Naruto 474

[askerian]

It's already up!
http://mangastream.com/read/naruto/474-6/2




1. Sidebar text: "Sai exposes Sakura's true feelings!" Well if the sidebar says so... Oh, that Sai. Second coming of Dr Yamato Love. XD

"Sakura didn't come here to confess her love. She was supposed to tell you the collective decision made by all your former classmates." Nothing we didn't know, but it's nice to have confirmation. I saw SO MANY PEOPLE say "omg how could naruto reject sakura, he must be in denial, her confession was SO sincere and heartfelt!" Umm, no, it was extremely obvious it wasn't. :/
Confirmed twice by Kakashi "I knew something was up" and Naruto "I knew something didn't feel right."

I like Sai's little sideway look ">_>;"
"with everything i've learned I can understand why she acted the way she did."
First yay for Sai learning more about human beings, and second... he looks kind of a little awkward/subdued. ... Guilty maybe? >____>

2. I LOVE Naruto's shocked faces as he hears that his classmates are going to kill Sasuke. LOVE. He does shocked/wounded/angry SO WELL. *_*

3. "And Sakura-chan's okay with it too?! But she loves Sasuke! She wouldn't just--"
Sai: blahblah Sasuke sucks because he's all dark and he sows war like a mean war thing and he wears a stupid cloak with clouds on it, and dump the motherfucker already, i'm right here for you!
I really like how Sai points out that Sasuke went too far and Konoha will not accept him back now. First because if even now they still wanted him back it would be so far past unrealistic, and second because we know it's gonna happen anyway but it's not worth much if it's not done over HUGE roadblocks. I can't wait to see how Kishi's gonna redeem Sasuke in the eyes of Konoha. At this point it'll have to be epic. *crosses fingers*

4. "That's why she came to tell you herself."
o_o DX "So then why didn't she tell me the truth???" Oh, Naruto's ZOMG faces. Sakura-chan manipulated him too ;__;
"Giving up on Sasuke and choosing you was her way to free you from the promise." N'aww. I love how important Naruto has become to Sakura. T^T-b I also love. LOVE. Naruto's hurt and frowny face at the "when you refused to stop trying to save him." He must feel so betrayed. Even Sakura-chan is against him on the Sasuke matter now. Oh the angst. *rolls rolls*

5. "She was only thinking of you." T^T-b
Yamato: But she never intended to tell him the truth in the first place.
Well duh, she knows Naruto well enough to know he'd have been against her.

6. Kakashi: "She plans to kill Sasuke herself."
DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN. *squees*

Okay so I've seen some "omg so arrogant who does she think she is" and some "she loves him so she kills him what logic is that", but actually...

* Since she entirely believes the boy she loved is truly gone and now there's only an evil Konoha-killing shell of a person left behind, and her last teammate might get swept away in the upcoming clusterfuck and then there might be WORLD-WIDE WAR, of course she would feel it's her responsibility to clean up the mess before it gets worse. Sai and Shika have pounded it into her head that there's no other solution and she's a logical person, so she can't let herself cling to "but I don't WANT to!!" Her logic is misguided but she doesn't know that since she doesn't have all the info.

* It's not really all that ZOMG arrogant -- sure, he's 100x stronger at the moment. But 1) she knows how he fights, and she's smart and a medic-nin so maybe with a good plan prepared beforehand she would only need one hit. And 2) he'd never expect it from her. Maybe Sasuke would be so busy thinking she's too weak to bother with that he'd let her get too close. POKE, here's your heart attack, sir.
Besides in Naruto the fights aren't a matter of power levels and nothing else -- there's strategies too, and pitting your strengths against the opponent's weaknesses. That's what Shikamaru's character embodies. It's not totally ridiculous. So in her mind there's a CHANCE she might succeed. (Okay, considering how in love with Sasuke Kishimoto is, actually there is none. But from her point of view behind the fourth wall, there might be.) Additionally even if she thinks the chance is really small, if she really feels she has to do it, she'll try anyway. Look at her fight against Sasori. Fuck the odds man, she'll try her best anyway.

* ... she won't be able to bring herself to it anyway. XD Oh, she might get in a few good hits (if Kishi decides that a girl solo-fighting a guy isn't too horrible for his delicate sensibilities BUUUT) but even if Karin doesn't get in the way or Sasuke doesn't tell her what REALLY happened to the Uchiha clan and how rotten her perfect village's government is, she won't be cold-blooded enough to kill him. I seriously doubt that her zabuza-arc crying her heart out over the guy as she recites the ninja code on how to kill your emotions and be a perfect ninja machine was foreshadowing for her suddenly managing it, after how she recently proved she was still so emotional about him, about Naruto, about everything. (also, Kakashi's insistence that rules are important but people who don't put their comrades over the rules are worse than trash... yyyeah.) Unless she needs thirty chapters to get there, Sasuke's been mindfucked right and left, even if Karin heals him he's exhausted, and he really doesn't expect to see her at the moment. He's not going to be all BWAHAHAHAHAing like a miniature Orochimaru, which is more or less what Sakura believes he's become right now. She'll be able to see through him; she's seen through him so many times before.

I like the idea of Sakura fighting Sasuke -- or at least questioning Sasuke upfront, and harshly. She's loved him for so long on less info than Naruto got, and she needs to reconnect, to refresh her mental picture and drool on his manchest after Karui and Sai tarnishing it. I like the idea of them clashing. Sasuke needs to learn to respect her a little bit more, to realize/be reminded that she's still here and perhaps even get to see what his leaving did to her (in bad and in good), and to see that she can oppose him when she feels she has to. It's good that she opposes him, because no matter his reasons, his path is not good, and if Sakura still wished to follow him on it then she would indeed be a pathetic fangirl who is blinded by her love. She still loves him, but she can see him clearly too, and she won't compromise her core values just to cling to him anymore.

Of course Sakura can't singlehandedly convince him to come back -- I don't even know if she'll make a dent, she's not Naruto -- but for her own character growth she needs to prove she can oppose Sasuke when she thinks he's gone entirely evil, and she needs to see the truth of what happened to him with her own eyes. So a confrontation, actually, that sounds damn perfect to me.


7. Sai and Sakura flashbaaack~~~ Sai "i'm part of team seven you don't have to do it alone"
Sakura: "ah, thanks sai. ^-^"
I love that THIS time around he totally recognized her fake smile for what it was. He's evolving! And he could even understand her motivation, that it was BECAUSE she loved Sasuke. ooh he's all growed up. ;^;

8. Naruto: *moar part 1 flashbacks of cute Sakura smiling at Sasuke*
I'm kinda sad that even in the flashback Sasuke looks so totally cold. Back in part 1 he was a little softer than that.
So Sakura wants to rescue him from his dark path by... killing him. It makes sense -- no, seriously XD in the "if he were still himself he'd want to be stopped before he sinks any lower". There's echoes of mercy killing in there.

9. "Which also means she's willing to let you hate her forever, Naruto."
... this sentence is giving me so much squee I can't even explain all the ways. 1) Sai recognizes and understands that! (okay he was given a refresher course into "killing your loved one means hatred and revenge" with recent village events) 2) It would break my heart so prettily to see Naruto hate Sakura, because I know he'd never stop loving/caring/seeing her as his teammate and the only one who understands the Sasulove even as he can't forgive the sasukilling part and oooo the angst (not that it will happen, but I love the "I love you but I hate you" thing, that's exactly why I loved Uchihacest -- Sasuke unable to stop loving Itachi even after all he did, and resenting him even more for that very reason) 3) oh Sakura T^T

Naruto: *suspicious face* Sai, why are YOU telling me all this? >:(

10. Sai: :( *flashbacks to his "you bitch" no jutsu* um, well, you see i kinda guilt tripped her. ahaha. um. yeah. so... kinda my fault a tiny bit.
Naruto: ... =__= "uh huh..."

oh Sai. Sorry Kishi for doubting youuu. I like that he realizes he hurt Sakura and that he has a part of responsibility in this mess. He really is growing up! ♥
Also, I like that Kakashi is all "naruto's mind must be reeling... what am I gonna do..." he still cares! ... that doesn't take away from his boneheaded decision not to inform Sakura of stuff she friggin needed to know! >( Rarr. But that's probably Kishi being clumsy with the way he kicks off that SakuSasu plot thread... yeah. >_>;; I'm not forgiving him yet, but.

11. oohh Naruto's mental picture of team seven breaking into pieces. T________T ♥ It's darkest before dawn, Naruto! Keep fighting!! ;__;

12. SUNA NINS oh temari you so sexy *_* ... but, um, fishnets in the snow? really? I guess it does get cold in the desert at night, but even so...
DANZOU AND MADARA IN TEH SAME PIC! goodbye "danzoudara" theory. XDDDD Also, they saw each other during the Uchiha massacre, huh? Ohh, I wonder what other cold-hearted ruthless manipulative things Danzou did back then. he really needs to get hit by a younger no jutsu already

13. snowsnow ninjas in the snow~ Congrats on becoming Hokage, Kakashi. I'm sure Naruto doesn't find it awkward at all. XD I hope Kakashi will just be acting-hokage like Danzou was, so that at the end of the series Naruto can be confirmed as rokudaime. Because nanadaime just sounds ugly. >__>;; (or would the seven be pronounced differently in that word?)
I like Temari's "there's no time for politics!" and Yamato's still calling Kakashi "sempai" even as he talks of him becoming Hokage. XDD No matter how high up he goes, he will always be your sempaaai~

14. Gaara: "Just so we're clear this is a war to protect the eight and nine tails. In other words a war to protect YOU." But no pressure. "I, as the kazekage, am putting my life on the line for you." because I love you. no, really, don't feel pressured. also, I apologize that I failed to convince Sasuke to go home to you, but well. What can you do. i'm here? just in case. yeah.
(meanwhile in Konoha Hinata gets "omg new rival!" pings and does not know why.)

15. "And if Sasuke, a member of Akatsuki, stands before me, he'll be shown no mercy." because seriously those cloaks, what. Maybe if he comes naked.
flashback!
"You are like me, Sasuke. especially in your romantic tastes. (...) You must still see that point of light in the distance. it's gold. Like Naruto's hair."
"I shut my eyes a long time ago. it was blinding me."
I understand. You mean I can have him. Thanks, man.

16. "Sasuke has stopped looking for you." ... because he was? He was! IN HIS HEART. Oh gaara, you're such a SasuNaru shipper. ;^;
This page is chock full of NaruGaara goodness. Even the "let's be kages together!!". N'aw. Almost makes me want to ship it. Naruto's 8( face is awesome too.

17. NANANANANANA OLD MEN'S FIIIIGHT

... OMG.

DANZOU HAS A ROBOCLAW.

brb loling forever.

okay, i should have guessed he hadn't LOST his arm, but whoa, and to think at the beginning Danzou came across as the politician who gets others to fight for him and can only attack from the back... Prrt.



Anyway... I have enjoyed this chapter very much. Team Seven angst! Sakura caring about Naruto so much she's willing to let him hate her forever! SasuSaku angstyfights! Naruto getting his heart broken re: the war and re: sasuke again and again! NaruSai! NaruGaara! Mmh.
Oh, and while madara bores and annoys me now he's all "my evil, let me show you it -- nana can't touch me" i can't help but hope the danzou fight will bring up some interesting facts to light -- whether about the past or about a possible way to actually nail that bastard in the face. >__>

Comments

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

"Which also means she's willing to let you hate her forever, Naruto."

BA&T(&2 ny9UG FGHI!!!!!!!! ;___________;

SASUKE. GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING INCREDIBLY REDEEMING RIGHT FUCKING NOW!

[askerian]

YES DAMN IT HURRY UP WE KNOW YOU'RE STILL HERE

right? right?

T__T

[sara-the-lazy.livejournal.com]

Thirded.

Also, yay for awesome wall of text that I agree with. Don't feel like discussing individual points but I must say...

... this is the most enjoyable Naruto chapter I've read in a LONG TIME.


~Sara

[sowell.livejournal.com]

I <3 everything in this post.

[askerian]

I <3 your icon. Socuuute.

[nekokriszty.livejournal.com]

I agree with askerian, it's really cute :3

[questofdreams.livejournal.com]

ANCIFELJSEIFJN UNF SO MUCH YES ♥

[askerian]

♥♥♥♥♥

[yira-heerai.livejournal.com]

XD I hope Kakashi will just be acting-hokage like Danzou was, so that at the end of the series Naruto can be confirmed as rokudaime.

Soon as you said this, I... had the thought that, with the way they're running through Hokages, Naruto might end up being the kyuukage. Fstsk NUMBERS, man 8|

I will proudly admit that I am a NaruGaara shipper, so I just... rolled around in estatic glee for a bit, you know, during that part and your interpretation of it (cause you know he was thinking those things, YOU KNOW HE WAS).

I am also wondering if those little frog freckles on Naruto's nose are going to be permanent. They've been there for quite a bit.

[askerian]

*snickersnort* I wouldn't be surprised at this point. Who would be the eightth though? Shizune? Pffft. XD

It was such a shippy moment. Mmh. I kind of want to make a crack comic now.

I thought the freckly things aren't really freckles, more like an indication that his nose is red from the cold.

[yira-heerai.livejournal.com]

Lol, Shizune XD Gai would be amusing but I HIGHLY doubt that'll happen. I mean... imagine what the first day as Hokage would be like.

Gai: FROM NOW ON, EVERYONE WILL DO 500 LAPS AROUND KONOHA ON THEIR TOES AS PUNISHMENT!!! *Classic Gai Pose*
Village: ...No.
Gai: T______T *handsprings through Forest of Death 1,000 times*

Otherwise, I have no idea unless Konohamaru actually gets to it first in which case, ouch XD; Not very probable, I don't think, but yeah.

That thought hadn't occured to me on the freckly part. Mostly because Naruto's the only one with it when everyone else has to be just as cold as him and he'd been in Sage mode right before everyone arrived. I could also be reading too much into it like I have a tendency to do :P

[bookem-dano.livejournal.com]

Your commentary is amusing and awesome as always XD

I find myself really torn over this chapter though. I think it has a lot to do with the whole Sakura going off by herself to supposedly take out Sasuke-- I just can't get over the arrogance of it, but then I remind myself those were Sai's words and not her own.

Because yeah, she's a lot more skilled than she was and even if she knew Sasuke's fighting style, she's not stupid enough to think it hasn't changed in the three years he's been training under a different teacher. I don't know, I guess it's not exactly something I've been lead to expect from her, though from the very beginning Kishimoto didn't really give her feelings as much depth as he could of imho. If that's her goal, she must have a plan. I can't believe otherwise.

I'm really loving the whole "she was willing to let you hate her forever" deal though *___* guh, they both love Sasuke so much and they both know it ♥ Why can't you work together! Haven't you two learned anything! In a one-on-one fight Sharingan users have the advantage! The only successful way to jump him properly is to double team him!

And Naruto's facial expressions... ♥♥♥!

[kitsune_das]

The only successful way to jump him properly is to double team him!

Thank you, I'm going to have fight!porn in my brain the rest of the day. X3

[bookem-dano.livejournal.com]

ohoho~ you know it's the best kind! XD

[valles-uf.livejournal.com]

Given how hard the 'New Sannin' theme has gotten rocked on, I have a significant, perhaps more than is reasonable, hope that we are going to get to see Sakura demonstrate that yes.

Yes, her training and will and brains are good for something.

Yes, the gynophobic marketroid pointy-hairs that've been snarling up Kishi's take on gender roles will let up.

Yes, the second Queen of Slugs is in the same freakishly jaw-dropping power bracket as her two team mates and has no reason to watch their backs if she doesn't choose to.

And yes, she, Haruno Sakura, has grown up real good and is going to smack a bitch.

At the very least, I hope to spend at least a chapter or two pointing and laughing at Sasuke's 'OhshitwheredthatcomefromImgonnadie!!' face.

[kitchensink13.livejournal.com]

16. "Sasuke has stopped looking for you." ... because he was? He was! IN HIS HEART. Oh gaara, you're such a SasuNaru shipper. ;^;

>> YES, yes. *passes out from too much awesomeness*

[phantomshade]

Oh god, now I wish more than ever that my Internets didn't think that mangastream.com was nonexistent. WHY CAN MY INTERNET NEVER FIND IT?

DAMMIT ONEMANGA, POST SHIT! *headdesks repeatedly*


*impatiently waits for Sasuke self-redeeming moment*

[askerian]

o_o the site's blocked? AUGH. Why? That's so weird. Is it the lack of www. ? Maybe if you added it in the url... I don't know. @_@

[phantomshade]

No, it's not blocked. I've just never been able to get to the site no matter how hard I try. I get links to the URL from Google and it still takes me to a completely different page. It's not even the same page each time. *shrugs*

[askerian]

... how weird. o_o;

I tried to save the pictures to reupload them on photobucket for you, but they put a transparent gif as a protection on top of them so I can't right click save. Frrrgh. ~__~

[phantomshade]

I know. *pokes Internet repeatedly*

It's okay, I'll just wait for OneManga to post a scanslation. It'll only be another day or two, and I've got Epic Summary of Epicness to help hold me over. Gaara's totally a closet SasuNaru fanboy, I just know it. ^_^

[nekokriszty.livejournal.com]

narutofan.com has it up, too! I always go there when onemanga is slooooooooow :3

[phantomshade]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind!

[kitsune_das]

If you're going through Google links and it takes you to a different page everytime, you have a virus. My friend had the same deal blocking her Google searches for YouTube videos. A temporary fix is to click on the link like twenty times as fast as your button will click; that should bypass it and take you there. The real fix, of course, is to take your computer into someone IT and have serious invasive virus-removing surgery done. ;__;

[phantomshade]

Well then thank god I just got a job at a store that does just that.

[akapiratequeen.livejournal.com]

So much love for this chapter and your interpretation. It's like a shipper's dream.

[yoiyami.livejournal.com]

(meanwhile in Konoha Hinata gets "omg new rival!" pings and does not know why.)

Hehe!

This entire chapter was actually pretty exciting, and I am glad I am keeping up with the series now even through the points of wtf?

(... does Garra have black eyes and white pupils on page 13?)

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

Do you think "killing" Itachi (and Orochimaru) will count enough to redeem Sasuke in the eyes of Konoha, or will he have to do something even MORE badass?

[nekokriszty.livejournal.com]

Baah, all the angst, it was just gold. (Like Naruto's hair, yeah :D) Best chapter since the seal went bleed!! and Yondaddy appeared :)

I seriously have never laughed so hard at any of your posts as I have just now. You should totally ship NaruGaa as a crack pairing, everyone would die of too much lulz :D

I'll just go back and reread this again. It was damn hilarious. Gaara <3 love you more than ever!!

[nightambre.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I actually sniffled a little bit during this. This has been the most enjoyable chapter I've read in a long time. I'm actually beginning to like Sai a little bit...haha.

And Danzou...all I could think of is an old Adam Sandler skit... "I'm comin' outta the booth...!" (It's 5 in the morning for me, I"m excused e.e)

[marikunin.livejournal.com]

*spazzes at the entire post/chapter* ....*goes BWAHAHA at everything and runs to write fanfic*

[(Anonymous)]

God, I was starting to feel like giving up on Naruto these last few weeks... This chapter brought me back on enjoy-level :)

Somehow, I believe Sakura's got a big fight in front of her, one where she proves how she has surpassed Tsunade the way her other teammates surpassed their masters. Also, there's been a lot of foreshadowing about her abilities (Tsunade claimed Sakura's genjutsu and chakra control was undeveloped, so that means we're gonna see it grow sometime soon).

Thing is, both Naruto and Sasuke had their sudden growth and outfit change, and now it's her turn.

[nothri.livejournal.com]

1. Well, goddamn. Its one thing for the evil not-hokage with the creepy spliced in Uchiha bits to advocate Sasuke hating, its entirely another for the rest of the village to. Ouch.

2. Why do I get the impression he ain't going along with this?

3. I like this turn of events too, but I'm getting bad oompa loompa vibes here. As in- Sasuke might only get redeemed in death as things continue.

4. Good stuff. Its nice to have the dynamics shaken up. Sakura and Naruto have been tight (at least in a brother-sister-comrade sorta way) for awhile now. Having some much needed tension reinserted into that relationship will make for some fresh storytelling at a time when the plot feels a little thin.

5. And maybe she also knows herself well enough to know that if she gives Naruto the opportunity, he'll talk her down. She's got enough of her own doubts and heartbreak to silence without falling prey to Naruto's 'impassioned speech no jutsu'.

6. I'd add to that list that of the characters in this manga, she's still one of the most powerful despite her character getting downplayed for most of this plot. Out of the folk that could possibly confront Sasuke and win, she's in my top three (the others being Naruto and Shikamaru). One punch and your dead, stamina pills, and poison techniques....these things can even the odds pretty heavily.

7. Sai has, by and large, taken an unusually and welcome proactive role in the story. That's nice because he's been largely a breathtaking nonentity in these chapters since the LAST time Naruto and Sasuke had a chat.

8. Won't do a thing to improve Sasuke's "people who love me trying to kill me" complex, however. Even if at this point he kinda has it coming. Seriously boy, take your advice from someone other than a fucking supervillain.

9-11. Not much to add here except that I agree.

12. I'm pretty sure hot chicks in skimpy outfits are immune to cold in anime. That or the cold results in them needing to get into even skimpier outfits by way of warming back up.

13. Heh. I'm not sure I'd be able to keep my compsure so well if I was just told I was now president. Granted, slightly blunted enthusiasm if I was president right on the brink of World War 3, but still.

14-16. Is it just me or is Gaara's little speech here deliberately ambigious? Sure, you can take him to be saying "Look, I tried to reach Sasuke, he's a lost cause, as a would-be Hokage you know your duty is to fall in line and take him out. If he shows up, I'm gonna kill him to protect you". Or he could be saying, "Look, I'm a kage. I know the weight of that office, and I know the desire and burden of trying to protect even the worst of your people. Sasuke is in darkness. I tried to reach him and I failed. If he can be saved yet, your the only one who can do it. So as one kage to another, I'm forgiving you for doing whatever you have to do to save your friend. Even if it means buggering off while we're not paying attention."

[charcoalcat.livejournal.com]

re:14-16.- Yes! I got that vibe from Gaara. It could go either way but it seemed like he was saying more than was actually spoken. I'm hoping that a second person picking up on that vibe weighs it in more toward the second option rather than wishful thinking on my part. *crosses fingers*

[charcoalcat.livejournal.com]

Oh Asuka, always you make me ded with the laffing. ^_^ ~♥

So, oddly enough, while there was plot going on elsewhere, I was over in a corner shipping SaiGaara a little bit. Random, yeah. But! It would be super adorable for Sai to call Gaara 'sensei'. *leers* But seriously, Gaara is uber-strong in the ways of emotion these days and Sai-grasshopper has much to learn. Although I do feel he deserves a cookie for his progress, as shown in this chapter.

Really, what else is Naruto's fanclub gonna do with themselves once Sasuke is FINALLY home for good? They can't compete with that. ;^;

[mezzo-marinaio.livejournal.com]

Well, seems like Sakura's finally understood how to get over Sasuke's apparent asexuality! :D

The trick is to beat him around a little - a sure way to give him a boner. It won't make him care for you, of course - but then we know Sasuke already cares for Sakura, so the boner is really all she needs at this point. XD

I'm also glad Sai is kinda taking responsability for his guilt-trip... it was a really shitty move on his part, and it also ruined my view of SaiSaku because it gave off the feeling he didn't give a shit about her. :( I'd still like it if he told her he's sorry, though. Perhaps later.

And Naruto! My poor Naruto. :((( I love the way Kishi is upping the drama in the latest chapters... it really feels like we're coming closer to a resolution, and Team 7 togetherness! :D Naruto and Sasuke's meeting will be the greatest yaoi-fest ever, I can feel it in my bones. ♥♥♥

Still slightly miffed about the way Kishi's pushing the plot along, though... seriously, keeping important information from Sakura just for drama's sake? Cheap, Kishi. I do love that she'll probably get clued in in a more dramatic fashion, but it makes her teammates look like dicks for no good reason. :( And what about the Sand siblings in this chapter? No one felt like disclosing anything about the fact that Zetsu plopped in in the middle of the conference just to inform them that Sasuke was nearby? Suspicious much? Apparently not.

Gaah, I hate plot-caused stupidity. -_-

Nanadaime does sound bad... I guess it could also be pronounced Shichidaime? XD

[araine.livejournal.com]

TEEAAMMM SEEVVEENNNNN~
<3333

Ohman. This Sakura arc. I am so excited. IDEK. THIS MAY EVEN RESTORE MY FAITH??!!

I think that Naruto may actually become Nanadaime (although if I am correct in my counters, it could just as equally be Shichidaime, which sounds a lot better. Err that is, if it operates under the same rules at the counter -dai, but I don't actually know that!) Just to click with Japanese number sensibilities.
After all, Seven is the luckiest of numbers, so it would make a lot of thematic sense... and things.

ALSO
NARUSAI
/eyehearts

[roku-kitty.livejournal.com]

AHHHS83JRKD7GS.

I was ready to be so angry at Sakura for this chapter, but you've reminded me how good she still is. =3=

part 1

[garmiet.livejournal.com]

I saw SO MANY PEOPLE say "omg how could naruto reject sakura, he must be in denial, her confession was SO sincere and heartfelt!" Umm, no, it was extremely obvious it wasn't. :/
Really? I saw nobody say that! If anything, I heard a lot of raging at either Sakura or the creator or both. I wasn't one of the ragers, and I wasn't sure if Sakura was sincere or not (I was leaning towards not). Still -- we tend to see what we want to see. I see boy-love, but I doubt it's really the case in there; it's just what I want to be the case. =)

he looks kind of a little awkward/subdued. ... Guilty maybe? >____>
Guilty. ^^ (*loves Sai*) ♥

and dump the motherfucker already, i'm right here for you!
LOL! XDD

T^T-b
What's that? (Actually, I can't figure out simply T^T either. It seems similar to T_T but what's with the ^ ?)

Okay so I've seen some "omg so arrogant who does she think she is" and some "she loves him so she kills him what logic is that", but actually...
The second one's a little more understandable, but the first one sounds like an excuse to use so they can hate on her. Kind of a she-can't-win-cuz-I-don't-like-her-and-never-will thing. I can already understand a little about why she wants to kill Sasuke herself (I sympathize with a lot; hell, I sympathize with MADARA a little bit, for crying out loud), but the second question isn't too unreasonable.

POKE, here's your heart attack, sir.
Lol. "Uchiha Sasuke. Heart-attack. [insert date & time]. A pressure point in his body is hit and it causes his death within the minute."

So in her mind there's a CHANCE she might succeed.
Hell, there's even less of a chance (BUT A CHANCE NONETHELESS!!) that Sasuke will see the light and REPENT if it's her. (I'm just being silly. I seriously doubt that'll happen, but anything's possible. Just keeping all cards on the table. Never discount anything. I can't stop defending myself....)

Actually, I'm a little curious to see a battle between Sasuke and Sakura. I don't want Sasuke to get killed or captured and THEN killed, but I can't really remember seeing him fight a girl. He's defended against them, sure, but ... it's just some dumb thing I'm fascinated with.

Sasuke needs to learn to respect her a little bit more, to realize/be reminded that she's still here and perhaps even get to see what his leaving did to her (in bad and in good), and to see that she can oppose him when she feels she has to.
That too.

Of course Sakura can't singlehandedly convince him to come back -- I don't even know if she'll make a dent, she's not Naruto ...
Like I said, didn't think so.

I love that THIS time around he totally recognized her fake smile for what it was. He's evolving!
(*loves Sai*) ♥ And Sakura's smile actually reminded me a bit of how Naruto smiles sometimes when he tells people not to worry about him.

okay he was given a refresher course into "killing your loved one means hatred and revenge" with recent village events
LOL!! XDDD Love the way you phrase things!

YOU READ UCHIHACEST??? What are the best ones?!

part 2 (sorry, I can't shut up)

[garmiet.livejournal.com]

Naruto: *suspicious face* Sai, why are YOU telling me all this? >:(
Heh -- to me, it wasn't so much suspicious as a little overwhelmed and settling on confused. Naruto had ZOMG!reaction after ZOMG!reaction all within an hour and kind of rapid-fire when it comes to each thing Sai says. I mean, kind of like he's just a little bewildered. Just not in the comical way.

Sai: :( *flashbacks to his "you bitch" no jutsu* um, well, you see i kinda guilt tripped her. ahaha. um. yeah. so... kinda my fault a tiny bit.
Naruto: ... =__= "uh huh..."
But after looking at that page again after reading this ... maybe he was suspicious.

Sorry Kishi for doubting youuu.
Lol, you're not the only one. I've seen a lot of people that aren't even coming back up like you. But can you imagine the popularity rating of him and the story by the weeks?

oohh Naruto's mental picture of team seven breaking into pieces. T________T ♥ It's darkest before dawn, Naruto! Keep fighting!! ;__;
Ditto. My initial thought was "TOTAL DESPAIR OH NO!" but thinking back a bit, I think, "... what a freakin' mess. How the hell'm I 'sposed to fix this?"

DANZOU AND MADARA IN TEH SAME PIC! goodbye "danzoudara" theory. XDDDD
Yup! That answers that! No possible way! ^_^ .............. (((What if they were split into two people?)))

Heh -- when Yamato said, "Well let's just call you Hokage, we know everyone already likes it, and if they don't too bad," I loved it how Kakashi gave him that look over his shoulder and said (kinda), "... No way to argue there. Thanks." Almost like he'd rather not have taken the job if there was a reasonable excuse. "We're in a crisis. There's no time for stupid stuff. You're reasoning is good enough, so I'll take the job.... My conscience tells me I don't have a choice, so I can't argue with you. Thanks." (I can't word it right, you're better at it than I am. But it was like a really subtle undertone of not really appreciating being made Hokage on the spot, and I found it really amusing.)

"You are like me, Sasuke. especially in your romantic tastes. (...) You must still see that point of light in the distance. it's gold. Like Naruto's hair."
"I shut my eyes a long time ago. it was blinding me."
LMFAO!! XDDDDD

;^;
Yeah, what's that little ^ ?

Naruto's 8( face is awesome too.
Socute! ♥

I have enjoyed this chapter very much.
Yay! I wasn't sure you would, actually. But I'm glad you did. ^^

i can't help but hope the danzou fight will bring up some interesting facts to light -- whether about the past or about a possible way to actually nail that bastard in the face. >__>
Huh. Hadn't thought of that. Good point. Makes me curious. (Lol for the last part, by the way. XD)

[sakurananachan.livejournal.com]

wow!!! i have lots of things in my mind after reading the manga
it was a super amazing chapter!!! i'm loving where kishimoto sensei seems to be taking this!
love to all of this angst and fight!!

[kitsune_das]

You have said everything I have to say, but for one thing:

As someone who has hated the living fucking hell out of Sai's entire character from the beginning, this chapter was amazing. The last several (okay like 50-100 idk I'm not keeping track anymore) have been slowly making me not hate him, at least, because I hated him for being an unfeeling little bitch that was ruining the dynamic and trying to replace Sasuke and blah, blah, blah (despite that yes, I know it was good for the plot, I still hated the character).

This chapter? I think this chapter's actually made me like him now. Bwah. ♥

[(Anonymous)]

Ah, silly Sakura. You think being able to use walls as throwing weapons and all the medical jutsu in the world will be able to scratch Sasuke?

You're not Naruto, love. But don't worry, your tragic beating will no doubt give Naruto the strength he needs to preservere. I'm sure that's almost as good. Right?

-- Guile

[tigerhawk102.livejournal.com]

Sakura is defiantly going to do at least a little ass kicking. With the theme of three that's been going on, it's obvious. She'll kick Karin's ass at the very least, i think.
Also, the version i read had a slightly different translation (onemanga?). In the one i read, Garaa said "Naruto... just so you know, this will be a war to protect the hachibi and kyubi... in other words, you. For the sake of the ninja world... and as the Kazekage, I will guard you with my life." That comes off as a lot less accusatory and a whole lot more 'i love you, you're important, be safe, i'll die for you.' Man, Garaa is so in love with Naruto. I'm no longer confused at how little effort he put in to trying to convince Sasuke.
Again, during Garaa's flashback: We have walked through the darkness of this world... that's why we are able to see even a sliver of light. Both back then... and even now. aka why both have our redemption offered to us via Naruto (the light of our lives)
aaaaaaaaand the last- in this Garaa doesn't say 'he stopped looking for you' but 'Sasuke doesn't even see you. He only longs for his own darkness.'
This translation of what Garaa says makes SOOOO much more sense. I think he's more a NaruGaraa shipper than a NaruSasu shipper, at heart.

[riznao.livejournal.com]

I totally love your post!

The plot Kishi is giving us is shipping the shonen-ai that is not so secretly involved in the entire manga xD

The last chapters looks like a story of a fanfiction ¡really!. All the drama and the Sasuke-centric feelings of Sakura and Naruto and the conflict.

OMG I totally love Kishimoto even more now :D

...wow.

[boreal-forest.livejournal.com]

I FUCKING LOVE YOU! *dying of LOL*

XDDDD!!

[lyra-star.livejournal.com]

When i read this chapter all that was running in my head was, GOD PLEASE DON'T LET SAKURA AND SASUKE GET TOGETHER IN THE END!!!!! But then in my head there was the monologue of, well if that's the case then Naruto would have Sai and Naruto would actually be happy for his two friends' happiness. But then my mind goes on to say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! IF SAKURA IS TO END UP WITH ANYONE IT SHOULD BE NARUTO! and then my mind rebels against that idea and wants Naruto and Sasuke to end up together... There is so much of it already, so why not just let them get together. In my ideal world they will be together walking to the sunset holding hands (not quite!!!!)

But i really really don't want Sasuke and Sakura to end up together.. I can't even explain my reasoning on that, but NOOOOOOOOO!!!! I have adverse reaction to all that Sasuke/Sakura T-T

I hope I am not offending anyone by saying this, anyone else is more than welcome to pair them together seriously, this is just me >