"Lay him down over there" Karin quickly ordered Sasuke as he carried the blonde with his uninjured arm over his shoulder. Karin simply watched as Sasuke gently placed the blonde down with concern in his eyes that the red-haired Uzumaki had never seen on him before.

"Can you help him?" Sasuke questioned as his eyes shifted to hers causing a sudden blush to form on the woman's cheeks.

"I'll try...for you, Sasuke-kun" Karin confessed with a deeper blush. She didn't know who the blonde was but she knew he was important to Sasuke but also an enemy to Orochimaru as she noted the Leaf Village headband on his forehead.

Sasuke simply moved aside as he looked around the room they had entered. It was dark, not in the sense of lighting but decor. It felt similar to a jail cell but with more furniture. There was one window that Sasuke could look out of that would easily spot anyone approaching but he knew Karin could sense them far before she could see them.

"Bite" He heard Karin order and as he turned to see Karin shoving her wrist against Naruto's mouth, he could tell the blonde was ready to lose his patience as he'd already kept an open mind through the day but biting an unknown woman was absurd to the man.

"Karin has a special ability that can heal you" Sasuke offered some kind of explanation.

Naruto glanced at the Uchiha before shifting back to the red-head and hesitantly leaning into her wrist. Karin barely blinked as the blonde bit into her wrist.

As she felt her chakra replenishing him and healing his arm, she knew there was a conversation to be held between her and the blonde. She was surprised in the forest as she could feel the large life force the man held and she hoped it was because of the reason she thought.

With a relieved sigh, Naruto detached from her wrist and sat up. He flexed his arm and fingers and only felt the slightest of pain due to tired muscles. Looking up with a grateful expression, Naruto grinned at Karin "Arigato, Karin-san"

Karin flinched back in surprise, it wasn't a common occurrence for someone to thank her for her ability but she smiled back nonetheless.

"She's an Uzumaki" Sasuke revealed before they could talk any further. It was better to get this family reunion over with now than later.

Naruto stared at Karin in shock whereas Karin's own suspicions were confirmed.

Sasuke watched the two simply staring at each other before rolling his eyes and moving away from the window. "Time to go, To" Sasuke stated before making his way to the door.

Karin seemed to snap out of her trance as she frantically stared at Sasuke "Wait!-I...Why don't you stay the night?- What I mean is...It's almost dark and you two look like you need a bed" Karin chuckled nervously.

To Sasuke, it seemed suspicious. Was she planning something? Had she somehow contacted Orochimaru?

To Naruto, the blonde could see the effect the Uchiha had on his distant relative and smirked "We'll stay until morning" He agreed, gaining a glare from his teammate.

"Great!- I mean... I'll set up your rooms" Karin smiled with a harsh blush on her cheeks before quickly exiting the room.

She shuffled past Sasuke with a quick shy glance in his direction only to find him already looking down at her with a bored expression.

As soon as she left the room, Sasuke turned to Naruto with a confused expression "What are you doing? We can easily make it back to the village now" He said as he stepped closer to the blonde.

Naruto leaned back on the couch he was seated on and frowned "She helped me and she's my relative-"

"-Distant" Sasuke cut in with a mutter.

"Besides, I've thought of something" Naruto revealed as he leaned forward in his seat.

Sasuke crossed his arms with a sigh "What now?"

Naruto stood up with a determined look in his eyes "As of right now, we are MIA. I say we use it to our advantage."

Sasuke looked to the side in thought of what the blonde could be suggesting "How?"

"We fulfill our goal." Naruto revealed with a serious expression.

"Our goal?" Sasuke questioned in confusion "Our goal is to bring peace and to take down Danzo" The Uchiha muttered, his confusion only growing.

Naruto's blue eyes blazed at him with intensity "Exactly. I think it's time to work toward it"

Sasuke sighed heavily "What are you saying, To? You want to take on Danzo?"

Naruto frowned as the Uchiha seemed hesitant on the idea "Look, I know it sounds crazy but we can recruit Itachi to help and-"

"And what? Attack our village just to get to Danzo? Is that the kind of Hokage you're set to be?" Sasuke glared at the blonde. It was a dangerous plan and even more, he planned to bring his brother into the mix. It angered Sasuke that Naruto wouldn't give this more thought.

Naruto, on the other hand, sighed with aggravation "No. We lure him out." Naruto revealed as it was at that moment that Sasuke truly saw a plan forming behind his teammate's blue eyes.

Sasuke glanced to the side, thinking about the possibility of success "And what about Kakashi-sensei and Sakura? How do we get them to us?"

"We don't" Naruto stated with a smirk.

Before Sasuke could question the blonde further, Karin returned with a bright smile directed toward the Uchiha. "Rooms are ready!"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto one last time before the two followed the red-haired woman to their respective rooms which were located across from each other.

The two lay in their beds, thinking about the sudden opportunity presented to them all night.

___

"Looks like they came through here alright" A brunette woman stated as she eyed the battlefield through slitted eyes of an Anbu mask. More specifically, Root.

The battlefield before the group of five was indescribable. Never had they seen so much damage done to a small area of battle. It raised alarms in their heads at what Danzo had sent them into but they wouldn't dare question his orders.

"Eagle" Another Root Anbu team member called their leader.

The brunette woman known as 'Eagle' turned her head to see her teammate waving her over.

As she came closer, she could see why she'd been called over as her eyes narrowed down at a plant covered in spots of blood.

"Dog!' Eagle called another Root member.

'Dog' appeared next to Eagle and, without hesitancy, used his senses to follow the trail of blood.

Eagle and the rest of the team followed after Dog without muttering a word. They were used to these kinds of missions. While they'd been out on missions together multiple times, no one ever bothered to get to know the other as they knew life in Root did not last long.

Still, as Eagle soared across the trunks of the large trees surrounding the area, she briefly wondered if this would be the mission where she could finally die as a true shinobi for Konoha. That thought lasted on a second before her mind focused on the situation. Although, that very thought crossed every member's mind at least once every mission.

After all, they were the assassination sector of the Root, and life was short as an assassin.

___

Tsunade watched her village from above as she stood atop the Hokage heads, the wind blowing gently through her blonde locks of hair. Many thoughts ran through her head. Thoughts that plagued the Hokage's before her.

What threat awaited the citizens of Konoha? How will she work to protect everyone? Are the people as kind as she hopes they are?

She wasn't blind, she knew the harsh attitude her citizens had toward those who were different, especially toward a certain team. Hope could be cruel even to the strongest leaders and she hoped desperately that she was protecting good people. That deep down, they would always support their comrades and fellow village citizens in life. She'd seen the support they were capable of but she'd also seen the reality of human nature.

"Lady Tsunade?" A voice tore her from the inner workings of a Hokage's mind.

Tsunade shifted her head to see to Kakashi walking up to stand next to her.

Nothing was said for a moment as the two took in the view and for a moment became lost in their own world.

"I know what you're going to say." Tsunade sighed.

Kakashi remained silent as he simply frowned into the distance.

Tsunade turned to Kakashi "I can't let you go after them, Kakashi."

Her word was final and her tone supported it but Kakashi could hardly take it as gospel, not when it was his kids that were in danger.

"I see..." He muttered without sharing his opinion on the matter though Tsunade knew he wouldn't accept this order. She knew what was coming.

Whether she would use her powers to support team 7 or stop them, she wasn't sure yet.

For now, she watched Kakashi leave her side with sad eyes. Team 7 had risked their lives to bring Jiraiya back and now she couldn't even help them. She could feel the shift in the air. Things would never be the way they were after this.

Tsunade's eyes hardened as she turned back to the village. She had a village to protect. One team couldn't come between that and her duty. She had desperately fought with the elders to call off Danzo's team, the leaders knowing the true intentions of his team but to no avail.

The leaders of Konoha felt team 7 was too much of a threat to their village. Too strong. They needed to be cleansed of their presence so that a new generation could be built up and build a more loyal reputation of team 7's name.

Tsunade felt betrayed and worse, she felt she betrayed her friends but with all the power she had, the elders held more political power. That's what it came down to in the end.

They could easily push her from the Hokage seat and pin her as a threat too. Then who would she be helping? How would she protect the citizens of Konoha? Especially from Danzo's wrath if he were to be chosen as the next Hokage.

Tears threatened to spill from the current Hokage's eyes as she felt Kakashi and Sakura's chakra disappear from the village.

It was official. They had left the village against the Hokage's orders to help their teammates. An honorable deed but one that would cost them their lives in the end.

___

"Are you going to bring me in on this plan?" Sasuke questioned with a mutter and a scowl.

The scowl being directed at a certain red-haired kunoichi that refused to leave his side after he and Naruto left.

She had one of the many minions of Orochimaru put in charge and chose to stick with the duo.

Why? Sasuke couldn't care enough to know. She would only be taken as a prisoner when they returned to the village. It wouldn't be a pleasant experience for her but it was her decision. The Uchiha had tried to inform her but it seemed every time he spoke, hearts appeared in her eyes and she zoned out.

Naruto looked back at him before glancing at Karin walking beside the Uchiha. The blonde smirked "No."

Karin's red eyes shifted between the two in confusion "What plan?" She asked but received no answer.

"You should contact him" Naruto muttered, earning a glare from the Uchiha.

"Not until I know the plan. For all I know, you're leading us into certain death" Sasuke grumbled.

"Where's the trust?" Naruto questioned with an innocent tone.

Sasuke only glared at him, as if to remind him of all the times the blonde had been the cause of a mission gone wrong or a training session turning into a disciplinary lesson.

Naruto sheepishly grinned back at the raven-haired male before glancing at the redhead "Karin, could you please scout the area ahead? We have matters to discuss." Naruto bluntly revealed.

There was no point hiding their intentions to her, the blonde figured. He could sense the intelligence behind the fangirl behavior.

Karin hesitated, glancing back and forth between her relative and her crush but nonetheless complied.

As soon as the young woman left the area, Sasuke turned to Naruto with an aggravated glare.

Naruto said nothing as he suddenly formed hand signs and slammed his hand into the earth.

A cloud of smoke burst into the air before two small figures took its place.

Two toads to be specific.

"Granny-sage, Kosuke-san" Naruto gave a small bow to the elder toad otherwise known as the mother of toads, Shima. Kosuke, on the other hand, was a messenger toad.

"Naruto?" Shima narrowed her toad eyes as she wondered if it were truly him. She had heard of Fukasaku, her husband, almost meeting his death with Jiraiya before team 7 rescued them. Last she heard, they were MIA.

"It is good to see you alive, boy" Shima sighed with relief.

Naruto smiled down at her but his eyes held a sense of urgency that made the two toads feel now was not the time for a reunion.

"What do you need?" Kosuke questioned, knowing his purpose.

Naruto's bright blue eyes shifted to him before the blonde retrieved a scroll from his pouch and handed it over to the messenger toad "I need you to get this to Kakashi-sensei" He explained no further.

Kosuke had his mission and without further delay, disappeared in another cloud of smoke.

Shima waited patiently for Naruto to finish his business with the messenger toad before eyeing the blonde's stature. He was more mature than the last time she'd seen him which was during training sessions with Jiraiya.

"Tell me, Naruto. Why am I here?" Shima questioned with a tilt of her toad head.

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke with a reassuring expression before looking down at Shima.

"I need you to teach me Senjutsu."