Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Prologue
A black-haired woman with blue eyes sighed as she saw a familiar kid running toward her.
"Ure-san! I found a cactus! Is it good for medicine?"
Ure exchanged a glance with Konan before gently smiling and taking the plant to study it.
"No, it's poisonous."
"Aw... How did you know?" the kid sighed in defeat.
"I’ve memorized many plants. It comes with my job as a medical ninja, Sari."
The kids eyes sparkled.
"Can you teach me more?"
"Of course." She closed her book, and Konan, who was beside her, nodded.
"Don’t take too long. Soon, we’ll have to return home, you know."
Naruto stood up and followed the boy, Sari, to his home. She had been teaching him medical ninjutsu.
Ah, home. Yes, their true and main HQ in Amegakure had become Naruto’s home.
Their secret Akatsuki base. Four years had passed since the split. Naruto ruffled her black-dyed hair, missing her red hair. She, Kisame, Hidan, and Konan had been sent to the Land of Wind, settling in their secret hideout to train and keep a low profile. Naruto had grown into a fine teenager. She wasn’t tall, but she was larger than the 12-year-old who had first joined the Akatsuki. Hidan wasn’t entirely useless, and Konan had taken her paper jutsu to new heights, which was impressive. Kisame wasn’t slacking either—he could conjure water even in the heat of the desert.
Naruto had mastered chakra-enhanced strength, and with her team, she discovered she had a sensor ability similar to Karin’s: Kaguya’s Mind Eye, Kaguya Shingan. It was an unexpected surprise that she had awakened this deep Uzumaki bloodline limit.
She wondered how the other members had fared. She could hear Deidara’s cries of frustration from being with Tobi, after all. They had been paired with Kakuzu and Sasori and sent to the Land of Water. Since then, she hadn’t heard or seen them. They were instructed not to wear Akatsuki rings or cloaks. Apparently, they were being hunted by someone.
Inside Sari’s home, she sat down and taught the boy, wondering if Orochimaru would be proud of her from beyond the grave. Since his death when she was eight, she had become nostalgic. Kurama yawned inside her mind.
Her time as a Genin in Konohagure seemed distant. She wondered if Sasuke and Sakura had become Jonin by now. Fugaku was still the Fifth Hokage, it seemed. She had heard he had gotten stronger as well.
Her twin sister Menma, was definitely getting stronger, as were her foolish parents. She had heard from a spy that Minato and Kushina were back and officially ninjas again after their exile, training her sister to the best of their ability.
Soon, she would defeat them and Konohagure, burning it to the ground. But that could wait.
As evening came, she had to say goodbye to Sari. The boy was obviously crying rivers, but they had to go.
"We won’t see each other again, Sari, but you’re strong. You’ll become a good shinobi if you join Sunagakure’s ranks,” she said gently, giving him a reassuring smile.
Walking across the desert alongside Hidan, Konan, and Kisame, Naruto wondered how the others had grown.