Sasuke glared at the ground as he walked along the path of the forest with the rest of his team. Their training with the island leaders was short-lived, too short-lived in Sasuke's opinion. 

All he had really learned was how to communicate better and control his Susanoo for a longer period of time. 

"It won't do to sulk about leaving, Sasuke. We knew they'd call us back eventually for aid" Kakashi stated from the front of the group as he glanced back with his book in hand.

Sasuke's glare hardened "Why should we aid them? We're rogue ninja now. We are walking into a trap" 

Kakashi sighed as he turned back to his book "That may be but Konoha is still our village and we will do whatever it takes to protect it, right?" Kakashi questioned, not bothering to look back as his charges muttered their agreement. It was their second goal after all. 

"Are you sure we're ready, sensei? We barely scratched the surface of our training on the island and now we're heading into a warzone." Sakura questioned.

"What about our comrades? Did they get special training to prepare?" Naruto suddenly spoke up with a grim expression "I bet you most of them didn't even know a war was coming until recently. We've known for a month." The blonde stated as he eyed his teammates "Let's do our best and help our comrades win this war dattebayo!" He grinned, ever optimistic.

Kakashi smiled, though no one could see it. The blonde resembled his father more and more every day. 

Sakura smiled, Naruto's enthusiasm brushing off on her as she felt more reassured. 

Itachi walked just behind Kakashi as he simply enjoyed being on the road again. He wondered what he would do once this was all over, if he would be allowed to stay in the village or if he would travel. 

Sasuke returned to glaring at the ground as he thought about exit strategies they could use to escape in case there was a trap laid out for them. He remained the strategist of the team.

The group continued on their way until nightfall. They had left the island first thing in the morning and made camp just outside the Land of Fire's border.

The group sat around a small fire and ate their rations quietly.

"Have you thought about what you'll do after the war, Itachi-san?" Naruto suddenly spoke up as he was the first to finish his meal.

Itachi tilted his head as he wondered that himself "I'm not sure. I will probably continue to travel for a while" He smiled.

"Eeh? haven't you traveled a lot already? Don't you get tired of it?" Sakura complained as she leaned back onto her hands.

Sasuke ate quietly as he listened in whilst Kakashi laid against the base of a tree, reading his book.

Itachi shook his head "The Akatsuki does not have many routes to travel by so we alternated to ease suspicion. There is still much I haven't seen. I would like to see the Genjutsu-Tree Village and test its capabilities" Itachi continued.

Naruto perked "Hey, I've been there! Pervy-sage trained me in Genjutsu-repelling. The villagers were creative too! they used Chilli Pepper Bombs to counter Genjutsu" The blonde explained with excitement.

Itachi sighed, envious of the blonde. It seemed he had traveled more than Itachi at this stage.

"Don't worry, Itachi-san. I'm sure you'll get to travel plenty once this is all over and when you're tired of that, you can come back to the village" Sakura stated, optimistic of the outcome.

Sasuke frowned, doubtful things would end with such happiness. However, Itachi smiled at the pinkette, grateful for her optimism. It wasn't often in his life he'd been surrounded with such optimism. It was a breath of fresh air whenever he spoke to Naruto and Sakura.

Kakashi shut his book as he stared off into the forest "Naruto" He muttered.

The blonde glanced at his sensei before frowning "Gomenasai Sensei. I let my guard down" He muttered as he stood. The others quickly realized what was happening and stood as well, everyone now on guard.

Enemies were heading their way and fast.

Kakashi signaled for Sakura to hide. She was the last defense and, if needed, the secret weapon at catching them off-guard.

Sakura was quick to disappear, laying traps as she went.

Sasuke, Itachi, Naruto, and Kakashi stood close by as they waited for the enemy to show themselves.

After a few, tense, moments of silence, twigs snapped from the darkness, signaling the enemy's presence.

"Well looks like it's my lucky day! Prepare to be sacrificed to Jashin!" A loud male voice announced as silver hair caught the moonlight. 

Naruto's eyes widened as he realized who they faced, again.

"Hidan! You survived!" Naruto yelled with excitement.

Hidan stepped out of the shadows with a large grin "Hey! It's you!" He yelled.

Kakuzu stepped out of the shadows behind Hidan, watching the group closely.

"Strange, we aren't on the Akatsuki routes. What brings you here?" Itachi questioned calmly.

Hidan suddenly lost his grin and glared at Itachi "Itachi! You bastard! Traitor! I'll kill you!" He yelled as he aimed his scythe at the Uchiha. Itachi made no move to respond as he eyed Kakuzu.

"We've changed the routes since you betrayed us." Kakuzu answered his question with an equal level of calmness.

"I see" Itachi muttered.

"Nevermind that! Hidan!" Naruto gained the silver-haired man's attention again "Will you tell me about Jashin now?" 

Hidan grinned but, once again lost it as he frowned at the blonde, now aiming his scythe at Naruto "Why should I? You tried to kill me!"

Naruto tilted his head "Isn't that the point of being a Jashinist?" 

Hidan grinned again "Damn right it is! That was a test, you passed! Now let me tell you about-" 

"That's enough" Kakuzu interrupted with a stern expression.

"AHH?!"

"WHAT?!"

Kakuzu turned to Hidan "We're not here to swap stories." He stated causing Hidan to glare heavily at him. Kakuzu turned to the group "Since you're in our way and your bounty in the bingo book is quite large, we will kill you here"

Naruto scoffed "You couldn't kill us last time." He muttered as he took out a kunai and held it defensively.

Kakuzu glared at the blonde, taking a step forward before suddenly coming to halt as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced behind him to see Kakashi glaring at him with his Sharingan activated. 

"Interesting" Kakuzu muttered at the sight of the Jounin's two Sharingan.

Before anyone could react, let alone Kakuzu, Kakashi flickered in front of him and struck his heart with his Chidori.

Kakuzu grunted at the pain and quickly lept away from Kakashi. Hidan began laughing hysterically "He got you that quick!?" 

Kakuzu glared at his partner before focusing on Kakashi who stood calmly with sparks of lightning flying around him.

"I suppose this makes us opponents" Kakashi smiled before he lunged forward. The two highly skilled men fought with Taijutsu as they tested one another's abilities. 

Meanwhile, Naruto turned to Hidan who seemed to grow impatient at the lack of fighting.

"Oi, Hidan" Naruto called, gaining his attention "How'd he survive? I remember he took my Rasengan to the heart" The blonde questioned, confused.

Hidan grinned "You don't need to worry about that, kid!" He yelled as he suddenly lunged forward and swiped at the blonde. Naruto remembered not to let his scythe draw blood otherwise it was all over for him.

As Naruto dodged, Sasuke was quick to take advantage and attack Hidan's unprotected side. The silver-haired male quickly jumped back and slashed the young Uchiha who barely dodged. 

"I'll sacrifice you all to Jashin!" Hidan yelled with laughter as he continued his spray of ruthless scythe attacks.

Itachi watched from the sidelines in case any of them needed aid but otherwise, he simply enjoyed not having to fight for once.

"We could just talk about Jashin instead" Naruto grunted as he dodged another attack.

"Sorry kid, you have the passion but you're not worthy!" Hidan slashed again. 

Naruto frowned but continued to work with Sasuke as they fought against the bizarre man. 

 Meanwhile, Sakura watched intently, waiting for an opportunity to strike but it seemed the others had things handled until Kakuzu pushed Kakashi back and figures grew out of the man to surround Kakashi. The pinkette feared the worse but then Kakashi did something unexpected. 

His right Sharingan shifted into, what almost looked like, a flower whilst his left Sharingan shifted into the familiar Kamui Sharingan with sharp edges. He spread out his hands and activated both Sharingan "Amaterasu Kamui" He muttered.

The air behind the creatures and Kakazu shifted before black flames erupted from the portals, charging toward the enemy. "Amaterasu" Kakashi muttered again, bringing forth the black flames again, this time in a head-on approach toward the enemy. 

The creatures were engulfed immediately, their masks on their chests cracking and breaking apart before they fell to the ground, dead.

Kakuzu grunted at the pain flowing through him, he felt the deaths of his other hearts full force and all at once. It made it especially harder for him to dodge the black flames. Some had already engulfed his shoulder in which he was quick to throw off his robe.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called for the blonde who was quick to dodge Hidan and stop beside his sensei. 

As Hidan became distracted by Naruto's sudden disappearance, Sasuke took out his katana and threw it at the man's arm that had been holding his scythe. In one clean cut, Hidan's arm had been detached from his body.

"Sensei!" Sasuke yelled as Kakashi turned at the last minute, catching Sasuke's Katana, and flashed beside Hidan before cutting his head clean from his shoulders.

"AHH!" Hidan yelled as he watched his body grow further away from him "Kakuzu!" He yelled for help but it was no use as the man was struggling himself to stay alive.

Naruto glared at him as he channeled chakra to his arm. He created a Rasengan before going into Sage mode and adding his improved chakra to the jutsu thus creating the same jutsu he attacked Pein with: The Rasenshuriken. 

"AH!" Naruto yelled as he mustered up his strength and threw the shuriken of chakra at Kakuzu but the man saw it coming from a mile away and moved to retreat.

He tried to anyway. Sakura had seen her opportunity and sprung out from the bushes, landing in front of the enemy before landing a chakra-filled punch to the man's abdomen. He grunted as he sailed back, toward the sharp ball of chakra. 

He soon realized there was no escaping this time. His time had come. At the last moment, he glanced at Hidan, who had been watching with incredulous eyes from a head detached from its body. 

'You lost too, Hidan?'  Kakuzu thought before the ball hit his back.

The chakra tried to cut through his body, slicing and mangling his back but to no avail which caused it to begin expanding, ready for the end of its lifespan but not before taking the enemy with it.

As the chakra grew, Kakuzu became engulfed in it and felt the full force of pain from the chakra disconnecting from his body and cells. 

As the jutsu cleared, Kakuzu fell to the ground, unable to move an inch. 

"KAKUZU!!" Hidan screamed as he watched his partner fall. Hidan had always hated Kakuzu but no that the old man was finally seeing his end, the silver-haired man felt...sad. 

"Shut it" Sasuke muttered as he picked up Hidan's head. In return, Hidan tried biting the Uchiha but Sasuke kept him far away from his face for him to succeed.

Kakashi stepped up to Kakuzu with a sigh.

"Ka-ka-shi" Kakuzu muttered with a strained breath.

"Sorry, Kakuzu. Your cells are damaged, there's no saving you" Kakashi muttered as he still held Sasuke's katana and quickly ended his life with a stab to his remaining heart.

"NOOO!" Hidan yelled "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" He screamed.

Naruto panted as he looked at Kakuzu. He remembered what the jutsu did and yet he still used it again, knowing he shouldn't have. It felt so wrong. 

The blonde looked back at Hidan with sadness, his apology clear in his eyes but Hidan wouldn't see it. All the silver-haired man could see was the thirst for blood. 

"What do we do with him?" Sasuke questioned as he held up Hidan's head, his foot holding his body down.

"We'll bring him with us. T&I could get some useful information out of him." Kakashi ordered as he wiped Sasuke's blade clean of blood.

Sasuke quickly placed a cloth into Hidan's mouth to keep him quiet before taking a cloth bag and throwing his head into it. 

He picked up the body and threw it over his shoulder before nodding to Kakashi as he handed back his katana.

Kakashi looked up at the morning sky rising above the treeline "Well since it's morning, let's get a move on" He sighed as he used a fireball jutsu to set fire to Kakuzu's body, leaving behind no traces of the man.

___

"Kakashi-san" Itachi walked up to Kakashi as the group walked in silence.

"Hm?" Kakashi hummed with his nose in his book.

"So Kagami's eye gave you Amaterasu." The Uchiha stated.

Kakashi nodded "I'm sorry, it seems like I'm stealing more and more Uchiha secrets" The Jounin sheepishly smiled.

Itachi smiled and shook his head "I'm glad you inherited it. I could train with you sometime if you'd like. As you may know, I have Amaterasu as well" 

Kakashi glanced at Itachi "While I have fair control over it, that would be appreciated, Itachi" Kakashi smiled.

The rest of the trip had been uneventful apart from the occasional muffled yells coming from Sasuke's bag. He had to hogtie Hidan's body as it kept kicking and squirming. It made the young Uchiha annoyed by the whole ordeal. 

"There it is" Kakashi muttered as they walked down the path leading to Konoha, they could barely see the gates but everyone's shoulders tensed as they kept their guard up. 

There was no telling what was waiting for them.