The argument over who would go sounded like a nest of crows at dusk.
Naruto was the first to jump up, his neck stiff and blond hair bristling, insisting on coming along. Kakashi, his eyelids drooping, shut him down with a single sentence: "Your chakra control still needs work. In a place like that, the Nine-Tails' presence would stand out like a bonfire in the dark." Naruto's face fell as though someone had stolen his last orange slice.
Sai was quiet, standing in the corner with that standard, slightly unsettling smile, offering that his "analytical abilities and drawing skills might prove useful." No one responded. Who knew whether his Root secret techniques would even work somewhere the rules themselves were warped?
The final selection had a weary precision to it. Kakashi would lead; there was no alternative. His experience as a veteran of the Anbu and his versatile use of the Sharingan were crucial. Ling was their essential "compass," so he couldn't escape it. Besides... he knew perfectly well that Flying Thunder God might be the only reliable means of getting around in a hellhole like this. Sakura Haruno would come along, with the Medical Ninjutsu and Chakra Enhanced Strength she had learned directly from Tsunade providing insurance. When it mattered, she could both fight and heal. Shino Aburame's insects had shown some resistance against the Sacred Lord's lesser derivatives before, so they might serve as an early-warning system. The last spot went to Kankuro, a puppet master who could operate from well outside the danger zone and provide ranged fire support.
It was hardly an impressive lineup, even a little shabby. But after weighing every risk and ability, it was the best solution they could put together.
Before they left, Tsunade pressed a small green scroll radiating a rich