[Shisui Uchiha: So… Orochimaru got into trouble with Itachi?]
[Fugaku Uchiha: I refuse to believe Itachi didn't kill Orochimaru when he had the chance.]
[Tobirama Senju: Just one more of the little monkey's many mistakes. He let his student turn traitor and abandon the village.]
[Madara Uchiha: The student's mistake is also the teacher's fault. Konoha wouldn't be the garbage it is today if you hadn't handed over leadership to that useless man.]
[Hashirama Senju: If anything, the village wouldn't be if Tobirama hadn't been killed by those two idiots!]
[Tobirama Senju: You're not exactly in a position to be calling anyone an idiot, brother.]
[Madara Uchiha: I was just about to say that. Took the words right out of my mouth.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Answering Shisui and Fugaku, and ignoring the other three idiots: yes, Orochimaru crossed paths with Itachi after he joined Akatsuki. But it wasn't out of compassion or carelessness that Itachi didn't kill him. He just didn't see him as a real threat.]
[Shisui Uchiha: If it were me, I would've killed him without hesitation.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Like you did with Danzō? Or when you had the chance to use Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha coup and save the clan from destruction? Don't talk nonsense.]
[Fugaku Uchiha: Even I've felt pain over that...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Anyway... When Orochimaru tried to take over Itachi's body, Itachi effortlessly defeated him with his Tsukuyomi, cut off his arm, and forced him to leave Akatsuki, turning him into a traitor to the organization. The only reason he didn't kill him, I think, was to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. At that time, Itachi was working as an undercover spy within Akatsuki. Killing a member, even a traitor, could've complicated his position or alerted the higher-ups.]
[Yahiko: I don't think Nagato would've killed Itachi for taking out a traitor…]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Maybe not Nagato... but Pain would have.]
[Yahiko: Pain? Who's Pain?]
[Fugaku Uchiha: Undercover spy? Explain that. Was Itachi still working for Konoha after the massacre? How dumb can this kid be…?]
Naruto took advantage of Fugaku's question and simply ignored Yahiko's.
[Naruto Uzumaki: Although Itachi officially joined Akatsuki, he actually did so as part of a covert mission to monitor the organization from the inside and protect Konoha from the shadows. I don't know for sure who he reported to directly, but it's likely he was Jiraiya's spy, one of the Legendary Sannin.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Wait! The Pervy Sage actually did something useful!?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I wouldn't call it "useful"… Jiraiya didn't find out much, and when he finally did, he ended up in the Pure World.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: So he died…? Even though we always argued, that old pervert was like family…]
[Naruto Uzumaki: He won't die this time. Don't worry.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Just so we're clear—I only care because of Minato! He'd be devastated if the Pervy Sage died!]
[Mito Uzumaki: Tsundere…]
[Kushina Uzumaki: That's not it, Grandma Mito!]
Naruto closed the chat group with a smile and landed right in front of Sakura and Sasuke.
Both of them jumped when they saw him appear.
Sakura even drew a kunai and frowned at him.
"Say the password! Now!" she ordered.
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Cross dresser…" he replied, glancing sideways at Sasuke.
Sasuke clenched his teeth in fury but said nothing.
"Thank goodness, it really is you…" Sakura lowered her kunai with a small sigh of relief.
Naruto squinted when he noticed Sakura had some bruises.
Sasuke, on the other hand, looked perfectly fine.
"Were you attacked?" Naruto asked bluntly.
"Yeah. Two ninjas from Amegakure. They thought we killed their teammate," she replied.
Naruto chuckled awkwardly when he heard that.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
Naruto would never admit he was the one who killed that ninja.
In his defense, the guy had attacked him while he was trying to pee.
"Forget that. I have the Earth Scroll," he said, pulling it from the inside pocket of his jacket.
Sakura's eyes lit up with joy.
"We just need to get to the tower and we'll pass! That's awesome!" she exclaimed and hugged him in excitement.
"Yeah, well, back off. I have a girlfriend," Naruto joked, though he meant it.
Sakura pouted as she pulled away, annoyed by the sudden mood-kill.
To begin with, Sakura had Sasuke. She'd never even think of approaching Naruto with those intentions.
"And who's she?" Sasuke asked, pointing his kunai at Karin, who was clinging to Naruto from behind, peeking out cautiously.
Sakura looked at her with curiosity, too.
"She's Karin," Naruto answered, dropping his shoulders like it should've been obvious.
"You're always surrounded by weak girls who need protection and are too shy to introduce themselves," Sasuke said, crossing her arms and staring at Karin.
Karin shrank under her gaze.
Naruto sighed, knowing Sasuke was also talking about Hinata.
If he didn't know her better, he'd think Sasuke was jealous.
And if Sakura weren't around, he might have teased her about it.
"And what's Karin-chan doing with you?" Sakura asked, leaning in to get a better look.
"She's my cousin… or something like that. We're from the same clan. We're not direct family, but I think it's fair to call her that."
Sasuke and Sakura looked at Karin with more interest.
"Wow, her hair is really pretty," Sakura commented.
"Thanks. Yours too…" Karin replied shyly, visibly cheered up. It was the first time anyone had ever complimented her hair.
In Kusagakure, people used to mock her because her hair stood out too much and drew too much attention.
Sasuke, still with arms crossed, scoffed playfully.
"Looks like a tomato."
[Kushina Uzumaki: That girl…! How dare she make fun of Karin-chan's cute hair?!]
[Fugaku Uchiha: Sasuke likes tomatoes. It's actually a compliment.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Oh…]
[Izumi Uchiha: I don't think she's ever complimented anyone in her life. It's probably the first time she's trying and…]
[Shisui Uchiha: Yeah… she's not very good at it.]
Naruto chuckled at Sasuke's comment.
He patted Karin's head to comfort her.
"Don't be mad. Sasuke was complimenting you. She loves tomatoes."
Karin blinked in confusion and looked at Sasuke, who seemed embarrassed.
Sasuke even looked away.
"You're really weird," Karin told her.
Sasuke completely ignored her and turned around. "Tch."
"Sasuke-kun is not weird!" Sakura defended her.
"We should get moving. It'd be great to be the first to pass the second test." Sasuke changed the subject before an argument could start.
Sakura perked up immediately.
"If Sasuke-kun wants us to be first, then we have to be! Let's hurry!"
Naruto looked at Karin with a small smile.
"From now on, you'll have to walk on your own, okay?"
Karin nodded reluctantly.
She wanted to stay in Naruto's arms longer, but felt too embarrassed to say it out loud, so she had no choice but to agree.
Two hours later, Team 7 arrived at the tower in the center of the Forest of Death.