Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Any characters and locations not recognized in the Naruto Shippuden series belong to Jennifer Nicole Siciliano, a/k/a Grand Phoenix.

A/N: I think I may have to start rereading this story again. This chapter wasn't intended to be so big (excluding this Author's Note here); I'll have to find a way to make future additions shorter unless it's absolutely necessary to make me a monster X__X.

You're more than welcome to join my C2 if you're interested, and I've got a handful of Plot Bunnies if you're looking to write something. If either of these two options tickles your fancy, then hit me up in your review or drop a PM. You can find more information on my profile page for the list of rules you will have to follow and the fandoms my Plot Bunnies center on (though I wonder if I should include details on said Bunnies if anyone is curious).

Also, no snakes were harmed during the making of this chapter. Happy New Year, folks!

CHAPTER XI

MONARCHS OF A WORLD-WEARY KINGDOM

"History; a distillation of rumor."
- Thomas Carlyle

SOMEWHERE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF REALITY, NEAR AND FAR FROM THE EDGES OF TIME AND Space, Sparda was at home. Beneath the silver tree with the star-shaped leaves he conversed with his friend the great-horned owl. It roosted on its favorite branch, the one that dipped now and then into the river-water, and it hinged on its Master's every word.

"We have gained two new allies on our journey," said the God of Springs. "Though our number has grown, we are not yet strong enough to accept the Challenge. There are still those Saints whom need to be made aware of our situation."

The auburn bird, its body facing the dredging course, snapped its gaze at Him and cocked its head.

"Yes, it is true what I say. There are six in total: three on the mainland; two on the atolls, and one in the land of the West. They are essential to our Mission, but there is still the matter of instilling the teachings of physis into Sakura Haruno. Though she has great control over it, she is extremely vulnerable when exposed to high levels."

The owl hooted and ruffled its feathers.

"I'm aware of the dangers posed to such direct exposure, but it is the only thing I can do to help develop her chakra coils. Thus, to further the maturation process she, alongside the Leaf reconnaissance team, will be venturing to the Uchiha Estate. It was there Saint Master Itachi summoned Sojobo. The Tengu King's physis will undoubtedly be a hotspot for the Shinobi to sense from a fair distance."

The owl again hooted. It arched its back and flapped its wings outward, as if gesturing for the man to continue.

"The Lady Mandalus and the Spriggan Lazarus have been sent ahead to scout the land for unusual activity relative to the Leaf team's mission objectives. Plus, should they find any sign of Team Hawk or Akatsuki, they will report to Sakura post-haste."

The bird calmed and folded its wings. The branch stilled from the erratic movements and bowed into the stream. The owl rotated its head to the Hall, where a number of Doors that were once open were now closed. However, during the night's passing the Hall had magically expanded and stretched beyond the mists where even more Doors lay. To Sparda it was not a significant loss, but a gain.

He nodded. "Yes, she will know in time. So will everyone. The Wheel of Time is just starting to remove the rust from its gears. It is only a matter of patience and observation before anything significant occurs. Until then we must wait…and hope for the best."

The owl gave a single hoot.

WELL…WELL…WELL… Who do we have here? Mmm-hmm-mmm… you look like someone who can kick the first ass. Yeah, I saw what you did to ole Lazarus here; I have to admit that was quite the show. You've gotten a lot better keeping your wits sharp and focused, am I right, girlie? Well, I suppose it helps when y'have the old bag as a teacher and the freakin' green lantern for a drill instructor. …Oh! and let's not forget that Genjutsu chick and the chain smoker, too.

Three years feels like a long time, doesn't it? Goin' in and out o' fights, yappin' with the war hawks and white-clad beasties, drinkin' the cup o' memories as if you could actually relive it and throwin' down hardcore nature's bounty with a flare of BIG BANG and SOUL DESIRE… You didn't have time to think about Mister Avenger, no time to wonder what sorta trouble that blonde's kid tryin' to get out o' this time.

Kinda makes ya wish you had 'em stay home and play a real ninja's game, huh? None of this fratricide crap and soul-searching mumbo jumbo, it's been done to death for Gods knows how long. It's such a snore fest!

But that's why people like me are around. We don't beat a dead horse just for shits and giggles, no ma'am we don't! That's why you ordered us out into the woods to find that blasted boyo and his rapscallions. And guess what, kid? While you were counting sheepfolds we got a lock on 'im! Heh, not even dogboy and the ninken can catch a sign that quick! Ahhh, but you want to get straight to the point, so I'll do just that. He ain't far, I tell ya. He got into a nasty fight, see, and because o' it his chakra coils're shot. That means he can't hide himself and 'is team with any Blind Genjutsu tricks until he fetches for a medic or allows the coils to recover on their own, which takes more than a few damn years before they're fully healed.

That's the good news, but there's one little problem we couldn't remedy. The Uchiha Estate's totally soaked in physis, the natural spirit energy we Saints and Spriggans (and your occasional Fuuinjutsu master) use. The boyo's fight involved two such users whom had access to it and… well, the place got FUBARed, if y'catch my drift. You'll hardly find much in the way o' things like footprints, chakra residue and Katon scorch marks, so I don't expect you to reap any rewards. Well, maybe just one….

…Ahem! You'll have to excuse me, kid. I'm gettin' ahead of m'self. As I was sayin', the Estate's a melting pot of physis. Most likely yer more experienced Shinobi like the Cyclops and the Gardener will sense it and lead you there. Though if I were you I wouldn't venture too deep into the ruins; your own coils are still acclimatin' to my physis. Go where y'feel comfortable and stay in the area. Trus' me when I say you DO NOT want t' experience withdrawal; quite the brutal sight, I tell you.

Overall, my report concludes 'ere. Lazarus and I are gonna keep tabs on the lot fer the time bein', and a couple of our li'l buddies will be markin' their tracks along the way. No need to thank me, missy, I'm-a just doin' m' job; so's Laz, but he ain't obligated to stick around if he doesn't want to.

Tally-ho, then! Enjoy your new gifts! Now WAKE UP!

Sakura shot awake with a startled yelp. Her heart hammered against her chest and cold sweat beaded on her brow. What the hell was that? It felt like someone gave her a good, hard kick to the ribs, and by the Gods did it hurt! Didn't they know she had just tackled a Saint's Spriggan and was still smarting in areas she didn't realize could hurt? As a matter of speaking, who in their right mind thought it would be cute to hit a lady when she's sleeping, especially when said lady spent a quarter of chakra keeping that Bunshin corporeal for an entire night?

"Oh. You're awake." Sakura looked up and found Kakashi Hatake staring down at her. He gave her a wave of his hand and a curved smile of his eye, for his other hand was occupied holding a copy of the Icha Icha Paradise (Sakura thought it had to be the latest edition in the series, but she was not one to dabble in pornographic material without very good – and very medical – reason). "Afternoon. You're an awfully deep sleeper, y'know that?"

"The afternoon?" the kunoichi repeated, wide-eyed and confused. "…What time is it?"

"Three o'clock, it is," replied the Jounin, turning to survey the other Konoha ninja milling about the campsite. He missed the look of utter alarm flashing across the young'in's face. "Everyone's been waiting for you since this morning. Yamato's picked up a particularly strong chakra signature north of here."

Sakura blinked. A familiar name flickered through her mind. "Do you think it could be…?"

"We don't know. It feels like Sasuke's…but there's something else in the air. I can't quite tell what it is. It's powerful, and it glows like a fiery beacon in the lifting gloom… at least that's what Yamato told me. He was up long before I was."

"What if it does turn out to be him?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to risk another fight. The odds are against us when it comes to that kid, what with our previous encounter two days ago. I'm starting to doubt if he even wants to return."

"But what choice will he have when he finally kills Itachi? What will he do when all accounts are settled?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. He can go one or two ways: he could be taken prisoner and be convicted of a number of years on felony charges…or he could resist and elude capture from Konoha ANBU and allied forces, which would elevate a criminal of his caliber to S-Plus status and warrant a kill-on-sight order issued unanimously by the Hokage or Kage's personal cabinet. Mind you, it's not that hard to see where he'll go with this. There's no way Sasuke is going to abandon his quest over a bunch of people who still care for him, because when you boil it down he'll do anything to get what he wants and he'll not stop until he does so." He exhaled deeply. "Ah, but that's how Uchiha are: stubborn and hard-headed to the very end; that was how Obito was before the war escalated."

"Wait a minute," Sakura interjected gently, her face alight with some inner reawakening. "What if Sasuke decides to cross the border? What if he heads into Grass, or Rain, or Sand, or Bird Country? Won't it be against mission parameters to go outside our jurisdiction without say from our superior?"

The Jounin nodded. "Technically, yes. We would need permission from Lady Tsunade if we were to expand our search outside Fire territory, not to mention a background check from border patrol. I've already sent her a request via summon earlier at daybreak, but I haven't heard from her yet."

"Do you think she'll let us go any further? We still have to be on the lookout for Akatsuki's base of operations, wherever that is."

"It all depends on the Hokage. If she answers back saying we need to return, we have to obey. It wouldn't be wise to refuse the Shadow's word unless you have very good reason to. Believe me, Sakura, dealing with missing-nin is a dangerous business to run, but you already know that." And Sakura did. She could recall now (shaded as it is), on her way to the haunted village of Rockfall, the events of the battle that nearly cost her life; of his cold black eyes, his harsh, fiery words, his unrelenting grip cutting the circulation in her neck—

Oh the hate, the hate, the hate was so strong in him; so virile, so gross, wrapped and knotted in silk spider webs and thick, gummy tar; a lipless, toothless fear stirring in the stew of a demented womb. And oh, OH! it was as dark and deep and elastic, a hand and arm and elbow plunged unto the belly of chaos, lost and ill-forgot and wide awake.

Just. Like. His.

"(I WILL MAKE YOU sleep….)" into the depths of Madness—

"Sakura." The girl blinked, whipped her head up into her Sensei's blue-grey iris. She stared at him, holding her breath. Kakashi stared back meeting unfocused green, and the pause between them was depthless. "I can't guarantee we'll come back with Sasuke, and I can't promise it will get any easier from here on out, but" at this he offered Sakura another of his eye-smiles "whatever comes between us and Team Hawk, I'll promise to protect you. After all you're my student, and that's something I won't forget. Isn't that right, Sakura?"

The kunoichi felt her face flush red. She averted her gaze from the cycloid man to the full green trees around them, which in her opinion she found more interesting to behold. "Y-Yeah. You're r-right. Though I'd wish you'd said that sooner, Kaka-sensei; out of the three of us you spent more time teaching Sasuke. Naruto had his Shadow Clones and I…I had nothing."

"Hey now, that was three years ago, kiddo. It's all in the past. Think about how you are now; being under Lady Tsunade's apprenticeship, learning from Kurenai, Gai and Asuma and, well, me of course. But beside the point, you know a lot more and have a lot more power than you did when you were twelve and a Genin."

"I'm aware of that. I know what I'm capable of. At least…I think I do." Sakura looked down at her gloved hand, curious and confused, and maybe just a tad contemplative. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but for some reason she had the vaguest idea she was more capable than she was yesterday afternoon. And it was peculiar, a part of her thought absently, that she could not remember what she did after that masked nin Tobi disappeared.

Before the answer could surface she felt something clap itself on her head. She grimaced as Kakashi-sensei ruffled the vibrant locks to an unruly mess. "Well, don't dwell too much on it. We might need that big forehead of yours." He ignored the heated glare sent his way. "Now go wash up and get something to eat. We leave as soon as you've finished."

Sakura wasted no time getting readied. There was a pool not far from the encampment, and under the cascading cataract and drooping eaves she bathed, washing away the blood and grime and sweat on her body. It felt cool and refreshing like the first rainfall in a drought-stricken land, and it was a release she welcomed and needed.

After partaking in the ritual of cooking and dining on cup ramen (courtesy of Naruto; who else would have a noodle fixation as firmly set as his?) the reconnaissance team packed up camp and departed.

The journey was straightforward, all forest and little hill. Ash and beech soon faded, transitioning to regal pine and femininely slender cypress. But as they were within an hour of the trek and crossing the wooded threshold, there was a lack of birdsong and curious wildfire, and this concerned both Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taichou. Nevertheless they continued to pursuit with a fair warning for the younger ninja to be on their guard.

Sakura barely heeded them. Right now she was consumed in her own thoughts, absently keeping stock of where she went. Why had she slept so late, and on an important mission to pinpoint Sasuke and the Akatsuki? Her frayed memories only revealed the aftermath of her duel with Tobi, who she learned possessed a Sharingan and an enigma she could not comprehend. Sparda had come to her aid when the nukenin fled, pulled her aside and told her the power residing in the rare white chakra – her white chakra. The power to awaken the Juuyon Seijin.

The Saints….

Yes, she remembered now. She left a Bunshin behind at the campsite so she could not arouse suspicion. She went with Sparda to the ghost-strewn Rockfall where Lady Mandalus the Sixth Saint rested round gold and amber columns and domed gazebos. She tackled the Lady's Spriggan Lazarus chakra to physis, fist to fist, bladed weapon to bladed weapon. She… She….

What had happened after that?

Sakura would have liked to have an answer, or at least some sort of probable resolution, but Fate or Time deemed her unready when she saw Kakashi land abruptly on a branch. An uplifted hand halted the party behind them, bathing the ninja in green-yellow ambience. "Wait," he said firmly, and his lone eye squinted through the foliage. "Something's not right." After a slight pause he added, "Tenzou, can you sense anything else within that chakra well?"

The ANBU Captain opened his mind and initiated an area-wide search, but when a minute passed he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing pertaining to Sasuke or his team. There's not even a speck of residue."

"That's impossible!" Naruto cried. "Chakra doesn't just evaporate overnight!"

"True," nodded Sai, "but depending on the individual it can take up to several days for it to dissolve. Those who are not attuned to chakra would have to rely on special technology provided by merchant and craftsmen guilds."

"What about you, Kiba?" Kakashi asked over his shoulder. "Any luck?"

The Inuzuka inhaled deeply. "Nope. The air smells pretty thick, though. Cold, too. Very cold, I should add." Akamaru agreed with a bark.

The veins retracted from Hinata Hyuuga's eyes. "I sense n-no one within a thirty mile r-radius. But I agree with Kiba; the area is c-covered in a light, misty fog. I w-wonder what could ha-have caused it."

"Hey, what if it's some sort of Genjutsu?" said Naruto, and Sakura quirked a sidelong glance his way. "Y'know, what if someone used that Blind Genjutsu thing?"

"There aren't any particles in the atmosphere," said Yamato, cupping his chin. "It must be a Genjutsu, then—"

"It isn't," Sakura interjected, and seven pairs of various, colorful eyes turned to look upon her. This sudden action made her uncomfortable, nervous of the stares sent at her, and she wondered what inner impulse prompted her to say that.

Yamato-taichou did not turn, did not move, to face her. A quick once-over of his chakra levels told the pink-haired Chuunin he did not in any way react to her comment.

Sakura fidgeted. "Ah, um, what I meant to say is...I don't believe it's a Genjutsu. Genjutsu affects the five senses. Our ability to pinpoint chakra signatures could be considered a sixth or even a seventh sense, but it's not a necessity like hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting or touching. Sensoring is cognitive, not perceptive. That's why I think it's something beyond our control. If we take the absence of animal activity and chakra signatures into account, then we should be very careful for what lies ahead." The reconnaissance team looked to one another and murmured amongst themselves, some nodding, others shrugging; Naruto hummed and scratched his cheek, skeptical but not unconvinced.

So Sakura waited, shuffling her weight between both feet.

Kakashi came to his decisions almost immediately. "She has a point," he said to Tenzou. "It might be a trap, but it's a risk we'll have to take. What do you say, Yamato?"

Yamato did not answer. Instead he turned toward the skyline, with crossed arms and an impeccable expression, but his eyes – his eyes were hard and tense, even if on the outside his body did not show it.

"Yamato?" Kakashi pressed, a slim, silver brow arching into his hairline.

"We should get going," said Yamato, sparing an unreadable glance at his superior. "The sooner we move the faster we can locate and capture Sasuke. We've wasted enough time as it is." And at this his copper-colored orbs flickered to Sakura. The girl chewed on her bottom lip, but nevertheless she held his gaze.

'I know a lot more than you can imagine, Yamato-sensei,' she thought a tad bitterly. 'I chose to help Sparda because I'm the only person that fits the bill, so don't pin the blame on me.'

Sakura managed to rein in her emotions - the part that wanted to sneer and wipe the stare from the Mokuton user's face; the part that wanted to deny any suspicions or involvement with shape-shifting gods and anchored ghosts of flooded villages; the part that wanted to be consumed by the guilt and shame of harboring secrets not recorded in any historical or religious text.

A confused frown was all that showed before Kakashi slapped a hand on Yamato's shoulder. "You complain too much," the Jounin chided with a chuckle. "There's still time to cover the distance. We might be able to catch up to Sasuke if we see him, so let's not dawdle around any longer." Then to his team he said, "Everybody move out!" And they were off.

They were in for a shock when they saw the Uchiha Estate. The building, once grand and regal and indomitable, was now a chaotic mass of rubble, debris, and glassed earth. Settled upon the ground was a faint, misty fog, and when the recon team stepped from the woods into open country they suddenly felt the cool dampness cling to their clothing and skin.

It took a moment for Naruto to snap out of the trance he was under, and another moment longer for Kakashi to realize that a battle had taken place, that it had called the last surviving Uchiha into their ancestral home and forced it on its knees in the space of a single night. To witness such a scene of utter destruction and not have been woken by or - at the very least - sensed it was testament to the severity their mission; they also did not forget the nearly fatal encounter against Team Snake and Sakura's brush with death. They could not take for granted Sasuke nor Akatsuki's position of power.

These thoughts, however, would have to wait. Kakashi ordered the Leaf-nin to scour the perimeter for clues: footprints, broken twigs, crushed leaves, cloth that may have snagged and remained secure in the midst of escape. "Don't forget to set your radios to the same frequency," the Copycat Ninja told the squad. "If you find anything that looks important, don't disturb it. Report your findings to either Yamato or me, and one of us will head on over to check it out."

That had been fifteen minutes ago. The ninja meticulously searched their environs, their footsteps slow and eyes roaming warily. However, they did not expect the surprise emblazoned on the ground: a giant, red, upside-down tear barricaded by a pair of elongated, white parenthesis. It rose and dipped across the ruins like shark's teeth, covering the land from the outer perimeter to the fallen throne and burnt futatsu-tomoe tapestry. Kakashi had Sai sketch it in his notebook, while the former activated the Sharingan and stenciled the sigil to his memory.

When Sai had finished he showed the drawing to the team as they huddled together and studied its simple design. It almost took up the entire page.

Sakura gave pause, inwardly stunned. It was a symbol for a Saint. It had to be! There was no doubt in her mind that a Saint had been standing here as the battle between brothers unfolded. But the girl was baffled. Sasuke did not know of the Juuyon Seijin's existence… and neither did Itachi. Was it possible one of them was secretly involved with the Saints and was a Saint Master himself? Could it be that a Saint was slumbering beneath the rock and sediment which the Estate was built on, and was awoken to aid the injured Uchiha?

Sakura cleared her thoughts and opened her mind, channeling the surf of white chakra comingling with the rush of life-pumping blue and the ebbing eddies of healing green. She blinked, and sure enough there was a ring of that flaming energy, particles and motes and vapors and bubbles of power coating every inch of concrete and scorched, buzzed grass like a psychedelic blizzard in summertime. It even laid its touch upon the fibers of each person's clothing, appearing as snowdust on one's shoulder or sparkling, blinding sunlight on the metal of their hitai-ate. What Sakura found surprising, most of all, was the sheer unknowingness the ninja perceived as normal and not unusual. She reasoned it had to be their lack of white chakra they could not see it.

(And speaking of which, she wondered if their inability to do so was because they, as any normal human being did, saw blue and green chakra as the essential energies that formed matter and physics and gravity and the very air they breathed. Textbooks on chakra theory called it the Lakshmi(1) Conduit, and it was described to be a complex network of pipelines that connected with the core of the planet, or Amrita(2), a shining, golden pool of elixir. As far as the rest of the ninja world was concerned, white and dark chakra did not exist, or they were fables distinguishing their dual nature: calm and erratic, soft and rough, full and hollow. Perhaps her possessing of white chakra was a special type of Doujutsu – not exactly a Bloodline Limit, for example, but a power only granted when the bond between Master and Servant was established. She would have to ask Sparda about that when she heard from Him again.)

Naruto squinted at the picture. "It kinda looks like the sign you see for Suiton Jutsu in those introductory pamphlets the Academy hands out."

"Indeed it does," said Shino next to him, pushing up his glasses. "But the Suiton sign is a drop of water in a blue and white ring. This sign is a drop with two brackets."

"It could have been a Jutsu," said Hinata, hands wringing in her cloak. "Th-The Uchiha are very strong. One of them c-could've used a v-v-very powerful Jutsu or Summon a-as a fi-finishing blow."

"Either that, or they used the Sharingan," added Kiba. "The Sharingan has a number of techniques for each person that wields it, right, Kakashi?"

"Yes, but the after-effect of most of those techniques is different for everyone. Kamui is a Jutsu that distorts a focused area of dimension and transports it to an undisturbed area at random. Amaterasu and Kagutsuchi are special Katon-based Jutsu that can burn and deflect anything that touches it. And Susano'ou… I have no idea what it does. It might be Susano'ou; then again, it might not. I've never seen anything like this."

"Perhaps we can send the picture to the Lady Hokage," Sai suggested, tearing the sheet from the notebook. "Shino, you are still a holder of the Dragonfly Summons, are you not?"

"Indeed, I am," said Shino.

"If you do not mind, let us use the fastest Summon you have in your repertoire. In that way we will be able to receive the Hokage's answer much sooner if we send the insect and allow the carrier hawk to remain in Konoha."

Shino consented and called forth one of the Aburame Clan's many prides and joys to the surface: The Common Green Darner dragonfly, the fastest insect in all the Shinobi world, and his name was Shori-no-Sensou(3). The petite creature, no bigger than Akamaru, was given the drawing sealed in a storage scroll and, once it was secured, beat its paper-thin wings and embarked on his journey.

The team continued their investigation, and once inside the blasted walls they came upon a black scorch mark where once the sandstone throne stood tall and proud. It was nowhere near as great as the strange symbol that covered the Estate, but it was big enough to raise concern from the two leading Shinobi. A couple strokes of the hand from Kakashi and curious use of antennae by Shino's insects convinced them the source of the mark was from a powerful Raiton Jutsu, a spell that was swift, brutal, and instantaneous. Its roundness could not have been reproduced by a Katon Jutsu, not unless it was a technique that was unmoving and concentrated on a particular area of space; and its focal point was spot-on, unlike that of a Ranton(4) Jutsu, which, unless one was exceptionally skilled in it, was intended to spread wide and into more than one area at a time.

"This could only have come from Sasuke," Kakashi told his peers. "We'll have to be more careful when we cross paths with him again." Hearing this made Naruto grimace and clench his fists at his sides, his brow dented with unpleasant memories and an unclouded fervor to drag his tail home glinting in pools of iridescent blue.

There was not much else of interest, but Kakashi-sensei reminded the team to report anything unusual they happened upon. Until then they would have to wait for Lady Tsunade's answer. A perimeter was established as the younger members renewed their hunt, and the sun proceeded to ride its chariot deeper into the unreachable ether.

Sakura, at the meantime, was scrounging the mass of books and scrolls laid scattered all over the place. Some shelves and cases were lucky to withstand the damage. Others were crushed beneath the weight of the debris and, when lifted away by the girl's strong hands, indecipherable to read, be it the case of age or the previous night's battle. What little lettering she saw were of a different alphabet too ancient to translate (not even a Classic dictionary would offer the slightest help), or too faded, whereas the strokes and radicals made it impossible to tell what character it was. She had to admit it was a shame; she would have liked to skim the details hidden in the dust and learn their secrets word for word, but a person couldn't have everything in life. She would have to settle with salvaging any of the readable texts into the storage scrolls stashed somewhere in her pack.

The Chuunin was going through the pile one by one, sealing away medical textbooks whose covers were dry and cracked and handing off rolled, yellowed parchment to the teammates who joined in searching and procuring them. Most of these items were articles on the evolution of various Jutsu, a number of which contained indexes and glossaries and addendums stuck together in leafy clumps; sheets depicting illustrations of the many appearances of the Mangekyou Sharingan; a credo here and there on the Uchiha's pragmatic life stance; rolls on the fabled Dragon clans and their relation to the rite of birth (or, as Sakura noted, the coming of age) and the Holy Flame, an iconic power that is said to reside at the center of the Lakshmi Conduit. The shelves were soon emptied of their contents, and those that could not be saved were made into a mound and set aflame by a Goukakyuu no Jutsu.

A half-hour had gone by, and there was still no word from the Lady Tsunade. The time had to be round five 'o clock. The cool shades of eventide were beginning to reproach the warm afternoon brightness. Sakura was still about her task at an oaken bookcase, turning page after page of material that either sparked her interest or gallivanted her to copy down for further reading. She tapped her fingers on the wizened spines, eyes roaming the leathered expanse for one that would catch her interest. She had just about searched through most of what the selection had to offer; what else was there to look at?

Somewhere nearby Naruto shifted aside bushes and shrubbery, voicing his thoughts a little too loudly for his own personal gain. "Damn it, still nothing! Sasuke, you bastard, you coulda left some ash or a pile of hair you spend twenty minutes styling like a duck's ass every morning! Ah, what's that?"

Sakura stopped at a leather-bound tome whose spine stuck out from the rest. She pulled it into her hands and saw the black feather through the canopy of pages. A memory of red irises, dark cloaks, and raucous cawing in a clearing surrounded by scores of forest struck her like a thunderbolt. She looked down at the cover, reading the title to herself: "The Forgotten Era: Of the Fourteen Saints, The Forum, and Other Esoteric Secrets from Obscurity, by Yonjirou Uchiha." She stared again at the feather. It most certainly had to had come from a raven or crow, and the only person she knew of who associated with ravens and crows was Itachi. What use did the missing-nin have with this?

She popped open the book to the section marked. The words immediately jumped out in bold print: THE JUUYON SEIJIN (and the people who fought to change Gaea – for good or for ill), and below the introduction read as such:

"The world as we know it today is systemically ruled by the jurisdictions of Hidden Villages and samurai precincts, with people under the title of either Kage, Daimyo or Shogun directing the course of development depending on the area they as a separate body govern. However, in the days before borders were drawn and nations formed, there was anarchy. People were caught in the dregs of constant war be it intentionally or unsuspectingly, and they witnessed the horrors wrought by their fellow man as they fought for supremacy and power. Because of this some became victim to their ferocity displayed, and they ran and hid in fear as a tide of blood and darkness descended upon the land. This continued for many, many years, as man fought for those who could fight for themselves…and for himself…until one day the gates of Svarga opened, and from the heavens there were fourteen men and women who arrived from bridges of white light that formed on the west, south and north coasts. This group called themselves the Fourteen Saints, or the Juuyon Seijin in the Classical tongue, and they said unto the weak and defenseless they were enlisted by the One True God, the Shin'ichi-no-Joutei, to deliver peace and stability to our mortal world Gaea. Willingly they served the defenders, and from their impoverished state the humans rose, tackling every obstacle and mental tribulation thrown their way…."

To Sakura this was nothing new, but the fact that an Uchiha penned this thick mass was both startling and incredible. Weren't the Uchiha reputed to be strictly monotheistic, a family who saw not God but Agni(5) as the sole Creator of the world's – Gaea's – being and the Holy Flame that sustained it? Were they not also known to openly oppose all other religions, especially the Six Paths of Rokudo-sennin? For this Yonjirou to write this novel and still have it within Estate premises…Sakura couldn't imagine the backlash the man might have faced at the time of its publication.

She skimmed through the introduction and found herself at an in-depth guide of the subservient Saints (in which men were Sevaka and women Sevikaa) and their Masters (males were called Svaamin; female Saint Masters were given the title Svaaminii). A brief list was compiled at the center of the page, showing the names from first to last:

I. Lady Ananda of the Wheel
II. Duke the Armored
III. Lord Ibid Redjacket
IV. Umbras Hoenheim
V. Lady Namkha of the Cross
VI. Lady Mandalus of the Scales
VII. Jhivadkha the Helix
VIII. Rhodes the Colossus
IX. Aurion the Steadfast
X. Sojobo the Tengu King
XI. Jeremiad
XII. (The) Listener

The last two names were scratched out. Sakura leafed through the contents, curiosity overpowering the yearning to understand the treasure trove of knowledge in her grasp. Page after page turned, yellowed and cracked and leathery, the musky scent of dust and age assailing her nostrils.

Naruto leaned forward, and his eyes flew open with joy as he locked eyes with a red, black and yellow-banded coral snake. "Hey there! What's a little guy like you doing lazing about in the shade? You're s'pposed to be out hunting! Hey, you want some ramen? I got some ramen somewhere…." He didn't catch the snake's tongue flicking the air.

Sakura arrived at the end of Listener's section, and her heart stopped for several beats.

The pages were missing. The information on the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Saints were ripped out. Torn from their bindings. Gone.

"Itachi…." She whispered the name in a hushed breath. What was he hiding? What he did know that he didn't want her to find out? Was this feather even Itachi's? Was the feather a place-marker from Yonjirou himself, and if so what intentions did he have for blacking out the names and removing the papers?

"What are you looking at, Sakura?" asked a voice behind her. Sakura about-faced and came eye to eye with: "Yamato-taichou! I was just—"

"Let me see that," said the man, and with great reluctance the girl transferred it to him. He looked it up and down with hard features – a downward turn of the mouth, knitted eyebrows, the narrowing of the irises. He hummed, and then opened the cover and flipped through the assortment of pages.

"Yamato-taichou—"

"Hush," he told her, his tone clipped and firm; and he resumed his task, ignoring the nervous gaze sent his way. He noted the black feather, turned to the section Sakura had moments ago revealed, and began to read.

Sakura's heart pounded erratically. Sojobo's sigil was in there; surely Yamato-taichou would see them. And then what? Then the secret would be out. About Itachi. About Lady Mandalus and Lazarus and the other Saints and Saint Masters. About white chakra. About Sparda and herself. Oh Gods, what was she thinking, she shouldn't have picked up that book. She was going to be reported for hiding secrets crucial to the missions, she was going to be tried for adhering to false gods, she was going to be picked apart like roasted meat for her white chakra for a Kekkei Genkai to harvest to isolate to profit OH GODS—

Naruto pulled a cup of the instant meal from his satchel with a triumphant cry. "Aha! Here we go! Now let me get this open…." The coral serpent reared its body back.

Yamato hummed again and, after an agonizing pause, closed the book. "Sakura."

Haruno swallowed dryly. "Yes, Sensei?" she asked evenly, desperately unwaveringly.

"I much appreciate your distribution of the various materials kept here, but this book...it's utter rubbish. There's no such thing as white chakra or Fourteen Saints. This is clearly heresy at its most radical. The author – this Yonjirou – must have had a death wish when he decided to forgo this project."

"Wh-What?"

"It has nothing to do with the valued information among the rest of the contents. What could you possibly find interesting in this garbage?"

"G-Garbage?! Sensei, this is about the lesser deities people worship! How can you say it's gar—"

"I'm only voicing my opinion. If it really catches your fancy, then you can keep it." He held forth the volume away from him as if it were diseased. "I want nothing to do with it—"

"Hisssssss!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

So loud was the scream that Yamato jumped with a shout and dropped the tome. The entire team, which was in the vicinity of the collapsed bookshelves, whipped their heads around – and out leapt Naruto, a splash of searing orange and blond hair against the ruined backdrop. "! It'sinmypantsohgodit'sinmypantsgetitoffme!" he wailed, and like a bag of bricks he hit the ground and rolled about in the dust, flailing his limbs and grabbing at his clothes, most specifically around the legs.

Hinata was in an unfortunate position; as soon as she saw Naruto clutch at the unnamed area her face flared a shade of extremely hot pink. "…N-Naruto!" She covered her mouth and nose with both hands.

Sai watched his teammate with bemusement. "Huh, so the fox isn't dickless, after all."

Hinata whirled on him. "S-Sai!"

"HELP ME!" the Jinchuuriki whined out. He clawed at his chest, and a curvaceous bump slithered across and down his torso.

"Hey, Sensei, d'you see that?" Kiba pointed out the bump to the Cyclopean Jounin.

The one-eyed man squinted. "What the hell…? Naruto, what on earth did you do this time?"

"I DIDN'T DO NOTHIN'! THE SCALY BASTARD STARTLED ME!"

"Hissssssss!" said the snake.

"I swear," the white-haired man said with a sigh, "if you tried to give that thing ramen like you did with the pandas and tigers I'm not even going to bother help you—"

"IT'S RED-ON-YELLOW!"

"What?!"

"Aw hell no!" Kiba exclaimed.

"What's red-on-yellow?!" Hinata frantically asked.

"Please stand aside," Shino told to his squad as he summoned a swarm of Kikaichu insects round his arm. "I will neutralize the threat in three, two—"

"Oh, for the love of all that is holy!" Sakura bellowed exasperatedly. She darted passed a speechless Yamato and toward the hapless Naruto. Once there she reached down, snatched the front of his jacket with one hand and plunged the other into the depths of his pants (seeing this made everyone's eyes widen, and the blood from Hinata's nostrils flow faster. Naruto could only feel the heat leaving twin burn marks on his whiskered cheeks.) "Come here, YOU!"

"Hisssssss?!" The serpent found itself snagged by the tail and yanked up into the air. A bloodcurdling war cry ripped from Sakura's throat, and before the creature could react the girl flung it at the nearest standing wall. It flipped head over end like a Fuuma shuriken, one, two, three, four, five, six times, and then— SLAP! It bounced off the sandstone and flopped to the ground, unmoving.

Hinata gasped, still covering her face. "S-Sakura!"

"God DAMN, woman!" said Kiba, incredulously, his jaw unhinged.

Shino appraised Sakura with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Not so bold now, are you?!" Sakura taunted, and slowly the coral one lifted and shook itself off. "Go back to your jungle and stay there!"

"Hiss!" It answered by revealing its long, sharp fangs at her.

Sakura gave it a one-fingered salute. "Right back at ya, pal! Now get, before I make you ground beef with my size seven boot!"

The snake glowered, but it did not rise to the girl's bait. It sped off into the shrubland and disappeared in a rustle of tall grasses.

An awkward silence followed, and all eyes were on Sakura. The Chuunin huffed and walked toward the discarded book, in which she deposited her traveling pack, retrieved a storage scroll and proceeded to seal the item.

It was broken when Kiba suddenly and harshly started laughing. He slapped his haunches and wiped tears from his tattooed cheeks. "What just happened? Did you decide to get possessed by a demon?"

"Yes, Sakura," agreed Sai with a distastefully fake smile, "is the banshee finally showing its true colors?"

"Oh, shut it!" the pink-haired Kunoichi snapped, stowing away the sealed scroll. "I only did it because no one else was going to."

"B-But Sakura," stuttered Hinata, wiping her bloody nose with a handkerchief, "d-did you have t-to resort to vi-violent methods? I don't quite un-understand this r-red-on-yellow thing, but I as-assure you it m-must have been quite ha-harmless."

"The coral snake can be either venomous or non-venomous," Shino told his squad members in his stoic tone. "The phrases 'red-on-yellow' and 'red-on-black' refer to an old rhyme that is said to have originated from the Western continent. 'Red-on-yellow kills a fellow; red-on-black venom lack', so it goes. It is writ this way to distinguish the various species which roam hitherto."

Hinata blinked her lavender irises. "Oh, well," she pressed her forefingers together, "th-that makes sense. St-Still, you didn't h-have to be so mean t-to the snake and…well...y-you know…." The rest of the sentence was muttered under her breath. Sai, who was standing closest to her, heard what was said and chortled.

Sakura huffed. "It doesn't matter. It's over and done with." She crouched next to Naruto's head and stared into his dazed blues. "And YOU, not a word of this to Master Jiraiya or ANYONE. Now get up."

"You put your hand down my pants," he said in a hushed voice. "You actually put your hands down my pants."

"Whoopee-freakin'-do. Shake it off, moron, I didn't touch you."

"But Sakura—"

"SHAKE IT OFF!"

"Alright, alright! I'll clean my hands of it! Just don't hurt me!"

"Promise me."

"Promise you?"

"Yes!"

"Right now?"

"NARUTO!"

"Okay, okay! I won't tell anyone! Not on my life! Believe it!"

"You better…."

"I'm serious!"

"Good!" Sakura rose and hauled the Jinchuuriki to his feet. He dusted himself off and scooted away from the Hokage's apprentice, inwardly fearing for his own safety.

The sound of drumming wings reached Kakashi-sensei's ears, and he turned to see Shori-no-Sensou approaching from above. The dragonfly hovered to a landing next to Shino and from its mandibles deposited a sealed scroll into his Summoner's gloved hand. "Ah, that must be Lady Tsunade's message," said the Jounin. "Go ahead, open it."

The Aburame nodded and, after dismissing Shori-no-Sensou, tampered the seal and unrolled the parchment. Behind his dark glasses his eyes scanned the elegant calligraphy line after line.

"What does she say?" asked Hatake to Aburame. "Are we given the go-ahead?"

"Yes," answered the youth. "The Hokage managed to persuade the Elders to proceed with the search, though it was not an easy task. She has extended our mission parameters to scout as far ahead as Wind and Waterfall Country. Should Sasuke and his team cross the west, north or east borders or sails south along the Sea we are to abandon our parameters and return post-haste to Konohagakure for further orders. Should we encounter them at any point during the retrieval, we are to engage all four members and apprehend them, be they dead or alive. Once that objective is accomplished we are to rendezvous outside the Village gates, transfer any or all members to the ANBU Interrogation and Torture Unit, and stand by for further orders."

"What about that strange symbol? Did she put a word in on it?"

"She has, but unfortunately she cannot provide a sufficient answer to our inquiry. She has never seen anything akin or remotely similar to it. The Elders, most specifically Councilmen Mitokado, Utatane and Danzou believe it to be a warning sign from Akatsuki."

"That is…most concerning," Yamato said, at last finding the incentive to speak. "If Lady Tsunade herself doesn't know what it entails, then we should take this at face-value and consider this as a threat."

"Threat or no threat, we're still going to kick their asses!" proclaimed Naruto. "Sasuke's more important than anybody else; I'm draggin' 'im back home by the tail whether he likes it or not. I swear on it!"

"We don't even know where those people took him," Sakura interjected. "We have to approach this one step at a time before we make any irrational moves." That was true, because her mind was still open, and so far the white chakra was not offering a clue as to which direction the three missing-nin went in.

"Then where a-are we supposed to be-begin?" Hinata posed curiously. "We can't e-even sense Sasuke's cha-chakra."

"Hey, don't ya fret," Kiba assured the gathered ninja. "I've got Akamaru and Kakashi-sensei's ninken out there scouring every inch of this land. If there's one thing I and those mutts can pick up better than anyone else it's scent, and we'll keep looking until we find a bare wisp of it! Speaking of that," the Inuzuka boy cocked his head over his shoulder where the forest lay, "I think that's them right now! Hey, Akamaru, whatcha got there?"

Sakura went to his side. One glimpse at the item brought her instant recognition. "It's Sasuke's cloak."

"It is?!" And it was with Naruto's exclamation that got the young'ins and adults together in a circle; and as Kiba turned the black cloth inside and out they saw the proof confirming their suspicions: the sewn Uchiha emblem. Elation and disbelief welled within the Jinchuuriki. "Then…then that means Sasuke's nearby!"

Kiba laughed and ruffled Akamaru's ears. "Good boy, Akamaru! Show us where ya found it and follow the scent!" The dog barked in acquiescence and darted into the woods. Kakashi ordered the recon to group in a diamond formation, with the Inuzuka taking the lead while and Yamato-taichou secured the rear.

Sakura was at the rightmost point of the formation, ignoring every obstacle about her save the path before her. How far were Sasuke and his troupe from their present location? Were they already preparing traps and the like to set them back? What would their next course of action be when they learn their enemies were a stone's throw behind them?

'Svaaminii Sakura.'

She blinked. Who said that? The voice was deep, not so much as Yamato's. Where did it come from? It sounded like it was resonating inside her—

'Speak with the mind. Don't turn your head. Look with your eyes.' She did, and just as she was about to pass the faceless myriad of trees ahead she saw up in the branches a figure clothed in gold and black, bronze hair framing a sharply angular face.

'…Lazarus?'

'Aye, 'tis the Steel Fang. I am yours to command.'

'Command? How did that happen?'

'Do you not remember? Thou hast challenged and bested me in combat. This manner of speech, the ability to communicate abroad a metaphysical plane, is called Telepathy; it is the most universal method to exchange tidings amongst Svaamin and Sevaka. The moment thou signest thy Lady's contract, we hast been linked unto you…and in more ways than one.'

'What do you mean?'

'The Lady Mandalus was…exceedingly generous whence she gaveth you unto the One and Many, but prithee, Svaaminii, focus on your quest. I shall explain as we go along.'

(1) The Hindu Goddess of prosperity, light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage. She is also the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.

(2) The Hindu Goddess of wealth, fortune and fertility.

(3) Japanese for "Victory of War".

(4) Short for haran, which means 'stormy' in Japanese.

(5) The Hindu God of fire, lightning and the Sun.