Sage's Resurrection

Chapter 30

"So who do you think would win in a fight: Gai or Kisame?"

"What? Gai would obliterate Kisame," Sasuke said, fire lashes crackling all around him. "It's not a contest, all he has to do is-"

Kakashi appeared in the doorway. "Mission. Now."

"Alright. What is it?"

"The Hokage will explain. To be brief," Kakashi said, running across the rooftops. The three followed soon after. "Orochimaru was plotting to kill the Hokage, and he's pissed. We're going to find him, raid his laboratories, and then kill him."

"Assassination? Sounds fun. Let's do this," Sayuri said.

"We're also going to be recording any secret bases we may find. According to the Kazekage's reports and our own intel, he's based in numerous locations in the Land of Rice Fields."

"How are we going to find the bases?"

"I've asked for a Hyuga to accompany us, but they're wary of sending anyone near the man. He famously holds a desire for both of Konoha's dojutsu."

"Then why send us? That's the equivalent of handing him exactly what he wants on a platter."

"Because then he won't immediately try to smash you two into paste if we fight him."

The four landed on the roof of the Hokage's office.

"Good. You're here, Kakashi. That's all of us, then. You all know the risks with this mission, right?" The forty present all nodded assent. "Very well then. As many of you have requested for Hyuga and trackers to aid in reconnaissance, I have redistributed you. Instead of ten four-man cells, you'll move in squads of eight.

Your mission is to raid any bases of Orochimaru that you find. If you do encounter Orochimaru, radio for backup and wound him as much as possible. You will return to Konoha for debriefing within two months."

The forty blurred out of sight.

"So, who else is joining us?" Sasuke asked.

"Some teammates I had during the war. They're arriving shortly."

Two men and women appeared.

"Pleased to be working with you again, Kakashi. I take it that you've made the necessary preparations?" A man sighed.

"Yeah, Ensui. We're going to target the locations where Jiraiya reported he was last spotted. Unless he's moved locations in a few days, we'll find him, and hopefully kill him. So, Santa, Rei, Ranko, what's the plan?"

"We're going to hit each base one by one," Rei said, stretching. "I think that the Uzumaki should send clones with the intel back to Konoha. He's got the chakra to spare, and it'll keep us moving quickly."

"Sounds simple."

"A plan is just a list of what can go wrong. We've been in the business for over a decade now, and we'll just free-style a plan when we start fighting," Santa turned to the gate.

"Let's go," Ensui said. "We have to reach the primary target in a day. Keep up or be left behind."

The eight dashed out of Konoha.

"By the way, if you three have speed-boosting jutsu, use them now," Ranko said. "We're going to start picking up speed now."

They ran out of sight.

Wind and lightning coursed through them, and the Jonin who were pulling away from them came back into view.

They continued to run until the sun had dipped too low to clearly discern much of anything.