Before Kakazu and Hidan Fight
"Tsunade are you sure?" Jiraya asked for the tenth time
"Yes Jiraya" Tsunade answered beginning to lose her patience
"I can't believe it" Jiraya muttered and sat next to his teammate "Can't you cure it or something?"
"I might be able to make myself look younger but I'm still getting older" she told him "My body is finally giving up"
"I see" Jiraya stood up and looked outside the window and started down on Konoha
"We need a sixth Hokage" Tsunade said after a long silence
"Hmm" Jiraya nodded
"Any ideas?" Tsunade said
"Before we get a Hokage we need to end the rath of the Akatsuki" Jiraya answered instead
"We can't do it that quickly" Tsunade said "Maybe you can kill most of them with some difficulty but you need some help and I'm in no condition to help you"
"Which is why I'm thinking of getting help from Akio" Jiraya mumbled
"Akio?" Tsunade said "That man is a retired ninja" she said remembering the man that used to help them in the worst of times. However she knows now that since he got married to a medic he no longer wants to continue life as a ninja even though he trains to stay in shape. But he remains to be rusty.
"He might be out of practice" Jiraya said as if he read Tsuande's mind "But even with that he is still as strong as me if not stronger"
"But how will you convince him to fight with you?" Tsunade asked
"No that's impossible" Jiraya said
"Now I'm confused" Tsunade turned to face Jiraya
"I'm going to ask him to train Kakashi" Jiraya informed her
"Akio never trains anybody unless he is his master and he never found anybody worthy" Tsunade said. "Arrogant idiot" she added as an after thought
"Maybe he'll find Kakashi worthy to take on as a student" Jiraya contemplated
"Two things" Tsunade said "What makes you think Kakashi will agree to become that psycho's student? That guy could've easily passed as the strongest ninja in the five nations, how'll you get him to take Kakashi?"
"Kakashi will do it if it means saving Konoha and Naruto. As for convincing Akio, I'll let Kakashi stay with him for a week or so, hopefully Akio will…" Jiraya stopped to find the right words
"Get close to Kakashi" Tsunade yelled "That's not how it works"
"Sure it is" Jiraya stubbornly said "You meet a kid you like and you teach him your ways"
"It's worth a shot but what about Naruto?" she asked
"I'll train him once I take Kakashi to Akio" Jiraya answered
"Alright good luck" Tsunade agreed
"I guess I have to go find the brat now" Jiraya sighed and poofed away
Kakashi was currently sitting under a tree watching Naruto trying to cut a waterfall in half. He knew that if Naruto developed the Rasengan he could become stronger than himself.
"Kage Bunshin Jutsu" Naruto yelled as more Naruto emerged.
"Even with Kage bunshins it still needs time" Kakashi sighed "But compared to the time it takes without it this is rather impressive"
"Easy for you to say" Tenzou (Yamato is his fake name for those who don't remember both names) muttered "I'm the one trying to keep the Kyyubi at bay"
Kakashi chuckled "Want a break?"
"Maybe later I can hold on for now" Tenzou smiled
Meanwhile Jiraya was searching for Kakashi and was heading for the training area. He heard that Kakashi was training Naruto with Tenzou at Training area 17.
Finally arriving he took in the scene. A couple of Naruto clones were standing on a bridge of wood trying to cut it in half. He guessed Kakashi was teaching him nature manipulation. Tenzou was attempting to keep the fox from emerging while Kakashi just stood there staring at Naruto.
"Are you going to keep standing here or do you want something" Kakashi said as he turned to face Jiraya "Jiraya sama?"
Naruto heard his master's name and stopped temporarily to look at his mentor. He was happy to see him again and jumped down much to the relief of Tenzou who sighed in liberation.
"Pervy sage!" Naruto yelled waving his hand frantically
"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Jiraya asked annoyed
"Lost count" Naruto smiled sheepishly "Hey! What are you doing here anyway?"
"I need to talk to Kakashi" Jiraya said. Kakashi raised an eyebrow but showed no further reaction.
"Why?" Naruto whined "He's training me can't it wait"
Jiraya sighed mentally "I'm going to take Kakashi for a while" he announced
"What?" Kakashi asked this time. Naruto currently realized that even Kakashi had no idea what was going on.
"Come with me" he beckoned Kakashi to follow him "I need to take to you in private"
Kakashi hesitated at first but followed him none the less leaving a fuming Naruto behind complaining about his training being cut off because of the pervy sage.
Once Jiraya was good distance away from Tenzou and Naruto he addressed Kakashi "I'm going to be blunt, we are all in serious danger"
"Aren't we always" Kakashi answered
"Keep your witty remarks to yourself for now" Jiraya ordered "Akatsuki are getting stronger and we need to stop them as soon as possible"
"Which is why I'm training Naruto" Kakashi pointed out
"You got the right idea but you're going about it the wrong way" Jiraya said
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked confused
"I need you to train" Jiraya said
"But what about Naruto?" Kakashi retorted "He needs this training now more than ever"
"I know which is why I will continue what you started" Jiraya said
"I know more about nature manipulation than you" Kakashi muttered "Besides I'm not as important as Naruto right now"
"I know a good deal about nature manipulation brat" Jiraya glared at Kakashi "And secondly I need somebody to help me take down the Akatsuki"
"And you're saying you want me to help?" Kakashi asked in disbelief "I'll just slow you down I can barely take on Itachi on a one on one battle"
"Which is why I want you to train" Jiraya said
"I don't know" Kakashi muttered
"I have this great guy who might be willing to teach you" Jiraya explained
"Might?" Kakashi asked
"And there is a condition" Jiraya continued
"I don't like where this is going" Kakashi folded his arms together
"If he does consider training you, which is an honor by the way, he'll become your master" Jiraya said
"WHAT?" Kakashi yelled. He never loses his cool but this is ridiculous.
"I'm sure you heard of him. His name is Akio" Jiraya notified
"I thought that he was legend" Kakashi said regaining his patience
"He's very real. He's actually an old friend of mine" Jiraya supplied
"And is this friend" Kakashi said stressing on the word friend "willing to train me?"
"He doesn't know yet but you and I are going there and we'll see how it develops" Jiraya concluded
"What if we end up wasting time on something that might happen instead of training Naruto?" Kakashi asked
"You know for a genius you really are dumb" Jiraya cursed
Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the comment but didn't comment further
"I can take some of the Akatsuki member by myself but some might require some teamwork" Jiraya explained "You are the only one that might actually have a chance of helping me more than being a burden"
Kakashi glared at Jiraya again at the mention of being a burden
"Can you at least try?" Jiraya said
"A new master?" Kakashi whispered
"Actually a master in general, Minato was more of a sensei" Jiraya stated
"I guess I could try" Kakashi said reluctantly "For Naruto and Konoha's sake"
"That's just what I wanted to hear" Jiraya smiled like a maniac
They began walking back. Kakashi was silent mulling over his thoughts.
"Can we go back to training now?" Naruto shouted
"Actually you're going to finish things up here with Tenzou while I go on a small journey with your sensei" Jiraya smiled
Tenzou noticed that Kakashi wasn't excited at all. For a second Tenzou thought he saw concern in his senpai's eye but it was gone the next moment
"What!" Naruto shouted pointing a finger at Kakashi "You promised"
"It's sort of out of my hand" Kakashi tried to explain
"I doubt it" Naruto muttered
"It's my doing not Kakashi's" Jiraya said hitting Naruto on the back of his head. "Meet me tomorrow at the village gate at seven"
"Hai" Kakashi nodded and then Jiraya disappeared
"Everything alright?" Tenzou asked
"Ya everything is fine other than the occasional danger" Kakashi gave a fake smile
"It's not fair. I need to become stronger" Naruto fumed
Kakashi decided to give Naruto a pep talk before he leaves. It's the least he can do after leaving in such short notice
"Naruto" Kakashi said waiting for Naruto to pay attention "Even while I'm gone I expect you to listen to Tenzou and to train hard. If I come back and you haven't improved it won't be pretty on your behalf. Besides" he smiled here "How are going to become Hokage if you can't train without me for a while"
"You can count on me sensei I won't fail you" Naruto gave a thumbs up after going over his sensei's words
Kakashi was relieved that his blonde student was going to be ok
"Good luck Ten.. Yamato" Kakashi smiled. Luckily Naruto didn't pick up his real name since he was too busy getting pumped up.
"You're cruel you know that don't you?" Tenzou glowered
Kakashi chuckled "I leave him in your hands" and with that he poofed away.