"He's not in here." "He's not in here, either!" "He's not in here, either!" "Where the heck...are you?" "!" "We've finally...made it this far!" "Where are you...?" "!" "Where are you?" "Sasuke!" "Sakura, huh?" "Sa...su...ke." "Sasuke..." "So it's you, Naruto...?" "You don't even have parents or siblings..." "What do you know about me?" "!" "You've been alone from the start!" "What do you know about me?" "!" "Huh?" "!" "It's having the bond that makes it painful!" "You've no idea what it's like to lose that...!" "You're right." "I don't know about having real parents or siblings..." "If that's the case..." "Why Naruto...?" "Why do you go so far for me...?" "To me, it's a bond..." "I've finally been able to establish." "That's why I'll stop you!" "If that's the case, then why didn't you...?" "Then I'll just break that bond!" "Why didn't you kill me back then?" "!" "Is that how you wanted to break the bond?" "!" "Sasuke!" "The reason's simple..." "It's not that I couldn't break the bond with you..." "You're one who might be able to use the same Mangekyo Sharingan as mine..." "However, there is one condition..." "You must kill... your closest friend." "It was just irritating to me." "Obtaining power according to the method I heard about from him." "You're only alive because of my passing whim." "When did he...?" "!" "Come to think of it, didn't you have a dream of becoming the Hokage...?" "If you had the time to chase after me, you should've spent that time training or something..." "Right..." "Naruto?" "And that's why this time around..." "You'll lose your life... because of my passing whim." "There's no way a guy who can't even save one friend... can ever become the Hokage." "Isn't that right..." "Sasuke?" "Sasuke...!" "Naruto..." "Show him...our...powers." "What's the matter...?" "Why do you hesitate...?" "You need my power, don't you?" "Now then..." "Who do you want to kill...?" "You should know." "That you can't do anything on your own." "SEAL" "Break the seal completely!" "I'll grant you all of my powers if you do." "How...?" "!" "I can see it now..." "So this is your unknown power, huh...?" "Who would've thought... you'd have something like this inside of you..." "I see..." "So you're an Uchiha..." "My how you've grown..." "To think you'd be able to see me within Naruto..." "That loathsome Sharingan..." "So that's the power of the cursed clan, huh?" "It seems this isn't the first time you've seen the Sharingan." "Then...you must be the Nine-Tailed Fox, huh...?" "That vision, and Chakra more ominous than mine..." "It's just like..." "Madara Uchiha, from long ago..." "Heck if I know...that person." "Homecoming" "Did you find it?" "All clear here." "Target acquired!" "Uh-oh!" "It'll get into the village!" "No way will we let it get away!" "What the--?" "!" "Where'd it go?" "That way!" "Hey, you squirts!" "Hey!" "W-We're sorry!" "What're you doing?" "!" "Sorry!" "Sorry about that." "Ichiraku Ramen" "I'm going out for a small delivery." "Whoa!" "Outta the way!" "Sorry, pops!" "Hey, Naruto!" "No, I mean..." "Konohamaru!" "Konohamaru!" "We've cornered the target." "Hurry up." "It'll get away!" "No problem!" "Why you--!" " Give it up already!" " Konohamaru!" "I got him!" "A ribbon on the right ear..." "No doubt about it." "Ebisu Sensei, we captured the lost pet target "Dora."" "Heh-heh..." "Mission complete!" "Oh, my adorable Dora!" "I was worried to death about you." "Where were you?" "I'd want to run away too, if an old lady like that were my owner..." "Konohamaru!" "All right, here is the reward." "Now then, let's go home, Dora." "How many hours did it take you guys to catch a simple lost cat?" "!" "But that cat was incredibly quick..." "And he seemed accustomed to running away..." "I don't want to hear any excuses!" "A mission like this must be carried out more quickly and properly!" "You guys are not good enough!" "I can't display my true strength on a lame mission like this!" "Say, Iruka Sensei." "Don't you have more of an awesome mission for me?" "Listen..." "Konohamaru..." "Konohamaru, you guys just became Genin." "There's no way I can give missions like that to you right off the bat, right?" "!" "It'll be D-rank missions until further notice." "I can't be satisfied with that!" "After all, in the future" "I'm going to become the Seventh Hokage." "Seventh?" "Not the Sixth?" "Brother Naruto's going to be the Sixth." "Brother Naruto, huh...?" "I wonder where he is right now..." "I bet he'll return having become an awesome Shinobi." "I have faith in him!" "He's more of a Second Naruto than a Seventh Hokage..." "Naruto..." "Are you holding up okay?" "No matter what, I'll get strong and bring Sasuke back!" "Quite a bit of time has passed since he said that and went off for real training with Master Jiraiya..." "Yes." "Isn't it just about the time he should be returning?" "We need him to return." "After all, there will probably be significant developments sometime soon." "Hey..." "Could that be...?" "Yeah..." "No doubt about it." "Miss Sakura!" "Oh, Konohamaru!" "Where are you off to?" "The main village gate." "I have to pick up the morning pedestrian traffic ledger for Lady Tsunade." "You want to come?" "It's been about two and a half years." "Yeah, it has..." "And then that Dora cat suddenly starts scratching me like crazy!" "We had missions like that, too." "It kind of takes me back." "Come to think of it, have you heard anything from Brother Naruto?" "!" "Nothing...yet." "I see..." "He should be coming back soon, though..." "Hello, Izumo, Kotetsu." "Oh, look who's here..." "Why don't you head on into town?" "You'll see something interesting." "Something interesting...?" "Don't tell me!" "He's having a ball..." "This takes me back!" "The village hasn't changed a bit!" "Everyone!" "Naruto Uzumaki's back!" "It's all so nostalgic...!" "Yup!" "Yup!" "They added GrandmaTsunade's Mountainside Image!" "For real...?" "For real!" "Naruto?" "Is that you, Naruto?" "When did you get back, Naruto?" "!" "Just now!" "Long time no see, Sakura!" "You've gotten taller than me, haven't you?" "Huh...?" "Oh!" "You're right." "He kind of...got a build since I saw him last..." "So?" "You think I've become a bit womanly?" "You're fine!" "You haven't changed a bit." "You just don't understand the heart of a woman..." "Brother Naruto!" "Sexy Jutsu!" "Ohh!" "Wha--?" "!" "How about that?" "!" "Pretty nice waist, hips and bust, huh?" "!" "Konohamaru..." "I'm not a kid anymore." "And you too, shouldn't be using Jutsu..." "like that..." "That's right." "It isn't just your appearance that's matured..." "I kind of feel a bit lonesome, but you've turned out quite admirable, haven't you, Naruto?" "Knowing you, I bet you came back having acquired some incredible Jutsu." "That's such a boring Jutsu!" "Check out my freshly developed New Pervy Ninjutsu!" "Right..." "Like the New Pervy Ninjutsu..." "Here we go!" "Hey, you idiot!" "You haven't changed at all, have you, you jerk?" "!" "After seeing each other for the first time in like two years!" "You make me do this in barely two minutes!" "What am I supposed to do with the feelings of admiration I had for you earlier, huh?" "!" " That short temper and incredible strength." " I'm not the least bit lonesome!" " She's a second-generation Tsunade." " Huh?" "God, I'm mad at myself!" "Just like I thought, Sakura hasn't changed at all..." "In fact, I get the feeling she's even more vicious than before..." "Huh?" "Did you say something?" "It's been a long time, you two." "I'm sure your training produced good results, right?" "Do you think we came back without making progress?" "It went perfectly!" "Then show me those results immediately." "Show you...?" "You will take on a particular man." "I didn't send him on any missions for the past several days and had him standby for this very purpose." "Your opponent will be..." "Come in!" "Oh!" "Today at around five in the afternoon," "Security Ninja were found collapsed at the fortress of the Village Hidden in the Sand." "No signs of dispute were found within the scene of the crime;" "leading officials to believe the crime might have been committed by someone in the village, or a skilled intruder." "Around the same time, there have been reported sightings of two men dressed in black clothing with red cloud patterns." "They are likely connected to the incident." "Next time:" ""The Akatsuki Makes Its Move""