From the Ashes

𝙴𝚅𝙾𝙻,𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 2.

The now 8-man squad consisting of Saryn and Haku,their respective summons along with Yamato,Naruto,Sakura and Fu had recently entered Orochimaru's secret hideout somewhere in the Hidden Grass,with their respective companions awaiting their return outside.

They concluded that Sai was only on Team 7 to kill the one that Sakura and Naruto were trying so desperately to save in the form of Sasuke Uchiha,which went over about as well as anyone could expect.

"Damn it all to hell, when I get my hands on Sai, he is going to regret ever betraying us!" Naruto promised at the top of his lungs,before a hand swiftly went upside his head."OW, Sakura what the hell was that for?!" he rubbed the bump that begun to swell atop his head.

"..So that you'd shut your big mouth up,we can't let them find us and with you screaming down the halls like that,you're going to make our job harder." Sakura informed him harshly,earning an equally harsh response.

"I don't care Sakura,maybe if I'm loud enough then Sasuke would get a head start and get away from that weirdo," Naruto blew off her concerns,rubbing his head to fight the budding stress.

"if that involves allowing him to get away from Sai I am all for being loud ya know."

Saryn rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness before she could stop the impulse,then looked over at Captain Yamato.

"You." Her head inclined towards the captain. "Whats the plan?We can't just let that ROOT-boy wander free."

Saryn had an interest in Sasuke as well,though it was a complicated one,somewhat simplified by the desire to see how far the 'last Uchiha' came by abandoning everything for such a man,knowing the risk.

That,and perhaps he would know where Orochimaru is holding her mother.

If he wasn't half as powerful as she expected then Naruto may as well prepare to join her own mission to kill the snake,as Sasuke was sure to have been taken over by then..

Infact,she was only remaining here in her shadow clone's stead,Yamato was a skilled shinobi and would likely know something was amiss after discerning the two if she didn't perfectly halve her chakra.

The doppelgänger that walked alongside Yamato backed away,moving towards Haku as the man stopped them.

Yamato rubbed his chin with a calculating look as he turned to the others. "we'll split into twos with me as an outlier, it'll take less time.Should anyone of you come across Sasuke or Sai,flare your chakra twice and we'll come as fast as we can."

Excellent.Saryn laid a finger to the cold tile flooring of the place,sending a reverberating pulse of chakra whilst everyone was occupied.

Yamato looked at each of Team 11." I don't want you three to involve yourselves any further...This is my responsibility to put Sai in check...Now in any case, if none of us has found Sasuke or Sai return to this spot in twenty minutes."

Yamato finished, both Naruto and Sakura nodded, and then the remaining two took off in the same direction.

'Wait for us Sasuke, we are on our way. Please let us make it in time.' -were the thoughts of Sakura.

'I can't lose him again, not when we're so close.'
———————————————————————————
Naruto was sprinting down corridor after corridor, room after room but found nothing. "How many damned hallways does this god damn place have!?"

———————————————————————————

Somewhere along his frantic path,Naruto had paused to catch his breath. 'I can imagine how many times Sasuke got lost here,not that he would swallow his pride to go to ask for directions.' He let out a small laugh,reinvigorating his search.