I'm still convince Itachi *WILL* show up and Naruto will be *BEATEN*. My personal guess would be Kimimaro hand kyuubi-mode Naruto his first defeat, about to finish him off and Itachi show up and claim this beaten idiot back to Akatsuki. Total lost for leaf, Konoha's next generation crumbles!

ok ok Let's hope Masashi Kishimoto _NOT_ do something stupid like the leaf 5 boy team somehow all manage to get a pathetic victory.