Naruto Shippuden (Male Reader Insert)

Chapter XLV

Character Information:
(Y/N): Your Name
(L/N): Last Name
(E/C): Eye Color
(F/C): Favorite Color

A couple days had passed since Naruto left, and now Shikamaru, (Y/N), Sakura, and Shiho sat around a table looking at the image of Jiraiya's code.

Shikamaru: Lord Jiraiya sent back three sources of information.

Shiho: Yes. Namely a ninja from the Hidden Rain, one of Pain's bodies, and this, a coded message.

Shikamaru: Inoichi is in the Intel Division. They're working on the Hidden Rain ninja. I'm sure that he'll get information out of him.

Sakura: And Shizune has made the autopsy on the remains of Pain's body her number one priority. I'm sure she'll learn something too.

Shiho: Plus, we also have this message that we decided with the help from Naruto. "The real one's not among them." That's it.

Sakura: (Y/N), have you and Minerva made any progress on the research?

(Y/N): Not really. After what we found the first time, there's been very little new information found. Minerva's still going at it, but I doubt she'll find anything else. We've dug through nearly her entire library.

Shikamaru: The info you've already given us is enough, I'd say. We at least have a vague outline of Pain's powers.

(Y/N): Yeah. Now we have to take all of the information we've gotten from our leads and somehow figure out the mystery behind Pain.

Shikamaru: "The real one's not among them..." Maybe he's telling us the six Pains are all genjutsu. A jutsu cast by the female Akatsuki member who was there too, and she's the one who physically attacked Lord Jiraiya from the shadows.

Sakura: No. I think that's a long shot.

(Y/N): There are six powers of the Rinnegan, and six bodies. You can't give genjutsu of people powers, especially ones that powerful.

Sakura: Yeah. Plus, according to Lord Fukasaku, when Lord Jiraiya was killed, he was stabbed with actual weapons from all six Pains.

Shikamaru crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought.

Sakura: Well, he supposedly took down three of them, but they resurrected. Does sound like some genjutsu illusion.

Shikamaru: With the Akatsuki, common sense doesn't mean anything. There have been others who were immortal.

(Y/N): There is an explanation for their resurrection, though. Remember, one of the Rinnegan's powers is to summon this "King of Hell" that can heal wounds. Perhaps that even includes full-blown resurrection.

Shiho: Frankly, in any case, what we should really do right now is keep hypothesizing until we get some kind of report from the others.

Shikamaru: You're right.

Sakura: Let's get closer to solving Pain's mystery at least a little before Naruto returns.

All of a sudden, there was a loud explosion and the entire building shook. All four teens perked up, confused.

Shikamaru: What's that?

(Y/N): Doesn't sound good.

The two boys and Sakura hurried to the window and saw smoke and fire rising all over the village.

Sakura: <shocked> What's happening?!

Shikamaru: Let's move out.

The ninja hurried out of the building to check out what the hell was happening.