the water towards his opponents.

"All too easy!" Kisame burst through the steam, Samehada ready to strike.

"Konoha Rising Wind!"

Rock Lee, the spitting image of his master, landed a precise, yet powerful, kick to Kisame, launching him backwards. Before Kisame could fully recover, a metal ball covered in spikes and paper bombs. Tenten used her massive scroll to summon the weapon and had already launched it when Lee attacked.

'A bomb?!'

With only seconds to spare, Kisame dove into water to evade the explosion. Tenten kept her eyes vigilant. "No luck. I didn't get him."

Kisame resurfaced next to Kakuzu. "Those irritating brats…this is ridiculous."

"Maybe you're mistakenly chosen." Kakuzu commented rudely.

"I'm not like your retarded, zombie partner. Don't insult me again. I'll kill you before you get a second chance."

Kakuzu grunted in response. "I'd like to see you try."

"Dynamic Entry!" Gai came flying in with his strong kick. Kisame was quick to guard with Samehada as his shield, Kakuzu jumped away so that he could not be targeted. But Gai predicted this and used his leg to hook Samehada's handle and tear it away from its master, leaving Kisame wide open. "Now!"

Lee, Tenten, and Kaito came flying in to deliver a devastating triple blow to the Akatsuki member. But Kisame was no ordinary opponent. "Mizu Bushin no Jutsu!" (Water Clone Jutsu)

Three identical clones of Kisame appeared from the water below and blocked all three of their attacks. The real Kisame took it one step further and used another water technique. "Suirō no Jutsu!" (Water Prison Jutsu) It was too quick for any of them to react. Three of them were incased in a sphere of water with the water clones holding each one together.

"No!" Gai wielded Samehada against its master. But Samehada sprouted spikes from its handle, piercing Gai's hands. "Gah!" Samehada freed itself from Gai's grasp and swam back to Kisame's hand.

"Welcome back, Samehada."

Chiyo watched the sword return to its master. "That sword…it has a mind of its own, doesn't it?"

"Samehada is an incredibly special weapon. Only I can wield it. It will not allow others to use it against me." Kakuzu landed next to Kisame, with the black threaded monster floating next to him. "Kakuzu, leave your fire breathing thing here to guard my clones. It'll only take few minutes for these brats to drown in my prison."

Kakuzu grunted. "Do not order me around." He grunted even louder; this one was filled with pain. There was a ripple of water underneath Kakuzu. "I have a better idea."

Kakashi remembered his time in the water prison against Zabuza. "We can't waste time. They'll only be able to last a few minutes without air."

"What can we do?" Neji asked. "How do we free them?"

"The water prison cannot be held by itself. Those clones are holding it together with their hands. We can either remove the hands from the sphere or take out the clones entirely. Either way, it's difficult to do."

"And it looks like that thing is going to be standing guard. We don't much time!"

Chiyo was watching everything from a distance, she did not want to get involved with those two. Her only opponent would be Sasori and no one else. Besides, she did not stand much of a chance against those two. She stayed on one of the few hills that remained above the water. With her heighten position, she could see into the water better than the others. That's when she saw something moving fast through the water, directly at the others.

"Look out!"

Another monstrous figure made of black threads with a mask appeared underneath the group ninja. "Suiton: Ōuzu Matoi no Jutsu!" (Water Style: Clinging Grand Whirlpool Jutsu)

Using the giant water supply at its disposal, the monster with the mask created a giant vortex in the water. The spun rapidly right where the four was standing. They had made a mistake; they were grouped together. One giant target.

Sakura quickly jumped out of the way. She was unnoticed by the two Akatsuki members and saw an opening to free her comrades. She took the opportunity. But that was the trap that was laid for her. And she had sprung it. Kisame appeared in front of her, seemingly out of nowhere, with Samehada overhead to strike her down. She slammed her eyes shut so she didn't see it coming.

Kakashi screamed for his student. "NO!"

"Goodbye!"

WHAM!

Kisame went packing from an extremely powerful kick, it easily rivaled that of Might Gai. The shark-like man skipped across the water, like a flat rock, until he came to a splashing halt. He pulled himself back to the surface of the water to see who had hit him.

"You…?!" Everyone is in shock. This was the last person any of them expected to see.

Kakuzu eyed the newcomer suspiciously. He had a feeling this person was going to be trouble.

Sakura had kept her eyes shut. She heard the resounding attack that had saved her, but she did not want to open her eyes just yet. That is, until her savior spoke to her.

"You can open your eyes, Sakura. It's safe."

'That voice…'

Three long years. She had never forgotten his voice. It felt so good to hear him again. She had missed him so much. She slowly opened her eyes to see him. Those ocean blue eyes looking directly at her.

"…Naruto…!"