The lost soul..

Naruto calmly moved a branch out of his line of sight so he could look out into the small clearing where his targets would pass. Behind him, Ginchiko, Hidetada, Hinata, Guan, Mika and Shino, who had requested to join in this mission rested, along with a squad of over thirty Kiri jounin.

Guan was a large man, with a large but well groomed mustache and goatee. He wielded a single, two edged broadsword. He had a height of about six feet, wore green battle robes with steel chest armor over it, which was painted green and engraved with gold flame like designs. He had long black hair which was held in a top knot.

His apprentice Mika was the exact opposite, whereas his appearance could be considered a large tiger, hers was a small swan. She couldn't be any bigger than five three rather lithe and agile looking. She wore a blue shirt which left her belly exposed, her pants were also blue and somewhat baggy. Two swords were on either side of her waist. They resembled a cross between a Samurai sword and a western stile rapier. She was built for speed not power. She had silver flowing hair and red eyes, which only hinted at the crazed bloodlust beneath the serene exterior.

"Alright Uzumaki, what's the big idea dragging us out here without even an explanation?" Hidetada spoke, his expression showing his annoyance and resentment for the young man that called himself his commander.

Naruto let the branch fall back to its natural position as he turned to the ninja. He once again let his eyes scan over the group before he spoke. "It has recently become known to me that the Mizukage has grown alarmed with the number of ninja he has lost over the last fourteen days, therefore he has decided to go and request Kumo for aid in disposing of you. He will be passing by this route with a team thirty to fourty Anbu as his personal guard. We are here to make sure he does not reach his destination."

"Thirty to fourty Anbu…the coward would leave his people naked and unguarded?" Guan spoke from his place on one of the tree branches.

Shino adjusted his glasses into place, while he had no delusions that he could take on a fully trained Anbu head on, his role was much more support than anything. His Kikaichu were already on two of the Anbu that were approaching and were already absorbing miniscule amounts of chakra, by the time they actually arrived those two Anbu would have already lost 1/15th of their chakra by his estimation. The rest of his hive was here with him, ready to be unleashed once the battle began. "What is the plan?"

"The plan is simple, We will divide the troops in two groups of fifteen. Hinata, and Mika will lead one, while Guan and Shino lead another. You will herd the Mizukage in my direction, where Ginchiko, Hidetada and myself will ambush him."

The two aforementioned members of the seven swordsmen exchanged a glance which clearly said. "This is our chance."

Of course, that would be so much easier if he wasn't planning their downfall as well.

He spared a glance to Shino and Hinata and then to a hidden spot in the forest where Kakashi and Kurenai were hiding under his orders. The two of them were to guard both Hinata and Shino respectively. They were only to interfere if they truly believed one of them was about to die, while he couldn't afford to have either one of them die, he also couldn't afford to have them appear as if they needed baby sitting.

Kakashi had reported that the training he had given Hinata throughout the two weeks he had given her before he undertook this mission that she was at a level of mid-chuunin without the Byakugan, with it, she was high chuunin to possibly even low jounin. Shino's physical abilities placed him to low chuunin already with his intellect added to it, he was probably mid chuunin, but he couldn't be sure.

Guan was easily above both of them in skill, his apprentice Mika however, from what he could sense was relatively at the same level, but, from the reports of her blood crazed induced state when she entered a battle could make her very unpredictable thus, very dangerous.

Hinata spoke. "But, how can you be certain the Mizukage will flee instead of fight. If the first group attacks and the Mizukage decides to fight them himself then the first group will easily be destroyed?"

"From the reports I've received, the Mizukage is not one for bravery or camaraderie, the chances that he choose to fight the first group head on, especially an ambush, are much lower than the chance that he will instead attempt to flee towards either safety or to the borders of Kumo, either way we will mannage to catch him, or reduce his forces significantly.

His eyes snapped towards Hidetada and Ginchiko as the two again shared a look. "You have your orders. Get to your positions."

Tsunade silently sat in the corner of her hotel room, sake bottle firmly in hand her thoughts were in turmoil, and had been so for the past few days or so. Jiraiya's words still echoed in her mind.

'No mater how many treaties, agreements, alliances and policies we make, they are…a fragile alliance at best, which breaks almost every two decades and more innocents are lost. But this…this is something that can bring peace for far longer than just some signed treaty.'

His argument had merit, it was true that no mater how many peace agreements and signings the villages made between eachother, this spiral of war was never ending.

But…could he do it? Could he truly bring peace to the world? It was…a dream at best, and a delusion at worst.

And even if he could, just how many more people would he have to destroy in order to do so? How many deaths can be justified with this ambition? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?

And what if he failed, would it all have been for nothing? Would all the rivers of blood and tears all be for a simple delusion that would simply throw this chaotic world into an even darker abyss of death and war?

What justification could he have then?

"Just think of it Tsunade…no one will ever again have to go through what you went through with Nawaki and Dan."

Her former teammates words again reached her and she scowled remembering how much both, herself and her parents had cried when Nawaki died and then the feeling of cold solitude when Dan had left. It hadn't been fair and she grew to hate the world for it.

Could she save others from such a thing if she did this?

"Tsunade-sama?" A hesitant voice reached her ears. "What are you doing sitting in the dark?"

Tsunade was snapped out of her thoughts at the second sentence. "Its dark?" She questioned as she blinked noticing that indeed the sun had already gone down bathing the room in its inky blackness. Akina stood at the doorway with some groceries in hand.

"Where's Shizune?" Tsunade questioned as the girl closed the door with her foot.

The young blond shrugged. "Don't know, we were on our way up here when she suddenly handed me everything and mumbled something about leading some debt collectors away."

Tsunade blushed slightly realizing that Shizune had, again, saved her from the debt collectors.

She watched as the blond girl placed the overstuffed bag on the table and began putting things inside of the mini fridge. She had recovered remarkably well from her injuries throughout the last month or so since they found her and these last two weeks Now Shizune often times had to go and find her to make sure she didn't strain herself to much while training.

After a few moments Akina began to notice the tense aura surrounding Tsunade and turned to face her. "Is something wrong?" She asked genuinely curious with even what was considered a hint of worry in her voice.

Tsunade was quiet for a moment before she finally stated. "I spoke to Jiraiya a while back."

The younger girl tensed, her back going ramrod straight as she turned to face her. Her expression was hesitant and worried, since she didn't know exactly what to say she merely kept quiet, waiting for Tsunade to continue.

Seeing that she wouldn't speak Tsunade decided to continue. "He came to offer me a place in Konoha again."

The young girl turned her gaze away from the last Sannin, she leaned over the table "I…see" She said uncertainly. After a moment she seemed to gather herself, her hunched form straightening out as she once again turned to face the slug princess "Will you…will you accept?" She bit her lower lip slightly as she waited for Tsunade's answer.

Tsunade drank some more sake, leaned back in her chair and looked at her dead in the eye. "What will you do if I say I will?"

Guan sat in a tree, holding his broadsword across his chest as he waited, halfheartedly tracing a stone over the edges. Shino sat nearby, focusing his chakra and preparing his Kikaichu for battle.

Guan looked at the young Aburame, as if sizing him up finally after a moment or so he spoke. "I have heard, that you volunteered for this mission young gennin." He stated evenly.

Shino turned his head to face him. "Yes I did."

Guan made a "Hn" sound as he traced the stone over his sword again "Why would a gennin such as yourself volunteer for a mission like this, it would be considered suicidal. So either you are very arrogant or have another reason altogether for doing this."

Shino pushed his sunglasses back into position before speaking. "Indeed I did, but my reasons are my own and are no concern of yours…with all due respect." He added as an afterthought.

Guan smirked. "Indeed it is not. Very well then gennin, keep your secrets. For the battle is about to begin." As he spoke he stood and examined his sword.

Shino looked to the distance and indeed noticed faint movement beyond the tree's. It looks as if they've arrived.

Hinata sighed tiredly, if a bit irritated as Mika's cheerful humming continued to reach her ears, thus grating on her nerves and thinning patience. She turned her head to the girl letting her irritation clearly show on her face. "Will you cut that out?" She snapped after a second or two. "Its annoying."

Mika let her hand trace over the bark of the tree she was standing on before turning her blood red eyes onto the Hyuuga clan head. "Oh so my singing is annoying to you is it?" She smiled, somewhere between a friendly smile and a malicious one. She unsheathed one of her swords and pointed it at her throat. "Well guess what, your pretty little face and stupid white eyes are annoying me. So how about I carve those out? After all, you are the only leaf ninja here, I could easily kill you and then say that you died in battle?"

From his place in a nearby tree Kakashi let his eyes travel to his young student. 'I wonder if you can handle this Hinata.'

Hinata for her part did realize the precarious situation she was in especially when she heard the mutters that spread through the rest of the ninja in their company. She caught a sliver of movement from the corner of her eye. She flared her byakugan for a moment and caught sight of their targets approaching them.

She deactivated her bloodline and looked at the silver haired girl her face betraying no expression. "We don't have time for this."

"We have plenty of time miss Hyuuga heiress." Mika replied her smile growing as she took a step forward.

Hinata stomped down the urge to step back and held her ground stubbornly. Glaring at the girl she spoke again her voice cold and clipped. "Our targets are approaching, so either make your move you stupid Kiri bitch, or back off."

The tension between the two at that moment grew so heavy and thick that one could cut it with a blunt knife.

From his perch in the tree Kakashi raised both eyebrows in surprise. 'Either she's got a death wish, or she is officially the luckiest person on earth.'

Finally after almost a full minute of the glaring contest Mika smirked and lowered her weapon. "Fine then leaf bitch, I'll deal with you later."

Just as she finished speaking the allied group of Kiri ninja of the other team could be heard as their battle cries reached their ears.

Hinata and Akina shared a glance before both leapt away

Naruto observed as the two teams engaged the Mizukage's escort group. But, what none of the Kiri ninja knew was that it wasn't thirty Anbu the Mizukage had brought with him, but fourty five. The Mizukage figured that there was a leak in their information network, so in an attempt to lure the leaders of the rebellion, namely, Ginchiko, Hidetada or Guan into a trap he spread information that he would be leaving to Kumo with an entourage of thirty men, and then informed his most loyal Anbu to take another team to hang back and only strike when he confronted either Guan, Hidetada or Ginchiko personally.

Even now he could sense them at the edges of his perceptions, they were indeed masters of silent killing.

So all he needed to do was wait for the Mizukage to retreat.

The mixukage's plan was to lure whoever was leading the attack away from the main group and then ambush him or her with the fifteen or so Anbu.

The fifteen Anbu that would descend on Ginchiko and Hidetada, if all went well.

Right on cue he saw the blue robed figure break through one of the lines and rush into the forest apparently panicked. He spoke into his radio. "Ginchiko, he is heading in your direction, Hidetada head to Ginchiko's position, we will ambush him there."

"Copy."

"Very well"

Naruto put his radio away and rushed after the Miukage.

"Break through! We must protect Yondaime-sama!" one of the Kiri Anbu yelled as he moved to rush after the Mizukage, before he could leap however a green blur flashed before his eyes before a terrible burning pain tore through his stomach and he hit the floor, his vision fading into cold darkness.

The other Anbu all skidded to a stop as the looming form of Guan stood before them, his large broadsword glinting in the light, crimson liquid running down the edge, dripping, drops which fell to the grassy floor, staining the earth.

"Not one soul shall pass here!" He raised his sword and stabbed it hilt deep into the earth,, forming a line pulling it back out he spun it once over his head before swinging it over the earth directly infront of him. Huge spears of mud exploded from the ground and impaled two of the ninja that were caught off guard by the maneuver while the others leapt back, avoiding the assault.

He leveled his blade at them. "Those who dare, shall meet death."

Kakashi watched as Hinata was cornered by two of the Kiri Anbu He was ready to step in at a moments notice but his orders were specifically to interfere only if it was absolutely necessary, besides, she had been handling herself remarkably well using hit and run tactics and long range kunai throwing to injure and weaken some of the opposing nins. Her juuken had even caught one of them completely off guard, catching him in the right lung and effectively…well…killing him really.

He was wondering how she was going to get out of this one.

"Hey look at this one Ujimasa, its just a kid." One of them laughed as he looked at his partner. "I bet she'll kick your ass eh."

The other one, Ujimasa, sneered at his partner. "Fuck you Kojuro." As he spoke he stepped forward, ready to run the Hyuuga heiress through with his Anbu blade. Hinata smirked before she began spinning. "KAITEN!"

"WHAT!" One of the Anbu yelled before the spinning barrier hit them both pushing them away with great force, they both skidded to a stop as Hinata ceased her spinning, they scrambled to their feet both thoroughly pissed. Now Hinata was worried, that was a delay tactic and she knew it, there was no way in hell she could beat two Anbu head on, hell there was no way she could beat one head on. She had to find a way out of this.

Alas, her worrying was for not, as the two Anbu began to stand, two wickedly curved blades impaled both of them. Entering through the back of their neck and coming out through the front.

Hinata looked to her savior and found Mika, with a twisted smile on her face and madness shining in her red eyes.

"Hehehe, I told you we'd settle this later, princess."

Hinata, though worried, again refused to show it. Instead she smirked. "Do you really think you can beat me? I f so, then your dumber than you look."

Mika licked some of the blood off of her swords and laughed. "Hmm, we'll just have to find out then, wont we?"

Before Hinata could say anything else, the Kiri kunoichi rushed forward swinging her swords in an attempt to cleave her in half. Hinata leaped up, and over her, somersaulting, she landed behind the silver-haired girl and turned on her heel, ready to use a juuken strike to her spine.

Mika swiveled around, on her heel and swatted her hand away with her left forearm and then swung at her mid section with the sword in her right hand. Hinata backpeddaled, narrowly avoiding the attack.

As soon as her feet touched the floor again however, her Byakugan flared to life, the veins around her eyes became more exposed as she naturally settled herself into the Juuken stance.

She was going to set this lunatic straight right now.

The Mizukage was rushing through the trees of the forest surrounding Kiri, as he leapt for another tree branch he barely managed to twist himself in mid air in time as a surge of lightning passed right next to him. He growled as he stuck upside down to a branch using chakra. He looked to the forest floor and smirked as he saw his attacker.

"Ginchiko" He spoke her name with a sneering tone as the white robed Kunoichi leveled one of her blades at him.

"Yondaime-sama." She spoke in a calm tone as yellow streaks of lightning danced over her two short swords.

"Foolish girl, why don't you step aside and let me pass. You know you could never defeat me on your own."

"And who say's she's by herself?" A voice spoke up to his right as Hidetada emerged from behind a tree.

The Mizukage's eyes narrowed at the sight of another one of his hated enemies. "Ahh, Hidetada, now all of us are here."

"Not quite." Ginchiko spoke up.

"Our other friend has yet to arrive." Hidetada finished.

The Mizukage snorted. "You mean Guan, that imbecile is still fighting the fools I left behind in the clearing, he wont be coming."

"Oh we're not talking about Guan." Hidetada said calmly before he looked to the right. "Ahh, here he comes now."

The Mizukage snapped his head in the same direction, watching as a red robed figure appeared from the shadows of the forests.

"And who would this be?" He sneered at the unexpected arrival before finally catching sight of the leaf headband on his arm. "Konoha?" He breathed in an astonished voice. Before snapping his head back to Ginchiko. "You got help from Konoha?"

Ginchiko smirked at his shocked expression. "Indeed we did you worthless cunt, and now is the time you die."

His lips curled back in a snarl. "No, Ginchiko, This is where you die." He raised his hand and brought it down and the fifteen hidden Anbu leapt down to the forest floor Five of them surrounding Ginchiko, five of them surrounding Naruto and five surrounding Hidetada, surprising two of the three

"Welcome to your funeral."

Beneath his hood and mask, Naruto's smile was lost.

Jiraiya slowly parted the blinds over the entrance to the bar as he entered. He didn't pause to spare any of the patrons a second glance, instead choosing to head directly for the person he had come to see.

Tsunade let her eyes follow him as he entered, her cup pausing on its path to her lips as she waited for him to join her. Finally, as he loomed over her, he spoke.

"Have you made your decision?"

She placed the cup down on the table, calmly ordering the bill before she spoke. "Yes."

"And?"

A pause before finally.

"I'll meet with him."