That was fast...
I heard it was a matter of urgency...
I want you to take Kakashi's place.
It's an honor to be able to work in Kakashi Senpai's stead...
This isn't an Anbu Black Ops mission.
It will be a regular mission.
Therefore, take off that mask and I will give you a codename.
During this mission, you'll be known as "Yamato."
I understand.
An additional member... a new recruit from the Anbu Black Ops Training Division
will be dispatched to Team Kakashi.
From...The Foundation?
However...
What is it?
Keep a close watch on his actions.
Naruto, do you know him?
Yeah...
He's the guy who attacked me earlier
when I was with Shikamaru and the others!
Stop it, Naruto!
Come to think of it, who're you, mister?
Oh...could it be...?
I'm the replacement captain for this team
while Kakashi is in the hospital.
Call me Yamato.
Captain...Yamato...
You're comrades on the same team, so you guys need to get along.
C-Comrade...? This guy?
Sorry about before.
Since we're going to be teammates from now on,
I just wanted to find out how strong you were.
You didn't have to go through the trouble of doing that...
But thanks to that,
I now know you're a worthless guy with questionable "equipment."
Hey, what did you say?!
- We're going to be teammates! - Damn you!
- Don't start fighting right at the start! - Some things are inexcusable!
But you're kind of a rotten guy, aren't you...?
Is that so?
People won't like you if you say stuff like that.
I like nice...ugly women like you.
Ugly...
Hey, what did you say?!
- Try repeating that, you twerp. - Hey, do you remember...
- Don't try being cocky with me, cha! - ...what you just said to Naruto?!
Oh, don't you look silly.
Master Jiraiya.
Well, I guess you always looked like that...
I heard you'll be in bed...
HIDDEN LEAF HOSPITAL for a week, huh?
Well, it seems so...
Hey, don't force yourself.
It doesn't look like you'll be able to move for awhile...
It's a get-well gift.
Both volumes of the deluxe edition of "Make-Out Paradise."
You may have already read it several times,
but it should at least help pass the time.
Thanks...
Surely this isn't the only reason why you returned to the village.
I'll give you the details once he... and Tsunade get here...
He? Who's that?
I think he's calling himself Yamato on this mission...
An Unnecessary Addition
At any rate, the four of us will be starting our mission now.
And yet...
What's up with this?
I don't have time to put you all in a cage to get used to each other.
Come on, introduce yourselves.
Naruto Uzumaki.
I'm Sakura Haruno.
My name's Sai.
Well, that's enough getting acquainted for now.
I will now explain our mission as Team Kakashi.
The four of us will now head for the Tenchi Bridge...
capture the Akatsuki spy who has infiltrated Orochimaru's organization...
and bring him back here.
It's an opportunity for us to get information
on Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha.
We will obtain a precious source of information
with which we can draw up plans for both the assassination of Orochimaru
and the retrieval of Sasuke.
Be sure to proceed with caution!
Right!
Yes, sir!
We'll meet at the main gate in an hour!
We'll leave once you've equipped yourselves with your Ninja tools!
For crying out loud!
I don't like that Sai jerk at all!
Why's he taking the place of Sasuke?
Team Kakashi's fine with three people!
He does indeed have a foul mouth...
but don't you think he kind of resembles Sasuke?
Like his face and the way he talks...
He doesn't resemble Sasuke at all!
Sasuke's cooler... No, not cooler.
Well, he's better!
Yeah. Sasuke's a little cooler than Sai, isn't he?
Not just a little! Sasuke's totally b-better!
Good move.
Listen carefully... Never let your guard down.
What is it... Senpai?
Listen carefully.
The classified mission you've been given is Lord Danzo's...
A cat, huh...?
Anyway, Lord Danzo's vision...
for the future of the village rests upon this classified mission.
Failure is not an option.
I know.
Good.
You're still carrying that around with you...?
This is...
In The Foundation,
...you have no name and no emotions.
You have no past... and no future.
There is only the mission...
Never forget the will of The Foundation,
which supports the giant tree known as the Leaf Village from underground...
unseen.
I won't.
Hidden Leaf Hospital
Sorry to keep you waiting!
You're late.
I got held up with this and that...
Very well...
Kakashi's waiting.
Make-out Paradise Deluxe Edition
It looks like they're here...
We're coming in, Kakashi.
Please come in.
It's been a long time, Senpai!
You...
I see. So you're the one called Yamato, huh?
I get it...
Yes! As of today, I will be known as Yamato
while I work as the substitute captain of Team Kakashi.
Yamato, huh?
I brought him here...
because there's something I'd really like him to know
since he'll be working as the captain of Team Kakashi.
And that is...
the biggest reason why he was chosen as Kakashi's replacement.
Is this about Naruto?
Exactly.
You know that Naruto has the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit...
sealed inside him, right?
Yes, I do...
Sometimes the Nine-Tailed Chakra leaks out from inside Naruto's body...
and takes the form of the Fox Spirit.
We call it the "Nine-Tail's Cloak."
The Nine-Tail's Cloak, huh...?
Does it happen often?
It happened on our previous mission.
When his emotions intensified,
the Nine-Tailed Chakra started to leak out...
it engulfed his body and became the Nine-Tail's Cloak.
Just before the second tail formed...
I somehow managed to suppress the Chakra
with the tag I received from Master Jiraiya...
But who knows what would've happened
if things had been left as they were...
I see... So it appeared just as I thought...
Judging from the shape of the Chakra,
the number of tails will probably continue to grow...
and eventually...
there will be nine.
That's about the size of it...
Master Jiraiya, how many tails have you seen...?
I've come close to dying twice in my lifetime...
The first time, I broke six ribs and both arms,
and several of my internal organs ruptured...
It was when I was trying to peek into the women's bath at a hot spring...
and you pounded me good, Tsunade.
The other time was...
during Naruto's training
when I saw the fourth tail of the Nine-Tailed Chakra.
I'm off!
Master!
Oh...
What is it?
You should still have some time left before you're to assemble.
I wanted to have a few words before we leave.
I see. Then your timing is perfect.
There's something I wanted to ask you.
What is it?
It's about Sai.
I see...
So it's already going badly, huh...?
Yes...
It can't be helped...
For the time being, you keep Naruto under control.
I'll do what I can, but...
Come in!
Who's that?
Danzo, huh...? What is it?
Did you place a skilled Anbu Black Ops member
as the captain of Sai's unit, Princess Tsunade?
I selected the best man I have.
He's worked since the Third Hokage's tenure.
Very well...
But I just hope...
he hasn't been tainted by the teachings of the Third Hokage.
The teachings of the gutless Third Hokage
who disliked matters of conflict...
Just like how the teachings of your grandfather...
tainted the Third Hokage...
I guess I'm more or less relieved.
Now I can enjoy my meals without worries.
Excuse me.
Who the heck...was that?
A long time ago...
he competed with the late Sarutobi Sensei
over the position of the Third Hokage.
Unlike the Third Hokage,
he's the leader of a hard-line military faction based on rigid logic...
and is Sai's superior.
He hates me because I'm the granddaughter of the First Hokage
as well as a student of the Third Hokage who was a moderate.
Umm...
Isn't it about time...?
Oh!
That's right. Isn't it almost time, Sakura?
Yes, it is...
I'll be going now.
Right!
If we succeed in this mission, we can get one step closer to Sasuke...
All right!
I'm off!
Okay...
Team Kakashi, will now set out.
How long are you guys going to argue?
If this keeps up,
it will surely affect the way we carry out our mission.
So here's a suggestion from me.
In order to build rapport as a team,
I can toss you guys into this cell for a full day,
or we can stay at a hot spring inn for a night. Which would you guys prefer?
I prefer the kind and gentle approach...
but I'm not against using fear to control you guys either when necessary.
Next Time: "The Fake Smile"