The villagers under Sakura's guide arrived at the battle spot. They widened their eyes in shock - all that was left, were some broken trees, bloody ground, and Sasuke lying there, stained in blood! Sakura shrieked and ran up to him.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Are you alright? Let me heal you!" 

She quickly examined his wounds. Sasuke coughed out blood:

"I'm... fine. They... took him... took... Naruto."

"We need to find him!" Hinata got worried.

"We will," they heard the Hokage's voice. Everybody looked at Kakashi. "Shikamaru, Hinata, you will go and retrieve Naruto."

"I will go too, Lord Hokage, please approve."

Sasuke winced and leaned on his hands, lifting himself.

"But you're not healed, Sasuke!" Sakura cried.

"That's not important." Sasuke frowned. "I know where they went."

"Hmm, then I guess you will need a medical ninja beside you as well. Sakura, you and Sasuke will join Shikamaru and Hinata on this mission," Kakashi decided, "Retrieve Naruto and be careful. These ninjas, as you've told me, and as the evidence proves, have shown a lot of capabilities unknown to us. We will investigate it while you're away."

"Got it!" 

Shikamaru helped Sasuke get up. They all jumped off and ran, with Sasuke guiding them.

"Lord Hokage, who would those strange ninjas be?" Ino asked.

"I'm not quite sure, but that fir-needle sign of theirs might give us a clue."