A moment later, the three of them stood in a Root interrogation room. There were no chains or torture devices, just a simple table and three chairs.
Hardly any time was spent with Kabuto explaining what he had done since the last time they met. The intelligence matched their expectations.
He confessed he had been out in the world collecting DNA to perfect the Reanimation technique. But when he caught wind that those from Arthur's village were looking for him, he had to be more discreet.
This was news to the two since they were unaware of what sort of machinations those left behind in Arthur's empire were attempting.
Even more disturbing, Kabuto revealed that his ultimate goal had been to make his army of the dead breathe again by mimicking the exact resurrection method Arthur had used on the fallen clans in the Bird Country.
Jada and Alex were honestly shocked by these admissions. But they were also deeply pleased that they had intercepted him before he went down that route.
"How's Naruto doing, if I might ask?" Kabuto wondered.
"He's traveling with my friends to help Gaara," Jada replied. It didn't take a genius like Kabuto to piece together that the Akatsuki were actively hunting the Tailed Beasts now. "I'm actually gonna head to them now."
Kabuto gave a smile. "Let him know I'm looking forward to seeing him again."
Jada gave him a knowing look. She never thought she'd hear the day that Kabuto, of all ninjas, would be this happy to see someone without the ulterior motive of dissecting or experimenting on them.
After leaving the Root facility, Jada made her way through the village streets and headed straight to the Hokage's manor. There, she explained to Tsunade that Kabuto had been apprehended without bloodshed and had agreed to cooperate with the village.
Tsunade wasn't too surprised when she read that Alex and her had gone out on their mission. Considering that almost every time Jada and her friends tried an unorthodox strategy, the Hokage had simply come to expect these sorts of things from them.
Tsunade was honestly grateful they were that special.
What did surprise her was Jada's next request: "With your permission, lord fifth, I'd like to go and help the others protect Gaara."
Tsunade by all means let this pass. The Sand Village was an ally, and sending another powerhouse to secure the Kazekage was a necessity. If Jada hadn't asked, she would have tried to send Team Guy like in the lore.
Outside, Jada had one more person she had to speak with.
She walked to a secluded training ground near the perimeter fence. The woods were quiet as she reached behind her back and pulled out her gourd. Then she un-stoppered it to let him out.
Hoshikaze materialized like normal and could already tell that something troubling was weighing on her mind. "You must feel bad…"
Jada didn't even bother to look at him. She stared at the grass near her boots.
He was right. The thing that troubled her, gnawing at her conscience, was that she hadn't told anybody about him yet. She was keeping the world's most dangerous mind in her back pocket, hiding him from William, Margaret, Alice, and Alex.
But she needed to talk to him first to at least get a clue of what she should do on the upcoming events.
"Arthur… I just wanted to know what you thought about us going to help Gaara."
"So we've arrived in Shippuden."
"Yeah…"
"What I think shouldn't matter in my condition then…"
"It does, actually," she snapped, finally looking up at him. "You… You were in the Akatsuki at one point. Are they really that strong?"
"They are…"
"I figured as much."
The clearing fell quiet until Arthur broke the silence. "The more you fight things, the more you'll lose in the end."
She was surprised by the statement. She didn't understand why he wanted to destroy the hope she had built. She didn't understand why he looked at the bonds she and her friends forged. How could he only view them as liabilities?
"Don't you see that there's hope even at the end without destruction?" she pleaded.
"Jada. There is no hope in this world…"
"How can you say that?!"
How could he indeed? But he didn't answer her. He offered only silence, letting her anger boil over.
"Fine! Don't answer me like you always do!"
"Don't forget…" he softly said. "I knew the truth before you and chose not to end your time in this world."
Jada grimaced as her face twisted into bitter realization. "Stupid Arthur!" Then she pointed the gourd directly at him as the suction caught his ethereal form.
The area was soon cleared.
She wanted to be more angry.
Jada wanted to hate him entirely. But she couldn't. Not when he always seemed to be right about the nature of their reality.
So she stood there quiet for a moment to let things settle.
When she was ready, she packed the gourd away and focused her chakra to reach out across the continent. There, she found the familiar signature of William's Flying raijin mark moving toward the Wind Country.
'Flying raijin!'
Space folded, and she materialized mid-stride on the branches, leaping alongside the team.
"Jada?!" William said in shock, almost stumbling.
They were all happy to see her, especially the original Team 7 members.
"Long time no see," she greeted, matching their fast pace. "Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, and Sakura—you guys look great!"
"We didn't know you'd be here," Kakashi smiled.
"What do ya mean, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto wondered.
"Will told us she'd be joining," Sakura pointed out.
"I thought she'd meet us in the Sand Village," Kakashi countered.
"I would have," she replied, "but I don't have any marks there and didn't feel like waiting in case you guys were ambushed or something."
"I wish I could learn the flying raijin," Sakura cheered.
Margaret, leaping ahead, looked over her shoulder. "Even if these long runs are harder, I could still beat her in a race."
Most of them laughed at the prospect.
As they continued, it didn't take long for Jada to explain the outcome of her separate mission. She informed the squad that she and Alex had successfully located Kabuto and even managed to recruit him into the Leaf Village without a fight.
"He seemed happy to want to meet you, Naruto."
"I bet he is!"
Anyone could tell Naruto internally wanted to talk to Kabuto about Sasuke.
Kakashi was honestly surprised by this. Subduing a rogue operative of Kabuto's caliber through diplomacy was practically unheard of.
"What is Kabuto even going to do?" Alice wondered.
Jada explained that Alex was going to have him join Root. The process to thoroughly integrate him and ensure his loyalty would take a few days, but it would be worth it.
She revealed that Alex also planned to use Kabuto's network to recruit Karin and Jugo, with hopes of eventually finding Suigetsu to complete the set.
"Geez!" Margaret yelled, shaking her head. "Is he trying to make the Leaf OP or somethin'?"
"What's OP mean?" Sakura begged, looking lost.
William and Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at her confusion.
As Jada watched her friends actually laughing on this journey, a warm feeling settled in her chest. The camaraderie was genuine as opposed to her recent conversation. It made her question whether she should reveal her secret.
Should she tell them she could technically pull Arthur out of a bottle and speak to him?
No. Something inside her told her to keep her mouth shut. Now was not the right time to introduce a clone of their greatest enemy.
The rest of the journey was spent with her exclaiming how her recent travels were. She had honestly visited many countries over the last few months, searching for clues, and had never once encountered any real trouble.
Since she always monitored them without invading their privacy, there wasn't anything surprising she hadn't already known.
Naruto became a Jōnin, Sakura was excelling as a medical ninja, and even Kakashi had learned to use his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Most would have thought that Kakashi and Minato would by now try to hunt Obito. They would be right if the two knew where the Akatsuki's lair was. On top of this, Jiraiya was still missing. Add that to the fact Arthur had an army of the walking dead out there; the Leaf Village was trapped trying to untangle everything.
Being on this mission would surely help them unravel this mess.
In just a couple more days, the group finally arrived at the gates of the Sand Village.
A reception committee was already waiting for them: the village elders accompanied by Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.
William slowed his pace as he looked at the assembly. He tapped his chin to ponder aloud, "Wait…"
"What is it, cuz?" Naruto asked, stopping next to him.
"Wasn't something supposed to happen with—"
"The White Fang of the Hidden Leaf!" an elderly voice screamed.
It was Chiyo. By the time the group looked up, the old woman had launched herself into the air, leaping directly to attack Kakashi.
Bang-bang-bang!
Jada and Margaret had caught Chiyo's wrists while deflecting her follow-up strikes to completely neutralize the elder's momentum.
"Lady Chiyo!" Jada urged, holding her ground. "That's not him. Look closely."
When Chiyo landed back on the dirt and adjusted her eyesight, she stared for a moment. Then comically, she let out a raspy laugh, having deliberately mistaken Kakashi for his father, Sakumo.
"You crazy grandma!" Naruto shouted as she continued to laugh. "Why'd you attack my sensei?!"
William smacked his forehead. He had completely forgotten that this was the exact same comedic event meant to happen after Chiyo and Kakashi met for the first time in the original story.
Thankfully Jada and Margaret remembered ahead of time.
Chiyo's brother, Ebizō, eventually stepped forward to bow his head and apologize for his sister's erratic behaviour.
The tension instantly dissolved as the entire group relaxed and became well acquainted with the squad. It honestly hadn't been that long since most of them last saw one another during the interrupted exams, so the bonds and the trust between them were all still fresh.
"We were shocked when we received your letter," Kankuro announced.
"Please, let's talk more about this inside," Gaara urged.
While walking through the sandy streets of the village, William was quite impressed. This was, after all, his first time being here.
Bang!
Margaret had thumped him in the back of the head.
"Owe! What was that for?" he asked.
"Can't have ya daydreaming when this is involving the Akatsuki."
"For cryin' out loud, Marge. We're safe inside the village… Alice would have sensed any danger anyway. Gee, cuz, can ya back me up here?"
But when he looked, he saw Naruto casually talking with Gaara ahead. Once again, William had forgotten how close a bond could be between two Jinchūriki. Especially after it was Naruto who converted Gaara without needing to fight.