Naruto 408

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Naruto
#408: Fukasaku's Proposition
[side text: The loneliness that comes with genius. Once, he fought the pain, but now he accepts it as his destiny.]

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[insert text: Searching for the Hachibi, Taka heads for the Lightning Country!!]
Ninja: Ngh!! // ?! // Unnngh...!
Suigetsu: So... where's the Hachibi? Spill it.
Ninja: Do not underestimate my clan... // I have no intention of telling such things to the likes of you people...! // Nghh!!

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Ninja: The Yotsuki Clan would never stoop... to betraying their comrades. // We...
Sasuke: A trembling heart yields weakness.
Ninja: ?!

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Karin: Suigetsu, that's enough. He's in Sasuke's genjutsu.
Suigetsu: Tch... and just when I thought I might get to torment him a little...
Sasuke: Tell me the location of the Hachibi.

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Ninja: At Unrai Gorge... / Currently undergoing... train...ing...
Sasuke: What can you tell me about him?
Ninja: ...He wields... eight swords... // On his right shoulder, swords of steel... to his left, swords of horn... He is... tattooed...

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Sasuke: Let's go.
Suigetsu: (Man... looks like you're even more handy now... That eye sure is a nasty little tool to have around...)
Karin: (Ahh... you've become even cooler, Sasuke~!♡)
Juugo: (This is a nice place... I should be able to control my urges. Now calm down...)

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[no text just scenery]

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Tsunade: "Honmono wa inai"... Hmm.
Naruto: What do you think, old hermit?! / Does it mean anything to you?
Fukasaku: ......

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Fukasaku: ......
Flashback!Jiraiya: Not one of those six looks anything like Nagato. // Yet that Pain, who wasn't Nagato, nevertheless knew of that conversation that only I, and Nagato with his Rinnegan, should know. // The face may be different, but I certainly feel something of Nagato in him.

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Fukasaku: I don't know... // I'm afraid this is still just too vague.
Shikamaru: Well, then... / ...Do you have any speculations to put forward?
Fukasaku: I have already told you what we learned about Pain... / He can revive himself even from death... Mere speculation will get us nowhere. // As things stand, fighting against Pain is too dangerous. / We must unravel his secret somehow.
Kakashi: How are things progressing with our other leads? // The autopsy and interrogation.
Sakura: It looks like those will take a little longer.
Naruto: How long are we talking about?

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Sakura: We can't say anything for certain yet.
Naruto: The hell's with that?! / This isn't the time to be dragging our asses!
Sakura: The interrogation is one thing... / ...but an autopsy is a delicate procedure requiring the careful analysis of everything that can be detected from the subject's cells and tissue! // It's not something you can just rush!
Tsunade: It will take a week's time, at least.
Naruto: What, a whole week...?!
Shiho: Now, now, Uzumaki-kun! Don't look so down!
Shikamaru: So what exactly are we to do about all this, Fifth......?

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Tsunade: I've placed Shizune in charge of the autopsy... / That should speed things up somewhat... // But still, we will have to wait.
Naruto: I'm gonna go and make sure they hurry up!
Sakura: Oh, come off it, Naruto! / I won't forgive you if you get in Shizune-senpai's way!
Naruto: I'm gonna avenge old Ero-sennin myself!
Sakura: ...!
Naruto: I can't just hang around doing nothing...!
Fukasaku: ...... // Naruto-chan... // Now that the code has been solved, this matter is no longer any of your concern.

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Naruto: ?! // ...And just what d'you mean by that?
Fukasaku: Well, either way, you could never hope to defeat Pain at your current level. // And that's why... I'd like you to come with me.
Naruto: ?
Fukasaku: It's time for a little senjutsu training at Mount Myouboku. // Just as long as you think you can handle the kind of training we pounded into Jiraiya-chan, that is.

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Naruto: And I'll be able to beat Pain if I do this training, will I?!
Fukasaku: I cannot say that for sure... / But as you are now, you would fail.
Naruto: ......
Fukasaku: Is that all right, Tsunade?
Tsunade: Of course... // Naruto, you go get well and truly trained.
Fukasaku: The training for senjutsu is much stricter than you imagine! / Are you up for it?

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Naruto: Ero-sennin managed it, didn't he? // Then I'm not gonna wimp out either! / I'll do it!!
Fukasaku: ...... // (The entrusted apprentice... the child of prophecy...) // Well said!

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[no text just hachibi]

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[sign: Unrai Gorge]
Jinchuuriki: Ugh, the light... my eyes... // Fuck it all, is it noon already, ya great pile of shit?!
[insert text: The Hachibi Jinchuuriki appears!!!]
[bottom text: What is Fukasaku's training, and what is the Hachibi's power...?! Next issue, "Senjutsu"!!]