Chapter 281: "The Road to Sasuke!!

" – In Konoha, Shizune and

Tsunade discuss Chiyo's passing and the teams coming back in three
days. Shizune asks why Naruto was sent, and Tsunade responds
Naruto knows what Jinchuuriki go through. Back in Hidden Sand,
Naruto and Sakura pay respects to Chiyo's grave and then join the rest
to leave. Outside the village entrance, Naruto shyly says this is where
people usually shake hands to say goodbye but he knows Gaara is not
like that. To Naruto's surprise sand begins to raise his arm and the two
shake hands. Gai supports Kakashi and his rival apologizes for being
wiped out. Gai then maneuvers Kakashi to give him a piggyback, much
to Kakashi's embarrassment. Gai asks who else wants a ride and Lee
gets psyched seeing it as training. Lee bends over and asks for Neji,
which Neji quite quickly and firmly says no to. Elsewhere Tobi finds
Deidara's arm and states he definitely died in an explosion. Before he
can pick it up, Deidara walks up and tells him to drop it, much to Tobi's
surprise. Zetsu asks where the Jinchuuriki is but Deidara just states he
did his job already. Tobi then excitedly asks if he is okay after such a
tough fight. Deidara is beyond annoyed and states his tolerance has
limits, he then asks Tobi to drop it or else. Tobi asks if that means
blowing up?... With no hesitation Deidara has Tobi down to the ground
trying to strangle the young man with his legs. Back in Konoha, a
bandaged old man tells a young man that he is the strongest of his
generation and that strings have been pulled to place him on Team
Kakashi. He dubs him Sai and chastises him for attempting to smile.
Sai apologizes saying he can't make much of the things called
emotions yet.

Chapter 282: "Kakashi's Group Returns" – In Konoha, Kakashi

rests in the hospital. Elsewhere Tsunade, Sakura and Shizune discuss
the upcoming Grass Country mission. Tsunade wants Naruto to go as
part of a four-man team. Naruto watching from above agrees with
them and then jumps away. Village council member Koharu arrives and
asks to speak with Tsunade. They go inside and Koharu and Homura
ask her not to send Naruto on any more missions which could involve
Akatsuki. Naruto walks through Konoha and he wonders who to bring.
Suddenly a figure with a high collar shirt, shades, oversized coat with
the hood up tells him it's been awhile. Naruto is at a loss and the man
states Naruto should recognize the face of his comrades. Naruto then
realizes that the "annoying" speaking figure is none other than Shino!
He then yells at him for being so covered up, making it hard to
recognize him. Suddenly from above lands Kiba and a very huge
Akamaru. Kiba is surprised at Naruto's growth but Naruto retorts
Akamaru is the one who has grown. Kiba states he did not really notice
because he and Akamaru are always together. Naruto looks to Shino
for agreement but Shino only mockingly sulks that Kiba was
recognized so quickly. A yelp is heard and in the distance standing
behind a fence is a surprised and fuller figured Hinata. She frets over
what say to Naruto after three years. Suddenly Naruto is beside her
asking why she is hiding and she quickly feints. Naruto asks her what's
the matter and Kiba retorts that this always seems to happen when
Hinata is around Naruto. Shino can only sadly quip about how Hinata
was so easily recognized as well.

Chapter 283: "Search for More Members" – Naruto walks through

the village and states Team 8 cannot join him because of a mission. He
sees Shikamaru who states that as he told him before, his Examiner
duties are keeping him busy. A voice volunteers to help Naruto though,
it's Chouji! Who has grown in size and girth. Shikamaru tells Chouji
though that his mission with Ino and Asuma would preclude his
joining, Chouji says he'll talk to Asuma about it. Elsewhere Sai unrolls
a scroll and begins to write on it in ink. As Chouji eats from his chips,
Naruto jokes that he is as big as ever. Suddenly Shikamaru and Chouji
are alerted, Shikamaru jumps and knocks down Naruto while Chouji
enlarges his fist to smash into a tiger made of ink that is jumping at
them. The ink explodes and another tiger jumps from above, Chouji
grabs and smashes it as well. Shikamaru sees their target and extends
his shadow. Sai sits on a roof beyond, Shikamaru states he does not
know who the guy is but they'll turn him over for interrogation once
caught. Sai draws more tigers and Naruto charges him. The tigers
jump off the paper to attack Naruto on the ground below; Shikamaru's
shadow extends off the ground and pierces each tiger with multiple
spears. The ink falls down harmlessly and Naruto jumps with a kunai
to attack Sai. Sai pulls his weapon to defend effortlessly. Sai states
Naruto's power is weak, and then mockingly asks him if he even has a
penis.

Chapter 284: "New Companions" – In the Hokage building,

Homura and Koharu state Naruto is not to leave the village. Tsunade
replies that will only put the village in danger from Akatsuki. If he is
kept on the move, Akatsuki will have little chance to track him.
Homura calls Tsunade naive. Tsunade grows angry and says she offers
a compromise as well. Homura retorts what proof can she offer of
village protection? Tsunade remembers her first meetings with Naruto,
and states she believes he will not be defeated. And if the village
should be in danger, she will gladly give her life protecting it. Homura
placates and says if that is the case, they will choose the other squad
members. He then asks Danzou to come in, the older bandaged man
from earlier. Tsunade knows the man and asks if this means the new
member will be from "Root." Elsewhere Naruto demands to know Sai's
identity and the two break, a shadow creeps below Sai so he jumps
into the air and disappears. As Shikamaru and Chouji watch on, a
voice demands to know what is going on. It's Ino! Chouji replies that
some weird person attacked them, and Ino asks if he is referring to
Naruto. Chouji says no and Ino yells a greeting to Naruto. Back in the
office, Shizune states with Kakashi out they'll need a new captain. In
flashback Danzou states that Tsunade controls the ANBU, so one of her
best could be picked. In the present a masked ANBU stands before
Tsunade as she lays out the mission. The man is honored to be
replacing THE Kakashi senpai. Tsunade tells him this is a normal
mission, he can lose his mask. She gives him the code name "Yamato"
and tells him he'll also get another team member, a new recruit from
the ANBU "root" division. She asks Yamato to keep a close eye on Sai,
being the recommendation of Danzou, a war hawk who opposed
Sandaime. Though the "Root" division was disbanded, he should not
be taken lightly. Elsewhere Sai appears and greets Naruto. Yamato
arrives and lays out the mission plan. Sakura asks if Naruto knows him
and Sai retorts he wanted to test Naruto, but had no idea he was so
weak. Naruto is enraged and Sakura holds him back, and tells him not
to get into fights with a teammate. She tells Sai he is not making a
good impression, which Sai retorts back that the same can be said for
her, being so ugly. This causes Sakura to rage and be held back by
Yamato, who can only suggest she take her own advice.

Chapter 285: "You from 'Root'" – Yamato stands before his team
and asks them to introduce themselves, and then he lays out the
mission. He states it will give them the opportunity to find info to
assassinate Orochimaru and retrieve Sasuke. He asks the team to
gather in an hour and dismisses them. Naruto and Sakura walk away
and compare Sai to Sasuke, stating Sai fails to live up to their friend.
In an apartment, Sai gathers his tools. On the walls hang drawings of
scenery. He picks up a drawing of his younger self and quickly pulls a
kunai to defend himself. An ANBU member withdraws after locking
kunai with Sai. He complements Sai's reflexes and gives him orders
from Danzou. A cat meows and the ANBU is startled. He tells Sai
failure is not an option and chides him for carrying the drawing of
himself. He tells Sai that those in Root have no name, feelings, past or
future, only your mission. Root lies below the ground supporting the
great tree of Konoha. In Tsunade's office, she tells Sakura to control
Naruto as best she can. Danzou knocks and enters her office. He
states he has heard of the ANBU appointed as leader, and hopes
Sandaime has not rubbed off on him, as how Shodai rubbed off on
Sarutobi. He takes his leave and Tsunade tells Sakura that Danzou was
a militaristic hardliner who was up for the Third Hokage position with
Sarutobi. Sakura leaves and joins her team at the gate of Konoha,
Yamato then tells them it is time to move out for the Grass Country!

Chapter 286: "Naruto and Sasuke and Sai" – As the team walks,
Naruto contemplates how Sai resembles Sasuke. Sai asks him to stop
staring and Naruto gets angry. Yamato tells them to calm down, that
they are a team now. Naruto retorts he had a team, and it had
Sasuke, not Sai. Sai states he is glad he is not Sasuke, because he
was a bastard traitor. Sakura steps to calm Naruto and asks Sai to
forgive him, and then suddenly slugs Sai. She states he does not have
to forgive her though. Sai says he was fooled by Sakura's fake smile,
and Sakura tells him to not talk about Sasuke again in her presence.
Sai states he smiles because it says in a book that even fake smiles
will help get out of bad situations. Yamato then forms a handseal and
does a wood prison technique. He says they can spend a day making
friends in it or go to a hot springs, and he interjects that he is not
against ruling by terror. Sakura is surprised he could use Shodai’s
wood release jutsu. In the springs Yamato, Naruto and Sai relax.
Yamato says relaxing as men in the nude should make them
comrades, and then gives Naruto his scary terror face. Naruto jumps
up and agrees and Sai ruefully comments that it appears Naruto finally
has "one". Naruto yells at him for only thinking about penises. An
embarrassed Sakura can only curse Naruto from the nearby women’s
spa, as fellow female bathers laugh at his comments. Naruto gets a
dirty eye to peep but Yamato exits the spring and warns him that
Jiraiya once made the same mistake when he was younger, and
Tsunade beat him to a pulp for it. In the bath cabin, Yamato sits down
looking at an ANBU Root mask, and states things should start getting
busy soon.

Chapter 287: "Untitled" – Sakura awakes and heads outside to

meet Sai who is painting. She asks what he is painting and states she
is surprised to see a soft side to him. Sai remarks with her smile
should he be afraid of being hit? Sakura jokes but says no, she was
just interested. She asks the name of the work and Sai reports that he
has never given a name to the thousands of pictures he has painted.
Sakura states one normally gives names to paintings based on your
mood or feelings. Sai states he couldn't give them an accurate title, no
feelings occur to him. Naruto arrives and states that is probably why
he acts the way he does. He also tells them Yamato is ready to go.
Naruto says the painting isn't much, and Sai retorts just like his penis.
And infuriated Naruto yells that he can honestly say he hates Sai, and
that he should drop the fake smile and talk honestly. He tells Sai if he
wants to fight then lets fight. Sai says that really isn't the case, he
simply doesn't feel anything towards Naruto at all. He tells them to go
ahead and he'll pack his things. Sakura picks up a picture book with
drawings of a young boy on each side. Sakura asks if she can look
through it on the way, and Sai declines, saying it is not yet finished.
Also it belongs to his older brother. A short time later during the night
in a forest, Yamato uses a Mokuton technique to create a huge house.
They go inside to camp for the night and Yamato tells Sakura he has
read Sasori's profile and needs to know everything she has on him.
Yamato tells them they will impersonate Sasori and he himself will
approach the spy. Sakura says Yuura was a resourceful spy so this one
will probably be dangerous as well. Naruto states he'll take him.
Elsewhere a cloaked figure stands in the darkness.

Chapter 288: "Incomprehensible Feelings" – Yamato tells the

group to back him up and work together in groups of two. Naruto
begins to yell about being paired with Sai but Yamato shuts him up
with his "scary" face. He tells them tomorrow they will train so he can
see their skills. The next day Naruto and Sai jump to attack Yamato.
Naruto forms Rasengan in Sai's hands and wood emerges to trap
"Sai," who is revealed as a henge'd Naruto. The other Naruto jumps to
pin Yamato but finds he is a dummy replacement. The real Sai releases
painted snakes using his special mimic technique. The snakes coil
around Naruto and the dummy trapping him. Elsewhere Sakura and
Sai have captured Yamato and he congratulates them. A frustrated
Naruto grabs Sai and asks if he if knows what comrade means. Sai
says of course and writes the word "Comrade" on a scroll. He retorts
Naruto was weak and let his frustration give himself away, preventing
Sai from hiding and proceeding with caution. Sai says he did what was
best to succeed in the mission. Naruto states he refuses to accept Sai
as an ally. Sai asks Naruto what Sasuke would have done, would he
have helped him? He states Sasuke betrayed the village and you still
call him friend. Naruto says he'll do anything to save a friend, even
work alongside Sai. Sai asks why he would do that, and Sakura tells
him Naruto thinks of Sasuke as a brother. She asks Sai doesn't he feel
the same towards his older brother? Sai states he talked of his brother
in regards to his paintings, he doesn't have any emotions at all.

Chapter 289: "Akatsuki Spy" – Sakura asks Sai what he means by

not being able to feel, especially having a brother. Sai states his
brother died but even then he was not sure what expression to make.
Yamato asks them to stop talking and get ready. Sakura tells Sai if it
were some other day she would have hit him again, but Naruto was
willing to work with you to find Sasuke, so she can not go about
hurting him. Sai states that means she was being nice to Naruto. He
states he doesn't understand and begins to comment on reading
something similar in a book when Naruto interjects it is time to go.
The group leaves and takes positions at the bridge. Yamato in the
guise of Sasori waits on the bridge while the others wait in the bushes
on one end. The spy arrives and it is Yakushi Kabuto! Kabuto states its
been five years, and he is feeling weird with the memory block finally
being removed. Naruto and Sakura are both surprised but have a hard
time hearing their words. Sasori asks Kabuto where Orochimaru and
Sasuke are. Kabuto replies they change lairs every week and will do so
again in three days. They are currently at the north lake hideout.
Kabuto is startled and looks to the bushes, a rabbit appears and then
hops away to Kabuto's relief. But hidden in the trees watching is
Orochimaru, who evilly grins as the meeting continues.