As Sasuke enters the Akatsuki Hideout on his own, leaving the rest of the Hebi to wait outside until Sasuke gives the order. Taking the time to relax Jin sits comfortably on a tree branch, drawing in his book.

I miss the food from my old world… Jin thinks dejectedly as he draws a burger resting on top of a pizza with an ice cream shake standing in the background.

Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo enter the cave that leads to the hideout, Rito jumps up to a branch near the one Jin’s on. Jin can see that Rito is wearing a look of great accomplishment.

“What are you so happy about?” JIn asks with genuine curiosity.

“Remember when I was tinkering back at that inn?” Rito replies, still happy as can be.

“Yeah...?” Jin says, wondering where Rito is going with this.

“Here’s what I was working on!” Rito shouts with excitement as he tosses a small object at JIn.

After catching the object, Jin inspects it. Jin smiles after flipping it open.

“Congrats! You graduated from making 80s bricks to building flip-phones of the early 2000s.” Jin jokes to his proud friend.

“That’s not all…!” Rito excitedly continues. “I believe I’ve figured out how to make planes!”

“Say what now?!” Jin asks dumbfounded as jumps to his feet. “I know you’re an engineering major, but didn’t you die during your freshman year of college?”

“Yeah.” Rito answers.

“My question is, how would you ever know how to make a plane if you didn’t finish college?” Jin questions full disbelief and confusion.

“You know how you’re supposed to concentrate chakra into your feet whenever you want to walk on water or walls and trees?” Rito explains. “Well I just thought, what if instead of concentrating chakra in my feet, how about I concentrate it in my brain?!”

“Ah, so you’re increasing your intelligence for brief moments with chakra and using your high IQ to fill in the gaps for what you already know…?” Jin says, understanding what Rito has accomplished. “That truly is awesome.”

“Why thank you.” Says a bowing Rito delightedly as Sasuke and the rest of the Hebi exit the Akatsuki Hideout.

“We’re leaving, let’s go.” Sasuke announces to the whole team.

After Sasuke’s battle with Itachi, we’ll join up with the Akatsuki and fight Killer Bee and the current Five Kage… Jin laments as the Hebi begin to hop through the trees towards the Uchiha Hideout. When Sasuke unleashes the Susano’o at the Five Kage Summit, that will be the best time to leave, then Rito and I can do our own thing.

“I sense the same chakra all over the place.” Karin warns after several minutes of hopping through the trees. “What is this?”

“Shouldn’t we change our course, Sasuke?” Suigetsu asks.

“Ignore it, we’ll just push through.” Orders a determined Sasuke.

“Good.” Suigetsu responds with relief. “The long way around would’ve been exhausting.

Shortly after, the Hebi encounters Naruto on his own. Upon finding Sasuke, Naruto changes his course to intercept.

“SASUKE!!” Naruto roars as he charges at his self-proclaimed best friend.

Just a shadow clone, nothing to worry about. Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet! Jin thinks as he exhales a small blast of wind chakra at Naruto, destroying the clone.

“It’s Naruto…” Sasuke mutters, barely audible to the rest of the group.

“Multi-Shadow Clones, huh?” Karin assesses. “It must be his chakra I sense all around us.”

Almost there… Jin thinks as the Hebi begin to run on the rooftops of an old, ghost town. As they get closer to their destination, Karin begins to tense up.

“There’s a humongous chakra and it’s fast…!” Karin warns the team. “Incoming!”

As the Hebi runs, they stop when someone with shark-like features, dressed in a black cloak with a red cloud pattern lands right in front of them while waving his big, bulky sword.

Kisame Hoshikaki… He’s even uglier in “real life.” Jin thinks as he examines the Akatsuki member.

“Only Sasuke alone may go beyond this point.” Kisame informs the group. “Itachi’s orders, so that’s how it’s going to be. The rest of you are welcome to wait right here with me.”

Sasuke replies with, “That’s fine…”

Since I have the time, I might as well plan for the battles ahead. Jin thinks as he sits through the conversation. Jin’s eye’s open wide with an epiphany. Oh, God. I’m going to be using sage mode a shitton in the next few fights…

As Sasuke continues on alone and Suigetsu engages Kisame in a sword fight, all Jin can think is, I really should copy Frog Kumite from Naruto at the end of the Kage Summit arc…

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Sometime later, Sasuke stands on a cliff with the Hebi and Tobi standing a few yards behind him. As Sasuke stares off into the distant sunset, Jin sits patiently and Rito is off to the side, tinkering.

...Yuuki give me give power Parapara power Ima yobisamase Nando uchinomesa reyou to…! Jin sings in his head as he draws Sasuke staring at the sunset into his book. After finishing the drawing, Jin begins to grow impatient. C’mon…! Say the revenge line so we can continue the story!

“We are no longer the Hebi... From this day on, our team will be the Taka…” Sasuke says after being silent for sometime, still staring into the distance. “...And Taka has but one goal. Our mission… is to destroy the Hidden Leaf…!”

Great! Now we just have to fight Killer Bee and Gyuki, the Eight-Tails and then the Five Kage… Jin dreads in silence. I better keep my wits up.

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Later, the Taka are in the main hideout of the Akatsuki. They are currently discussing the terms for joining up with Tobi and Kisame.

I never knew it could be boring to just be a ride-along character in someone else’s story. A bored Jin laments, yawning as the conversation begins. At least things will begin to speed up…

“...will destroy the Leaf.” Sasuke announces to the Akatsuki member after taking a seat at the table.

“Easier said than done…” Tobi responds while taking a seat on the table itself. “So how, what’s your plan?”

“We’re going to kill the elders, the others… are of no concern to me.” Sasuke calmly answers.

“If you aim high, the ones below will shield them. It won’t be as easy as you think.” Kisame points out. “And you, Taka, don't have the strength to handle something like this on your own.”

“Heh, listen, Kisame...” Suigetsu speaks up. “You shouldn’t underestimate us.”

“Stop it, Suigetsu! Don’t!” Jugo warns his teammate.

“Ugh…” Jin mutters as he facepalms. This would be so fun to watch if I wasn’t in the room with the most dangerous characters currently in the story…

Tension fills the air as Suigetsu goes to swing his Executioner’s Blade at Kisame, Tobi intervenes by blocking the attack with one hand.

“Sasuke, you haven’t trained your team very well...:” Tobi states as he assesses the power and skill of Suigetsu’s swing.

“Suigetsu, you idiot…!” Karin lectures her teammate. “This isn’t the time or pla--”

“My objective is that sword of his, Shark Skin!” Suigetsu snaps at the red-haired kunoichi. “I’ve been traveling with Sasuke only so I can get all seven swords!”

“You’re not in his league, Kisame is the tailless tailed beast.” Jin warns.

“What now Sasuke?” Jugo asks, turning to face the rogue leaf ninja.

“Fine by me, do whatever you feel you have to, Suigetsu...” Sasuke calmly tells his ally. “But know this, You can’t win against him yet.”

“Geez… thanks for the vote of confidence Sasuke.” Remarks a sarcastic Suigetsu. “Have a little faith, I’ll treat you to some shark’s fin later.”

Relief fills the room when Suigetsu lowers his blade and everyone calms down in turn.

“The Akatsuki is low on man power right now, we should avoid unnecessary skirmishes.” Tobi warns.

AMAZING, this scene is a lot longer than I remember it to be! Jin thinks sarcastically as he sits through the remainder of the conversation.

“...Taka will capture the Eight-Tails, the Akatsuki will hunt the other.” Tobi continues. “That means Naruto…”