Not long after Sasuke’s Hebi team was formed, he gave them the order to disperse and acquire information on both Itachi and the Akatsuki. Jin and Rito are currently walking through a forest seemingly aimless.

“So, where are we going to get the info we need?” Rito asks as they walk down a less traveled road.

“Oh, we don’t need to look for any information…” Jin replies as he concentrates on drawing in his book. No, no... her kimono isn’t that wrinkly…

“What do you mean we don’t need to...?” Rito continues to question.

“Jugo gets the info Sasuke wants by using his ability to talk to animals.” Jin answers while still scribbling. And this guy had a more arrogant and pompous attitude…

“Ah, so we’re just walking for no reason then…” Rito reasons.

“Oh, no, there’s a reason…” Jin corrects as he examines the progress on his drawing. “We’re walking to get a safe distance away from Sasuke.”

“What?” A flabbergasted Rito asks.

“Any minute now, Sasuke will battle Deidara of the Akatsuki.” Jin continues to explain. “Sasuke technically wins the fight, but Deidara rage quits and self-destructs.”

“And the explosion is so big, it can be seen for miles.” Jin finishes as he continues to draw. ...And this guy had the one horn that wrapped around his ent--WHAT THE FUCK?!!

Jin stops in his tracks and shakes profusely as he fights off someone’s Mind Transfer Jutsu. Rito looks at him confused and concerned, unaware of what is going on. After a brief moment, Jin shakes off the mental possession and becomes aware of the caster.

“It’ll be a thousand years before you can take me over!” Jin calls out into the distance, putting his art book and pencil away. Rito takes the opportunity to jump into the trees and hides. “Show yourself, Ino!”

“I knew it wouldn’t work, but I thought I’d try anyway.” Ino says as she reveals herself.

Another leaf ninja bursts up out of the ground and lunges at Jin with a Chidori. Using his experience from training with Sasuke, Jin pivots from his aggressor's line of sight and grabs his wrist and the base of his neck. Then with all Jin’s might, he pulls and slams downward, pinning his opponent. With his current opponent pinned down, Jin is able to recognize him.

“Takeda, you idiot. Don’t you know that the Chidori requires you to run at your target at high speed and that that speed will also give you tunnel vision?” Jin lectures his former teammate as Takeda struggles and fails to free himself. “And that the only way to counter said tunnel vision is to possess either the Sharingan or the Byakugan?”

“SHUT UP! Like I’d take advice from a traitor and criminal!” Takeda shouts as he continues to struggle free, but to no avail. “Ayanami, now! DO IT!!”

“Gentle Step Twin Lion Fist!” Ayanami yells as she dive bombs at Jin with chakra shaped into large guardian lion-shaped shrouds.

Jin evades the sneak attack by jumping backwards with Takeda, saving his adversary’s life in the process. As Jin lands, he throws Takeda at Ayanami, knocking them both down hard. Now angered, Takeda rises to his feet and runs at Jin, throwing a series of punches and kicks, but Jin casually evades them and then blocks the last kick before jumping back a safe distance.

“Hey, Takeda, cut it out!” Ayanami warns as she just now recovers.

“Just shut up…! I have to make this bastard pay!” Takeda declares as he shakes with rage. “I just found out that our former comrade abandoned the Leaf Village and joined up with Orochimaru!!”

“Haven’t you heard? Orochimaru is dead, Sasuke killed him.” Jin responds to the accusations.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you still joined up with him!” Takeda argues, growing more frustrated.

“So, just what do you guys want with little, old me?” Jin shrugs with a smug grin.

“Simple, we’re gonna capture you, interrogate you for all the info you have, and then you’ll spend the rest of your life behind bars.” Takeda answers as he begins to weave hand signs.

“Give me your best shot.” JIn replies while now making a more serious expression, cracking his fingers.

“Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!” Takeda yells before spewing flames in the shape of a dragon from his mouth.

“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu.” Jin says before spitting the dragon out.

Both dragons strike at each other, canceling each out and creating a large steam mist that engulfs the surrounding area. Jin takes advantage of Takeda’s now impared vision by appearing in front of him and knees his gut. Takeda quickly recovers and tries to slash at Jin with a kunai, but the red-haired rogue blocks the attack with his right arm’s armguard.

“Oh please, you’re not even in the same league as me.” Jin scoffs.

Further enraged, Takeda tries to swing the kunai at Jin again, but Jin dodges it by jumping to the side. Ayanami appears and manages to grab Jin by the leg, but JIn liquifies his body to free himself and kicks Ayanami at Takeda, sending them both through a tree. As Ino tries to take Jin from behind, she’s completely encased in crystal from the neck down. Jin turns and sees Rito who has come out of hiding and is preparing for another attack from their enemies.

“I know you could take her on your own, I just wanted to be useful.” Rito bashfully explains as he scratches behind his head.

“Rito, good work.” JIn smiles as he gives his friend a thumbs up. Jin then turns to Ino, walks up to her, and as she trembles with fear, Jin pets her to calm her down. “Cousin Ino, I need you, Yuno, and Naruto to accept that I’m not returning to the Leaf Village. And even if you manage to drag me back, I’ll just keep making escape attempts until either I succeed or elite jonin kill me.”

“Oh and Ayanami?” Jin calls out to his old friend and classmate. She looks up at him with a dazed expression. “You wanted us to surpass Naruto and Sasuke, right? I’ve gotten stronger, why haven’t you?”

Ayanami is unable to answer due to the ground beginning to shake. Jin and Rito look to their rear and see a bright, large, and unique-looking explosion. The force of the explosion sends some trees flying at the group present and Jin protects everyone by Earth Style to put up a Mud Wall. As the explosion dies down, both Jin and Rito begin to tree hop to Suigetsu’s location.

“Sasuke is still alive, right?” Rito asks, concerned for his safety.

“Oh he’s alive… heavily wounded, but alive.” Jin answers as they continue to jump through the trees. While tree hopping, Jin activates sage mode to sense Suigetsu’s chakra. “Sasuke tried to reverse-summon himself, but he wasn’t fast enough… so, the snake summoning, Manda ended up shielding Sasuke, taking the brunt of the explosion and he dies instead…”

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“Orochimaru was already weakened… that’s all I’ll say about that.” A battle damaged Sasuke explains to a lecturing Karin.

At this point, Jin and Rito arrive at the sight of a dead Manda and the rest of the Hebi team. Already aware of what’s happened and what will happen, JIn walks over to Sasuke and helps him up.

“Jugo, help me carry him to the nearest inn.” Jin requests with a deadpan expression.

“Okay.” Jugo responds as he helps lift Sasuke.

“I can walk on my own…” Sasuke remarks with cool indifference.

“Don’t try to act tough.” Jin argues. “I learned medical ninjutsu from Kabuto, I can tell that you’ll collapse before you even walk for half a mile...”

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Upon arriving at a nearby town, the Hebi take shelter in an inn. A provoked Karin tries to attack Suigetsu, but is unable to due to Suigetsu liquifying his body. Jugo begins to twitch and fidget until he activates his sage transformation.

“I wanna kill… I must kill…!” Jugo mutters.

“Calm down, now, Jugo!” Sasuke orders as he uses his Sharingan to put Jugo under a genjutsu to calm him down.

After Jugo calms down, Sasuke goes to sleep, Karin leaves to get more supplies, Rito sits in a corner to tinker, and JIn goes to sit in another corner to draw. Jugo and Suigetsu both watch over Sasuke as they wait for Karin.

Jibun wo sekai sae mo kaete shimae sou na Shunkan ha itsumo sugu soba ni…! Jin sings in his head as he draws. ...Miageta oozora ga aoku sumikitte yuku Tozashita mado wo hiraku koto wo kimeta…!

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Two hours later, an impatient Suigetsu goes to look for Karin, but is stopped by a worried Karin who slams the door to their room in the inn wide open.

“Wake up Sasuke! We’re about to have company…!” An on-edge Karin warns.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke wakes up and orders, “Everyone get ready, we’re leaving. Jugo! Mark on the map every Akatsuki hideout you’ve learned about.”

As the Hebi leave the small village, Suigetsu asks Sasuke, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” Sasuke responds while putting on his cloak. “Thanks to Orochimaru’s power and Jin’s Gelel stone, I heal much faster now.”

“You’re welcome.” Responds a proud Jin.

“...We’re going to use the intel Jugo gathered and hit the Akatsuki’s hideouts one-by-one.” Sasuke continues.“

As Jin is about to follow Sasuke, he stops when he notices Karin holding Jugo back and pulls out two pieces of clothing. One of which is disturbingly familiar to Jin.

“Hey, Karin?” Jin asks with a mix of confusion and disgust. “I get why you would have some of Sasuke’s old clothes, but why do you also have a piece of my old clothing?”

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TAKEDA SARUTOBI:

OVERVIEW

• A member of the Sarutobi clan.
• A member of Jin’s old squad, Team 1.
• Is the Scarlet Blaze character of the MMORPG, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Online.
• Has a crush on Yuno.
• Has a one-sided rivalry with Jin due to his crush on Yuno.
• Has a black-and-white sense of justice.

APPEARANCE

• Looks exactly like Scarlet Blaze from Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Online.