Rest Your Love: Sequel to Nothing Special

Chapter 28

They got the message to Lady Tsunade, in an instant, Lord Fukasaku was summoned. 

"The real one's not among them," Lord Fukasaku read. 

"Geezer Sage, what do you think?" Naruto asked. "Does it make sense to you?"

"I'm not sure," Fukasaku admitted handing the note back. "It's still all too unclear to me."

"But you do have some hypotheses, though, right?" Shikamaru asked. 

"I've already told you absolutely everything I know about Pain," Fukasaku said. "He seems to be able to come back from the dead, so I hesitate to give you mere conjectures. Under these conditions, it's still mighty dangerous to take him on. We must first uncover his secrets."

"How are the other investigations going?" Kakashi asked. "The autopsy and the interrogation?"

"It looks like they're both going to take a little bit longer," Aceso answered. 

"Like how much longer?" Naruto asked. 

"I can't really say, I don't think they even know," Aceso answered. 

"What? What do you mean?" Naruto demanded. "While they're goofing around, we're losing time. 

"Interrogation aside. An autopsy requires detailed cell and tissue analysis, and extreme enzyme extraction," Aceso explained. "It all must be detailed. Doing all those things take time."

"It'll be a week at the soonest before it's all done," Tsunade informed. 

"That long?" Naruto hung his head. 

"Now, now, Naruto, you don't have to be so disappointed," Shiho said. 

"So what should we do in the meantime, then, Lady Tsunade?" Shikamaru asked. 

"Shizune is heading up the autopsy, so it should be quicker than usual," Tsunade answered. "But we'll still just have to wait."

"No," Naruto denied as he began to walk out of the room. "I'll go make 'em speed up."

"Naruto, if you get in Shizune's way, you are so gonna get it," Sakura warned. 

 "I will avenge pervy sage," Naruto declared. "I can't just sit around here doing nothing."

"But listen, Naruto boy," Fukasaku requested. "Now that we've deciphered the coded message, there's nothing else going on that involves you right now."

"So what about it?" Naruto demanded, turning around. "What are you trying to say?"

"You're definitely not strong enough to defeat Pain yet," Fukasaku answered. 

"What did you say?" Naruto demanded.

"You know I'm right," Fukasaku said. "Even Jiraya boy couldn't defeat him. And if he couldn't you think you could?"

"Well--guess not," Naruto answered in a calmer tone. 

"If you were to fight him now, you would merely die a senseless death," Fukasaku said. 

"So what are you saying, Geezer Sage?" Naruto asked. "I should just totally forget about avenging the Pervy Sage?"

" I have said no such thing," Fukasaku denied. "Being asked to come here was quite opportune. You see, for a long time I'd been planning on coming to speak with you, Naruto boy. Tell me, then, do you want to come and train in Sage Jutsu under my guidance?"

"Train in Sage Jutsu?" Naruto asked. "Is Sage Jutsu really that awesome?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered. "Jiraya was the one capable of using it in this village."