On a balcony of a high building, two white haired men were busy exchanging information with each other. The first have a great mane of hair and the other was wearing a mask covering his entire face except his right eye.

“Kakashi.” Jiraiya looked at him. “I am planning to keep Naruto in custody.”

Kakashi was surprised to hear that from him. Not since Jiraiya have taken some distance from Minato’s son after the latter’s death.

“It was the role of the Third Generation to watch over Naruto. It was a good decision that the Hokage made you watch over him. I guess someone is trying to get you involved as well.” Jiraiya continued.

“What is it that you wanted to tell me?” Kakashi asked.

“His uncle.” Jiraiya face palmed at the situation.

Ahhh I see. Kakashi quickly understood.

“Although he is not really a problem, but Harissen-san’s overprotectiveness is bad for the growth of Naruto.” Jiraiya added. “Don’t get me wrong. I am now thankful that someone who could be a father figure for Naruto had appeared. But his paternal protection and Naruto’s hunger for a family, would make my plans for the kid a failure.”

Kakashi silently waited for Jiraiya’s point.

“The times are getting dangerous upon us. I don’t know why but something dangerous have been stirring all the bad events throughout the continent.” Jiraiya raised his head. “I have been following Orochimaru’s movement since he left the village. That person will return here someday, with the full intention to harm it.”

“I investigated around the surrounding villages and cities. And found that all of this is just the beginning of something.” Jiraiya took out his gourd and drank. “At first, it was just about Orochimaru. But later, I realized its much more than that.”

“What about him?” Kakashi is now in full ears.

“That Snake nerd joined a certain organization.”

“Hm… do you have details of this organization?”

“Although we still don’t know the full details, but from what we know, they are called the “Akatsuki”. A small organization that consists of Nine Shinobis. All of them were volunteers.” Jiraiya drank again. “Up until now, there has been little activity and only some espionage was done, afterall, we still don’t know if they were affiliated with any villages or countries. So it’s dangerous to make any big and obvious movement that could result into a catastrophic diplomatic conflict. There haven’t been any major problems so far.”

“And especially when most of their members have appeared on the Bingo Book.” Jiraiya added. “A single S-Class criminal is already hard to deal with.”

“This is truly a bad news if all high ranking criminals decided to band together.” Kakashi said.

“And Uchiha Itachi is also with them.” Jiraiya further gave more bad weight.

This is worse than just bad then.

“Previously, they would just operate individually on different regions or places with seemingly no organized intent.” Jiraiya now emptied his gourd. “But I have recently heard and learned that these Nine, have finally gathered and met together. This can only mean that the Akatsuki must be up to something. And I am confident that whatever is it, it’s not good for us.”

The cold breeze passed through them. Jiraiya’s white mane floated for several seconds to its strong winds.

“You will probably be briefed about this soon with your fellow jounins. I already passed this information to the old man.” Jiraiya continued. “And oh yeah, I almost forgot… Orochimaru later escaped from this organization, after joining them. I still don’t know the full story but knowing Orochimaru, his goals must have clashed with the objectives of the organization.”

“Anyways, the Akatsuki members would always move in teams of two. And I just confirmed one of their objectives.” Jiraiya put back his gourd and took a different bottle then drank. “The Bijuus.”

“The Kyuubi huh.” Kakashi stared at Jiraiya.

“Yes, its one of them afterall. And whatever their intent, they seemed to be targeting these Bijuus…” Jiraiya stared back. “…including Jinchurikis.”

The Yondaime’s son. His teacher’s son. Kakashi, clenched his fists that was inside his pockets.

“Kakashi,” Jiraiya turned his back and slumped on the railings of the balcony. “Naruto’s destiny is to live always, while watching his back. But I want you to look out for Sasuke.”

Uchiha Sasuke, the younger brother of Itachi.

“It will be important for him. To learn how to use the Sharingan. Especially from you who was able to use it very effectively even if you did not bear the name of Uchiha.” Jiraiya said. “And to prepare him for any possible confrontation with his brother, Itachi who was also in that organization.”

Kakashi sighed and nodded.

“I will try to find ways to convince Harissen-san to allow me to take and train his nephew.” Jiraiya climbed and stood on the railings.

“Naruto is a Shinobi, he must learn first how to protect himself. And I will not allow any more failures to happen on my life." Jiraiya looked to the skies and said. "Kakashi… this will be my atonement for Minato. I will train his son, make him better than his father. That will let him live to his fullest and die of old age, surrounded by his dozens of grandchildren on his deathbed.”

Jiraiya smiled before jumping and disappeared to the streets below. Leaving Kakashi to make his own thoughts about what he should do to help his student whos very goal was built on grudge.

:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:

Entering Konoha had been strangely easy, especially given how tight the security was supposed to be after the destructive events of the last Chunin Exams… Or the arrival of a delegation from Iwa, of all places.

Most people would’ve waited for a different day to try to sneak into a Hidden Village.

However, Kisame was neither one of those people nor was his silent companion.

"How does it feel coming back home?" he asked once again, sipping his warm tea. It wasn't as good as the drinks in Tea Country, but not as bad as the ones in Amegakure.

Uchiha Itachi ignored his question, opting to subtly scan the street outside of the teashop and its rooftops. They got the closest table in the exit of the shop as the tables inside were already taken by other customers.

They spent some time like that, drinking tea and waiting for the diplomatic meeting to begin so that everyone's attention would be on the Hokage tower. Kisame felt Samehada's hunger. It was getting impatient.

"So, how do we find a little genin in a Shinobi village?" he asked.

Itachi finished his tea and waited for his partner to finish his. “Naruto-kun was never subtle. We’ll find him.”

Then all of the sudden, both sensed someone just outside the shop. This person seemed to be waiting for someone then several seconds later, unexpectedly met up with two people. A male and female shinobi.

“Jounins…” Kisami whispered. The three seemed to have not sensed Kisame and Itachi though or they were just pretending.

Until the arrival of another.

:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:

Kakashi, was waiting for someone on a sweet shop when he found two of his fellow jounins walking side by side together on the street.

“Hey, you two… you guys truly look good together.” He teased. It was Asuma and Kurenai. “Are you guys on a date?”

Upon hearing that, Kurenai exploded into a puff of red face.

“Idiot! Anko just asked me to pick up some sweets for her, here.” Kurenai blushingly denied.

“What about you?” Asuma however, just sneered back. “What are you doing here? Are you picking up some sweets too?”

“Not really… Sometimes I stop by to buy some stuff here… right now I’m meeting up with someone.” Kakashi smiled in surrender after teasing them.

“It’s very rare to see you waiting for someone. Who was it?” Asuma rubbed his chin in interest.

“I’m waiting for Sasuke.” Kakashi replied.

“I thought I will finally catch Kakashi with some woman now.” Asuma grinned. “I guess that day is not today, huh?”

A young boy jumped from the roof and suddenly interrupted their talk.

“Kakashi, it’s very different of you to arrive first…” Sasuke frowned at his teacher’s early arrival as he was known to be always late on their meetings.

“Well, for some occasion…”

It was very faint but all of them suddenly sensed a disturbance. Someone just used chakra near them.

“Hm?” Sasuke noticed that the two customers near the exit table had now disappeared.

The two jounins with Kakashi however was faster in response and disappeared also. Leaving a dumbfounded Sasuke.

:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:

The flowing water of the river that passed through Konoha was shallow. Not enough water to fill the floodwalls. This made it an easy access for floating shops and merchants to start their trades beside the river. Various sake shops, soup and ramen shops were floating on the riverbanks. Waiting for hungry customers.

The four people on the far side of the bank however, were not interested in dining on those shop today. The cloacked strangers in straw hats were blocked by two jounins, Asuma and Kurenai from continuing their way. They have small information as jounins about all possible intruders of Konoha. Such as missing-nins, criminals and wanted men. These two however was still unverified. But they cannot ignore that someone whos not a Konoha-nin or ANBU just used a chakra inside the walls of their home. Especially when these intruders didn’t even bother revealing themselves.

They can only mean harm to the village.

Deadly silence stills the cold refreshing air from the river.

“You’re originally from this village aren’t you?” Asuma got a glimpse of one of the intruder’s metal headplate with a slash on the Konoha’s insignia. A sign for a missing-nin of their village. “What did you come here for?”

“It’s been awhile Asuma-san… Kurenai-san…” the second one in black cloack, slowly raised his straw hat as if in greeting.

“You know who were are.” Kurenai glared at the intruder who knew their names. “Who are you?”

As the second one undid his straw hat, Kurenai and Asuma was beyond shock. It was someone they both knew, and should be wary at all cost. Those very eyes on the intruder was the only proof they need to know who he is. One of the last of his clan and the very same one who wiped out his entire clan. The youngest Konoha ANBU to ever enter its ranks.

“Those eyes... there’s no doubt about it.” Kurenai immediately took two of her kunais out and assumed a combat stance.

“Uchiha Itachi.” Asuma sipped more on his cigarrete just to calm himself.

Although he is not confident that they could defeat Itachi. Asuma still probably have no problem in holding out against the Uchiha kinslayer, especially when Kurenai is here. But the other problem is… Itachi have a companion.

“So you’re already acquainted with Itachi huh?” Itachi’s companion also raised his straw hat and dropped it on the side. “Then… I also need to introduce myself.”

“Hoshigaki Kisame.” It was a man that also seemed inhuman. He has a feature of shark eyes and gills under them. “Now then, we all have been acquainted.”

“I guess we were bound to meet in the future after all.” Asuma grinned as he also took out his favorite weapons on both hands and assumed combat stance. “As a jounin, we have a task to take you all in.”

“Itachi-san your home village doesn’t seem to like you very much, no?” Kisame teased.

“I’ve heard of him Asuma.” Kurenai said. “Hoshigaki Kisame, originally a Hidden Mist Village shinobi. A Daimyo Killer. Wanted for suspicion of starting destructive activities against other villages and countries. The Mist has been searching other countries for this slippery shinobi. And the former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.”

And these two are ranked S-Class Criminals on the Bingo Book. Kurenai wanted to add but the increasing chill made her more focus on the two in front for her.

Kisame grinned on hearing his tales from her. At least he isn’t just a side character with his infamous partner here.

“Itachi, you are pretty brave to come back to this village after causing that incident.” Asuma needs more information. After seeing that Itachi have probably a loud mouthed companion. He can lure them into telling their objective.

“Asuma-san…. Kurenai-san…” Itachi calmly said. “Please do not interfere with my affairs… you will only get killed.”

Asuma and his partner frowned at that threat.

“Either something is wrong with the way you think or you are just too full of yourself, Itachi.” Asuma put out a puff of smoke in response to the Uchiha’s threat.

Then in the nick of time, Asuma and Kurenai dodged something sinister and put some distance from the two. Kisame had used the thing he was carrying and tried to hack them with it.

“Just make sure they don’t get back to report our existence here.” Itachi told his companion. “And Kisame, don’t do too much. Your work can be too excessive.”

It seems the plan had failed huh.

“It’s decided then.” Kisame grinned. Then disappeard from his position and appeared on the side of Kurenai.

It was so fast that Asuma was barely able to block the heavy strike from Kisame that was aimed at her. Then Kurenai immediately made some handsigns and cast her jutsu while behind Asuma. Her partner however was busy parrying the quick strikes of Kisame.

Whats with that thing? Is that even a sword? It was the only thoughts he could get when he realize that Kisame was using it as one.

“My Samehada is now off to…” Kisame sneered. “…Slice you to bits!”

Asuma could feel his chakra leaking in large quantities with every strike he receives. Kisame used a feint to successfully land a blow at his shoulder. The bandage that covered the unnatural great sword unwrapped itself as it struck Asuma’s flesh. He can feel the rough scales of the thing biting through his shoulder. Ripping off bits of his flesh and blood.

It looked more like a giant rectangular fish with protruding scales than a sword.

“Kurenai… you’re late.” Asuma smiled amidst his pain. Itachi and Kisame noticed the disappearance of Asuma’s companion. Then living wood and fire swallowed them.

Itachi himself was trapped, his entire body was coiled by branches of wood as he was tied to a giant tree. Then Kurenai molded out of the wood above his head with a kunai at hand.

“This is the end!” Kurenai said as she aimed it to his immobile head.

“The Genjutsu of that level has no effect on me.” A voiced cold interrupted her.

Then she woke up.

She found herself tied on a tree that should’ve been Itachi’s position.

This…this is genjutsu counter!

She saw a shining edge of a kunai from Itachi’s hand. Her kunai. And used it to stab her heart.

Just in time before it pierces her, she used one of her techniques to get out of a genjutsu. Her bleeding lip was a small payment. And with that, she was able to dodge a fatal blow from Itachi in real time. But not quickly enough to avoid his kick. Although she was able to block it with her arms, she was still thrown away at a distance from Asuma. A very bad situation.

“Kurenai!” Asuma yelled in concern. But he was forced to focus his attention on the swordsman in front of him.

“Not paying attention will be the end of you.” Kisame laughed as he pinned Asuma from helping his partner. Asuma poured chakra into his weapon and continued dodging and parrying his opponent’s attacks. He waited for an opportunity by studying Kisame’s pattern.

Then he saw it and he would not waste it. Asuma aimed for Kisame’s head on his right side. But his opponent was faster and avoided a fatal strike… or was he?

As Kisame immediately felt a deep wound on his right cheek.

“What?” Kisame was surprised at such result. He didn’t even expect to receive a scratch from Asuma. The Mist swordsman saw Asuma sharpening his two weapons with each other. “Interesting…”

Then Kisame made several handsigns and unleashed a jutsu.

“Suiton.” Kisame grinned. “Suikoudan no Jutsu!”

The river obeyed and instantly gathered on Kisame’s side, forming a large shark then attacked Asuma just after he finished casting it. It was faster than Asuma’s body reponse to dodge or counter it.

“Suiton.” Another voice entered the fray. “Suikoudan no Jutsu!”

At the same time with Kisame, the river obeyed this new participant and formed the same large shark then collided with Kisame’s attack.

Kurenai on the other hand, landed on the surface of the river with a splash. As she stood up, she sensed someone behind her.

“As expected of Kurenai-san…” Itachi looked at her with cold eyes.

“Nope, as I should have of you Itachi.” Another voice was on the Uchiha’s back, along with a kunai pointed at Itachi’s neck.

Kisame was once again shocked, but this time with a glint of anger.

“It was the same Jutsu as mine!”

Asuma smiled in relief to the one who just barely saved his life.

“You were late again huh.” Asuma said. It was his friend who now undid his mask and exposed his hidden eye.

“No, I got here just abit ago…”

Itachi looked at the eyes of the person behind him and saw the same eye he had, albeit only on the man’s left eye.

“Hatake Kakashi… it’s been awhile.” Itachi calmly turned his head.

:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:

Sasuke had finally found Naruto.

It had taken a bit longer than he had planned, but for once his teammate’s choice of clothes was helpful. Now Sasuke could just shadow him from the rooftops while Naruto kept following his uncle like a lost puppy.

What was so special about that man anyway? He wasn’t a shinobi. He wasn’t even from Konoha! It just irked him how Naruto would keep going on and on and on about his uncle for no reason.

So, Sasuke had decided to find out what was so special about said uncle. That was the only reason he was wasting his time doing this. He didn’t care about the fact that the last of his bloodline had found a long-lost relative, why would he?

“Come on, Uncle, just pay. We’ve been here for forever,” he heard Naruto arguing. Sasuke rolled his eyes. They’d been in front of a second-hand book stand for only ten minutes, of course the blond idiot would be bored already.

“Boy, when you buy something you have to haggle,” the man explained, pausing the verbal spar he was having with the book vendor for just for a moment.

“But why? There’s a price tag right there!”

“Yes, I saw it. I still want to teach you something.”

“About what?”

“About haggling,” Naruto’s uncle declared, before meeting the book seller’s eyes. As if in a mutual agreement, the battle over a very low price started again.

In the end, they were able to buy an extra book for just five more coins. So the man wasn’t just a civilian, he was a penny pitcher, too. It didn’t seem that impressive to Sasuke.

Much to Sasuke's surprise, the various shopkeepers seemed to indulge the man's poor shopping etiquette rather than shooing Naruto and his uncle away. With each stop the two made, the more he wondered why he was still following them. He was obviously wasting his time here.

He wasn't jealous of Naruto and that was final.

His musings were interrupted when he caught a brief glimmer of movement in a nearby tree. Before he could turn around, it was gone, but he was able to notice the flash of a white porcelain mask. ANBU.

Were they following Naruto and his uncle? That... kinda made sense, considering that Naruto was Konoha's jinchuuriki and how they were both related to the Yondaime. Sasuke wasn't really sure how he felt about that yet.

He couldn't help but wonder if Naruto had had ANBU bodyguards before. Next thing he knew, an ANBU had landed beside him, his faceless mask staring at Sasuke a bit too close for his comfort.

"Uchiha-san," the ANBU closest to him asked, almost a whisper. "Why are you following your teammate and one of Konoha's honored guests?"

Sasuke tried to come up with an answer but hesitated. He didn't know why he was on that rooftop in the first place. Or he didn't want to admit it.

"Hey Sasuke!" Startled by being called all of sudden, Sasuke looked down. Naruto was right underneath him, looking up, while his uncle was busy browsing some merchandise at a nearby stand. "What are you doing up there?"

Sasuke glanced towards the ANBU. Gone, of course. Naruto called him again. "Nothing," he said. No time to hesitate. "I was just... practicing my wall-running."

That was a terrible lie. There’s no way Naruto would fall for it.

"Oh, alright!" Naruto nodded.

Sasuke really wanted to sigh. Of course Naruto would believe that. "Hey, do you want to come with me and my uncle for lunch? We were about to go to Ichiraku's."

"...Okay."