Nightfall By Freowin

Chapter 53 - Konoha And The Yoinokuchi

I don't own Naruto and I never have, probably never will. Can never tell for sure though.

Nightfall!

Chapter 53: Konoha And The Yoinokuchi

Naruto and the other shinobi stood in the Hokage's office. "Your mission is to find and eliminate the ninja responsible for attacking the Fire Temple. You're to leave at once, we have no time to waste, so Kakashi if you don't show up on time I will demote you to genin serving under, Ebisu" Tsunade ordered.

Kakashi shuddered at the thought, Ebisu was a highly skilled trainer, but his skills in combat were questionable, as such he never took on any interesting missions. "I will arrive on time Tsunade-sama" he said.

"Good, now with that said, as you will be working with Naruto and Akimi who are not Konoha ninja and you all hold the same rank within this village there will be no team leader, I expect you can all handle that?" the Hokage asked. The shinobi standing around the office murmured in agreement. "Good now you're all dismissed, and good luck" she added.

"Well, how about we meet at the eastern gate in half an hour?" Asuma suggested.

"That's fine with me" Naruto said and the others quickly agreed.

Naruto and Akimi left the office via the same window that they had entered while the others left using the more conventional means of the door. "It's going to be interesting to see just what the kid can do" Asuma said as the three Konoha shinobi walked out of the Hokage tower.

"Well, I saw him fight on even ground against the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage when Orochimaru summoned them to face Sarutobi-sama three years ago, even if they were holding back as much as possible it was incredibly impressive for one so young" Yamato said.

"Well, it is to be expected that he is strong, just look at who his sensei is, eight years of tutelage under someone like Jiraiya-sama and you're bound to be an impressive shinobi. Then there is the fact that he has the Rinnegan, eyes that hold more secrets than I am sure Naruto even knows" Kakashi said a hint of respect and admiration in his voice.

The three split up going to collect their things for what could be a long trip, with nobody knowing just how long it would take to locate Kakuzu and Hidan.

"We shouldn't have agreed to this, they will slow us down" Akimi said while she and Naruto awaited the arrival of the Konoha ninja at the gate. She was sitting in a nearby tree looking down on Naruto who rested in the shade to escape the heat of the day.

"Maybe in terms of running speed, but you couldn't ask for much better back up than Kakashi and Asuma, and I am sure that the Anbu captain will not be dead weight. Besides the more help we have with tracking them the less time it will take" Naruto said calmly, raising his head to look at the kunoichi.

"I guess so, but sitting around doing nothing while those bastards are out there makes me sick" she said angrily before dropping from the tree branch and taking a seat next to the blond.

"I know how you feel, I felt the same after my adoptive family were killed. Well I did after I got over the shock. But Jiraiya sensei taught me that the best thing I can do for the people I have lost is to live a long and happy life, so there sacrifice wasn't for nothing. It was hard but I eventually got over my hatred from Kumo ninja, although they are still not my favorite people" Naruto said ending with a small laugh.

"Well I can't see myself ever forgiving the Akatsuki for what they have done" Akimi said.

"I'm not going to ask you to either. What they have done, and what they are trying to do is unforgivable. It would take something monumental to allow me to forgive them for all the pain that they have caused" Naruto replied.