Hah, thou seest the wisdom of following the counsels of they flist?

Yes, I think this was the best chapter in what? the equivalent of several tanks? XD I agree, basically, with most of your predictions. I am waiting to see with the impact of this is on Naruto: like you said, I sympathized with Naruto, but I kept wanting to take him aside and telling him of the sad truth that sometimes you have no choice but to let others make their own mistakes. >_>

I sort of see Sasuke being away from the Leaf for several more arcs, but who knows? I'm just glad to see the Akatsuki plot moving as well.