Opening his eye a ray of light burns his awakening eyes. He closed them annoyed by the sun's rays and groaned while lifting himself up to a sitting position. The sound of a door opening woke him up, the place looked familiar.
Jiraiya opened the door and walked in with a fruit basket on hand "Oh, you're the first one to wake up". Jiraiya closed the door behind him and approached Naruto while shoving an apple in his mouth "isn't that for me?"
'wait, first one?' looking around Naruto found Garm and Ash asleep on hospital beds next to his.
"I don't get it, what are we doing here?" Naruto's eyes were drawn to Garm, he looked at him unsure why he felt something that connected them, Turning his fucus to ash he felt the same 'its that bond again but it feels different, stronger?'.
Jiraiya explained yesterday's events to Naruto. Suddenly Naruto's eyes widened as he shot out of his bed in a rush he wore his clothes and donned his new decoy jacket on-top of his old one.
"What's with the noise, you're going to wake them up at this rate.... Well, it's too late now" Ash and Garm begrudgingly woke up from their slumber, putting an end to their rest.
Looking around ash did not recognise the hospital, looking out of the window he noticed the time and hastily said his goodbyes *Poof*.
"He looks like he's going to be in some deep trouble, Gamabunta isn't the forgiving type" Jiraiya stopped Naruto in his tracks "And where do you think you're going? The doctors didn't dismiss you yet".
"It's Sasuke, he called me to the third training ground for a spar, but that was yesterday, he's been acting kinda crazy recently so I'm gonna look for him" Naruto turned to call Garm only to be left speechless when Garm got out from under his covers.
Walking over to Naruto Garm looked him in the eyes and bowed to him in gratitude "Because of you I can be strong... Thank you".
"You got big all of a sudden this is the second time this happened, I guess, it is normal.... Anyways its not me you need to thank grandma and shizune did all the heavy lifting y'know" Naruto rubbed the back of his head unsure how to respond, his greatest weakness still remains to be the kind words of others.
"Let's go Sasuke's probably pissed right now" in a flash Naruto sped out of the hospital at blinding speeds while Garm easily kept up with him, engrossed in his newfound strength Garm picked up his pace leaving Naruto in the dust.
"What!?... Hey wait for me!". A few moments later the two jumped off the tree tops landing in the designated meeting spot only to find it empty. "Aw man, hes gonna kill me the next time he sees me".
"Naruto..." Sniffing around Garm expression grew grim. "What is it?" Naruto curiously watched as Garm looked into the distance "There was someone else here,.... four of them... Maybe five...One female the others male... They took him... Several hours ago, away from the village in that direction".
Naruto panicked and was about to chase after them "Wait, we can't go alone, let's inform Lady Tsunade... She'll know how to handle this". Unsure of what to do Naruto struggled to make a decision "we don't have much time, he might already be too far gone".
"Even so we cannot do this alone, we would only return empty handed, if we even get to return that is" Naruto gave in and reluctantly rushed to the Hokage tower at full speed. Garm decided to remain in the training ground to search for any clues that may prove useful.
Wasting no time Naruto barged into the Hokage's office through the window. "Naruto? I'm a little busy right no-" Naruto struggling to catch his breath, blurted out a few words between desperate gasps for air " Sasuke.... Isn't.... in.... the village anymore," Tsunade shot up in shock, knocking down her seat behind her.
"What? Are you sure, What's your source of information" Tsunade circled around her dest and stood a small distance infront of naruto. "It's true Garm's sense of smell is second to none, when we arrived at the second training ground Sasuke was gone, Garm found around five other scents that were with Sasuke" Naruto gave her as much information as he could including the direction they left in.
"That's... Naruto I'll need you to gather as many worthy genin and lead them along with shikamaru, follow their trail and bring back sasuke. This will be issued to you as an A-ranked mission" Tsunade ordered Naruto as she circled back to her seat. She stomped on the ground witch launched the seat back up. She sat down and looked over the piles of paper.
"Genin? Is that going to be enough, what about kakashi sensei?" Naruto understood the dangers that await him. For them to enter konoha's territory undetected the enemies he'll face a both strong and knowledgeable about konoha itself.
"It's all I can offer, after all the damage konoha took most of the chunin and jonin are away taking missions while the ones that remain are tasked with konoha's protection" Tsunade felt helpless as she could not spare even a single jonin.
"...*Sigh*, I get it, must be hard carrying everything on your shoulders.... You can count on me I know just who to call on!" Naruto crossed his fingers "
*Poof*
*Poof*
*Poof*
A few clones formed in a cloud of smoke and dispersed throughout the village to look for the chosen ninja that will acompany him on this mission.
Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Neji, Hinata and Tenten. Naruto did not hold back he called in all the cards that he thought would be of any use. Although he would be inclined to also call apon Lee if it weren't for his current state.
A dark figure jumped through the window and into the office. "Garm, did you find anything else?". Garm flinched when Naruto asked that question ".... Sasuke, he....".
"Well, spit it out already" Naruto grew impatient, there wasn't much time if there was any at all. "... There was no sign of a struggle let alone a battle, I fear he left of his own volition" silence filled the air Naruto shocked more than anyone else.
"There must be some sort of explanation, that can't be...." Naruto felt as if he was to blame. ' If I went on time, would things be different'.
"There has to be another reason, the enemy must be stronger than we thought, o-or maybe he was caught off guard" Naruto scoured his mind for possible scenarios but they all seemed to be farfetched.
Tsunade slammed her fist into her desk, cracks spread throughout disfiguring it's once smooth surface "Enough!, there is no time for any of that. No matter what his intentions were or where his loyalties lie, just kick his ass and bring him back!"
Naruto's mind cleared up in an instant any doubts he had no longer held any meaning, he tightened his fist 'She's right, none of that matters I'll bring him back even if I have to beat him to a pulp'