《Naruto: The Otherworldly Cultivator》 Chapter 01: Another Chance Chapter 01: Another Chance Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 01: Another Chance His eyes opened, and he was welcomed by the vision of a white ceiling. Pushing past the stage of confusion, he tried to make sense of the situation. He was sure he had died during that last battle. After all, he went as far as burning his life force and detonating his own body...all was done, to prevent his enemies from acquiring any of his secrets. ''But...how am I alive then?'' A terrible thought came to mind...what if they found a way to stop his death and now he has been captured...waiting for his torture to commence. He felt very weak, but with some effort, he was able to move his head a bit. ''What?...they didn''t bind me?...'' He could not believe this. He was just comfortably lying on a bed without a single restraint placed on him. The door then opened, and a woman dressed in white came into the room. She gasped in shock when she saw him awake. "I-I''ll go call the doctor!" ''Who was that?...doctor?...'' The rest of his body did not seem to respond to him. So, with only his head, he started to look around the room. There wasn''t much to see. Basic furniture, some chairs, a table, and a glass cabinet in one corner. The window''s curtains were closed, so he couldn''t glimpse outside, but by the light coming in, he could tell it must be around the middle of the day. Finally, he gave his own body another look and found something unusual. It looked shorter and much thinner than he remembered. Those old masters were able to leave behind more than just words on a manuscript but also images and even feelings, making it easier to comprehend their contents. But this was a lot more chaotic. The memories were disorganized and scrambled together with no apparent rhythm or reason. The bombardment of information continued for almost ten minutes, and when it ended, it left him with a terrible headache. Disregarding the pain, he closed his eyes and began working on organizing all that information. The key to his current situation must be somewhere in there. An unknown amount of time passed, during which he did not open his eyes or move an inch. When he was finally done, he looked to be baffled at his situation. Moving his eyes upwards, he caught a glimpse of some blonde strands of hair. "This can''t be happening...this is not my body." But as difficult as it was to accept...the doctor had referred to him as Uzumaki. The memories he had were from a boy known as Uzumaki Naruto, who lived his entire life in this village where warriors called ninjas were trained. He attended the academy until very recently when he failed to graduate. A teacher named Mizuki laid a trap for him and tried to kill him after making him steal some important treasure from the village leader. That was the last event in those memories. So it must be the last thing that happened to him before...waking up here. The fastest way to confirm this would be to take a look in the mirror. There was a small one attached to the cabinet in the corner, but he couldn''t move his muscles... ''Wait...'' As he was concentrating on his body, he noticed there was still a lot of energy circulating through his spiritual veins. ''My dantian is still here! No, wait...if I''m not in my body, this cannot be my dantian.'' But it was still pleasant to find out he had one... although the energy coursing through it felt very unusual. Chapter 02: A New World Chapter 02: A New World Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 02: A New World ''What is this? I can detect several elements mixed in...there''s also pure yang and pure yin energy, as well as traces of something else...'' How could he be alive with this mesh of energies inside his body? How do they cultivate their bodies without destroying them? The door opened again, and two different people came inside. One was an old man he recognized from the memories he just received. This person was the village leader... the Hokage. ''He seems to have a personal interest in the owner of this body as he had visited him several times even though they are not related.'' The other person was a tall blonde man with strange blue eyes. He wore a protector on his forehead with the symbol of the village, giving away his identity as a ninja. "Hello, Naruto. I''m so glad to see you recovering...you gave us all quite the scare..." the Hokage said with a warm smile. "Greetings...Lord Hokage." He wasn''t sure how to address this man, so he opted for the safest option. But after seeing the way his face changed, he realized it may have been a mistake. "Naruto...the doctor is concerned that you have suffered some mental damage on top of your physical injuries. This person at my side is Yamanaka Inoichi. His clan specializes in mind techniques. With your consent, he can delve into your mind and perhaps find out what the damage is." "Into my mind?" ''Wouldn''t that allow him to see that I am not the person he thinks I am?...that would be dangerous. I am in no position to defend myself here...and I do not even know where I am.'' "Is that necessary?" He pretended to be afraid of the procedure. "I won''t go too deep. I will only be looking at your surface memories to see how they look," Inoichi assured him. <><><><><><><><><><> The Hokage had wanted to send a ninja to accompany him home, but he assured him he still remembered his way home. It wasn''t completely true. He had some memories of the apartment but no idea of where exactly it was located. It didn''t matter to him, as he just wanted to spend some time alone and walk through this village of Konoha that he now finds himself in. It was at this moment, walking on the streets and looking at the strange people and buildings, that he could truly acknowledge he was in a completely different world. It wasn''t just that he woke up as a different person, there was much more to it. The buildings were not just bizarre to him but also contained many pieces of technology he was not familiar with. It all looked so advanced...like thousands of years ahead of his time. He also noticed that the villagers would give him occasional glances, and when they did, their eyes were filled with hatred. ''What could this boy have done to all these people to earn such a level of hostility?'' Perhaps it was not about him but his family or his background. He was aware of his current status as an orphan, something that he was truly grateful for. ''I cannot imagine having to pretend to be a good son to people I know nothing about....it is better this way.'' After wandering the streets for three hours, he spotted a familiar neighborhood...and soon enough, he caught a glimpse of his apartment. He opened the door with the keys he had been given and went inside, only to then remember he forgot to buy supplies. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket. Before leaving the hospital, a ninja came to visit him and gave him some money to buy food, clothes, or whatever he needed for the rest of the month. He wouldn''t get paid until he started officially working as a ninja, so the Hokage had been giving him money, as well as this apartment. The previous owner of this body never seemed to question those things...but it was certainly strange. ''Why is someone so important giving me so much attention?'' He walked to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. ''There has to be something special about this boy...'' Chapter 03: In Bad Shape Chapter 03: In Bad Shape Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 03: In Bad Shape "What are you doing here?" A young man wearing the Konoha bandana called out to him when he tried to get past the door. "Huh? Am I not allowed? I have been told these were the training grounds of the village." Naruto pointed ahead. There was a large forest area locked behind a gigantic wall and a large door with the number 44 on it. "Are you trying to die?..." The young ninja stared at him in shock. "Behind that door is training ground 44! That one is massive and filled with dangerous beasts. Even a Chunin would not dare to enter there without proper preparation...not to mention, a troublemaker like you." No one had mentioned this to him when he asked... "Fine..." He sighed. "I just need a quiet place to train a bit. Where can I go? Oh, and I am not a civilian...from what the Lord Hokage told me, I have successfully graduated from the academy and will become a genin soon enough." "You managed to graduate?!" The ninja was shocked to hear that. "You seem to know me..." Naruto pointed out. He had no memories of this young man, not even fragmented ones. "Everyone knows you! You are always causing problems and pulling pranks on the villagers," he shouted. ''A troublemaker?...is that who I became?'' He was still considering if his current situation was a gift from some god who wanted to give him a second chance or...a punishment... It was still hard to tell, but it would all depend on whether this body had any talent for martial arts. According to the identification he found while searching his apartment, he was just fifteen years old. That was also the age he had when he entered his first sect. Back then, he was just a useless boy from a farming village. His life at the sect was not a pleasant one. By making resources very limited, the rules of that sect only favored the strong. If you did not have the strength to protect your valuables, they would be taken away by others. This included not only cultivation resources but even food and water. That was the life at the outer sect. ''If I hadn''t found the Golden Scripture in those ruins...my existence would have been a terrible one...as well as a very short one.'' The Scripture was also the reason for eventually being hunted down. After its existence became common knowledge, everyone in all Murim wanted to get their hands on it. "Do I still have it with me?" He wondered if it had somehow followed him into this life as well. The Golden Scripture was considered by many as a divine artifact that could become attached to the soul of its user, traveling with them forever. So it was very likely that it was still somewhere in him. "There is only one way to find out..." Naruto closed his eyes and focused on entering his inner mind. This was something he had done so many times before. The inner mind was a mystical space where one could interact with the metaphysical and with one''s own soul. Darkness enveloped him. Slowly...shapes started forming around him, creating a structure... "What is this?..." Since this body was still so young, he was expecting a completely empty space, or at least mostly empty. But instead, he found himself in some kind of underground structure filled with running water. "What is this place? And who did this?" Chapter 04: The Uninvited Guest Chapter 04: The Uninvited Guest Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 04: The Uninvited Guest "Is this a sewer?!" he said with shock. He had seen these kinds of structures beneath capital cities. They were used to move around water and... ''waste.'' "Why is there something like this inside my mind?!" he shouted with anger, as if this was someone''s idea of a joke. After calming down slightly, he decided to get to the bottom of this. His eyes moved to the water at his feet. It was flowing deeper into the sewer, getting lost in the distant darkness. "There is something that way..." He could feel a power source of energy ahead of him. After walking for almost two minutes in this dark sewer, he arrived at a large chamber. "This must be the actual core...why didn''t I appear here to begin with?... huh?" He spotted something strange. In a corner of the chamber was a massive cage made of black metallic bars. It was not possible to see what was inside as it was all too dark. The entire place only had a few scarce torches in it. Upon closer inspection of the cage, he spotted some pieces of paper placed where the keyhole should be. "Mmm...this looks like a talisman or a ch" His instincts warned him of an attack when he felt a strong fluctuation of the energy source inside the cage. Naruto hurriedly stepped away from the cage just in time to avoid a gigantic claw that crashed against the bars. A pair of red eyes appeared from the darkness, accompanied by a menacing growl. "Mmm...you are not answering my questions...why should I answer yours?" The demon growled in response, clearly not liking his refusal to answer. "Demon Fox...you seem to think that we are in an even situation. You don''t tell me anything, and I will do the same...but remember that YOU are the one trapped." The demon snarled. "And how long do you think you can keep me here? A few decades?... Humans have short lives. Me, on the other hand?... I am eternal! One day, you will die, and I will escape!" The demon shouted before smashing his claws against the bars. Naruto smiled. "Eternal...what a joke. We will see about that." He had heard enough from this demon, so he turned around and left the cage room. ''Hey, human! Come back here!'' the demon fox called, but he was ignored. Naruto returned to the corridor where he had first entered, and upon further inspection, he found a small door on the side of one of the walls. It was easy to miss as it had the same color and texture as the rest of the walls. "This must be it...the real core of my Inner Mind..." He pushed the door open and walked inside. "What a sight..." This was more like what he was expecting. Most of the space was empty. A small pool filled with some bluish liquid occupied the middle of the place. But the important part was the golden book floating above the pool of liquid. It wasn''t much of a book. More like a thin pamphlet with a couple of pages. That didn''t matter to him at this moment. "It is here..." Naruto smiled. "As long as I have this...I will be fine." Chapter 05: The Library Chapter 05: The Library Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 05: The Library Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha until he found the building he was looking for...the library. As much as he would like to start his training now that he knew he was in possession of one of his old treasures, the truth was that he lacked too much knowledge about this strange world he found himself in. The energies used by the humans here to train were somewhat different from what he was familiar with. Trying to use his old methods without thinking twice would certainly be very dangerous. He first needed to learn as much as he could about how things work in this new world before he could move forward. And the best place to do so should be here... "What are you doing here?! Get out!" He had only taken a few steps past the entrance door when an old lady approached him with a deep frown on her face. Naruto lifted his gaze to look at her. "I''m here to read some books..." He gave her what should have been an obvious answer. After all, what else could he be doing in a library? "Reading?...you?!" She gave him an expression of disgust. "You must be here for one of your nasty pranks. Well, not in my library! Now, get out of here before I call the guards." "Excuse me? You can''t bar me from entering here. This is a public library, and I have not caused any trouble here. Go ahead and call the guards if you want. I will present a formal complaint against you." Naruto walked past the angry old hag. "Tsk!...if you even talk a bit too loud, I''m kicking you out! You hear me?!" the old lady shouted. Naruto turned his head to glance at her. ''Is she going to try and kick me out?'' he wondered. Even though it didn''t seem like this girl had any hostile intentions, unlike that other woman from before. "Is there something specific that you need help finding?" Her eyes moved over the books on the table. "You won''t find much information about ninja-related matters, other than books about history and dissertations about the wars." "How so?" This village appeared to have been created with the sole purpose of housing these ninjas. It was strange to him that it didn''t have more to say about them. The librarian smiled. "This is a civilian library. Most information related to ninjas is considered classified." Naruto understood it then. ''So this place must be only for civilians then...I must find a ninja library.'' "Can you tell me w" "The ninja library is inside the Hokage building. But..." She glanced at his empty forehead. He had not started wearing his bandana yet. "Only official ninjas can access it. And the amount of information you are given access to will depend on your rank." "I understand...." He wouldn''t be able to use that one until he was officially recognized as a ninja. "But...aren''t you an academy student? There is a large library there that you can use. Of course, it is not as complete, but it should have whatever you are trying to learn now. Is it for a test?" "The academy library..." He had almost no memories of that place, so it didn''t even occur to him that there should have been a library there. After all, that is a place for learning. ''Even if I have already graduated, they should grant me access to it.'' "Thank you, Miss." Naruto gave the lady a bow of gratitude and left the library after placing all the books in their appropriate locations. The young librarian stood there, looking at the door with a thoughtful expression. "Were you watching him? Did he steal anything?" the old librarian spoke furiously. The young one shook her head. "He was well-behaved the whole time...are you sure he is a troublemaker like people say?" "Tsk! Don''t let this deceive you! That boy is a demon!" Chapter 06: Back at the Academy Chapter 06: Back at the Academy Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 06: Back at the Academy "N-Naruto?! I was not expecting to see you here." He recognized the young ninja in front of him. There were a lot of memories about him in his mind... "Greetings, Professor Iruka." The young man looked at him with a complicated expression on his face. "I''m sorry for not being able to visit you while you were in the hospital...I just got my release yesterday and they told me that you had already left...." Naruto noticed that the professor still had many bandages on several parts of his body. The Hokage didn''t want to give him many details about what happened. But from what he was able to figure out, the previous owner of this body was attacked by a former professor of this academy who betrayed the village and obtained some secret information. Professor Iruka came to help him and they both fought the traitor, resulting in both of them ending up in the hospital. Of course, he was the only one who knew that the boy known as Naruto ended up dying from those injuries...allowing his soul to inhabit its broken body. "What happened to that professor?" he asked. Iruka''s face changed to a frown. "Mizuki, he...he was taken into custody but his injuries were too severe and he died..." He then looked at Naruto and his expression softened. "You don''t have to worry about him anymore, Naruto...Oh, but don''t tell anyone what I just told you. This matter related to Mizuki is still Class A information. Very classified."Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com "I understand." ''So the traitor is dead...one less thing to worry about, I suppose. I wonder what kind of secrets he was trying to steal...and who he was working for.'' He still knew next to nothing about this world or its history. But it makes sense for a village such as this one to have many enemies. Naruto tried to ignore the stares as he read and focused on his task. ''Eventually, they''ll realize that I have no interest in performing any sort of prank...I hope.'' He was at least pleasantly surprised to find several books that went more in-depth in their explanations about chakra and its usage. His first impression had been a correct one. Chakra is a combination of the yin and yang energies. Except that they call them Spiritual energy and Physical energy. Once combined inside the dantian, or chakra core, this energy flows through the body using a chakra pathway system, also known as ki veins. Ninjas then release this chakra from one of the 361 nodes to produce diverse effects. All of their ninja techniques are based on this principle. ''It doesn''t sound too difficult to learn but it will take some time to get used to this...'' He then found a scroll containing a technique to practice one''s chakra control that consisted of using a leaf. The leaf would be placed near a chakra node, and one would need to circulate the appropriate amount of energy through it in order to keep it stuck to the body. Too much and the leaf would burn. Too little and it would fall. "Excuse me...Professor Iruka?" Naruto raised his hand to gain the young ninja''s attention. "Yes?" Iruka was still surprised by the fact that he had spent the last hour watching Naruto reading in silence...and he did it without anyone forcing him. "Is there a place where I can go practice this?" Naruto showed him the scroll. "The leaf exercise?...you always hated that one..." Iruka came out of his stupor. "I mean...you are free to use the academy training facilities all you want. Just make sure to leave before seven P.M." "Great then...I''ll take my leave for today." Naruto gave Iruka and the librarian a quick bow and left the room after placing the reading materials back in their places. Iruka stood there, not very sure of what to think. "He wants to practice now?..." All he could think was that if this was a prank, it was the most elaborate that Naruto had ever done. Chapter 07: Rapid Improvements Chapter 07: Rapid Improvements Disclaimer: "Dialogue" for new novels ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 07: Rapid Improvements "And... you say he''s been doing that for a week?" the worried Hokage asked. "Yes... every day for a week already. He comes here first thing in the morning, visits the library, spends several hours reading books and scrolls in silence, and then he comes to the yard for practice..." Iruka explained the strange behavior he noticed in Naruto since the previous week, when he came to visit. "Mmm..." The old man peeked from around the corner. Naruto was currently practicing the Bunshin jutsu in complete focus. He realized that the resulting clone was very much perfect. "I thought he was incapable of using that jutsu..." Iruka nodded. He also found it strange. "He could do the other two, but the Bunshin always came out wrong because he didn''t have enough control over his chakra... this has always been the one thing that held him back." "But now he can do it with no problems. How is that possible?" The Hokage asked. "On the first day, he spent several hours practicing the leaf exercise. And I must say... by the end of it, he had perfected it completely. He could hold a dozen leaves on his body with no problems." "So, he had been practicing his chakra control..." The Hokage knew well enough why Naruto had problems controlling his chakra flow. He always had to work with a big handicap after all... "It wasn''t just his chakra control..." Iruka whispered. His face filled with worry. "What is it?" The old man asked. "I have looked through all the books Naruto has been reading over the last week. There are a few missing, but for the most part, he had gone through the entire academy curriculum. And not just the theory but also the practice. Other than the leaf exercise... Naruto had perfected his taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, and the three academy ninjutsus, among other things." ''In any case... my purpose at this academy is now complete.'' He had learned as much as he needed for now. It was time to take the next step. Naruto pretended not to notice the two adults hiding around the corner and made his way outside the academy. <><><><><><><><><><><> By the time he left the academy grounds, it was already getting dark. His stomach grumbled in complaint. For the past week, he had been so focused on the task at hand that he had neglected some of his other needs a bit. The only food he had in his small apartment were dried noodles since that seemed to be the only thing the previous owner of this body ate. ''Maybe I should go do some shopping...'' He looked down at his orange jumpsuit. ''And not just for food. I need more clothes too. I still can''t believe that this is the only piece of clothing he had, other than those ugly pajamas.'' The Hokage had left him a decent amount of money so it should be enough to get a few necessities until he finds another way to earn money. "Naruto?! Where have you been?" He heard someone calling his name and turned around. There was a young woman wearing a white apron right next to a food stall. There was something very familiar about that stall... its looks and the smell that came out of it. As for the girl... "Ayame," Naruto said. "So you didn''t forget about me, huh?" The girl waved her hand at him. "Well?...what are you waiting for? Come in. My dad will prepare something for you. I''m sure you are hungry." Just in time, his belly grumbled again. "I am indeed hungry..." Chapter 08: Team 7 Chapter 08: Team 7 Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 08: Team 7 As soon as he entered the classroom, Naruto felt all their eyes fall on him before they started murmuring. ''It looks like no one was expecting me here... Professor Iruka must have failed to inform them.'' His eyes moved across the room, trying to identify the students here. Oddly enough, he did remember the names of them all. At the back of the class were Chouji and Shikamaru. One row ahead was Kiba along with his dog, Akamaru. His eyes were filled with hostility towards him for some reason. Next to him was the mysterious boy, Shino. Naruto stopped for a moment on him... he could feel something stirring beneath his dark robes... something alive. On the other side was a shy girl called Hinata. Finally... sitting next to a window was a black-haired boy named Sasuke Uchiha. He was well aware of what happened to his clan and could sympathize with the young boy, but he was not going to show him any pity. ''Just seven?... there should be nine, according to Iruka. Looks like we are still missing two.'' "Oi Naruto, what are you doing here?" Kiba could not hold any longer and decided to confront Naruto, thinking he was up to something.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Naruto turned to face the Inuzuka boy. "I am here for the same reason that everyone else." The cold way in which he answered Kiba seemed to have surprised everyone present, even though only a few showed it on their faces. They knew Naruto as the loudest boy in the class. And having Kiba in that same class... that was saying a lot. "The same reason? Don''t make me laugh. We all saw you fail the test! Did you steal that bandana?" Naruto stared at the boy for a moment and wondered what was the best way to handle this. Sakura was the fastest and sat down in the empty seat next to Sasuke. Ino sighed and had no choice but to sit a bit further away. Naruto chose an empty seat away from those two girls. He barely had any memories of them other than their names and that they were obsessed with Sasuke... but he could already tell that he was not going to get along with them. "Let''s begin with Team 10. Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and... Yamanaka Ino." "Nooo!" Ino shouted. "Why am I stuck with those two?!" "Ha!, take that!" Sakura screamed with joy. "Next... team 8." "Wait, what happened to team 9?" Kiba asked. "It''s already taken, now shut up," Iruka said. "Team 8 will be Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba." "Yeah!, best team ever!" Kiba shouted. "Wait... this actually means...." Sakura stared at Sasuke with teary eyes. "Team 7... Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura..." "It''s not fair!" Ino cried. "Hell yeah!, he is mine!" Sakura shouted. "And... Uzumaki Naruto..." Iruka finished. "Oh no!, I got Naruto..." Sakura groaned. Ino laughed at her. "That''s the least you deserve..." "Now... team 7, wait here for your instructor. The rest, follow me." Iruka did not want to waste more time so he turned and started to walk out of the classroom. The six students left the room while discussing with excitement about their potential instructors. "Who do you think our instructor is going to be, Sasuke?" Sakura leaned closer to him. "Hmmm..." Sasuke mumbled something she didn''t understand and continued to stare out of the window. Naruto looked at his two teammates. He was not really looking forward to working as a team with these two. ''Let''s hope that at least this instructor is an incredible ninja who can teach me something useful...'' Chapter 09: The New Team Chapter 09: The New Team Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 09: The New Team "Ahh!, why is he taking so long?!" Sakura slammed her hands on the table. They had already been waiting for three hours and the instructor was nowhere to be seen. Naruto had been meditating in silence during all this time, so he didn''t mind it that much since his time was being put to good use. But he could understand the girl''s frustration. He opened his eyes and peeked at his two teammates. The one called Sasuke had not complained once and remained in the same spot. ''He is neither meditating nor sleeping... he must be a very patient person then.'' He found it very impressive for someone that young to have so much discipline.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com His other companion, the girl called Sakura, turned to look at him and by her expression... she was extremely upset. "Naruto!, what is wrong with you today?, why are you acting so strange?" "I don''t know what you mean." Of course, he did know what she meant. From the things he had heard and the opinions people had of the past ''him''... he could get a good idea of what kind of person the previous owner of this body was. ''Loud, obnoxious, boisterous, loud, desperate for people''s attention, loud, hyperactive... and liked the color orange.'' He was nothing like that. And he was not going to pretend to be like that. However, his instincts honed over many decades of facing the most powerful warriors in the land... were telling him that this man was extremely dangerous, almost as much as the Hokage himself. ''Why would they send someone like that to serve as a mere instructor for three newbies?.... he feels overqualified.'' The silver-haired ninja gave the three of them a passing glance. "My first impression of you is... disappointing. Meet me at the rooftop in five minutes." He then disappeared, leaving behind a small cloud of smoke. "What? Hey! Who is the disappointing one?!" Sakura was outraged now. "Who does he think he is to call us disappointing after getting here three hours late?, right, Sasuke?" The black-haired boy finally stood up from his chair and began walking out of the classroom. "He said we had five minutes, so we should not waste time... there are a lot of stairs..." Naruto also began walking out. "Oh, right..." Sakura frowned. For once, she had nothing else to add, so she hurried to follow them. They arrived at the roof with just a few seconds to spare and found the instructor comfortably sitting on one of the benches while reading some small book. "You are late." He told them without lifting his eyes from the book. "No, we are not!" Sakura complained. She did not like this man. "Wait.... you are the one who arrived late!" She then realized the hypocrisy of his comment. Naruto wondered if this man was performing some test on them. Arriving a few minutes late would be careless but understandable, but three hours... that was deliberate. Then he made us run through a lot of stairs and called us out for being late. The instructor closed the book and looked at the three of them again. He then sighed, now looking disappointed and tired at the same time. "Very well... let''s do this. Go ahead... introduce yourselves." Chapter 10: The next Test Chapter 10: The next Test Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 10:The next Test "You want us to talk about ourselves? You should already know about us!" Sakura exclaimed. "Of course I do, but I want to hear it from you," Kakashi answered. "Why don''t you start? We don''t even know your name." Sakura insisted. "Very well... I am Hatake Kakashi. I like... things. I dislike... different things. My goal in life is... not to have my time wasted... now you go." "You told us nothing about yourself!" Sakura shouted. "He did tell us his name," Naruto said. "We also know he is a jonin... and that he has several dogs." "Wait, how do you know he has a dog?" Sakura turned around. "Because of the smell." "And how do you know I have several?" Kakashi asked. "You have dog hair on your clothes and there are several different ones... so, different dogs." Naruto pointed out. Sakura stared at him in shock. "Who are you?..." Sasuke stared at him for a moment but kept his silence. Kakashi looked at him with interest. He neither confirmed nor denied what he said. "Why don''t you go next, blondie?" "I am Uzumaki Naruto... I think I like ramen... don''t really have much else to say." He had eaten the ramen from Ichiraku a few more times after his first visit and would admit that he liked it. Even though it wasn''t the only item on his diet anymore. "You think you like it?... that''s the only thing you eat," Sakura said. "What''s with you today?..." Sasuke frowned. "I''m not going back to the academy..." "We''ll see about that," Kakashi said. "Tomorrow, five a.m., Training Ground number three. I advise you not to eat breakfast... and do not be late." After saying that, he disappeared. "W-wait!" Sakura shouted. "This is so unfair! Now we have to pass another test?!" Sasuke stood up. Sakura turned to face him and smiled. "Oh, Sasuke!... do you want to go somewhere? We could go get some tea or s-" "I need to train... I will not fail here." He muttered in a low voice and left the rooftop. "I doubt one more day of training would make any difference... I wonder what kind of test he has in mind." Naruto wondered if there was a way to learn more about this teacher. Sakura stared at Naruto like he was a complete stranger. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something to her, but much to her surprise, Naruto left while in deep focus, thinking about something. "You didn''t even ask me out..." Sakura muttered in a soft voice. After a nice meal at Ichiraku, Naruto went home and began preparing for the next day. He opened the door and walked inside. The apartment looked very clean now. At least compared to what it used to be. And although he didn''t have much food in the fridge, this one wasn''t spoiled. "I wish I had more money though... I need to buy new tools and... uhm?...." He glanced at the window. There was something off with the way it was closed. "Someone has been here..." When he got closer to the window, he was able to pick up a familiar smell. For the past week, his sense of smell had been improving a lot, even though he didn''t know why. His current training should have had no effect on his nose. "Sniff sniff... it smells like... dog." Chapter 11: The Bell Test Chapter 11: The Bell Test Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 11: The Bell Test He arrived at the training ground number three with a good ten minutes to spare. His other two teammates were already there. Sasuke was resting his back against a tree with his eyes closed, while Sakura was sitting under the next tree, looking at him with a smile on her face. Her smile diminished when she saw him arrive. Naruto wasn''t sure if it was because he had disturbed her alone time with the other boy or because she just didn''t like his presence. ''This is going to be a problem...'' He had spent many hours thinking about the subject of this particular test. The most likely scenario was... a compatibility test. The academy had already tested their individual skills. The fact that they graduated proves they had the knowledge to be genins. The only thing that remained unknown was... if they could work together. He had read many books in the short period of time he had been awake in this world. Although he still had much to learn, there was one thing he was sure about...this ninja village puts a lot of value in camaraderie and teamwork. Working with these two was going to be difficult. Sasuke was obviously the type who wanted to prove himself by accomplishing everything without help. He could easily recognize this because in the past... he had been exactly like him. Their ultimate goals may have differed, but the way to get there was the same. As for the girl... she has no respect for him and would not listen to anything he could say. She would only listen to Sasuke. ''I may fail this...'' He did not want to spend another year surrounded by young students. His immediate goal was to become a ninja and gain more independence. Then he would be able to train without being bothered. A small amount of demonic yang was always leaking through his body. This was an intended design of the sealing method used on him. Now, while he cultivated, some of that energy would remain with him and make his body more powerful instead of returning to the demon. Naruto didn''t know how long it would take because the demon had a tremendous amount of chakra, but one day, as he continued to absorb his energy... the demon would disappear... and become his strength. ''He said he was an eternal being... I''ll show him who is eternal.'' "Naruto..." He opened his eyes and saw Kakashi standing in front of him. ''The sun is in a very different position... I must have lost track of time...'' He got too absorbed in his meditation. "Hehe, sorry... I fell asleep." He said in an apologetic way while scratching his head. "Naruto, you idiot! How can you sleep at such a moment!" Sakura was quick to scold him. Kakashi''s uncovered eye was sharply fixed on him. "It didn''t seem like you were sleeping... but fine." He turned to look at the other two. "Gather around... I will explain your test." "Are you not going to tell us why you were so late again?" Sakura asked. "As you can see, I have two bells here." Kakashi said, while ignoring Sakura''s question and proceeded to show them the two bells. "When I give the signal, we will start. Your objective is to get one of these bells from me, using whatever method you want, before the timer runs out." He then tied the two bells to his belt. "Wait, there are only two bells!" Sakura pointed out. "I can see why you were number one at the academy." Kakashi nodded. "Hey!" "Only two can pass." Sasuke said. Kakashi did not answer him and instead just went to place the clock down at the shade of a tree. "How much time do we have?" Sakura asked. "Normally, you would have five hours... but since we began a bit late... you have two." Kakashi told them. "But that was your fault!" Sakura screamed. "That''s fine by me. I just have to get one of those bells..." Sasuke smiled. "Any method you said?" "That''s right... ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, shurikenjutsu... or anything else that you can think of. You can use anything that you want. As long as you get the bell within the time limit... you win." Kakashi said calmly before kneeling down to tap on the clock. "And the time begins... now!" Chapter 12: The Bell Test Part 2 Chapter 12: The Bell Test Part 2 Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 12: The Bell Test Part 2 Sasuke and Sakura hurried to jump out of view and hid in the nearby trees. Naruto remained in the clearing, considering his options. Kakashi glanced at him with curiosity. "Aren''t you going to hide? You should not waste time." Naruto raised an eyebrow at his strange comment. "Wouldn''t hiding be wasting my time also? I mean... you are not going to attack us, so we are not in danger. And due to the difference in strength and speed, pulling a sneak attack on a Jonin would be an impossible task. So, just a waste of time." "And what is going to be your strategy? A direct attack?" This would be more in line with what Kakashi would expect from the old Naruto. But he wasn''t so sure now. ''I can barely recognize this boy.'' He thought for a second. Not that he ever put much effort into getting to know his mentor''s son... something that he now regretted. "That would also be a wasted effort. I''m just waiting." Naruto''s answer was not what Kakashi was expecting at all. But before he could ask what he was waiting for, Sasuke decided to launch his attack. A series of well-aimed shuriken flew towards his head. Kakashi used a single hand to pick them up from the air and then spotted the boy while he was jumping down from the tree. Sasuke threw three kunai as soon as his feet touched the ground. Without even checking if they connected, he started to move as fast as he could. He stopped a short distance away and moved his hands at lightning speed, forming six hand signs before releasing his attack. "If you do that against a real enemy, you will end up dead or captured. But let''s leave that for now. We first need to pass this test or we will go nowhere. I think I know how to pass it but we need to cooperate." "Cooperate with you? You were the dead last in the academy! You would only hold me down." Sasuke said with a frown. Naruto chuckled. "You don''t need me for that." His teammate was about to yell something rude at him when they both heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from the nearby forest. "Looks like the girl has been defeated too." Sasuke''s demeanor seemed to change at that moment. "Who are you?" Naruto glanced back at him. ''What did I say to make him change his attitude so much?...'' "Why are you asking that now?" "I thought you were acting strange since yesterday. I considered that you may have been trying to fool us, but... the Naruto I had known for six years would never call Sakura, ''the girl'' in such a cold way after hearing her scream in pain... he was obsessed with her. So who are you? A spy or something?" "If I was, I would be a terrible one, and... you would be dead." Naruto pointed down to remind Sasuke of his current condition. Sasuke got nervous and swallowed his saliva. He had not thought that far. "Relax... I am no spy. I truly am Naruto. There is a reason for my change of demeanor... but we have no time for explanations. Would you at least listen to my plan?" Sasuke knew he had little choice in the matter. Staying in the hole would mean that he failed. "Get me out of here and I will listen to what you have to say." "Good! Now, let''s see..." Naruto walked behind him and buried his hand in the dirt until he could get a good grip on Sasuke''s shoulders. "This may hurt a bit." "Wait, what are y... argh!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 13: The Bell Test Part 3 Chapter 13: The Bell Test Part 3 Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 13: The Bell Test Part 3 "There she is," Naruto pointed at the unconscious Sakura. "Mmm..." Sasuke continued to rub his shoulders. "Come on, I put them back in place. It can''t hurt that much anymore," Naruto said. "Should I dislocate your shoulders to see?" Sasuke spat. Naruto ignored his complaints and went to check on the girl. He didn''t know what technique Kakashi had used on her but there were no visible injuries on her. "It looks like she is just unconscious. By her scream, I thought she would at least have a few broken bones." "She was probably attacked with genjutsu..." Sasuke said with a certain bitterness in his voice. "Genjutsu..." He didn''t think of that. The academy books don''t go too deep into that branch of techniques so Naruto didn''t know much. Just that they were meant to attack the mind instead of the body. ''I''m not good with those kinds of tactics.'' In his old world, mental attacks were mostly used by some female practitioners. There were also some demonic beasts who specialized in those but they were rare. "A mental attack..." Naruto muttered. "Kakashi must have shown her something very painful. It may take a long time for her to wake up." Sasuke said. He then thought of something. "Will this plan of yours work without her? You still haven''t told me what it is." Naruto frowned. "No... it will not work. We need the full team." "We only have around ninety minutes. We can''t just stand here and wait for her to wake up." Sasuke said. "Do you have some water? That may help." "If you want to stay here, that''s fine. I''m going back there and fighting Kakashi again." Sasuke had little patience left at this moment. There was too much at stake. ''I cannot fail here...if I''m sent back to the academy for another year... I''m already too far behind him... I''ll never catch up.'' Sasuke stared at Naruto with a serious expression. "What happened to the whole ''caring for your teammates'' speech?" Sakura started to cough violently and Naruto removed the bottle of water. Naruto''s eyes turned to meet Sasuke''s. "I am an individualist... much like you. But I will play along with the village rules and you should do the same." ''I''ll play along for now at least.... once I have regained my strength, we''ll have to see.'' Sakura coughed again. "W-wha...what happened?...Sasuke?..." She turned her head around to stare at the boy. She completely ignored Naruto''s presence and just stared at Sasuke with shock. "You are alive!... but I thought...." "You were hit by a genjutsu... I don''t know what you saw but, none of that was real, it was just an illusion." Sasuke explained. "It wasn''t real... oh thank God... wait!" She looked down at herself. "Why am I all wet?" "I had to wake you up." Naruto showed her the bottle of water. Just then Sakura appeared to recognize his presence. "Na...ru...to..." Her face contorted in anger. "How dare you throw water at my face?!" She stood up with a jump and lunged at him with her right fist ready to break his face. "Ahhh!" Sakura let out a yelp of surprise when Naruto grabbed her arm and flipped her around, having her land on her back with a loud ''thud'' noise. "We don''t have time for these games... we have a test to pass." "W-what?! What was that?" Sakura was in shock. This was the first time that Naruto stopped her from punching him. He always took the punishment. Even Sasuke looked a bit surprised despite knowing that Naruto was very different now. "Is she always like this?" Naruto asked Sasuke. Maybe his first impression of the girl had not been that far off. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 14: Teamwork Chapter 14: Teamwork Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 14: Teamwork "Teamwork?... that''s it?" Sakura asked. "If I''m correct, then yes," Naruto answered. "And if you are not?" Sasuke had an impassive gaze.Upstodatee from "What about this... the three of us work together to get one of the bells. If we succeed, you can have it. That way, if I am right, the three of us pass, and if I am wrong... then you pass," Naruto suggested. "I have no problem with that plan! I''ll help Sasuke in any way I can!" Sakura said with a lot of enthusiasm. Sasuke stared at Naruto with a tinge of distrust. "And you will be okay with just me passing the test?" "I have confidence in my plan," Naruto said. He was also sure that he was not going to be allowed to remain a civilian forever even if he failed here. Whoever had put that demon fox inside him, had some plan for the benefit of Konoha. That would explain why the Hokage showed so much interest in him. ''Whatever plan they had... was definitely not for my own benefit. But it doesn''t matter. It suits me for now... I need to become stronger.'' "Fine then... let''s do this." Sasuke nodded. As long as he got what he wanted, he didn''t care about the rest. "So, how do we do this, exactly?" Sakura asked while mostly looking at Sasuke. "We have over an hour, why don''t we spend some time coming up with a good strategy?" Naruto suggested. He didn''t know what his teammates were good at so it was difficult to come up with a proper plan like that. He was also not used to fighting as a group, so it was an extra challenge for him. <><><><><><><><> Naruto walked into the open and found Kakashi standing in the middle of the clearing as he had been from the beginning. He was currently reading the same book from the day before and didn''t seem interested in paying much attention to him. "Wait..." For a moment, Kakashi thought he had punched a Shadow Clone, but then he saw a shuriken floating in the air and realized. All around him were the shuriken and kunai that Sasuke had previously thrown at him. ''A substitution.'' Naruto had used one of them for the substitution jutsu. The real Naruto was now at his left side, his hand extended to grab one of the bells. "Tsk!" Kakashi had to put his book away to smack Naruto''s hand from the bell. But then, a series of well-aimed kunai flew at him from the trees. ''Sasuke?'' He thought. ''They are working together?...'' Kakashi used his own kunai to block them while his other hand was busy blocking Naruto''s relentless attacks. Kakashi noticed that despite being much slower than him, Naruto''s attacks were not as easy to block as he expected. He was always aiming at the correct spots, depending on his position, making things difficult for him. ''He doesn''t fight like a newbie genin... were all the reports about Naruto wrong? I''ll need to have a long talk with Iruka about this.'' Kakashi did not have much time to think now. "Fire release: Phoenix Sage Fire technique!" A volley of small fireballs attempted to hit him from behind. ''Wait! It wasn''t Sasuke who was shooting from the trees then... it must have been Sakura. So the three of them had been working together.'' He really thought that Naruto had been making things up before. He avoided some of the fireballs while blocking the rest. None of them were aimed at any of his vital points and were not too difficult to block. ''Didn''t Sasuke have better aim than this?...'' The smell of smoke reached his nose. He looked down, expecting to see that his clothes had been singed but much to his horror, he saw his beloved book catching fire. "Nooo!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 15: Team 7 Chapter 15: Team 7 Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 15: Team 7 Using his superior speed, Kakashi moved a good distance away and put the fire out, saving his beloved novel. "Uff... that was close. I had only read this one three times..." "Haa!" Kakashi spotted some pink hair before being forced to avoid a potentially dangerous punch to his groin. "Sakura?" He had not expected to see this girl charging directly at him and attacking using taijutsu since that was her weakest point according to the profile he read. Kakashi was using one hand to stop her attacks but was starting to feel the pressure. Sakura''s attacks were not just fast but she was also accurately aiming for his blind spots. Moments later, he also had to avoid several shurikens being thrown by Sasuke, who was now acting as support. ''This is a bit annoying... but wait... where is Naruto?'' As Kakashi was wondering this... three kunai came flying towards his back while several more shurikens were thrown by Sasuke. At the same time, Sakura threw a barrage of punches and kicks at him. With no other choice, he had to put his book away and attack the girl with one hand while stopping the flying weapons with the other one. He felt bad for having to hurt the young girl, but he was being pushed quite a bit by these genin. He felt his punch connect with her stomach, but just then... she disappeared. Kakashi felt a presence behind him. ''She used substitution?!... That''s the same thing that he did... oh!'' He quickly turned around and found Naruto''s hand already going for one of the bells. ''That was not Sakura!, Naruto was using a transformation!'' Had he been using his Sharingan, he would have easily found out, but since he wasn''t taking this fight very seriously, he had completely underestimated what Naruto could do. His transformation had been perfect. Naruto shrugged. "If you only want to pass the person with the bell..." he threw the bell to Sasuke. "Pass him." Sasuke caught the bell and stared at it for a moment. He seemed to be conflicted. "Is that so? Should I pass only Sasuke then?" Kakashi asked. "No... I don''t deserve to be the only one who passes. We all worked together," Sasuke said while looking at Naruto. He could not accept to win like this. Not when he knew that Naruto had done most of the work. Naruto was the one who came up with the strategy, plus was the one who ultimately got the bell from Kakashi. If he just took this bell like this... it would be too shameful. Sasuke threw the bell at Kakashi''s feet. "You should pass us all. We all got that bell." "Yeah, Sasuke is right!" Sakura exclaimed. "Wasn''t that the point of this test? To see if we could work together? Well, we just showed you." Kakashi stared at the pink-haired girl. "Who told you that was the point of the test?" "Eh?... well." She pointed at Naruto. "I see..." He saw it now. Naruto had figured it out from the beginning and had been trying to get the other two to cooperate with him. Kakashi sighed in defeat. ''It looks like I will be a teacher for a while.'' They all then heard the clock set up previously by Kakashi. The time was up... Kakashi glanced at the three of them. "From today on... you are officially recognized as Genin of Konoha. Welcome to Team 7." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 16: Let’s get to work! Chapter 16: Lets get to work! Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 16: Let''s get to work! Three days later, Naruto was walking through the streets of the village by himself. It was early in the morning but many civilians were already out, doing their early chores. Most of them gave him some nasty glares as they passed by, but since he had become an official ninja, they had at least stopped with the offhand nasty comments. Naruto was mostly used to their rude attitude by now. And at least he understood the reason for his treatment. He had read all about the events that occurred fifteen years back. The demon known as the Kyubi attacked the village, killing thousands of civilians and hundreds of ninjas. It was the worst massacre the village had ever suffered. The Kyubi was only stopped by the sacrifice of the beloved Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. This also made very clear to Naruto who was the one responsible for putting that demon inside him. He didn''t know the details behind the Fourth''s death. Either he died as a side effect of the sealing or he had suffered mortal wounds during his fight with the demon. But it was clear he had been the one who performed the sealing. People later on found out that the Kyubi didn''t actually die but was instead placed inside the body of a young boy known as Naruto. Civilians didn''t have much knowledge about the inner workings of seals so they all interpreted it in their own way. While some understood that the demon was merely trapped inside him, others believed that he was some sort of human reincarnation of the demon himself. Whatever the case, most of them appear to have decided to vent their anger and frustrations about the loss of their loved ones... on him. There was not much he could do about it without breaking the village laws. That was the only thing stopping him from crushing the skull of the next idiot who called him ''demon boy'' or something like that. But even if he wanted to ignore them, it was very difficult to perform any kind of shopping in the village. Half the shops refused to sell him anything while the other ones would overcharge him. Now he understood why the previous owner of this body would only eat ramen and had barely any clothes. Naruto did find a solution to the shopping problem though. He would use the Transformation Jutsu to adopt the looks of Sasuke when going out to buy supplies. The villagers'' attitude would take a complete turn, and not only would they sell to him but also give him discounts. Apparently, the Uchiha clan was very much liked by the villagers and now Sasuke is the only one left so they all treat him like he is some sort of member of the royal family. "On my call... three... two... one... GO!" Kakashi ordered. The three genin jumped from the trees and pounced on their target, who was smelling some flowers, completely unsuspecting of the incoming attack. "Mewww?!" The large cat yelped as Naruto grabbed it from behind. "Naruto got it!" Sakura exclaimed. "Are you sure this is the target? I swear if we get the wrong cat again..." Naruto was ready to snap the cat''s neck at any moment. "It has the red ribbon on the left ear... there is no doubt, this is the correct one," Sasuke observed. "Good job!" Kakashi spoke through the communication devices. "Search mission ''Lost Pet Tora'' has been successfully completed. Just bring the cat back to the Hokage''s office. The client will be waiting there." "Fine, let''s get this over with. Here, Sakura, you carry this thing." Naruto handed the cat to her. "Ahh!" The cat immediately started scratching her before she could get a good grip. "Naruto!" She growled at him. He was not paying attention to her at all. It had been a week since they started doing missions but all they got so far were nothing but chores. This was truly nothing like what he expected they were going to do. Even the impassive Sasuke could not hide his disappointment. "What do you think, Sasuke? When are we getting a decent mission?" Naruto asked him. "Hmmph..." The boy just grunted. Naruto was starting to know him enough to interpret his noises. That was the grunt for ''I don''t know'' "I see... well, let''s hope it''s soon... I can''t ta" "Ahh!" Sakura screamed when the cat scratched her face. "Noo!" She then screamed again when the cat escaped from her hands. "It''s getting away!" "That''s it! I''m killing that beast!" Naruto decided. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters.Upstodatee from Chapter 17: An Unexpected Opportunity Chapter 17: An Unexpected Opportunity Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- A.N - I have decided to make a few changes after reading some of the comments. I have been trying to keep the number of Japanese words at a minimum, but it is a hard balance to maintain. -I will be using the word ''Sensei'' to refer to Kakashi, instead of Professor or teacher. - I will still keep it for Iruka as he is more of an academic type of teacher and it fits him. - I will also use Ninjutsu and Jutsu instead of ''technique'' for everything. The reason for this is that the MC will also use moves from his old world, and those are not ninja techniques, so it helps me make a more clear distinction between non-ninja moves and the rest. Chapter 17: An Unexpected Opportunity "Now, let''s see... Kakashi''s team 7. Your next mission is to babysit an elder''s grandson and paint Mr. Kobayashi''s fence." "Wait, we already painted that fence!" Sakura shouted before realizing who she was shouting at. "Haruno!" Professor Iruka was outraged. He had expected this from someone else but not from this girl. "I-I''m very sorry, Great Hokage! I didn''t mean to disrespect you!" She quickly bowed to him. "It''s fine." The Hokage brushed it off. "And yes... you had already painted that fence. But we did not receive payment because your job was too sloppy. So you are doing it again. And Kakashi... make sure they are doing it properly this time." Kakashi nodded. "I will." "Is there really nothing else for us to do? We have been Genin for two weeks already, but we have been doing nothing but D-rank missions." Naruto finally decided to speak. Sasuke was at his side. He said nothing but nodded in approval. "Naruto, two weeks is nothing! You are still newbies... of course, you are going to be doing D-rank missions." Iruka said.Upstodatee from "I am also a bit more limited in what missions to give you..." The Hokage said. "After what happened to Madam Shijimi and poor Tora... I do not dare to give you any mission involving any animals." "That was Naruto''s fault!" Sakura said defensively. "Sasuke and I did a great job catching that cat!" "Kakashi... you have been their teacher for two weeks already. I would like to hear your opinion on those three genins." Despite saying that, it was obvious for the rest that the Hokage was particularly worried about one genin. Kakashi gave his report on Sakura and Sasuke, ending with a recommendation for Sasuke to be seen by a specialist in psychological traumas. "We have already tried that... I had Inoichi talk with the young Uchiha years ago. It did not go well..." The Hokage sighed. That clan massacre was going to go down as his biggest regret... and worst failure as a Hokage. "As much as I want to help that boy... as long as he is not willing to accept others'' help, there is not much we can do. If we try to force the issue, he will just push us further away." Kakashi nodded. "I see..." He could at least understand that, even if he didn''t like it. "Let''s move on to Naruto... what can you tell us about his progress? Did he remember anything from before the incident?" The Hokage asked. "No... nothing at all, as far as I know. He is like a brand new person now." Said Kakashi. "Well... I wouldn''t say completely new. He does still have some things from the old Naruto. Although I''m not sure if he even realized it." Said Iruka. "Like what?" The Hokage asked. "You also have spent some time with him, didn''t you?" "I did." Iruka smiled. "He still loves ramen, for one. Even if he now has more restraint while eating it. He is also mischievous sometimes, but in a different, more mature way. And beneath all that cold attitude he has now... I know he is still a kind person who cares about others." The Hokage seemed pleased to hear those words. "That is good... I''m glad to hear the boy I watched grow up is not completely gone..." He then looked back at Kakashi. "You seemed worried about something before. Can you tell us what it is?" "Yes... it is not Naruto''s personality that worries me. A change of attitude or manner is not that strange after suffering a severe trauma. What worries me is... his skills and knowledge. He improves at an alarming pace." The Hokage''s eyes became sharper. "You think he has found the other use for the Shadow Clone technique?" Kakashi shook his head. "That is another thing I wanted to say... I have not seen him use the Shadow Clone technique... not even once." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 18: Who are you? Chapter 18: Who are you? Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 18: Who are you? "Arg..." Naruto grunted. He looked down at his clothes. "I need to buy new ones..." His black kimono was completely ruined by all the white paint that had landed on it. There was no chance he could clean that up. At least he had money now. They had already received the payment from last week''s jobs, so he could buy something a bit better. He looked up at the sky. ''It''s still early, I should go now. I can pick up some new clothes and groceries before going back home.'' He stopped at a nearby corner and scanned his surroundings, making sure there was no one around. "Change." After the cloud of smoke cleared, he now had the identical looks of his teammate Sasuke. He didn''t like doing this, but it was the only way they would sell anything to him. Once he was ready, he continued to make his way to the commercial center of the village. "Oh, it''s Mister Uchiha!" People greeted him politely and even bowed to him as he passed. ''Maybe I should choose someone more inconspicuous next time. This form always brings too much attention even if the discounts are good.'' He hurried his steps and found a decent clothing shop that should have what he was looking for. As he was placing his hand on the door handle and about to open it, he heard a female voice yell from his side. "Sasuke! Is that you?" "Hey! What are you doing here? I already told you we have nothing to sell you!" The shopkeeper came yelling at him. Naruto had already been in this shop before, so he was not surprised by the reaction. But Inoichi and his daughter were different. The Jonin had known that Naruto was not well received by the civilians since the news about his relation to the Kyubi was made public. But he did not know it was that bad. ''Does the Hokage know?... I will have to speak with him about this.'' If this situation continued, things could get bad. As a mind healer, he had seen it many times before. A ninja who feels like he has been mistreated by his own village and starts to develop resentment towards it that will eventually become hatred. Those will usually become traitors. In the case of Naruto, it was even worse. He was not a replaceable ninja. He was the one and only Jinchuriki of the Kyubi. They could not afford to lose him for something silly like being mistreated by the villagers. "See? I told you. Without the transformation jutsu... no one will sell me anything." Naruto told the Jonin. "Naruto, what did you do to these people to make them this angry?" Ino asked. She knew he was infamous for his pranks, so she assumed that Naruto must have done something terrible to the shop owner to make him so angry. "I have not done anything to him or any of the other civilians," Naruto told her. "They hate me for a different reason." "Naruto... we cannot mention that..." Inouichi warned him. "Dad? What is he talking about?" Ino asked. "It is a village secret, Ino. I cannot speak about it." the Jonin said. "A village secret that the civilians know about but I can''t?" This did not make sense to her. If it was a high-rank secret, then the civilians would have no business knowing about it. ''But what kind of secret could Naruto have?'' She wondered. "Wanna know?" Naruto asked her and she nodded. She was really curious about this now. Even her previous anger had been forgotten. "Naruto!" Inouichi warned again. "The Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyubi inside me when I was a baby. The civilians fear and hate me because they think I am the Demon himself." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 19: The Demon Boy Chapter 19: The Demon Boy Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 19: The Demon Boy "The Kyubi?!" Ino spoke too loudly. The shopkeeper and the civilians waiting at the door trembled at the mere mention of that name. "Get out of here, you demon!" the old man yelled. "Silence!" Inoichi shouted with authority, letting some of his chakra spill out. The civilians felt the pressure and were almost brought to their knees. "That''s enough!" He pointed at the shopkeeper. "Go close that door and be quiet. We have some important things to discuss. With my authority as a Konoha Jonin, I''m borrowing your shop." The old shopkeeper had wanted to complain and deny his request, but when he saw the look on the Yamanaka Clan Leader''s face...he changed his mind and immediately went to shoo everyone away and closed the doors of the shop. "Dad, is this true? Didn''t the Kyubi die?" Ino''s eyes moved constantly between Naruto and her father. Inoichi sighed. "Naruto...you just broke an S-rank secret. Some would spend the rest of their life in prison for something like that." "I''m not the one who broke it in the first place since the entire village knows about it," Naruto pointed out. "And besides, the secret is about me. I can tell it to whoever I choose." "Dad?...you don''t mean..." Ino moved her eyes to look at Naruto. Now that he had mentioned it...his face did look kind of similar to the Fourth. "That can''t be..." "Ino!" The Jonin glared at her. "Go home right now. You will not speak a word about what you heard here." "What? But Papa! What about my new dress?" Ino just remembered their original reason for being here. "Not now, Ino! This is serious." Her father was in no mood for nonsense right now. The girl was surprised to see her father talk to her like that. He always spoiled her. "And you." He turned to the old shopkeeper. The man trembled when the blonde Jonin approached him. "Do you understand what will happen to you if you reveal anything that you heard here today? We are talking about high-rank Konoha secrets." "I-I understand, Mister! I-I won''t speak a word!" the panicked man said. "Well, let''s get out of here then," Inoichi said to Naruto. "I''m not very presentable to see the Hokage." He assumed that was where the Jonin wanted to go. "He won''t mind, considering the circumstances," Inoichi said. Naruto could not have predicted this outcome when he went shopping this afternoon. But this may not be a terrible thing. Ino said goodbye to her father after they left the shop, and then...under the eyes of the curious onlookers, Naruto followed the Yamanaka Patriarch towards the Kage building. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 20: Your Parents are… Chapter 20: Your Parents are... Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 20: Your Parents are... "Mmmm..." The Hokage''s eyes moved from Inouichi to Naruto a few times after hearing the full story. He then remained silent for a minute. "I guess it is not surprising that you would find out eventually." The old Hokage stood up from his chair and got closer to him. "I''m very sorry, Naruto. I was planning on telling you after you became a Chunin or when you were finally an adult...whatever came first." "So it is true then. I''m the son of the Fourth Hokage." Naruto didn''t really feel anything after this discovery, but he was sure that the original owner of this body would have been shocked by the news. He was still mildly irritated by the fact that his supposed father sacrificed his life and turned him into a demon container to save this village. And the civilians had repaid such a sacrifice with nothing but disdain. "You are the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. Your mother was the previous container of the Kyubi...as you can imagine, she also died on that terrible night..." The Hokage said as much as he could. He hoped that Naruto would not ask details about their deaths since he could not reveal the actions of that mysterious masked ninja to a genin. "Naruto, even if you now know this, it would be better if you don''t go around telling everyone. There is a good reason this information was kept a secret from the public," the Hokage added. "That''s right," Inouichi spoke. "The Fourth Hokage made many enemies during the Third Great Ninja War...he may have saved Konoha, but he killed thousands of enemy ninjas. The village of Iwakure was the most affected by your father''s actions." "Well...he barely has any memory of his childhood. It''s hard to be attached to a life he doesn''t remember. And he never knew his parents either. A lack of reaction is rare but not completely unexpected." "He didn''t ask about his inheritance...but we will need to prepare that also. Minato and Kushina didn''t have much, but that house and whatever they left inside belongs to Naruto now. We have no right to keep it from him." "He may not even have thought they left anything to him," Inouichi said. "That is a depressing thought." The Hokage then opened a drawer and pulled out a report before giving it to the Jonin. "Since you are already here, I would like your professional opinion on this." Inouichi read it over very carefully, not wanting to miss anything since it was a request from the Hokage. "Kakashi''s evaluation of Naruto...I see...it is very different from the academy one." Back during the incident where the boy ended up in the hospital, Inouichi had taken a look at his academy file to learn more about him. His file was...well, to put it in one word...catastrophic. Naruto was one of the worst students he had ever seen. Inouichi was not too surprised about it, considering his upbringing. No one had ever put much effort into teaching anything to Naruto, except maybe for Professor Iruka. But by that time, the boy had lost interest in being taught by others and wanted to learn things by himself. That did not go well... The evaluation written by Kakashi after training with Naruto for two weeks was completely different. "An unparalleled genius...I can''t believe Kakashi wrote that." Inouichi mentioned. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 21: The C-Rank Mission Chapter 21: The C-Rank Mission Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 21: The C-Rank Mission Team 7 arrived at the Hokage''s office during the early hours of the morning. The sun had just come out, and they were all still feeling tired but somewhat excited about not having to do chores today. "Professor, don''t fall asleep." Naruto nudged Kakashi on his arm when he started to close his eyes. The man looked ready to fall asleep at any second. "I''m fine...I think I lost the habit of waking up this early." Kakashi grumbled. "I knew it! You are always arriving late because you are sleeping!" Sakura complained. "Why call the team meetings so early then?..." Naruto wondered if their professor just wanted to mess with them. "Team 7, pay attention!" Iruka shouted. The Hokage cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you, Iruka...as I was saying, your C-rank mission will be to protect a certain individual." "Oh, who are we protecting? Is it someone famous? Maybe a famous actor or a rich merchant?" Sakura asked. "You think they would put genin to protect someone like that?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. This girl was supposed to be the smartest in the class. It made him question how bad the other ones were. "Well...you are about to meet him." The Hokage moved his eyes to the door. "You may come inside." The door opened, and a tall old man entered. If his clumsy movements and the bottle of sake in his hand did not make evident how drunk he was, he then started talking. "W...what...what is this? Are...these the ninjas I hired?" He mumbled while looking at Team 7 with an expression of disdain and very red cheeks. "They are nothing but brats..." "No. Wave is a small country, so it doesn''t have a Hidden Village and has to rely on hiring ninjas from other countries. There are many small countries like that in the Elemental Nations." Kakashi explained. "So we aren''t going to encounter any enemy ninjas then?" She asked. Kakashi''s face grew serious. "There is always a risk of that during any mission outside the village, so we should be careful. That being said...enemy ninjas are not part of the mission. Otherwise, this would not be a C-rank." "No enemy ninjas..." Naruto moved his eyes toward a suspicious-looking pond of water as they walked by. It was very faint, but he could feel some chakra emanating from that water. Animals could have chakra too, but that was just a puddle formed by rain. ''Wait...when is the last time it rained?'' While Naruto was starting to realize the danger...two large figures emerged from the small puddle and immediately launched an attack against Kakashi. Their professor was quickly tangled with some chains. The two individuals stood on each side of Kakashi and held onto the ends of the chains before pulling them hard. "Huh?" Sakura turned around. "An ambush!" Sasuke shouted. Kakashi made an expression of surprise before he was apparently ripped into pieces by the chains. Sakura screamed in pure shock at the macabre spectacle. Sasuke reacted a bit better and at least got ready for battle. It had become obvious that those two were enemy ninjas and were trying to kill them, as well as the person they were supposed to protect. Even with his dulled senses, Naruto knew that Kakashi was fine. It would take a lot more than this to kill that person. He just didn''t understand why the need for this charade. ''Is he trying to assess how the team will react in a real combat situation?'' That would make sense. This is the first time Sakura and Sasuke are faced with a real deadly encounter. Things were a lot different for Naruto...deadly encounters were basically his daily life for a large part of his previous life, so he had no trouble remaining calm. ''Well...how do we handle this?'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 22: The Deceit Chapter 22: The Deceit Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 22: The Deceit "One down, hehe!" The masked ninja said with a mocking tone, and his companion laughed. They then moved quickly to ambush their next target, choosing Naruto because he was the closest and positioned in front of the old bridge builder, who was their real target. Everyone else was a bonus. Naruto observed the two ninjas as they approached him. Their style seemed to rely heavily on teamwork. They both wore metallic gauntlets on opposite hands and had a metallic chain attached to them, which they used to trap their opponents by moving to each side, like they did to Kakashi. Once their target had been tangled with the chain, they would each pull in opposite directions, ripping the person to shreds. "Naruto!" Sakura yelled when she saw the two enemies surround Naruto in the same way they just did to their teacher. Sasuke did not waste time and reacted by jumping over the two ninjas, using a single kunai to snare the chain and pull it away. The kunai then impacted one of the nearby trees, getting the chain stuck along with it. The black-haired genin followed this up by holding onto their gauntlets and kicking both of them in the face at the same time, sending them away from Naruto. ''Tsk...now you have pull them apart...'' Naruto wanted to complain. He was planning on killing them together. The two enemy ninjas did not seem to have suffered much damage from Sasuke''s kick, so they just detached their gauntlets from the chain and divided their next attack. One of them went for Sakura, and the other one rushed at Naruto. In fact, Sakura and Sasuke appeared to be more impacted by the death of that ninja than Naruto himself. "You killed him?..." Sakura moved her eyes over the bloody corpse. "I did." Naruto glanced back at Kakashi. "I hope this didn''t affect whatever you were planning...I could not tell why you did that disappearing act. Was it a test for us or?..." Kakashi shook his head. "This was no test for you. We are done with that. I was trying to find something out...and I think I did." He moved closer to the bridge builder. "These men...were going for you, weren''t they?" The old builder had a guilty expression on his face that no one failed to notice. "Is that true?" Sasuke asked. "You have ninjas going after your life? Why didn''t you say anything?!" Sakura was outraged. "Because of money...right?" Naruto asked. Tazuna looked down. "I gave Konoha every last coin I had...a C-rank mission was the only thing I could afford." "But aren''t you a famous genius bridge builder? How can you be broke?" Sakura was very doubtful of the old man''s words. "Leaving aside your personal circumstances," Kakashi intervened. "You put my team in danger by making us believe this was an easy C-rank mission. If enemy ninjas are involved, the mission is upgraded immediately to B-rank and requires a minimum of three chuunin to take part in it." Kakashi glanced at the unconscious ninja in his arms. "Depending on who else has been hired...it could even be an A-rank mission." "What? A-rank?!" Sakura exclaimed. Even Sasuke had his eyes widened. This was more than he expected. "Now we have to decide one thing...if we continue with this mission or not," Kakashi said. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 23: We Keep Going Chapter 23: We Keep Going Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 23: We Keep Going "You can''t do that! We made a deal!" Tazuna shouted at Kakashi. "You purposely hid information from us and put my team in danger in the process. I have full right to end this mission right here and now. And be thankful that is all I would do...others would not be so kind in my place," Kakashi told the old man in a cold voice. Tazuna did not dare to complain anymore. "But, Teacher...if we abandon the mission now, what would happen to him?" Sakura looked at Tazuna with worry. She may not particularly like the old builder, but to leave him to die just feels wrong. "I don''t want to abandon my first proper mission because things got a bit more dangerous," Sasuke decided. At this rate, he was never going to catch up to his brother. Especially if he started giving up on hard missions. "So you two want to continue? What about you, Naruto?" Kakashi asked him. "I agree with continuing the mission," Naruto simply said to his teacher. But he was really hoping this mission got more interesting. It had been a while since he had a proper fight. His cultivation was still at the Body Forging Stage where he was beginning to use chakra to reinforce his body. It was going to take a month or two at least before he could break through to the Qi Refining stage. Only then would he be able to start using all that energy in more interesting ways. "Mmm..." Kakashi stared at Naruto for a few seconds. He wanted to make sure the boy was in good condition to continue after his ''first kill''. ''He is either really good at hiding it or...he is not affected at all.'' Kakashi turned to the old builder. "Very well...since my students have agreed to it...we will continue this mission. But I do have one condition..." "O-of course, anything! But if you want more money, I''m afraid that..." "It is not money. What I want is the truth. Who is after your life?" Kakashi asked. They remained quiet as they approached the coast. The boat went underneath another part of the bridge and arrived at a small port. "This is for me...I wish you good luck," the driver of the boat told Tazuna. "You did more than enough." The old man knew the risk that anyone who helped him was taking. "Thank you so much." The group looked around the small port town. It appeared to be in a terrible state. Most of the houses were in dire need of repairs, with their wooden walls filled with holes or missing tiles. When asked what happened here, the old man''s only answer was, "Gato." They quietly left behind the small port town and ventured further into the woods. Their target was to bring Tazuna back to his house, and it was still some distance away. They were all on high alert now. This was basically enemy territory and also the most likely place to be ambushed since it was the only way to reach the old builder''s house. ''If we are attacked again...it will surely not be a chuunin like those two from before...but a jonin,'' Kakashi thought as they moved. He spotted some movement in a nearby bush and then saw something white. With a smooth movement of his wrist, Kakashi sent a kunai toward the target. They were all startled by his actions. Naruto looked around but could not see anything suspicious or detect any presence. ''Damn these dull senses...Kakashi must have seen something that I missed.'' They all approached the place where Kakashi had shot his kunai and found a dead white rabbit. "Teacher! You just killed a poor rabbit!" Sakura said in horror. "A white snow rabbit?" Sasuke noticed the issue. This rabbit was only white during the winter, but now it was summer. Its fur should have changed to brown...unless someone kept it in a dark cage. "Get ready...we are about to be attacked," Kakashi warned. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 24: A Deadly Encounter Chapter 24: A Deadly Encounter Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 24: A Deadly Encounter "Attacked?" Sakura looked around. Everything appeared to be tranquil. "I don''t see anyth" Naruto put his hand on the back of her head and pushed her down, as well as Tazuna. "Ahh! Naruto, what are you d" A moment later, something massive flew over their heads and ended up hitting a tree. "A sword?...wait," Sasuke was staring at the giant sword when a tall man appeared on top. "A ninja." "Momochi Zabuza, a missing ninja from the Mist Village," Naruto said. They all turned to Naruto and looked at him like he had grown a second head. "What? I read the Bingo Book. It seems useful to memorize it before going outside," Naruto told them. "But you didn''t know who those two guys from before were," Sakura said, cleaning the dust from her clothes. "I only paid attention to the highest rank criminals...like this one," Naruto stared at Zabuza. "Haha! You have some clever newbies...Sharingan Kakashi," Zabuza spoke directly to Kakashi. His eyes did not move away from the silver-haired ninja even for a moment. Sasuke reacted at the name. His eyes moved to the back of his teacher. ''Sharingan?...could it be?'' "Everyone, get back. Like Naruto just said...this opponent is on another level. I will handle this," Kakashi stepped forward. His left hand moved away the bandana covering his left eye. "I''ll have to use this...it''s been a while." "To some degree, yes. But I can''t use the Sharingan perfectly since I am not an Uchiha. So be very careful," Kakashi warned them. "The mist is getting thicker...and closer," Naruto noticed. "Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, neck vein, brain, kidney, heart. Which one should I go after?" The voice of Zabuza was heard from all around them, making it impossible to pinpoint an exact direction. Along with it, the group was hit by a very intense bloodlust intent. ''Oh? It''s been a while since I felt this,'' Naruto was reminiscing about his past while his teammates trembled in terror. "Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto! Don''t worry, I will protect you all with my life. I don''t let my comrades die!" Kakashi said with confidence. With this, he was able to dispel most of the effects caused by Zabuza on them. But the attack had just begun. The Mist ninja appeared in the middle of the group, with his back against the old man. "It''s over." He twisted his body and with a knife in hand, he prepared to kill Tazuna. Kakashi had been more than ready for this and immediately drove a kunai into Zabuza''s chest and pushed him further away from his students. "Behind you!" Naruto warned his teacher. As Kakashi heard this, he noticed the ninja in front of him began to dissolve into water. "A clone." The real one was behind him, with his massive sword raised in the air and just a moment away from cleaving him in half. "Teacher!" "Kakashi!" His students screamed when they saw Zabuza''s sword cut him at his waist. But much like the Mist ninja...Kakashi had also created a water clone. The real one was now standing behind Zabuza with a kunai aimed at his neck. "It''s over. Don''t move," Kakashi said. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 25: The Water Prison Chapter 25: The Water Prison Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 25: The Water Prison "What are you doing? Kill him!" Naruto shouted at Kakashi. He did not understand why his teacher hesitated after getting the upper hand. "Hehe, you have at least one decent student. But don''t misunderstand, boy," Zabuza glanced at Naruto for a moment. "This is far from over." Another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi. "I am not that easy to kill." As the clone in front dissolved, the one behind Kakashi made a vertical swing with his sword. Their teacher was quick enough to react and avoid the worst, but was then hit by a powerful kick that sent him right into the lake. "Oh no, Kakashi got knocked down!" Sakura said. "That kick was not normal. He is also a master in taijutsu?" Sasuke observed Zabuza. "Damn! He fell right into his trap!" Naruto took off running. He could not let their teacher get killed now, or they would all soon follow him. Kakashi had just gotten his head out of the water when Zabuza surprised him, holding his hand over him. "Water Prison!" A sphere made of water formed around Kakashi, trapping him inside. "Hehe, the moment you fall into the water against a ninja from the Mist, you are in for a very bad time. There is no escaping my prison!" "Sure...that was my plan." Naruto noticed the harsh stare coming from the black-haired boy. "Look, as Kakashi said, the real body of Zabuza cannot move from that spot. That''s why he created this clone." As Naruto said this, the clone attacked again, and he was forced to move away. "I think that if you can make Zabuza move from his position, that water prison of his...will break." Sasuke got closer to the shore of the lake. "Fine...I can do that." "Good! Go on then!" Naruto had chosen Sasuke for that task because he had some long-distance techniques and he was also much better than him at throwing weapons. At this point, Naruto did not have many options to fight at long distance and their teacher never taught them how to walk on water. The massive sword came down on him, and he had to use a substitution to avoid it. "How annoying..." The clone probably only had a fraction of Zabuza''s real power, but even that was enough to give him trouble at this time. He felt humiliated and angry. He wanted to show this arrogant ninja what he could truly do...but any real techniques would break this fragile body like a twig. ''Wait...maybe I can use ''that one''...it only needs a bit of yang energy. But I haven''t been practicing it at all.'' "Haha, come on! At least try to fight back!" The clone mocked him again. "Okay, that''s it..." He saw the ridiculously big sword come down again and moved just enough to avoid being cleaved in half and then placed his hand on the blade for a second. As Zabuza''s clone pulled his sword back and prepared for another attack, he was surprised to see Naruto jump backward and create distance between them. "Oh? Getting scared now?" The clone smiled. "Of course...I don''t want to get burned." Naruto said before snapping his fingers. "What? What are you talking ab" The clone was interrupted when his sword blew up. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 26: Tactical Explosions Chapter 26: Tactical Explosions Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 26: Tactical Explosions "Ahh!" Sakura screamed and dropped to the ground, pulling Tazuna along with her. Sasuke, who had been busy throwing kunai and shuriken at the real Zabuza, was startled by the sudden explosion and turned to look. "Naruto, what kind of explosive tag was that?!" He had never seen one that exploded in such a way. "It didn''t just explode; it also burned everything around the area of the detonation," Zabuza said, narrowing his eyes. Naruto walked out from behind the smoke. "Explosive tag? Ohh! You just gave me an idea!" He recalled a book chapter about Konoha''s explosive tags and how to use them efficiently. "An idea?" Sasuke was getting worried. "Yes...let''s blow him up." Naruto pointed at the Mist ninja. "Kakashi is there too," Sasuke felt the need to remind him. They were trying to save their teacher, not blow him up. "Don''t worry, the water should protect him." Naruto pulled out a few kunai. What he used before on the clone''s sword was a rank 1 Fire Seal. They worked a bit differently in his world, but it was somewhat equivalent to the explosive tags everyone mentioned. Except his seal was a lot more volatile since it concentrated a large amount of yang energy in a single spot and let it go out of control. This created a fiery explosion with a short radius of effect. "Let''s see..." Naruto placed the seal on the kunai. The metallic surface became red as the yang energy accumulated and grew out of control. He could not waste any time, so he threw the kunai at Zabuza immediately. Zabuza hurriedly created another water clone between him and Naruto. The newly created clone intercepted the kunai before it exploded. Zabuza heard something and immediately reacted by making a clone in that direction. The clone blocked something, but it didn''t explode afterward. "A shuriken?" A red kunai then came from a completely different direction. "They tricked me!" Zabuza understood the deceit. They were both hidden, so the black-haired boy was now also throwing weapons at him, but those were not explosive. ''They want to make me waste my remaining chakra.'' He had no time for a clone, so he had to resort to another water technique to stop the kunai. This one was not as effective, and he still felt some of the explosion''s effects on him. "Urggg..." More weapons came flying at Zabuza from different directions as Naruto and Sasuke moved through the nearby forest that surrounded the lake. Now the Mist ninja had to do extra work and identify which ones were explosive and which ones he could just block with his free hand without wasting more energy. Zabuza was having a hard time keeping his breath steady. He also needed to keep his concentration on the Water Prison while tracking all the weapons thrown at him and reacting accordingly. Eventually...the inevitable happened. His hold on the Water Prison wavered, giving Kakashi a chance to escape. The white-haired ninja was not going to waste this opportunity. His students had worked hard to give him this chance. The prison exploded, and Zabuza was sent flying into the woods. Kakashi''s Sharingan began to spin. He stared at Zabuza with an impassive expression, but deep inside...he was extremely angry. "Now it''s my turn...Zabuza. And let me tell you something. I never fall for the same trick twice." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 27: The Ninja Hunter Chapter 27: The Ninja Hunter Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 27: The Ninja Hunter Zabuza managed to stand up again but was visibly exhausted. "Leave the rest to me, stand back!" Kakashi ordered them while jumping out of the lake. He was getting ready to finish off Zabuza, but then, all of a sudden, the enemy ninja was struck by several metallic needles in the neck and fell to the ground. "Who goes there?!" Kakashi scanned the forest and found a masked figure standing on top of a nearby branch. "Hehe, sorry I stole your prey. I was getting tired of waiting." Kakashi approached Zabuza and placed two fingers on the neck. "You killed him..." His eyes locked onto the masked person. "Who are you?" The masked person jumped down and gave Kakashi a polite bow. "Thank you for your assistance in taking down this dangerous individual. It would have been very troublesome without you and your...students." He then turned to stare at Naruto and Sasuke. "Very talented students, I might add." "Wait, I recognize that mask..." Kakashi said, now that he took a better look. "You''re a ninja hunter from the Mist, aren''t you?" "Indeed, you are correct," the masked person replied. "A ninja hunter?" Sakura asked. "He looks almost our age..." Sasuke frowned. "Yes, I was tasked by my village to hunt down missing ninjas, like Zabuza here." They pointed at the corpse. "So, he is not an enemy then?" Sakura asked. "I will go prepare something to eat." Tsunami gave them a polite bow and left the room. "Say, Sakura," Naruto glanced at the pink-haired girl. "Hmm?" She was a bit surprised by this. Naruto had barely talked to her during all the time they had been part of the same team. Sakura had been expecting him to ask her out, but he never mentioned anything. "You have memorized a lot of books. Is it common for a ninja hunter to take the entire body? Because I remember reading somewhere that they only take the heads." "Eh?..." That was not the question she was expecting. "Let''s see...I think I read that too. But there was also something about taking the body under special circumstances." "Special circumstances?" Naruto asked. "Bloodline abilities," Kakashi answered his question. "The body of a ninja can hold many secrets, but it is imperative to never give the enemy the body of an ally who has some bloodline ability." "Bloodline abilities...you mean like the Hyugas and their...what was it called?" Naruto asked. "Byakugan." Kakashi nodded. "Yes, that bloodline ability belongs to the Hyuga clan. We also have..." "The Sharingan, that belongs to the Uchiha clan," Sasuke interrupted him. Naruto gave Sasuke a side glance. "I see...so these bloodline abilities can be taken by others too..." He understood now why Sasuke was so upset. Their teacher was not part of his clan, but he was in possession of the Sharingan. ''Does this mean that I can also get this Sharingan?'' Naruto thought about it. Now, Naruto was sure that their teacher could not have stolen it, otherwise, he would have never been allowed to remain free. He did not know how severe it was treated, but stealing a clan''s bloodline ability must be at least a very serious crime. He was going to need more information about these matters. After all, stealing someone''s precious possessions was a very valid way to increase one''s power. At least, in the place where he came from... Kakashi noticed Sasuke''s look. "Sakura, Naruto...wait outside for a few minutes. I need to have a private conversation with Sasuke." Naruto nodded. "Understood." He wished he could stay to also hear how Kakashi got that eye, but he did not mind it that much. It was just a matter of time before he found out what he wanted. ''In the end...I always get what I want.'' Naruto left the room with a grin on his face. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 28: A New Training Chapter 28: A New Training Disclaimer: Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 28: A New Training After a good night''s rest, their teacher called them into his room for a meeting. The trio of genins were sitting down close to Kakashi''s bed, waiting for their teacher to speak. "There is a good chance that Zabuza is alive," he started. "No way!" Sakura exclaimed. "Hmm?" Sasuke looked confused.Updated chapters at novelhall.com "Can you clarify that?" Naruto had a bad feeling about this, but he hadn''t been able to find anything wrong with what had happened the day before. "Since you asked yesterday about the ninja hunter taking away Zabuza''s body...I had this feeling that something was off...then I remembered something. Although it''s not rare for a hunter to dispose of the target''s body, they would usually still keep the head and then...they would burn the rest." "Maybe he didn''t want to burn it there. That''s why it was taken away," Sakura suggested. "Maybe...but there is another strange thing," Kakashi added. "The weapon he used to kill Zabuza..." Sasuke gasped. "No way!" "He used those steel needles. Is that what you mean?" Naruto also thought it was a very inefficient killing weapon since it would not do much damage unless you hit the exact spots. "Senbons, and they are rarely used as weapons. Most ninjas who use them are medics, and they are used for-" "Acupuncture, of course!" Naruto was very familiar with this. Now he realized what Kakashi was referring to. With acupuncture, it is possible to slow down or even stop someone''s heart momentarily and then bring them back. "He stopped his heart with acupuncture and then took him away...right in front of our eyes." "Exactly!" Kakashi admitted it with no shame whatsoever. "We will start after lunch." <><><><><><><><><> "This seems like a good place to start." Kakashi slapped a tree. "We are going to train in the middle of a forest?" Sakura looked around. None of them knew what kind of training their teacher had prepared for them, so they were very excited. Even Naruto, who had mastered countless techniques during his past life. He was always happy to learn something new. That attitude is what allowed him to get so far in life. "Alright, what are you going to teach us?" he asked. "I assume you are all familiar with the leaf exercise, yes?" Kakashi asked his students. Of course, he already knew the answer since he had read their academy reports. Sakura was extremely good at chakra control but she had very small reserves. Sasuke had above-average reserves and his chakra control was also decent, thanks to all his training. Kakashi''s eyes moved to Naruto. He had no idea how he was going to perform in this exercise. If it was before the ''incident''...he would have assumed that Naruto was going to do very poorly due to his lack of training and the fact that the Kyuubi''s chakra was leaking into his own, making it very difficult to control. He still didn''t understand why his old professor had made the decision to create such a seal. Did he really expect Naruto to learn to control the demon''s chakra?...he did not know and from what the Hokage had told him...neither did he. Kakashi made a mental note to speak with Jiraiya the next time he stopped in the village. If anyone knew more about Naruto''s seal, it was him. "Of course we are familiar with that exercise. We learned it at the academy," Sakura said. "It''s meant to teach chakra control. Are we going to do something similar?" Naruto asked. Kakashi nodded. "The leaf exercise is the most basic chakra control technique, but it doesn''t have many practical applications. What I am going to teach you is the next level of chakra control techniques...tree climbing!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 29: Tree Climbing Training Chapter 29: Tree Climbing Training Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 29: Tree Climbing Training The genins stared at Kakashi with blank expressions. Sakura raised her hand. "Teacher...we already know how to do that."Vissit for updates Kakashi sighed. "Let me demonstrate what I mean." They watched as their teacher placed a foot on the surface of a tree, then lifted his body up and began walking up the tree trunk as if he were still on the ground. He continued until he reached one of the largest branches and stood upside down. "Get it now? You can''t use your hands to climb, just your feet." "You''re using your chakra to remain stuck to the surface of the tree," Naruto said. "Bingo!" Kakashi pointed at him before jumping down. "And this is going to make us stronger?" Sakura asked. "You want us to train our chakra control?" Sasuke realized, unable to hide his disappointment. "Indeed! This is an exercise that will help you train your ability to control your chakra," Kakashi said. "What about water walking?" Naruto asked. He saw the utility of being able to stick to surfaces but was more interested in the other technique. "That one is more advanced. You first need to master this skill." Kakashi pointed at the tree. "To avoid falling, you need to apply the exact amount of chakra. If you use too much, the tree bark will break, and if it''s too little, you will fall." He threw some kunai on the ground. "You can use these to mark your progress." Ignoring their reactions, Naruto continued to walk across the surface of the giant tree until he reached the tallest branch, and then...like Kakashi had done, he moved to the branch and stood upside down. "Well? Did I pass?" Naruto glanced at Kakashi while saying this. "Mmm...yes, you did...good job, Naruto." Kakashi was a bit taken aback by the ease with which Naruto had learned this technique. He hadn''t expected him to take more than a few hours, but on the first try...it should have been impossible. ''Is the Kyuubi''s chakra not interfering with his control? Could there be something wrong with the seal?'' Now he was even more motivated to speak with Jiraiya. "Can you teach me to walk on water now?" Naruto asked him. Kakashi looked troubled. He had hoped that this exercise would keep his students busy for a day or two at least. But now Sasuke was the only one who still hadn''t learned it. "It wouldn''t be right to teach something to you alone, Naruto. Why don''t we wait until Sasuke finishes with the tree-walking technique, and if there is time, I will teach it to the three of you." Naruto moved his eyes to the black-haired boy. "I suppose that makes sense. I''ll wait then." He turned around and sat down with his back against the tree. "Ah...yes." Kakashi was once again surprised by his behavior. He expected him to complain a little at least. Sasuke clenched his teeth so hard that they started to make noises. Now he was the last one of his team to learn this...the worst one... "Sasuke, do you want me to help you?" Sakura approached the boy with a gentle smile on her face. "I can give you some advi-" "Shut up!" Sasuke shouted. "Leave me alone, I can do this!" He turned and walked further into the forest, looking for a more distant tree to practice on. Sakura stood there in shock, not sure what to do. Sasuke had been mad at her before, but this was the first time he screamed at her like that. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and looked around, finding her teacher. "Don''t mind his words too much. I think he is just feeling a bit stressed...Sasuke is very competitive, you see?" Kakashi was the one who understood Sasuke the best since he had been informed about many details of what the boy went through during the day of the massacre and the years after. "I know...I...I think I''ll go back to the house and see if Tsunami needs help with something." She walked away while wiping her teary eyes. Kakashi sighed once more. "Teenagers..." He was well aware of Sakura''s feelings for the Uchiha boy, but those feelings would only make things more difficult. Kakashi looked at Naruto. The blond boy had his eyes closed and appeared to be meditating. "At least one of you seems to be unaffected by these kinds of matters. That''s a relief..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 30: The Bridge of Hope Chapter 30: The Bridge of Hope Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 30: The Bridge of Hope "You okay there, boy?" Naruto opened his eyes and looked up at the figure of the old Tazuna. "I''m fine, I was just meditating." Naruto remained seated in lotus position and gave the place another glance. There were a lot more people working now. "It looked to me like you were sleeping. And where are the girl and the grumpy kid?" the builder asked. "The grumpy kid is having some trouble training a new technique, and the girl refuses to go too far from the grumpy kid," Naruto answered. "And shouldn''t you be with them? That black-haired kiddo is going to steal the girl, you know?" Tazuna tried to tease him. "I seriously doubt he has much interest in her. Besides, someone has to be here to protect you, and our teacher is still a bit under the weather." "And you are protecting me with your eyes closed?" Tazuna gave him a look of suspicion. "Even when I am meditating, I remain aware of my surroundings. But in any case, an attack right now is very unlikely. That ninja we fought should be at the very least severely injured and will need some time to recover." "Wait a minute, I thought he was dead!" Tazuna exclaimed. "Right..." They hadn''t told him about Kakashi''s theory. "He probably is...anyway, if you see anything, just give a shout and I will be there in a second." After saying that, Naruto closed his eyes again. "Hey, Tazuna!" Another man approached them. "Giichi? What is it?" "I''ve been thinking...and I want to quit working on the bridge." "This country needs a symbol of courage...my bridge will serve to inspire them. To lose their fear and regain their desire to stand up for themselves." <><><><><><><><> When they arrived at the house, Tazuna''s daughter was just finishing setting up the table. His teammates, along with Kakashi, were already sitting and waiting for dinner. "You look terrible," Naruto said as his eyes rested on Sasuke. The black-haired boy was dirty and covered in cuts and bruises. It appeared that he had fallen from the trees over and over while trying to learn that technique. "Naruto! Don''t say that! You have no idea how hard Sasuke has been working," Sakura snapped at him. "Did you at least learn it?" Naruto ignored the angry girl. Sasuke glanced at him with his usual expression of displeasure. "I''m close...I will master it tonight." "Oh...I see." He went and sat down next to their teacher. "So, how did your day go? Did you have fun with your bodyguard job?" Kakashi asked him. Naruto could not see his mouth, but he was sure the man was grinning. "It was all quiet. Nothing worthy to report." "Mmm...that''s good. I should be completely fine with one more day of rest." Kakashi said. "How long until the bridge is complete?" he asked Tazuna. "Perhaps two weeks will be enough, if we don''t run into any serious issues and work as hard as we can," Tazuna said. The builder''s grandson got up from his seat and stared at them with a scowl on his face. "What are you even bothering for? You are all going to die! Gato is going to kill every single one of you!" "Inari!" Tsunami came running from the kitchen to scold her son, but he ran upstairs. "What''s wrong with the brat?" Naruto asked. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 31: Intruders Chapter 31: Intruders Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 31: Intruders Three days had passed since then. This morning, Kakashi and Sasuke were on guard duty at the bridge while Naruto remained at Tazuna''s house. Sakura was also supposed to stay here, but she could not stand to be separated from Sasuke, so she went with them, leaving Naruto alone. Naruto didn''t mind this. Without the loud girl, it was much easier to focus on his meditation. He sat on his bed with his eyes closed. His consciousness was at the core of his mind palace. He was still far from breaking into the next stage, but his "Cosmic Assimilation Technique" made things very risky, and he could not lose focus and relax yet. He was progressively absorbing the energy emanating from the demon fox called Kyubi and integrating it into his own body. Even in his previous life, he had never tried to integrate a type of Qi that was this violent and unstable. He had to very slowly drip the demon''s chakra into his still-developing dantian and refine the chakra until it could be used without causing him harm. If he didn''t refine it this way, that chakra would be not much different from poison, and it would destroy his body completely. Much more so in his current weak state. As Naruto prepared to refine another bit of that violent chakra, he heard some noises on the floor beneath him. He was still unable to feel the presence of other living creatures, but something was telling him that an enemy had entered the house. The sound of platters being broken and Tsunami screaming just served as confirmation. ''Looks like Gato is finally making a move.'' He wondered if Zabuza had come in person or if they had sent others to attack. Considering that Tazuna was not in the house, he guessed it was the latter. "Mom!"Vissit for updates Naruto heard the little brat shouting and a couple of men laughing. "Tsk!" The swordsman showed that he at least had some skills as he was able to block all of them at lightning speed. But the next moment, when he looked back at where Naruto had been, there was only a small cloud of smoke. "Where di- ahh!" The swordsman felt a sharp pain on his side, and when he looked, he found a sharp kunai stuck in his side while Naruto held it. ''No armor... okay then.'' He twisted the kunai while it was inside the other man. "Ahhhh!" The swordsman dropped his sword and pulled out a short knife from the front of his jacket. He determined that the sword was too long to fight at this distance, so this was more effective. He directed a stab towards the face of the blonde ninja, but Naruto was not an easy target. Fighting at this distance was his specialty. He blocked the swordsman''s attack and pulled the kunai out at the same time, earning another grunt of pain from the man. The intense pain was too much for him and, just for a second, he lost his concentration. Naruto used this small window to direct another attack, this time aimed at the man''s neck. The kunai entered on one side and almost exited on the other. The swordsman opened his eyes and mouth widely when Naruto gave the blade a violent twist. The swordsman was incapable of screaming and could only let out some harrowing noises before he died. "No..." The other swordsman moved back against the wall. He was still holding onto his neck. His left torso was covered in blood, and his only remaining eye showed his fear and shock. Tsunami and Inari were also staring at Naruto with a mixture of admiration and fear. He had always been polite and quiet during his stay at their house, and they never expected he would be capable of killing someone with such coldness. Naruto glanced at them for a moment and pointed to an empty corner of the room. "Go wait over there. I''ll finish this in a minute." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 32: The Ice Prison Chapter 32: The Ice Prison Disclaimer: "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 32: The Ice Prison After leaving Tsunami to clean the mess, Naruto made his way towards the bridge. If Gato had sent those two swordsmen to kidnap the builder''s daughter, there was a good chance that they were also attacking Tazuna himself. He regretted not leaving one of them alive to get some information, but he got a bit carried away, and those two were too weak anyway. "Oh... so I was right..." He spotted several of the builders running away from the bridge, and when he got a bit closer, he could see clear signs of an intense fight going on. ''What is that thing?'' There was a large crystalline structure in the middle of the bridge. Next to it were Zabuza and Kakashi. A short distance away, he saw Sakura standing in front of Tazuna. ''Is Sasuke in there?'' He was the only one missing. And since Zabuza was obviously alive... Sasuke was probably fighting his accomplice... that ninja hunter pretender from the other day. "Ahhh!" A loud scream came from inside the ice. "Sasuke!" Sakura screamed with desperation while staring intensely at the ice structure. Kakashi tried to move but was blocked by Zabuza. "If you get past me... I''m killing that girl and the builder." The Mist ninja said with a cruel smile. "I''m sorry, Tazuna... I need to go help him." Sakura pulled out a kunai. ''Fine... I''ll use my fists.'' He approached the nearest ice panel and threw a punch at it. In an instant, Haku emerged from the ice like it was a pool of water and blocked his punch. "Fire release... Grand Fireball!" Sasuke called from inside the ice prison. Naruto could see some of the flames appear from beneath the ice panels, but none of them melted. "I''m afraid that my ice will not be melted by that level of technique," Haku claimed with a hint of pride in his voice. Naruto then felt the grip on his arm increase, and he was now being pulled inside the ice. He tried to use his free hand to attack Haku, but he was much slower than his opponent, so his other arm was also grabbed, and now he had no way to prevent himself from being pulled. "Urgg..." He felt a sense of disorientation and then, he was rolling on the floor. "He got you too... how useless," Sasuke grumbled. Naruto looked up and realized he was now inside the ice prison. "Tsk! He got me good there." Now that he had fought the masked ninja a little bit, he could make a more accurate evaluation of his strength... and it was not good for him. ''He is several times faster and stronger than those two chunin we fought before. This Haku may already be at the level of a Jonin.'' Even after understanding the situation a bit better, he did not despair. This was not the first time he was facing someone much more powerful... but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. ''I''m not going to die again so early. I''ll have to show them.'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 33: Sharp Needles Chapter 33: Sharp Needles Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 33: Sharp Needles They both saw the image of Haku appear on the ice panel right in front of them. "There!" Several shuriken were already in Sasuke''s hand. Both genin were about to attack when, all of a sudden, they heard something behind them. Another Haku threw several steel needles at them, forcing them to move away from each other. "A clone?...no...what kind of technique is this?" Naruto wondered how this worked. "They are not clones." Sasuke answered. But he didn''t seem to know much more than that. More images of Haku started to appear on all of the ice panels, covering their entire view. ''It''s like...mirrors...'' That meant that only one of them could attack while the rest were merely a distraction. ''If I were able to sense his aura, this fight would be over very quickly, but I need to finish my Core Formation Stage for that.'' Even knowing that only one of them was real didn''t help much when the needles started raining on them. They appeared to be coming from all directions as Haku was able to move extremely fast from one mirror to the next. Not even two minutes after the start of the fight, Naruto''s body had been pierced a dozen times. Sasuke was in much worse shape than him since he had already been doing this before Naruto arrived. "Trying to follow my position with your eyes is impossible. This technique allows me to use the mirror''s reflection to transport myself. From my point of view, you two are moving in slow motion." Haku explained. "Oi, can''t you use that technique from your clan? I''m sure it would come in handy now." Naruto said. "This is bad... you may wanna leave now, Sasuke." "What are you talking ab-" Before Sasuke could finish, his instinct made him react to an attack. More needles were sent at him, but now they felt a lot faster, and they were all aimed at his neck and face. Two needles buried in his left shoulder, causing him tremendous pain and making him lose his balance. Naruto was dealing with the same. He was not fast enough to block everything that Haku was throwing at them. Even with his current wound, the masked ninja was moving even faster than before, and his attacks had become much more dangerous. ''If this continues... we are actually going to die...'' Naruto considered his options. And he didn''t like any of them. ''I''m going to need a bit of help on this one...'' His consciousness was pulled inward and into his Mind Palace. When he regained his sight, he was back in that familiar sewer. "I knew you would be back eventually." The demon fox snarled at him. Naruto walked towards the cage, not slowing down even when he was only a couple of feet away. "I need something from you," Naruto said in a calm tone. A gigantic paw with sharp nails appeared from the cage like a lightning bolt and grabbed onto Naruto. "You should not have gotten so close, boy... I am going to crush you now!" The demon fox threatened him. "Unless you release that seal..." Naruto started to laugh. "What''s so funny?!" The Kyubi shouted. "You are either taking me for a fool, or... you are a fool yourself, Demon..." Naruto said with a grin. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 34: The Deal Chapter 34: The Deal Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 34: The Deal "You think I won''t do it?!" The Kyubi growled. "Go ahead... let''s get this over with. Crush me." Naruto taunted the demon fox. The fox roared at him while showing his sharp fangs, and then... it closed its claws, crushing Naruto''s body and turning his insides into mush. Or that was what the Kyubi thought. The ''corpse'' of Naruto vanished from its hand and reappeared a few feet away, looking completely intact. "Do you understand now, demon? We are nothing but immaterial constructs, created inside my mind. You could say that we are manifestations of our own selves. So you won''t be able to hurt me here." It was not impossible to perform an attack while inside someone''s Inner World, but Naruto was confident that this demon fox was unaware of such methods. The creature remained silent after that. It had obviously been offended by his actions. "I did not come here to make you look like an idiot, demon. I need you to give me some of your chakra." With the way the seal had been designed, Naruto could only take a small amount at a time. This was meant to protect his life, as a large amount of the demon''s yang chakra would certainly kill him. But if the demon is willing to cooperate, then he may be able to get enough to make a difference in his current fight. "You want my help?... and why would I do that, human?" The Kyubi spoke with disdain. "Because for as long as you are inside my body, your life is connected to mine." Naruto said. "Nonsense! If you die, then I''m free! So go ahead and get yourself killed, brat. I could not care less!" "I won''t..." Naruto turned around and disappeared from the room. When he opened his eyes back in the real world, only a moment in real time had passed. But even then, Naruto was surprised to see that the masked ninja did not miss his small opening to attack him. "Urgg..." Sasuke groaned. His body was filled with senbons, from his shoulders to his toes. "Why did you protect me?" Naruto asked. While inside his Inner World, only a few seconds must have passed on the outside. He knew there was a risk of being attacked but had not been too worried about being hit by a few of those needles, because one of the best things about this body was the speed at which his wounds regenerated. The last thing he expected was to find his grumpy teammate sacrificing himself to save him. "M-My body... moved on its own..." The black-haired boy said before falling back. He caught Sasuke and placed him down with care. Despite his long life, this was not a common occurrence for him. Someone who was willing to put their life on the line to protect his. He did have a few people he was close to, like his dao companions, but he wasn''t sure if any of them would have given up their lives for him. It seemed unlikely. And now, this boy who he barely knew... "Mmm... what is this..." red mist started to pour out of his body, and he was suddenly surrounded by a baleful aura. "Am I... angry?" There was a lot of rage and fury mixed with the chakra he was receiving and it was trying to affect him, but his mind remained serene, despite all of that. His now red eyes moved towards Haku, who was visibly shaken by the new development. "What is that chakra?!" The masked ninja exclaimed. "This is an interesting sensation..." Naruto said with a calm voice as the demon''s chakra swirled around him. "I don''t dislike it." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 35: A Glimpse of Power Chapter 35: A Glimpse of Power Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 35: A Glimpse of Power As Naruto had expected, the chakra from the demon fox contained more than just yang qi. It also held a great deal of pure and unadulterated...hatred. ''This is why most demon cultivators end up losing their minds... I think I understand it better now... still, this power is nothing to scoff at,'' he thought. "What are you?!" Haku yelled. Outside the ice barrier, Kakashi and Zabuza had stopped their fight when they felt that powerful wave of chakra. "What was that?!" Zabuza felt an incredibly violent chakra emerging from inside Haku''s ice. "Oh no!" Kakashi exclaimed. Unlike Zabuza, he was very familiar with that particular chakra. It was the same one he felt that day, fifteen years ago, when the Kyubi went loose and destroyed half of Konoha. ''Did the seal break?'' The Jonin was starting to panic. But then, all of a sudden, the baleful aura disappeared almost completely, leaving behind only a mild trace. "What''s going on in there?" Kakashi muttered. "Sasuke... please be fine..." Sakura stared intensely at the dome of ice. She wanted nothing more than to rush in there. Haku was an incredibly talented ninja but had little experience in real combat. And the few times he had to fight, he would always overwhelm his opponents with his superior speed. This was the first time he found someone who could move faster than him, and his reaction had been a fraction of a second too slow. That is all it took. Kakashi and Zabuza had not resumed their duel after feeling that demonic chakra. Both experts had been staring at the dome of ice, wondering what was going to happen next. But neither of them had expected to see Haku''s impenetrable prison being blown up by a massive wave of fire that emerged from the inside and erupted towards the sky. Kakashi reacted immediately by taking Sakura and Tazuna away from the heat. Even at the distance they were in, it was enough to suffer severe burns. But then he glanced back at the place where the ice used to be. His two students had been there a moment ago, but now there was nothing but a thick mist, created by the sudden evaporation of all that ice. "No! Sasuke!" Sakura screamed and had to be stopped by her teacher so she would not rush in there. "Wait here... I''m going to g-" Kakashi stopped talking when he felt something moving. The tomoe on his Sharingan began to spin as he put it to work and immediately saw traces of chakra moving in the mist. It was hard to detect anything with precision because the demonic chakra of the Kyubi was currently covering most of the bridge. But then, a figure emerged from within. "Naruto?..." Sakura walked closer, and then... she gasped. "Sasuke!" She took off running when she saw that Naruto was carrying on his back the body of their teammate. "Oh no!" Kakashi also moved immediately to Naruto''s side. Had he lost a student already? A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 36: The End of the Road Chapter 36: The End of the Road Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 36: The End of the Road "Give him here." Kakashi took Sasuke down from Naruto''s shoulder and examined him. "Is he?... is he?..." Sakura had tears falling across her face. "He is still alive!" Kakashi said with relief. He could still see his chakra circulating around his body, but his pulse felt very weak. "He is?" Naruto was also surprised to hear this. He had the feeling that there could be a chance for Sasuke to be alive, but it was a very small one. As soon as Kakashi pulled the senbons from Sasuke''s neck and chest, the boy''s skin started to recover its normal color and his chest started to move. "Stay with him... we still have another problem to take care of." Kakashi glanced back at Zabuza. The enemy ninja had not taken advantage of this chance to attack them. Instead, he appeared to be looking for something on the bridge. "If he is looking for the masked boy... he won''t find much." Naruto commented. "Naruto, you..." Kakashi stopped talking when he noticed Naruto''s body. Half of his face and torso had been badly burned. Kakashi had many questions at the moment, but this was not the time to ask them. "Naruto, stay here too. I''ll deal with Zabuza." He went on and approached the Mist Ninja, leaving the three genin and Tazuna behind. "It seems like I lost my apprentice." Zabuza said, while staring at the burned part of the bridge. He was unable to find any remains. Whatever was left may have fallen into the waters. "I''m sorry for your loss." Kakashi continued to get closer. Behind him were at least two dozen armed warriors, like the ones Naruto had fought at Tazuna''s house. "I knew I could not trust that damn useless ninja!" The short man shouted. "Good thing I came in person to do the job properly." "Gato..." Tazuna stared at the man with fear in his eyes. "That was going to be my first guess..." Naruto said. "W-what do we do?" Sakura was visibly shaken. "Stay calm." Kakashi appeared behind her. He covered his Sharingan and glanced over the group that Gato had brought with him. "All sellswords... a few samurais, some mercenaries... no ninjas there." "Can you still fight?" Naruto looked at the Jonin. "Of course! I am still fresh as a lettuce." Kakashi assured him. "You can barely stand." Naruto added. "I''ll fight too." No matter how much he tried to hide it, it was obvious that Kakashi was very exhausted already. Kakashi''s uncovered eye glanced over him. "Your wounds?" Naruto moved his burned right arm a bit. "The pain has lessened. It won''t be a problem." His regeneration was the one thing that he found most astonishing about this new body of his. He still wasn''t sure if this was caused by some dormant bloodline ability he had or a side effect of growing up with that demon fox sealed in his gut. When he ended his fight with Haku, he could barely contain himself from groaning in pain, but now he was feeling so much better. "I... I..." Sakura grasped at the kunai in her hand. "You better stay here." Kakashi told her. "Someone needs to protect the client." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 37: Brawl at the Bridge Chapter 37: Brawl at the Bridge Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 37: Brawl at the Bridge "So, Zabuza and his little assistant are dead?..." Gato looked around the bridge with a smug expression. "That''s too bad, I wanted to see that arrogant missing ninja die with my own eyes... oh well..." "Talk about being arrogant..." Naruto grumbled. He gave Kakashi a side glance. "What are the instructions? Can we kill them all?" "We, ninjas of Konoha, are fully authorized to kill non-mission-related targets for as long as our lives are threatened. There is a self-defense clause and all of that." Kakashi answered. "Including the short one?" Naruto glanced at Gato.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com "What are you waiting for? Go get me the head of that bridge builder, and kill all those useless ninjas too!" Gato ordered. The men behind him began to laugh and shout. They all seemed eager to finally get something to break. "That sounded like a threat to me. So yes... the short one too." Kakashi said. Tazuna stood a good distance away from them, with Sakura right in front of him, acting like a shield. "Are they going to be okay?" the builder asked. Sakura''s eyes moved to her side, to the tree where she had left Sasuke to rest, before going back to the front. She could only see the backs of Kakashi and Naruto. She knew they were both injured and tired. She had not missed the burns on her teammate''s body. Those were the reason she had not yelled at him for letting Sasuke get hurt. And Kakashi had been using his Sharingan during the entire fight with Zabuza, and she was aware of how much that drained him. "They are going to be okay... they won''t lose against some swordsmen." She said with conviction. Kakashi went first and started to slash the mercenaries away. "Maybe I should have brought a sword with m-" Before he could finish his sentence, the blade of the sword he had just used snapped in half. The pressure he had put on the weapon had been too much for this cheap steel. "If I can find a decent one." He added. When Naruto glanced forward, he saw that only Gato was still standing. Kakashi had made quick work of the other mercenaries, leaving the short businessman by himself. "W-Wait! Let us talk about it!" Gato stared at their silver-haired teacher. All his previous arrogance and confidence were now gone. "There is nothing for us to talk about. You must have been aware of the consequences of your actions." Kakashi told him. "Wait!" Gato got to his knees and raised his arms up. "I surrender! Just arrest me." Kakashi was now hesitant to continue. If Gato surrendered, maybe it would be better to restrain him and take him to Konoha, where he could be properly judged. The Jonin felt something moving quickly and passing by his side. "Urgg..." Gato let out a gagging sound. His neck had been pierced by a broken sword blade. Kakashi turned around and watched as Naruto approached. It didn''t seem like the boy had suffered a single scratch from those mercenaries. "What was that?" "The blade?" Naruto asked. "I ran out of kunais." "You know what I mean... the man had surrendered. There was no need to kill him." "That is incorrect. For as long as that man was alive, our client''s life was going to be at risk. I was just following the mission parameters." Naruto shrugged. "And let''s be honest... if you had wanted to stop that blade..." he pointed at Gato as the man collapsed on the ground. "You could have done so... Am I wrong?" Kakashi sighed. His eye moved back to the now-dead businessman. "I suppose not." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 38: Time to leave Chapter 38: Time to leave Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 38: Time to leave Two weeks later "Sasuke, you should be resting!" Sakura frowned. The black-haired boy made a loud grunt as he got out of the pond. He then looked to his right, where his teammate had been meditating for over a week already, only moving for a bit in order to eat. "Does he even sleep?" Sakura commented after she followed Sasuke''s gaze towards Naruto. Unlike Sasuke, who needed several days of rest in bed, Naruto had taken the bandages covering his burns off the next day and went back to the forest in order to train. A week after their fight with Zabuza, their Sensei had agreed to teach them the next chakra control technique...water walking. Like with the previous one, Sakura had mastered it extremely quickly, but Naruto had not been far behind. It only took him an hour before he could confidently walk over the pond with no apparent effort. Sasuke was still trying his best and was getting close already, but still needed some more practice, as this was already the tenth time he had fallen into the pond, despite Sakura''s advice to take it easy. Just two weeks ago, he had almost died. Both Sasuke and Sakura had matured a lot in the past two weeks. That experience with Zabuza had affected them deeply. For Sakura, it had been a wake-up call. She knew what her job as a ninja was going to be like, at least in theory, but witnessing in person what a true battle to the death looked like was a lot more intense than what she expected. She was still having nightmares, and they were not likely to go away anytime soon. Seeing the boy she loved almost dying before her was not helping either. "That''s...sudden. We have to prepare our bags. Oh, and I need to prepare some food for the trip." Sakura took off running. "I need to speak with Tsunami!" Sasuke stood up and after giving Naruto and Kakashi one last look, he walked away. "I better go get my things ready too..." Kakashi approached Naruto, who had yet to move or say anything. "And...did the sleepy boy hear anything I said?" "The sleepy boy heard everything." Naruto opened his eyes. "Should I go get my things ready?" "Have you completely recovered?" Kakashi asked. Naruto opened his kimono to show the right side of his naked torso. That is where he had suffered most of the damage. "As you can see...not even a mark." He said before closing the simple brown clothes he was wearing. This was something that was given to him by one of the villagers since he had no more clothes to use. "But that is not what you really wanted to ask, is that right?" Kakashi chuckled. "You are quite sharp..." "You want to talk about the demon?" Naruto could already guess that his teacher had several questions about what happened that day at the bridge. After the fight was over, they all went to get healed and rest. After that, Kakashi had not asked him anything at all about it. And of course, Naruto did not say anything either. "Yes, I did want to talk about that...if that is okay with you." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 39: Inheritance Chapter 39: Inheritance Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 39: Inheritance "That is all..." Kakashi ended his summary of the mission to the old Hokage. The only other occupants in his office at the moment were the other members of Team 7, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. After a minute of silence, the Hokage spoke again. "It seems like you all had a very rough first mission outside Konoha. But I am glad that everyone came back alive and well." His eyes moved over the genins. "You will all be compensated properly for this mission. Even though the client only paid for a C-rank, the village will not mistreat you and will give you all the payment of a B-rank mission." "Whoa, really?" Sakura looked excited. "I think I can afford those earrings now..." She mumbled under her breath. "Won''t your advisors complain about this?" Kakashi knew how stingy those two old people could be.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com The Hokage brushed him off. "Let them complain if they want to. But if they are somewhat smart, they will see that this mission has greatly improved our reputation with the Land of Waves. And now that their bridge is built, their economy should flourish. This means more future missions for our village and more benefits." "Thank you, Lord Hokage." Kakashi gave him a quick bow, and the others did the same. "I''m sure you are all wishing to get some rest, so you are dismissed...however, Naruto...I need you to stay for a moment. There is something else we must discuss," the Hokage said. Sakura and Sasuke shared a look between them. They obviously wanted to know more but could not possibly question their leader. So they turned around and left the office. "I assume you also want to speak with me?" Kakashi stayed behind. Someone knocked on the door at that moment. "That must be your guide." The Hokage looked ahead. "Come in." Kakashi went back inside. A tall man, wearing dark blue clothes and dark sunglasses, was following right behind. The man gave Naruto a passing glance before focusing on the Hokage. "Lord Hokage, I am here as you requested..." He gave a deep bow. "Ebisu, I assume you remember what I need from you?" The Hokage asked. Ebisu glanced at Naruto again. "I do...I will escort Uzumaki to ''his'' residence and help him remove the seal." There was some bitterness in his tone. "It is Naruto''s residence now," the old man reminded him. "Of course." Ebisu bowed once more. "Go on, Naruto. Ebisu will...oh wait, before I forget." The Hokage handed Naruto another piece of paper. "This is a short list of shops owned by ninja families. You will have no problem doing your shopping in any of them. I have already spoken with the owners." Naruto glanced down at the paper he had been given. On top of the shop names, it also had detailed descriptions of the shops, what they sold, and where to find them. "Thank you. I appreciate it." The old Hokage gave him a warm smile. "Don''t worry about it. It''s the least I could do. Now, go on. I need to have a conversation with your teacher." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 40: Home? Chapter 40: Home? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 40: Home? Naruto looked around as they walked through the ninja district. It was much quieter compared to the civilian center. It was mostly apartment buildings, with a few shops here and there. Barely anyone was walking on the streets. "Is this your first time here?" Ebisu asked him. He may not like this particular boy, but he was trying his best to be polite. After all, this was a personal request from the Hokage himself. ''At least, the rumors about his change of personality seem to be true.'' The ninja was grateful for that. He had met Naruto a year ago, and it was not a pleasant encounter for him. The boy had been loud, obnoxious, and very rude. "Yes, I never had a reason to come here before," said Naruto. Although he didn''t even know there was a district just for ninjas. "I see..." Ebisu pointed towards the next corner on their right. "If you take a turn there and walk for a bit, you will find a weapon shop called ''Ten Ten Ten''... ignore the strange name. They have more than just weapons. That includes a decent variety of clothes appropriate for a ninja." He made no comments on Naruto''s current clothes, but he did stare at them for a few seconds. Naruto noticed this. He was still wearing the simple brown kimono that was given to him by that villager at Wave. These were hardly appropriate clothes for a ninja, so he could understand the man''s stare. ''Ten Ten Ten... I believe that one was in the notes the Hokage gave me.'' Naruto pulled out the metallic key that had also been included inside the scroll. The door made a clicking noise and opened. "Just out of curiosity, what would have happened if someone tried to enter without removing that seal?" Ebisu seemed to consider it for a moment. "I am no expert on fuuinjutsu, but the function of those types of seals is twofold: to protect the secrets inside the sealed area and to punish those who try to access them. In this case, I believe the reaction would have likely been some sort of explosion. That would accomplish both goals." "Do many ninjas out there know who owned this house?" Naruto asked. "I would assume that many knew about it, yes. But I doubt they would question your presence here," Ebisu said. "Now, my mission here is completed. If there is nothing else you require, I will leave you to your personal business." "Thank you for your assistance, Mister Ebisu." Naruto gave the man a polite bow and watched him leave before opening the door and walking inside. He was welcomed by a musky smell. It was expected from a house that had not been opened in fifteen years. The first thing he did was to open a few windows and turn on the lights so he could see what he was doing. Other than the dust, the inside of the house had remained in perfect condition. It almost looked like someone had been living here until very recently. He saw two sets of plates and glasses set up at the kitchen table, like they had been preparing for a meal before having to leave in a rush. There were pictures everywhere and personal items scattered around. This had been a very cozy home at some point. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 41: Followed Chapter 41: Followed Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 41: Followed ''I''m sure all those things would have meant a lot for the previous owner of this body...'' Naruto glanced over the many pictures and other memorabilia displayed on the shelves. ''But they mean nothing to me.'' He did not consider these people as his family, so it was impossible to feel anything at all while glancing over these things. What mattered to him right now was to find out if these two powerful ninjas had left behind any useful techniques or artifacts. Considering that the Hokage himself felt the need to protect this place from others, they must have come to the same conclusion as he did. ''The house is not too big, so it shouldn''t take long to explore. I better get started.'' He began upstairs; there were only two bedrooms and one bathroom. One of them was almost empty. Naruto could guess that this was meant to be his room.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com The other one looked like a normal bedroom with one large bed at the center, surrounded by several pieces of furniture. He approached the largest wardrobe and opened it up. It was divided into two sections, each containing a very different style of clothes. Naruto pulled out a white robe. It had some writing on the back that said ''Fourth Hokage.'' There were two problems with learning that one. For one, Naruto did not know anything about this world''s version of sealing techniques that they called ''fuuinjutsu.'' And two...the writing was incomplete. At most, that scroll only had half of the instructions to replicate that technique, and he had no idea where the rest was. He did find a large box with books about fuuinjutsu, so he intended to read them when he had time. If he could somehow combine what he already knew from his previous world about seals with the ones from this one... maybe he could create something new and powerful. <><><><><><><><><> With his job at the house concluded, Naruto placed everything in a large box and began the walk back to his apartment. For the moment, he had no intent on living here. He found his small apartment more comfortable, as he was used to spending long periods of time in very small spaces. The streets of Konoha were all well-illuminated and still brimming with people. Naruto earned a lot of glances as he walked by. Not that he usually didn''t get harsh glances, but he was sure that his old clothes, dirty appearance, and the large box he was carrying didn''t help him blend in among the other civilians going around the village. It was a bit too late to stop for any shopping, so he decided to make his way directly towards his apartment. Just a few minutes later, he was walking on a deserted street, away from the busy center. ''Hmm?... is someone following me?...'' His spiritual senses may be dull, but his senses of hearing and smell were very sharp. And he was clearly hearing steps behind him. Naruto stopped for a moment and looked back. As soon as he did, the other set of steps also came to an abrupt halt. ''I am definitely being followed... could it be?'' His eyes moved to the box in his hands. Perhaps someone had been following him all day as he went into the former Hokage''s house and was now planning on stealing the scrolls he had acquired. He was sure that many would love to get their hands on those. ''If they think it''s going to be easy to take something of mine...'' His eyes became sharper as he spotted a shadowy figure hidden behind a lamp post. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 42: Stalker Chapter 42: Stalker Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts''Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com -Author notes- Chapter 42: Stalker Naruto shifted the weight of the box in his hands to hold it with one arm while pulling a kunai with his now free hand. It would have been better to leave the heavy box on the ground, but it was very likely that the contents of the box were their real target. He could not take that risk. Naruto could clearly see part of the feet of the person hiding behind the post. This clumsy behavior showed that this was an amateur, or... a distraction, meant for him to lower his guard. "Show yourself! I can see you there!" He never expected that to work... "W-Wait!" He heard the nervous voice of a young girl before she stepped into the dim light of the lamp. "You are..." He realized that he knew this girl. He had a few memories of her and had even seen her very recently. "Hyuga Hinata?" "Y-Yes!" She gave him a polite bow. "Good evening, Naruto." He did not relax the grip on his kunai after seeing who this was. His ears and nose were still on full alert, trying to detect if someone else were to approach. Despite her innocent look and nervous attitude, this was a ninja, so it could all be a lie. Naruto stared at the girl. It didn''t take a genius to know there was more than that. "I understand. I am still sorry, but I have just a few memories of my academy days." He decided to tell her the truth. "That''s..." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. "But it''s not Naruto''s fault!" She hurried to say. "You were attacked, and... I''m just glad you are okay." "How did I use to call you?" He asked. Hinata was a bit surprised by the question but still answered it. "We never talked that much, but you would always call everyone by their names." Naruto had a much better understanding of the situation now that he had a chance to observe this girl for a bit. It was obvious that she liked him, or at least the past version of him. She was also extremely shy and had not dared to approach him directly to ask how he was. If this was some random girl, he would just say his goodbyes and forget about the whole incident. But this was the heir of one of Konoha''s most notorious clans. Having a positive relationship with someone like that could only be beneficial to him. So he decided to try something. "Say, Hinata..." "Yes?" She looked at him with interest. "Are you free tomorrow night?" "Eh? Yes?..." Hinata appeared to be confused by the sudden question. "Excellent, then what about having dinner with me? My treat." "What?!" She almost shouted. She could not have heard that right. "You know, as compensation for the misunderstanding. I mean, I pointed a kunai at you... paying for some food seems like the least I can do. So what do you say? I know a good place that sells ra" Hinata collapsed on the floor. Naruto stared at her for a few seconds. She was clearly unconscious. "This has never happened to me before..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 43: What did you do? Chapter 43: What did you do? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 43: What did you do? "This better be an actual emergency!" He heard the annoyed voice of Sakura and turned around to face her. He had not wanted to do this but was left with little choice. So he used the communication device Kakashi had given them to contact Sakura. "This is a real emergency, look..." He pointed at the person resting on the park bench. After Hinata had passed out, he had carried her, along with his heavy box, to a nearby park. Thankfully, this small park was not a popular one and had been empty since he arrived. Sakura made a loud gasp when she saw the unconscious girl. Her shock quickly shifted to anger. "What did you do to her?!" "Nothing... I just asked her if she wanted to have dinner with me tomorrow." "You asked Hinata on a date?" Sakura gave him a look of suspicion. She found it a bit hard to believe the current Naruto would be asking anyone on a date. "But then again... that would explain what happened to her..." Sakura muttered while peeking at her. Anyone with half a brain could tell that the girl was obsessed with Naruto, for some reason she didn''t understand. But her extreme shyness had made things very difficult for Hinata. Sakura had seen her almost collapse on a few occasions when Naruto gave her a few words of praise when she got some academy assignment right. She glanced at the peaceful expression on Hinata''s face as she slept and knew that Naruto was telling the truth. Naruto was glad he made the decision of bringing Sakura with him. "Wait! Is that?..." "By Kami! That is Lady Hinata!" The guards just noticed the girl Naruto was carrying. Before the situation got worse, Sakura hurried to give the two men a made-up story about how Hinata had passed out during a joint training session between their teams and how she and Naruto had offered to bring her home. Had he come alone, things could have gotten very ugly. Apparently, Hinata was supposed to be back an hour ago and the Hyuga had already sent people to look for her. <><><><><><><><><><><> With the situation resolved, Naruto and Sakura went their separate ways. When he arrived at his apartment, Naruto was beyond exhausted. He had barely eaten or slept in the last forty-eight hours. But he could not relax yet. There was one more thing he needed to finish before he could finally rest. He placed down the box and opened it up. The books about Fuuinjutsu were left on one side, to be stored later on. What was important now was to secure the three scrolls he had brought. He could not be certain of how valuable the Uzumaki sword technique was until he studied it further. But he had no doubts about the other two. The Rasengan was certainly a high-level ninja technique. And the other one was even more valuable, even in its incomplete state. Today''s events had done more than enough to demonstrate how risky it was to have these scrolls lying around. It was just a matter of time before they got stolen. Luckily, he knew a method to engrave this knowledge into his very own soul, so it could never be taken again. Once he did that, the scrolls themselves could be destroyed without him suffering any sort of loss. Naruto placed the three scrolls in front of him and began to focus. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 44: Open the door Chapter 44: Open the door Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 44: Open the door Strings of words and symbols entered his Mind Palace. Every letter, every line appeared to be alive. They shone in golden light as they floated around. Once all the contents were there, Naruto created a container for that knowledge and stored it in the safety of his own soul. He repeated the same method with the other two scrolls and by the time he was done, he knew every detail there was to know about them, up until the last word, symbol, or mark that had been written on them. And he would never forget about them. That knowledge had now become a part of him. Once he was done, he felt his consciousness fading away and his eyes wanting to seal shut. He had to make full use of his willpower to stand up once more, bring the three scrolls to the kitchen, and burn them down, using the stove. Then... he passed out, right there on the kitchen floor. There was a good reason he did not use this method very often. Engraving information into your soul is not something to take lightly. It should only be used with the knowledge that you feel is of extreme importance, for the amount of time this method can be used is very limited.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com During his previous life as a wandering cultivator, he must have learned thousands of techniques. But not even one hundred of them had been engraved. Ino huffed in annoyance. "What are you doing here so early in the morning?" He asked with a frown. ''Why is she annoyed? I should be the one offended.'' "Morning?" Ino exclaimed. "It''s three P.M!" "It is?.... I did sleep a lot then..." He shouldn''t be too surprised. He had been already exhausted when he got home and then he used that method to engrave the scrolls'' information into his soul. That also puts a heavy toll on the body. If Ino didn''t wake him up, he might have slept until the next morning. "You still haven''t told me the reason for your visit." From what he understood from their previous meeting, this girl did not hold him in high regard. So this could not be a friendly visit. "Let me make one thing clear...I only came here at the request of my father. So don''t get any ideas." She pointed her finger at him while speaking in a harsh tone. "Request?" Naruto asked. ''What does that man want from me?'' He had nothing personal against Inoichi Yamanaka, but he could not feel comfortable next to someone capable of delving into his mind. "He wanted me to accompany you on your first shopping trip," Ino told him. "I''m sure to make sure you didn''t waste all of your money on ramen and ugly clothes." She felt the need to add. Naruto frowned. "I don''t need your help for that." He did not like being treated like a child. Even if he was one, at least technically speaking. Ino looked at him up and down. "I think you do need my help." She turned around and began to walk to the door. "Come on, we only have a few hours left before it gets dark." His stomach started to make noises, and he just realized he hadn''t eaten anything in almost two days. "I''m hungry..." "Come on, Naruto, stop complaining." She went back, grabbed him by his robes, and pulled him along. "Konoha''s number one beauty came all the way here to help you out..." She glared directly into his eyes. "You are not going to waste my time...are you?..." Her intimidating gaze was very effective. Even with his lacking senses, Naruto could almost detect strands of energy coming from her pupil-less blue eyes. ''Not bad...maybe this girl has some potential after all.'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 45: TenTenTen Chapter 45: TenTenTen Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 45: TenTenTen "Mmm... no, not that one." "What about this?" Naruto came out of the changing room wearing a white kimono and black sandals. "A pure white kimono?" Ino gave him a dubious look. "It seems very impractical for missions." "I already have several outfits for that." They had been here for over two hours already, and Naruto had chosen enough clothes to fill his small closet. This white kimono reminded him of the old robes he wore during his days at the Blue Jade Sect, and it gave him a sense of nostalgia. Of course, he could not mention that to anyone. "Oh! I think he looks very handsome in those clothes." A dark-haired girl intruded into their conversation all of a sudden. Ino turned around with an expression of annoyance. "I never said that he... wait, who are you?" "My name is Tenten, and I will let you know that I am the owner of this shop. So be more respectful," she said with a smug tone. The large man at the counter gave the girl a stern glare. "Who did you say the owner was?" "Hehe, come on, Dad... I meant one day." She scratched her head. "Hmph! We''ll see about that." He scoffed. "Anyways..." Ignoring the father and daughter issues, Naruto made his way to the counter. "I''ll take these. And I think I''m done with the clothes." "I suppose you have enough... for now." Ino agreed. "I will keep these on." Naruto pointed at his white kimono before placing the rest of the bags on the table. "A million?!" Ino exclaimed. She came from a fairly wealthy family, but even then, this sword went way over her budget. "And there are weapons even more valuable than this one out there," Tenten said. "Few would be willing to even sell a legendary grade weapon for just money," her father added. "The country of the Mist was able to acquire seven legendary swords and turned them into a symbol of power for the country." "Right! The Seven Legendary Swordsmen!" Tenten said with excitement. She had read many tales about those swordsmen. ''The Legendary Swordsmen? Wasn''t Zabuza one of those?'' Naruto recalled what the Bingo Book said. ''Does that mean that... that giant sword of his....'' "Arg..." He growled. "Naruto? What''s wrong?" Ino asked. "Nothing...." He knew that the sword would be at least a bit valuable. But Kakashi had insisted on leaving it next to the man''s grave, and he didn''t want to argue with his sensei. Especially when he was not the one who killed Zabuza, so he had no right to loot his body. "In any case, you don''t need a legendary sword now. You are still a genin," the shop owner said. "I understand." He should stop overestimating what he could acquire in his current situation. He was no longer the influential and wealthy figure he had been in the past. It almost felt like he was back in his early days as an outer disciple of the Jade Sect. "I can be patient," he then said. The shop owner smiled. "That is a good way of thinking! One should not rush into things. I wish my daughter was more like that." "Hey!" Tenten exclaimed. "Tell you what." The owner pointed at the swords on the lower weapon racks. "Pick any of these, I''ll give it to you for free." "Dad? I have never seen you even give a piece of scroll for free." Tenten looked baffled. "My instincts may have become duller over time, but even I know it when I see someone with great potential. So go ahead, take my gift. And one day, when you have become some big shot, remember my store." Naruto gave the man a nod of agreement. He had always lived by the rule of returning kindness one hundredfold. His eyes scanned the many blades on display until he found a suitable one. "I''ll take this one." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 46: The Mysterious Cave Chapter 46: The Mysterious Cave Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 46: The Mysterious Cave A few days later, Naruto was making his way to a team meeting during the early hours of the morning. They had been given a short period of time to rest after that difficult mission at Wave. In fact, they were supposed to have three more days left, but their sensei, Kakashi, had sent them a message to meet earlier than expected. He would have felt more annoyed by this, but his cultivation was progressing at a faster pace than he anticipated. He was already approaching the peak of the Body Forging Stage. If this continues at this rate, he would be breaking into the Qi Refining State in less than a month. his previous experience, this usually took between six months and a year, depending on the person''s talent and resources. Naruto was sure that this fast pace was thanks in great part to the Golden Script. It had granted him the perfect cultivation method for his current body. And it wasn''t just the speed that impressed him. As he paid such close attention to his progress, Naruto could tell how solid his foundation was. He lamented not having found this divine artifact earlier in his last life. Had he come across it before stepping into the Core Formation stage... things would have been much different then. During his early years, he had no choice but to use the cultivation method provided by the sect. However, the outer disciples like him were given the lowest rank manual they had available. They also received little guidance and resources, and this led to many disciples making serious mistakes during their cultivation. She had long silver hair and wore some golden robes that still seemed to shine despite all the dust that had been deposited on top of them. The woman was sitting in a lotus position and was not moving or even breathing. At first, he thought she was a powerful cultivator in the middle of a long session of closed-door cultivation. He had already heard tales about ancient powerful beings capable of remaining still for decades with no food or water. If this was such an incredible individual, there was no chance he could just stumble upon her cave and go inside. But he felt nothing while standing this close to her. There wasn''t even an ounce of energy left in her. She was definitely dead, he had absolutely no doubts about that. He did find it odd that her body looked so pristine despite being dead. By the dust on her, she must have passed away years ago... but she still looked completely perfect and there was no stench at all. It was then, when he began to observe her more closely, that he saw it... she had both hands open with her palms up, and resting on top of them, was a small book with a golden leather cover. The moment he saw it, he knew this was something very special. He felt an immediate connection with this book, and before he could even think about what he was doing... he reached for it. When his hand touched the cover, he was suddenly blinded by an intense golden light emerging from the book. He screamed in pain and tried to retreat while covering his eyes. In his desperation, he fell backward and hit his head against the walls of the cave. It was the last thing he remembered of that day. When he woke up next, he found himself outside, with his back resting against a rocky wall. The cave was nowhere to be seen. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 47: The Fallen Goddess Chapter 47: The Fallen Goddess Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 47: The Fallen Goddess He spent the next two weeks looking for that cave, and later on in his life, he would spend many more years doing the same. But he never found it again. It wasn''t until his next session of deep meditation that he found out where the golden book had gone. It had somehow merged with his soul and was now resting inside his Inner Palace. He read many books back at the Sect, but never learned about an artifact capable of doing that. This already gave him a hint of how incredible this book was, but when he touched its surface once more... he learned what it was capable of. His mind was assaulted by an endless barrage of knowledge. At first, nothing made sense to him, it just felt like senseless strings of letters and numbers. But then it started to change. The letters and numbers began to rearrange themselves, forming meaningful messages. He soon realized he was reading a cultivation manual. One like nothing he had ever dreamed of. As he read it and understood its contents, he felt like he was seeing something that was meant just for him. It was a perfect cultivation technique for him, he instinctively understood that. This had been tailor-made for him, and like a pair of gloves created by a craftsman after many hours of measurements... it fit him perfectly. He ditched his old method, the one given to him by the sect after he became an inner disciple, and he did it without a second thought. Then, he began to cultivate using this technique given to him by the book... The difference was like heaven and earth. It was here that his true journey began. "Thanks... I guess." She muttered after being helped. "Where were you even going?" Sakura asked him. "The training grounds are that way." She pointed in the opposite direction. "Looks like I was really distracted..." Naruto muttered. Sakura sighed. "What were you even thinking about? Is this about Hinata? Did you two have dinner together?" Her bad mood seemed to disappear when she thought about that. "Oh that?... no... I have not seen her since the night when we brought her home." Naruto told her. Sakura made a complicated expression. "Poor girl... she must have been very embarrassed. Maybe I should talk to her..." Naruto shrugged. He didn''t really care that much about that. He was sure there would be more opportunities in the future. He began walking again, and this time, in the right direction. "Hey wait!" Sakura had to run for a bit to catch up to him. "How can you leave me behind?" Naruto glanced at her. "I didn''t think you would want to walk with me." "I mean... no, but... we were already together. And we are teammates! So it''s normal to walk together, you know?" Sakura told him. "Just don''t get any ideas! I love Sasuke." She hurried to add. "Understood..." He continued to walk but this time he kept at her pace. "You could react a bit at least..." Sakura muttered. "By the way, have you thought about how you are going to repay the favor from the other day?" She gave him an inquisitive face. "You already said no to ramen." He commented. "Is inviting me to ramen the only form of compensation you can think of?" Sakura asked. "Maybe you still have a bit of your old self..." Naruto stopped all of a sudden. "What are you d-" He pointed at the wooden wall in front of her. "There is someone hidden there." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 48: Another Ambush? Chapter 48: Another Ambush? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 48: Another Ambush? Sakura was about to ask ''where'', but the moment she took a passing glance at the wall, it became too obvious. The fabric used to ''camouflage'' into the wall didn''t quite match, and whoever was behind it hadn''t even pressed it completely against the surface, making the whole effort to hide... totally futile. In fact, you could say that it only made them stand out even more. If that was not enough, they began to move and giggle. "S-stop, that tickles!" "Ah!, who touched my bottom?!" "T-there is no r-room here." "What is this supposed to be?" Naruto didn''t understand anything. If this was supposed to be an attempt to spy on him, it was even worse than Hinata''s. "It looks like academy students..." Sakura pointed out. Or at least that''s what it looked like to her. "Aha!" The one behind the ''camouflage'' cast it aside and jumped out before pointing his finger at Naruto. "I knew my rival would be able to detect my presence and see through my hiding skills." The boy who shouted was short, with a skinny body and spiky brown hair. "Wait, don''t you mean ''our'' hiding skills?" A boy with glasses and a bowl cut complained to the other one while cleaning the dust of his clothes. "We all worked on this!." The third member was a girl with a very bizarre hairstyle, even for the village standard, and some red circles painted on her cheeks. She was not paying attention to the others and appeared to be busy examining the piece of fabric they had just used to hide. "Wait a minute... I don''t think this matches the wall." "This is bad... we should follow them, that girl looked very dangerous," the other one said. "You are not wrong about that..." Naruto agreed to go with them. It would reflect badly on him if he allowed his teammate to beat up a child, and he knew well about Sakura''s violent outbursts. "Ahhh!" They all heard Konohamaru''s screams from around the corner and assumed that Sakura had caught up to him, but then they heard her too. "Hey stop, let him go!" When they arrived at the scene, they found Konohamaru being lifted in the air by a young man wearing foreign-looking clothes. Next to him was a young blonde girl. Sakura seemed to have shifted her anger towards those two. "Let him go, you brute! He is just a child." "He bumped into me and didn''t even bother to apologize..." The man increased the strength of his grip, making the boy yelp in pain. "From where I come from, that type of attitude will earn you a few beatings." "Kankuro...." The girl spoke in a warning tone. "Come on Sis, I''m just having a bit of fun. Besides..." He glanced at Naruto. "Don''t you want to see if these Konoha genins are worth something, before the exam starts?" Naruto examined them a bit closer. By their clothes, it was easy to tell that those two were not from around here. The symbol on their protectors told him exactly where they came from. "Let me handle this." Naruto said as he passed by Sakura. Sakura saw the confident manner in which Naruto confronted those two and could not help but feel a bit safer. ''Stop that!'' The voice in her head screamed at her. ''That''s not Sasuke!'' Kankuro watched as Naruto got closer and smiled with confidence. He could not see anything special about this genin. "You want me to let go of this boy? Why don''t you make me?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 49: The Sand Ninjas Chapter 49: The Sand Ninjas Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 49: The Sand Ninjas Naruto could tell that this young man was not just arrogant, but also had the skills to back it up. ''That bundle wrapped on his back looks very suspicious... I wonder what that''s for? It should be some sort of weapon.'' He was curious to find out how different the techniques from foreign ninjas were. There was also something else that caught his attention. "You mentioned something about an exam. What were you talking about?" Both foreigners appeared to be surprised by the question. "You don''t know?..." The blonde girl glanced at her brother. "Kankuro, I don''t think those genins are participants." "Tsk... I should have guessed, they look so weak. They must be newbies then." Kankuro''s expression changed to one of disappointment. "What a wast- ouch!" A small rock hit his arm, and as a result, he let go of Konohamaru. The little boy wasted no time getting away and took cover behind Sakura and Naruto. "Some foreigners think they can come to our village and cause trouble?" "Sasuke!" Sakura spotted the black-haired boy standing on top of a nearby tree branch. "So cool!" "Damn it!, get down here you sneaky coward!" Kankuro went quickly from disappointment to anger. "Mmm... he is not bad looking." The blonde girl muttered to herself. "Not gonna come? Then I''ll make you." Kankuro took off the bundle from his back and rested it on the ground. The girl next to him made a panicked expression. "You want to use Karasu?! That''s too much, we are going to get in trouble." "That''s enough, Kankuro." "By the symbols on you, I can tell you come from the Sand Village. I want to know what is your purpose here." "That''s right! Even if our villages are allies, you can''t just enter another''s territory without permission." Sakura spoke to support Sasuke''s words. "Without permission? You guys really don''t know anything?" The blonde girl asked. "He said something about an exam before." Sakura pointed at Kankuro. "The Chunnin exams, that is the purpose of our visit. And of course, we have the appropriate permissions." Gaara said with a calm voice. "The Chunnin exams? Why would ninjas from another village come here for a promotion?" Naruto decided to ask since it didn''t make sense to him. "How come they didn''t teach you this at the academy? The Chunnin exams always take place in a different village, and ninjas from all the nearby hidden villages will attend. The purpose of this is to improve the political relationships between the many different hidden villages." The blonde girl explained it to them with a tone of smugness and superiority. "Political relationships? That sounds more like a show of power between hidden villages." Naruto spoke his thoughts. "Well... there is a bit of that too." The girl admitted. "If that is all... we must take our leave." Gaara appeared to be losing his patience, and his tone was becoming less polite and more hostile. "Hey, before you leave, I want to know your name." Sasuke stepped closer. "Me?..." The blonde girl smiled. "I am Tema-" "No... him." Sasuke pointed at the one in the middle. The boy stared back at Sasule with some mild interest."Gaara of the Desert... I am also curious about yours." "Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara repeated his name. His eyes stopped at Naruto for a moment while scanning over the group, but then he turned around without saying anything else to them. "Let''s go." He spoke to his siblings and began to walk. The other two followed him closely without saying a word. ''A promotion exam...I wonder if I can join already.'' Naruto knew that to access this village''s best secrets, he had to climb the ranks and he did not want to remain at the bottom for longer than necessary. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 50 : The Chunnin Exams! Chapter 50 : The Chunnin Exams! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 50 : The Chunnin Exams! "Good Morning!" Kakashi jumped down from a tree. "Don''t give us that! You were later than usual today!" Sakura said with exasperation. "But I did have a proper reason today." Their Sensei pulled some papers from his pocket. "I was in a very long meeting today, and I have nominated you all for the Chunnin Exam!" "So you normally don''t have a proper reason to be late," Naruto commented. "The Chunnin Exam? But... we just became Genins," Sakura said. Kakashi handed them the papers. "It''s just a nomination. Whether you take the exam or not is up to you." Sasuke was staring at the paper with great interest. "If you decide to attend, just fill out that form and present it at room 301 of the academy, at four P.M. tomorrow. Don''t be late." "Wait, I have questi-!" "That is all." Kakashi disappeared before Sakura could finish her sentence. "Argg, he is so infuriating!" She huffed. Naruto read the paper with attention. It looked like a simple form to fill out with their personal data. But there was nothing in the paper that gave them information about the contents of the exam. Sasuke stored the paper and began to walk away without saying a word. "Wait, Sasuke!" Sakura called. "Are you really going to attend?" Sasuke just stared at her for a second before turning away. "Of course." He did not stop again. ''If I stop moving forward... I will never catch up to him.'' Sakura turned to Naruto. "Naruto, what about you? Don''t you think it''s too early? We have just become genins! This is crazy!" "It does seem a bit rushed." Naruto agreed on that. Around them, were a lot more people, waiting for a chance to enter. "Please, let us pass." Naruto recognized the girl. This was Tenten, the daughter of the shop owner where he bought most of his things. The moment she got too close, one of them slapped her across the face and sent her tumbling down. "How cruel!" Sakura exclaimed. "Hey, that''s too much!" "Yes, just let us pass!" The people around them began to complain. "You think we are the bad ones here?" One of them said with a smug face. "We are doing you all a favor! This exam is not a joke. Those who are not prepared will likely suffer grievous injuries. Some of you may even die... it would not be the first time." Those words managed to quiet the crowd. "Should we do something?" Sakura asked. "Hmph!" Sasuke began to walk forward with a confident stride. "You will let me pass through. And you will also remove the genjutsu you put on that door." The two men smiled. "So you noticed..." "Of course, and I''m sure my teammates have too." Sasuke turned to look at Sakura. "Isn''t that right?" "Eh?..." Sakura was startled by the sudden attention but quickly composed herself. "I mean, yes! Also, this is just the second floor after all. The 301 should be on the next one." They removed the genjutsu and the number over the door changed to 201. "Fascinating..." Naruto stared at the sign. ''This Genjutsu uses a very different principle than techniques like my Illusionary Palm. It works more like hypnosis.'' He had been busy with other things and hadn''t had time to learn anything about this branch of techniques. "Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed when she saw it. One of the two young men who had been blocking the door had turned his attention to Naruto while the other focused on Sasuke. Noticing that Naruto seemed distracted, looking at the jutsu, he decided to teach him a lesson. "Losing your focus..." He rushed at Naruto and sent a powerful kick at his face. "Will get you killed!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 51: A Sudden Challenge Chapter 51: A Sudden Challenge Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 51: A Sudden Challenge After the two groups of genins left for the third floor, the two "seniors," who were in reality secret instructors, went to hide behind a fake wall and continue their job.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com "Those Kakashi''s and Guy''s prized students... man, that Uchiha boy is quite something, as all the rumors say. He easily blocked my attack," one of them said. "Urgg... damn it!" The other one grunted in pain while clutching his leg. "What happened to you?" "He broke my foot..." "What?" He had missed what his partner was doing, so he had no idea what had happened. "Did you attack the Hyuga? There was no need to test that one...he is a genius." "No, it wasn''t Neji Hyuuga... I saw the Uzumaki boy being distracted and wanted to teach him a lesson..." "Uzumaki?... That annoying brat who is always pranking the civilians? That one broke your foot?" He could not believe what he was hearing. "S-shut up!" He got a bit embarrassed now that he thought about it. Uzumaki''s reputation was truly terrible, not just as an annoyance but also as being one of the least talented genins from his generation. Being hurt by someone like that was very humiliating. "He must have hit me in the wrong spot by chance. You better not tell anyone about this!" "Haha! Fine, I won''t tell, but... you can''t continue your job like this, so you better go to the hospital. I''ll do the rest of the vigilance by myself." "Damn it all..." The instructor limped away. "You are going to pay for this... Uzumaki." <><><><><><><><> "Are they really doing this now?... seems like a bad idea all around." Naruto saw as his teammates prepared to fight against that green-suit boy from before. "Now Sasuke is going to win for sure!" Sakura celebrated. "Not really..." Naruto said. She snapped her head to him. "How can you say that?! He is your teammate! Don''t you want him to win?" "This has nothing to do with that... for what we learned from Kakashi, the Sharingan allows you to analyze jutsus at instant speed and even copy them. But that green-suited boy has used nothing but pure taijutsu the whole time. Unless there is some hidden use for those eyes that I am unaware of... it won''t help him much." Both Sasuke and Rock Lee turned to glance at Naruto. "Nonsense! He has been using something to get past my defenses. And I will find out now!" Sasuke shouted before charging at Rock Lee. "Yes... you will see," Lee remained in his usual posture and waited for him. Before Sasuke could react, Lee had already kicked him into the air. "That guy was right." Lee jumped after Sasuke. "My techniques are neither Ninjutsu nor Genjutsu, but pure Taijutsu... there is no secret for your eyes to reveal." "Uh oh..." Naruto saw what Lee was doing and got a bad feeling. It looked like he was positioning himself to grab Sasuke from behind while still in the air before smashing him down, head first. ''Even if Sasuke survives that, he is going to get seriously hurt... that may ruin my chances at this exam. I can''t let that happen.'' Naruto pushed as much chakra as he could into his legs... No one saw him disappear from his spot, but they did detect him when he appeared right beneath Rock Lee and grabbed one of his legs. "What?!" Lee shouted in absolute shock. And he was even more surprised when he tried to move his right arm and found that his bandages had become stuck on something. "That''s enough, Lee!" After hearing that voice, Lee immediately abandoned his attack and used his stuck bandages to push himself aside. Seeing this, Naruto let him go and grabbed Sasuke instead. He landed on the ground while holding his teammate on his shoulder, while Lee hit the floor a short distance away. "A turtle?...." Naruto stared at the new arrival. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 52: The Cheerful Master Chapter 52: The Cheerful Master Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 52: The Cheerful Master "L-let me down!" Sasuke demanded. Naruto put him down but paid no more attention to the Uchiha. Instead, he was looking at the turtle. ''I didn''t even notice it approaching, much less throwing that needle at the bandages...'' He had seen some animals trained in combat, like Kakashi''s dogs, but this turtle was on a whole other level. "Lee, what were you thinking?! That technique is forbidden!" the turtle yelled at Rock Lee. Lee immediately kneeled down and apologized. "I''m sorry, Master! I... wasn''t planning on using the other part..." "You think you can get away with excuses?!" The turtle continued to yell at him. "That turtle is getting him good..." Sakura said. But her attention quickly turned to Sasuke. "Are you okay, Sasuke? Should we go to a medic?" "I''m fine," the boy brushed off her concerns. He was not in the mood for any of that... he had lost again. His eyes returned to normal, but he kept glancing between Naruto and Lee. Once the turtle appeared to be done yelling at Lee, they saw a cloud of smoke appear out of nowhere, followed by another voice. "Here comes Guy Sensei!" "Ahh! Another weirdo has appeared!, what is going on?." Sakura pointed at the man who was now standing on top of the turtle. "That must be their Sensei," Naruto said. For a moment, he thought it was the turtle. "Then who is the other one?..." "They look alike..." Sakura made a disgusted expression as she stared at the man who looked like an older copy of Rock Lee. "His eyebrows are even thicker..." "Lee!" the man spoke loudly. "Yes?..." "You fool!" Then he proceeded to punch Lee right in the face with such force that it sent the boy flying away. The Master hurried to go check on his disciple. "Lee... are you okay?" "Anyways... I won''t entertain you more. You should hurry to classroom 301 before your time runs out... good luck to you all!" Guy then disappeared without a trace. "Thank you, Sensei!" Rock Lee bowed at the spot where his Sensei had been. He then looked at the group. "I came here to test my abilities. We may have another chance during the exam." He then looked directly at Naruto. "What is your name?" "It doesn''t matter. I doubt we''ll have a chance to fight anytime soon." Naruto turned around. "We have like five minutes left, by the way." "Ahhh! Let''s hurry!" Sakura began to panic. "Hmph!" Sasuke gave the strange boy a last glance before leaving. "Next time I won''t lose!" he added without turning around. Lee remained there and watched them as they left. Tenten and Neji jumped from the balcony where they had been watching the fight. "We should hurry too," Tenten said. "Neji... what do you think?" Lee asked. "About the Uchiha?... very disappointing." Neji Hyuuga had been hearing a lot about the genius Uchiha over the last few years, but seeing him in person had ruined his expectations. "What about the other one?" Lee added with a serious expression that was unusual for him. Tenten was surprised. She thought that her teammates would only focus on the Uchiha and that she was the only one who had been paying attention to Naruto. "He is fast..." Neji simply said. But for those who knew him, it would be clear how high his standards were. For him to admit that someone was fast meant that they were at least close to his level. Anything below that would not enter his eyes. "He is more than fast." Lee lifted his pants to show the weights he always carried around his calves. "What?!" Neji was rarely surprised, but this took him off guard. "Is that... a hand?..." Tenten stared at the weights. The shape of a hand had been indented into the metal and could clearly be seen through the fabric cover, meaning that Naruto''s grip had been strong enough to bend them out of shape. "If I wasn''t wearing these... he would have shattered my leg," Lee said. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 53: Classroom 301 Chapter 53: Classroom 301 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 53: Classroom 301 "Hmmm..." "Sasuke..." Sakura was worried about how Sasuke was going to take his loss. "Stop grumbling. Everyone loses once in a while. At least you''re alive to try again," Naruto told him. "Naruto!" She shouted at him. "I''ll beat him next time!" Sasuke growled. "And you too!" he added. Naruto looked at him. "You may have a chance during these exams. I mean... we don''t know if we have to participate as teams or if it''s going to be everyone vs. everyone." "Ehmm... guys?..." Sakura was getting nervous. She did not even want to think about her teammates fighting against each other. "I won''t lose against you!" Sasuke said. "If that''s your intention, then revealing your secret weapon was definitely a mistake." Naruto chuckled. Naruto and Sasuke kept glancing at each other as the tension grew. "It seems like my team is fired up already."Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com "Sensei!" Sakura said with relief. "I hope you weren''t planning on starting anything in the halls." Kakashi had a stern expression on his face. "Of course not, Sensei," said Naruto. "Good... then we can properly take the exam." Sakura appeared to be confused. "Properly? What do yo" "We needed the entire team to participate, right?" Naruto asked. Sasuke tried to hide his reaction, but he was obviously surprised. "Don''t worry about it, Hinata." Naruto got closer to her, but not too close. "I''m sure we''ll have other chances to chat." He looked around at the crowd. "The mood here is not good." "Hey!" Kiba approached with a displeased expression. "I hope you''re not bullying my teammate, you loser!" He glared directly at Naruto. "Hmm?" He barely remembered this kid. ''Did I do something to him? Or maybe he is like that to everyone.'' "Kiba!" Hinata raised her voice way above her normal levels. "It''s not like that." "Do you guys have to be so loud?" Shikamaru sighed. "So annoying..." "How long is this going to take?" Chouji asked while munching on some snacks. "I don''t know if I have enough..." "Hmph! So the nine rookie genins are here." Kiba said. "I wonder how far you guys are going to make it..." He glanced at Sasuke. "What do you say?" "I won''t lose to anyone." Sasuke spoke with confidence. "We''ll see about that." Kiba glared at Naruto again. "Having to carry all that dead weight... make sure you don''t drown." "Hey, don''t talk to him like that." Sakura stepped forward. This took most of the rookies by surprise. She was probably the last person they expected to defend Naruto. "Kiba, that''s enough, please..." Hinata pulled on his jacket. "Fine..." the boy grumbled. "You guys are all rookies out of the academy, right?" A senior ninja with silver hair spoke to them. "This is not a picnic, you know? You should try to keep it low." "And who are you?" Sasuke asked. "My name is Kabuto. But it''s not me who you should be worried about." He pointed behind them. "Look behind you." They could see a lot of angry-looking people staring at them, so they were not sure who this Kabuto was referring to. "Those guys over there are from the Hidden Rain Village and are very violent, so be careful. Although, in general, everyone is nervous about the exams, so it would be best if you rookies didn''t make a lot of noise. Things may get unpleasant..." "See? I told you. You guys are too noisy..." Shikamaru complained. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 54: Info Cards Chapter 54: Info Cards Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I created. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 54: Info Cards "Ehmmn... Mister Kabuto?" Sakura was feeling the pressure from everyone around her and felt the need to say something to distract herself from that. "Is this your second time taking the exam?" "No, this is actually my seventh attempt. This exam is held twice a year, and this is my fourth year." "Seventh time?" Ino exclaimed in shock. "What a loser," Kiba said with a smirk. "Is it so difficult?... Maybe I shouldn''t have come..." Chouji looked worried. Naruto had been suspicious of this man since he first saw him, but after hearing him claim to have failed the exam six times, he knew for sure that something was wrong there. Even if he was unable to feel his chakra, Naruto''s instincts were sharp enough to recognize strong individuals when he saw them, even if they were trying to hide it. ''This man is at least as strong as a jonin. There is no chance he failed the exam so many times... unless he wanted to fail for some reason.'' The best-case scenario was that he was one of the examiners, blended with the crowd to keep an eye on them from up close. But something told him that this person had more sinister intentions. There was something about Kabuto that put him on edge. "Oh wow, seven times. You must know a lot about this exam then." Sakura was smiling, completely oblivious to Naruto''s thoughts. She was just happy to find a friendly person in this hostile room. When she made a motion to get closer to Kabuto, she was stopped by Naruto grabbing her shoulder. Sakura turned her head to face him, angry at the sudden touch. But when she saw the serious look on Naruto''s face, she became unable to voice a word of complaint. Naruto shook his head slightly while pointing his eyes at Kabuto in a discreet manner. Sakura understood what her teammate was trying to tell her, even though she did not know the reason behind it. "Gaara of the Desert. Has completed eight D-rank and one B-rank. Since he is a foreigner from the Sand village, I don''t have much information on him... other than he always returned from his missions completely uninjured." Sasuke gave Naruto a glance. "If you want to know something, you can just ask," Naruto told him. Kabuto produced one more card. "Uzumaki Naruto... to be honest, I don''t have much information on him either." "How can that be? He is from the same village." Sakura asked. "Most of my information about new genins comes from the academy records. But after some analysis, I have determined that the academy information about Naruto is false, or at least unreliable." Kabuto explained. "False?... Well, he has changed a lot, that''s true." Ino commented. "Tsk, changed? He looks like the same loser to me." Kiba frowned. He always saw himself as superior compared to Naruto and did not like to think otherwise. "He is not a loser!" Hinata exclaimed loudly. That reaction took Kiba so much by surprise that he almost dropped his dog. "They are not wrong, Kiba. He is very different." Shino finally decided to speak, but he used a low tone so he could only be heard by his teammates. "My bugs don''t want to approach him too much. They seem to be afraid of something." "Don''t be ridiculous. What is there to be afraid of?" Kiba was getting annoyed by all this talk about Naruto. "My bugs are very sensitive, they must be feeling something that I am missing. In any case, I would advise staying away from Team 7. Even if you don''t care for Naruto, the Uchiha is also there." Kabuto moved his eyes away from Naruto and looked at his card. There was barely anything written on it. But it did have his record of missions, including a certain C-rank mission that ended up being changed to an A-rank. Of course, he could not reveal this to the genins since this information was not widely spread, and he would definitely be questioned for even having it. ''Uzumaki Naruto is turning out to be more of a mystery than I thought... I can use this exam to collect more information about him too. I''m sure that Master Orochimaru will be interested.'' Kabuto thought. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 55: The First Test Chapter 55: The First Test Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 55: The First Test "But... in any case," Kabuto continued. "You can expect to find many geniuses from different villages here: Leaf, Grass, Sand, Waterfall, Sound... they would send their best genins here. Well, I don''t know about Sound... that is a new village, so their genins may not be on the same level as the others." "Makes you lose confidence..." Hinata frowned. "Yeah... hearing about so many geniuses gathered here," Sakura added. "Indeed," Kabuto agreed. "Lee and Gaara are far from the only ones." "So what?" said Naruto. He had heard the words genius and prodigy so many times already, back at the sect. Those fools would always get most of the resources because their talents were a bit better. But in the real world, even the geniuses died like flies. Cunning and luck were the things that would allow you to survive long enough until you acquired some real power. "Talent alone is not enough. At the start of the road, we are all the same, and the grass that stands taller than the rest... gets cut first." Naruto''s words resonated through the room. The silence was broken by Kabuto''s chuckle. "That''s an interesting view...." He got a bit closer. "But you are kind of standing out right now... so be careful you don''t get cut." Naruto did not show any reaction to his threat, but he was ready to go all out if it came to that. He felt some movement to his right and thought that Kabuto had done something. But he then realized he was wrong... he was not the target of this attack. A tall masked man came running directly at Kabuto and took a swing aimed at his face.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com Kabuto dodged it, showcasing some of his speed in the process. "Sorry about that. I got a bit carried away," the man with bandages gave a half-assed apology. "Now we can start the first Chunin test. You will all be assigned a specific seat, and after everyone is seated, we will begin to distribute the paper exams..." "A written test?!" Kiba said with horror. "I have a chance!" Sakura was one of the few who looked excited at the prospect. Once they were all seated, some of the assistants began to distribute the papers while Ibiki told them the rules. Naruto ended up being seated next to Hinata. But his other teammates were far away from him. ''What was the point of forcing us to join the exam as a team if we are going to be separated?'' he wondered. "Do not turn your test over until I finish explaining the rules." Ibiki turned around and began to write on the board behind him. "First rule: You will begin with ten points, there are ten questions in total, and you will lose a point for every wrong question you answer." "Second rule: Whether you pass or not will be determined by your team''s combined score." "Wait, that is not fair!" Ino shouted. She did not have much trust in Chouji''s chances. "Shut up! And now the third and most important rule... if I or any of my assistants catch you cheating, you will lose two points." The classroom erupted in murmurs. "I said shut up!" Ibiki''s loud and authoritative voice was enough to keep everyone quiet. "Last rule! Those who lose all their points or fail to answer a single question correctly... are out! And their two teammates too." "Wait, what?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Well... there is the team component I guess," Naruto said. ''Still... there is something off with these rules.'' Naruto glanced around. There were eleven Chunins sitting around the classroom as well as Ibiki, the examiner. All watching them with attention. "Begin!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 56: The Tenth Question Chapter 56: The Tenth Question Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 56: The Tenth Question While Naruto was reading over the questions, he noticed something. ''These are really hard...'' He was no scholar, but he still had a good understanding of all disciplines, like mathematics or philosophy. He had also studied much of the material taught at the academy. But even then, he wasn''t sure if he could answer half of these questions. Looking around at the expressions of the other examinees, they were in a much worse position than him. ''According to the rules, as long as I can answer a single one correctly, I would be fine. But...'' It looked like they made the test hard enough so most of the attendees wouldn''t be able to answer even one correct question. ''If you are caught cheating, you lose two points, but you are not disqualified. So as long as you don''t get caught five times and can get the answers to one question... I see... that''s the goal of this test.'' Naruto realized. And he was not the only one. He spotted several people making moves already. ''That means there must be at least a few fake students with the answers so others can copy from them.'' Now this made more sense as a ninja test than just answering some questions. ''But... I have no need to play their games...'' He was confident that Sakura would be able to answer most of the questions correctly. And Sasuke should manage at least one without issues. So they didn''t need his help. When he glanced forward, he spotted Sakura glancing back at him. Naruto gave her a nod, that meant ''I''m good,'' and she smiled. "Naruto...." He heard a whisper at his side and turned to look. Hinata was staring at him with worried eyes. "Need help?" She used a hand sign to ask. As they learned in the academy. It was a good thing he bothered reading that book. "I''m fine." He answered. "You!" Someone slammed a table. "Two points!" ''Someone had gotten caught...'' Naruto thought. It was only the beginning. Over the next forty minutes, he heard those words many times. "Naruto!" Sakura shouted. "Naruto?..." Hinata glanced at him with worry. "What is he saying now?" Ino asked. Everyone was now staring at him. Naruto returned the glare at Ibiki. "I said that you should have come up with a more believable threat. Banning us from ever taking the Chunin exam?... ridiculous. I don''t know who you are, but I would bet anything that you don''t have the authority to make that claim. In this room, you have the heirs of the village''s most powerful clans, as well as one of the last Uchiha. Can you imagine the outrage that you would face if you tried to ban them from rising in the ranks and crippling the village''s power as a whole? Your head would be on a pike before the end of the month..." There was an uncomfortable silence after that. But he was not done yet. "And I have not mentioned the foreign ninjas because... I shouldn''t even need to say this, but not even the Lord Hokage has the authority to tell foreign ninja villages to ban their genins from ever participating in another Chunin exam. Can you even imagine how that conversation would go down? Even someone with half a functioning brain would realize that threat is completely empty. And if the threat is not real..." "Wait!" Three ninjas from the Waterfall village were still at the door after giving up and listening to everything Naruto said. "Is that true?!" One of them shouted. "Hold on! I take it back. I want to take the question." "You are disqualified, get out already." One of the Chunin instructors had to kick them out. Everyone had their hands lowered now and were thinking about Naruto''s words. "You brat!" Ibiki was not amused. He slammed his hands on the desk and glared daggers at him. "That''s why I said that you should have made a different threat, like cutting a finger off those who got the answer wrong. It will still make people hesitate and is a lot more believable. Losing a finger is not a crippling injury and is not enough to start an international conflict if you did it to the child of someone important. Especially after you gave them the chance to not take the question... even if you never had the intention to carry out any punishment, to begin with." "Last chance to quit!" Ibiki shouted while looking around the room. No one else raised their hands again. The examiner sighed in defeat. "Fine... everyone who still remains here... you all pass the first test!" "Wait, that''s it?" "There was no question?!" "What was the point of the other questions then?" Murmurs were heard all over the classroom. "You!" Ibiki pointed at him. "What''s your name?" "Uzumaki Naruto." The examiner clenched his fists. "I will remember you. The one who ruined my test." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 57: The Missing Question Chapter 57: The Missing Question Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 57: The Missing Question A.N - Hello!, Author here. I wanted to address two of the main issues that people have been pointing out. The first one would be that everything feels too similar to the canonical events in the story. This is because I have kept everyone in character, other than Naruto, of course. This means that the story will ''try'' to keep the same course unless Naruto himself does something to change it. This will inevitably lead to many things remaining the same, but the ripples created by Naruto will become larger and more evident as the story progresses until we reach the point where this will become something completely different from canon. And I know this can lead to the pacing feeling slow, but you will start to see big changes soon enough. - The second one would be that the story doesn''t have enough cultivation elements in it. The thing is, the beginning of the story is all very rushed with little breathing room for the MC to take his time and cultivate. Normally, a cultivation novel will have a large time skip at the beginning, like from six months to a year so the MC has a chance to have some breakthrough and learn at least one offensive technique. We don''t have that here, so I had to take that into account when I came up with Naruto''s cultivation method, to make it much faster. But even with all of that, we are still at the beginning. You will see more xianxia elements as the story progresses. That being said, this will not be a pure cultivation novel. My idea is to create a story that can blend the elements of Naruto with some elements from xianxia to create something new that even people who have never read a cultivation novel could enjoy. That is all. Thank you for reading. - "So what about the tenth question?" Sakura asked. "There was never a tenth question," Ibiki answered. "The only things being tested were your ability to gather information and your willingness to take on dangerous situations. Allow me to explain..." At that moment, something broke through the window and fell inside the classroom. "Oi, I wasn''t done yet!" Ibiki shouted. The dark bundle was revealed to be a woman wearing a large coat with a tight fishnet underneath. "No time to celebrate, you brats! I am the examiner for the second part of the exam. My name is Mitarashi Anko!" "You didn''t let me finish my explanation," Ibiki said. "Wow, there are a lot of them left... did you go soft on them?" Anko glanced at Ibiki. "Hmph, some kid ruined my tenth question test..." "Oh... well, no matter. I''ll get rid of at least half on my test." She glanced over them. "Follow me!" "Yikes..." Sakura was getting goosebumps just listening to her. Anko picked up a stack of papers from a nearby table. "Some of you are likely going to die. So I need everyone to sign these forms." "What''s that for?!" someone asked. "It''s just to clarify that you understand the risk of possible death and fully consent to take part in the test despite the risks, freeing me and the Konoha village from any responsibility in case of... you know, in case you don''t make it." The genins began to talk loudly among themselves. "Okay, shut up! I was not done!" Anko shouted. "I will now explain the rules, and then you can sign the papers." She pulled out a large map. "This is going to be an extreme survival test." Anko then explained the layout of area 44. Naruto made sure to take a good look at the map and memorize it. This could end up saving him. "So we just have to survive in there? That doesn''t seem too bad." Kiba said with a confident smile. "Did I say I was done?!" Anko frowned. "No, that''s not all you have to do... hold on." She picked up two different scrolls from the table. "While you are in there... this will be your mission." The scrolls had different words written on them. "You will be fighting over these scrolls. Before you enter, your group will be given one of these scrolls. Half of the teams will get the ''Heaven'' scroll while the other half will be given the ''Earth'' one." "So, we just have to steal one scroll from another team." Sasuke said. "But I doubt they will tell us which scroll they have. So we may have to take more than one," Naruto pointed out. "That''s no problem." Sakura looked at her two teammates. She wanted to be more positive but could not help to be worried. Among the group of genins, there were a lot of scary individuals, like the genin from the Sand Village, or that green-suited guy who defeated Sasuke. Anko finished her instructions by informing them that they had five days to get both scrolls and reach the tower on the other side of the forest. While Naruto was thinking about how to complete this task efficiently, other genins had different worries. "Wait, five days? Without a shower?!" Ino looked horrified. "What about food?! I definitely did not bring enough for five days!" Chouji was also horrified. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 58: Ambush in the Forest of Death Chapter 58: Ambush in the Forest of Death Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 58: Ambush in the Forest of Death "Was that a scream?" Sakura looked back at the sea of trees but could not see anything or anyone there. "That came from at least half a mile away... forget it. We cannot worry about others." Naruto pulled a scroll and laid it on the ground. "What are you doing, Naruto? We shouldn''t stay here in the open. We should hide, right?" She turned to Sasuke. The examiners didn''t give them any time to discuss strategies after being given their scrolls to protect. Sakura moved nervously and touched her belt pouch. ''Why did they leave it with me?'' She would have preferred one of them to carry it instead, but could not say no to Sasuke''s request. She understood that when it came to combat, she was going to be of little use compared to her teammates. Sasuke glanced at the scroll Naruto had pulled out and realized it was a storage one. "Please, tell me you didn''t just stop to get food." Naruto pressed on the center of the scroll and a black kanji appeared after detecting his chakra signature. A second later, a large bundle came out of the scroll. He smiled while seeing this. It reminded him of a different time when he would use his storage rings to keep all his possessions neatly organized. Storage scrolls were nowhere near that convenient, but it was better than having nothing. It was unlikely for him to get his hands on a storage ring in this mortal world, though. Crafting one was also out of the realm of possibilities. Even if he somehow could acquire the necessary materials, he lacked the skills and knowledge of a Rune Master to build it. He tried to stab Naruto in the neck before this one could react. His stealth skills were top-notch, but his combat ones were very lacking, at least as far as Naruto was concerned. ''You are filled with openings...'' Naruto deflected the attack with his right hand after passing the kunai to his left one. Then, he countered with his own stab to the man''s neck. "Urggg!" The enemy ninja''s eyes widened and were filled with shock and horror at the realization of what happened. He took several steps back while using his hands to press his neck wound, trying to stop the bleeding. He could not understand what went wrong. He did not make any mistakes, and his ambush skills were the best in his class... now he was dying in a foreign village. The genin moved his eyes towards the trees. His teammates may still be able to save him, but he could not speak. "So your friends are up there." He heard Naruto''s voice, but when he looked for him, he was unable to find him. Before he could do anything else, he felt a strong pressure on the back of his head and everything went dark. Sakura gasped when she saw Naruto pick up his sword, get behind the enemy genin, and stab him through the back of the head. Sasuke gave the corpse a quick glance, not really looking too bothered by it. "He bears the symbol of the Rain Village..." "His teammates must be close by, likely in the trees." Naruto looked around but could not find anything. "Kukuku... what a cruel genin, you killed him without hesitation..." A female voice came out of nowhere and taunted him. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 59: Sword Skills Chapter 59: Sword Skills Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 59: Sword Skills They all heard the voice very clearly, but none of the genin was capable of pinpointing its origin. This meant that the speaker was even more skilled in concealing their presence than the previous one. "Why don''t you come here and see for yourself?" Naruto said. "If you want our scroll, you are going to have to actually appear and take it from me," he added. The woman laughed again. "Good try, but you don''t have the scroll... that pink-haired girl does." Sasuke moved in front of Sakura. "Stay close to me." He assumed she was going to be attacked at any moment. "Damn it... where is she?" He could not detect a single sound or smell, but he was sure she was very close to them. But then... the silence was broken all of a sudden by a series of loud noises.Visitt for the latest updates "I have no business with you, for the moment at least... so go away," the female voice spoke again. The next instant, they all saw it. "Naruto!" Sasuke shouted in alarm. It was a seemingly simple vertical slash. But those with a keen eye would be able to perceive some of the insights left behind by its creator on the scroll where it was written. Naruto had spent two days trying to understand as much as he could, as well as incorporating his previous knowledge into the move. He had never personally walked the path of the Sword Dao. But for a long time, he became the dao companion of someone who did. Her name was Liao Ming, and she was a core disciple of a very powerful sect, the Divine Sword Sect. They would often get together to discuss the Dao and do some dual cultivation. He had been offered to join her sect a few times, but he always rejected it. He was of course interested, but the reason for this refusal was because he did not want to deviate from his current path. He had heard many stories about those who tried to learn many different disciplines, and it never ended well for them. The previous him had been more than content to just observe her and some of the other members of her sect practicing their sword techniques as well as listening to their arguments about the Sword Dao. So even though he had never personally wielded a sword, he had gained many insights about the mysterious Sword Dao. Even more than he could imagine at the time. He never learned about this during his lifetime, but his dao companion, Liao Ming, was an unparalleled genius who, after his death, would go on to become the strongest Sword Saint in history and achieve revenge on those who had killed him. As Naruto finished his move, a part of the snake''s mouth received a deep cut that almost went all the way to its skull. This alone would have been enough to send the beast fleeing and possibly dying later on due to its injuries. The technique he had just employed was meant to be used on the ground, not in the air, so it didn''t even have half of its effectiveness. Still, this was more or less what he had been expecting, and as long as it was good enough to get the job done, it was sufficient for him. However, at that moment, something unpredictable occurred... a second attack followed his sword slash. He never planned for this, but his understanding of the Sword Dao had been more than enough to manifest a sliver of Sword Intent. Naruto watched in awe as this faint wave of mystical energy cleaved the colossal beast in half, with a clean cut that went from its head all the way to the tip of its tail. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 60: The Mysterious Woman Chapter 60: The Mysterious Woman Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 60: The Mysterious Woman Naruto would have wanted to stay and examine the dead snake for a bit longer. A swordsman novice like him should never have been able to create even a tiny amount of Sword Intent. Only those who walked the path of the Sword Dao for a very long time should be able to perform such a feat. But he had the feeling that if he waited too long, his two teammates would likely die. He shouldn''t care that much for them since he barely knows them. But abandoning them to die is a different matter. "There!" He jumped over a large branch and spotted the clearing where he was attacked by the snake. Sakura was standing back while Sasuke fought with that woman. ''So she finally showed up...'' He decided to observe them for a few seconds before intervening. ''Things don''t look good...'' Everything that Sasuke threw at her was easily countered. And she wasn''t even taking him seriously. As he thought, this person was way beyond the level of a genin. She was just playing with Sasuke as Kakashi did during their genin test. At the very least, she appeared to be as strong as Zabuza, if not more... "How long are you planning on staying hidden, Uzumaki Naruto?" The face of the woman turned in his direction while her wide creepy eyes glared directly at him. "I guess hiding to collect more information is pointless against you..." Naruto walked from behind a large branch. "Naruto? You''re alive!" Sakura appeared to be happy to see him now. Not that there was much he could do, other than gain time. ''How long will they take to get here?...'' He considered. Naruto did his best to protect himself from the blow, but he was sent flying with tremendous force. He heard his teammates call for him before his body collided against the side of a tree and almost broke an arm. ''Oi... Kyubi... are you paying attention?...we have a bit of a problem here.'' He called inside his mind. The demon fox said nothing, but the surge of yang chakra that he felt next gave him the answer... the Kyubi was at least somewhat aware of what was happening. "Go ahead and eat him," the enemy ninja said with a cold tone. Naruto stood up from his branch... his eyes turned red, and his facial marks became more notable. "Eat... me?" The face of the colossal snake was already in front of him. It opened its mouth with the intent to swallow him whole, along with the branch where he stood. He moved a large amount of that cursed demon chakra to the palm of his right hand. A small ball of fire manifested as the side of the temperature rose. His hand and part of his arm began to burn... another side effect. Since this was not a technique, there were no protections in place for him. It was the same thing he used against the masked ninja from Wave Country. He was taking a large amount of yang chakra and concentrating it in a single point until it created an explosion of pure heat. This was the most basic and brutish way to use this chakra. But at this moment, he was a bit lacking in options against an opponent such as this. "What is that?!" The woman on top of the snake looked truly shocked. The reason for this was simple. She could not recognize what fire jutsu this was. And how could she? No matter how much she knew... this was not something she could recognize. It was just something she needed to understand. Naruto held his hand firm, despite the burns. Just a moment later... a wave of heat exploded forward, engulfing the upper part of the snake. There were no words or chants of any kind. Just a simple release of energy in the form of fire and heat that will turn everything into cinders. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 61: Breaking Through Chapter 61: Breaking Through Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 61: Breaking Through A.N -Drinking game: Take a shot every time I say the word "chakra" in this chapter.- Seeing the massive corpse of the snake reduced to cinders, Naruto could not complain about the effectiveness of this strategy. "Urgg..." However, his right arm was going to be unusable for a while. Third-degree burns will affect the muscles and bones, after all. But he had to admit that seeing the shocked expression on that woman''s face was very satisfying. His two teammates were equally surprised. "What was that jutsu?!" Sasuke asked no one in particular. He was very knowledgeable about fire jutsu, as it was the specialty of his clan. But that one felt much stronger than the ones he knew. "That''s the thing he did at the bridge!" Sakura would never forget that moment. The heat was even more intense back then, and if their sensei didn''t protect her, she would have suffered some burns for sure. "At the bridge?... you mean..." Naruto never gave Sasuke a satisfactory answer when he questioned him about what happened in that fight. His teammate only told him he used some risky jutsu and killed the masked ninja but would give him no details. "This is what he used?..." Now he understood what happened back then. There was no chance for that ice ninja to have survived this. "Those eyes... that chakra..." The woman had jumped off the snake in time to avoid the wave of heat that came off Naruto''s palm. Still, he was sure it would go away if he let it be. Chakra, no matter how weird, cannot remain active for long once it leaves your body. That''s why things like fuuinjutsu exist. And this was definitely not a seal. "But that may take hours... I don''t know what that woman wants, but I can''t just sit here and let her do what she wants." There was only one method he could think of to remove this foreign energy from his body. He would have to overwhelm it with his own chakra reserves. Even if he can''t circulate it through his body, he still has access to the energy already stored in his core. Naruto tried the best he could, but soon realized that his current reserves were not going to be enough. "So my only choices are to wait until this foreign chakra weakens, or..." His body has another source of energy he could use. But that was risky. Because of the blockade, he cannot just circulate the Kyubi''s chakra like he usually did. He would need to allow a tremendous amount of demonic chakra to burst through the block. It would be like opening all the gates of a water dam at the same time. That demonic energy is extremely harmful to his body. If he is not capable of regaining control afterward, it would destroy him completely. It was a gamble... He could take this risk, or he could hope that woman''s intentions were not too extreme. But if she was anything like the demonic cultivators he knew... a fate worse than death may await him and his two teammates. "No... I won''t have that. If I have to die, I''d rather die my way." He used his connection with the demon fox to make him aware of his intent. And the flood began. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 62: Three Tails Chapter 62: Three Tails Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 62: Three Tails On the outside, Sasuke and Sakura had become paralyzed after experiencing a tremendous amount of bloodlust. "Who the hell are you?!" Sasuke shouted. He had already experienced something like this before during his encounter with Zabuza. But this one felt even more intense. This told him that the person in front of them was even more dangerous than he previously thought. Burnt pieces of fake flesh fell off her face, revealing the visage of a man hiding beneath. Her voice changed to a more masculine tone. "My name is Orochimaru, and if you want to see me again, you have to pass this test..." "What are you talking about?! Why would we want to see you again?" Sakura exclaimed. She just wanted to get as far away as possible from this bizarre person. "It won''t go that way..." Orochimaru made a hand sign and prepared to make his move, but then... A violent surge of energy erupted from Naruto''s previously unconscious body. It lifted him into the air and covered him with a coat of red chakra. His face became more feral-looking, the marks on his cheeks were more prominent now, and when he opened his eyes, they showed a pair of vertical red slits. "Naruto?" Sakura stared at him with confusion. She did not understand what was happening to him. Sasuke was the same. "What happened to him?!, what is that that chakra?!" He did not need his Sharingan to know that this chakra did not belong to Naruto. Orochimaru was the only one who truly understood what was happening, even if it didn''t make sense to him. When he looked up, he saw Naruto opening his mouth. A bright sphere of energy formed from it. "You have to be kidding me..." Orochimaru let go of his snakes and moved away without wasting a second. He barely avoided being hit by the blast of concentrated chakra that destroyed everything in its path. Orochimaru''s patience had reached its limit now. "Fine....I''ll kill you then." He knew this would make things more difficult for him in the future. But nothing was more important than securing the Uchiha''s body. A sword came out of his mouth before it was secured in his right hand. "You left me no choice, brat..." After firing that blast, Naruto fell to his knees. His body continued to be consumed by the toxic chakra and it was obvious that it was not going to last much longer, even if it was left alone. Orochimaru lifted the blade and prepared to end this in one attack. "Over there!" "I see them!" This was the last thing he wanted to hear. "They found us already?!" He expected the examiners to show up after feeling the Kyubi''s chakra, but they were found too fast. It was then he saw it...a short distance away, there was a tall cloud of red smoke. This was used as a distress signal. "But who could..." His eyes moved to Naruto. That boy was the only one who could have done it. He never took his eyes off the other two genins after all. This meant that from the beginning, Naruto never expected to win against him. He had only been buying time. Orochimaru wasn''t sure if he felt more impressed or angry at the boy who had ruined his plans. "I''ll get you for this..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 63: Lost Chapter 63: Lost Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 63: Lost Orochimaru considered for a second if he still had time to complete his objective, but then he saw his former student, Anko, approaching with Morino Ibiki and three ANBUs, and he knew it would be better to retreat. He could also imagine that the Hokage had been informed and was on his way. If he stayed here to fight them off, it would put his other plan at risk. And that one was even more important. He was about to lament his failure when he spotted something very interesting...the expression on Sasuke''s face. Sasuke was paying no attention to him or to the new arrivals. His eyes were focused on Naruto. Orochimaru could recognize that look. It was envy... and lust for power. ''I can work with that...'' Orochimaru then knew that not all was lost today. ''I will get what I want... one way or another.'' "Orochimaru!" Anko screamed his name with pure vitriol. The group was a short distance away but none of them dared to make the first move. "I''m sorry, my dear, but I don''t have time to play with you today." Orochimaru looked directly at Anko as he said that. And then... his body disappeared into the ground. "Don''t let him escape!" Ibiki ordered. Anko rushed away, chasing after Orochimaru. However, as they landed on the floor, they were welcomed by a loud roar. "What is that?!" One of the ANBU glanced at Naruto. They had been so focused on the dangerous criminal that they almost missed him. "Is that the Jinchuuriki?!" Another one realized what this was. "Shit! Did the seal break?!" The last one said. He had no idea how long he had been in this darkness, but when he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at the artificial lights of an unknown room. "Wh-...where?..." He felt both tired and disoriented so he tried to put his thoughts in order first. ''Last thing... right... that woman. I released the demon''s chakra to break away from her restraints and then...'' "I lost control..." He muttered. "You did." A familiar voice said. Naruto turned his head on the pillow and found his Sensei, sitting on a wooden chair with a book in his hand. "Did I kill anyone?" The demon fox chakra is loaded with hatred, so he was a bit worried about his actions after losing control to something like that. "No... Sakura and Sasuke are fine. If that is what worried you." Kakashi answered. "What about that woman?..." Could he have killed her? That seems unlikely. "Woman?... ah... right." Kakashi was confused for a moment, but then he recalled the first part of the report his students had given him. "The enemy you faced against was not a female ninja from the Rain Village, like you may have believed. It was someone else, using that identity as a disguise." "Who was it then?... I would like to request a summary, if it is not too inconvenient..." Naruto said. Before Kakashi could speak, the door opened and Sakura walked in. "Naruto! You finally woke up!" "Yes, I was about to explain to him what occurred after he lost consciousness." Kakashi said. "Oh! That''s going to take a while." Sakura made a complicated expression. "Why... how long have I been out?" He asked. Sakura made a hand gesture. "Almost four days!" "Four days?!" He had not seen that coming. "Yes, so listen up, because there is a lot you need to hear... and we don''t have a lot of time." Kakashi said. "Why, what''s the hurry?" "The third test... it starts in two hours." He answered. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 64: The Identity of the Atacker Chapter 64: The Identity of the Atacker Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes-Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Chapter 64: The Identity of the Atacker "Okay... I''m listening," Naruto said. He was very curious to find out what had happened in all this time. The last thing he remembered was unleashing the demon''s chakra to break the block that was put on him. There were a few fragments of him fighting against that woman... and then nothing after that. "But first... there is something I need to know." Kakashi had a serious expression. "The last time I asked, you assured me that you could control the Kyubi''s chakra... how did this happen then?" Naruto noticed the lack of reaction from Sakura after Kakashi mentioned the Kyubi in front of her. "You told her." Kakashi nodded. "I had to give her and Sasuke some explanation before they drew the wrong conclusions." "I''m sorry, Naruto, I didn''t mean to find out this way..." Sakura said. "Sensei told us about... you know... I had no idea you had gone through so much." "It''s fine, Sakura. I would have told you myself if you asked me. It''s not like it''s a great secret. Not when every adult in the village already knows." "Every adult?... My parents know about this?" She glanced at Kakashi. He sighed. "It was meant to be a secret... but someone leaked it to the public shortly after the event. We still don''t know who it was or what their intentions were, but yes... your parents probably know about this, like everyone else." She seemed to recall something. "That''s why they told me to stay away from Naruto when I was little... I thought they just didn''t want me to play with boys... I''m gonna have a talk with them after this!" Sakura was getting furious. "Good enough..." Kakashi pulled a small book from his pocket. But it was not his usual one. "As for the person who attacked you... that was not a simple Jonin." He handed the book to Naruto. "A bingo book? I already read it." Naruto still took it. "Last page," Kakashi added. ''Last page?... wasn''t that one...?'' He opened the book and glanced at the last page. His memory had not failed him. This page portrayed the one considered the most dangerous missing ninja from the village. "Orochimaru of the Sannin..." Sakura felt shivers just from hearing the name again. Unpleasant memories surfaced at the front of her mind. "The one and only," Kakashi said. ''No wonder I couldn''t do anything against him... the difference was much bigger than I thought.'' "Why would someone like that go after some genins... wait..." Naruto realized he could only have been after one thing. "He did not reveal his true intentions, but we can take an educated guess. He probably want-" "Sasuke," Naruto interrupted. "He wanted Sasuke." After going through all his actions, this was the only thing that made sense. That person had no interest in him or the Kyubi since he kept pushing him away. Their scroll would have zero value to him since he wasn''t a genin. That only left Sasuke and Sakura. "We also think that." Kakashi glanced at Sakura. "He did say something strange to him before you woke up, isn''t that right?" "Yes, I believe his words were... ''If you want to see me again, you have to pass this test''... I don''t know what he meant, but he was about to do something. Then Naruto woke up, surrounded by that red chakra, and attacked him," Sakura explained. "Test?... and why would Sasuke want to see him again?" Naruto asked. "I think that you prevented him from doing something to Sasuke," Kakashi said. "But I doubt he is going to just give up. He will try again..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 65: Just Checking Chapter 65: Just Checking Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 65: Just Checking "He wants the Sharingan," Naruto stated. Since Sasuke was the only Uchiha left in the village, that seemed like the most likely motivation for Orochimaru to have. "That man is known for his cruel experiments with human beings. Whatever he wants from Sasuke is not going to be good for him," Kakashi said. "Sasuke..." Sakura had barely slept since that day. She could not stop worrying about that monster coming back to take Sasuke away. "Fine, let''s leave that aside for now. What else happened after that? How did we get away from him?" Naruto asked. "A team of ANBU found your smoke signal and went to check. They were already suspicious of an infiltration after they found the real body of that Rain ninja that Orochimaru had supplanted." "The examiner, Anko, was with them. She wanted us to give up on the exam," Sakura explained. "But Sasuke..." "He insisted on continuing with me unconscious?" He saw Sakura nod. "And they call me reckless..." "Sorry..." Sakura felt bad for that. Instead of taking him to a hospital, they dragged the unconscious body of Naruto all across the forest for three days." "It''s fine." He wasn''t really upset. They could not continue without him anyway. And it''s not like his life was in danger afterward. His body probably healed in a few hours. "And?... How did the rest of the exam go? Did we pass?" he finally asked. "We did! But barely... we were the last team to arrive," Sakura said. "We got attacked by a team from the Sound Village on the second day... it was very scary." "The Sound Village?" Naruto now remembered them. One of the guys who attacked Kabuto in the first exam was from that team. "So you beat them. Well done!" Sakura made a complicated expression. "We received help from other teams..." She felt a bit embarrassed about it. She opened a small chest that was placed at the foot of the bed and pulled out a set of dark green pants and a shirt. "Here, you can put these on." Naruto chose to put the green shirt over his naked body and decided to leave the pants for after the girls left. "All covered, you can look now," he announced. "How are you feeling?" Hinata tried her best to avoid direct eye contact. "I feel completely recovered. Sakura was just telling me what happened over the last few days," Naruto said. "Oh, we can help with that." Ino walked up to the chair left by Kakashi and sat down. "That forest was very scary..." Hinata said. "Yes, Sakura told me that your team helped us out. Thank you for that," Naruto told Hinata. She hid behind her hands. "N...n... it was nothing!" "You are also welcome!" Ino added with a grin. "You didn''t help us at all!" Sakura frowned. "What do you mean?" Ino looked genuinely surprised. "We were watching you for almost the full four days." "What?!" Sakura obviously had no idea. "Well... I wasn''t watching you. Mostly, I was looking at my Sasuke, and..." She glanced at Naruto. "Just checking on Naruto''s condition." "You were spying on us?!" Sakura raised the tone of her voice. "C-calm down, Sakura... I''m sure that..." Hinata mumbled in a low tone. "I was checking on you! And it''s not my fault you didn''t notice!" Ino shouted. The two girls proceeded to engage in a shouting match that continued to escalate until one of the chunin overseeing the exam came to tell them to shut up. But he also told them to go down, as they were about to begin the next part. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 66: Preliminary Chapter 66: Preliminary Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 66: PreliminaryFindd new stories at novelhall.com When they descended the stairs, the group spotted several of their Jonin senseis and examiners, all standing at the back of the room. In front of them was none other than the Hokage himself. In the middle of the room were all the genins who passed the Forest of Death test. Naruto spotted Sasuke standing at the back and walked toward him. The black-haired boy gave him a long glance before saying anything. "So you finally woke up." "Yes, aren''t you glad to see me?" Naruto answered him. "Hmph..." Sasuke turned around. Sakura hurried to stand at his side, and the other genins also went to find their teams. Naruto noticed how damaged Sasuke''s clothes were. Sakura didn''t have time to give him all the details about the struggles they had during the past four days, but it was definitely tough for them. "First off...for the second exam, congratulations on passing!" The Hokage proclaimed loudly. While their village leader went on with his speech, Naruto took the chance to examine the remaining genins. All of his academy classmates were here. Plus, Team Nine with TenTen and Rock Lee were present. He was not surprised to see the three genins from the Sand Village. That redhead boy appeared to be very strong. No one expected to see one of them give up after getting this far. But much to their surprise, Kabuto raised his hand. "Excuse me, but I think I''m going to quit," he said while scratching his head. Naruto narrowed his eyes. ''He''s quitting now?...'' He didn''t seem injured, and even if he was a bit tired, that was no reason to quit. After all, everyone was in the same condition. This was very suspicious. It was like he didn''t want to show his true skills in public. "Mmm....let''s see..." The referee, Hayate, glanced at the papers in his hand. "You are...cough...Yakushi Kabuto from the Leaf, right?...very well, you may leave." After writing something, he glanced back at the group. "Anyone else?..." He waited for a few more seconds, but no one else was willing to quit. "Fine then....I cough...I guess this is good. Now you are exactly twenty. One round should be enough." Hayate glanced up at a wall. A wooden board moved aside, revealing a screen. "As I said already, we are going to do a series of one-on-one fights. When you see your name up there on the screen, you will walk to the center of this room. The rest will wait upstairs. As for the....cough...cough...cough..." "Ehm...Sensei? Are you okay?" Sakura asked with a worried expression on her face. Hayate brushed her off. "I''m fine...now, as for the rules...there are basically none. The fight will continue until one of you gets knocked out, surrenders, or dies...whatever happens first. However...cough...if I decide that the winner is clear, I will stop the fight, since we want to avoid pointless deaths when possible." He glanced at the screen. "Now...cough...let''s see the first match." As he said that, the screen began to go through all the names one after another until it finally stopped. One name was shown on each side. "Uchiha Sasuke vs. Misumi Tsurugi!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 67: The Stretchy Man Chapter 67: The Stretchy Man Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 67: The Stretchy Man "Uchiha Sasuke vs Misumi Tsurugi!" Hayate announced. The rest of the genin were rushed upstairs, along with the other jonins and the Hokage. They could watch the matches from there. Naruto was keeping an eye on Sasuke''s opponent while he spoke with his other teammate.R/e?/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at Only Those two were on the same team as Kabuto, and if that one was suspicious, then they were too. He couldn''t pick up everything they were saying, but they looked a bit nervous and confused. "I thought that...but wasn''t I supposed to..." "Shut up...Master...plan..." Those were the only words Naruto could pick up before the teammate was asked to leave the fighting area. Once they were all out of there, the only ones remaining were Sasuke, Misumi, and the referee, Hayate. "He is going to be fine, right?" Sakura asked with slight worry. She knew how strong Sasuke was, but his opponent was much older and more experienced. Misumi Tsurugi was a tall man, wearing a dark sleeveless jacket, a black fabric mask covering his face, and a pair of circular spectacles. "Of course he will..." Naruto could not see anything worth noticing in this man. He just looked very average. The only reason he even paid any attention to him and his teammate was because of Kabuto. "What? You don''t trust Sasuke?" Ino joined the conversation. "What a terrible teammate you are...maybe we should trade places." "Shut up! Of course I trust him!" Sakura got angry. She did not like being questioned about her loyalty. "Try to be quieter." Kakashi appeared on top of the wooden railing. "Focus on watching the match." "Sensei!" Sakura exclaimed. Naruto leaned on the rail next to him. "What do you know about that team?" Kakashi lowered his eye to peek at him. "You have already lost!" Misumi tensed his limbs, increasing his grip on Sasuke. "Give up!" He got the kunai a bit closer. "Why? I can still move just enough." Sasuke turned his face slightly to look at his opponent. He then began to move his right hand to form signs. Misumi noticed this and tried to stop him by twisting his arm as much as he could. But it was too late for that. "No! Stop!" he screamed. Sasuke''s face was mere inches away from Misumi. And then...he opened his mouth. "Fire Release...Flame Bullet!" Misumi had no way to avoid this. The ball of fire hit him point-blank in the face. The flames spread across his skin and began to burn him. He immediately undid his restraint on Sasuke and began to roll across the floor, trying to put out the fire. The flames had spread onto his clothes and the rest of his body. Because of his technique, Misumi had to dislocate many of his bones, and it took time to reattach them, so he was unable to control his body properly to put out the flames. No longer willing to wait, the referee rushed at Misumi and used a water jutsu to save his life. The medics hurried inside the room and carried the badly burned Misumi away. Hayate glanced at Sasuke. "Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!" "Yeah! I knew he was going to win!" Sakura cheered. "Really? I saw you a bit doubtful a minute ago." Naruto commented. "I didn''t!" she defended. "For the record, I never doubted him," Ino said with a smug smile. Sakura was about to tell Ino something when she saw her expression change all of a sudden. "What''s wrong?" Ino was glancing at the screen on the wall. The next match was about to be announced. "Yamanaka Ino vs Zamu Abumi!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 68: Ino’s Match Chapter 68: Inos Match Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 68: Ino''s Match "Looks like it''s my turn," Ino said. "Ino... be care" Sakura was about to warn her when Sasuke made his way upstairs. "Sasuke!" Ino ran towards him. "Make sure to watch my fight! I''ll show you what a real female ninja can do... unlike that one..." She gave Sakura a smirk. "Go get yourself beat up already!" Sakura shouted in response. Naruto observed her opponent as he walked into the arena. Zaku Abumi was one of three ninjas from the newly founded Sound Village. His teammate was the one who attacked Kabuto during the first exam. "Looks like he had a rough time in the forest," Naruto commented. The young ninja had a very inconspicuous appearance, with his camouflage clothing and short black hair. But what caught the most attention right now was his terrible state. His clothes were cut and torn in several places. He had bruises on his face, and it looked like he was missing an eye, due to a large cut that went from his forehead to his chin. If that wasn''t enough, he was also limping on his left leg. "That''s one of them!" Sakura pointed at him. "One of them?" Naruto asked. "Him and his team attacked us on the second day of the exam." Sasuke arrived at his side and rested his arms on the wooden railing. "So, I guess that was your doing." Naruto gestured toward the gravely injured Sound ninja, and Sasuke nodded. "I should have done worse," Sasuke huffed, while Sakura looked at him with a complicated expression. Once Ino and her opponent stood on the arena floor, the jonin acting as referee approached them. "I can do this..." All he had to do was get a bit closer, and then he could destroy this girl for sure. Ino frowned. "How rude... I was just trying to be nice." She went back on the offensive. Since her opponent couldn''t move well, her best bet was to circle around him while throwing some kunai and shuriken, and when she got a good hit, she could get closer to finish him off. Zaku grunted in pain when one of Ino''s attacks landed on his shoulder. And following this, another one hit his good leg, making him fall to one knee. "Now!" Ino saw the opportunity. She grasped the kunai in her right hand with force and charged in. A subtle smile appeared on Zaku''s face. Ino got behind him and jumped in the air, aiming her attack at his neck. "Be careful, you fool!" Naruto''s voice broke through the audience''s silence just in time as Zaku turned around to face Ino. He raised his palms up and aimed them at her. Ino knew something was wrong. With nowhere to go, she crossed her arms in front of her to protect her vitals, and a moment later, she felt the impact of the air blast that came out of Zaku''s palms. She was pushed with tremendous force and ended up hitting one of the few columns that supported the upper floor. "Urgg..." She was hurt but still conscious. "Tsk..." Zaku glanced at the girl with annoyance. He had hoped to end this in a single attack. He even allowed her to get a few hits so she would get closer. Now the surprise factor was gone, but it wasn''t like he didn''t get anything in exchange. Ino''s legs trembled as she tried to get up. Blood poured from her mouth. The hit against the stone column had caused some internal damage. "I... I''m not done yet..." Despite her injuries, her eyes were filled with determination. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 69: A Hard-Earned Victory Chapter 69: A Hard-Earned Victory Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 69: A Hard-Earned Victory Now that Ino understood the dangers of approaching her opponent, she began to formulate another plan. She wasn''t as clever as her teammate, Shikamaru, but her head wasn''t empty either. Zaku grunted. "Damn it..." Now he had revealed his strongest weapon and was even more injured than before, making it harder for him to move. His ''air cannon'' was deadly at close range, but it quickly lost power as it traveled further away. Now that his opponent had seen this, she would likely try to defeat him from afar. "Take this!" Ino shouted. As Zaku had predicted, she began to throw shuriken at him while moving around the room, keeping a good distance away. Zaku used his own kunai to deflect her attacks, but each move he made brought him excruciating pain. He knew he wasn''t going to last long enough for the girl to run out of things to throw at him. ''I have to do something...'' If she wasn''t going to approach him again, he would have to be the one to move. Running in his current state was impossible... but there was another way. Zaku waited for the opportune moment while deflecting as many attacks as he could. Still, several shuriken had embedded themselves in his body. He ignored the pain as much as he could and continued to hold out patiently, until... "Tsk!" Ino went to grab more shuriken, only to realize they were the last ones she had. She threw them out, and one of them almost hit Zaku right in the face, but he managed to move at the last second, only receiving a nasty cut on his cheek. ''Almost had it!... Wait, I still have plenty of kunai.'' Ino calmed herself. Hayate was watching closely. He had a good understanding of how the Yamanaka jutsu worked. Now, all that was left was to see if it had succeeded. Out of nowhere, Zaku began to scream, taking everyone by surprise. "What''s wrong with him?! Did Ino''s jutsu fail?" Sakura exclaimed. "Did she go inside his mind?" Naruto asked. He had seen this before when her father used a similar jutsu on him. That one was a bit different, as the Yamanaka Patriarch wasn''t trying to control his body, just taking a peek into his mind. "Yes, that is the Yamanaka specialty," Kakashi answered. "But she didn''t take into account how badly damaged that body was and how much pain she was going to experience once inside... That boy had a lot of mental fortitude to be able to continue under those circumstances." "Come on, Ino! You can''t stop now!" Sakura shouted. "Ino, you can do it!" Choji pushed away his shines and shouted. "Ino...you got too far to lose now. " Shikamaru muttered. Zaku gritted his teeth and barely managed to stand on his shaky legs. "I... I..." He lifted his arm. "I... surrender..." Once Ino forced the words out of Zaku''s mouth, she immediately cut the connection and everything went dark. She opened her eyes back on her own body and with a lot of effort, she was able to put herself in a sitting position. Zaku''s body collapsed again and did not stand back up. "Winner, Yamanaka Ino!" Hayate announced. "I...won..." She was so exhausted that as soon as the referee announced it, she felt her heavy lids close again and fell back on the ground. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 70: More Preliminaries Chapter 70: More Preliminaries Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 70: More Preliminaries Ino was still unconscious when the medics took her away. But she was in much better shape than her opponent, who had to be rushed to the hospital for intense care. The next match was then announced... "Yoroi Akado vs. Kankuro of the Sand!" Yoroi was the last remaining member of Kabuto''s team, and his specialty was stealing chakra through physical contact. An ability that was promptly shown to be useless when the ''Kankuro'' they had all seen, was revealed to be a wooden puppet, while the real one had remained hidden behind the puppet''s back. The match ended very quickly after that, leaving Kankuro as the clear winner. "Sakura Haruno vs. Temari of the Sand!" Hayate announced next. "It''s my turn!" Sakura said, her voice tinged with evident nervousness. "Wish me luck, Sasuke!" She exclaimed before rushing down the stairs. "Hmph...." That was all Sasuke said to her. "She has no chance," Naruto commented. "Naruto...." Kakashi gave him a look of disapproval. "You should be cheering for your teammate." "Do you disagree?" Naruto glanced at his sensei. "That girl from the Sand Village looks very tough." "I mean..." Kakashi also thought that Sakura had no chance, but as her sensei, he couldn''t say that. He then gave Naruto a glare that seemed to convey a, ''You better not lose like that,'' feeling. Over the next hour, several more matches went by. TenTen put up a good fight against Aburame Shino, but she was unable to stop the mass of insects with her weapons and lost. Shikamaru had to deal with Tsuchi Kin, another member of the Sound Village. She fought using senbons, which reminded Naruto of that ninja he met at Wave. Although, she was nowhere near as strong. Shikamaru still had to put in a lot of effort to defeat her. The match lasted for thirty minutes, making it the longest one so far. It took a while until Shikamaru was finally able to trap Kin with his shadow jutsu, but once he did that... the fight was over. Next was Choji vs. Kiba. This was the most direct fight of the preliminaries since both ninjas were specialists in frontal assaults. Choji used his large body and tremendous strength while Kiba relied more on speed and coordinated attacks with his dog companion. Ultimately, Kiba won the match because Choji refused to make use of the Three Colored Pills. That secret medicine from his clan was only meant to be used in life-or-death situations. Then came the match between Hyuga Hinata and her cousin Neji... this was a very one-sided fight. Neji was clearly not just a genius in name, and his skills far surpassed those of Hinata. As Naruto watched, he got the feeling that she was holding back for some reason. He also got the feeling that the Hyuga house had some serious internal problems. Neji showed his cousin no mercy, and in the end, he had to be stopped by the referee and several of the jonin present before he could cause irreparable damage to her. ''Something is going on between those two...'' Naruto wondered if this was something he could use to his advantage. Internal problems were not rare in big clans, but to show them so publicly... they must be very serious. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 71: Rock vs Sand Part 1 Chapter 71: Rock vs Sand Part 1 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 71: Rock vs Sand Part 1 The next match was between Rock Lee and Gaara of the Sand. "So, I have been left for last," Naruto realized, his eyes moving to the last member of the Sound Village. That would be his opponent. "Good luck, Lee!" Guy Sensei cheered for his students with his usual enthusiasm. "This is bad... he should give up." Kiba, still in the viewing area despite the bruises on his face, commented. "What are you talking about?! Lee is not going to lose," TenTen replied, staying to cheer for her teammate even after Neji left without saying a word. "You have no idea..." Kiba looked genuinely afraid, casting quick glances at Gaara. "That guy is a psychopath... my team and I saw him kill an entire team by himself... he was laughing." TenTen frowned. "Just because he''s crazy doesn''t mean he''s strong." "He is strong. There''s no doubt about that," Naruto said from the other side. "Naruto..." TenTen glanced at him. "Tsk... what would you know about being strong, dead last..." Kiba muttered, though he reluctantly agreed. "Begin!" Hayate gave the signal and moved away from the arena. Naruto observed this fight very carefully. These two were the most interesting genins, in his personal opinion. Lee''s fighting style reminded him of his early days when he had to rely on pure martial arts. As for Gaara... there was something familiar about him, but Naruto couldn''t quite put his finger on it yet. "Let''s have a good match!" Rock Lee shouted. "Pff... shut up." Gaara said, keeping his usual frown. The cork on his gourd loosened and shot towards Lee. Lee dodged it by moving his head aside before charging directly at Gaara. "Leaf Spinning Wind!" He jumped into the air and performed a powerful spinning kick aimed at Gaara''s chest. However... when they saw the destruction caused by the weights when Lee dropped them... "What?! How much was he carrying?!" Temari got closer to the group. They got no answer from the Sensei. Then... Lee began to move. "How is this possible?" Naruto didn''t think he would be this surprised by one of the genins, but Lee''s increase in speed made no sense. ''Unless...'' Lee was now moving at least five times faster than before. Gaara''s sand was having trouble keeping up as Lee moved around, throwing all sorts of attacks. After a few more seconds of this... Lee finally managed to get his first hit, as one of his kicks connected with Gaara''s head. "No way!" "Impossible!" Gaara''s teammates were the ones most shocked. They knew how powerful Gaara''s sand defense was. "See? Lee won''t lose to anyone, even if he can only use taijutsu. He''s a taijutsu specialist!" Guy Sensei declared with pride. "When you say that he can''t use anything other than taijutsu..." Naruto looked at the jonin with a serious face. "Is this caused by some sort of medical condition?" Might Guy was a bit surprised by the question but still answered. "That is correct... Lee was born with malformed chakra veins, so he''s unable to circulate chakra properly, and thus, unable to use ninjutsu." "Malformed chakra veins... I see." Naruto now had a good idea of how Rock Lee could move like that. To have that speed and strength at his age and with that body type... it should be impossible unless Lee was a cultivator like himself. By absorbing chakra into one''s body, it was possible to push it past its limits. And by the looks of it, Lee''s cultivation was ahead of his own. He seemed to have reached the peak of the Body Forging Stage. ''But if cultivation manuals don''t exist in this world, there''s only one other possibility... Lee must have been born with a special constitution...'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 72 : Rock Vs Sand Part 2 Chapter 72 : Rock Vs Sand Part 2 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 72 : Rock Vs Sand Part 2 There are many special constitutions out there, but only a few humans are lucky enough to be born with one. Like the Yin Constitution, the Golden Body, Heavenly Platinum Physique, Chaotic Demon Veins... there are countless of them. He didn''t know exactly which one Lee had, but its effects seemed to allow him to concentrate and assimilate chakra into his bones and muscles. This was essentially what the first stages of cultivation were about, but Lee could do it in a passive manner. Much like demonic beasts, he could get stronger just by letting time pass. Of course, Lee''s rigorous training had exacerbated the effects. Naruto felt a bit envious of this. But then again, it wasn''t like he didn''t have any boons of his own. Also, even if he were born with a unique constitution, his advantage would become less noticeable as the level of power gets higher. Among genin, he would stand at the top, but among jonin, he would just be one of many. Unless... he could get a cultivation manual that fits his constitution... only then could his true potential be unleashed. Naruto knew of such a method, but he had no reason to share such valuable information in exchange for nothing. "Wow!" Shikamaru said. Lee had just sent Gaara flying after connecting a punch to his face. "Go, Lee!" His sensei continued to cheer. "This is bad..." Naruto looked back and saw the worried expression on Kankuro. At first glance, one would assume he was preoccupied with his teammate''s potential loss. But that was not the case. Gaara''s face began to crack... "Huh?... is that sand?..." Naruto could see it clearly now. There was a layer of sand covering his entire body. Gaara had used some method to make it look like normal skin, but after Lee broke the part that was protecting his face, it began to take its original shape.V/\Issi?T for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce "He''s going to lose it now..." Kankuro muttered. Gaara began to laugh like a maniac. "What''s with that guy?..." Naruto said. It was obvious that this boy was not mentally stable. Gaara reformed the sand armor around himself. This time, there seemed to be a lot more sand around him. "Ahhh!" Lee screamed. He tried to cover his vitals as much as he could but still received serious damage to his entire body. "Why didn''t he dodge that? He was moving so fast a moment ago," Kiba asked. "He can''t..." Gai had an expression of pure concern on his face. "The Lotus technique allows Lee to enhance his speed tremendously, but it also causes damage to his body. It''s a double-edged sword..." "He must be in a lot of pain right now," Kakashi said. Lee was attacked several more times, but he didn''t seem willing to give up. "If he can''t fight anymore... why keep going?" Shikamaru commented. To him, it made no sense. "Lee is not done yet!" Gai exclaimed. "The Lotus will bloom again..." Kakashi seemed surprised by this comment. "Gai... don''t tell me that you also taught him that technique..." "It is as you think, Kakashi..." Gai said. "You taught the Eight Gates to a genin?" Kakashi said in an accusatory manner. "The Eight Gates?" Naruto''s interest was piqued at hearing that. Sasuke was also paying close attention. Gai did not deny it. "He had the ability to learn them." "Even if he did! That doesn''t mean you should have! Some techniques are forbidden for a good reason. I''ve lost my respect for you as a sensei..." Kakashi told him. Gai glared at Kakashi. "What do you know about that boy?" "Lee has something important to prove. Something so precious to him that he is willing to risk his life to accomplish it. As a sensei... it is our job to give them the necessary tools to achieve their dreams, isn''t it?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 73: The Eight Gates Chapter 73: The Eight Gates Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 73: The Eight Gates "How many gates can the boy open?" Kakashi asked. "Five..." Gai replied.V/\Issi?T for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce "Five..." Kakashi frowned. "That could be enough to damage his body beyond repair." "What are these gates you two are talking about?" Naruto decided to ask directly. "In the chakra circulation system, there are eight very important spots where chakra flows through. We call those the Eight Gates, and each one has its own name. These gates act as a safety feature, preventing too much chakra from passing through and damaging your body," Kakashi explained. "And let me guess... this technique removes those limitations," Naruto said. "It''s a necessary requirement to perform the Ultimate Lotus," Gai said. "Lee has already opened the first gate in order to use the Initial Lotus..." "Opening all eight gates would grant you power beyond a Kage... for a short duration of time. And then... you will die," Kakashi added. Naruto looked back at the arena. Lee appeared to be getting ready to begin. ''A technique capable of granting you immense power before killing you...It is nothing new, but still interesting. I wonder if I could learn it?...'' Large amounts of energy were circulating around Rock Lee. "Third Gate... Open!" The chakra was becoming so concentrated that it could be seen clearly without the need for any special jutsu. "Fourth Gate... Open!" Lee shouted. The floor trembled, and the rubble next to him began to float in the air. "Oh..." Naruto watched with interest. He didn''t want to miss any details. Lee disappeared from the spot, moving several times faster than before, and kicked Gaara into the air again. Lee collapsed, screaming in agony. But Gaara wasn''t done yet. He wanted his opponent dead, so he moved the sand again, this time aiming for his head. ''Oh no!'' Naruto thought. If Lee died here, his plan to negotiate for the Eight Gates would be ruined. Naruto had no time to waste, so he summoned as much chakra as he could and focused it on his legs. He was about to jump into action when someone else got there first. Maito Gai blasted away the mass of sand with one arm and stood before his disciple in a protective manner. Gaara seemed to be assaulted by a powerful headache. He clutched at his head with both hands. "Why... why did you save him..." "He is my beloved disciple... I can''t watch him die..." Gai seemed almost apologetic but also firm in his decision. Gaara clenched his teeth in frustration. But even in his current state of anger, he knew there was nothing more to be done, so he recalled his sand and began to walk away. "Winner... Gaara of the Sand!" Hayate hurried to declare. Kakashi glanced at his side. "Naruto... what were you thinking?..." Naruto had recalled his chakra, but just for a second... they all felt the wave of demonic chakra emerge from him as he was preparing to intervene. The portion of the railing in front of Naruto had been reduced to splinters, and he was standing with his feet on the edge. The genin around him gave out noises of surprise, as none of them had even seen him move. "You would have been disqualified," Kakashi said. Naruto grinned. "I couldn''t let someone with such fighting spirit die like that..." His hand was pointing down, directly at Lee. Gai turned around when he felt the movement and found his disciple standing up in a battle pose, ready to continue fighting. "Lee?!... it''s over, the match is..." Gai stopped talking because he realized that his disciple was still unconscious. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 74: The Last Preliminary Chapter 74: The Last Preliminary Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue Thoughts -Author notes- Chapter 74: The Last Preliminary Gai and TenTen left with the medical team that took Rock Lee away. Gaara didnt even wait for the examiners permission before he also took the stairs and left. Right... theres still one more match, Hayate glanced at the viewing area. I guess its my turn, Naruto said. Good luck, Naruto, show everyone what you can do. Kakashi said with a smile. Sasuke just made a grunt that Naruto could only interpret as, You better not lose, or something of the sort. He jumped down into the arena and immediately realized how badly damaged it was. There was barely any room left to stand. His opponent walked into the arena, looking calm and composed. It was Dosu Kinuta, the last remaining member of the Sound Village team. His teammates had been defeated by Ino and Shikamaru, leaving him alone and without a clear mission to continue. But Dosu didnt care about any of this. He would keep going until his master told him to stop. His eyes met with Narutos. Sorry, it looks like the fighting grounds are very damaged... perhaps... cough... we can move the location, Hayate said before looking in the direction of the Hokage. I would need to a Theres no need... theres enough space to fight over there, Dosu pointed towards the north side of the arena. There was a small rectangular area that had somehow escaped all the destruction, but it was tiny for the purposes of a fight. Are you sure?... That doesnt seem... Hayate was a bit hesitant. Its okay. That will be more than enough space for us. Naruto walked to the rectangular space that Dosu pointed out. Lets get this over with. He added. Dosu found his attitude amusing and mistook it for Naruto being too nervous. Three seconds... Naruto remained standing. Huh?... Dosus eyes moved to Narutos face. Something he should have done earlier, but he had been a bit too overconfident in his technique. Had he looked before, he would have realized that Naruto had been using his fingers to cover his ears, thus negating the effect of his sound-based jutsu. Dosu only had one second to realize how badly he had messed this up. After failing his swing, he was now in a very awkward pose, with his sides completely exposed to his opponent. Idiot. That was the second-to-last thing Dosu heard before he felt a strong pressure on his neck... and everything went dark. Narutos kick snapped Dosus neck with a very loud crunching noise that made everyone flinch. The Sound Village ninja collapsed on the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He... hes dead... Hayate had been standing close by and could clearly see it. He didnt need to be a doctor to know this. Dosus neck was bent at a ninety-degree angle, and his eyes were completely white. There was no recovery from this. The members of the audience were staring in disbelief at the scene. All except Kakashi and Sasuke, who had already seen how brutal Naruto could be. The rest of them... either didnt know anything about Naruto or remembered him as the cheerful and goofy prankster of Konoha. That image was now gone. The entire match had lasted less than five seconds. It had been more of an execution than an actual fight. Hayate... The Hokage had appeared in the area and stood beside the referee. The winner... he reminded him. Right... Hayate snapped out of his stupor. Winner... Uzumaki Naruto! A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 75: The Final Matches Chapter 75: The Final Matches Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue Thoughts -Author notes- Chapter 75: The Final Matches "The preliminary test for the finals has been completed!" Hayate announced. "To everyone who has won their matches... congratulations!..." He looked around. "Right... cough... there are two missing though..." The Hokage stepped forward. "It will be fine." He moved his eyes around the remaining genin. For a moment, he stopped at Naruto. "It is time to explain the next and final test. Like the preliminary one, the main event will also be a tournament, but this one will take place in a stadium, and important guests from the surrounding nations will be present to witness your performance... which is why it will take place a month from now." "Wait, we dont have to fight right now?" Kiba felt a bit relieved if he was honest. And he wasnt the only one. Most of the genin here were already injured and tired... they could really use a month to prepare. ''A month?... that may be enough time for me...'' Naruto considered it. In a month, he could finally complete the Body Forging Stage and properly step into the path of a cultivator. That would make a big difference in his fighting capabilities. "Dont waste this time!" The Hokage said with a serious expression. "This is not only to make our own preparations but is also important for you all. You can use this period to recover and train, but you can also try to gather information on your next opponents. It is up to you how well you use it." "But we dont know who we are going to fight, though," Kiba pointed out. "I was getting to that..." The Hokage pointed to Anko, who had been waiting behind him, and she brought a box with her. "There are pieces of paper inside that box. Each one of you will take one piece," he instructed. "Come on, get in line," Anko told them. "Lord Hokage..." Asuma Sarutobi approached him. "My student, Ino... shes still unconscious. If its okay, I will draw for her." The Hokage nodded. "Sorry... make sure to advise her well," the Hokage glanced at his son with pity. He knew he was in a difficult position. Mmm... so I have to fight Hinatas cousin... Naruto didnt think much about this. Other than being very brutal with his cousin, Neji did not leave much of an impression on him. The most interesting part was that after beating Neji, he would have to fight Gaara. Now... that one is going to be good. There was something strange about that sand boy, and Naruto would make sure to find out what it was during their match. "Oh..." Kibas enthusiasm had died out quite a bit after finding out he would be facing Sasuke. "Well... with this, you are free to begin your strategy as you like. Are there any final questions?" The Hokage asked. "Since this tournament will only have one winner... does that mean that only one person will become a Chunin?" Shikamaru asked. "Not at all. The results of this tournament will influence our decision on who succeeds in the exam, but we will also take into account the other two exams you have already performed. This means that you dont need to win the tournament to become a Chunin, but depending on the circumstances... there is a possibility that no one will pass." "Is that clear?" He waited for Shikamaru to nod. "Excellent. Then if there is nothing else... you are dismissed until a month from now." The group of people started to disperse. Naruto saw Sasuke walking towards him and decided to say something. "So, youre fighting the dog boy? I dont think he will be much of a match." "From now on... and until this tournament is over, we are rivals," Sasuke told him with a cold expression. "And I will not lose against you! No matter what powers you have..." His eyes moved down for a moment. Naruto hadnt forgotten what Kakashi told him. Sasuke knew about the Kyubi now. "Hmph... sure, I welcome a good fight any time... and since we are on opposite sides of the bracket, we may meet each other in the finals... who knows." Sasuke gave him one last look and left without saying anything else. He didn''t seem to be in a cheerful mood. Naruto watched him as he left. He knew what Sasuke was thinking... he had met many of his type. The competitive ones who see everyone as their stepping stones. It wasnt much different from how he once was. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 76: Plans for the next month Chapter 76: Plans for the next month Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 76: Plans for the next month As Naruto was about to leave the main building, he spotted Kakashi standing next to the door. "I assumed you had gone to check on Sakura," Naruto said after getting a bit closer. Kakashi moved his uncovered eye to meet his. "Sakura''s been moved to the hospital already. But don''t worry, I''ve been told that her injuries aren''t severe, and she''ll probably be out in a day or two." "I see...then, you were waiting for me?" Naruto asked. There seemed to be something troubling Kakashi before he began to speak again. "Yes, we need to talk about the upcoming month and your training. I''ve decided it would be best to train you separately. I''ll take Sasuke away for two weeks before coming to train you. But don''t worry, it''s not like I''ll leave you with nothing to do for that long. I have a few acquaintances who can help you with tr" "It''s okay." Naruto interrupted him. " I was planning on training by myself. No need to call anyone...you can dedicate the entire month to Sasuke," He added. It wasn''t like he didn''t want to learn from the jonin, but what he needed right now the most, was some peace and quiet to cultivate, and he should be able to make a breakthrough before the finals. As he was now, Naruto felt extremely restricted. With his ridiculously low cultivation base, there was not much he could do, no matter how great his knowledge was. He felt like an adult trapped in the body of a toddler...he wanted to remedy that. "Eh?... Are you sure about that, Naruto?" Kakashi looked a bit shocked. He knew that the boy was very independent, but was not expecting him to reject his training before the finals. "Very sure. I''ll be fine, so you can go inform Sasuke. I''m sure he''ll be pleased with the news." Kakashi made a complicated expression. "About that...I''d better wait until tomorrow. He seems to be in a sour mood after the preliminaries ended." <><><><><><><><><><><> After a proper night of rest, Naruto put on a new change of clothes and made his way to the hospital. Even if Kakashi hadn''t asked him, he would still have come here. He wanted to check on Rock Lee''s condition, as well as Hinata''s. He adjusted the bag on his back as he walked. His plan for today was to buy some supplies and spend a few days in the mountains. Naruto soon found himself staring at a nurse. "Excuse me..." She lifted her head, and the smile on her face disappeared when she saw who he was. "What do you want?" she grunted with exasperation. ''I guess it''s going to be the same here...'' No matter where he went, this was the usual treatment he received. "I''m here to visit my teammate, Sakura Haruno." "Mmm..." She glanced at a paper on her table. "Room 76, second floor..." She then glared at him. "You better behave while in the hospital." Naruto decided to ignore the woman and be on his way. Nothing good could come out of fighting a civilian. He walked to the second floor, and as soon as he did, he immediately felt that something was wrong. His instincts were screaming at him to be careful. There was something dangerous here. Naruto heard some soft noises coming from a nearby room. It almost sounded like... A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 77: Hospital Visit Chapter 77: Hospital Visit Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 77: Hospital Visit Naruto identified the source of the sounds and hurried inside the room. "What the..." He found Rock Lee lying on a bed. His left arm and leg were in casts, suspended in the air. The other occupant of the room was bending over the bed. Gaara was staring at Lee, moving sand closer to his face. "Got some unfinished business here?" Naruto asked. Gaara was visibly startled as he turned to face Naruto, having been so focused that he failed to notice his approach. "You''re...?" Gaara recognized him but couldn''t recall his name. "Uzumaki Naruto, and I already know who you are. But...do you mind telling me what you''re doing?" "I''m going to kill him!" Gaara said without hesitation. "I figured you''d say that." Naruto could easily sense the bloodlust radiating from the boy. "If you try to stop me...I''ll kill you too." Gaara threatened. "What''s the point of killing him now? You already won the match." Naruto got a bit closer. Gaara grinned. "I don''t have any specific reason for doing so...I just want to kill him, that''s all." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You''re really messed up in the head, aren''t you?" His face contorted with contempt. "I warned you...don''t get in my way..." Gaara moved his hand, and the sand began to creep across the bed, inching toward Lee''s face. "You''re really stubborn..." Naruto knew this was a very powerful opponent and could not afford to hold back too much in his current state, so he used the traces of the demon''s chakra already in his system to enhance his movement. In an instant, he was next to Gaara and threw a direct punch at his face. Gaara hadn''t expected Naruto to attack so suddenly, so he wasn''t on full alert and his automatic defense was too slow to block the punch. "Mister Maito?...it was you?" The mood of the nurses immediately changed. All Jonins were extremely revered figures in the village after all. "Yes, I''m very sorry about the mess. I''ll pay for it, of course." "Oh, there''s no need for that!" "Yes, it was just an accident." The nurses began to assure him. Gai tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Your teammate is at the end of the corridor. You came to see her, right?" "Yes, thank you." Naruto wasn''t going to reject a good chance to get out of here, where everyone was looking at him with those nasty eyes. As he approached the last room, he began to hear voices. Peeking inside the one with the open door, he found Sakura sitting on her bed, seemingly in the middle of a heated argument with the girl in the next bed. "Shut up, you just got lucky!" Sakura exclaimed. "Lucky? I won fair and square." Ino was quick to defend herself. "Your opponent was half-dead; where''s the fairness in that?" Sakura retorted. "My sensei always says that luck is also part of a ninja''s skill set," Ino said. "Luck is not a skill..." "Yes, it is! And it doesn''t matter anymore. The results are clear...I''m in the finals, and you aren''t. Thus, I''m the superior ninja, hehe." Ino chuckled. "It doesn''t work like that!" Sakura shouted. "You two are very lively already...that must mean your injuries aren''t a big deal." Naruto said. The two girls finally noticed his presence. "Naruto! You came to visit me." Ino appeared pleased with his arrival, at least. "Wait...why would he visit you? It''s obvious he came to see me. I''m his teammate!" Sakura insisted. And just like that, another argument began. ''Why would they put those two together?...'' Naruto wondered. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 78: An Unexpected Arrival Chapter 78: An Unexpected Arrival Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 78: An Unexpected Arrival While the two girls kept arguing, Naruto glanced at the bed on the other side of the room. Hinata lay there, her eyes closed, with a machine connected to her mouth. A continuous beeping noise filled the room. Naruto didn''t need any knowledge of the medical devices being used here, to realize that her condition was very severe. Noticing Naruto''s gaze, the girls stopped their pointless argument. "They brought her here a few hours ago...she''s been in intensive care since yesterday," Ino said in a grave tone. "I can''t believe her own cousin left her in that state..." Sakura frowned. Being injured by an enemy during a mission was one thing, but for her own family to do this? She couldn''t understand something like that. "You underestimate the internal conflicts of a large clan," Naruto replied. "Is she going to recover?" he asked Ino, who seemed to know more. "The doctors said her life isn''t in danger, but they don''t know when she''ll wake up. If she stays like this too long, there could be permanent damage," the blonde girl answered. "Do you know what caused the Hyuga boy''s anger?" Naruto tried to get a bit more information about her clan. Perhaps there was something he could do about it. Ino shrugged. "The Hyugas are very private and would never let others know about their internal affairs. The only one who might know something is my father because he works closely with the Hokage, but..." "He wouldn''t tell you," Naruto guessed. Ino nodded. "Say, Naruto..." Sakura felt the need to change the topic. "Did you hear a loud noise a few minutes ago? It almost sounded like glass breaking." "I''m surprised you heard anything, considering how loud you two were being." Naruto told her. A group of several medical personnel with at least one or two doctors passed by their door, heading to the last room. They could all clearly see the nurses pushing a wheeled bed with someone on it...a young man with black hair who looked very familiar. "Wait! Is that?..." Ino thought she was imagining things. "That did look like..." Sakura was just as puzzled. They heard the doctor speak in a clear, stern tone to the nurses. "I don''t want anyone disturbing Mister Uchiha. Is that clear? We''ve already called for his sensei and notified the Hokage." "Sasuke..." Naruto narrowed his eyes. ''He''s hurt?... But how? He was fine yesterday, and there were no more fights remaining.'' "Oh no! What happened to Sasuke?!" Ino exclaimed. Sakura got out of bed in a hurry. "I have to go see him!" "Stop, Sakura. They won''t let you in. You heard what the doctor said just now," Ino reminded her. "But...Sasuke is hurt...What happened? Who could have done that? He was fine yesterday, right?" Sakura glanced at Naruto. "He only had a few minor injuries from his time in the forest...This means something happened to him after that," Naruto concluded. "Someone attacked him?" Ino asked. "Could it have been his next opponent?!" Sakura suggested. "His next opponent is Kiba, remember? You also saw the list...so that''s a no," Ino reminded her. "They said Kakashi has been notified... I''m sure we''ll find out what happened if we wait a bit longer. That would be better than guessing," Naruto said. Sakura nodded with some reluctance. ''It looks like my trip to the mountains will have to wait a bit longer...'' Naruto thought. He was also very curious to find out what had happened to his moody teammate. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 79: Cursed Seal Chapter 79: Cursed Seal Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 79: Cursed Seal "Kakashi-sensei, wait up!" Sakura was the first to spot him as he passed by their room. Kakashi stopped and looked at them. "Oh, Sakura...Naruto." He seemed distressed enough that he had forgotten they were there. "Sorry...I..." "What happened to Sasuke?" Ino asked hurriedly. "Yes, is he okay? I want to see him!" Sakura added. "I was just told what happened, but...I need to speak with Sasuke first...alone." "But..." Sakura looked extremely worried. "I''ll let you talk to him as soon as possible...I have to go now." Kakashi turned around and left without letting them say anything else. "This isn''t fair! He''s my teammate...I should be able to see him!" Sakura pouted. "Calm down. I''m sure your sensei has a good reason for wanting to speak with him alone first, right?" Ino glanced at Naruto for support. "If Sasuke was ambushed by some enemy, it would make sense that Kakashi wants to get all the details as soon as possible so Konoha can take proper action," Naruto suggested. This was the most likely scenario he could think of. "Ambushed?!" Sakura exclaimed with dread. "That makes sense...I wouldn''t be surprised if they sent someone from my family too." Ino was already used to this type of thing. Her family was often in charge of gathering information from others. <><><><><><><><><><><> With no other choice, Naruto, Ino, and Sakura stayed in the room, waiting for Kakashi to return and explain what had happened. It took well over thirty minutes before their sensei finally opened the door. After walking out of Sasuke''s room, he came directly to theirs. "Well?" Naruto asked. "What is that?!" "A seal?..." Naruto said trying to take a better look. The mark on Sasuke''s neck looked like three black tomoe, similar to those in the Sharingan. Surrounding the three shapes was another onea circle with symbols in it. It looked very much like the seals used in fu?injutsu. "A cursed seal..." Kakashi added. "He bit me on the neck, and...I don''t really remember much after that. When I woke up, I had this mark..." Sasuke said. "He just attacked you without uttering a single word?" Naruto felt that something was missing. Sasuke didn''t look at him, continuing to stare out the window. "He only said that I''d see him again if I passed the test..." "Test? What test?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shrugged but didn''t answer. "For what we know...victims of the cursed seal often die on the first day," Kakashi said. While Sakura looked as if she might faint, Naruto gave Kakashi a suspicious glance. "You understand a lot about this thing...how many people have Orochimaru done this to?." "We don''t know...our information comes from one of the few survivors who used to be very close to him. But that happened many years ago... The seal on Sasuke is a bit different." Kakashi seemed reluctant to reveal more. "And what does this seal do?" Naruto continued to inquire. The lack of reaction from Sasuke''s part meant he likely already knew the answer to these questions. "We''re not certain...my mastery of seals is a bit lacking." Kakashi glanced at Sasuke for a moment. "And this creation of Orochimaru''s is more than just fu?injutsu... In any case, there''s a true expert coming to the village. He should be here in a week or so. We''ll know more then. For now, I''ve placed a five-element seal around it...that should prevent it from activating." Naruto could tell that Kakashi knew more than he was sharing with them. But then realized something as he thought back to their encounter with the Sannin. "So...this was his objective from the beginning...he wanted to put that seal on Sasuke." For whatever reason, this seal must be extremely important for his plan. He was a wanted criminal but risked being caught twice, just to get this thing on Sasukes neck. ''I don''t understand it...'' Naruto could not figure out yet what the Sannin was thinking. But then, while looking at Sasuke, an idea came to his mind. ''Oh...I see. That''s what he wanted.'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 80: Half-Truths Chapter 80: Half-Truths Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 80: Half-Truths After talking for a few more minutes, Kakashi said that he had to leave for a bit. No doubt, their sensei was going to inform the Hokage about his findings. "Ah! You must be thirsty. I''ll go get you something to drink," Sakura said with a cheerful smile. Naruto watched as the girl went out and closed the door. He then got closer to the bed and stared at Sasuke with a knowing look. "What?..." The black-haired boy did not feel comfortable being glanced at like that. "Did you at least tell Kakashi the truth, or did you also lie to him?" Naruto asked. Finally, Sasuke showed a change in his expression. His eyes opened widely for a second before he contained his reaction. "What is that supposed to mean?" "You weren''t attacked last night...you let that Orochimaru put that thing on your neck...I was just wondering what he offered you in order to convince you, that''s all." Sasuke reacted by covering the seal on his neck and putting the bandages back in place. His narrow eyes moved to look directly at Naruto. "You know nothing!" "I know you didn''t put up a fight. Other than the seal, you only have a few scratches. And I know that his true objective for infiltrating the exams was you. But he didn''t want to kidnap you or kill you, otherwise you wouldn''t be sitting on that bed right now. So I think he wanted to recruit you. Did he make you an enticing offer?" After all, it was possible to enter the Body Forging Stage without even using any cultivation technique. There were many martial artists who achieved this by merely working their bodies through physical training alone while subconsciously using their inner Qi to reinforce it further. Naruto couldn''t help but be impressed with the speed of this mysterious technique he received. It''s only been around two months since he was forced to begin his cultivation from rock bottom, and he was already so close to his first breakthrough. And it''s not just speed, but the intensity of his improvements is also much more potent than during his previous life. After all, he was not just using his own Qi to reinforce himself but also the demonic chakra coming from the Kyubi. The fox''s chakra was being purified and permanently injected into his system, where it would later be used to enhance him. Naruto entered his mind palace while meditating. This allowed him to have better control over the procedure. The place was still mostly empty, with just his pool of chakra at the center and the Golden Scripture floating above it. Small crevices were connected to this pool. They took some of the chakra from it and sent it everywhere in his body. These were his chakra veins. There was also a very different one that carried a red-looking substance and went into the main pool. But before it arrived, its color began to change to a pure white one. This was the Kyubi''s chakra... ''I wonder if the fox even knows about this?'' Naruto thought. This system had already been in place before he began his cultivation. This was done by the seal that his father created. Naruto had merely improved upon it. Now the demon''s chakra is purified before fusing with his own, instead of remaining as an external force. Of course, the amount he was taking right now was negligible, so it would not be strange if the demon had not noticed. Naruto doubted the Kyubi would be willing to cooperate with him if he ever discovered that he was slowly being eaten away by the one serving as his container. And of course...he had no intent of ever informing him of that fact. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 81: The Results Chapter 81: The Results Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 81: The Results Three weeks later. Naruto heard the crunching sound of dry leaves being stepped on and knew that someone was approaching. He opened his eyes and saw a middle-aged man staring at him with an amused expression on his face. "Did you have a good nap, Naruto?" the man asked. "Do we know each other?" He was sure he had never seen this man before. He would remember meeting someone with such a peculiar appearance. The man had a massive head of pure white hair and wore an old-style kimono in dark green with a red sleeveless jacket on top. "You really don''t know who I am? Do they not teach history anymore at the academy?" he grumbled. "I don''t recall much of my academy days," Naruto told the man. "Perhaps you can tell me your name. That would help." "Right...Sensei did mention your amnesia... Very well, I will tell you my glorious name!" He struck a dramatic pose. "What is this?" Naruto wondered if someone had sent a buffoon to bother him during his training. But...something told him that this man was more than he seemed. "I am the Legendary Jiraiya of the Sannin!" he proclaimed loudly. Naruto stood up immediately, his demeanor changing to full alert. "Sannin?...." "Mmm..." Naruto didn''t seem very impressed. There was something about this man that he didn''t like but couldn''t yet figure out what it was. "Come on, take off your robes, and let me take a look... Why are you looking at me like that?" Jiraiya frowned. "I still don''t trust you..." "Oh, for crying out loud! I already told you I am one of the Sannin! If I wanted to harm you, it would be so easy!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "It wouldn''t be that easy...." Naruto muttered. "But you do have a point..." He opened his robes and took them off, leaving himself in just the shorts he had underneath. "What the..." Jiraiya stared in disbelief at Naruto''s body. His muscles were all defined to an almost impossible degree. This was the body of someone who spent most of their waking day doing physical work, not of someone who spent three weeks sitting beneath a tree. What Jiraiya didn''t know was that this was the result of Naruto''s major breakthrough. After completing the Body Forging Stage to perfection, he was left with a body that went beyond what was normally possible to achieve with mere martial training. Every second he spent refining his body with his chakra was the equivalent of spending hours in intense workouts. But the external appearance was merely a side effect. The real benefits were his immense improvement in strength and speed, as well as his physical resistance to damage. His skin was almost as tough as copper and would resist the impact of most normal weapons with no more than some superficial scratches. His bones were also many times more resistant than before and would be very difficult to break. His body was now ready to begin the next stage...the Qi Refining. "Would you stop staring so much?... I''m not interested in old men, you know?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 82: Seals and Power Chapter 82: Seals and Power Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 82: Seals and Power "Brats these days have no manners!" Jiraiya complained while examining Naruto''s seal. "Mmm...there don''t appear to be any anomalies...how is your chakra control?" "Quite decent," Naruto answered him. He was sure this man had already spoken with Kakashi before coming here. "That is unusual, to say the least..." Jiraiya commented. "This seal was designed to filter a small amount of the Kyubi''s chakra that would then mix with yours. Bijuu chakra is very different from our own, so the mixture would be difficult to control. You either have immense talent or you''ve practiced like crazy to manage this." "Perhaps it''s both...are you done touching my belly?" Naruto pointed down. "Yes, yes..." Jiraiya stood back up. "So, can you tell me about the incident where you lost control?" "Before that...you mentioned something about ''Bijuu Chakra''...what is a bijuu?" Naruto wondered if that was the name of this demon''s race or clan. Demons usually had a large variety of subspecies. "Oh, that...I suppose they don''t teach it at the academy," Jiraiya said. "Tailed Beasts, Chakra Demons, Bijuus...people call them many things. There are nine of them on the continent, each with a different number of tails ranging from one to nine." He pointed at Naruto. "You have the Nine-Tails inside your gut. That one is supposed to be the most powerful, since more tails equate to more chakra." "So the One-Tail would be the weakest, then." "Yes, I am aware of that." He had already heard the same thing from Kakashi and the Hokage, more than once. "I''m sure you are." "Did you remove the seal he put on Sasuke?" Naruto decided to ask. He had no doubt that the Seal Master had also been called to examine his teammate. "No...the cursed seal can only be removed by Orochimaru. It''s not just a work of fu?injutsu, but there are also other disciplines involved in its creation. I have no doubt that they are the result of many years of that madman''s research." "And what is their purpose?" "The function of a cursed seal could be anything he wanted...from killing, control, or just serving as a tool to spy or communicate with the user. The one on your friend seems to contain a large amount of chakra stored inside, as well as something else mixed in. The intent is to give the user a great surge of power for a limited amount of time. Or at least that''s what I belive. " "It makes him stronger, like when I use the demon''s chakra?" That was not what Naruto was expecting to hear. ''Unless Orochimaru''s objective is to recruit Sasuke. And he is offering him the power he seeks...that would explain why Sasuke did not fight back against him. '' Naruto thought. "That seems to be the case. During the night after his attack, Sasuke mentioned feeling a great rush of energy before passing out. However, these kinds of things always have severe side effects and downsides. And much more so when you consider the source of this ''gift''...who knows what else he put in there." "You forbade him from using it," Naruto stated. "Of course we did!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "That thing is incredibly dangerous! So I reinforced the Five Element Seal that Kakashi had placed on him. That should be more than enough to contain it for now. I will need to find more information about these seals." ''That is certainly going to have the opposite effect on Sasuke,'' Naruto thought. It appeared that Naruto understood Sasuke better than these men if they thought that was going to work. Forbidding that boy from using a newfound power would only push him more toward using it. ''That''s probably what this Orochimaru is counting on...'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 83: Learning a New Jutsu Chapter 83: Learning a New Jutsu Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 83: Learning a New Jutsu "Don''t worry about your friend, he is fine, and you will see him soon enough," Jiraiya told him. The man really thought that Naruto was worried about his teammate, but Naruto was just asking out of pure curiosity. He was the type who liked to know as much as possible. After all...information was just another form of power. "But, there was another reason I came to find you," the Sannin said. "And what would that be?" "I wanted to offer you my expertise before your final exams." Jiraiya gave him a confident smirk. "You are offering to train me?" Naruto was going to question why someone with such a high status would want to train him. But the answer was very obvious. "Is this because of my father? Were you friends or something?" Jiraiya smiled. "More than friends! We wer" "Lovers?... I see... so even ninjas do that kind of thing." Naruto nodded in understanding. He never had an interest in that kind of experimentation, but some of his acquaintances had ''dipped their toes'' in that world. "Although I feel bad for his wife... she must have been s" "We were not lovers!" Jiraiya wanted to smack his face. "I was his Sensei!" "Oh... I see... your teammate, Orochimaru, appears to have an unhealthy amount of interest in younger boys, so I must have jumped to the wrong conclusion... my apologies." "There are quite a few. But they live too far away, so you would only see those who had been summoned with this jutsu," the Sannin explained. "I see..." This wasn''t too hard to accept for him. In his old world, he had met several animals who found enlightenment and developed human intelligence and the ability to cultivate. And not just animals, but also trees, plants, and even mountains could achieve this, given enough time. ''It looks like this place is more advanced than I previously thought.'' He was honestly happy to learn this. It just meant there was more to discover out there. "Here, you have to use this to write your name." Jiraiya handed him a strange quill. Naruto noted the lack of ink and the peculiar design of the object. "Use the upper end to make a small cut on your finger," Jiraiya instructed. Naruto then realized what this was. "A blood contract...." This was a very serious thing. A contract signed with one''s blood was extremely hard to break without suffering terrible consequences, as it was tied to your very own soul. Naruto could understand why the Toad Clan would demand something like this from their summoners, but he was not going to be careless about this. He took the scroll and flipped it over so he could read the clauses of the contract. "You are very cautious, aren''t you?" Jiraiya noted. "Your father did the same thing...." he added. "I like to know what I am signing for." Naruto read everything very carefully, and Jiraiya didn''t interrupt him. There were things like not being able to purposely bring harm to the Toad Clan or divulge their secrets. He could not find anything suspicious written on the contract, and the terms seemed reasonable enough. He put the scroll back the way it was and took the quill in his hands. After letting a few drops of his blood reach the tip, he signed his name on the scroll and then marked it with his fingerprint, as Jiraiya instructed. "Congratulations! You are now a contractor of the Toad Clan." Jiraiya closed the scroll and put it aside. "I will show you how it''s done..." He bit one of his fingers, performed a hand sign, and then pushed his right palm on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 84: The New Summoner Chapter 84: The New Summoner Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 84: The New Summoner A large cloud of smoke appeared in front of the Sannin. Once it cleared up a bit, there was a massive orange toad with peculiar marks all over its body. The toad was also wearing something akin to Buddhist beads around its neck. "Jiraiya... why did you call me?" The toad glanced at the Sannin with caution. "It''s been a while, Gama." Jiraiya went to pick up the scroll and walked closer to the toad. "Here, I called to return this. And to inform you that the Toad Clan has a new summoner." "A new summoner?..." Gama noticed Naruto''s presence now and looked at him. "This boy? He looks familiar." He glimpsed at him with interest. "Yes, that''s the one. He is Minato''s son. They look alike, right?" Jiraiya commented. "Nice to meet you, I am Uzumaki Naruto. " Naruto went to greet the toad. If he was the keeper of that scroll, his status in the clan must be very high. Gama gave him a nod. "Nice to meet you, young one..." His eyes moved to Jiraiya. "He still hasn''t met the boss, correct?" The toad asked the Sannin. "Of course not. I was just teaching him how to use the jutsu." "Then... if there is nothing else, I will take my leave..." Gama looked a bit worried. "Are you trying to hide from him?... Did you owe him sake or something?" Jiraiya inquired with amusement. "Goodbye!" The toad looked away and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "I guess they have their own problems...." Naruto commented. "You have no idea." Jiraiya chuckled. "Who is this boss he mentioned?" Naruto asked. "He was talking about the current Toad Lord of the clan. But you won''t be able to summon him yet, so don''t worry about it. Just give the jutsu a try. Let''s see what you can bring out." Jiraiya looked excited at the prospect. "Okay, let''s see..." Naruto tried to emulate what he had just seen. His observation skills were quite good so he had an easy time when it came to memorizing new techniques. This one was particularly easy since it only involved a single-hand sign. ''Kakashi was right... this kid is a monster...'' Gamakichi was also surprised. "Big brother?!" This toad was huge, with pale green skin and a massive sword on his back. The toad calmly looked around until his eyes stopped at the Sannin. "Jiraiya... who should I cut?" "Hello, Gamadachi. It''s nice to see you again, but I am not the one who called you." Jiraiya pointed at Naruto. "A new summoner?" Gamadachi immediately concluded. "Big Brother Gamadachi!" Gamakichi shouted while jumping around. "Now I summoned his brother?..." Naruto wondered if he was going to summon the entire family of toads. "Gamakichi... you are here too." He looked at Naruto. "I take it there are no enemies for me to kill... yes?" The toad had a cold and dangerous tone when he spoke. "I''m afraid not. You can relax." Naruto stood calmly in front of the huge toad. He could feel that this one was very strong, but there was no hostility coming from him. "Your name is Naruto, right?... Maybe you are not that bad after all." Gamakichi jumped to his side before taking one last leap and landing on his head. "What are you doing?..." Naruto asked. "If you can summon Big Brother Gamadachi, then you probably have some talent at least." Gamakichi said with a grin on his face. "After all, Gamadachi is one of the best sword masters in the clan. Maybe in a few more years, you can even summon my father!" "Your father, huh?... That would require a lot of chakra." Naruto said. "Yes! A lot, lot!" Gamakichi exclaimed. "Let''s give it a try then..." The air around Naruto changed. A baleful reddish aura began to emerge from his body. Gamakichi was startled and jumped away from him. "This chakra?!... Gamakichi, stand behind me. Jiraiya, is this...?" Gamadachi looked at the Sannin with concern. "It is as you think... Naruto is also the Jinchuuriki of the Kyubi..." Jiraiya was also somewhat worried, but at least this gave him the chance to see how much control Naruto had over that demon''s power. He had actually been planning a way to force Naruto to use it, so he could check this. He didn''t expect him to suddenly do this with no warning. A.N - Gamadachi is an O.C from the toad clan. I created him because I needed someone kinda similar to Gamahiro but smaller in size and I could not find any toad who fit the bill. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 85: The Toad Lord Chapter 85: The Toad Lord Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 85: The Toad Lord Naruto''s eyes began to change color as strands of demonic energy swirled around his body. He felt an immediate difference compared to the last time he used the Kyubi''s chakra. His body was now much more resilient than before, and thus it did not suffer nearly as much damage while circulating the venomous chakra through his body. Jiraiya stood watching. His face remained serene, but his eyes showed how surprised he was. Naruto was moving a tremendous amount of the Kyubi''s chakra, but so far, he showed no signs of losing control of the violent energy. ''Is this the result of Minato''s seal?'' He could only guess that his student''s idea of letting small traces of the demonic chakra mix with Naruto''s was to let the boy acclimate to it and perhaps gain a natural resistance. ''Or maybe it is just his natural talent, after all.'' Even if he hadn''t heard the reports from the Hokage and Kakashi about Naruto, after observing him for a short time, it was obvious that he had a monstrous amount of talent. ''The last time I saw someone like this was... yes... Nagato.'' Jiraiya was forced out of his musings when Naruto finished the jutsu. "He succeeded..." The Sannin had yet to see the summoned creature, but just by the size of the smoke... he knew who this was. "Mmm.... what did you call me now for?" The colossal toad moved his eyes upwards and addressed the person standing on his head. "Say something, damn it! Oi, Jiraiya!" "Are you the Toad Lord?" Naruto glanced down at the creature below him. He could not see much from his current position, just that this one had pale red skin and was many times bigger than the previous one. "That voice... who is this?" Gamabunta couldn''t recognize the speaker. "Papa!" Gamakichi jumped on Gamadachi''s shoulder and called for his father. "I got the approval from the elders years ago. They left the final decision to me." Jiraiya looked at Naruto and smiled. "You won''t be disappointed. The boy has as much talent as his father, or maybe even more." "Hmph! We''ll see about that." Gamabunta grunted and turned again towards Naruto. His demeanor became more intimidating now. "Listen here, boy. I considered your father a good friend of mine, and I was willing to fight at his side. But even if you are his son, and even if you have signed the Toad Contract... you have yet to earn my approval." "My Lord... isn''t it a bit early for this?" Gamadachi looked a bit concerned. "Papa?... what do you mean?" Gamakichi asked. Naruto looked directly at the Toad Lord. "Understandable... it''s not like I want things handed to me just because of who my father was. I like to get things done for myself." "Good! Then I propose a test. If you pass it, you will earn my approval to summon any of my fellow clansmen and aid you in battle." "Bunta, do you have to do this now? Naruto has just become a genin very recently. Why not wait a few more years to test him?" Jiraiya suggested. Gamabunta chuckled. "No need... I can feel it. He is ready." The toad lit his pipe and began to smoke. "What do you say, son of Minato?" "What does this test of yours involve?" Naruto felt like since he came to this world, he had been constantly tested. But if this was the way to move forward, he was not going to run away. "Easy... all you have to do is hold against me for ten minutes. If you get knocked out before the time is up... you fail." Gamabunta stated. "Wait, you are going to fight him directly?" Jiraiya expected the toad to propose something more harmless for Naruto, but a fight against the Toad Lord was no joke. Even a jonin might not survive five minutes in front of him. "That''s right, ten minutes, not one less. Oh... and you are not allowed to use that fox demon chakra. I already know that beast is strong, but it is you I''m testing now." Gamabunta added. "Fair enough." Naruto threw his backpack away and adopted a fighting posture. "Whenever you want." "Jiraiya... take care of the timer." Gamabunta released a puff of smoke. "Let''s see if you are really anything like your father... boy." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 86: The Final Test Chapter 86: The Final Test Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 86: The Final Test One week later "Where is he?" Kiba looked around. All the genins who qualified for the finals had been brought to a large circular arena surrounded by a viewing area where all the guests were watching them. However, there was one genin missing. "Could something have happened to Sasuke?..." Ino looked worried. "I heard from Sakura that your Sensei is always late, is that true?" After their stay at the hospital together, Ino and Sakura had begun to fix their broken relationship. They would not call each other friends, but at least they were on talking terms. "He does that sometimes." Naruto was paying more attention to his surroundings than to what was happening in the arena. ''The Hokage didn''t lie about this part of the exam. This looks more like a spectacle for them than an actual test for us,'' Naruto thought. He was still not familiar with the big shots from the area, but he did spot the Hokage, sitting in a very high spot that oversaw the whole structure. Next to him was another important-looking man, sitting right beside him. ''That must be the leader from the Sand Hidden Village...'' He had heard that this person would be attending. "Hmph! He better not get Sasuke disqualified for this!" Ino huffed. "So, do I win by default if he doesn''t show up?..." Kiba looked somewhat hopeful. No matter how confident he was in his abilities, he did not believe he could do much against the Uchiha. ''Why couldn''t I get someone easier, like Naruto or Ino...'' Kiba lamented. "Good... now." He took a piece of paper out. "When I call the names, I only want those two to remain in the arena. Everyone else will go wait at the stands. The first match will be... Uchiha Sasuke vs. Inuzuka Kiba." "Wait, but... Sasuke is not here yet!" Ino went to complain. "He will be given ten minutes after the match begins, and if he is not here by then... he will be disqualified." Kiba could not help but smile. "Now... as I said, I want everyone to..." Genma stopped talking when someone jumped onto the arena. It was Sarutobi Asuma. "Sensei?..." Ino didn''t know what he was doing here, but he went directly to Genma and spoke something in his ear. "Seriously?... fine." Genma didn''t seem happy with what he heard. He turned to address them once more. " There has been a change of plans. The first fight will be pushed to last place. So, the first match will be..." "Hold on! What?!" Kiba exclaimed. "They are granting him extra time to get here... looks like Konoha is giving preferential treatment to the Uchiha." Kankuro chuckled. "That''s not fair! If he can''t make it here" "That''s enough!" Genma interrupted him. "If you want to present a formal complaint, wait until the exams are over. Until then, you will follow my instructions. Is that clear?" Kiba had no choice but to nod. "Good... for what it''s worth, I don''t like it either. Now... the first match will be Kankuro of the Sand vs. Aburame Shino! I want everyone else, out of here." Genma announced. Shino and Kankuro went to their spots in the arena while the other genins left the premises. It was time for the finals to begin. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 87: An Attitude Problem Chapter 87: An Attitude Problem Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 87: An Attitude Problem As Naruto was walking through the sitting areas, he spotted someone familiar and approached. "I thought you had to stay in the hospital for another week," he told the girl next to him after leaning on the brick balcony. "Naruto!" Hinata almost jumped from the shock. "I... I didn''t see you approach." "If anyone should see me approach, that would be you," Naruto remarked on her Byakugan ability. "I don''t use it all the time..." She still felt very embarrassed to be next to him, but at least she could talk mostly normally now. It had only been six days since she woke up from her coma, and Naruto went to visit her on the second day. They talked about various things but avoided the topic of her family troubles since she didn''t seem to feel like talking about it. "How are you feeling?" Naruto asked her. "Better... the doctor said that I should be completely recovered in a month," Hinata told him. She got lucky not to have any permanent injuries after what Neji did to her. But no one in her clan had spoken in her defense, so she remained quiet about it. Still, she was very happy that Naruto showed interest in her. He was the only one who visited her in the hospital, other than her sensei and teammates. Her father had only come the day prior to remind her that her presence was required at the finals. After all, she was the Hyuga heir. "Oi, stay away from my daughter." Naruto heard someone speaking in a harsh tone from behind him. He turned around and saw a man with long black hair and white eyes, sitting close by, and he did not look happy to see him. "You must be Lord Hyuga," Naruto said calmly. "Indeed, and I don''t need to ask for your name. I already know who you are...the troublemaker of Konoha and the worst student of your year," Lord Hyuga said. "Father, please...," Hinata muttered. "So you are sure that I will lose against Neji, huh?" Naruto glanced at the little Hyuga girl. She grinned with satisfaction. "Of course! A loser like you has no chance." "Hanabi!" Hinata looked horrified. Neji had remained stoic during the whole exchange, opting not to join in. As far as he was concerned, Naruto was so far beneath him that it would be insulting for him to say anything. "Is that so?... Then what about this...If I don''t get horribly beaten by this cousin of yours... you will have to refer to me as Mister Naruto every time you see me, and you will do it with the utmost respect that a girl of your caliber and education knows how to," Naruto suggested. "And if you don''t?" Hanabi asked. "Then, according to you, I would be dead, so there is no point in further terms, right?" Hanabi seemed to be thinking about it. "Fine, if you win, I''ll call you whatever you want. Like that is going to happen..." "Hanabi..." Hiashi gave her a look of disapproval. "Then I will take my leave and wait for my turn." Naruto looked at Hinata. "We can talk more on another occasion," he told her before walking away. "Hey! I told you to stay away from my daughter!" Lord Hyuga shouted. "And I chose to ignore it!" Naruto shouted back without turning around. "Damn boy!" Hiashi glared at his younger daughter. "And you! Why would you engage him in a stupid bet?" Hanabi made a troubled expression. "But he... but Father, it''s not like he can win!" "That''s not the point! You should have ignored him and been done with it... urgh..." Hiashi turned to Neji. "You better teach that arrogant boy his place." "Of course, Lord Hyuga... I will..." Neji answered. "Naruto..." Hinata looked at his back as he was getting away. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 88: Naruto vs Neji Part 1 Chapter 88: Naruto vs Neji Part 1 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 88: Naruto vs Neji Part 1 The fight between Shino and Kankuro lasted a good fifteen minutes and ended with Shino''s victory. Kankuro was overall stronger and more experienced than Shino, but unfortunately for him, this was a bad match-up. His only puppet had been designed for quick assassinations, not to deal with a massive amount of insects coming at him from all directions. The Aburame insects got inside the puppet''s joints, rendering it useless before the rest attached to him and drained most of his chakra. After Shino''s victory, it was Shikamaru''s turn to face the second member of the Sand Village. Temari might have been the most capable female ninja from all the candidates, but she still fell for Shikamaru''s machinations and was caught in his shadow jutsu, forcing her to surrender. Then, it was finally time for Naruto to face the renowned Hyuga genius. "Good luck!" Sakura told him before he took the stairs down. "Yes, give him a good beating!" Ino cheered. She and Hinata could not be called close friends, but she was still angry with Neji for what he did. Naruto gave them a nod and went into the arena. Up inside the V.I.P viewing room, a man leaned forward just in time to see Naruto walk in. "Oh... What do you think of this next match, Hiruzen?" the Kazekage asked. The Hokage glanced at his guest. He had barely said anything the entire time. He didn''t say a word when his two children were bested, but he spoke now. "I didn''t think you would be very interested in this match... it''s just two Genins from Konoha." "Please, do not insult my intelligence, Hiruzen. We both know that is not the case..." The Hokage did his best to keep his facial features from showing any change. "Right, I suppose you have your eye on Hyuga Neji. He is considered the most talented Genin in the village. I have great expectations for his future." He decided to test this man. The Kazekage had been acting strange all day. And the reports he got from Jiraiya were pointing toward a hidden danger threatening Konoha. Naruto remained standing still and waited. A moment later, Neji decided to make his move. After taking a side step and positioning himself at Naruto''s left, Neji sent a powerful kick aimed at his legs in order to knock him down. Naruto shifted his weight and twisted the target away before he brought it back down, stomping on Neji''s toes. The boy grunted in pain but did not lose his concentration. Neji assessed the situation and moved his arms in position to perform another attack. Slap! Naruto''s hand impacted his cheek on the same spot as before. This time, Neji got hit hard enough to make him lose balance, and because Naruto had been pressing on his foot, he fell on his butt. "What the... Neji got slapped again?!" Sakura exclaimed. "How is Naruto slapping him so easily? Is something wrong with Neji?" Ino wondered. After all, Neji was supposed to be incredibly strong at Taijutsu. "There is nothing wrong with Neji." The two girls were startled by the sudden appearance of Maito Gai at their side. "Then..." Sakura urged him to continue. "Neji is using the academy Taijutsu style, and he is doing it almost perfectly. There are no important flaws in his performance... the problem is the style itself." Gai had a grave expression, and he did not move his eyes away from Naruto for one second. "The academy style? What''s wrong with it? We all learned it," Ino asked. This was also the style she used, even though she tried to avoid being that close to her opponents. "I already said this many times to the Hokage... The academy Taijutsu style is just meant to teach you basics, and it is not recommended to be used on the field. There are certain gaps in the moves... they are hard to spot, but in the eyes of a master... it would be possible to use those gaps and create counterattacks." "Phew... that''s impressive." Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and poked his head. "Ahh, Sensei! Where were you?!" Sakura shouted. "Huh?... And where is Sasuke?" Ino asked. Kakashi pointed. "He is right over there." No one had noticed their arrival due to their focus being completely on the match. Sasuke was standing a few feet away and looking down at the arena with interest. "Naruto... did you grow stronger again?..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 89: Naruto vs Neji Part 2 Chapter 89: Naruto vs Neji Part 2 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 89: Naruto vs Neji Part 2 "Sasuke!" Sakura grinned from ear to ear. It had been almost a month since she last saw him. She took off running until she was almost at his side. "Sasuke, how have you b..." She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the face that Sasuke was making while staring at the arena, no... he was staring at Naruto. His eyes were wide open, and his Sharingan was active. The two black tomoes on each eye were spinning at a steady pace. Sakura didn''t like the way Sasuke looked right now. He was glaring at Naruto like...an enemy. "Sasuke...." Kakashi must have noticed something because he moved to her side. "Come on, why don''t we go over there to watch the match?" He moved her away from Sasuke and brought her back to where she was before. Ino also saw this and didn''t know what to think. "What''s going on with him?" Kakashi smiled wearily. "We can discuss this at a different time." Slap! Meanwhile, the match continued, and Neji got hit for the third time. Naruto had been steadily increasing the strength of the slaps. This one had sent Neji tumbling around. When the Hyuga genius stood back up, his cheek had begun to swell, and there was a clear red mark in the shape of Naruto''s hand on it. "Yikes, I can see the mark on his cheek from here," Ino made a troubled face. "Kakashi, did you... no... you did not teach this to Naruto..." Gai stated. Kakashi shook his head. "Oh no..." Hinata covered her mouth. She wasn''t sure how much Naruto knew about the Gentle Fist. She should have warned Naruto about her clan''s jutsu. "That''s right! Go for it, Neji!" The Hyuga Lord smiled. "Kakashi... did you teach Naruto about the Gentle Fist?" Gai asked. "Well..." Kakashi looked toward the sky. "That''s a strange bird...." He pretended not to hear him. "If Naruto doesn''t know about it... this will be over the moment Neji touches him..." Lee lamented. He did not want to see Naruto lose. He still hasn''t had the chance to thank him for the help against Gaara. "You want to see my real style?...very well. You are inside my range..." Neji moved his palms around before launching himself at Naruto. "Gentle Fist... Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" "Naruto, dodge it!" Ino shouted. "Narut ahh!" Sakura gasped. Neji''s palms impacted Naruto''s chest. "Two palms!" Next, it was four. "Four Palms!" And Naruto did not move. "Eight Palms!" "Sixteen... Thirty-Two!... and finally... Sixty-Four Palms!" A barrage of attacks landed on Naruto''s body without giving him time to react. "Oh no..." Lee said. "It''s over..." TenTen added. "This is very bad!" Ino was clenching her teeth. "That idiot didn''t even try to move!" Gai narrowed his eyes as he watched the scene. There was something odd about the way Naruto took the attacks, but he could not figure out what it was. Kakashi was also doing the same thing. Something was missing. He was sure that Naruto could have at least avoided some of those hits, but he did not move an inch. After landing the last hit, Neji finally smiled. In the end... he had won, as expected. He looked up at Naruto. "You can''t escape Fate... victory is mi" Slap! A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 90: Naruto vs Neji Part 3 Chapter 90: Naruto vs Neji Part 3 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 90: Naruto vs Neji Part 3 Neji was sent flying this time and landed on his side, several feet away, with a loud ''thud'' noise. The audience was baffled, especially those familiar with the Hyuga Gentle Fist. Naruto should have collapsed on the ground after receiving the full Sixty-Four Palms. Having all of your chakra points closed at the same time was incredibly painful, but he did not even flinch before slapping Neji again. Neji coughed up some blood before attempting to stand back up. That last slap had caused decent damage to his face, and his teeth had made several cuts to the inside of his mouth. There was nothing broken yet, but the swelling on his cheek was making it difficult to use his left eye. Neji looked at Naruto and made sure that his technique had worked. "It worked..." He could confirm with his own eyes that his opponent''s sixty-four chakra points had been sealed successfully. But then... "How are you still moving so fast?!" Why couldn''t he react to the last attack? It made no sense. He had assumed that Naruto was circulating large amounts of chakra throughout his body as a way to enhance his movement, like his teammate Lee does during his ''Eight Gates'' technique. But there were no signs of anything like that on his body. There was absolutely zero chakra circulating through his body right now, and still... "No..." Neji denied. He must have lowered his guard at the end. That''s why he got hit. All he had to do was attack Naruto again, and he would win. Up at the stands, the audience was watching the contestants'' moves with rapt attention. Particularly at the seats reserved for the Hyuga family. It was then that Neji realized that Naruto''s speed had not decreased one bit after receiving the Sixty-Four Palms... if anything, it looked like he was moving faster now. "No way! How are you doing this?!" Neji continued to launch one attack after another. His eyes were able to follow Naruto''s every move, but still... he could not connect a single hit. Neji felt the same as during his practice matches against his Sensei. Gai would always handicap himself during their spars and would not abuse his superior strength and speed. But even with that, Neji was never able to connect a strike on him. It was as if his Sensei always knew the best way to deflect his every move. This was pure skill and experience... the advantage that a Master would always have. ''This makes no sense!'' Neji told himself. He was fighting another genin, and one younger than him. How could Naruto have a level of expertise high enough to suppress his Taijutsu? At that moment, Neji spotted movement in Naruto''s right hand. This was the one he had been using to hit him every time. ''Another slap!'' Neji could not help but panic. Naruto had been progressively increasing the strength of every slap. The last one had already sent him flying and caused serious damage to his face. The next one could shatter his bones... Not wanting to take any more risks, Neji made use of his ultimate defensive jutsu. Chakra coated his entire body before he twisted his torso around and began to spin. "Revolving Heaven! (Kaiten)" Right in front of Naruto, Neji created a semi-sphere of wind and chakra where nothing could pass through. It was the absolute defense of the Hyuga Clan, and it could block even most ninjutsus. However, this jutsu had a glaring weakness... the user cannot move from the spot during its entire duration. The timing of its use must be carefully calculated in order to block the attack with precision before deactivating. In his panic, Neji used it too soon. Naruto had done nothing yet, so he didn''t receive any deflective damage and could just remain standing in his spot with no issue. After a few more seconds, Neji ended the Revolving Heaven and realized his mistake. But it was too late. "Oh no..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 91: Naruto vs Neji: Conclusion Chapter 91: Naruto vs Neji: Conclusion Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- A.N- I decided to do an extra chapter today so you guys were not left hanging right before the end of the match :) - Chapter 91: Naruto vs Neji: Conclusion For the first time since their match began, Neji saw Naruto move from his spot. And in the next instant, Naruto was right in front of him. It should have been impossible for his eyes to miss something like this... it was as if he had used some sort of space-time jutsu. Neji felt the impending attack and prepared to activate his defensive jutsu again, but just then, his right wrist was grabbed by Naruto. "No," Naruto said in a cold tone before he began to squeeze. Neji felt a tremendous amount of pain and could even hear his bones cracking. "S-Stop!" He tried to use his other hand, but this one was also intercepted and held. "Ahh!... I surrender!" he finally said. There was nothing more he could do. His opponent was too strong. "No," Naruto said once more. Then he proceeded to squeeze Neji''s wrists until every bone was broken and every muscle was ripped apart. Very few claps and cheers were coming from the audience. Most of them did not understand either how Neji Hyuga, the number one genius of Konoha, had lost so quickly after a few slaps. "That was certainly an interesting way to defeat a Hyuga." The ''Kazekage,'' sitting in the V.I.P. area, commented with amusement in his voice. "Yes... it is definitely unusual." The Hokage was not amused at all. "To release such a controlled wave of bloodlust... especially from a genin. And they say that Mist Village is too cruel with their new recruits. Makes you wonder... right?" The Kazekage chuckled. Of course, he was aware that the Hokage had nothing to do with this. The man was too kind. But that just made it funnier to him. ''Naruto... what happened to you?'' The Third Hokage had nothing but concern in his eyes. Bloodlust was not something one could learn by practice alone and could not even be called a technique. It was just something that people learned naturally as they experienced dangerous situations. Only those who had gone through hell and back could have bloodlust powerful enough to project it onto others. The one used by Naruto had been very focused on Neji, leaving only faint traces that most people in the audience were not able to notice, other than the most experienced warriors. "Oh well..." Naruto said while glancing at the unconscious Neji. He had not been expecting this to completely knock him out. Bloodlust affects everyone very differently. It all depends on their personal life experiences. Someone who had seen their fair share of bloodshed might be able to shrug it off, while others would become so affected that they could even experience hallucinations, akin to a genjutsu. What happened to Neji was an extreme case. This was because of his lack of field experience and the fact that he was already beginning to be afraid of Naruto. Neji''s own fear and his sense of guilt for what he did to his cousin made him believe that he deserved a terrible punishment. And his mind did the rest. It created a very realistic hallucination of a scenario he feared... being killed by Naruto. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 92: Ino’s Determination to Fight Chapter 92: Inos Determination to Fight Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 92: Ino''s Determination to Fight As Naruto was about to reach the top of the stairs, he came face to face with Ino, who was about to go down. "Oh, there you are. Congratulations, Naruto!" Beneath her gentle smile was a great deal of concern. "Thanks... you''re not actually going to fight that Gaara... right?" Naruto asked her. She immediately became upset. "You too? I already heard this enough from my father and Sensei. I''m not giving up before even trying." "You don''t seem to understand how dangerous that boy is," Naruto warned her. Ino had missed the match between Gaara and Rock Lee, so all the information she had about him was from third-hand sources. But she was aware of how strong he was. "I''m not stupid, Naruto. I know I don''t have much of a chance to win... but I won''t give up that easily. If I do... I''ll never become a Chu?nin, you know? I also have ambitions..." she said with mixed feelings. "It''s not about winning or losing. If you step in there, he won''t let you leave the arena alive." Naruto had already faced Gaara directly and had a good grasp of how deranged that boy was. "Oh? Are you perhaps worried about me?" She had a mischievous smile. "I can''t blame you for becoming smitten by my beauty. But I still like Sasuke." She wasn''t sure if that was true anymore, but she said it anyway. "But I will tell you something." She walked past Naruto and began to descend the stairs. "If... you win this tournament, you can take me out to dinner," she added without stopping. "Oi Naruto. That was a very interesting match." He saw TenTen approaching, and she didnt seem very angry with him at least. "I thought you would be more upset with me. Isn''t Neji your companion?" "Companion? You mean as in boyfriend?..." Tenten''s face got very red. "Of course not! We are just teammates..." even though she wouldn''t mind if there was something more. "I was just surprised. I never thought I would see Neji being slapped around in such a manner," the girl said. "Right! That was insane!" Lee added. "I sparred many times, but with his Byakugan, it is impossible to land a hit on him. You were moving so fast that he could not react... maybe if I had used gates..." "Lee..." Gai had a warning tone. "I know, Sensei. I was just..." "And besides, Naruto was not really moving much faster than Neji," Gai added. "Really? But Neji could not follow his attacks, even with the Byakugan active," Tenten said. "He could follow them, but he couldn''t avoid them in time. All attacks have momentum to them. During a brief period of time, there will be an opening. No matter how good or refined your fighting style is, there will always be an opening that can be exploited. It is up to the user to cover those openings the best they can. " their Sensei explained. "You are saying that Naruto was exploiting those openings in Neji''s moves?... That''s..." Tenten glanced at Naruto with surprise. Lee was doing the same. They both thought that Naruto had somehow become faster than Neji and used this advantage to overwhelm him. But surpassing someone like Neji with pure technique was a whole different thing. It meant that Naruto was at least at jo?nin level when it came to Taijutsu technique and expertise. "Hey, Ino''s match is about to start!" Sakura exclaimed. Naruto got closer to the wall and looked down at the arena. "This is not a match... this is an execution." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 93: Hope and Despair Chapter 93: Hope and Despair Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 93: Hope and Despair "What?! Why would you say that?" Sakura frowned. "He is not wrong," Kakashi added. "What is Asuma thinking? He shouldn''t have let her set foot in that arena. There is always the next Chu?nin exam... there''s no need to push her luck this far." "I''m sure Asuma warned her of the dangers. That is as far as he should get involved as a Sensei..." Gai commented. "Wait, is he not going to help Ino if things get dangerous?" Sakura said with concern. She also thought this was a terrible idea, but Ino was too stubborn to change her mind. Kakashi glanced towards Asuma, who was standing on the other side. The man was obviously worried and would not take his eyes off his student. "We''ll see..." Down at the arena, Ino and Gaara had taken their positions and were ready to begin. "The fourth match is about to begin. Gaara of the Sand versus Yamanaka Ino..." Even the referee seemed a bit hesitant to give the signal, but he had a job to do. Genma lifted his right hand in the air. "Begin!" Ino began moving immediately. She pulled some kunai and threw them at Gaara. Gaara lifted his hand and used the sand already on him to block the attack with little effort. He did not even bother to release the sand inside his gourd. Ino did not seem deterred by this. She ran a bit closer, got three more kunai, and threw them in the same way as before. Gaara had a disgruntled expression. This was not the fight he wanted, he needed to prove his existence by killing strong opponents. He once again blocked the three kunai using the sand from his armor. But he failed to notice that these kunai were a bit different from the others. That was until he heard the sizzling noise coming from the seals tied to them. The sphere of sand had a few indentations that quickly healed before it opened to reveal the shape of a very angry Gaara. "You!..." He pointed at her. "You hurt me!" His hand was trembling with barely contained anger, and his eyes were bloodshot. "Die!" Ino didn''t know what else to do now, he mind switch jutsu would require her to be even closer than this, and...there was no way she could do that. She saw large strands of sand shoot at her like arrows and tried to move away in a panic. One of the strands touched her left ankle and quickly wrapped itself around it, not letting her go. Ino had no time to say anything before Gaara closed his hand to form a fist. At that moment, the sand around Ino''s ankle compressed, destroying the bones and turning them into smithereens. The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream that covered the entire arena and made everyone present feel part of her pain. "Enough, stop!" Genma decided to end the match here. There was nothing more that Ino could do at this point, other than die. But Gaara was not willing to leave it here... she had to pay the ultimate price. He had released the sand inside his gourd and his mother would not be happy if he let the girl live now. "No!" Gaara screamed and continued his assault. His sand shot everywhere and forced Genma to use some defensive moves to avoid being hit by his attacks. Ino saw as a large mass of sand flew directly at her. With her ankle completely destroyed, she could not move in time to avoid this. ''Is this it?...'' she thought in despair. Why didn''t she listen to her Sensei... to her father... or to Naruto? ''I wanted to prove that I could do it...'' She reminded herself. This was not just for the exam. She was trying to prove to everyone that she was a good ninja... that she could get far. ''Maybe I also wanted him to see me...'' The sand was almost onto her. "Ino!" She heard her father scream. It was very close... and also very far. But then... Ino heard something else. It was ''his'' voice and it was much closer. "RASENGAN!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 94: Naruto Confronts Gaara Chapter 94: Naruto Confronts Gaara Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 94: Naruto Confronts Gaara Moments earlier, in the stands Sakura gasped in horror when she saw the mass of sand crushing Ino''s feet. "You have to do something!" she glared at her Sensei. Kakashi made a troubled face. This was against the rules, especially during the final test. If a jonin jumps in to help one of their genin against a foreign ninja when things get bad, it would set a dangerous precedent. This is why only the referee is allowed to act. He is the neutral figure in the arena. During his moment of hesitation, he saw that someone was already about to jump in. Inoichi Yamanaka was not willing to let his only daughter die just like that. Naruto grasped onto the low wall. His chakra burst out with violence as he broke through the restraints placed upon him by Neji just mere minutes ago. The baleful aura of the demonic fox was mixed in also, making the reaction more spectacular. The wall in front of Naruto broke into pieces and began to fall down. Everyone around him was forced to turn their eyes to him. "Naruto... you..." Kakashi was about to ask ''what the hell are you doing,'' but he was cut off by Naruto''s next words. "A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring." After saying that, Naruto used a powerful movement technique to close the gap between him and Ino in a mere fraction of a second. Red Lotus Shift was a top-rank technique for core formation cultivators. However, the boundless energy from the Kyubi allowed him to make limited use of this move, even though he was still at the beginning of the Qi Refining realm. Naruto was almost there. He could get in between the girl and the approaching mass of sand. He did not have many options to use against this kind of attack. But there was something he had learned recently that should be sufficient for the task. "There is no stopping him now." Naruto disappeared from his previous spot and was now right in front of Gaara. "But I will try." He threw a direct punch aimed at the face. Gaara''s automatic defenses covered him and stopped most of the impact. Naruto had to now keep track of all the sand that was moving around him. The one from the previous attack on the referee was now coming back to him, while at the same time, there was a lot of sand moving beneath him. ''I''m about to be attacked from all sides.'' He jumped directly upwards just a moment before spikes made of sand filled the spot he had just been in. On his way down, Naruto formed another Rasengan, and this time, he was going for the main body. "Let''s see if you can shield from this." Gaara formed a protective spherical cocoon around himself in preparation for the attack. "Rasengan!" This one was twice as big as the one he used before. He had now mixed a lot of the demon''s chakra to increase its potency. The sphere of energy collided with the one made of sand and immediately began to bury itself inside as it destroyed one layer of protection after another. Gaara screamed when Naruto''s attack finally reached his flesh. In his panic, he made hundreds of sand spikes to get Naruto away from him, but this did not stop the assault of the blue sphere of chakra as it continued to rotate and destroy everything in its path. "Ahhhh!" Gaara let out an animalistic roar, and for a moment, it looked like he exploded into a mass of sand that traveled everywhere. Everything remained quiet for several seconds after that. "Did that do it?..." Naruto looked around. He could feel some traces of chakra but was still unable to perceive a more clear reading to find the boy''s exact location if he was alive. But then...the sand began to move again. In the stands, everyone was watching this improvised event with rapt attention. "This is very bad...." Kankuro looked both scared and worried. He had only seen his brother go fully berserk once... and he knew there was no stopping him then. "This is going to ruin our plans." "Shh, shut up." Temari hit his shoulder. "We will have to improvise a bit... just wait for the signal. It will come soon." At that moment, from the large pool of sand in the middle of the arena... a colossal claw emerged from within. "ARRGGGG!!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 95: The War Breaks Out! Chapter 95: The War Breaks Out! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 95: The War Breaks Out! What came out of the sand was an ugly creature. Half of Gaara''s body still looked human, but the rest had become deformed beyond recognition. His right arm was massive and shaped like a claw, while the right side of his face had a black eye and an animal ear. "Is that what your Bijuu looks like?" Naruto asked. There was a large appendage moving behind Gaara. It almost resembled a tail, albeit a very deformed one. "It''s the One-Tail then? ...Or you have yet to unleash all its power," Naruto concluded. "D...DIE!" Gaara roared at him. People in the audience began to panic. "Sensei?! What is that thing?!" Sakura pointed at the arena. The other genin present were also wondering the same. "That is the Jinchuriki of the Sand Village... and it appears that he is losing control," Kakashi said. Sakura gasped. "That thing... no..." She realized now. Gaara was like her teammate and had a demon sealed inside. But Naruto had never looked like that... not even when he fought Orochimaru in the forest. "A Jinchuriki..." Sasuke stared at the scene with interest. He wanted nothing more than to jump down there and fight Gaara right now. He wanted to see how he could compare to that monster... and how close he was to Naruto right now. "Kakashi..." Gai glanced at his friend, wondering what they should do now. "I know..." Kakashi nodded. He was well aware of the dangerous situation they were in. If that Bijuu breaks out of the seal, they may have a similar situation to the one fifteen years back. The Jonin glanced towards the Hokage''s private stage. It was then that he saw something alarming. The Kazekage had stood up and thrown a smoke bomb. "The Hokage is under att!" Before Kakashi could finish, countless feathers began to fall from the sky. Most people in the audience began to fall asleep. "Kai!" Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan and canceled the attack. "It''s a genjutsu!" Gaara noticed the movement. "You want to die too?!... fine!" He smashed his massive arm on the ground, and hundreds of sand spikes came out of it, piercing Kankuro''s puppet and forcing him to move away. Temari used her fan to slow down the attack, but this did not have much effect. Gaara was too enraged to be stopped now. His transformation progressed even further, and it began to affect the other side of his body. "Ahhh!" His movements now became faster and more powerful, and his two siblings had no choice but to run away before they were killed. "We have to retreat, Kankuro!" Temari screamed. The other boy did not need to hear that twice. He picked up his broken puppet and jumped away from the arena. "Sasuke, TenTen, Sakura. Go after those two!" Gai ordered. "What?!" Sakura said. "Yes, Sensei!" TenTen said. "No! I want to go there!" Sasuke glanced at the arena. Gaara and Naruto were the only ones he wanted to fight. "Sasuke... a Jonin gave you a direct order. If you consider yourself a ninja from this village, you will obey," Asuma said with a stern tone. He had never liked the Uchiha, and he had no patience for his attitude problems. "You are not my sensei, I don''t have t" "But I am." Kakashi appeared behind him. "Go do what they told you. And hurry." The other genin were already getting away. "You have your mission... go," Gai said again. Despite complaining, Sasuke had no choice but to obey for now. He moved away, along with the other two genin, and went after Temari and Kankuro before they could escape. "The audience is safe, we have stopped the few masked ninjas who were pretending to be ANBU. Now all that''s left is..." Kakashi glanced at the arena. Gaara was completely out of control, attacking like a madman and roaring like a wild beast. "Mmm... that''s going to be tricky." He wasn''t sure if his sealing skills would be enough to put that demon back in control. "In any case, we need to move the Jinchuriki away from here," Asuma said. "Wait... is that?" Kakashi saw Naruto making some familiar moves. "The summoning jutsu?" A massive cloud of smoke appeared beneath Naruto. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 96: The Sand Racoon Chapter 96: The Sand Racoon Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 96: The Sand Racoon "Arggg!, what now?!. I was busy." The gigantic toad complained. The Jonins stared in shock at the summoned creature. "Oi... isn''t that?..." Asuma said. "The Fourth..." Gai said. "Naruto... what the..." Kakashi muttered. It''s only been a month since he last saw him. He was already surprised when Naruto used the Rasengan all of a sudden, and now this... "Gamabunta!" Naruto called for the toad. "Mmmm... Naruto? I didn''t expect you to call me this soon..." The smoke cleared, and Gamabunta saw the creature in front of him. "I can guess that you didn''t call me for a drink." The Toad Lord was now talking to him in a much more polite way. This was the result of Naruto passing his test. The large gash that Gamabunta now had going across his entire face was also a reminder of that day. He had pushed the boy a bit too far during the test and, without being able to use the Kyubi''s chakra, Naruto resorted to using his sword. That decision had almost cost the Toad Lord his life. "No, no drinks today, sorry about that," Naruto told the toad. "I have a bit of an issue here." "What is that thing?... It doesn''t look human at all." Gamabunta glanced at Gaara. "A Bijuu trying to escape its container," Naruto said. "What?!" Gamabunta exclaimed. He had not expected to see another one of those demons so early. He then noticed all the mess around the village. There were many fights occurring all over the place, and a gigantic snake was currently trying to break the entrance gates. "Konoha is under attack..." "So, that Jiraiya is here too." This was not Naruto''s concern. His interest was mostly in Gaara. He had finally found another one of those demons, and he wanted to do what he could to secure it. In the future, he was going to need every single one of those chakra demons. ''They will be my key to the heavens...'' Naruto thought. But for that, he needed to capture this one alive and keep it contained. It was too early for him to absorb the chakra of another demon. The Kyubi would still take him at least another two or three years. Only then would he be able to start using the others. "There!" Naruto spotted Gaara. The boy had continued to transform, and there was nothing human left of him. "Grawwww!" The beast had grown twice in size. The moment they got closer, it threw several projectiles made of sand at them. Gamabunta used his arm to block the attack. "Do you have a plan to contain the demon?" The toad asked him. "Not really." Naruto admitted. "What?! Then why are we chasing this creature? It''s just going to make things worse." Gaara was now four times his normal size and was beginning to look like some type of animal. "Is that an overweight raccoon?" Naruto asked. "I believe that is the true form of the One-Tail... although it is still very small," Gamabunta pointed out. "That won''t be true for long. It is growing very quickly... that must mean the seal is breaking." Naruto was getting concerned. If the seal broke completely, he lacked the knowledge to remake it. "Arhhhgg!... Kill!" The One-Tail screamed as its size continued to grow. In just mere seconds, it was almost as big as the Toad Lord. "I have an idea," Gamabunta suddenly said. "Do you know any fire jutsu?" "Fire jutsu?... no, I don''t know any of those. But, if you want fire, I can make some." Naruto''s orange eyes became more intense, and red chakra started to emerge from his body. "Okay... just tell me what you need." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 97: Give Me Some Fire! Chapter 97: Give Me Some Fire! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 97: Give Me Some Fire! As more chakra came forth and circled around Naruto, it began to form tails. Gamabunta was beginning to get alarmed while seeing this. "Oi oi! I only need a few flames! What are you planning on doing up there?!" "This is my weakest fire technique. It would normally need a complete Golden Core, but if I unleash at least three tails'' worth of the Kyubi''s chakra, that would be enough yang energy to bypass the requirement to some degree." Naruto explained while a second tail appeared. "I have no idea what you are talking about! Wait... did you say three tails?!" The Toad was now regretting making the suggestion. Thanks to Jiraya, he had at least a basic understanding of how the Jinchuriki worked. Enough understanding to know that allowing ''chakra tails'' to form was always a bad idea. The third tail appeared behind Naruto, but there were no signs of him losing control now. "I can begin now." Inside the seal, the Kyubi was going crazy. "Brat! What are you taking so much of my chakra for?! Are you trying to kill yourself?! Stop it! Stooop!" Jiraiya had modified the seal so Naruto no longer needed the demon''s consent to take large amounts of his yang demonic energy. Now he had a lot more freedom in that regard. "Whargggg!" The One-Tail rushed at Gamabunta, and he was forced to block the attack with his sword. "Damn it! He is getting stronger." The Toad Lord was beginning to be pushed back. They could not let this continue for much longer. Gamabunta then saw something appear on top of his head. Some massive red petals came into existence and floated in the air. "What is that?!" The air was getting hot enough to be uncomfortable. "When the sixth lotus petal appears... be ready for whatever you are going to do... because I will shoot," Naruto warned him as a second petal became visible. The One-Tail jumped in the air with tremendous agility and performed a flip mid-air while it brought down its tail in a downward slash motion. Four petals appeared. They both looked at the One-Tail. The creature had been turned completely black, and its size was greatly reduced due to all the sand melting. "You don''t think we killed the human container... right?" Naruto asked. "We?..." Gamabunta muttered. The burned sand raccoon began to move. Its surface cracked as the crystallized sand on the top layer broke down. "Ahhh!" A much smaller but still alive One-Tail resurfaced, screaming. "I''m free!" he shouted. "Is that Gaara or the Bijuu? Is there a way to tell if that thing got unsealed?" Naruto asked. "I don''t know anything about seals, but..." Gamabunta pointed at the creature''s head. It was hard to tell from that distance, but the figure of Gaara could barely be seen. The red-headed boy seemed to be attached to the forehead of the sand raccoon and remained immobile. "There he is!" Naruto exclaimed. "But we don''t know if he is alive or not from here." He glanced down at the toad. "You are going to have to get closer." "Can''t you summon another toad?" Gamabunta didn''t want anything else to do with this matter. He lost his sword, his oil, and got burned. On top of that, Naruto never offered anything to drink. "Come on! You are the Toad Lord! Who else is more fit for this mission?!" Naruto tried to cheer him up. Noticing his hesitation, he decided to add something else. "Look, if you help me out a bit more, I''ll promise to get you a giant barrel of the best sake in Konoha by next week." "Ten barrels!" Gamabunta hurried to say. "Ehm..." Naruto wasn''t sure if there was even that much alcohol in the village. But he needed this toad''s help for now. "Fine!... ten barrels!" He may have to ransack all Konoha reserves after this... "Let''s go then!" Gamabunta shouted with renewed vigor. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 98: Wake Up! Chapter 98: Wake Up! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 98: Wake Up! "Ghaaaa!" The One-Tail released an intense blast of wind towards them. "Water Release... Cannonball!" Gamabunta blocked it with a powerful water jutsu while he jumped in the air. Once they were a bit closer, they could see Gaara''s body more clearly. His torso was poking out of the raccoon''s head. "He is alive!" It was very faint, but Naruto could see his chest moving slightly as he breathed. "Good, then we still have a way to stop this. If we can wake up the boy, that demon will be forced to retreat into the seal," Gamabunta said. "Will punching him work?..." Naruto asked. "Maybe... but it won''t be that easy to approach him. The demon will do everything in its power to stop you from getting closer to its vessel," Gamabunta said. "Mmm?... It''s growing again...." Naruto noted. The One-Tail had lost a lot of its mass due to Naruto''s previous fire attack. But now, it was transforming the dirt ground into sand and reabsorbing it into its body. "We can''t let it continue!" Gamabunta rushed at it. If they allowed the Bijuu to reach its full level of power, then they wouldn''t be able to do much to it. "Then, look for an opening and throw me at its head," Naruto said. "Throw you?... Are you crazy? If that thing grabs you from the air... you will be crushed," Gamabunta pointed out. "It won''t. Trust me!" Naruto tapped the toad''s head. "Come on!" He used the Red Shift once more to gain momentum. He could hear his bones beginning to crack. "Naruto!" Gamabunta shouted with concern. He was not going to be able to punch through that wall. It was too thick. The toad tried to help him by releasing another water jutsu in that area, but the One-Tail prevented him from moving. The sand was beginning to wrap around his body in an attempt to crush him. ''If Naruto can''t finish this quickly, the summoning will be canceled,'' Gamabunta thought. When a summoned creature takes too much damage, the connection gets canceled, and the summon is recalled back to its point of origin. "I said I got this!" Naruto shouted. He stopped just an inch away from the wall and sent a powerful palm strike that struck the sand wall with tremendous force and created a shockwave. At first, it seemed that nothing happened to Gaara and the wall was able to completely block his attack. But then... more shockwaves followed after the first one and went through the wall, impacting the boy behind it. "The Hyugas are not the only ones who know the ''soft fist'' style," Naruto said. He may not be able to close the chakra points without the Byakugan. But using one''s inner energy to send an attack that can bypass a powerful defense and damage the enemy''s internal organs was something that many martial artists learned during their careers. Getting through a wall of sand was a very simple thing for someone like Naruto. "Ahhhh!" Gaara screamed. As soon as he woke up, he began to spit several mouthfuls of blood. The ''soft first'' that Naruto had just used, was designed to destroy the person''s internal organs while bypassing any exterior defenses. "Nooo!" The One-Tail became smaller and smaller as he felt himself being pulled back into the seal. "I was so close to getting free this time!" "Hpmh! Be a good demon and go wait inside your prison... I will have need of you one day." Naruto wasn''t sure if the sand raccoon could hear him anymore. The creature quickly disappeared, leaving him and Gaara with nowhere to stand on, so they began to fall. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 99: The Repercussions of the Invasion Chapter 99: The Repercussions of the Invasion Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 99: The Repercussions of the Invasion "I really thought you were going to let us hit the ground," Naruto told Gamabunta. "I consider it for a moment..." The toad was in a very bad mood. "The next time you call me... the first thing I want to see are those ten barrels you promised, or we are going to have a problem." After saying that, the Toad Lord disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Naruto and Gaara in the middle of a burned forest. "What a grumpy toad..." Naruto sighed. "Right?" He turned to look at the other boy. "Cough, argg!" Gaara spat some more blood while laying on the ground. "I suppose I have to get you some medical attention..." Naruto said. If he let the boy die now, it would have made all his work useless. After all, killing him would have been so much easier, but that would just cause more problems. He then heard the noises of several people approaching. The first ones were the other two Sand Village genins, Kankuro and Temari. "Gaara!" They both said at the same time when they spotted their brother laying on the ground, looking completely still. Immediately after this, their pursuers finally caught up. The first one was Sasuke, and quickly after, TenTen, Sakura, and Shikamaru arrived. "You bastards made me run a lot..." Sasuke did not look happy at all. "Naruto?...and...." Only then did he notice Gaara was also there, along with Naruto. "Naruto!" Sakura and the others stared at him. Temari tried to approach Gaara, but Naruto got in her way. "Move away! What did you do to our brother?!" she shouted. "He is alive... I just thrashed him up a bit. I was about to take him to a hospital," Naruto said. "You defeated Gaara?..." Kankuro said in shock. He didn''t think that was possible. But judging by the appearance of the place they were in, it could not have been an easy fight. The forest was completely destroyed. When they returned to Konoha, the battle was already ending. Most of the Sand invaders had been defeated, while the rest managed to retreat back to their country. Their side had not suffered too many losses, as their forces were much bigger than the army brought here by the Kazekage. However, they did suffer one very important loss. The Hokage had been killed by Orochimaru. It wouldn''t be until days later when Naruto learned that the rogue Sannin was the one behind the attack. And he never truly intended to win this war. His objective had been to cause as much damage as possible and to kill the Third Hokage... his former Sensei, whom he still held a grudge against. <><><><><><><><> Several days passed and the funeral for the Hokage was held, to which most of the ninjas from the village attended. Only those holding important posts were missing from the cemetery. Gaara and his siblings were captured and held separately. Jiraiya was called to check on the boy''s seal and made sure that no other incident occurred. Their ultimate fate was yet to be decided, as both villages had been left without a leader and they still had not communicated with each other. <><><><><><><><><> On the seventh day after the attack, Naruto was walking through the streets of the village. The reconstruction was still ongoing, and it was going to take a few more months before everything was back as it was before. Naruto did notice that the villagers'' attitude towards him was a bit different now. Even though most of the civilians were not there at the arena, the stories about his fights with Neji and Gaara had been circulating around. They moved their gazes away from him as he passed. ''They are scared now...'' Naruto thought. He did not enjoy being seen as a scary figure, as he had always considered himself a distant but somewhat social person, if that made any sense. It was still much preferable compared to their previous attitude. "Naruto! There you are." He looked ahead and spotted two people a short distance away. It was Ino and her father. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 100: A Quiet Talk and Sudden Call Chapter 100: A Quiet Talk and Sudden Call Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 100: A Quiet Talk and Sudden Call Naruto greeted them. He hadn''t seen any of them since the day of the attack, but he had learned that Ino had been in the hospital since then. "How''s the leg?" Naruto noted that Ino was wearing a cast around her ankle and using a cane to walk. "Not bad, but the medics say it''ll take a while to heal completely. That sand attack crushed my bones into small fragments..." Ino said with a frown. It hadn''t been a great week for her. "But at least I''m alive," she added while looking at him. "About that... I wanted to formally thank you for saving my daughter. My family owes you a great deal," Inoichi said. "If there''s anything we can do for you..." "Dad... do you mind if I talk with Naruto alone?" Ino interrupted her father. "Are you too busy?" she then said to him. "Not really. I was just getting some fresh air," Naruto told her. For the past week, he had mostly been locked inside his room, meditating. He had only left once for the funerals and another time to speak with Kakashi, who wanted to inform him about the village situation and the delay in the Chu?nin exam results. "Great!" Ino smiled. "Then you can keep me company for a while." "Well then, I''ll leave you alone. Just don''t walk for too long. You need to let your leg rest," Inoichi told his daughter. After her father left, Ino walked a bit closer to Naruto. "Shall we?" "Where do you want to go?" he asked. "There''s a park nearby...we could sit there. I doubt there''s anyone there this early," Ino suggested. The two walked slowly to the park. Ino was quieter than usual, and she seemed to be moving with a lot of difficulty, but she never asked him for help. "Naruto..." When the park was already in sight, Ino stopped. "Oh..." Naruto supposed that could be a side effect after being hit by his bloodlust. But there shouldn''t be any permanent damage. "Sakura kept me informed. The entire week has been so weird..." Ino said. "I suppose." He hadn''t really been paying much attention to the village business, if he was honest. His main priority would always be to increase his cultivation. Everything else would always be secondary to him. "Say, Naruto..." "Yes?" "Do you remember what I said before my match?..." "You said a lot of things..." Naruto had no idea what she was talking about. "I meant about... you know... I told you that you could take me on a date if you won the tournament." "Ahh... that." He had forgotten about that. "Well... you didn''t technically win the tournament, but you did win the last match that was fought before it got canceled. So, I think you deserve a small reward..." "You wanted me to invite you to dinner, right? That sounds more like a reward for you, though," Naruto pointed out. "Hey!" Ino poked his shoulder. "I''ll have you know that many boys in this village would go crazy for the chance to spend time with me," Ino said with a smug smile. "Do they?" Naruto had the feeling she was making this up. "I don''t mind if you want to accompany me to some ramen. It''s always more enjoyable to eat in company." He didn''t have much money left, but he could always afford some ramen from Ichiraku. The owner would often give him discounts. "Ramen?..." Ino didn''t seem pleased with the suggestion. "What is it with you and ramen?" She had heard it from Sakura, but it seemed to be the only thing Naruto ate. "What''s wrong with it?" Naruto didn''t understand it. The food tasted better than anything he''d eaten in his previous life. Why wouldn''t someone like it? "How about this? Why don''t you come to my house tonight for dinner? That sounds more like a reward, and my mother has been wanting to meet you for a while," Ino suggested. Before Naruto could answer, two masked ninjas appeared before him. "Naruto Uzumaki," one of them said. "ANBU?" Ino looked surprised. They would rarely show themselves. "Your presence is required at the Hokage''s office," the masked ninja said. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 101: Deciding Gaara’s Fate Chapter 101: Deciding Gaaras Fate Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 101: Deciding Gaara''s Fate "The Hokage''s office?... and who is calling for me exactly?" He was sure they couldn''t have chosen another leader so quickly. "The order came from one of the Council Elders. That''s all I can say. Now, if you will..." the masked ninja said. Naruto could tell these two weren''t going to take no for an answer. He glanced at Ino for a moment. "I need to acomp" "I can escort Miss Yamanaka to her home," the other ANBU agent said. "It''s okay, Naruto. I''ll be fine. You cannot ignore a call from a Council Elder," Ino hurried to say, worried Naruto might do something rash and get into trouble. "Very well... I''ll go see this Elder," Naruto said. When he entered the Hokage''s office, he was surprised to see Jiraiya there, along with three other people. "What is this boy doing here?" one of the older men asked, his tone sounding quite furious. The ANBU bowed. "I brought Uzumaki Naruto under the command o" "I asked for him to be here," Jiraiya said casually. "Come to my side, Naruto. We have a few things to discuss." He waved at him. "Jiraiya..." The old man frowned. The masked ninja gave another bow and left the office, closing the door behind him. "I suppose we should introduce ourselves. You probably don''t know who we are," an old lady told Naruto. "The Council Elders, I suppose," he answered. "That too. We were also the advisors of the last Hokage. My name is Homura," an old man said. "And this is Elder Koharu." He said while pointing at the old lady at his side. "Why did you even ask me to be here if you''ve already made up your minds? And I assume I don''t have any voting rights in this?" Naruto was already getting frustrated with these people. "Of course not, you''re just a genin," Koharu said. "But we will take your opinion into account. Right now, we are at an impasse when it comes to votes," Homura looked at Jiraiya. "And he assured us that your talent rivals your father''s, and that we can expect great things from you in the future." "You were also the one who defeated Gaara, and as a fellow Jinchuuriki, I thought you deserved to at least say your part," Jiraiya added. "Hmph!" Danzo glared at them. "Personally... I don''t think the opinion of a brat with little field experience is worth listening to, but... my two fellow elders say otherwise. So go ahead and say your piece." "If you want my opinion, then... you can go ahead and release the other two siblings if you want to keep some semblance of a relationship with that village. But... I wouldn''t let go of the Jinchuuriki anytime soon. Why would we give up something so valuable? Keep him locked up." Naruto had to try to keep Gaara in the village. If those idiots gave him up, it would be much more difficult to retrieve him later when the need arose. The four of them appeared surprised by his answer, albeit for different reasons. "Naruto... Gaara is just like you. How can you recommend keeping him locked up?" Jiraiya was not expecting that answer from the son of Minato. "Like me? Nonsense." Naruto huffed. "I have my demon under control, while he lets his run wild. Don''t compare me to that loser. I don''t care what happens to him, but don''t let that sand raccoon out of Konoha. If you want to save Gaara, then put the demon in another container." "That would be impossible without killing the boy," Koharu said. "I agree with the brat. We cannot let the Jinchuuriki go free. He stays here," Danzo said. He hadn''t planned on such a useful tool falling into his lap, but now that it had, he didn''t want to give it up. "I also say we should keep Gaara here, but as an honored guest, not just a prisoner," Homura said. "It would deter the Sand Village from further action. I''m fine with releasing the other siblings." "Keeping Gaara here..." Koharu muttered. "I suppose we could make his accommodations as comfortable as possible and leave open negotiations for the future." She glanced at Danzo. "As long as he is well-secured, I don''t mind," Danzo said. Jiraiya sighed. This wasn''t what he had in mind, but he could understand the logic behind it. "Fine... keep him here." His eyes moved to Naruto. This was not what he had in mind when he called him here. He had hoped that Naruto would help convince the elders to show compassion for the young boy and let him go back home. But...he had misjudged things a bit. "Looks like we''ve reached an agreement." Homura looked satisfied. "Now we can move on to the next item... the Hokage successor." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 102: The Next Leader Chapter 102: The Next Leader Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 102: The Next Leader "Right, I believe we all have a specific candidate in mind," Koharu glanced at Jiraiya. "Not everyone..." Danzo was obviously not too happy with their choice. Homura was also looking at Jiraiya. This was something they had discussed in detail the day before. "Will you take the position, Jiraiya? As a member of the Legendary Sannin and a former student of the Third Hokage, you are without a doubt the most qualified for the job. I''m sure the rest of the council members will agree." "Him?..." Naruto looked at Jiraiya with a dubious expression. He had only known this man for a week, but leaving aside his strength, he didn''t seem to have the qualities of a good leader. "I''m not interested," Jiraiya said without hesitation. Danzo flinched. "Interested?... Jiraiya, this is not about what interests you. It''s about taking responsibility." Koharu looked very upset. "That''s right! As ninjas of Konoha, we should all do what is best for our village. And right now, we are in dire need of a strong leader...someone who has already been recognized by the inhabitants of the entire continent," Homura added. "As much as I hate it, they are correct," Danzo said. "Konoha is in a vulnerable position right now. After suffering an attack like that and losing our Hokage, the other Great Villages could see us as an easy target. I would be the most worried about the Cloud (Kumo) and Stone (Iwa) Villages. They are likely watching us right now like a pack of vultures, seeing if there''s anything they can pick off. If we don''t make a show of strength soon, we may have another war at our door." "I agree, and that''s why we need a strong leader, someone the other Great Villages will be forced to recognize and respect," Homura said. "I''m not saying your logic is incorrect, but... you''re forgetting something. There is another Sannin out there," Jiraiya said. "You want the snake guy to be our leader?" Naruto asked. ''This man may be even more incompetent than I thought,'' he told himself. "Of course not!" Jiraiya snapped. "We have yet to agree on this!" Danzo exclaimed. "I don''t need your agreement for anything," Jiraiya confronted the other man. "Okay, let''s calm down..." Koharu could feel the tension rising. "You, you can take the boy, but this mission cannot take too long... I would say a month at most," Homura added. "Indeed... if you cannot find and bring Lady Tsunade back in one month, you must return and take your place as our next Hokage. That is your duty." Koharu glanced at the grumpy Danzo. "What do you think?" "Hmph... very well. We will entrust him with this mission, and the protection of the Jinchuriki. But you must be back in a month. Or we will have to make a decision without you..." Danzo''s words sounded more like a threat than anything else. "Oh, before you leave, we have one more order of business with Uzumaki," Koharu turned to him. Homura did the same. "Your contribution during the attack has not been overlooked, young man. Now... without the Hokage, we cannot do anything official, but if there is something that you require... we can consider it." "A ninja should need no reward for doing their job!" Danzo huffed. "I think even you have to agree that Uzumaki''s actions were above and beyond what is required and expected from a Genin," Homura said. "And besides... we always pay our ninjas for their missions. You can consider this as such," Koharu added before addressing Naruto again. "Now... is there something on your mind?" "Mmm..." He considered the offer for a minute. At first, he thought about requesting a good blade since he lost his previous one during the Gamabunta test. But then he remembered that he had a promise to keep. "How many barrels of high-quality sake can you get me?" The three elders looked shocked. "Sake?..." "Did he say barrels?!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 103: A Small Village and a Suprise Visit Chapter 103: A Small Village and a Suprise Visit Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 103: A Small Village and a Suprise Visit "Are you sure that''s all you need? We''ll be gone for a while," Jiraiya said, eyeing Naruto''s small backpack. "I''ve got some storage scrolls filled with instant ramen and other necessities. I''ll be okay," Naruto replied. "I see..." Jiraiya shrugged. He also had everything packed inside scrolls, so he couldn''t say much. However, he found it odd that Naruto specifically mentioned ramen instead of just ''food.'' "You didn''t bring only ramen, did you?" "What else was I supposed to bring? I''m not that fond of sweets," Naruto answered. "Yeah, but... never mind that." Jiraiya decided to drop the subject of food. "Are you going to tell me about that strange request you gave to the Elders?" "I made a promise to Gamabunta. Ten large barrels of sake. That was his price for helping me out. And one must keep their word." Naruto explained. "As I thought..." Jiraiya sighed. That toad liked alcohol as much as he liked women. Jiraya glanced at Naruto as they walked out. He also wanted to question the boy about his decision on Gaaras fate but decided not to say anything in the end. If he wanted to know more about what kind of person Naruto was. Then this trip was the perfect chance for that. They exited the village through the North Gate and began their journey onto the dirt road that eventually led to the Fire Country Capital. Meanwhile, at the South Gate, two suspicious individuals attempted to infiltrate the village, but were discovered. The ensuing battle would land several important Konoha ninjas, including Hatake Kakashi, in the hospital. Village of Hima, Late Afternoon After many hours of walking along dirt roads, they arrived at a small town. "This is where we''ll be staying," Jiraiya said as they entered a large building. The place had very dim lighting, and the stench of alcohol was almost overwhelming. Women in skimpy clothing wandered about, chatting with the men. Naruto wasn''t oblivious to what kind of place this was. He had visited red-light districts before, though he never indulged in the pleasures of the flesh. "Sure," Naruto muttered, taking the keys. He had no interest in the place and would rather spend the night meditating in peace. Once Jiraiya reminded him to stay in his room, Naruto left and went upstairs. "Well then... where were we?" Jiraiya grinned, glancing at the girl''s barely covered chest. The blonde chuckled and grabbed onto Jiraiya''s arm. "Now we''re going to have some fun." The two of them walked toward the bar. <><><><><><><><> Two Hours Later Naruto opened his eyes and glanced out the window. "Mmm... it''s getting dark. Maybe I should go out and fetch something to eat." He hadn''t forgotten Jiraiya''s warning to stay in the room. He just didn''t see a reason to obey it. They were far outside Konoha''s territory, and the chances of being attacked by an enemy ninja in a small town like this were close to zero. "Then again... I do have instant ramen with me..." Naruto wasn''t confident in the local chefs, so perhaps a meal in the motel room would be more pleasant. While weighing his options and thinking about how unprofessional Jiraiya''s actions were, he heard a knock on the door. He hadn''t ordered any room service, and there was little chance Jiraiya would come knocking. By now, he should be more than entangled with that blonde woman. ''Unless something happened...'' He considered the possibility. Naruto stood up and walked to the door. Since he still couldn''t sense other people''s chakra, he had no way of knowing who was on the other side. But just before he reached for the handle, he felt his skin crawl. ''Bloodlust...'' Whoever was on the other side had clear bad intentions, and they were strong. Still, Naruto wasn''t one to shy away from a challenge. He opened the door. A pair of Sharingan eyes stared back at him. "Sasuno..." He slammed the door shut, turned around and leaped out of the window as fast as he could. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 104: Confrontation Chapter 104: Confrontation Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 104: Confrontation The two men who had just knocked on Naruto''s door remained still, exchanging glances. "It sounded like he jumped out of the window..." the one who looked like a human fish remarked. "Mmm... that seems overly cautious. He must have recognized me," Itachi concluded. "I believe he was about to call me by my brother''s name but stopped." "So, what do we do now?" Itachi broke the lock and pushed the door open. "What kind of question is that? We go after him. Jiraiya won''t be distracted forever." "Hehe, I don''t know about that. He''s probably piss drunk by now. That girl seemed... talented," Kisame chuckled. Seeing the lack of amusement on his companion''s face, he quickly composed himself. "Fine, let''s go." He leaped through the same window Naruto had just used. Landing on the next rooftop, Kisame took a deep sniff of the air. Itachi waited patiently beside him. He had complete trust in his partner''s tracking abilities. Once Kisame caught a scent of chakra, no one could escape him. "Urgh... Samehada doesn''t like this boy''s chakra. Says it''s too hot," Kisame complained, feeling the shared senses of his sword. "Which direction?" Itachi asked, hoping Kisame would focus. "This way!" Kisame said, jumping off in pursuit. Around the middle of the town, Naruto was jumping from one roof to the next. It was dark already but the small town looked a lot more busy now, compared to when they arrived. He decided to leap down onto the ground level and try to blend in with the crowd. Kisame had compromised the mission by causing chaos in the town center, rather than waiting for Naruto to be further away. "Heh, relax, Itachi. I just need ten seconds to catch the boy. Watch me." Kisame grinned, showing Naruto his sharp, serrated teeth. Naruto''s heart raced. ''So they''re after me... that rules out the first possibility.'' He tried to stay calm. Running no longer seemed like an option. The uproar would definitely attract attention. Even Jiraiya, no matter how drunk, wouldn''t be able to ignore this. "Let''s negotiate," Naruto said. "You two are here to capture me, right? If you''re mercenaries, I can double whatever you''re being paid." "We''re not here to negotiate. Just come with us quietly, and you won''t be hurt," Itachi replied coldly. "And I doubt a nobody orphan brat like you could offer us much," Kisame added dismissively. ''So, they don''t know who my parents are... they''re after the Kyu?bi.'' Naruto realized. It didn''t matter what why they wanted him. They weren''t going to take him without a fight. "I know who you are... Kisame Hoshigaki," Naruto said, pulling a kunai from his pouch. Kisame paused, looking slightly surprised. "I didn''t know genins paid that much attention to the Bingo Book. Not bad, but if you know who I am, then you must know resistance is useless." Naruto placed the kunai against his own neck. "I know you need me alive. Don''t get any closer, or I''ll do it!" "Whoa, hold on!" Kisame stopped and looked at Itachi for guidance. The Uchiha''s Sharingan spun as he narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "He''s lying. He has no intention of killing himself." "What? But then..." Kisame turned back to Naruto, who was now smiling. He just needed a small gap to focus on the next move, and now he got it. "Your ten seconds are up," Naruto said, slicing his palm with the kunai. "Summoning Jutsu!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 105: A Family Reunion Chapter 105: A Family Reunion Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 105: A Family Reunion A light green toad appeared in front of Naruto, towering at nearly thirteen feet tall (four meters), with a long curved blade strapped to its back. "It seems this time... there''s someone for me to cut," the toad, Gamadachi, said as he eyed Kisame. "Be careful, Gamadachi. This one''s an S-rank ninja," Naruto warned. He had summoned Gamadachi instead of someone like Gamabunta because of the limited space inside the town. The street was wide, but the Toad Lord''s massive size would cause mass destruction in such close quarters. Besides, since he was facing a swordsman, Gamadachi seemed like a good match. He was the only swordsman toad Naruto had met so far, and thus the best choice for summoning. "What''s this? You brought a frog to fight me?" Kisame said, clearly amused. Gamadachi narrowed his eyes. "You''d do well not to underestimate the Toad Clan," he said, unsheathing his sword. "Ignore his taunts," Naruto said, walking to his side. "I know this street is too narrow for you to fight properly. Just try to create an opening for me." Since Kisame would likely underestimate them, they may have one small chance to get a good hit on him. "What about the other one?" Gamadachi gave a side glance at Itachi. "That one doesn''t seem interested in interfering. But if he does... leave him to me. Focus on the fish guy." Naruto told him. The sword emitted another sharp noise in response. "That''s enough fooling around," Itachi said, his patience wearing thin. He wasn''t sure if Naruto was stalling by talking to Kisame, or if his partner was just being foolish. Either way, they couldn''t waste any more time. "I''ll handle the boy. You deal with the toad." He finally said. "Eh? Come on, I had everything under control! I was just about to cut his legs off," Kisame protested. However, before Itachi could make his move, he suddenly dodged to the side, avoiding a barrage of kunai that embedded themselves into the ground with great force. "Sasuke... what are you doing here?" Itachi asked, his eyes narrowing. Naruto blinked in surprise. "I was about to ask the same thing," he said, as Sasuke landed in front of Itachi. This was the last place he expected to find his teammate. Sasuke''s eyes were locked onto his brother. The two tomoe of his Sharingan spun, focused and full of hatred. "I came to kill you." "Oh? Is that your little brother? He looks just like you," Kisame commented. "So, I guess you didn''t kill your entire clan after all... you left one." The remark seemed to push Sasuke over the edge. His anger reached its boiling point, and without another word, sparks of electricity formed in his palm. "That''s..." Naruto watched closely, recognizing something familiar about the technique. It reminded him of his Rasengan, but it used an elemental nature and had a different rotation. ''Is this what Sasuke learned during his month with Kakashi?'' Naruto wondered. His teammate hadn''t had the chance to show off his progress, since the tournament was canceled after the attack on Konoha. ''So this must be from Kakashi''s arsenal.'' Naruto concluded. Sasuke moved with lightning speed, thrusting his right arm forward. "Lightning Release: Chidori!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 106: The Great Sannin Arrives Chapter 106: The Great Sannin Arrives Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 106: The Great Sannin Arrives Itachi sidestepped Sasuke''s attack with ease, allowing his younger brother to crash into the stone wall of the building behind them. The sheer destruction caused by the jutsu was a testament to its power. A massive hole gaped in the wall, its edges scorched from the intense heat of the technique. Naruto, observing this, couldn''t help but compare the Chidori to his own Rasengan. ''I wonder how Rasengan would fare against that,'' he thought. "Whoops!" Naruto had to jump back as the massive Samehada swung dangerously close to his legs. Kisame hadn''t been joking when he said he''d cut them off. "Tsk! You move like a cockroach. It''s so hard to hit a small target," Kisame grumbled. Gamadachi, meanwhile, was struggling against Kisame. The skill difference between the toad and one of the Seven Legendary Swordsmen of the Mist was becoming painfully clear. Kisame deflected most of Gamadachi''s strikes and even managed to land a few blows on the toad with his fists, before targeting Naruto. He wasn''t sure if Kisame was aware that hitting the toad with his sword would undo the summon, so he purposely avoided doing that to keep the fight going. ''He must be one of those battle freaks who enjoy fighting all the time.'' That was at least the first impression Naruto got from this strange fishman. Suddenly, Sasuke''s agonized screams filled the air. Naruto''s attention snapped back to his teammate, only to find Sasuke writhing in pain on the ground. Itachi wasn''t even attacking him physically...he was just staring at his brother as this one collapsed on the floor and remained there, motionless. "What was that? What did he do?" Naruto asked, not really expecting an answer. "Haha! That''s how the Uchiha fight... with their eyes," Kisame chuckled. "We were tasked with the abduction of Naruto Uzumaki by the higher-ups of our organization," Itachi explained. "Akatsuki," Jiraiya said. "It seems you already know quite a bit," Itachi noted. "I know enough... like the fact that you will never get Naruto," Jiraiya said, preparing for a fight. "Oh, you think you can stop both of us?" Kisame asked, unconcerned by the Sannin''s presence. He had no idea how powerful Jiraiya truly was. Itachi, however, knew better. As a former member of Konoha, he understood the situation. "I told you we needed to hurry. It''s too late now." Itachi told his partner. "What? What are you saying, Itachi?" Kisame glared at his partner, clearly annoyed. "We''re leaving," Itachi declared. This decision wasn''t made lightly. He had considered all the possible outcomes. If they both fought Jiraiya at full strength, they might be able to capture Naruto, but the odds weren''t in their favor. Itachi would have to rely heavily on his Sharingan, possibly to the point of blindness. Additionally, without a large source of water nearby, Kisame wouldn''t be able to fully unleash his abilities and would likely be killed. In the end, Itachi decided it was best to retreat and try again later. "Are you serious?!" Kisame growled, already knowing the answer but frustrated nonetheless. It had been a long time since he had a good fight, and Samehada was hungry. "You think I''ll just let you leave?" Jiraiya asked, slamming his hands onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 107: What about a night stroll? Chapter 107: What about a night stroll? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 107: What about a night stroll? Several armed toads emerged from within the smoke cloud, attempting to block their escape. "Let''s go," Itachi insisted. As much as he wanted to stay and continue the fight, Kisame knew he was supposed to follow Itachi''s instructions. Their leader had told him many times that in situations like this, Itachi had the right to choose their course of action, and Kisame had to comply. "Fine!" Kisame attempted to leap onto a nearby roof but was stopped by a toad wielding a pair of sai knives. In total, four toads appeared from the summoning. They were all around the same size as Gamadachi, but Naruto had never seen these particular ones before. "Go grab your teammate and keep him safe," Jiraiya told him before taking off. Itachi and Kisame had to carve their way through, fending off the toad warriors as they leaped from one roof to the next. Naruto watched them getting farther away and felt a bit relieved. ''I''m still too weak...'' he reminded himself. No matter how powerful he had been in the past, his previous cultivation was gone, and he had to start anew, in a world he didn''t fully understand, and with a body that wasn''t his. He thought he had been careful so far...he had tried to avoid standing out too much or making powerful enemies. But trouble seemed to follow him regardless. These men had just admitted to receiving orders to capture him, and they came from an organization called Akatsuki. ''They''re likely after the Kyubi...'' Kisame, at least, seemed oblivious to who his parents were, so the only other logical explanation for trying to capture him was to extract the demon sealed inside him. Naruto walked over to Sasuke and knelt beside him. "He''s alive at least..." he noted, checking his pulse. It was weak, but there. He glanced at the cursed seal on Sasuke''s neck. "I didn''t need to know that." Naruto frowned. "Lord Jiraiya!" Gai stood up and greeted him with respect. "Oh, you are... Maito Gai, right?" His eyes moved to Sasuke. "I presume you came looking for that boy." Gai explained about the attack and about Kakashi being put in the hospital by Itachi. "The healers say he was hit by a very powerful genjutsu, and they don''t know when he''ll regain consciousness." "A powerful genjutsu..." Naruto glanced at Sasuke. "I believe the same thing happened to him." Gai looked worried. This meant Sasuke could also be unconscious for an unknown amount of time. "So that''s how they found us so quickly..." Jiraiya muttered. "Don''t worry, Naruto. I''m sure Tsunade will be able to heal your friend and your sensei," he added. "Great," Naruto said with little enthusiasm. He wasn''t sure if he should consider Kakashi his sensei since the man had barely taught him anything. And he definitely didn''t consider Sasuke a friend. Teammate was as far as he went. "Lady Tsunade?! She''s coming back?" Gai''s eyes widened. "Yes, that''s why Naruto and I are traveling right now. We''re on our way to speak with her," Jiraiya said, though he wasn''t entirely sure where she was at the moment. "This is great news!" Gai exclaimed. "You think she''ll be able to heal my disciple?" "Of course!" Jiraiya made yet another promise, despite not knowing if it was possible. "Then, I''ll take Sasuke back to the village and wait for your return!" Maito Gai said, excited. "Well then, let''s head back to the hotel," Jiraiya suggested. "I think we should leave this place..." Naruto glanced around. The townsfolk were still staring at them. "Unless you want to pay for all the damages." Jiraiya looked around and quickly understood the situation. "I''m sure the folks here will be reasonable and understand that we weren''t the ones responsible for th" "What about the prostitute and everything you drank? By the stench on your breath, it wasn''t little. And I doubt you paid for any of that before storming off," Naruto commented. Jiraiya now looked troubled. "You know... I''m suddenly in the mood for a night stroll, how about you?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 108: The Incomplete Jutsu Chapter 108: The Incomplete Jutsu Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 108: The Incomplete Jutsu For trained ninjas, traveling for days without sleep was hardly an issue. After escaping the town under the cover of night, the duo continued moving without pause until around midday the next day. "Why don''t we take a break and eat something," Jiraiya finally suggested. The green grass fields surrounding the road were dotted with groups of large trees offering comfortable shade, making it a good place to stop. After setting up an improvised cooking fire, they sat down to relax a bit. "Say, Naruto, what would you want me to teach you?" the Sannin asked. "I thought we were on a tight schedule to find the woman. Do you have time for that?" "Of course. I already have a good idea of where she is, so it shouldn''t be too difficult to find her. Besides, giving you some training was one of the reasons for bringing you along," Jiraiya said. "So I don''t get captured by this Akatsuki organization," Naruto stated. Naruto shrugged and did as Jiraiya instructed. The blue sphere obliterated the tree trunk without encountering any resistance and buried itself deep inside. As Naruto released the energy, it exploded outward, creating a massive hole in the back of the tree and causing it to collapse. Jiraiya stroked his chin. "Not bad." It was actually a perfectly executed Rasengan, as far as he could observe. "Not bad?..." Naruto commented. "Okay, it was good, but you need to keep practicing to perfect it. Your father put a lot of effort into creating that jutsu. I hope you''ll treat it with the respect it deserves." Naruto nodded. "Of course. I''ll always be grateful for the knowledge I gain today, as it will become the foundation of my future." "Good... as long as you understand that." Jiraiya wondered if all kids Naruto''s age spoke like that. He had little experience with teenagers, but he had a feeling they didn''t. "As for what I want to learn... I want to learn everything I can. But there is something specific I''ve been meaning to ask you," Naruto said. "Something specific? And what''s that?" Jiraiya asked. "I heard you''re the most prominent master of fu?injutsu in all of Konoha." Jiraiya smiled proudly. "You''ve got that right. Are you interested in seals? That''s a very complex discipline." "There was another jutsu left behind by my father that got me curious. What do you know about the Flying Thunder God?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 109: A Promise For The Future Chapter 109: A Promise For The Future Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 109: A Promise For The Future "The Flying Thunder God?! Don''t tell me Minato left that scroll at his house," Jiraiya appeared upset. "There wasn''t much in that house, to be honest. And that scroll was incomplete. It looked like only half the technique was written," Naruto said. Jiraiya sighed in relief. "At least he had the sense not to leave the complete version." Jiraya sighed in relief. "And of course there wasn''t much!. Any important jutsus must be stored in a secure location." "You seem to that jutsu very well," Naruto pointed out. "I can''t use it myself, but I''m very familiar with what it does. It''s a dangerous jutsu invented by the Second Hokage, but your father was the first to fully complete it and make it usable in combat. It became his signature jutsu...and the main reason people feared him so much." "You don''t happen to know where the other half is, right?" Naruto asked. Jiraiya considered it for a moment. "I could make a good educated guess about where it is, but even if I told you, you wouldn''t be able to get it. That''s not a place a genin could gain access to. And even if you got it somehow... you''d never be able to understand the jutsu without mastering the art of fuuinjutsu." Seeing Naruto''s expression, Jiraiya added, "I assume you didn''t understand anything from the half you have, right?" "I can''t believe this... I thought Kakashi would put in more effort after becoming a sensei. But it seems he''s as lazy as ever," Jiraiya muttered. "No matter, I''ll deal with him another time." "Then, can you teach me some fire jutsu?" Naruto asked, remembering the incident with Gamabunta. The techniques from his old world were still usable, but since they were designed for a different type of spiritual energy, their effects with chakra seemed... unpredictable. If he could learn more about the ninjutsu that the people in this world used, he could adapt his old techniques to better suit this new energy system. "Fire jutsu?" Jiraiya repeated. "You don''t know any? It''s okay, don''t feel bad about it. I''ll ask someone else," Naruto tried to sound reassuring. "You damn brat! Who says I don''t know any?! I am the Legendary Jiraiya, and if anything, fire jutsus are my specialty! I was just thinking... I don''t know your elemental affinity. Since Kakashi hasn''t taught you properly, I doubt he gave you the test." "Elemental affinity?" Naruto asked, curious. "There''s a simple test that shows which elemental chakra you''re most compatible with. You can still use other elements, but..." "It''s best to focus on what you''re good at," Naruto finished, understanding the logic. It was the same in his old world. Jiraiya nodded. "Exactly... but I don''t have any chakra paper with me. We''ll probably have to get some at the Capital." "Chakra paper... I see, so we have to wait a bit." "I''ll tell you what, until we get there, I''ll teach you a basic fire jutsu. And once we know your affinity, we''ll figure out what''s next." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 110: The Beautiful Capital Chapter 110: The Beautiful Capital Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 110: The Beautiful Capital "So she''s a gambler?" Naruto asked, deciding to inquire about the person they were searching for as they neared the city. "A massive one. But she rarely wins," Jiraiya explained. "She must be rich then..." Naruto concluded. "What does she look like?" "That''s the tricky part. She can change her appearance, even her age. Sometimes, to avoid debt collectors, she''ll look anywhere between ten to forty. But never older than that," Jiraiya said with certainty. "That''s going to make things difficult..." Naruto remarked. How were they supposed to find someone if they didn''t even know what she looked like?. He did not know any technique to detect if someone was altering their appearance. If his cultivation was higher, he could at least notice if someone had an unusual energy around them, but at the moment, he is lacking in resources. "Don''t worry about that, leave it to me. I''ve found her countless times already," Jiraiya reassured. "That''s good to know, but...how can you be sure she''s even in the city?" Naruto pressed. "The last report I got said she was heading in this direction. And she''s never been able to resist the Fire Country Capital. This place has the best gambling houses in the nation," Jiraiya explained. Naruto''s face twisted with mild disappointment. "So you''re addicted to women, and Tsunade''s addicted to gambling. What about Orochimaru?, what is he addicted to?." he asked. "You don''t wanna know..." Jiraiya muttered. "Don''t tell me you''re planning on going to another brothel..." Naruto huffed. "Not just any brothel! The biggest one on the entire continent! It''s got hundreds of girls to choose from! Can you believe it?" Jiraiya said excitedly. "No, I can''t believe we''re going to accomplish anything by doing that," Naruto raised an eyebrow. Jiraiya looked at him seriously. "You''re still a brat, so you wouldn''t know, but brothels are one of the best places for gathering information. You''d be surprised at the confidential things people share while being... entertained." Naruto wasn''t sure how to respond. It wasn''t like he was an expert in espionage or intel gathering. "Fine... as long as it works, I won''t complain." Despite Jiraiya''s strange habits and perverted behavior, Naruto had grown to respect his skills. He was, after all, the Legendary Sannin. "That''s the spirit! Let''s go!" Jiraiya shouted, grabbing Naruto''s shoulder. When they arrived, Naruto had to admit Jiraiya''s claims weren''t exaggerated. The brothel was almost as big as the Imperial Palace itself. ''I wonder what their ruler thinks about that,'' Naruto mused. "Let''s go inside," Jiraiya was practically bouncing with excitement. "Whoa! Look at this place!" he exclaimed, like he hadn''t been here a dozen times before. It was still the middle of the day, but inside, you wouldn''t know it. The atmosphere was dim, illuminated by colorful lamps. The place was packed. People sat at tables, laughing and talking with beautiful women clinging to their arms. At the end of the room was a stage where musicians played, and to the right was a large door covered with blue fabric, guarded by a desk in front. ''That must be the private area,'' Naruto realized. He was learning a lot about brothels on this trip. Jiraiya caught Naruto eyeing the private section. "Hehe, what do you say, Naruto? Want to give it a try?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 111: Naruto Goes To Explore Chapter 111: Naruto Goes To Explore Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 111: Naruto Goes To Explore Naruto looked at Jiraiya with a deadpan expression. "I thought I already told you I''m not interested in sleeping with these women." "You''re so boring..." Jiraiya sighed, disappointed. "Fine, I''ll have fun...I mean, collect intel in here by myself." He pulled something out of his robes and handed it to Naruto. "Here you go. You can use this." "This is?" Naruto took the picture and glanced at it. It showed a beautiful young woman. "Is this your favorite prostitute or something? That''s not something I''d brag about. They only want you for your money, after a" "That''s Tsunade!" Jiraiya interrupted. "The woman we''re looking for. Use that picture to ask around the city if anyone has seen her." "Mmm... that makes more sense. But you said she can change her looks." Naruto pointed out. "She can, but she usually only alters her age. She''ll look something like in that picture, maybe a bit younger or older, but she''ll always be a blonde with long hair and a jewel on her forehead. She stands out a lot, so people should remember her." Naruto stored the picture. "Okay, I''ll ask around." Jiraiya nodded. "Good. Come back here at sundown. And if you happen to find her, come back here immediately. Don''t talk to her or approach her! Just come back and tell me." "Fine. Go have fun while I do all the work." Naruto tossed his backpack at Jiraiya. "At least take care of this." "Hey! Treat your uncle with more respect, you brat," Jiraiya huffed. "Sure...''uncle''. Go do your thing," Naruto said, rolling his eyes. In public, Jiraiya had told him to refer to him as his "uncle." Naruto left the brothel and began walking around the city. He showed the picture to a few shopkeepers, but no one had seen the woman. "Do you have money?" Naruto showed him the wallet he had "borrowed" from Jiraiya. It was stuffed with cash. "Then come inside. What are you waiting for?" The man in the blue kimono gestured Naruto in, giving the guards a harsh glare. "We welcome anyone with money here, remember?" "Yes, Manager!" "We''re sorry!" the guards apologized. Naruto had never been in a gambling den before, but it was pretty much what he expected. Several rooms were filled with people playing games, drinking, and shouting. "What would you like to play? Cards, dice? Perhaps roulette?" the manager asked as they walked through the hall, pointing to different rooms. "Actually, I''m more interested in some information." The manager stopped and turned, his expression serious. "Information?... that is not really our business." "About this person." Naruto showed him the picture. "Have you seen her before?" The man''s eyes widened in surprise before he quickly composed himself. Naruto noticed him subtly gesture to a man standing near one of the gambling rooms. "The woman in this picture... Who is she to you? Your mother or something?" "Or something," Naruto replied. The door opened, and the guards from outside entered. More guards appeared from the rooms, and others descended from the upper floors, surrounding Naruto. The manager''s face darkened with intimidation. "I''m afraid I''m going to need more than that. Normally, we don''t share information about our clients, but this woman is... special. You see, she owes us a large sum of money. Since you seem to be connected to her, we''re going to need your cooperation in finding her." The guards drew their weapons, making their intentions clear. "Will you help us?" the manager asked with a menacing smile. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 112: You Want to Capture Me? Chapter 112: You Want to Capture Me? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 112: You Want to Capture Me? "You seem to have the wrong idea. I have no relation to that woman; I''m just looking for her," Naruto said calmly to the man who appeared to be in charge. The manager grinned. "And why are you looking for her exactly?" "I don''t have to tell you that." The manager laughed. "Well, you''ve got guts, boy. Here''s what we''re going to do. We''re going to take all your money, and you''ll stay here with us to work off that woman''s debt. If she comes back and pays, we''ll let you go." "When''s the last time you saw her?" Naruto asked, ignoring the threat. "Boss, this kid doesn''t seem to understand the situation," one of the armed men remarked. "It does seem that way...." The manager shrugged. "Fine, but make it quick. I don''t want you disturbing our customers." He gave a hand signal. Naruto quickly assessed the situation. There were six men surrounding him, plus the manager, though the latter didn''t seem interested in fighting. "We were talking about the woman in the picture," Naruto said. "What can you tell me about her?" "The woman?... Right, the blonde woman! We don''t know her real name. She comes to the capital every year, always looking a little different. She usually visits one of our dens, gets drunk, and causes a scene. But she always paid her debts, so we didn''t mind. However, last year, she made a massive loss and ran away without paying. We haven''t seen her since," the manager explained. "So you really don''t know where she might be..." Naruto said, disappointed. "No, but... this is about the time she usually comes to the city. For all I know, she could already be here. I have my men keeping an eye out for her. Does she owe you money too? We could work together to find her," the manager suggested, smiling slyly. Naruto didn''t need any special abilities to know the man was trying to trick him. However, the story seemed to match what Jiraiya had told him about Tsunade''s behavior. ''Doesn''t look like I''m going to get anything useful here... Maybe I should try the other gambling dens,'' Naruto thought, just as the front door opened. "Huh?... What''s going on? Where are the guards?" a tired, drunken voice called out. "Mister Hanma! You''re back!" the manager shouted, relieved. The man who entered quickly assessed the situation. He took in the unconscious guards on the ground and Naruto standing before the frightened manager. "We have a troublemaker?" "Yes! But be careful, he''s likely a ninja. He bested all of my men in a few seconds!" the manager explained. Naruto glanced at the newcomer. This man was different from the others. He had a dangerous aura about him. Hanma, wearing only baggy pants and a sleeveless shirt, was over seven feet tall with defined muscles. He studied Naruto with wary eyes. "Yes... this kid is dangerous..." "I was just about to leave. There''s no need for us to fight," Naruto said, not wanting to waste more time. These people didn''t have any useful information for him. Hanma cracked his neck, loosening up. "No, I''m afraid that won''t be possible." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 113: Bad Choices Chapter 113: Bad Choices Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 113: Bad Choices "Wait! Take it outside! You''ll destroy everything!" the manager shouted. The large man, Hanma, glared at Naruto. "This kid looks nimble and fast. If we fight outside, he''ll have the advantage..." He tensed his muscles, and they swelled to twice their size, his shoulders now nearly touching both sides of the narrow hallway. "There''s nowhere to run here." With that, Hanma charged at Naruto. Naruto watched as the giant stepped over the unconscious bodies of the men he had just defeated. The sound of their bones breaking was loud, but Hanma didn''t seem to care about his co-workers. His focus was entirely on crushing Naruto. "Take this!" A powerful straight punch was aimed directly at Naruto''s face. Naruto dodged by moving his head aside, or at least it seemed like he had dodged, but he felt an impact on his cheek and was still sent flying backward. "Haha! How''d you like that? I''m not so easy to avoid," Hanma laughed. "Your arm grew..." Naruto patted his cheek. He had noticed the trick. His dodge had been perfect, but just before Hanma''s punch landed, his forearm had grown, forcing Naruto to miscalculate the space necessary to avoid the hit. "Yeah, that trick always gets ninjas. You lot are lacking in creativity when it comes to chakra. You see..." His body swelled again. " I may not know your ninjutsu, but I can control my muscles completely." "I see... that''s interesting, but that trick won''t work on me again. So I hope you have something more than that. " It was clear now that chakra usage wasn''t as secretive as the academy had made it seem. Naruto also recognized that Hanma was using a form of taijutsu. ''There''s probably a sizable black market for ninja manuals,'' Naruto mused. With the number of missing ninjas out there, it wouldn''t be that surprising if some of those decided to make some money by selling their village''s secret methods. The manager stood at the other end of the hallway, completely covered in blood and trembling. "You should''ve let me go when you had the chance..." Naruto muttered. He didn''t enjoy senseless killing, but he would repay any attack on him in kind. With that, Naruto turned and left the building. No one came after him as he walked away, which didn''t surprise him. <><><><><><><><><> He wandered the city streets for over an hour, eventually visiting another gambling house without incident. However, the story he heard there matched what he had been told earlier. Tsunade had visited the previous year, played several games of dice, lost a significant sum of money, and then disappeared without paying. Eventually, Naruto decided to rest in a quiet part of the city and take some time to think. "And they want that woman to become the next leader?..." Naruto wondered if the elders truly knew what Tsunade was like. Everything he had found so far, did not give a pretty picture of that individual. "Hurry! This way!" Several armed men ran toward him. For a moment, Naruto thought they were coming to arrest him for killing the large man at the gambling den, but it quickly became clear they had no interest in him. "Make way, boy!" "Move!" Naruto stepped aside, watching the squad of soldiers rush past and take a set of stairs leading to the city''s outer walls. "Did something happen?" he asked, not expecting an answer. However, a kind-looking soldier stopped next to him. "Young man, you shouldn''t go near the walls right now. A giant monster has appeared and damaged part of the Shogun''s castle!" "A monster?" Now Naruto was truly curious. "Yes, a giant snake!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 114: Meeting Two Sannins Chapter 114: Meeting Two Sannins Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 114: Meeting Two Sannins Naruto moved quickly, jumping from one roof to the next until he saw a destroyed castle wall in the distance. However, there were no signs of any giant snake. ''It must be him.'' According to what he knew about the Snake Clan, only Orochimaru was in possession of their scroll. ''This can''t be a coincidence that he would show up now... is he also looking for that Tsunade?'' Naruto thought as he moved around. Once he got close enough, he spotted a few figures standing in the middle of a road. He stopped on top of the roof tile of the inner wall for a moment and was about to jump again when one of the figures appeared to punch the other wall. The ground shook violently as the stone structure was reduced to rubble, leaving a large gap where the impact took place. It was impossible to tell their identities from this distance, but he could at least see that the one who punched the wall was a blonde woman, and next to her appeared to be a younger girl with dark hair. On the other side were two individuals, one with long black hair and another with silver hair. ''Is that the one?...'' Jiraiya didn''t mention Tsunade having monstrous strength, but this must be her. ''I need to get a bit closer.'' He carefully continued moving until he could hear some of what they were saying and hid behind one of the many decorative statues that adorned the inner wall. "Lady Tsunade, please calm down. We are not here to fight you," the silver-haired man said. ''Kabuto?... Why am I not surprised.'' Naruto still remembered how suspicious that guy was during the Chunin Exams. There was a strange smell about him, which he now knew must have been the scent of snakes. "I already told you... get out of my sight!" Tsunade shouted at him. "You''re probably the only one who can heal my arms... does our old friendship mean nothing to you?" Orochimaru asked. ''His arms?'' Naruto had heard that Orochimaru got hurt during his fight with the Third Hokage but didn''t know how serious it was. ''Looks like he''s completely crippled...'' Naruto stepped out from behind the decorative statue he had been hiding behind and jumped down from the wall. Both Tsunade and her companion stared at him. "Who is this?" Tsunade asked. "And why was he spying on us?" "You should have tried to hide your scent too, Naruto. Didn''t they teach you that at the academy?" Orochimaru seemed more amused than angry at Naruto''s presence. "I must have forgotten about that," Naruto answered. "Ah yes... the amnesia." "Are you a ninja from Konoha? What is your purpose?" Tsunade asked. This wasn''t the first time the village had sent people to locate her, but they had never sent someone so young. "It is as you think, Tsunade. He is definitely here looking for you," Orochimaru said, glancing between them. "But this isn''t just any ninja. Doesn''t his face look familiar to you?" Tsunade frowned. It was indeed familiar, but she couldn''t place it at first glance. "No matter. We can conclude our business here for today." Orochimaru turned to Tsunade. "I will be waiting for your answer. You have twelve hours to decide," Orochimaru said. "This forbidden jutsu has a small window of opportunity since it requires dead bodies. We have everything prepared, but you must not delay," Kabuto added before handing her a piece of paper. "We will be waiting there at that specific time." "Lady Tsunade! You can''t actually be considering this! We should take this chance to kill them. He''s crippled now!" the young girl at Tsunade''s side urged. "Shut up, Shizune!" Tsunade snapped. Orochimaru laughed. "I may be a bit weak at the moment, but don''t think I''m defenseless... I wouldn''t have come here if I wasn''t confident I could at least escape." "Master, what about..." Kabuto threw Naruto a glare. Orochimaru looked at Naruto. "Leave it... this is not the time for you two to fight. However, young Naruto, allow me to give you a warning." Naruto didn''t say anything, remaining fully alert in case Orochimaru decided to attack. "This is the second time you stand before me and I let you go. Don''t think this is mercy...it just doesn''t suit my plans. But the next time may be the last... don''t tempt your luck." With those last words, the Sannin and his companion disappeared, leaving only a cloud of smoke behind. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 115: A Long Waited Reunion Chapter 115: A Long Waited Reunion Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 115: A Long Waited Reunion Naruto felt the eyes of the two women on him. "This is troublesome... I wasn''t supposed to show myself. That Orochimaru left me in a difficult position." "Are you really a ninja from Konoha?" Tsunade asked. "I am," he admitted. "You don''t look like an A.N.B.U... are you a new Jounin or something? I don''t remember hearing your name before," Tsunade said. "Lady Tsunade, you left the village a very long time ago. I''m sure there are a lot of ninjas you don''t know about," her assistant reminded her. "I am not a Jounin, though. I graduated from the academy around three months ago. I''m still a genin," Naruto told her. "A genin?!" Shizune exclaimed. "A genin?..." Tsunade looked at him with suspicion. "How is a genin given the task to track me down? And you seem to have a history with Orochimaru. He would never pay attention to a random newbie...unless." "Over there!" "They broke the other wall too!" The voices of a large number of soldiers approaching could be heard clearly. "Lady Tsunade, we must leave!" Shizune said. There was no way they could pay for all the damage they had caused. It was better to avoid the city guards. "I know..." Tsunade gave Naruto one last glance but jumped away without saying another word to him. "Hmph! I''m not broke, but I need to reserve enough for the dice tables," the woman answered. "Lord Jiraiya..." Shizune joined in. "Did you pick a new apprentice?" she asked, pointing at Naruto. "Naruto?... Yes, I suppose he is my apprentice... or something like that." Jiraiya wasn''t sure how to answer that. He had taught Naruto a few things, but he never recognized him as a proper disciple, and Naruto had never referred to him as Sensei or Master either. "Quite reckless of you to bring a genin along. Today he could have gotten killed. Has he told you about...?" Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya. "Orochimaru... yes. We were just talking about that. What did he want?" the Sannin asked. Tsunade hid her surprise well enough. She had expected Naruto to have told Jiraiya about the offer, but apparently, she was wrong. Her eyes moved to Naruto for a moment before returning to Jiraiya. "I think he just wanted to brag about having killed our old sensei to my face." Jiraiya flinched. "Did he?... So you already know what happened." "Is it true then... Sensei is dead." Sadness could be glimpsed in Tsunade''s eyes. "He is," Jiraiya confirmed. They remained in silence as the waitress brought several trays of food and drinks. Eventually, Tsunade spoke again. "And what about you? I doubt you went through the effort of tracking me down just to inform me about his death. And don''t tell me it''s a coincidence either." Jiraiya grinned. "You know me too well. I can''t lie to you. The village elders sent me here to offer you the position of the Fifth Hokage." Shizune spit her drink on the table. "I''m so sorry!" "What?! What are those old fools thinking?" Tsunade was truly surprised now. "I agree," Naruto put his glass down and looked at Tsunade. "This woman is not fit to become the village leader. You should find someone else." The blonde woman slammed her hand on the table, making everything tremble. "What did you say?..." "Did I stutter?..." Naruto glanced directly into her eyes. "After everything I''ve learned about you so far, I can say without a doubt that you would be a terrible Hokage. We would be better off naming almost anyone else." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 116: Losing the Temper Chapter 116: Losing the Temper Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 116: Losing the Temper "Jiraiya, who the hell is this rude brat? You better tell him to shut up before I decide to punch him," Tsunade spat the words. "Sorry about that," Jiraiya apologized before addressing Naruto. "Please, be quiet. You''re making things worse..." "My name is Uzumaki Naruto." "What did I just say?!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "She wanted to know who I was," Naruto said, undeterred. "Uzumaki..." Tsunade had heard that name before. It sounded familiar, not to mention his face. But now that she heard his last name, Tsunade finally realized who this was. Her eyes landed on the other Sannin. "Jiraiya, this is..." She wasn''t sure how much the boy knew about himself, so she stopped there. "Yes..." Jiraiya nodded. "He knows everything." "I see..." That explained why her old teammate had shown interest in him. "You might want to be more careful when you take him out of the village then." "You''re going to speak about me like I''m not even here? Talk about having no manners," Naruto commented. She looked at him for a moment before going back to Jiraiya. The restaurant patrons and staff began to panic and ran outside, yelling. Tsunade hurried outside too. ''Maybe I can still save him!'' she thought. "Do I have to pay for all of this now?..." Jiraiya said. "Lord Jiraiya!" Shizune called him out. She didn''t understand how he could make such a comment while his student was either dying or already dead. "He''s fine..." Jiraiya said, watching as Tsunade had held back quite a bit on that punch. "It''s going to take a lot more than that to kill that brat." Tsunade went outside and found the boy embedded into a stone wall across from the restaurant. She was about to rush to his side to check on his condition when he opened his eyes. "Okay... I take back the ''pathetic'' part of my statement... that was a good punch," Naruto said as he struggled to remove himself from the rubble. "How are you..." Tsunade couldn''t believe he could still stand up. He didn''t even look very hurt, other than a small red spot on his cheek. "I have a hard face," Naruto stated. Of course, that was a lie. His cultivation had finally reached the point where he could start using the most basic defensive technique in his arsenal. The Blue Jade Turtle Shell was something taught to every apprentice of his old sect once they reached the Qi Refining stage. This technique was particularly useful for beginners because it taught them how to manipulate their internal energy to form a thin protective layer around themselves. This protective barrier could stop most attacks from other Qi Refining cultivators, or those lower. Tsunade''s attack had gone a bit beyond that, so it managed to cause some damage to his face, but it still absorbed most of the impact. ''It''s still impressive that, even after taking precautions, she almost broke my jaw,'' Naruto thought, considering how strong this woman was. He had a feeling she could do much more damage than that. "A hard face..." Tsunade repeated his words. She wasn''t dumb...she knew Naruto had done something to reduce the impact of her punch, but she didn''t know what it was. ''Maybe Jiraiya wasn''t exaggerating too much after all,'' she thought, considering the possibility that this boy had as much talent as his father. "Say, Miss Sannin..." Naruto glanced at Tsunade while brushing the stone dust from his clothes. "Why don''t you make a bet with me?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 117: The Bet Chapter 117: The Bet Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 117: The Bet "A bet?" Tsunade looked at him suspiciously. "Yes, since you like those so much, I figured it would be a good way to go about this," Naruto suggested. Jiraiya and Shizune had followed outside and saw the two of them standing a short distance apart. "He''s not hurt?!" Shizune exclaimed in pure shock upon seeing Naruto standing seemingly unhurt. "I told you. The brat''s tough," Jiraiya said with a knowing look. Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "What kind of bet? Do you even have anything I could possibly want?" "The terms are simple," Naruto said, pulling out a large wallet filled to the brim with money. "If I win, you come with us to Konoha without complaining. If I lose, I''ll apologize for my previous comments and this wallet is yours..." Tsunade''s eyes widened at the sight of all that cash. "How much is in there?" "Hey! That''s my emergency wallet!" Jiraiya screamed while checking all his pockets, realizing he hadn''t noticed it was missing. "I borrowed it," Naruto admitted. "I hope you don''t mind, after all, this is kind of an emergency." "Wait..." Tsunade paused, confused. "I thought you didn''t want me as Hokage. Why would you want to bet on me coming back to the village?" "I still believe you''re unfit to serve as Hokage," Naruto stated bluntly. "But your combat skills don''t seem completely rusted. I assume your medical skills are still at least decent." Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "You need a medic." She concluded that he only wanted her because of that. The two of them got into position after Jiraiya managed to disperse the crowd and assured the restaurant owner he would cover the damages so the guards wouldn''t be called. Jiraiya watched as Naruto prepared. He still believed this wasn''t going to work. He would have to think of another way to convince Tsunade to return to Konoha. But he wasn''t prepared for what Naruto was about to do. "Go on, brat. Show me your best jutsu," Tsunade said with a confident smile. "Then, I''ll get started," Naruto said as he lifted his right hand, where chakra began spinning rapidly. In only two seconds, a perfect Rasengan was formed. Tsunade''s eyes widened in surprise. "That''s the Fourth''s jutsu." She glanced at Jiraiya. There was no doubt he had taught Naruto. "You taught him the Rasengan?! Teaching an A-rank jutsu to a genin with no experience...how reckless." "That''s the Rasengan?" Shizune murmured, seeing it for the first time. "Hmph! No matter. Bring it on," Tsunade said confidently. She did not care how potent the jutsu was, it was still being performed by someone who lacked real combat skill. That jutsu was terrifying in the hands of Namikaze Minato because of his ability to perform the Flying Thunder God and strike from anywhere, making it impossible to avoid. But she was sure Naruto didn''t know that technique. Even Jiraiya hadn''t been able to learn it. However, none of them were ready for what was coming next. "I''m not done yet," Naruto said, surprising them. The Rasengan, though already formed, still wasn''t ready. It took too long to prepare, so he didn''t set a time limit on the challenge. He could take as long as he wanted. "What... What else is there to do?" Tsunade wondered. The Rasengan was complete...if he didn''t release it soon, it would explode in his hand. "Naruto, what are yo" Jiraiya''s words died in his mouth. The blue Rasengan began to shift... turning red as flames appeared around it. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 118: Fiery Side Effects Chapter 118: Fiery Side Effects Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 118: Fiery Side Effects Over the past few days, Naruto has learned a lot about how the elemental manipulation of chakra functions, at least on a surface level. As chakra circulates through the body, it''s possible to infuse it with a particular element...this is where your affinity comes into play. A person with poor affinity would require more cycles to gather the necessary amount of elemental chakra to activate a specific jutsu. This meant it would take longer to prepare, making it difficult to use in combat. Naruto had no doubt that his affinity for fire remained strong. Whether this was due to his past life or because this body grew with a powerful source of Yang chakra inside... he wasn''t sure. But it didn''t matter at this point. He made sure to add some of the demonic chakra on top of his own fire chakra. As soon as he began to integrate the elemental energy into the rotation, the effect on the Rasengan was immediate. The sphere of pure blue energy turned red, radiating heat and bursting into flames. This also had an effect on him. His skin began to burn, despite his attempts to protect himself using the Blue Jade Turtle Shell technique. The invisible layer of protection was clearly not enough to stop the high temperatures from hurting him at this distance. Pushing past the pain, he remained rational enough to make a decision. ''I need to move before I lose that arm.'' Without hesitation, he rushed forward as fast as his legs could carry him. In an instant, he closed the gap and stopped just a few feet away from Tsunade. The Sannin couldn''t hide the shock on her face. Whatever she had expected him to do... this wasn''t it. "Fire Release... Rasengan," Naruto muttered, before smashing the sphere of fire and destruction against her chest. He had no chance to come up with a name for the jutsu yet, since this was nothing more than a test. The sphere of energy exploded with tremendous force, sending Naruto tumbling backward, where Jiraiya caught him just in time. "So that''s healing jutsu..." Naruto said. He had been in the hospital a few times, but this was the first time he experienced healing while still conscious. "Don''t talk," she said in a harsh tone. He could feel her chakra working hard to repair the damage caused by the burns. "It''s not that bad," Naruto said. "You could''ve lost your right arm! What were you thinking?!" Tsunade scolded him. "I was thinking about winning the bet," Naruto said with a grin. "I told you not to talk!" "Lady Tsunade, here." Shizune placed a small bag next to her mentor and pulled out a bottle of disinfectant. Tsunade turned to grab a few things from the bag, but when she looked back at Naruto, she was surprised to see his arm had already begun healing. The pitch-black burned skin was regaining its normal color, and the rest of his body looked almost completely fine. "How is that possible?" Shizune gasped. "I told you, it wasn''t that bad. I''ve had worse burns than this before," Naruto said casually. "The demon chakra has a few perks." Tsunade glared at him. "And I believe I won the bet," Naruto said, grinning. Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya. "I want to punch him again." Jiraiya chuckled. "And I wouldn''t blame you. But how about a drink first?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 119: A Short Interruption: Find Tsunade! Chapter 119: A Short Interruption: Find Tsunade! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 119: A Short Interruption: Find Tsunade! "Oi, wake up already." Naruto kicked him again. "Urgg... s-stop that..." Jiraiya groaned. "You drank too much again. We should go fetch that woman. She''s going to" The door of the hotel slammed open, and Shizune rushed in before collapsing on the floor. "Uggg..." she groaned. "Wow, you too? And to think you looked like the responsible type." Naruto looked very disappointed. "Not drunk..." Shizune lifted herself from the ground, clutching her sides. "She knocked me out..." "Oh... okay." Naruto said. "Lord Jiraiya, please... you must stop her! She left to meet with her old teammate. That man can''t be trusted." Shizune pleaded, turning to Jiraiya. "She drugged me..." Jiraiya muttered, still struggling. "She must''ve put something in my last cup of sake... I can''t release any chakra, and I have no strength..." "You''re as reliable as always," Naruto pointed out. "Hey, you brat!" Jiraiya tried to stand up but fell flat on his face. Shizune saw this and lost all hope. "Lady Tsunade..." "Do you know where exactly she''s meeting Orochimaru?" Naruto asked. They had finally found the medic, and he couldn''t let his efforts go to waste now. "You''re not thinking of going by yourself, are you?" Shizune asked, incredulous. "You''re also a medic-ninja, right?" Naruto asked, watching her nod. "I''m far from my sensei''s level though..." "That''s fine. I''ll go ahead and help Tsunade. You stay here and help the useless old man recover from the poison as fast as you can. Then, come find me." "It is customary in my profession to introduce oneself to those we are about to kill. I am a master of the Crane Style school, and my name is Ge" "So, I''m leaving these guys to you two," Naruto said casually, turning and walking toward the window. "Wait! Don''t dump your mess on me!" Jiraiya complained while pointing at the goons. "Hold on, Naruto," Shizune protested. "Hey! Let me finish!" the old man complained. This was the first time someone had rudely interrupted him during his introduction. "Go after him!" the manager shouted. "Don''t let him escape!" "Naruto! I can''t even use chakra," Jiraiya reminded him. "Don''t worry, these guys are pretty weak. You''ve got this." Naruto assured him confidently before breaking through the window and disappearing. "He left just like that..." Shizune stared at the hole he left behind. "You know... Tsunade sometimes does the same thing." She recalled going through something like this before. "She does," Jiraiya nodded. The same thing happened to him. "Mister Manager, what should I do with these two?" the old assassin asked, turning to him. "I was only paid to kill that blonde boy." "Those two must be accomplices. We can''t just let them go. If Mister Gen can deal with them, the organization will compensate you properly." The manager was yet to recognize Shizune because he only got a picture of Tsunade and never met them in person. "Very well..." The old man prepared himself again. "Lord Jiraiya, leave this to me," Shizune said, readying her poisons. She wasn''t sure how strong this person was, but she was confident in her ability to defeat anyone below a Jo?nin level at least. <><><><><><><><> Meanwhile, Naruto was rushing across the rooftops toward the west gate. He spotted several groups of soldiers heading in the same direction. As he got closer, he realized whythey had reduced the west gate to rubble. Naruto landed near the destroyed structure and looked around. There was no sign of Tsunade or Orochimaru, but several townsfolk stood nearby with frightened expressions. "Did any of you see a blonde woman in light robes, or a creepy guy with long black hair and pale skin?" Naruto asked. "You know those monsters?!" one of the townsfolk exclaimed. "I saw that woman from my balcony! She broke the gates with one punch!" another added. "Can anyone point me in the direction they went?" Naruto asked. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 120: Facing a Traitor Chapter 120: Facing a Traitor disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 120: Facing a Traitor It wasn''t hard to follow the trail of destruction until he finally found her. Tsunade appeared to be facing Kabuto, while Orochimaru waited patiently on the side. By the looks of it, things weren''t going well for the blonde medic. So, Naruto continued his approach without any sign of stopping. He made several hand signs and inhaled the chakra-charged air before expelling a ball of flames. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Kabuto and Tsunade saw the ball of fire approaching and were forced to create some distance, allowing it to explode in the now-empty space. ''I bet Sasuke would be furious if he saw me using his favorite jutsu,'' Naruto thought. This was one of the two fire jutsus Jiraiya had taught him. It was only a C-rank technique and very easy to learn. "Naruto?! What are you doing here?" Tsunade stared at him with wide eyes. "I came to protect my investment," Naruto told her before turning his attention to Kabuto. ''This one seems like the type who would stab you in the back.'' "And you came alone? Where are Jiraiya and Shizune?" "Where you left them. One is poisoned, and the other has a few broken ribs," Naruto said. Tsunade flinched. "If you wanted them to help you, you shouldn''t have done that." He pointed out. Tsunade looked towards Orochimaru. "I couldn''t let them get involved....this is my bus-" "You thought you could handle those two alone, didn''t you? Now it''s a bit late to realize that you were too overconfident," Naruto told her. Gamabunta continued to attack the colossal snake while Orochimaru made several attempts to kill Tsunade with a sword that came out of his mouth. Kabuto waited for the right opportunity to turn things around. While the two Sannins were too busy to notice, he jumped onto Naruto. Tsunade tried to warn him but was forced to avoid a deadly stab. "Sorry about this," Kabuto attacked with some sort of strange blue knives he created with his own chakra. He made cuts on Naruto''s shoulders and legs before pushing him off the head of the toad. "Naruto!" Tsunade cried. "Go kill him!" Orochimaru ordered. He knew this wouldn''t be nearly enough to finish the boy. Kabuto didn''t hesitate to jump down the toad and landed next to the blonde boy. The two of them fell down and landed on the rocky terrain underneath. "I bet that hurts a lot. I got some main arteries there, as well as your tendons," he said with clear joy in his voice. Naruto stood up and looked at Kabuto. "That was just a scratch." "What?!" Kabuto was sure his cuts were deep enough to sever tendons and muscles. He was unaware of Naruto''s layer of defense because it was hard to detect unless you had abilities like the Hyuga clan. His chakra knives were able to cut through Naruto''s protection, but the wounds weren''t deep enough for any serious damage, and he was already regenerating them. "Fine then...allow me to try again." Kabuto prepared. "Now we can begin for real, Mister Spy," Naruto told him. Kabuto was just where he wanted him....on the ground and away from Orochimaru. This was why he chose not to defend himself earlier, allowing Kabuto to knock him down. It would also make Orochimaru more vulnerable, as he needed the extra hands far more than Tsunade. "You did it on purpose...." Kabuto realized he had been tricked and turned to look up at his master, but Naruto appeared at his side. "Where do you think you''re going?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 121: There Will Be Nothing Left Chapter 121: There Will Be Nothing Left Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 121: There Will Be Nothing Left Kabuto moved aside to make room and blocked Naruto''s kick. "Tsk! Don''t get arrogant with me. I only need a second to kill you." Kabuto didn''t feel like he needed to keep up appearances anymore, since this person was going to die anyway. His chakra scalpels appeared once more, aimed at Naruto''s vital points. Naruto deflected the scalpels away from him by hitting on Kabuto''s arms and wrists. He was well aware of how dangerous they could be. Kabuto then sent a kick toward his chest, and Naruto blocked it by twisting his body and using his calf to intercept the attack. As soon as he did this, he realized the mistake. A smile appeared on Kabuto''s face as Naruto felt something cut deep into his leg. When he tried to put his foot down, he had no control over his right leg and lost balance. "You thought I could only make them with my hands?" Kabuto said with a satisfied grin. "It''s over now." He moved closer and aimed his next attack at Naruto''s neck, not expecting much more resistance. But when he saw the blonde boy''s face, Kabuto became alarmed. Naruto''s cheeks were completely puffed, as if they were filled with something. In the next instant, Naruto spat a mouthful of oil on Kabuto''s face before lighting it up in flames. This was the other fire jutsu he had learned, called Fire Bullet. Despite its name, it was a very versatile technique. The user created oil using chakra and spat it out. It was possible to create small fireballs but also throw everything out in one large wave of flames. The spy noticed that Naruto was doing something, but he couldn''t guess what. Still, he acted with precaution. Despite what he said, he wasn''t going to disregard Naruto''s capabilities completely. After all, Naruto was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyubi and could still surprise him. The moment he entered the area surrounding Naruto, Kabuto immediately sensed that something was wrong. He wasn''t a chakra sensor, but his instincts were sharp after a lifetime of working as a spy. First for Danzo, and then for Orochimaru. Despite the distance, Orochimaru and Tsunade must have felt something too, because they stopped what they were doing and glanced down at the ground, where the two young men were fighting. "You know..." Naruto''s eyes changed color to a deep orange. "There''s a passage in one of the academy books that I read recently. It lists rules that all ninjas should follow..." "What are you..." Kabuto noticed the ground shaking. Naruto''s eyes turned a bright red. "One of the rules is to never show your enemy the limits of your abilities unless you are sure they won''t live long enough to take advantage of that information." The demonic chakra from the Kyubi escaped the seal and began to spread around. "Naruto?! What is happening?" Tsunade exclaimed. "Let''s move away," Gamabunta suggested. He did not want to get caught in the middle of whatever he was about to do. "Kabuto!" Orochimaru screamed. "Your time is up." As Naruto said this, five of the Kyubi''s nine tails manifested behind him, and he was covered by a thick layer of red chakra that began to consume him. Kabuto felt a cold shiver run down his back. He knew better than to stay put. No matter how confident he had been about surviving anything Naruto could throw at him... this was not something he could have predicted. A red circle surrounded him and Naruto. "Flames of the Heavenly Furnace." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 122: Kabuto’s Fate Chapter 122: Kabutos Fate Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 122: Kabuto''s Fate Kabuto didn''t have much time to think about his next move. Escaping into the ground would be a bad idea. The violent shaking beneath him told him the next attack was coming from underground. He needed to escape in a different manner. Substitution was another option, but he hadn''t prepared anything beforehand. His confidence in regenerating from anything Naruto could throw at him had been absolute. A kunai appeared in his hand, and he threw it immediately with the intention to use it as a replacement. "Come on!" he cried. For a moment, Kabuto felt a glimmer of hope when the kunai passed the red circle. But that hope was quickly shattered as he watched the kunai disintegrate in an instant. "Nooo!" he screamed. Then he heard Naruto''s voice one last time, coming from behind him. "Flames of the Heavenly Furnace." A blinding flash enveloped Kabuto, and then... everything went dark. A massive column of crimson flames erupted from the ground, surrounding Naruto and rising high into the sky. Gamabunta quickly took Tsunade away from the fire, while Orochimaru used his summon as a shield to protect himself from the intense heat. "Naruto!" Tsunade''s voice was filled with worry, but the flames obscured her view. The fire surged higher and higher, reaching up to the clouds. It stayed like that for several seconds before dying out, having consumed all its fuel. When the flames finally dissipated, they all stared at the scorched ground where Naruto and Kabuto had been moments ago. Only one figure remained, standing atop a mound of black rock surrounded by a large crater. The fire had erased everything in its path. "Kabuto..." Orochimaru muttered. Tsunade jumped down from Gamabunta and rushed toward Naruto, calling his name. "Better ask them," Gamabunta grumbled. "I''ve got other things to do." The Toad Lord did not wish to get more involved in this than necessary. Not when Orochimaru and his Snake Clan were part of it. So with that, Gamabunta vanished in a puff of smoke, but not before reminding Naruto about his promise. "I''ve gotta say..." Naruto jumped out of the crater. "That toad''s a bit too obsessed with alcohol." "Aren''t you going to ask us about the men chasing us?" Shizune asked. "No." "Huh? Seriously?! We went through a lot of trouble, you know!" Shizune cried in disbelief. This was his own mess. "We should get going. The trip back to Konoha is a long one. You''ll have plenty of time to share stories," Naruto said as he began to walk away. "Hold on, who said I''m going back there?" Tsunade huffed. "Are you going to break your word too? That might be the last good thing you have," Naruto shot back without holding anything back. "Naruto! Don''t talk to her like that. And she''s got plenty of good things left..." Jiraiya said, his gaze lingering on her chest. After smacking the pervert on the head, Tsunade approached Naruto with a frown. "I didn''t say I was breaking my word. But you shouldn''t make assumptions. And you should speak to your Hokage with more respect." "You''re not my Hokage, though," Naruto pointed out. "Lady Tsunade, are you going to take the offer, then?" Shizune asked, her voice filled with hope. She would love nothing more than to stop running around the country, visiting every gambling house. "We''ll see... I need to talk with the elders first." Tsunade had a mischievous glint in her eyes that Shizune recognized immediately. "Oh no, what are you going to ask for?" Shizune said with dread. "Nothing! I just want to see how much they want me there... hehe." Jiraiya walked up to Naruto''s side. "So... what actually happened with Orochimaru and Kabuto?" "Let''s see..." Naruto began to recount the events as they walked. "Hold on, can''t we stop in the city for a few hours at least?" Shizune pleaded. "I want a bath!" She was covered in grime. "If we go back to the city looking like this... we''ll get arrested," Tsunade pointed out. They were all covered in blood. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 123: The Fifth Hokage Chapter 123: The Fifth Hokage Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 123: The Fifth Hokage "Starting today, this village will be my responsibility as the Fifth Hokage," Tsunade declared, a satisfied smile on her face. She had gotten everything she requested from the elders. They were more desperate than she had anticipated. "It''s incredible that you managed to bring her back," remarked the elder Homura, clearly impressed. "Yes, you did an amazing job, Jiraiya," Koharu praised him. "Haha! Of course, my title as a legendary ninja isn''t just for show," Jiraiya bragged. "No one can resist my charming perso" "All you did was drink and sleep with prostitutes," Naruto interrupted him. "He did what?!" Koharu screamed. "Now now...I''m sure he is exaggerating." Homura tried to ease his old teammate. Although he was very much aware of Jiraya''s many vices but chose to keep it to himself. "I still can''t believe she took the job." Naruto glanced at Tsunade. "Don''t worry. I can tell that Lady Tsunade is starting to change. She will make a great Hokage," Shizune assured him. "By the way, are the fifteen barrels of high-quality sake I requested ready?" Naruto asked. "It hasn''t been a month yet," Koharu began, but then a realization hit her. "Wait... you asked for ten barrels." "Did I? Must''ve misspoken. I need fifteen." He said it without a hint of shame. "What do you need that much alcohol for? Surely you can''t be that much of a deviant at your age," Homura chimed in. If this was true, then this boy was on his way to become the next Jiraya. And he wasn''t sure if that was a good thing. "It''s a payment for his summon," Tsunade explained, turning toward them. "From what I''ve heard, Gamabunta played a significant role during the attack. Prepare those barrels for him." "Oh, so it''s like that," Koharu realized. Now feeling much more relieved. "If the Hokage agrees, then I have no issues. We''ll have them ready by the end of the week," Homura added. Tsunade looked at Naruto with a smug expression. "You''re welcome," she said, proud of herself. "We shouldn''t waste any more time. Let''s gather the villagers and make the announcement," Koharu suggested. "Of course, I''m drying my hair," Naruto replied matter-of-factly. "Go get dressed, please!" Neji was growing more annoyed, thinking Naruto was doing it on purpose. "What does Lady Hinata see in this individual?" the attendant muttered disdainfully as Naruto retreated inside to throw on some clothes. "Ah..." Hinata moaned as she opened her eyes. "Lady Hinata! Are you alright?" the attendant asked, concerned. "I... I was having a wonderful dream... Where are we?" Hinata blinked in confusion as she looked around. "We came to talk to Uzumaki, remember?" Neji reminded her. Hinata gasped. "That wasn''t a dream?! I saw his... his..." "Please, Lady Hinata, don''t finish that sentence! It is beneath your station," the attendant exclaimed. "No, it wasn''t a dream... and yes, I saw it too..." For a moment, Neji cursed his perfect eyesight and photographic memory. He was never getting that image out of his mind. The door opened again. This time, Naruto was properly dressed in a clean, comfortable-looking white tunic. "Come on in. Then you can tell me the reason for your visit." Hinata and Neji nodded politely and stepped inside his house. The attendant asked for permission to prepare some tea and headed toward the kitchen. "What can I do for you?" Naruto asked. "Naruto... I... I wanted to thank you," Hinata began, her voice soft. "Lady Tsunade visited my household last night and treated my internal wounds. The medics had told me it would take at least another month or two to fully heal. But now... thanks to her, I feel better than ever." "I see..." Naruto nodded, satisfied. It seemed Tsunade''s reputation for medical prowess was well-earned. ''I wonder if she also treated Rock Lee. I should visit the hospital later.'' "And she mentioned that she came at your request," Hinata added, her eyes soft with gratitude. "Don''t worry about it. It was nothing major, no need to thank me," Naruto shrugged, turning his attention to Neji. "And you? What''s on your mind?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 124: An Appointment With a Hyuga Chapter 124: An Appointment With a Hyuga Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 124: An Appointment With a Hyuga "Surely you''re not here to thank me for slapping you around," Naruto said, eyeing Neji. The Hyuga attendant, who was returning with tea, nearly dropped her tray at Naruto''s blunt comment. But Neji didn''t react much to it. "In a way, I am thankful. That match opened my eyes... it showed me how much I still have to learn." Naruto stared at him for a moment before nodding in approval. "There''s nothing wrong with being a frog in a well, as long as you eventually get out and see the vastness of the universe." "Uh... yes," Neji replied, unsure if he fully understood what Naruto was talking about. The attendant placed the tea down, stealing glances at Naruto. "I''m surprised to see you two together. I thought there was some internal clan dispute between you," Naruto commented, sipping his tea. "That''s..." Hinata looked troubled. She wasn''t sure how much she could disclose about her clan''s affairs. Naruto noticed her discomfort. "You don''t have to explain it to me. I''m just glad you worked things out." He had seen too many clans collapse due to internal conflicts. Neji touched his forehead protector. "We did, and I''ve come to understand that perhaps my fate isn''t as absolute as I believed it to be." "You shouldn''t underestimate the power of fate. But you shouldn''t resign yourself to it either," Naruto said with conviction. "Lady Hinata, I believe he''s waiting for an answer." "You''re free Friday afternoon after practice, Lady Hinata," her attendant chimed in, deciding to help her out, even though she wasn''t particularly fond of Naruto. Her duty was to assist her lady, after all. "Yes, I''m free!" Hinata said, a little louder than she intended. "Friday afternoon, then. I''ll come by your clan''s residence." Naruto nodded before taking his leave. The three Hyuga members remained behind, watching as Naruto walked away. It was then that Neji realized something. "He''s planning to visit the clan to invite Lady Hinata out... but what about Lord Hiashi?" Hinata and her attendant gasped. "Oh no... will Father be too angry?" Hinata asked, worried. After the tournament, Hiashi had been furious about Naruto''s overwhelming victory over Neji, his clan''s genius. And he was still very much against the idea of his daughter being involved with Naruto...now more than ever. "I-I''m sure it''ll be fine," the attendant tried to sound reassuring, but the look she received from Hinata made it clear she had failed. For a moment, Hinata thought about chasing after Naruto to ask him to change their plans. But she had already missed one date while unconscious in the hospital... she couldn''t face him now. ''What if he gets tired of me and cancels the date completely?'' Hinata clenched her fists, anxiety building within her. Chakra began emanating from her body. "No... I can''t let that happen." Her tone was cold, taking Neji and the attendant by surprise. "Lady Hinata?" Neji felt a shiver run down his spine. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 125: Visiting the Teammates at the Hospital Chapter 125: Visiting the Teammates at the Hospital Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 125: Visiting the Teammates at the Hospital When Naruto arrived at the hospital, he spotted a depressed-looking Rock Lee sitting on one of the benches just outside and decided to approach him. "I take it things didn''t go well with Tsunade?" Naruto asked. Lee lifted his head slowly. "Naruto?..." He then shook his head, his expression grim. "She told me I should quit being a ninja..." "What? After all the effort I put into bringing that woman back and she said that?!". Naruto exclaimed. " Hold on...what else did she say?" He must be missing something. Lee blinked, shocked to hear Naruto speak about the new Hokage that way. He had no idea Naruto was involved in her return, as the elders had kept that part of the story a secret...along with the money they gave Tsunade to cover her gambling debts. Regaining his composure, Lee continued. "She said that the operation to restore my bones would only have around a fifty percent chance of success. And if it fails... I''ll probably die." "Wait?.... then why are you so sad? I thought she said there was no chance of recovery." Naruto replied, genuinely confused. "But... I could die," Lee muttered. "Or you could recover completely. What''s the alternative? Give up your life as a martial artist and live like a civilian? Become a farmer or a shopkeeper?. Is that what you want to do for the rest of your life?." Naruto asked him. "Well... I haven''t really thought about that..." Lee admitted, still unsure. "What is there to think about?" Naruto asked. "Since the first time I saw you fight, I knew you were a martial artist to your core. That''s who you are. Now, you have a fifty percent chance to keep being one." Lee still looked hesitant. "And if I die...?" Sasuke, who was lying in bed, glared at Naruto. "Does that sound like something I would do?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. Sakura hesitated for a moment. She couldn''t really accuse him of lying...and he had no reason to do that. Sasuke, on the other hand, knew a bit more. He had seen Naruto in that town. He hadn''t seen Jiraiya, but he had heard about them leaving the village together. Naruto''s gaze shifted to a metal tray lying in the corner of the room, along with several food items. It seemed to have been thrown with enough force to leave a mark on the wall. He could feel a tinge of bloodlust emanating from Sasuke. "So... how''s our sensei?" Naruto asked, breaking the tension. Sakura, oblivious to the mood, answered. "He left early this morning, but Sasuke is going to be released after one more exam around midday. Isn''t that great?" She had barely left his bedside, so she was looking forward to a bath, clean clothes, and a good night''s sleep. "Wonderful..." Naruto glanced at Sasuke, whose grip on the bedsheets was so tight that they were beginning to tear. "Sasuke? What''s wrong?" Sakura finally noticed something was off. "Are you in pain? Should I call the doctor?" "Naruto!" Sasuke''s voice grew louder, filled with frustration. "If there''s something you want to say, don''t hold back. We''re teammates after all," Naruto said, maintaining his calm. Sasuke''s eyes narrowed, turning a shade of red as his Sharingan activated. "Yes, there is something I want from you... fight me." Naruto grinned. "I''m surprised you didn''t ask sooner." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 126: The Duel Chapter 126: The Duel Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 126: The Duel Sakura was completely perplexed to hear him declare something like this all of a sudden. "Sasuke, what are you saying? You''re still in the hospital. A sparring match can wait until you" "Shut up!" Sasuke screamed at Sakura, his voice filled with pure rage. The four tomoe of his Sharingan were spinning rapidly. Sakura became frightened. She let out a yelp and fell on her butt as she tried to back away from him. Sasuke didn''t seem to care about what he just did. His eyes locked onto Naruto''s. "You think you helped me? You and that meddling woman who calls herself Hokage?" "What?" Naruto was genuinely confused for a moment. Then it hit him. Everyone probably assumed he had gone through all that trouble to save his teammate and sensei. In reality, Naruto had only done it because he wanted to learn the Eight Gates technique and maybe gain some connections with a big clan. He didn''t consider himself bad or cruel, but he wouldn''t have gone out of his way to help someone unless he expected something more valuable in return. That kind of thinking was normal where he came from. Truly selfless people were rare there. And they didn''t last long... "Sasuke, what''s with you today?... You''re scaring me." Sakura continued to tremble from the floor. "Naruto, please, tell him to stop!" "Come with me," Sasuke said coldly. It wasn''t a request. If Naruto refused, Sasuke would attack him right here and now. Naruto watched as his teammate got out of bed and walked toward the door, pausing only briefly to see if he was following. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" A gigantic burst of flames erupted from Sasuke''s mouth, engulfing most of the rooftop. Sakura barely managed to take cover behind the door that led to the roof. "Naruto!" But she couldn''t see any sign of her other teammate. "Sasuke, stop this, please!" she cried. Sasuke''s red eyes scanned the area as the smoke cleared, but he couldn''t find any trace of Naruto. "Did he jump off the roof?" "No." The voice came from behind. Sasuke reacted instantly, twisting around and swinging with all his might. But Naruto was faster. He struck Sasuke in the chest with his right palm. Sasuke felt a wave of pain invade his body as he was sent flying into the metal fence once again. This time, he had taken real damage. He could feel blood filling his mouth. "Blegh..." He spat it out onto the floor. "Sasuke!" Sakura panicked when she saw the blood. "That''s not a bad jutsu, but it leaves you wide open. You should never use it in such a confined space against someone skilled in close combat unless you''re trying to bait them," Naruto remarked as he walked closer. "Shut up!" Sasuke yelled, his voice filled with fury. The last thing he wanted was to be lectured by Naruto. "Naruto, Sasuke! That''s enough, please!" Sakura pleaded with them. She couldn''t bear to see her teammates hurting each other anymore. "We can leave it here. You can''t win against me," Naruto said calmly. That only enraged Sasuke further. "No! I''m not done yet!" Electric chakra began crackling around his right hand. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 127: A Failed Rivalry Chapter 127: A Failed Rivalry Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 127: A Failed Rivalry Sakura stared in horror as Sasuke aimed his deadliest jutsu at his other teammate. Naruto, however, was observing it with interest. This was the first time he''d seen the Chidori up close, and he noticed its similarities to the Rasengan. He watched closely, fascinated by how the chakra moved around Sasuke''s hand without severely burning him. Something that he could really learn from, considering what happened the last time he tried to add an element to his jutsu. ''I wish I had a pair of those special eyes to analyze this more closely...'' he lamented. Still, even with his normal eyes, he could learn something just from observing. "Naruto! You better use your own jutsu, or you''ll die!" Sasuke warned, his voice edged with frustration. He had been waiting to compare his Chidori to Naruto''s Rasengan ever since he saw him use it against Gaara, especially after learning it was created by the Fourth Hokage. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the threat. "You want me to use the Rasengan... or I''ll die?" A smile crept onto his face. "Come on..." He had to try hard to avoid laughing as that would make things worse. Sasuke clenched his teeth and prepared to move. "I''m serious!" Naruto gestured with his hand. "Go ahead. Show me how serious you are." "Sasuke!" Sakura''s screams were ignored. Sasuke snapped and charged at an impressive speed. In an instant, he was right in front of Naruto, the lightning in his hand crackling loudly. "Chidori!" He aimed directly at Naruto''s chest. As amusing as Sasuke himself was, the jutsu was no joke. The amount of lightning chakra concentrated in Sasuke''s hand made it clear to Naruto that if he allowed the attack to land, it would pierce through his defenses and leave a gaping hole in his torso. However, this attack had a glaring flaw Naruto had already noticed when he first saw it. Due to the sheer intensity of the jutsu and the speed Sasuke had to maintain, it forced him to attack in a very linear, straightforward manner. "No... Sasuke would never do that! He knows how dangerous it is!" Sakura said desperately. "Then you don''t know him at all," Naruto commented coldly. "He''s desperate for power and will do whatever it takes to get it." Sakura snapped at him. "This is your fault! Why did you have to push him so far?" "Excuse me? Should I have just let him kill me?" Naruto''s patience was wearing thin. "He wouldn''t have done that if you didn''t provoke him!" Sakura shouted. "Sakura, that''s enough," Kakashi said in a stern tone. "But Sensei" she protested, her voice faltering. "No... this isn''t Naruto''s fault." Kakashi shook his head. "If you want to blame someone, blame me. I should have intervened sooner." "You were watching the whole time?" Naruto asked, surprised. He hadn''t sensed Kakashi''s presence at all, though that wasn''t much of a surprise. Kakashi nodded. "Sensei?... Why?" Sakura didn''t understand. Kakashi''s expression was troubled. "I thought it might help Sasuke... maybe give him some perspective." He glanced at Naruto. Kakashi had hoped that having a rival close in age could motivate Sasuke in a healthier way, pushing him to grow stronger without being consumed by the need to kill his brother. He had hoped Naruto could be that rival. But now, seeing how effortlessly Naruto had handled Sasuke, Kakashi realized his mistake. Minato''s son had far exceeded his expectations. In such a short time, Naruto had surpassed all of his peers, to the point where handling Sasuke was almost effortless. Kakashi now wondered just how close Naruto was to catching up to him... or how long it would take before the blonde surpassed him. But his focus shifted back to Sasuke. ''What am I going to do with you?...'' For the first time in a long while, Kakashi felt truly conflicted. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 128: Rewards Chapter 128: Rewards Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 128: Rewards "Yo!" Jiraiya greeted Naruto in his usual cheerful manner. "I''ve been told you wanted to see me," Naruto said as he glanced at Tsunade, who was seated behind her large desk, surrounded by towering stacks of paperwork. "I see you''re keeping yourself entertained." She frowned. "Hey, don''t ignore your Sensei!" Jiraiya pouted. Naruto turned his attention to him. "I thought it would be polite to address the Hokage first." His gaze shifted to the last occupant in the room. "Greetings, Shizune. I hope you''re adjusting well to your new position." Shizune smiled warmly. "Yes, thanks for asking." "Now, as for the reason behind my summons... no one has told me yet," Naruto said. "You still haven''t greeted me properly! At least say hi to your Sensei, damn it!" Jiraiya complained. "My Sensei?... I don''t remember ever acknowledging you as such," Naruto replied coolly. Seeing the expressions on their faces, he decided to elaborate. "I didn''t mean to sound rude or ungrateful. You''ve taught me many useful things, and I''m thankful for that. I always repay those who show me kindness, tenfold over. However, the relationship between a Master and a student has a deeper meaning to me. And I don''t plan to acknowledge anyone as my Master..." ''At least not in this life,'' Naruto thought to himself. "Right..." Jiraiya was caught off guard by the answer and felt a bit lost. "The reason for your summons was to discuss the results of the Chunin Exam. Normally, the Hokage wouldn''t do this in person, but in your case, I thought I should explain," Tsunade said. "Well?..." Naruto waited for her to continue. "Just one," Tsunade replied. "That''s disappointing to hear. And now what?" Naruto said. "There''ll be another exam in less than five months. Prepare for that one. If your team doesn''t want to participate, I can arrange for another one just for you," Tsunade informed him. "I''m sure you''ll pass next time!" Shizune said, trying to sound reassuring. "It''d be a disgrace if my student fails again..." Jiraiya pretended to be sad. Tsunade gave her assistant a glance. "Bring that." Shizune nodded and went to a nearby cabinet, pulling out a large leather bag. "Here!" She placed it on the table. "What''s fair is fair... that''s for you," Tsunade said, pushing the bag towards Naruto. "This is?..." Naruto opened it up. The bag was filled with money. "One hundred and fifty thousand ryo," Tsunade informed him. Naruto raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to explain further. "One hundred thousand is the reward for successfully hunting down the A-rank criminal, Kabuto Yakushi. Normally, some proof of the kill would be required, but in this case, my word was enough since there was no corpse to recover." "And the extra fifty?" Naruto asked. "That''s my way of saying thank you. You can also consider it payment for your last mission," Tsunade said. Naruto hadn''t expected to receive this much money, but he wasn''t going to turn down such a generous reward, he hasn''t done a mission with his team in a while so he was running low on funds. "I''ll take it. Thanks." Tsunade chuckled. "I thought you''d say that." She looked around. "Now... there''s one more matter I need to discuss with you," she said, her tone serious. "But I''d like to talk to Naruto alone." Jiraiya and Shizune exchanged surprised glances. They hadn''t been informed about this. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 129: Loyalties and Affinities Chapter 129: Loyalties and Affinities Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Chapter 129: Loyalties and Affinities Jiraiya and Shizune stepped outside the office, quietly closing the door behind them. Naruto turned back to face Tsunade. "What is it you wanted to discuss that requires so much privacy?" "It''s nothing of major importance, but I didn''t want them to know about my concerns regarding this matter," Tsunade replied. "Very well... What is it, then?" Tsunade met his gaze. "I was informed about the incident on the hospital rooftop." "It was just a short fight, if you can even call it that," Naruto commented nonchalantly. "That''s what your Sensei said in his report. But a civilian on a nearby rooftop saw Uchiha attack you with lightning chakra. If it was the jutsu I think it was... it''s more than just a little fight." "To me, it wasn''t," Naruto shrugged. Tsunade pulled out another sheet of paper. "I''ve been reading up on your teammates. After meeting the boy in person once and reviewing all the reports about him, I can''t help but feel concerned." "Concerned about what? His mental stability? His loyalty to the village?" "Yes, those are my biggest concerns," Tsunade admitted. "Shouldn''t you be having this conversation with Kakashi?" Naruto asked. "I have reasons to believe Kakashi will protect his student and hide information from me. He''s already done that before. What I want is the truth on this." "And you think I wouldn''t lie to protect my teammate?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "No, I don''t think you care enough to lie," Tsunade said bluntly. "So that''s the impression I give, huh?" Naruto smirked. "I see... I wish him luck, then." Naruto left the office. Outside, he spotted Jiraiya waiting, though Shizune was nowhere to be seen...she likely went off to tend her other duties. "I''m going to be leaving for a month or so. I''ve got an important mission I can''t talk about," Jiraiya informed him. If Jiraiya didn''t look so serious, Naruto might have thought he was in a rush to get back to the brothel. Then again, with Jiraiya, it could easily be both. "I see," Naruto said, still unsure why Jiraiya felt the need to tell him this. Jiraiya pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket. "I didn''t have time to grab any from the Capital, but it was easy enough to get here." Naruto looked at the blank piece of paper in his hand. It looked like regular paper to him, but Jiraiya was clearly implying there was something special about it. "This is chakra paper. Remember how we talked about finding your chakra affinity?" Jiraiya handed him the paper, and Naruto took it. "So, what do I do?" "Just hold it in your palm and circulate your chakra. This paper is very sensitive and will react depending on your affinity," Jiraiya explained. Naruto did as instructed, channeling his chakra a few times before opening his palm. As he did, the paper was cut cleanly in half. "Huh?... It got cut..." Naruto wasn''t sure what that meant. Jiraiya stared at the paper in shock. "Wind?... Wait, just wind?" He looked back at Naruto, bewildered. From what he''d seen Naruto do with fire, Jiraiya had assumed his affinity was with fire...almost as if he had an incredible natural affinity almost comparable to the Second Hokage''s legendary connection with water. But it turned out Naruto had no affinity for fire at all. And yet... A thought crossed Jiraiya''s mind. ''What could he accomplish with wind?'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 130: A Fair Trade Chapter 130: A Fair Trade Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 130: A Fair Trade "I believe congratulations are in order." Naruto found himself once again on the rooftop of the hospital. His eyes drifted to the damaged water tank that Sasuke had destroyed. It looked like they still hadn''t replaced it. He hadn''t seen or heard from Sasuke since that day. Or Sakura, for that matter. The only communication he''d received was a brief message from Kakashi, saying they''d meet on Monday morning. That was it. "You told me there was something important you wanted to discuss with me," Maito Gai said, his voice holding an odd tension despite the happy news about Lee''s surgery. "You said it was about Lee''s future." "Have I done something to offend you?" Naruto asked, noticing the wariness in Gai''s tone. The last time they''d spoken, Gai had been immensely grateful for Naruto saving his student from Gaara. Now, though, something had clearly changed. "Lee told me about your conversation with him. You manipulated him to accept the surgery... and I don''t appreciate that. That was his decision to make." Gai''s usual goofy expression was gone, replaced by a serious, almost stern look. "Did it seem like I was manipulating him for my own benefit?" Naruto asked, calm, though inwardly questioning if he had been too hasty in his approach. He could have let nature take its course, allowing Lee to make his own decision. Worst-case scenario, he would eventually reach the rank of a Jonin and gain access to the forbidden jutsu through the Hokage''s permission. That''s why the Golden Scripture had gifted him a different method of cultivation...one based on absorbing the energies of other beings. It was the only path to immortality in this world, and the Scripture had known that somehow. But absorbing the Kyu?bi alone wouldn''t be enough. Naruto needed to find the other tailed beasts, and that task would be far from easy. For that, he needed to grow stronger... much stronger than anyone who might stand in his way. Gai''s hesitation was palpable. "I can''t just teach you the Eight Gates... I''m not allowed to teach that jutsu without the Hokage''s permission. And you''re not even my student." "Then we''ll keep this between us," Naruto said quietly. "That would be treason," Gai replied, clearly torn. "I''ll be a Jonin in a few years, and then I will be allowed to learn any forbidden jutsu," Naruto pointed out. "As long as I don''t use it publicly before then, no one will ever know it came from you." Gai knew this was wrong. Teaching the Eight Gates to Naruto would be against everything he stood for as a shinobi of the Leaf. Yet, his eyes drifted to the scroll in his hand. This technique could secure Lee''s future. It could make him the number one taijutsu expert, fulfilling the boy''s dream. Gai would gladly break the rules for his student, but something else troubled him. "Before I make a decision... there''s something I need to know," Gai said. "And what would that be?" Naruto asked. Gai lifted the scroll. "Where did this come from? Did the same expert who taught you taijutsu give you this? Because I know it wasn''t Kakashi." Naruto remained silent for a moment. He understood the source of Gai''s concern. The man was worried Naruto was in contact with some mysterious master who could pose a threat to Konoha...someone like Orochimaru. ''Now... how do I convince him that my intentions aren''t harmful to the village?'' Naruto thought, calculating his next move. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 131: Naruto and Team 10 Chapter 131: Naruto and Team 10 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 131: Naruto and Team 10 "I see..." Asuma nodded thoughtfully. "Then, I''ll leave him in your care. You''re one of the few wind users in Konoha. Don''t be surprised at how quickly the boy learns." Jiraiya gave Asuma a reassuring tap on the shoulder before turning to leave the garden. "I''ll do my best to guide him, Lord Jiraiya," Asuma responded, offering a polite bow. He then turned to his students, who were waiting nearby with Naruto. "Is he going to train with us?" Cho?ji asked. "I''ll just be giving Naruto some pointers on manipulating his elemental chakra," Asuma explained. "Wait, isn''t that, like, super advanced?" Ino asked, her eyes occasionally flicking toward Naruto. "It is," Asuma nodded. "Typically, you wouldn''t be expected to learn this until you become a chu?nin." "Aren''t you bragging because you already learned some water jutsu?" Shikamaru glanced lazily at Ino. "Does Shikamaru have to learn it, too?" Cho?ji asked, looking over at his friend. Shikamaru, sitting on a cushion and idly moving a chess piece, sighed. "How troublesome... I just wanted to enjoy being a genin for a few more years." Naruto, curious, glanced at him. "Tsunade told me only one person got promoted. I take it that was you?" "Naruto, don''t talk about Lady Hokage so casually. It reflects badly on her," Asuma gently advised. He knew Naruto had close ties with two of the Sannin, but still offered the suggestion. "Right, I''ll keep that in mind," Naruto replied. Shikamaru stood up, rubbing his head. "Yeah, I was the one promoted. I hope you''re not upset about that." "Why would I be?" Naruto shrugged. "It was the Council''s decision, not yours." Shikamaru studied him for a moment. He hadn''t interacted much with Naruto since their academy days and was still adjusting to his changed demeanor. The Naruto he remembered would''ve thrown a fit over not being promoted. "I can''t believe they didn''t promote you, Naruto! You even fought that giant monster to save the village..." Ino huffed, clearly dissatisfied on his behalf. Naruto merely shrugged again. "Suppress your desire for glory, and you''ll never be disappointed. I''ll try again next time, don''t worry about it." ''Red Lotus Body Shift...'' He could only use the first stage of this movement technique, but that was enough to accelerate his body to ten times its normal speed. Cho?ji had no hope of catching him as Naruto darted past and reached Shikamaru in an instant. "Tsk! I knew it!" Shikamaru grimaced, his shadow already extending to catch Naruto. But before it could reach him, Naruto disappeared again, reappearing behind Shikamaru in a blur. "Urgh!" Shikamaru grunted as Naruto''s palm struck his back, sending him flying. "Shikamaru!" Cho?ji gasped and rushed to catch his friend. But with Cho?ji preoccupied, Ino was left defenseless. "W-Wait!" Ino stammered, holding a kunai in her right hand. She attempted to strike, but Naruto swiftly moved behind her, disarming her with ease and locking an arm around her neck. "Do you give up?" Naruto asked calmly. "Hmm... I don''t know. This is kinda comfortable," Ino said, her tone playful. Naruto wasn''t applying any real pressure, just holding her in place. "Ino..." Asuma shook his head in mild disappointment. "Shit... that hurt," Shikamaru grumbled as Cho?ji gently set him down. "Sorry... I couldn''t stop him," Cho?ji apologized, feeling responsible for letting Naruto reach Shikamaru so easily. "Alright, that''s enough." Asuma clapped his hands. "I didn''t expect you three to win, but I thought you''d last more than a minute." "You knew how this would end. What was the point?" Shikamaru grumbled, clearly annoyed at the wasted effort. "He''s too fast!" Cho?ji exclaimed, still astonished. "The point was to learn," Asuma explained. "Yes, Naruto is faster than you, Cho?ji. That''s why you shouldn''t have charged at him alone. You should''ve stayed closer to your teammates and protected them. And Ino... would you let go of Naruto?" Ino, who had been clinging to Naruto''s shoulders, finally released him with a playful smile. "This is payback." "Sure..." Asuma gave her a deadpan look. "And Ino, you should''ve covered Shikamaru''s back. That would''ve made it harder for Naruto to isolate you." "There wasn''t time to form a plan," Shikamaru muttered. "In a real battle, you might not have time either," Asuma said. "That''s why practice is important. Your instinctive reaction needs to be a good one." Asuma stretched his arms. "But enough of that for now. There''ll be more practice later. Now, let''s move on to elemental jutsus." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 132: Meeting the Lord of the House Chapter 132: Meeting the Lord of the House Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author''s notes- Chapter 132: Meeting the Lord of the House "What do you want?" The door guard almost spat the words at him. "Wow... is that how the Hyuga clan treats guests? You won''t have many that way," Naruto told the guard. There were two men guarding the main entrance to the Hyuga compound, and it seemed like neither of them liked him much. "If you have no business here, you need to leave," the second guard said. "If I had no business here, why would I come? I definitely didn''t walk all the way here just to see your ugly faces, that''s for sure," Naruto said with a mocking smile. He''d admit he took some joy in messing with these strict types of people. "You dare?!" "Even if we are guards, we are still members of the prestigious Hyuga clan. If you think we''re going to take insults from a mere genin like you..." Both guards were reaching their boiling point when the door opened. The person who came out was the same female attendant that had been following Neji and Hinata a few days prior. "What do you think you''re doing?" she asked the guards. "This boy insulted us!" one of them pointed at Naruto. "Yes, he just came here to cause trouble," the other added. She glanced at Naruto for a second. For some reason, she didn''t doubt the claims of Naruto insulting them, but he had come here for a reason. "Mister Uzumaki has an appointment with Lady Hinata. Let him in." Once inside, Naruto found the Clan Lord sitting in the middle of a massive room, with only a small tea table in front of him and a few cushions around it. "Sit down," Hiashi said, showing as much displeasure as he could with his tone alone. Naruto shook his head and sighed. In his eyes, this man was no different from a lizard pretending to be a dragon. He acted like he was some sort of great leader from a large sect or perhaps an emperor. But his position was lower than the Hokage''s, and neither of the two Hokage Naruto had met so far would act in such a way. The Hyuga clan may have been the biggest in Konoha, but in the grand scheme of things, they weren''t that important. Still, Naruto had nothing to gain by pointing this out to the man, so he went ahead and sat down in front of him. Hiashi waited for almost three minutes after Naruto sat down before speaking again. This was a common tactic to make the other person nervous and overthink things. But that wasn''t going to do much against someone used to spending whole years sitting in silence. Also, Naruto never perceived Hiashi, or the rest of his clan, as an important threat. "I thought I made it very clear that I didn''t want you approaching my daughter," Hiashi finally said. Naruto looked directly into the man''s clear, angry white eyes. "I thought I made it very clear that I didn''t care what you wanted." "What?!" Hiashi shouted. ''Oh... oops, I shouldn''t have said it like that. Now he''s really angry,'' Naruto thought. "What did you say?!" Hiashi was well past angry at this point. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 133: The Proposal Chapter 133: The Proposal Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author''s notes- Chapter 133: The Proposal "Now... calm down, Sir," Naruto said. The other man appeared ready to flip the table. "This is really inappropriate behavior for someone of your status." "Don''t talk to me about inappropriate behavior, you brat!" Hiashi shouted. "What is this really about? You''ve been against me being close to your family before I showed any interest in Hinata. What''s is your issue with me?" Naruto wondered if this man had some problems with his parents and was now projecting those emotions on him. Or maybe it was something else. "You''re too dangerous! Of course, I don''t want you close to Hinata. She has enough worries already," Hiashi finally said. "Dangerous?... I don''t deny it. But can you be more specific?" He answered. Hiashi managed to calm down a bit. "You know what you are..." "Oh..." Naruto realized. "Are you talking about the demon fox sealed inside me? Is that what you''re worried about? Don''t tell me you''re like those civilians who believe I''m some sort of reincarnation of the demon." "Don''t be ridiculous!" Hiashi snapped. "I''m not an ignorant fool. But that doesn''t make you any less dangerous to be around. You could lose control..." "I have it under perfect control," Naruto said. "You went berserk during the second test of the Chunin exam," Hiashi pointed out. "I meant now..." Naruto added. "And you expect me to trust your word on that?..." Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "There are also going to be people who will go after you because of that...I don''t want my family involved in that." ''That already happened,'' Naruto thought. "The only reason I even considered talking to you in person is because my nephew Neji speaks very highly of you since your match. I thought that I could perhaps reason with you," Hiashi said. Hanabi''s face turned as red as a tomato. "Greetings, Mister Uzumaki. Welcome to the Hyuga household. Please feel at home." She gave him a polite bow. Naruto nodded. "I will, thank you." He then turned to Hiashi. "I believe we were about to reach an agreement," he told the Clan Lord. Hiashi glared at him. "I''m still not convinced that you would be a good influence on her." Or on his other daughter, for that matter. He''d been in the room for only a few minutes, and both his daughters were acting out of character. "What if I told you I can turn Hinata into a confident and powerful clan leader?" Naruto knew the girl had immense potential, which was being wasted due to her lack of self-confidence. "What?!" Hinata exclaimed. "What are you saying?" Hiashi asked. "Leave her with me for one month, and she''ll be able to even compete with Neji," Naruto offered. He had some free time now that his team wasn''t taking missions. As long as it didn''t affect his cultivation speed, he didn''t mind spending some time with this girl. It could prove useful for his future. "What do you mean, ''leave her with you''?!" Hiashi was about to flip the table, while Hinata was doing her best to stay conscious. "I meant to train with her for a month, of course," Naruto said. "What did you think I meant?" "Never mind that!" Hiashi huffed. "What is a month going to accomplish?" He had tried for years to toughen her up, but the girl was too kind in nature. "And to compete with Neji...?" "I''ll do it!" Hinata said, excitement filling her voice. Her father and the rest were shocked that she would agree so quickly to a rematch with Neji after what happened last time. But the only thing in Hinata''s head was that she could spend an entire month alone with Naruto. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 134: The Deserter Chapter 134: The Deserter Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 134: The Deserter "Well, I did enjoy it..." Hinata said. "What''s not to like?" Naruto asked, grinning. "It''s not about the flavor! I can''t believe you took Lady Hinata to eat ramen." The female attendant, Asami, looked at Naruto with clear disappointment. It had taken some convincing, but Hiashi eventually allowed his daughter to go out with Naruto. However, he insisted that her attendant come along. "Asami, that''s enough. You know I don''t like being treated differently because of my family," Hinata said softly. "I know, but..." Asami glanced at Naruto disapprovingly. "At least take her to a proper restaurant next time." Naruto wanted to argue that Ichiraku Ramen was a restaurant but decided against it. "Next time..." Hinata murmured to herself. "Next time..." They were walking near the main road that led to the South Gate of the village when Naruto spotted something unusual near one of the wooden benches by the path. It was already dark, and the few lamps in the area barely illuminated the way. This part of the village was far from the commercial district, and only a few houses were nearby. "There''s someone there," Naruto said, his eyes narrowing at the shadowy figure on the bench. Asami''s demeanor changed instantly. Her Byakugan activated. "Stay here, Lady Hinata." She vanished from the spot. "Did someone get hurt?" Hinata asked in concern, her own Byakugan activating. She gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh no!" "What is it?" Naruto asked, turning to her. "It''s Sakura!" Hinata exclaimed, running toward the bench, with Naruto quickly following. Asami was already checking Sakura''s vitals when they arrived. "She''s fine. Someone knocked her out with a blow to the head, but there are no serious injuries. Just a few bruises." "Yes, we need to inform the Hokage immediately," Asami added. Sakura looked at her attendant with fear in her eyes. "I''m sure Lady Tsunade will show him mercy if we can retrieve him quickly," Asami tried to reassure her. "I''ll go inform the Hokage. You take Sakura to the hospital," Naruto said, already determined. "Let me go with you," Hinata said. "If there''s anything I can do to help..." <><><><><><><> Tsunade''s Office "Damn it! Why did it have to be now?!" Tsunade nearly smashed the table in frustration. "Please, calm down..." Shizune pleaded. "Do we have any Jonin available?" Tsunade asked her assistant. "Most of them are on missions, and we can''t dispatch any more without leaving ourselves vulnerable," Shizune explained. Tsunade turned to Naruto. "Fine then... you handle this." "Pardon?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Lady Tsunade, you can''t put everything on Naruto''s shoulders. We still have some Chunin available for a team," Shizune said. "Right! Bring me that Nara boy I promoted. And a few of the other Genin," Tsunade demanded. "Are you sure? We have more experienced ninjas availa" "Just hurry! I want everyone here in ten minutes! There''s no time to waste!" Tsunade slammed the table, causing it to crack. "Y-Yes!" Shizune stammered, quickly running out of the office. Naruto leaned closer to Hinata. "I bet that table breaks before sundown." Hinata blushed and smiled. "I-Is there something we can do, Lady Tsunade?" she asked, raising her hand. Tsunade looked at her with a raised brow. "No, you can only wait for the... wait a minute, were you two on a date tonight?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 135: The Sasuke Retrieval Mission is Ordered Chapter 135: The Sasuke Retrieval Mission is Ordered Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 135: The Sasuke Retrieval Mission is Ordered "Lady Tsunade, here''s a report from the 21st lookout." A masked ninja placed a stack of paperwork on her desk. Shikamaru stood in the corner of the room, glancing around curiously. He hadn''t been told what was happening, just summoned to the Hokage''s office in the middle of the night. Behind him, Naruto and Hinata sat quietly on a couch, waiting. Shikamaru wanted to ask what this was all about but knew it would be rude to speak before the Hokage. "I see... so that''s where they''re headed after all..." Tsunade muttered under her breath. The door opened, and Shizune entered, followed by several familiar Genin. "This better be important," Ino mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I shouldn''t have stayed up so late watching that show..." Kiba grumbled as he entered, even his dog Akamaru looking drowsy. Neji and Shino, by contrast, appeared composed as usual, though their impassive expressions likely masked their fatigue. "Lady Tsunade, these are the five Genin I managed to gather," Shizune reported. Tsunade glanced up and scanned the group. "You only brought four." "Eh?" Shizune looked confused. "If you''re looking for Choji, he''s asleep outside on one of the chairs," Ino pointed out, stifling a yawn. "Ah!" Shizune hurried out to wake him. Shikamaru frowned. "Are you saying that if capturing Sasuke isn''t an option... we should kill him?" "Wait, what?!" Hinata gasped. "Kill Sasuke?. " Ino nearly shouted in disbelief. "Is there no chance that he was kidnaped?." Neji asked. "There is little chance that he was taken against his will. And I''m sure it won''t come to that, but..." Tsunade glanced at Naruto before turning back to Shikamaru. "For this mission, Shikamaru will be in charge. He''s the only one with the rank of Chunin, so you''ll all follow his orders." "I haven''t been officially promot" Shikamaru began to protest, but Tsunade cut him off by tossing a Chunin vest into his face. "Consider yourself promoted. That''s your new uniform. Congratulations," Tsunade said matter-of-factly. Her gaze swept over the rest of the group. They were all still green for a mission of this caliber, but with Shikamaru''s tactical mind and Naruto and Neji''s strength, she believed they could handle it. "Remember, if they cross the border of the Fire Country, you''ll have to stop your pursuit and return. We can''t risk an international incident. If that were to happen, you can consider your mission as failed." Tsunade warned. "We won''t fail," Shikamaru said, determination in his voice. "Yes! We''ll bring that jerk back so he can at least apologize to Sakura," Ino added firmly. Naruto stood up. "I''m ready. Let''s go." Shikamaru glanced at him, noticing that Naruto wasn''t even wearing his headband. "At least put on your headband. This is an official mission." "Oh... right..." Naruto scratched his head, trying to remember where he had last left it. "Does anyone have a spare?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 136: Track him Down Chapter 136: Track him Down Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 136: Track him Down "Does anyone have a spare?... I can''t believe you said that in front of the Hokage," Ino huffed as they walked out of the village gates. "Well, I don''t always carry it around when I go out," Naruto said, scratching his head. "You should," Hinata said, adjusting her headband around her neck. "I always keep mine in my bag." "I don''t think it serves much purpose if you wear it on your neck, though..." Naruto pointed out. Hinata looked confused. "Why not? I think it looks nice..." "It totally does!" Ino chimed in. "I always wear mine around my waist, see?" She gestured at hers proudly. "Ah..." Naruto trailed off, unsure of what to say to that. How was this worse than forgetting about his headband?. "Can we focus for a moment?" Shikamaru cut in. "I''m trying to explain the general plan." "Right, we should listen to what Shika says. He''s the team leader," Choji agreed. "Feels weird having to listen to him... we''re the same age," Kiba muttered. "He has the highest rank, so of course we listen to him. Age is irrelevant," Neji stated firmly. He was, after all, a year older than most of them, but had no issues with this. Shikamaru pulled out a small map of the area. "This is a capture mission involving an unknown number of hostile ninjas. The report says at least four, but there could be more." He pointed to an area south of the village. "This is where the lookout tower is located. They were last seen moving southwest past here. Our first objective is to reach this tower as fast as possible." "And then what? Keep going in that direction and hope to get lucky?" Ino asked. Lee looked at her, saying nothing at first. Based on what he knew of Sasuke, it seemed clear that Sasuke had left of his own will, not as a captive. Unless they could physically restrain him, Sasuke likely wouldn''t come back. "I''m sure it''ll all go fine," he finally said, offering her a smile. <><><><><><><><><><><><> The sun was beginning to peek through the trees when Kiba suddenly shouted. "Wait! His scent has disappeared!" "You lost track of Sasuke?" Ino frowned, concerned. "But I can still smell the others. I can sense their scent all over this area," Kiba replied. "Wait!" Hinata called out. "Stop!" Neji added. The group halted immediately, perching on thick tree branches. "There''s a scroll stuck on that tree ahead," Hinata pointed. "There are scrolls all over the area," Neji added. "I recognize some as explosive tags, but I don''t know what the others do. They could be alarms." "Why would they put so many traps here? We haven''t seen any until now," Ino said. "Because they must have stopped..." Shikamaru mused. "They''re resting?" Choji asked. "I doubt they''re just resting. It''s been six hours since they left the village," Naruto replied. "We''re still in the Konoha forest. There''s no way they''d stop to rest now... unless they were forced to." "Whatever the case, we can''t waste this chance to catch up with them," Shikamaru decided. "We''ll move with extreme caution. Kiba, Neji, and Hinata, we''re relying on you three to locate them." "Right! Leave it to me; I''ll find those guys in no time," Kiba said confidently, flashing a grin. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 137: The Sound Four Chapter 137: The Sound Four Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 137: The Sound Four "I found them," Neji said. "So Kiba failed, then." Ino smirked. "Hey! I was just about to say the same," Kiba complained. "I found them too!" "Shhh! Keep it down," Shikamaru scolded. "Did you forget what we''re doing? The enemy is close by." "Right... sorry," Ino muttered, and Kiba grumbled in agreement. "How many are there?" Naruto asked. "Four... and Sasuke isn''t one of them," Neji replied. "Sasuke isn''t with them? Have we been following the wrong group this whole time?" Ino almost shouted but held back. "No. There are still faint traces of Sasuke''s scent around here," Kiba said. "He must''ve been here not too long ago." "They all look tired..." Neji observed. "They would be, after setting up all those traps," Choji commented. "Something tells me that''s not all they did... but we''ve only got one choice now," Shikamaru said. "Wait, I think I''ve found Sasuke!" Neji suddenly exclaimed. "Where?!" Ino asked. "One of them is carrying a large container on his back... it''s like a coffin," Neji explained. "There is someone inside." "Wait... did they kill him?" Shikamaru asked urgently. "No, he''s alive. The container is covered in protective seals, so it''s hard to see clearly, but he seems to be sleeping," Neji replied. "That sounds like some sort of ritual," Naruto noted, remembering past encounters with demonic sects that used similar methods. "Then we''ll have to ambush them and secure that container. Just give me a second to think," Shikamaru said. "Alright, here''s how we''re going to" "Careful!" Hinata shouted suddenly. "It''s okay, Jirobo, it''s only two of them. I''ll handle this," said the blue-haired ninja. "Tayuya, take Sasuke and go. Kidomaru, make sure no one follows her," he ordered. "Wait! Leave Sasuke here!" Ino tried to rush forward, but Naruto stopped her. "Don''t be so reckless... we don''t know what they''re capable of yet, if we turn our backs on them we could get killed. " Naruto told her. "Also... I just heard someone else in the trees." It was obvious that they had someone else hiding around. Someone had thrown a shuriken at Shikamaru when everyone should have been immobilized. Ino looked around, realizing the situation. "Let''s focus on freeing the others. Then we''ll go after the rest," Naruto said. "Right..." Ino nodded. Naruto noticed that the large man, Jirobo, had his hands rooted to the ground, maintaining the rock dome. "Looks like that jutsu has a major flaw," Naruto observed, glancing at Jirobo. "You can''t move without breaking it, can you?" "Like I''d let you touch him!" The blue-haired ninja blocked Naruto''s path. "Ino, you know what to do," Naruto called as he moved forward. Sakon, the blue-haired leader of the four, tensed when he saw Naruto''s Rasengan forming in his hand. Realizing the threat, he activated his cursed seal, black marks spreading across his skin as his power surged. Before Naruto could strike, Sakon pressed his hands to the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" A massive gate appeared in front of Naruto, absorbing his Rasengan as it shattered. "You can summon non-living objects?" Naruto asked, more intrigued than anything. "Got you!" Ino used her jutsu, aiming at Jirobo, who was maintaining the rock dome. Naruto glanced her way and saw she had climbed on top of the dome to get a clear shot. But it left her open for an attack. ''Did she forget what I just told her?'' Naruto thought, spotting a figure moving through the trees. Ino gasped as she realized the danger, but it was too late to dodge. Naruto appeared in front of her, blocking the attack. "What were you thinking...? Wait... there are two of them?" Naruto realized, stunned, that the attacker looked identical to the blue-haired ninja who had summoned the gate. "Hehe, now I''ve got you!" The blue-haired ninja grinned confidently, grabbing Naruto''s arm. "Ukon, wait!" Sakon called out, recognizing Naruto''s strength. "Don''t do it!" But his brother, Ukon had already begun merging with Naruto, his body transforming into a liquid and phasing into Naruto. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 138 : Get Out Chapter 138 : Get Out Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 138 : Get Out "What was that?!" Ino looked at him, completely alarmed. "Did someone just turn into a liquid and go inside you?" She had a hard time belivig what she just saw. "What a strange sensation..." Naruto felt the right side of his body becoming numb, his control beginning to slip. "Move away, Ino." "Huh?" She was right beside him, about to ask something, when he suddenly moved and threw a quick punch at her. "Wh-" She dodged and jumped off the rocky dome. "What are you doing?!" "I can''t control that side..." Naruto glanced at his right hand as it seemed to move with a mind of its own. His hand twitched in unnatural ways. "Haha! We''ve got you now," Sakon said while pointing at him. "It''s just part of your body now, but soon... my brother will take over completely and kill you from the inside. And there''s nothing you can do to stop it." There was a hint of worry beneath Sakon''s words but he tried to hide it the best he could. His brother had already made the move and now they had to fully commit to it. "I see..." Naruto said calmly, feeling his control slipping further as his right leg also began to go numb. "Interesting technique." "Naruto! Don''t just stand there. Do something!" Ino exclaimed. She would be freaking out if she was in his place. "You do seem oddly calm... I''ll give you props for that. Most would be begging for mercy by now," Sakon sneered. "Argh, damn it!" Jirobo complained. "They keep hitting the dome. There are too many of them inside. Sakon, hurry up and kill those two already!" Sakon frowned and glared at his companion. "If you can''t even contain a few genin, I''m afraid your mission report won''t look favorable. And you know what Lord Orochimaru thinks about failures." Jirobo''s face paled, and he went silent. "Now... let''s see," Sakon''s eyes returned to Naruto. "Wait!." He shouted when he saw Naruto pull out a kunai and aimed it at... "Naruto, stop!" Ino shouted, but she was too far away. A wave of discomfort washed over Naruto as the toxic, demonic chakra ate away at his flesh and muscles. The more chakra he summoned, the quicker it deteriorated his body. With three tails, it caused excruciating pain. Naruto, however, had developed a high tolerance for this kind of pain and could filter most of it. Ukon wasn''t so lucky; he was feeling it doubly. "Ahhhh!" he let out a bloodcurdling scream. "Come back here, now!" Sakon ordered his sibling. Under the intense agony, Ukon did his best to separate from Naruto, and thanks to years of practice, he managed to do so, even under such distress. Liquid appeared to pour out of Naruto''s body and flew toward Sakon, who felt his control over his right arm return immediately. Naruto then repressed the demon''s chakra, allowing his body to start healing the burns on his flesh without delay. Within seconds, he was ready to fight again. "Ugh... that hurt a lot..." Ukon''s head poked out from Sakon''s shoulder. "You should have listened to me! That guy''s a Jinchuriki," Sakon scolded his brother. "Ugh! He has two heads now... how creepy..." Ino grimaced before turning her attention back to her companion. "Naruto, you''re hurt!" She moved closer to check on him. "Wait, I have some healing ointment somewhere..." "There''s no need, Ino... see?" He held up his hand in front of her. His skin was already pink and healing fast. "I''m fine." He had only used three tails, so the damage wasn''t serious. With five tails, it would be a very different story. But looking at his opponents, it seemed unlikely it would come to that. They appeared weaker than Kabuto, at least. And he now had one more tool than before. "Ino, I''m going to keep those two entertained. Your job is to disable this rock dome and free everyone. But try to avoid using your unique jutsu for that...it leaves you too vulnerable." "Alright, leave it to me!" she said confidently. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 139: The First Fallen Chapter 139: The First Fallen Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 139: The First Fallen "Are you okay, brother?" Sakon asked. "Sakon... this guy''s dangerous." Ukon said with a grave tone. "I underestimated him." "I tried to warn you. I''m sure of it now... he''s the blonde Jinchuuriki that Master Orochimaru warned us about." "Then... if we kill him, Master will reward us," Ukon said. Sakon glanced at his brother...or at least the head poking out of his shoulder. He wanted to rebuke him for his recklessness, but they couldn''t just abandon Jirobo now. They had to buy some time. "Just don''t forget what our mission is," Sakon told his brother. As long as Sasuke made it past the border, they will succeed. "Yeah! Let''s go all out." Sakon and Ukon had already unleashed their cursed seal power, but only up to level one. There was still one more level they could use. Naruto watched with curiosity as their bodies began to transform. Their skin darkened, and horns grew from their foreheads, giving them a demonic appearance. "That''s an interesting ability. Or is that your true form?" Naruto asked, wondering if the two were from some demonic race he didn''t know about. "This is the power of the cursed seal that Master Orochimaru gifted us," Ukon said. "The cursed seal? So Sasuke can also transform like that?" Naruto wondered if Sasuke had a similar capability. "Sasuke is still a novice. He can barely manage level one," Sakon said. "Not that you''ll be around to see it. Sasuke belongs to our Master now. He''s never coming back to your village," Ukon added. "So that''s how it is..." Naruto wasn''t focused on their taunts...he was more intrigued by the seal itself. It reminded him a bit of how his own seal allowed him to channel the Kyuubi''s chakra through his body. But Naruto was avoiding all their attacks, despite being physically slower. It was as if he could predict where their next move would go. A kunai appeared in Naruto''s hand. ''I guess I can try that one...'' "Got you!" Ukon exclaimed when he saw what looked like a mistake...a brief moment of distraction as Naruto pulled the blade from his pouch. Sakon''s eyes widened. He had spotted the opening too, but his instincts warned him not to take it. "Ukon!" he tried to warn his brother. That sudden opening had to be a trap. "Ahhh!" A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air as an arm went flying. The kunai in Naruto''s hand was coated with a thick layer of wind chakra, extending its range and sharpness. Cutting through muscle and bone was effortless. "Brother!" It was Ukon who cried out. Sakon jumped back to create some distance, wasting no time as he wrapped a torn piece of cloth around his stump. "Damn it!" "Why?!" Ukon realized what had happened. His brother had saved him, intercepting a blade aimed at his head by sacrificing his own arm. "Oh... that''s too bad. I thought I''d got you with that one," Naruto taunted them. Sakon and Ukon glared at him, their eyes filled with hatred. "But at least I got the other one," Naruto pointed behind him. "Ahh!" Ino gasped as she saw it. "When did you do that?!" She was about to attack again, when she saw it. Jirobo was staring off into the distance with vacant eyes, his mouth hanging open. A kunai was buried in his skull. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 140: The Chase continues Chapter 140: The Chase continues Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 140: The Chase continues "Jirobo!" Ukon shouted. "I just threw another kunai when they moved away," Naruto said, as the rock dome exploded into a hundred pieces, and something flew out. "Ha! We did it, Akamaru!" Kiba exclaimed. As his jutsu ended, he and his ninja dog landed nearby. The other genins who had been trapped inside hurried out before the structure collapsed on them. Once outside, they assessed the situation. "Hmm... I don''t think it was your doing, Kiba," Shikamaru noted, observing the dead Jirobo before turning his gaze to the remaining enemy. "Where are the rest of them?" "They ran off with Sasuke. Only three of them stayed behind," Ino informed him. "Three?... I only see two," Chouji remarked. Neji narrowed his eyes as he observed. "There are two individuals inside that body... I''ve never heard of a jutsu that allows that." "Yeah, they can fuse with each other. One of them even tried to get inside Naruto but failed," Ino said. "Wait! Who killed that guy?!" Kiba exclaimed as he joined the group and noticed Jirobo''s corpse. "I did," Naruto replied, then turned to Shikamaru. "We need to follow the others before they get too far." "You''re not going anywhere!" Sakon shouted. Naruto pointed at Sakon and Ukon. "Let Neji and Hinata handle him. They specialize in close-range combat, and their Gentle Fist would be very effective." Neji stepped forward. "Leave it to me. I can handle this," he said, glancing at Shikamaru. Shikamaru had no reservations about Neji taking the lead, but he had doubts about Hinata. She looked hesitant. Over her few months as a genin, she had yet to face a truly dangerous opponent capable of killing her. "From what I''ve seen, that guy prefers to fight from a distance and use those strings to entangle his opponents. My fighting style, and Chouji''s, won''t match well against him. We need Kiba to keep tracking, and Naruto is likely the only one who can stop Sasuke. So..." "We''re the only ones left," Ino said, nodding. "I have no issues with this decision," Shino said calmly. "Good," Shikamaru glanced at Ino. "Remember, only use the Mind Transfer Jutsu if there''s a big enough opening." "I know!" she huffed. Naruto had already reminded her several times. "We''re getting close...the scent''s getting stronger!" Kiba said, and Akamaru barked in confirmation. "Careful!" Shikamaru shouted as a large arrow whizzed past them. "I see him," Shino said, unleashing a swarm of insects in the enemy''s direction. Ino pulled out a kunai, ready for combat. "We''re not stopping...push through!," Shikamaru ordered. Ahead, numerous ropes lay in their path, but Naruto sliced through them with his wind-enhanced kunai. "Tsk! Damn it," their enemy muttered in frustration, unable to stop all six of them. Especially now that Shino and Ino were closing in on him. <><><><><><><><><> Meanwhile, the group of four ninjas were so focused on tracking their next target that they failed to notice someone trailing them. Sakura leaped from one tree to the next, her breathing labored but her determination unwavering. "Sasuke... Sasuke," she repeated to herself. Lee had tried to stop her from leaving, but he was still too weak after his surgery to do anything about it. "I have to find Sasuke myself," Sakura kept reminding herself. She couldn''t leave it in Naruto''s hands. It wasn''t that she doubted her teammates'' abilities, but she didn''t believe Naruto cared as much about bringing Sasuke back. "I''m the only one who can convince him to return!" There was more than just determination in her eyes...there was a hint of desperation, maybe even madness. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 141: The Last Obstacle Chapter 141: The Last Obstacle Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 141: The Last Obstacle A sweet melody began to invade their ears all of a sudden. Naruto started feeling disoriented, nearly losing his balance as he leaped over a large tree branch. "Genjutsu," he realized, but he quickly dispelled it thanks to his mastery over his Inner Palace, located in the deepest parts of his consciousness. If anyone tried to affect his senses, he could tap into his full power to fight back against the mental attack. In seconds, he regained control. Shikamaru also shook off the Genjutsu and immediately assisted his teammates. "Ahhh!" Kiba yelped in pain as Akamaru bit him. The Inuzuka clan had their own unique way of breaking free from Genjutsu. "The enemy is up there, on those branches!" Kiba shouted, regaining his senses and locating the last member of the Sound Four. Or so they thought. "Where is Sasuke?" Shikamaru spotted the female ninja standing on a branch, flute in hand, but the large urn she''d been carrying was nowhere in sight. "They either had another member pick it up, or..." Naruto trailed off. "Or Sasuke is no longer inside," Shikamaru concluded. "You''ll never find him!" the female ninja sneered, biting her finger. "Summoning Jutsu!" Three giant humanoid creatures materialized beside her. "Damn, what are those things? They don''t smell like anything..." Kiba muttered. "Kiba, focus on your task. Can you pick up any trace of Sasuke? Or any new scents nearby? We could be dealing with someone we haven''t encountered yet," Shikamaru said. "Hold on..." Kiba and Akamaru began sniffing the air. No doubt about it. These were the shattered pieces of the container that had held Sasuke, this would explain why Kiba could suddenly pick up Sasuke''s scent. "Can you still track Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "Yes, he''s just ahead, not far," Kiba confirmed. They stopped a safe distance from the unknown individual. "My name is Kimimaro. I''m afraid I have to stop you from going any further," Kimimaro said, looking directly at Naruto. "Kiba... keep going," Naruto ordered, his gaze locked on Kimimaro. "But... Shikamaru said you''re the one who has to confront Sasuke," Kiba protested. He didn''t want to admit it, but he knew he stood little chance against the Uchiha genius. What he didn''t realize was that he had even less chance against the enemy before them. "This one is too dangerous..." Naruto muttered as he activated one of the Nine-Tails'' chakra tails for precaution. Every instinct told him to be wary of this person. "Naruto...?" Kiba was surprised to see Naruto reacting so cautiously. Akamaru growled, trembling as he stared at Kimimaro. "Akamaru..." Kiba murmured, recalling that his dog hadn''t reacted like this since they''d first encountered Gaara. "Is this guy really that dangerous?" "Go find Sasuke. But when you do, don''t confront him directly. Just try to buy some time. I''ll catch up as soon as I can," Naruto instructed, glancing at Kiba. Kiba opened his mouth to argue, but Naruto interrupted. "I said, go!" A second tail of chakra formed behind Naruto, pushing Kiba back with its sheer force. Kiba nodded and took off, leaving Naruto behind. As Naruto suspected, Kimimaro didn''t so much as flinch or try to stop Kiba. His focus remained solely on Naruto. "He has no chance of stopping Mister Sasuke. Even less now, in his current state. That boy with the dog is more likely to die than anything else," Kimimaro said calmly, his gaze fixed on Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto... I was ordered to stop you if you showed up. Those are my master''s commands." "Well... you''re welcome to try," Naruto replied, his eyes glowing bright orange as a third chakra tail emerged behind him. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 142: The Unshaking Defense Chapter 142: The Unshaking Defense Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 142: The Unshaking Defense Naruto activated his movement technique and vanished from his spot. He appeared to Kimimaro''s left side and sent a powerful kick aimed at his head. "Oh?" Kimimaro murmured, as bones extended from his shoulder, blocking the strike. He had not known anything about Naruto''s fighting style of his choice. But it would be good for him if it was close-range combat. That was also his preferred style. Naruto''s kick should have been strong enough to bend steel, but the bones barely suffered a few fractures. He took a step back and tried again, this time aiming a punch at Kimimaro''s stomach. But as six sharp bones shot up to intercept his fist, Naruto withdrew just in time to avoid having his hand pierced. "What a bizarre ability... What''s with all those bones?" Naruto wondered if this was some kind of jutsu he hadn''t seen before. Not only they were coming out instantly, but they must also be enormously fortified in order to withstand his attacks. Kimimaro met his gaze with calm indifference. "This is my bloodline limit. My clan can transform our bones at will and reinforce them to be harder than steel." "How convenient..." Naruto thought, realizing that attacking close-range was a poor strategy unless he used enough force to break through those defenses. He moved again, this time positioning himself safely behind Kimimaro. "Fire Release... Great Fireball!" "You''re a thorn in my Master''s side, and if I thought I could end you, I would." "Are you sick?" Naruto asked. "Even if I stayed in bed, I wouldn''t have lasted another month. This way, I can at least be of use one last time." As Kimimaro spoke, another shield of bone formed on his other arm. "I''ll keep you here for as long as I can. I won''t allow this mission to fail." "You''re confident you can withstand anything I throw at you, huh?" Naruto said. "I am!" Kimimaro replied, his determination evident. Until his last breath, he would not leave this place and he would not allow Naruto to leave either. This was his goal from the beginning. "Since you''re so eager to be useful, I''ll use you to test something. I was only given this technique three days ago, so forgive me if I''m a little rough with it." Naruto said, as the chakra within him began to stir. To convince Maito Guy of his sincerity, Naruto shared a partial truth about himself. If he had lied and claimed his knowledge came from some legacy left by his parents, it would have backfired, as Kakashi was close to them and would have known if they''d had techniques like the ones Naruto possessed. Reincarnation was not a foreign concept in this world, it seemed, and with few other explanations, Guy had mostly believed him and sworn to keep his secret. Of course, the man believed Naruto was simply a reincarnation of an older inhabitant of this world. He could never guess the full truth, and it was better that way. The complete truth must never come to light, for his own sake. But he had to admit...the technique had been worth revealing that sliver of information. "First Gate... Open!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 143: The Absolute Offense Chapter 143: The Absolute Offense Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 143: The Absolute Offense Naruto felt a rush of energy as the first gate burst open. But he wasn''t going to stop there. "Second... Gate of Healing, open!" His muscles tensed and trembled. Opening even a few of the Eight Gates placed tremendous pressure on a person''s body, inside and out. And Naruto was doing it while channeling the Kyuubi''s chakra, amplified by three tails'' worth of energy. This combination accelerated the speed of the poison coursing through his chakra veins. If not for his enhanced regeneration and the protective Blue Jade Turtle Shell technique, his body would never have endured it. "Third... Gate of Life... open!" Kimimaro''s eyes widened. "Are you insane?! You''re doing this with bijuu chakra?" He was somewhat knowledgeable about the technique that Naruto was using. His Master had a lot of notes about Konoha''s most well-known jutsus and the most dangerous ones. This one was one of them. But Kimimaro also knew how damaging this was for the user''s body, as it forces large amounts of chakra to course through the system, a lot more than the body can take without suffering serious damage. And Naruto was doing this while the demon''s chakra was also in his system, making things much worse for him. The baleful orange chakra swirled around Naruto''s body like a raging torrent. "Fourth... Gate of Pain... open!" Naruto''s eyes turned completely red, his pupils vanishing. He let out a roar as his chakra surged even further. Kimimaro observed, wondering if Naruto had lost his sanity...or if the demon fox had taken over. But regardless, he had to prepare to survive the next attack. He activated the second level of his cursed seal, his body morphing into its completely transformed state and increasing his power several times over. Naruto could feel his body breaking down. He knew he had time for only one attack before he would have to close the gates. "M-Master Orochimaru..." Kimimaro whispered, the sharp bones on his forearm moving toward Naruto''s head. But Naruto remained still, as he already knew that it was over. "I-I''m... sorry..." Kimimaro murmured, his last breath fading away as he remained in an attacking position that would never reach his target. "You survived an attack equivalent to a Peak Core Formation cultivator by burying yourself underground. Even the elders from my first sect would have trembled under that attack." Naruto looked at Kimimaro''s standing form, knowing he was already gone. "Kimimaro... I won''t forget your name." Naruto glanced at his right arm, now completely charred. "That''s going to be useless for a while," he muttered, fashioning an improvised sling for his arm from torn clothing. At least the rest of his body wasn''t too damaged. His muscles were recovering quickly, and no bones were broken. "I should get going. I doubt Kiba will last long if he''s trying to fight Sasuke." He had told Kiba to avoid direct combat, but he knew the Inuzuka''s temper was unlikely to allow him to heed that advice. The fight with Kimimaro had lasted less than five minutes in total, but it was best to hurry. Ignoring the complaints of his body, Naruto resumed running in the direction Kiba had gone. Soon, he spotted towering structures in the distance. ''If I remember correctly, that''s the Valley of the End, where the First Hokage fought Madara. That valley also serves as a natural border.'' If Sasuke had crossed to the other side, he wouldn''t be able to continue the pursuit. As he neared the statue of Hashirama, he saw a figure in black standing atop it. "Sasuke..." Naruto began to look for Kiba but quickly found him nearby, lying on the ground. Kiba was curled up in a fetal position, blood pooling around him. "Naruto..." Sasuke turned, his eyes cold. "You''re late." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 144 : The Rematch: Sasuke Vs Naruto Chapter 144 : The Rematch: Sasuke Vs Naruto Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 144 : The Rematch: Sasuke Vs Naruto "If I''m late, then why are you still here?" Naruto ignored his teammate for a moment and glanced over Kiba''s body. There was still some movement, so he was alive. But with all that blood loss, he was going to need urgent medical attention to survive. "That was a bit excessive, don''t you think?" Naruto added. Kiba had obviously disregarded his advice and engaged in direct combat with Sasuke. The numerous marks on the ground indicated that Kiba had been using his signature jutsu. But he was sure that Sasuke could have defeated the dog boy without causing so much damage and put him on death''s door. Sasuke grinned. "I needed someone to test my new power with. And you were taking too long. So I used him." "You were waiting for me? " Naruto wondered if his teammate was now suffering from memory loss and had forgotten the duel they had earlier this week. Sasuke must have guessed what he was thinking because he grew angrier. "It won''t go like that again!" As he shouted this, his curse seal activated. The restriction placed by Kakashi had been removed, so Sasuke had no issues using the curse seal this time. Black lines spread from the seal and covered his left side, indicating that he had successfully activated the first level. Sasuke grinned widely as he felt the incredible rush of power. "Fight me, Naruto!" ''What a troublesome teammate I got...'' Naruto lamented his bad luck, why couldn''t he have gotten someone like the lazy guy or the one who is always eating?. Sasuke''s legs trembled as he clutched his injured area, glaring at Naruto with rage-filled eyes. His teammates always seemed to find a way to humiliate him further. After recovering for a few seconds, Sasuke attacked again, this time with ninjutsu. Realizing Naruto was still too dangerous at close range, he opted for a distant attack. "Fire Release...Phoenix Sage!" A large ball of flames exploded into smaller projectiles that flew directly at Naruto. Naruto detected that hidden inside the small balls of fire were shurikens. Using his left hand, Naruto quickly performed five hand signs. "Wind Release...Great Breakthrough." A powerful gust of wind pushed all the projectiles away and extinguished the flames. On top of that, it also pushed Sasuke back with such force that he nearly fell off the rocky cliff. Frustrated by his lack of success, Sasuke decided to finally get fully serious. He was about to fully utilize his cursed seal when he heard someone shouting at them. Naruto thought it must be Shikamaru or one of the other genins who had finished their business. But it turned out to be someone unexpected. "Stop!" Sakura jumped in between them. She was completely exhausted after running at full speed for hours, but she had managed to catch up to them. "Stop this fight!" she shouted. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 145: An Unfortunate Result Chapter 145: An Unfortunate Result Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 145: An Unfortunate Result "Sakura? What are you doing here?" Sasuke was honestly surprised to see her here already. He was sure he had knocked her out properly last night. "It''s obvious that she came for you, isn''t it?" Naruto said. Sakura looked at Sasuke and gasped when she noticed the marks on his body. "You''re using that seal... why? Kakashi Sensei said it was extremely harmful to you." "You can''t tell me what to do. Neither can Kakashi. I no longer belong to Konoha!. " Sasuke clenched his fists. "I''d be a fool to reject this power... no matter where it came from." "Come on, Sasuke. Just come back to the village with us. We can fix this," Sakura said, trying to sound hopeful. "Back to village? And why would I do that? Orochimaru will give me what everyone there denied me!." Sasuke shouted. "Sasuke, please! I''m sure the Hokage will forgive you for leaving. I''ll go with you, and we can talk to Lady Tsunade together. She''ll understand...we''ll make her understand that this was just a mistake. And then... we can go back to being a team, like before... remember? Team Se" "SHUT UP ALREADY!" Sasuke screamed at the top of his lungs, a baleful purple chakra beginning to surround him. "That''s only what YOU want... you selfish bitch." "S-Sasuke?..." Sakura took several steps back, her fear of him now evident. "I just... I just want to make you happy..." she said softly. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "Happy?, don''t make me laugh. The only thing I want..." Sasuke''s body began to change. "...is power." He activated the second level of the cursed seal. "W-What is happening to him?!" Sakura became startled. "It''s the cursed seal. There''s another level that can be activated. It has the side effect of transforming the body," Naruto recalled, thinking of Sakon and Ukon, who had looked like demons after changing. Though this one looked very different. Sasuke''s skin became dark brown, his hair turned blue, and two large, flesh-like protrusions appeared on his back, giving him a very inhuman look. "This is it!" Sasuke exclaimed, ecstatic with the sudden increase in his chakra. His muscles tensed up and he felt invincible at this moment. His eyes moved to Naruto. "Is this how you felt when you used that demon fox chakra? Now I understand...this is so incredible!." This moment of pure bliss didn''t last long when his view was obscured by a lock of pink hair. "What?!" It took a moment for his mind to process what his eyes were seeing. "Foolish girl..." Naruto''s Rasengan had stopped mere inches from Sakura''s back. He had enough control to stop himself, but his opponent could not. Sasuke didn''t notice that Sakura had jumped between them until it was over. As he looked at his own right hand, he saw it was completely buried in Sakura''s chest. Blood was running down his arm and dripping from above. "Sakura?!... What did... what did you do?!" Sasuke screamed. Why was she there? Her eyes were still open, looking directly at Sasuke, while blood continued to spill from her mouth. She tried to speak, but words did not come out...instead, she could only make guttural noises. "Sakura..." Sasuke''s eyes showed only shock. She made more noises, trying to say something to him. When she realized it was impossible, she lifted her hand with difficulty and placed it on his cheek. Sasuke''s transformation ended. He couldn''t maintain it with his mind in complete turmoil. He looked down again at his bloody arm. "No...this is not what I..." He pushed himself off her. As soon as he removed his arm, Sakura collapsed to the ground. Her body twitched a few more times, then went still. Naruto allowed the Rasengan to fizzle out as he watched the scene. The fight was over. Sasuke just stood there, staring at what he had done without saying a word. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 146: Mission Failed Chapter 146: Mission Failed Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 146: Mission Failed The distant sounds of people approaching broke the silence. Sasuke snapped back to reality and moved closer to the cliff, but he was still in shock. Naruto noticed but didn''t try to stop him. Sasuke had lost his will to fight. Without saying a word, Sasuke jumped onto the head of the First Hokage''s statue, and then leaped across the valley to the other side. Naruto looked down at Sakura for a moment. There was nothing he could do for her... she was gone. "Well, you did succeed in stopping the fight," he said quietly. "Not sure it was worth your life, though." This was not the outcome he wanted. The sounds grew louder as people neared. Three figures came into view, they were two men and a young woman. Naruto didn''t recognize the men, but their attire indicated they were medics. He did however recognize the woman....it was the Hokage''s asistant, Shizune. "Naruto!" she called out to him immediately. He pointed to Kiba. "Take care of him first. I don''t think he''ll last long otherwise." The two medics hurried to Kiba''s side and began assessing his condition. "What about you, and...?" Shizune''s breath caught when she saw Sakura. "Oh no!, is that?..." "It''s too late for her," Naruto said. Despite this, Shizune moved quickly to Sakura''s side, but it didn''t take long for her to realize that Naruto was right. There was nothing she could do for anyone. "What happened here?" Shizune demanded to know. They had just missed seeing Sasuke for a few seconds. "It''d be better if I saved the full explanation for when the Hokage is present," Naruto replied. He didn''t want to repeat himself. Naruto listened quietly as Shikamaru gave his report. He learned that the two captured enemies were a Genjutsu user named Tayuya and another who resembled a spider, apparently named Kidomaru. He also discovered that Rock Lee had been found by Shizune''s team. He''d been pursuing Sakura but collapsed halfway through the forest. His body had barely recovered from surgery, so it was already impressive he''d made it that far. By the time Naruto left the office, it was nearly midday, and he''d been on the move since the previous night. When he finally reached his apartment, he took a long shower and collapsed onto his bed. By then, all his wounds were completely healed. All he needed now was rest. Today, he had pushed his young body to its limits. The moment he placed his head on the soft pillow, his eyes closed. <><><><><><><><><> A loud knock on the door woke him. Naruto groaned and opened his eyes. "What time is it?..." he murmured, still a bit disoriented. Meaning that he must have slept for a while. "It''s almost midday. You''ve been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours." Naruto looked to the foot of his bed, where a man was standing, watching him. "What''s the point of knocking if you''re just going to sneak inside?" "For courtesy?" Kakashi''s expression was unreadable behind his face mask. Naruto sighed. "Is there something specific you need? I assume Tsunade gave you the full report. You must know everything that happened..." "I''m not here to ask you any questions. I already have a pretty good idea of what happened..." Kakashi moved to the desk near Naruto''s bed. "I just came to check on my student. And..." He lifted several packs of ramen, holding them out to Naruto. "I thought we could eat. You must be hungry, at the very least." Naruto''s stomach growled, confirming Kakashi''s assumption. He hadn''t eaten in over a day. "I suppose I am." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 147: The Official Proceedings Chapter 147: The Official Proceedings Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 147: The Official Proceedings Sakura''s funeral was held that same afternoon. She was buried in the ninja section of the village cemetery. Nothing elaborate, it was just a simple stone plaque with a few words inscribed on it. Naruto had been told that her name would later be engraved on the Memorial Stone that commemorates all ninjas who fell in the line of duty, even though Sakura hadn''t been on an official mission when she died. After they ate, Kakashi brought Naruto here. The Hokage was present, along with most of Sakura''s former classmates, except for Kiba and Chouji, who were still under medical care. For the first time, Naruto saw Sakura''s parents. Their demeanor and posture suggested they weren''t ordinary civilians, so they must have had some formal training at some point in their lives. Her father ignored Naruto entirely, while her mother threw him a few harsh glances. After the ceremony, her parents spoke briefly with Kakashi before returning to stand by their daughter''s grave while they pretended that Naruto didn''t exist. "You think they blame me? Judging by the looks they were giving me," Naruto commented. "Don''t mind them," Kakashi replied. "Her parents never particularly liked you in the first place. If they blamed you for her death, they would have been very vocal about it, trust me." Naruto couldn''t remember ever meeting them before, so their dislike of him was likely based on the same reasons as the rest of the civilians, so as Kakashi suggested, he paid them no mind. He wasn''t sure how many details they''d been given about Sakura''s death. Naruto had given the Hokage a full recount of his encounter with Sasuke. But he''d left out the moment when, as Sakura stepped between him and Sasuke, he could have pushed her aside to save her life...though he''d have been struck by Sasuke''s jutsu and might not have survived. But then her smile faded as her mind returned to the reality of the situation. "I should get going..." After the girl left the cemetery, Naruto stayed beside Kakashi, receiving condolences from several others. They were expected to receive them as her parents would. For a ninja, teammates were almost like family. Losing one was like losing a sibling. "I''m so sorry!" Rock Lee stood before them, looking remorseful. "I should have stopped her. I tried to..." Naruto noticed that Lee was no longer using his cane, and he seemed to be in much better condition, though he still favored one leg. "There''s no need for that, Lee," Kakashi told him. "Sakura was a ninja just like you, and she made her choice to join the mission, knowing the risks. You weren''t her caretaker." "I know... Gai-sensei said something like that, but..." Lee glanced at Naruto. Naruto shrugged. "No one blames you, Lee." He was tired of people apologizing for Sakura''s death. No one had even mentioned blaming Sasuke, though he was the one who had driven a fatal jutsu through her chest. "I think I''ll be taking my leave too," Naruto said. He wanted to get away before he ended up saying something he''d regret. No one tried to stop him as he left the cemetery. He wandered around the village, thinking about some of the words the Hokage had shared with him. Tsunade had informed him that Sasuke''s name was now in the Bingo Book as a B-rank missing ninja, though his bounty was marked as "Alive Only." This seemed like a soft punishment for a ninja who had abandoned the village and killed a teammate, but the ninja council had likely forced Tsunade''s hand. Sasuke was the last Uchiha, and they weren''t willing to lose him just yet. ''Huh?...'' Naruto stopped in the middle of an empty street. He had heard someone moving behind him. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 148: Rising the Spirits Chapter 148: Rising the Spirits Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 148: Rising the Spirits Naruto pretended not to notice and kept walking through the village until he arrived at the training field his team always used. Only then did he stop and look around. "Okay, Hinata, you can come out," he called aloud. A few seconds later, someone jumped down from one of the trees onto the field where Naruto was waiting. "How did you know? I was careful not to get too close," Hinata said as her eyes returned to normal. She''d been using the Byakugan to keep track of him. "You did better, but on an empty street, it''s not hard to notice even the smallest sounds. Plus, the wind was blowing west, so I caught your scent," Naruto replied. "M-My scent?!" Hinata''s cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. "It''s not an unpleasant one," he added with a small smile. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?" She was a bit hesitant to answer. "No... well... I just wanted to see how you were doing. I didn''t want to approach you at the funeral, in front of everyone..." "I''m fine." Naruto was getting tired of the same question. Hopefully, this would be the last time. "If there''s anything I can do for you... you can ju" "Actually, there is something." Naruto stretched his limbs. "My body''s feeling a bit stiff, I could use some exercise." "Stiff... exercise..." Hinata''s face turned as red as a tomato. "I-I don''t know if I''m ready for this... I mean, here?" She looked around, taking in the empty field of grass, rocks, and trees. "What are you talking about? This is the perfect spot for a sparring match." Naruto couldn''t help but notice her tendency to let her mind wander in that direction. Naruto stepped close to her, lifting her chin with his fingers. "Look at me." Hinata raised her head slowly, tears brimming in her eyes. "Hinata, you are weak," he said flatly. She gasped, devastated. That was the last thing she''d wanted to hear from him. "Why?" The tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Because... only when we admit we''re weak can we grow stronger. Those who believe they''ve reached the top of the mountain will never try to climb higher." "Ah..." Hinata finally understood his meaning. "Can I really become stronger?" she asked. He cupped her cheek gently. "Stay by my side, and not only will you become stronger... I''ll make you the strongest." He leaned in and softly pressed his lips to hers. Hinata''s eyes widened, but she didn''t pull away. The kiss was brief, and then he pulled back and turned around. "N-Naruto?" She felt as if she might pass out from the shock, but her mind was racing too much for her to lose consciousness. He glanced back at her. "It all begins today, Hinata. Now, we train." She would help him on his journey to Godhood, and in return, Naruto decided he would turn this shy girl into a true warrior...one who could instill fear in her enemies'' hearts. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 149: The Results of the Training Chapter 149: The Results of the Training Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. Dialogue ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 149: The Results of the Training Three weeks later, Hyuga Compound "What have you been doing all this time?!" Lord Hiashi was not amused upon their return. "Training, remember? We had a deal that I would train her for a month. It''s only been three weeks, and you sent her to bring us back." Naruto pointed at the Hyuga attendant standing beside Hiashi. In truth, Naruto had planned to return around this time anyway. Jiraiya was expected to arrive soon, which meant Naruto could finally leave the village for a while. So, when Asami, Hinata''s personal attendant, arrived and informed them that her father wanted to see them, Naruto wasn''t particularly bothered. "I haven''t forgotten that," Hiashi replied, "but you took her to the Forest of Death...for two weeks!" he said with evident anger in his voice. The Hyuga Lord would never admit it, but he''d been worried sick about his daughter''s safety in that forest, even though he made sure that someone was always watching over her. "So? It was the best place to go. After all, we weren''t allowed to leave the village," Naruto explained. Initially, he''d planned on taking Hinata outside to do some hunting or even attack a few bandit camps. However, he hadn''t been allowed to take one step beyond the village walls. Naruto found himself in a difficult position. His team had been dissolved after Sakura''s death, and Kakashi had resigned from his position as Jonin Sensei. Team Seven was no longer active, leaving Naruto as a genin without a team. On top of that, he was the Jinchuuriki, and a dangerous group of criminals was out to capture him. Without substantial protection, he wasn''t allowed outside the village, at least not until Jiraiya returned and officially took him as a disciple, or until he reached Chuunin rank. Because of this, he''d chosen the Forest of Death as their training location. He needed a place where he could experience real combat, and the forest was filled with dangerous creatures. If he declared Hanabi as the heir, the elders would likely push to place the cursed seal on Hinata. But he wouldn''t permit it. ''I''ll fight them if I have to... I just want my daughter to be happy. If the ninja life isn''t for her, then we''ll find another path,'' Hiashi resolved. But he didn''t want to jump to conclusions. Seeing Hinata''s confident posture and demeanor sparked a glimmer of hope in the Hyuga Lord. It was as if all her previous doubts had been washed away. Hiashi glanced at Naruto, who was calmly seated on a cushion, sipping tea. "Why is she there?..." His eyes moved to the person next to Naruto. "Are we ready to begin, my lord?" A clan member, acting as the referee, approached Hiashi. Pushing his concerns aside, Hiashi addressed the man. "Yes, ehm...go ahead." "Very well..." The referee looked over at Neji and Hinata, who had already taken their positions. Neji eyed Hinata with curiosity. Much like Hiashi, he''d immediately noticed there was something different about her. And he wasn''t the only one. "What did you do to my sister? She seems... different," Hanabi asked, seated next to Naruto. "You''ll see soon enough. Now, pour me more tea, Firecracker," Naruto said, moving his cup closer to her. The young girl furrowed her eyebrows. "You idiot! My name is Hanabi, not Firecracker!" "Is that the way to address me?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Ugh... you''re insufferable," Hanabi grumbled, though she still poured him tea. The referee then explained the rules of the duel: the participants were restricted to using only Hyuga clan techniques, and no outside jutsu was permitted. Other than that, he didn''t put in place any restrictions. After all, he knew that his Lord would want to push his daughter to her current limits. With a gesture, the referee announced, "This duel can... begin!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 150: No Fear Chapter 150: No Fear Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 150: No Fear "Byakugan!" Hinata activated her doujutsu and began to move. Neji got ready, surprised to see Hinata take the initiative and attack first. He quickly noticed that her movements felt far more fluid compared to her usual, more rigid style. "Hakke!" Hinata used both hands to strike at Neji''s chest, aiming to block some important chakra points right from the start. "Byakugan!" Neji decided to get serious. Despite her improved fluidity, Hinata''s speed was still similar to before and well below Neji''s capabilities, so he had no trouble blocking her attacks. He finally decided to counter and began his own offensive. The two of them exchanged several more blows under the watchful eyes of other clan members. At first glance, this didn''t look very distinguishable from their previous duels, with Neji clearly in control the whole time. "I thought she was somewhat different, but...she''s still the same," Hanabi said, disappointed. She had actually hoped her sister would remain the family heir, as it was not a position she wanted. She only went along with it to avoid disappointing her father. "She is very different. You just haven''t noticed it yet...how careless," Naruto said, taking another sip of tea. "How am I careless?" Hanabi thought Naruto was messing with her again. "Are those eyes of yours completely useless? Look at her demeanor while fighting. Does she seem the same?" Hiashi and a few others overheard Naruto''s comment and turned their attention back to the duel. "Well..." Hanabi considered his words as she watched her sister fighting Neji. She tried to observe more carefully. "Hinata seems...more decisive in her moves. Is that it?" Naruto gave her a passing glance. "You''re on the right track, but there''s more to it. Let me ask you something...what''s the most detrimental thing for a warrior in a deadly situation?" "Huh?" Hanabi looked puzzled. "Something detrimental in a deadly situation? Like...breaking a leg?" "No, not that "Naruto pointed at his head. She tried to move, tried to scream, but nothing happened. Her eyes were open with horror but could not break away. "That''s enough!" her father''s voice cut through the illusion. "I was just giving her a small taste," Naruto shrugged. Hanabi gasped, disoriented, as the pain and vision faded, and she found herself back with everyone around her as if nothing had changed. She looked down, her kimono spotless and free of any blood. "What was that?" she exclaimed. "That was just a bit of my bloodlust," Naruto replied. "You used that on my daughter?!" Hiashi stood up and moved toward Naruto. "How dare you!" "It felt so real...I thought I was going to die..." Hanabi whispered, looking at Naruto in shock. "You did that to my sister?" Naruto nodded. "Over and over, and much stronger than what you felt. While she fought wild beasts at first, I also bombarded her with bloodlust. She had to overcome that to survive. That was her training." "That''s barbaric! We don''t train like that in Konoha!" the referee shouted. "The most detrimental thing for a warrior is freezing with fear in a deadly situation or showing hesitation because you don''t want to hurt your oponent. That will never happen to Hinata again," Naruto said, pointing at the duel. Hinata was still attacking Neji, each move aimed at his vital points with no signs of stopping. "She still needs to improve her actual strength, though." As Naruto spoke, Neji managed to land several hits on her chakra points, sealing her movement. "But she''ll improve faster now." He looked at Hiashi again. "Isn''t that what you wanted in your heir? A fearless leader? You have it now. She just needs some time to grow." "That''s..." Hiashi looked at Hinata. It was true that he''d wished for her to be less timid and fearful, but he wasn''t sure if this was what he had envisioned. After a few minutes, Neji finally managed to knock her out, finishing with a Thirty-Two Palms move. "W-winner...Hyuga Neji..." the referee declared. There was a moment of silence. Yes, Neji had won, but judging by his current state, no one could really say he was the victor. His clothes were torn, and he was covered in cuts and bruises. He had three bite marks on his body, and his right eye was injured from when Hinata nearly poked it with her fingers. "Was that really Hyuga Hinata? That shy girl?" one of the clan elders muttered. "She fought like a wild beast..." another spectator commented. "Take Neji to the healer..." Hiashi ordered. "I''ll take care of my daughter." He looked at Hinata with mixed emotions. Naruto stood up. "Well, my job here is done. I''ll leave her to you for further training. I probably won''t be back for a few months." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 151: Going on a Trip Chapter 151: Going on a Trip Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' Author notes Chapter 151: Going on a Trip "Did you miss me?" Jiraiya appeared in the doorway with his usual cheerful attitude. "I miss going outside," Naruto replied honestly. At the moment, unless he wanted to go rogue like Sasuke, this man was his only ticket out of the village. "I spoke with Tsunade, and she agreed to make you my official disciple!" Jiraiya declared. Naruto gave him a skeptical glare. "I know, I know. It''s just an official thing...I won''t be allowed to take you otherwise," Jiraiya explained. "That''s fine, I guess. When do we leave?" "As soon as you''re packed. But we should grab a bite first." Naruto nodded. "Ichiraku then." Jiraiya groaned. "Does it have to be there? I was craving some dango..." "I won''t be able to eat their ramen while we''re away. So..." Naruto gave Jiraiya a firm look. Naruto had never been picky about food, but there was something about ramen that soothed him, almost like it reached his soul. Of all the ramen he''d tried, Ichiraku''s had the strongest effect. "Fine..." Jiraiya sighed in defeat. "Ramen it is." <><><><><><><><><><> After finishing a plentiful meal and grabbing his bag for the trip, Naruto walked to the village gate, where he found Jiraiya scribbling on a small notepad, catching the curious gaze of a nearby guard. "Ready?" Jiraiya looked up from his notes. "All set." Naruto adjusted his new sword at his belt. "You got another one?" Jiraiya remembered Naruto breaking his previous sword while fighting Gamabunta. "Picked it up yesterday. It''s a little better than the last, but I still can''t afford the highest-quality ones," Naruto said. Especially now, after losing his position on Team Seven. The only money he had was from the reward for taking down Kabuto, but that wouldn''t last forever, so he had to settle for a cheaper sword. Still, he wasn''t disappointed, as it was enough for now. "Eh?... You will?" She hadn''t expected him to be this direct. "Of course." He leaned in and kissed her. "Mmm?!" Ino''s eyes widened as their lips met. "Oh!" Jiraiya grinned. "That''s my boy." The kiss lasted a few seconds but left Ino completely flustered. "In the future, I''d like for you to become my Dao Companion. Will you wait for me?" Naruto asked. Ino nodded several times, still dazed. "Sure..." "Excellent. I''ll see you soon, then." Naruto picked up his bag and turned to leave. Jiraiya gave her one last look before following him. Ino stood there for a moment, watching them disappear into the distance. "Are you okay?" The gate guard sounded concerned that she might be in shock. "Wait..." Ino finally snapped out of it. "What the heck is a Dao Companion?" <><><><><><><><><><> "Very smooth!" Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder. "You''re one step closer to becoming a real man now." Naruto decided to ignore the comment and ask something that had been on his mind. "Is there a plan for this trip? Or are we just wandering around for a few months?" "Oh no, we''ve got a mission to complete." "A mission?" Jiraiya nodded. "Of course. We still have to work, even outside the village. In fact, we''re on our way to meet the client now." "What kind of mission is it?" It had been a while since Naruto''s last mission. "We''re escorting a famous actress back to her country. The Land of Snow," Jiraiya said. "The Land of Snow, huh?... Wait, a famous actress? Tell me more." Jiraiya''s expression turned lewd. "She''s quite the beauty. Her name is Yukie Fujikaze." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 152: Reports Chapter 152: Reports Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 152: Reports Four Months Later, Hokage''s Office "What... is this?" Tsunade stared in disbelief at the towering stack of papers on her desk. "Those are the reports from the last four months of activity," Jiraiya replied. "I wrote them in extensive detail, so you d-" "Why are there so many?!, and you were supposed to send them after each mission! How many did you take?" The Hokage eyed the paper stack with a mix of anger and confusion. Jiraiya chuckled. "Not that many, to be honest. Most of those are damage reports." "What?!" Tsunade picked up a report from the top of the stack. It was full of figures and pictures of destroyed buildings. "Oh, that one''s from the Land of Snow, right?" Shizune commented. "We did receive some complaints from there." "There isn''t much left now... is there?" Tsunade studied one of the photos, raising an eyebrow. "What''s this?" Naruto perked up. "Can I have that one? I want to hang it on my wall." Tsunade examined the photo. It depicted Naruto standing next to a very distressed woman with the ruins of a castle in the background, signed by someone called ''Yukie Fujikaze''. "She signed it for me. I''m a fan of her work," Naruto admitted. In his free time, he''d become fond of watching her movies while meditating. At this point, he was more familiar with her voice than her looks. "Why does she look so... troubled?" Tsunade asked, pointing to the actress in the photo. "And scared..." "That was taken right after Naruto destroyed her castle and killed her uncle, along with most of his followers," Jiraiya explained. "That could be why." "Turns out she''s a princess. Can you believe it?" Naruto added, not really bothered by the rest of the story. "Why did you destroy her castle?!" Shizune exclaimed, shocked. "More like eighty-six or eighty-seven... something like that," Jiraiya said. "You want me to be impressed because you captured some fossil from the First War era?" Tsunade scoffed. "Captured?" Naruto glanced at Jiraiya with confusion. "Is that what the report says?" "Wait... you killed that old man?!" Shizune was losing her temper. "We didn''t kill him!" Jiraiya protested. "You cut off his head, though," Naruto pointed out. "You did what?" Shizune looked horrified. "It''s customary with missing-nin!" Jiraiya defended himself. "The report says he died from ''complications during the capture process,''" Tsunade read. "He probably had a heart attack," Naruto said. "The old man went stiff when Jiraiya started shouting his name in public." "I got excited from finally finding him!." Jiraya said in his defense. "And where did you find this ''dangerous criminal''? You didn''t include that in the dossier." Tsunade eyed Jiraiya with suspicion. "Now... hear me out," Jiraiya began. Tsunade''s hands slammed onto her desk. "Another brothel?!" "It wasn''t a brothel, I swear!" "It was a women''s public bathhouse," Naruto interjected. "They were both trying to spy on the women." "Naruto! You should protect your sensei a bit more!" Jiraiya complained. "Where''s your loyalty?" "Can I go now?" Naruto asked calmly. Tsunade clenched her fists. "Yes, Naruto... you''d best leave now. I need to have a talk with Jiraiya about the proper use of the travel budget." The sounds of destruction could still be heard from several blocks away. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 153: Business with the Hyuga Chapter 153: Business with the Hyuga Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 153: Business with the Hyuga "Mm... yes, that looks good," Naruto muttered in satisfaction, stepping back to admire the picture of himself with his favorite actress, Yukie Fujikaze, now proudly displayed on the wall near his TV. "What should I do now? I could meditate a bit longer... or maybe..." His eyes drifted toward the television. "A little TV after breakfast won''t hurt. Maybe there''s a new movie." Just as he reached for the remote, a knock sounded at the door. ''Who could that be? I wasn''t supposed to be called to the Hokage''s office until later.'' He thought with a tinge of annoyance. As he moved to open the door, he heard a muffled voice outside. "Wait, my Lord, don''t look!" came a female voice, sounding panicked. "Asami! Unhand mewhat are you doing?!" Naruto opened the door to find himself face-to-face with Lord Hiashi and Hinata''s personal attendant, Asami. "He''s... dressed... thank Kami," Asami sighed in relief, removing her hands from Hiashi''s eyes. "You do realize that covering my eyes does nothing to prevent me from seeing?" Hiashi chided. "And why are you so surprised that he''s dressed?" "No reason..." Asami replied, looking away. She''d rather not explain her assumptions. Because then Lord Hiashi will realize that she skipped some parts of the recounting from their last visit. "Can I help you?" Naruto asked, feeling slightly ignored as the two of them seemed to have their own conversation. Hiashi turned his attention to Naruto. "I''d like to have a word with you... inside." "Right..." Naruto said, stepping aside to allow them entry. "Make yourself comfortable, I suppose. " He gestured toward his modest table. "That''s from Tenten''s shop," Naruto said. It was the same sword that had once hung on the shop''s display wall. "The owner assured me it was his finest piece," Hiashi explained. "This sword is near legendary grade, and it even has it''s own name: Crimson Dragon." "The blade is made from chakra steel, so you can channel chakra through it without worrying about it breaking," Asami added. "Yes, you could use that wind blade technique Asuma taught you," Hiashi said. "Is there anything about me that you don''t know?" Naruto asked, a bit exasperated. "Plenty," Hiashi replied. This implies, of course, that he still has many questions about Naruto. "Will you accept it?" Hiashi pushed the box toward him. Naruto picked up the sword, feeling its balance and admiring its craftsmanship. "I''d be honored to accept such a generous gift." It was also perfect timing, as his last sword had broken a month ago. The quality may have been better than the first one, but it was still a cheap sword. The same could not be said about the one he was currently holding. "Do not misunderstand," Hiashi said, his eyes hardening slightly. "This is a token of appreciation for your contributions to my clan. This does not mean I approve of you courting my daughter." "My Lord..." Asami cast Hiashi a wary glance. He had promised not to bring that topic up. If Hinata heard, she would be genuinely upset. "That''s fine," Naruto said, meeting Hiashi''s gaze steadily. "Because I never asked for your approval." Both men rose to their feet, tension simmering between them. Asami watched with concern. If they started arguing, it could quickly turn into a disaster. Hiashi''s eyes widened for a moment, as if realizing something. "When did she...?" Bang! The apartment door burst open, splintering into pieces, and someone rushed inside. Naruto caught sight of a familiar figure just before she threw herself into his arms. "Naruto, you''re back!" Hinata exclaimed with a cheerful smile. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 154: The Next Goal Chapter 154: The Next Goal Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 154: The Next Goal Hiashi let out a loud sigh of defeat as he watched his daughter clinging to Naruto''s neck. Her obsession with him had only grown stronger over the past few months. This was precisely why Hiashi had decided to visit Naruto alone, without informing Hinata of his return. He had hoped to have a quiet discussion with the boy first. "I missed you!" Hinata exclaimed, her face buried in Naruto''s shoulder. "Me too," Naruto replied warmly. "Are you letting your hair grow long?" He ran his fingers through her soft locks, noting that they now reached her shoulders. "You noticed! Do you like it? I thought I''d let it grow long like my Mom had. I can always tie it up so it doesn''t get in the way during training," Hinata said with a bright smile. Naruto couldn''t help but notice how much she''d changed. The Hinata he first met would have fainted at the mere thought of hugging him, let alone doing it so boldly. ''This must be another effect of her experience in the Forest of Death,'' Naruto thought. While it wasn''t the intended purpose of that training, he wasn''t entirely surprised by this outcome. Now that Hinata had conquered her fears, she no longer hesitated to show her true self, unbothered by consequences. "Your hair''s gotten longer too," Hinata pointed out while moving her fingers across his blonde locks. "Yes, I haven''t really cut it once while I was away," Naruto admitted. His hair now bore a striking resemblance to his father, Minato Namikaze. He briefly considered the possibility that people might start making the connection, even those who didn''t know the truth. Not that it mattered much to him...at worst, it might draw the attention of enemies like the Hidden Stone, who considered his father a war criminal. "How long are you staying this time? Can we go on another date tonight? Oh! I also want to train with you, I have so much to show you!" Hinata said, her excitement bubbling over. "I''m not sure how long I''ll be here, but I''ve got some free time now if you want," Naruto replied with a grin. <><><><><><><><><> Most people didn''t know the full truth...that Sasuke had left willingly and that Sakura had been killed during the mission, by no other than Sasuke himself. The official story was that Sasuke had been kidnapped by Orochimaru''s agents and that Sakura had died during the rescue attempt. "Indeed, my old team isn''t active anymore," Naruto said after a moment. "But I''ve been doing missions with someone else." "Oh... I see." Ayame looked like she wanted to ask more but held back. "Here you go," Teuchi said, placing the steaming bowls of ramen in front of him. "This is the best!" Naruto declared as he began to eat. "After traveling all over, this is still the best ramen in the country!" "Haha! Glad to hear it," Teuchi said, his grin widening. "Naruto, your new look..." Ayame began, her gaze lingering on him. "You look a lot like" "There it is!" Chouji''s voice interrupted her train of thought. "And there is Naruto too!" "I told you we''d find him here," Ino said, stepping into the stall and sliding onto the seat beside Naruto. "Hi there," Naruto greeted with a smile. "Have you missed me?" Ino asked, flashing him a bright grin. "Of course. Every day," Naruto replied playfully. "Hey, Naruto," Chouji said as he joined them, already eyeing the menu. "Hey, Chouji. It''s unusual to see you without Shikamaru." "He''s off on a mission with the other Chunin," Chouji said, looking a little disappointed. "Oh, and the Hokage sent us to find you." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Really?" "We''re your new temporary teammates for the upcoming Chunin Exams!" Ino announced, practically glowing with excitement. "Isn''t that great?!. We are going to be spending a lot of time together." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 155: The Chunnin Exams…Again Chapter 155: The Chunnin Exams...Again Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 155: The Chunnin Exams...Again "So, when do we leave?" Naruto asked, standing before the Hokage''s desk. Tsunade lifted her weary eyes from the documents piled in front of her. The dark circles under her eyes revealed she hadn''t slept much...if at all. "In three days. Be ready at first light. Jiraiya will escort your team to the Hidden Sand Village," she replied. "We''re going with a Legendary Sannin?" Cho?ji exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. "The Sand Village? Aren''t they the ones who attacked us? Are we going to be okay there?" Ino asked nervously. An older woman seated on a couch in the corner of the room decided to speak up. "That is why we are sending you with a Sannin as an escort," Elder Koharu said, her tone firm. "His presence will discourage any hostile actions against our genin." "Elder Koharu!" Ino exclaimed, realizing she had failed to greet the elder properly upon entering. "I''m so sorry for not acknowledging you earlier." Koharu shook her head. "You seemed too excited when you rushed in, interrupting my meeting with the Hokage. I can overlook your carelessness, Miss Yamanaka. However, that boy over there..." She glanced pointedly at Naruto. "He saw me perfectly and still chose to ignore my presence." He glanced towards the lone Elder. "For as long as we have ''that boy'' under our control, the Sand Village can''t make a move against us," Naruto said calmly. Koharu frowned. "That''s exactly what Lord Danzo said. You two would get along...he even refers to him as ''that boy'', just like you." "Which boy? What are you talking about?" Ino asked, confused. The fact that Gaara was being held as a war prisoner hadn''t been made public. Only a handful of people in Konoha knew about it. While the alliance treaty between the two villages had been renewed on paper, tensions remained high due to Konoha holding Gaara prisoner...a situation indirectly caused by Naruto''s refusal to engage with the other Jinchu?riki. "I don''t expect it to be too hostile," Tsunade said. "Your group will be escorted by my old teammate, Jiraiya. With him present, I doubt they''ll give you any trouble." "Lord Jiraiya will be accompanying us?!" Kurenai exclaimed. "That''s great! Maybe he can teach me some cool jutsu!" Kiba said, his excitement growing. Even Shino seemed slightly intrigued, though his expression remained stoic. "The Sannin..." he muttered. Hinata walked up to Naruto, taking his hand. "Isn''t it great, Naruto? We''ll get to go on a trip together. You and I alone for several weeks, traveling across the country." "Hold on a second." Ino grabbed Naruto''s other hand, pulling it toward her. "Don''t forget about me!" Hinata glared at Ino, her Byakugan activating. "You want to compete? Bring it!" "H-Hinata? What the" Ino stammered, stunned by the transformation in the once-timid girl. "What happened to you?". "The shy girl I remember is nowhere to be seen," Ino added. She wasn''t really shocked to find out that Hinata was obviously chasing after Naruto, since she had a crush on him for years. But it was her bold attitude that Ino found so strange. "Oh dear, what is happening?" Shizune asked, stepping into the office. "And who broke the door?!" Tsunade smirked. "Looks like this is going to be an eventful trip." Once the genin left, Koharu stood and approached Tsunade. "Are you sure it''s wise to send him there?" Koharu asked. Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? We agreed on this. With Jiraiya present and their Jinchu?riki in our possession, they won''t dare try anything." Koharu shook her head. "It''s not them I''m worried about." Her gaze shifted to the towering stack of reports on Tsunade''s desk. Tsunade frowned, her tired eyes narrowing. "You don''t think" "I do," Koharu interrupted. "That stack of papers is going to get much larger soon. Let''s hope this will all be worth it." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 156: Chūnin Rank Chapter 156: Chu?nin Rank Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 156: Chu?nin Rank Three weeks later, Hokage''s Office. "They have just entered the village, Lady Tsunade," a member of the ANBU informed her. "Thank you, Bear. Make sure they come directly to my office...I must speak with them," Tsunade said grimly. "I warned you," Elder Koharu said with a smug smile. The large stack of papers on Tsunade''s desk had done nothing but grow over the past week, mostly letters from the Hidden Sand Village accusing them of various crimes and attempts to break the peace treaty. "Lady Tsunade, please stay calm. You can''t start yelling and throwing things as soon as they walk through the door," Shizune said nervously. "The Carpenter''s Guild is beginning to complain about the constant repai-" "I know!" Tsunade shouted. "I can control my temper." "I wish that were true..." Elder Homura muttered and Koharu nodded in agreement. "Why are you two even here?!" Tsunade demanded, pointing at the two elders. "This is just a minor matter of promoting a few genin. It shouldn''t warrant your attention." "If the Jinchu?riki is getting a promotion, then it is an important matter," Koharu said. "Yes, the Council will be very interested in this information," Homura added. Tsunade sat back in her chair, trying to relax before the group arrived. It wasn''t long before there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Tsunade said, wanting to get this over with. The first to enter was Jiraiya, who was wearing a guilty expression. He clearly knew she was angry. "Oh Tsunade, you look as beautiful as usual!" Jiraiya tried to charm her. It only made Tsunade grumble. "Greetings, Lady Tsunade. We brought all our genin back from the exam," Kurenai said with a polite bow. The genin entered next, greeting the Hokage respectfully, well most of them, at least. Tsunade observed their unkempt and exhausted appearances. "Did you run into trouble on the way back?" Cho?ji was the only one who seemed unbothered. "You were all very close, but there are still some glaring weaknesses that need addressing before promotion. I''ll discuss this personally with your Senseis as soon as I can." "So, I passed, then?" Naruto asked eagerly, already thinking about the ninja library and what he could access as a chu?nin. "Does that mean I''m a chu?nin too?" Hinata asked, genuinely surprised. "Yes, congratulations to the three of you," Tsunade said. "Come back tomorrow to receive your new uniforms." Her gaze settled on Naruto. "Also, Naruto..." "Yes?" "You are banned from ever setting foot near the Hidden Sand Village." Tsunade frowned deeply. "Huh...?" "Don''t ''huh'' me...you know what you did." Tsunade grumbled. <><><><><><><><><><> A bit later, after everyone else had left the office. "You can come out now," Tsunade said. A ninja wearing a white mask dropped from the ceiling. "What do you think?" Tsunade asked. "About the mission?, it was a bit of a disaster...Mister Jirayia should had paid more attention to wh-" "I know that...but I was referring to Naruto in particular." Tsunade interrupted him. She did not a reminder about what happened in the Sand Village. "About Naruto?" Kakashi removed the mask, letting it rest on top of his head. "I''m glad for him. He looks so much like his father...though I don''t think Minato was ever so reckless, even in his younger years." "No, he wasn''t," Tsunade agreed. "Are you sure you don''t want to return to your position as a jo?nin sensei? The next generation could learn so much from you. It''s a waste to have you in ANBU." Kakashi shook his head. "It was my failure as a sensei that led to this outcome. I should have predicted that outcome and be better prepared for it...I was too close to the boy and got blinded." Tsunade wanted to tell him it wasn''t his fault, but she''d tried that many times before. Kakashi still blamed himself. "If you change your mind, come talk to me." "Thank you, Lady Hokage. And thank you for letting me know about Sasuke." "No problem. It''s the least I can do." She also felt a bit responsible after all. "Then...I should return to my duties." Kakashi replaced his mask. Tsunade nodded. "Very well. You may go back to your post, Fox." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 157: Girls Trouble Chapter 157: Girls Trouble Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 157: Girls Trouble Naruto looked around after leaving the Hokage''s office. "Is anyone else hungry? I could go for some r" "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Kiba shouted in frustration. "I got a kunai in my butt and didn''t even get promoted!" "Kiba! Watch your language," Kurenai scolded him. "And it was actually a shuriken." And then corrected him. "Why would you be promoted for that? It wasn''t part of the exam," Ino chimed in, clearly amused. "Yes, that happened much later," Hinata added. "Are you saying you should be promoted for being incompetent?" Naruto asked with a smirk. "I am hungry, by the way," Cho?ji said, completely ignoring the shift in the conversation. "That''s not what I mouch!" Kiba yelped in pain. "I''ll take you to the hospital," Kurenai said, stepping in. "Where did Lord Jiraiya go?" She looked around, realizing the Sannin had vanished. "Probably went off for some ''research,''" Naruto said knowingly. "What is he researching?" Ino asked curiously. "Naked women, mostly," Naruto replied nonchalantly. "What?!" Kurenai exclaimed, visibly shocked. She had noticed him sneaking off several times during their trip but hadn''t thought to question it. "He''s one of the Legendary Sannin!" "So? Tsunade''s addicted to gambling, and Orochimaru...well, he''s just weird," Naruto said with a shrug. "Naruto," Ino interrupted, pulling gently on his hand. "Yes?" He glanced at her. He hesitated, not wanting to lie but also not ready to reveal the full truth. "Something like that." Ino made a complicated expression. "Naruto...I do like you. But I''m not sure if I''m ready for a commitment like that." He wasn''t surprised. In fact, he''d expected it. After all, they''d only known each other for a few months. "It''s a very serious commitment. I understand that. You don''t have to make a decision r" "Wait!" Hinata suddenly jumped into the alley. "What the...Hinata?!" Ino exclaimed, shocked by her sudden appearance. She had made sure no one was around. Then she noticed Hinata''s Byakugan. "You were spying on us?!" "I''ll do it! Choose me!" Hinata clutched Naruto''s arm tightly. "I''ll be with you forever!" "Hold on a minute!" Ino tried to separate them. "I didn''t say no!" "But you did!" Hinata retorted. "You have to think about it. Well, I don''t." "Let go of his arm. He said he liked me." Ino said. "He did not say that." Hinata rebuked. Naruto laughed loudly, drawing the attention of both girls. "I am very fortunate to have two beauties arguing over me, but there''s no need for that," he said. "We are not arguing!" Ino snapped. "What do you mean?" Hinata asked, looking up at him. "What I mean is...I''ve chosen both of you to be my companions," Naruto said confidently. "Wait...what did you say?" Ino released her grasp on the other girl. "B-Both of us? You want...both?" Hinata stammered, her eyes were wide open with astonishment. "Is that true?. Are you being serious?" Ino frowned deeply. "Of course. I want you both," Naruto would realize too late why that didn''t work. Slap! "You double-dealing pig!" Ino yelled, storming off. "Naruto..." Even Hinata''s eyes were filled with disappointment. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 158: Ino’s anger Chapter 158: Inos anger Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 158: Ino''s anger "Is that how it is?" Hinata asked. She and Naruto sat down to have a calm conversation after Ino stormed off. At least the Hyu?ga heiress was willing to listen to him. Naruto realized he''d made a mistake by being so open about wanting two companions. In his old world, having more than one Dao Companion wasn''t exactly a taboo, but it wasn''t universally accepted either. He still remembered the day he told the Sword Fairy about his second companion, only for her to try to cut off his most important parts with her blade. It had taken him weeks to convince her otherwise. ''I should''ve been more careful in my approach, especially in trying to understand how this world views relationships,'' Naruto thought. "Sorry, Hinata. I should have been more mindful with my words," he said sincerely. Hinata smiled softly. "I wasn''t mad at you...just a little disappointed to find out that I can''t have you all to myself." ''That would make things easier,'' Naruto thought wryly but kept the comment to himself. The truth was, one person wouldn''t be enough. He wasn''t trying to be greedy, but even a talented kunoichi like Hinata wouldn''t be able to provide the amount of yin chakra he''d need to maintain perfect balance. Even with two, it would be difficult, but he couldn''t ask for more. "It was never my intention to make you feel like you were a second choice. I knew I wanted you from the beginning," Naruto said. Hinata''s cheeks flushed a deep red. "But there''s a reason I also need Ino. I know it may be hard to believe, but I''m nothing like Jiraiya," Naruto added. She was so lost in thought that she didn''t even notice when he sat beside her. "Did you have to pick my father''s head to sit on?" Naruto teased lightly. "Is kinda weird..." Ino gasped in surprise. "Naruto?!" He quickly reached for her hand as she almost lost her balance in shock. She yanked her hand away after stabilizing herself. "I wasn''t going to fall! I can attach myself to the stone with chakra, you know?" "Right... I acted on instinct," Naruto admitted. Ino frowned. "I came here because I didn''t want to see anyone...especially you." "Yes, I figured as much. But I still wanted to talk to you," Naruto said, his tone soft but determined. Ino stood, glaring down at him. "We have nothing to talk about. I want no part in your harem or whatever it is that you''re trying to build." "That''s not what I''m trying to do," Naruto said firmly. "Then what is it?! Why do you need two girlfriends? Was I not enough for you? Or do you just prefer Hinata?" Ino''s voice grew louder with every word. Thankfully, no one was around to hear them. "It''s...complicated to explain," Naruto said carefully. He knew this was a crucial moment. If he messed up, Ino would walk away...and from what he''d seen, it would be nearly impossible to find another so compatible with him. "You can''t explain it, huh?" Ino huffed, crossing her arms. "I thought you were a nice guy..." "I never claimed to be," Naruto said, stepping closer. He gently took her hand. "What are you doing? Let go of me," Ino demanded, trying to pull away. But Naruto didn''t let go. Instead, he guided her hand toward his head. "If you believe my motives are impure or disgusting, use your family''s jutsu on me. Enter my mind and see for yourself." "What?!" Ino exclaimed, stunned. "You won''t understand unless you see it. Go ahead. Get inside my mind...that''s the only way I can convince you," Naruto said, his voice calm and steady. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 159: Inside Naruto’s Mind Chapter 159: Inside Narutos Mind Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 159: Inside Naruto''s Mind "Inside your mind?! Are you crazy?" Ino shouted, her voice sharp with disbelief. The mere thought of entering Naruto''s mind meant facing the Kyu?bi, and she wasn''t eager to deal with that. Her father had warned her never to use that jutsu on a Jinchuriki. "The demon won''t bother you, I promise. Do you really think I''d put you in harm''s way?" Naruto released her hand, letting her decide. Ino stepped back, hesitating, but stopped short. Naruto had saved her life on more than one occasion, and he''d never given her a reason to distrust him. "No... I don''t think you would," she admitted. "Then go ahead," Naruto urged. Ino took a deep breath. She was fully aware of the dangers of her clan''s mind-transfer techniques...her father had drilled it into her, but curiosity and trust won out. If Naruto was so eager to show her something, she needed to know what it was. And Ino had the feeling that whatever she was about to see...was going to change her life. "Alright, Naruto. I''ll do it. But let''s sit down first," she said, glancing around the precarious perch atop the Hokage Monument. Once they were properly seated in a safer place, Ino formed the necessary hand seals and placed her right hand on his forehead. In the next instant, her consciousness dove into the depths of Naruto''s mind. Ino opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit sewer. "Why does this look like...this?" she muttered. She had limited experience with this version of her clan''s jutsu, but this was unlike any mind she''d entered before. "That''s the Kyu?bi''s chakra," Naruto explained. "It''s leaving its body. Well, metaphorically at least...since the Kyu?bi doesn''t have a body right now." "Why? What''s happening to it?" Naruto''s expression grew serious. "I''m absorbing it into my body." Ino''s eyes widened in horror. "What?! That''ll kill you!" She''d seen what even a small amount of the Kyu?bi''s chakra could do to him. Trying to take more was suicidal. Naruto smiled calmly. "I know what I''m doing. I''m taking it slowly." He turned and gestured for her to follow. "But that''s not what I wanted to show you. Come with me." Ino cast one last wary glance at the slumbering Kyu?bi before following Naruto. He led her toward what appeared to be a solid wall, but as they approached, a door materialized. Her curiosity deepened. As someone trained in the workings of the human mind, Ino was keenly aware of how secure Naruto''s mind was compared to others. Cho?ji''s mind was open and easy to read, filled mostly with thoughts about food. Shikamaru''s was more complex...his mental "doors" were closed, but with effort, they could still be opened. Naruto''s mind, however, was a fortress: a giant prison with no visible doors and a terrifying beast inside. For any mind-reader, it was the ultimate nightmare. ''What are you hiding in there?'' she wondered. And how had Naruto built such an impenetrable mental defense? This wasn''t something one could learn at the Academy. Naruto opened the door and glanced back at her. "Stay close to me, and don''t wander off. I don''t want you getting lost in my memories." "Your memories?" Ino asked, stunned. "I thought you had amnesia. Have you recovered your past?" A.N 1 - I haven''t originally planned on writing this short arc. But as I was thinking about the previous conversation with the two main girls, I realized that Ino was never going to just accept being part of a harem without questions. It made no sense for her strong personality, so she needed some extra convincing. Given that she had the ability to delve into people''s minds, this was an opportunity to deepen her relationship with Naruto by having her learn some of his secrets, while also allowing the reader to learn more about his past. But it won''t be long, don''t worry. The big time-skip before Shippuden is near.- A.N: 2 - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 160: Memories Chapter 160: Memories Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 160: Memories "What is this...?" Ino couldn''t believe what she was seeing. The room she now stood in was many times larger than the previous one, and that one had already been massive. But it wasn''t the sheer size of the room that took her breath away, it was its contents. Rows upon rows of tall wooden bookcases stretched endlessly before her, each shelf filled with pristine white scrolls. The rows seemed to vanish into the distance, twisting and turning to form countless labyrinthine passages. It was impossible to count the shelves, let alone the number of scrolls they held. Naruto hadn''t exaggerated when he warned her about getting lost in here. This was a maze of identical bookcases, each one indistinguishable from the next. She felt like, if left alone here, she could spend years wandering the corridors with no way to find her way out. "What is this place? What''s in the scrolls?" Ino approached the nearest shelf cautiously. Naruto didn''t stop her, he simply observed. Each scroll was pure white, devoid of markings, making it impossible to guess their contents. She glanced back at Naruto, who gave her a nod of approval. Ino hesitated for only a moment before trying to pull one of the scrolls from the shelf. But the moment her fingers touched it, a flood of information surged into her mind. She found herself in a place she''d never seen before, a small and humble wooden house. She was seated at a table surrounded by adults wearing modest clothing. Before her was a plate with a single piece of old bread. "What...?" she murmured, her confusion mounting as the people around her began to speak in a foreign language. "I don''t understand what you''re" Naruto guided her through the endless corridors of the library. "The most interesting ones are closer to the center, the ones at the entrance are all boring ones," he said as they walked. "How big is this place? How can there be so many memories?" Ino was still overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the library. Even if each scroll contained only a short moment, there were far too many. Finally, Naruto stopped and pointed at a particular scroll. "This one." Ino instinctively reached for it. As soon as her fingers brushed its surface, the memories flowed into her mind. She was sitting in the middle of a massive stadium-like structure. Around her were young boys and girls, all dressed in green tunics. At the center of the arena stood an older man in intricate black robes, exuding a powerful and commanding presence. The man spoke in the same foreign language as the villagers from before, but this time, Ino felt a strange sense of peace while listening. Though she couldn''t understand the words, fragments of meaning seemed to reach her. "A breathing exercise? What is this?" Ino wondered, feeling herself falling into a trance for an unknown amount of time, listening to the words coming out of that person''s mouth. "Ino..." Naruto''s voice brought her back to the library. He was standing beside her, watching her closely. She didn''t even realize that she had already left the memory. "How was it?" he asked. "What was that? And who was that man? There was something... entrancing about his speech, but I couldn''t understand it." "That," Naruto explained, "was my first public lesson after joining the Blue Jade Sect. The man speaking was one of the elders. He was teaching a basic cultivation technique to the apprentices. Even if you didn''t understand his words, some of that knowledge likely reached you. That''s the power of hearing a high-ranking cultivator''s preaching." "Sect? Cultivators? Was that really your life? This makes no sense..." Ino trailed off, her thoughts racing. Naruto extended his hand once more. "It will make sense soon enough. Follow me." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 161: Ino’s Understanding and the Unexpected Visit Chapter 161: Inos Understanding and the Unexpected Visit Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 161: Ino''s Understanding and the Unexpected Visit Naruto continued to show Ino more memories, one after another. Ino quickly lost her sense of time in the vast labyrinth of scrolls. However, as the hours, or perhaps days had passed, she began to understand much more about the person standing beside her. These memories belonged to Naruto''s past self, a self he had somehow regained, granting him access to an incredible wealth of knowledge. It explained so much about his sudden transformation after leaving the Ninja Academy, and about the confidence and wisdom he now carried. What shocked her most, though, was that this world she glimpsed through his memories wasn''t their own. In that world, there were no ninjas or samurai. Instead, there were cultivators, individuals who honed their bodies, minds, and souls in entirely different ways. They practiced techniques far removed from anything she knew. These cultivators lived extraordinarily long lives, which explains why Naruto''s library contained such an overwhelming number of memories. ''How long did his previous life last?'' Ino wondered, awed by the sheer magnitude of it all. From the fragments she absorbed, she picked up pieces of the breathing techniques used by members of the Blue Jade Sect, along with other cultivation methods. Yet she wasn''t sure these techniques would work in their world, given the different nature of the energies involved. Throughout the process, Naruto said little, simply guiding her deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of shelves and scrolls. He would occasionally stop, point to a specific scroll, and let her absorb its contents. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. "Naruto... why are you showing me all of this?" Naruto paused, his gaze thoughtful. "Because I wanted you to understand me a little better," he said softly. ''I''ll need to create a technique for Hinata. There are ways to enhance the quality of her yin chakra. That would make dual cultivation a lot more rewarding.'' "Naruto?" Ino''s voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was watching him intently, her head tilted in curiosity. "Sorry," Naruto said, shaking off his distraction. "I think we should end the discussion here. You probably have a lot to think about." Ino blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "Huh?" Then a thought struck her. "Are you planning to show all of this to Hinata too?" Her tone was casual, but there was a hint of something deeper...possessiveness, perhaps? Naruto shook his head. "No. You''re the only one I can show this to." Of course, this was because Ino was uniquely capable of delving into someone else''s mind. There was no way for Hinata to do the same, and he was not able to pull someone in here by himself. "I see..." Ino smiled, her cheeks tinged pink. At that moment, she didn''t care about the reasoning behind his words, she was too happy to think clearly. If Naruto noticed, he made no attempt to correct her. "Then" He was about to suggest they leave his mind when a golden light flared above them. "Whoa!" Ino gasped, staring up in awe. "What is that? It''s beautiful!" Naruto''s eyes widened, but his reaction was entirely different. ''What is the Golden Scripture doing here?'' he thought, alarmed. He hadn''t intended to show Ino the Divine Artifact. In fact, he had deliberately avoided bringing it up. This meant that the Divine Artifact had decided to move on its own and show itself before Ino. And Naruto had no idea as to why. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 162: The Gift Chapter 162: The Gift Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author Notes- Chapter 162: The Gift Both Ino and Naruto were staring at the floating golden scripture in astonishment, albeit for different reasons. In his previous world, artifacts crafted by cultivators ranged from low-grade to high-grade. Occasionally, high-grade artifacts made by particularly skilled craftsmen and wielded by equally skilled cultivators would awaken hidden properties and ascend to the legendary grade. However, there was another type of artifact that sometimes made its way into their world. These were not crafted by mortal cultivators and were far beyond the level of even the legendary-grade ones. It was believed that these mysterious artifacts originated from the Immortal Realms where the Gods lived, far beyond human reach. They would occasionally fall into the mortal world when a God perished during a battle fought too close to the lower planes. This did not happen often...perhaps one Divine Artifact would be discovered every several millennia. And every time such an artifact appeared, the world descended into a frenzy to acquire it. Even the most reclusive and ancient cultivators would abandon their secluded training, interrupting centuries of cultivation, just for the chance to claim one of these extraordinary items. In his previous life, Naruto had been the one to find such an artifact. This could have been considered a fortuitous encounter, but it was also a tragic one. The Golden Scripture he had discovered earned him the enmity of every major sect in the world, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The true potential of a Divine Artifact is hard to quantify. After all, only an Immortal God could truly utilize such an item to its fullest extent. It was also said that every Divine Artifact recorded in history had a will of its own and would choose its wielder. This led Naruto to believe that the day he found the cave with the fallen goddess inside... it was the Golden Scripture itself who had guided him there. For reasons unknown, this Divine Artifact had chosen him as its owner. And now, for the first time, it was acting of its own accord. He had never intended to show the Golden Scripture to anyone, and now he needed to know what it had revealed to Ino. Ino shared the name and described the cultivation method she had received. ''A yin-type cultivation method... and an extraordinary one at that,'' Naruto thought. That was no surprise, considering its source. "Ino, you need to understand something. That golden book you saw and the cultivation method you''ve learned... you must never tell anyone about them. If word of this reached the wrong ears, the consequences would be catastrophic." Ino nodded solemnly. "Yes..." She wasn''t foolish. A book capable of producing techniques like this would drive every nation to madness if its existence were known. And she had a feeling this was only a fraction of the book''s true capabilities. "So... should I use it? This cultivation method seems incredible, but... could it harm me?" "The Golden Scripture has a will of its own, and it''s a very mysterious item, even to me. But I don''t think it would have given you that technique if it meant you harm." Ino nodded. "Yes, I think it was trying to help me." With that, the two of them finally exited Naruto''s mindscape, finding themselves seated on a patch of grass. In the outside world, only a brief moment had passed. "Naruto..." Ino''s expression turned serious. "Yes?" "You''ve shown me so much today, and I''ve learned a lot. But I need time to process all of this." She seemed to organize her thoughts before continuing. "About your proposal to become your dao companion... could you give me some time to think it over properly?" She now understood better where Naruto was coming from, but her mind was a whirlwind of unprocessed information. She needed clarity before making such an important decision. "Of course, take your time," Naruto replied calmly. He had expected this and wasn''t surprised or offended by her hesitation. This could be said to be the possible outcome when it came to her. "The path of cultivation is a long one, Ino. And now, you''re a part of it. If there''s one thing we have, it''s time." A.N - Just one thing I want to clarify. Just because Ino had acquired a cultivation technique, it doesn''t mean that she is suddenly going to become a powerhouse who outshines the MC, and is going to solo Madara after the time skip or something. Her skill set will remain mostly the same, but just stronger. Ino will remain as a support-type ninja who focuses on healing and long-range assistance. The main purpose of the cultivation method is to make her a better companion for Naruto, but it would feel unfair if she didn''t also benefit from the deal. - Chapter 163: The New Rock Lee Chapter 163: The New Rock Lee Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author Notes- Chapter 163: The New Rock Lee "Ah, Naruto!" The next day, as Naruto stepped out of his apartment, someone called out to him from near the entrance. It was clear they''d been waiting for him. "Lee?" Naruto hadn''t seen him since the day of the funeral. After four months, Rock Lee looked much better. He radiated an aura of confidence that hadn''t been there before. "Have you been waiting to speak with me? You could have knocked on the door," Naruto told him. "It''s okay! I''ve only been waiting for two hours!" Lee said with his usual boundless energy. "Two hours?! You should have definitely knocked on the door then..." Naruto said, shaking his head. He had no plans for the day and had decided to take it easy before going for a walk. Lee stretched his muscles casually. "No worries! I kept myself busy with some basic exercises." "I''m sure you did..." Naruto chuckled, knowing Lee''s inability to sit still for even five minutes without some form of physical training. "So? What did you want to talk about? We can head back to my apartment if you want." Lee shook his head. "If you have some free time...and it''s not asking too much, I''d like to finally have a spar with you, Naruto." "Mmm...that would be fine. I was planning to head to the training grounds anyway. Follow me," Naruto replied, curious about Lee''s progress after he''d shared the strengthening method with him. <><><><><><><><><><> "Training Ground Number Three?" Lee asked as they stepped inside and he recognized the location. "No one''s using it at the moment, so I got permission to come here," Naruto explained. Lee''s mood grew somber. "Right... this was Team Seven''s training ground. I heard the team was dissolved." "Makes sense. I''m the only member left. Even Kakashi quit his position as team sensei and went back to ANBU," Naruto replied. "I see... I''m sorry," Lee said, bowing slightly. "Your moves have become a lot more fluid since the tournament," Naruto praised. It wasn''t just strength and speed, but it was obvious that Lee had not stopped refining his skills either. But he was not without flaws. Lee smiled weakly. "But I''m still nowhere close to you. I can''t even land a single hit..." "You''re fast and strong, but your movements still lack finesse and are too predictable. That''s something you can work on," Naruto advised. A grin spread across Lee''s face. "Actually... there''s something I''ve been meaning to try." He pulled a small flask from his belt, opened it, and downed its contents in one go. "Huh?" Naruto caught the unmistakable scent of alcohol. "Are you drinking sake right now?" For a moment, Naruto thought Lee had given up, but then Lee resumed his attacks. However, his style was completely different now. "Is this... the Drunken Fist?" Naruto murmured. He''d heard of martial artists who became stronger when drunk but had never taken it seriously. Lee''s face was flushed red, his body swaying as if he was about to fall...but he never did. Instead, he attacked with unpredictable ferocity. Naruto realized he had to get serious. Lee''s speed had increased, and his movements were completely unreadable. Before Naruto could react, Lee landed a solid kick, sending him flying. "Now!" Lee leaped after him, attempting to bind Naruto with his bandages and execute the Initial Lotus. Naruto grinned. "Not bad... I''ll have to step it up." With practice, Naruto had learned to open multiple gates simultaneously. He opened three of the Eight Gates at once, tearing through the bandages and shoving Lee away. While Lee regained his balance, Naruto activated the second stage of his ''Red Lotus Shift'' technique, granting him aerial mobility. "What?!" Lee exclaimed, watching Naruto disappear mid-air. Before he could react, a powerful blow landed on the back of his head, and everything went dark. Naruto stood over Lee''s unconscious form. "Oops... Did I go too far?" He wondered briefly, then smiled. "But I have to say...the fact that you pushed me this much shows just how far you''ve come," Naruto said with satisfaction. "How far will you go?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 164: The Journey Begins Chapter 164: The Journey Begins Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author Notes- Chapter 164: The Journey Begins The next month passed by quickly. Naruto spent most of his time training, either alone or with Hinata, who wanted to make the most of their time together before his next, much longer trip. Occasionally, they were joined by Neji, Rock Lee, or Tenten. Team Ten also called on Naruto a few times to join their training sessions. This gave him the chance to spar with Asuma and pick up some insights into refining his wind-style jutsu. He found himself talking to Ino often as well. They had grown closer after her unusual experience inside his mind, but neither of them brought up the topic of their relationship, leaving things in a comfortable yet undefined state. Then, Jiraiya returned to the village. And not long after, it was time for them to leave again. <><><><><><><><> After packing his belongings into storage scrolls, Naruto made his way to the Hokage''s office. The meeting, of course, began with Jiraiya being scolded. "I shouldn''t have to remind you to send regular reports!" Tsunade snapped. "No more waiting four or five months to dump everything on my desk at once." Jiraiya gave a sheepish grin but didn''t respond. Tsunade turned her attention to Naruto. "Be careful, Naruto. That organization will be watching you." "I know. I''m ready for it," Naruto replied confidently, though in his mind he added, ''Or at least, I will be soon enough.'' "And don''t let this perverted old man blow the budget on... extracurricular activities." Tsunade''s glare was sharp. Jiraiya waved a hand, producing his latest book. "I''ll have you know my recent sales are doing great. I don''t need the budget for" "Get that filthy book out of my face!" Tsunade barked. "Don''t think I don''t know what''s in it." "My books are about love and passion!" Jiraiya retorted. "What''s so wrong with that?" Tsunade sighed heavily, sitting back in her chair. "Just... be careful. And if things get dangerous, don''t hesitate to request reinforcements." "We''ll manage," Jiraiya assured her. Shizune stepped forward, smiling warmly at Naruto. "Take care of yourself, Naruto. Come back safe." "Thanks, Shizune. I will," Naruto said. "Oh, by the way," Shizune added, "Ino asked me to teach her some healing jutsu." Naruto blinked. "Ino? She never mentioned wanting to learn that." Naruto scratched his head. "Uh... I think I left it at home. I don''t really need it, right?" Ino sighed. "You''re hopeless. That''s the symbol of our village!" "It''s okay," Hinata said softly, untying her own from around her neck. "You can take mine." "Thanks, Hinata." Naruto tied it around his neck, mirroring how Hinata wore it. "And you can take this too." Before he could react, Hinata leaned forward and kissed him deeply. "Whoa! What the?!" Kiba exclaimed. "How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, glancing at Ino. "Wait..."Kiba was looking around but no one seemed surprised by the sudden kiss. " Was I the only one who didn''t know this was happening?!" "Maybe," Shino said. "Seems like it," Chouji said, munching on a chip with a nonchalant attitude. "Your deduction skills need work, Kiba," Neji added. "It has been obvious for a while that Lady Hinata''s relationship with Master Naruto had reached another level." Shino nodded. After breaking the kiss, Hinata was smiling proudly from getting a reaction out of Naruto. "Don''t forget about me." She said softly before taking a step back, allowing Ino to have a moment. " Well, I''m not doing that." Ino huffed. " You don''t have to," Naruto answered. It wasn''t like he had been expecting Hinata to do that either. The shy girl was truly no more... Ino frowned but stepped forward to get closer. "You don''t have to show off," she said before leaning close to Naruto and whispering something in his ear. Naruto blinked. "Really? You want to do that?" Ino nodded with a serious expression. He glanced at Hinata, who smiled encouragingly. "If that''s what you want, it''s your decision." Ino gave a quick nod before leaning up and kissing Naruto on the cheek. "Don''t forget about me either." "I won''t," Naruto promised. "It''ll be two years at most," he added, glancing around the group. "It''ll go by fast." "By the time you''re back, I''ll be an amazing kunoichi!" Ino declared. "I won''t disappoint you either," Hinata added. "I know you won''t," Naruto said with a smile. "And who knows? Maybe by then, even Kiba will be a Chu?nin." "Hey!" Kiba barked, making everyone laugh. With that, Naruto waved goodbye to his friends and set off toward the gates, ready for the next chapter of his journey. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 165: Welcome to Mount Myōboku Chapter 165: Welcome to Mount Myo?boku Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 165: Welcome to Mount Myo?boku "There it is! We''re finally here." Jiraiya pointed excitedly toward a towering mountain in the distance. It had been a month since they left Konoha, traveling through winding roads and dense forests without stopping in any towns along the way. The last week had been particularly grueling, as they veered off the trails entirely and made their way through hidden, narrow tunnels nestled deep within the thick shrubbery of the region. Eventually, they emerged onto sprawling plains dotted with countless tall mountain peaks. "They''re really well hidden... So this is where the Toad Clan lives?" Naruto asked, his eyes scanning the surreal landscape. The mountains seemed to exude an ancient, mystical aura. The air felt heavier yet somehow purer, and there was an unshakable sense of nostalgia that tugged at his chest. "Indeed. That one in the center is called Mount Myo?boku, where most of the clan resides," Jiraiya explained. "It''s been a long time since I came here by foot." Naruto tilted his head in thought. "I had been meaning to mention that. Since we both have contracts with the toads, couldn''t we have just used a reverse summoning to get here?" Jiraiya chuckled, shaking his head. "That''s would fine for short visits, but this trip is for your training. We''ll be staying for several months so that wouldn''t work. " "Hmph. You''ve been oddly secretive about this training. What exactly are the toads going to teach me?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms. Jiraiya grinned. "Don''t worry about it, kid. You''ll find out soon enough." Naruto sighed but decided to let it go. At least his instincts were telling him this trip would be worth it. "Look! They''re finally here!" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Noticed it already, huh?" "Hey! Don''t ignore me!" Gamakichi complained. Naruto was about to reply when a new voice interrupted them. It was smooth but carried the weight of centuries, a tone that demanded attention. "I''m not surprised he noticed either. He is the one who was chosen after all." Naruto turned to see a small, purple-haired toad stepping forward. Despite her petite stature, she exuded an aura of immense power, and her golden eyes seemed to pierce straight through him. "Ma! We were just about to come find you," Jiraiya greeted her with a grin. Naruto straightened. ''She must be one of the elders... She feels even stronger than the others.'' "Elder!" Gamatatsu bowed deeply, his respect evident. "You must be Naruto," she said, her tone softening as she examined him. "I am Elder Shima." "It''s an honor to meet you, Elder Shima," Naruto said, bowing politely. She tilted her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "You''re the spitting image of your father. That hair...those eyes..." Naruto hesitated but nodded. "So I''ve been told." "Though your demeanor is...different," she added, her smile turning wry. "Your father was a lot more cheerful." Jiraiya laughed and clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Yeah, this kid doesn''t know how to party like his old man!" Elder Shima frowned at Jiraiya. "Then again...two of you might have been too much for this world..." Turning back to Naruto, she gestured for him to follow. "Come. My husband and the Great Elder are ready to receive you." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 166: The Great Elder Chapter 166: The Great Elder Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 166: The Great Elder Elder Shima led Naruto and Jiraiya to a more secluded part of the village. Far from the central pond, they approached a peculiar structure that seemed to have been carved directly into the side of a rocky cave. The exterior was rugged, almost blending into the mountain itself, but there was a distinct aura of importance surrounding it. Once inside, they followed a long, dimly lit corridor. The faint glow of torches flickered along the walls, casting elongated shadows that danced as they passed. Eventually, they entered a large open chamber. Two more toads awaited them. "Here it is... the last contractor of the Toad Clan," rasped one of the toads. He sat on a stone throne at the back of the chamber, his ancient, wrinkled skin sagging as if weighed down by centuries. His eyes were closed, yet Naruto felt the unmistakable sensation of being scrutinized. He stood tall under the unseen gaze, his instincts heightened. "You don''t need to be so wary around us. We are not your enemies," the ancient toad spoke again, his voice as heavy as the earth beneath them. "Naruto?" Jiraiya glanced at his student, puzzled by the Great Sage''s comment. "I am always cautious around those with extended senses. Don''t take it personally," Naruto replied calmly. Despite his composed tone, Naruto was fully aware of the Great Sage''s subtle attempt to probe deeper into his being. He resisted instinctively, not aggressively, but enough to set some boundaries. Naruto''s narrowed eyes conveyed a silent message: I''ll let you look, but only so far. The Great Elder''s expression didn''t change one bit, but Naruto sensed approval rather than hostility. This wasn''t an intrusion born of malice, it was more likely a test instead. "These things... you, youngsters, need not concern yourselves with," Gamamaru spoke dismissively but firmly, silencing further objections with his commanding tone. He returned his attention to Naruto. "I care not for who you were in the past. What matters is who you are now, what you intend to do with the power and knowledge you already possess, and... what you would do if I were to offer you...even more." Naruto considered the question carefully, aware of the weight of the moment. The others in the chamber fell silent, their eyes fixed on him. "My goal..." Naruto finally said, pointing upward, "has always been the same. I want to see what''s up there." Jiraiya blinked, confused. "The roof? There''s nothing there. What are you talking about?" "He''s not talking about the roof!" Shima snapped, leaping onto Jiraiya''s head and giving him a sharp smack. "And keep silent!" "Wait... You mean..." Fukasaku''s eyes widened as realization dawned. "Ohohoh!" The Great Elder''s raspy laughter echoed softly through the chamber. "How ambitious!" Jiraiya rubbed his head. "I still don''t get it..." "Fuka," Gamamaru called, his voice low but commanding. "Yes, Great Elder?" Fukasaku asked, his tone reverent. Gamamaru gave a slow nod. "I understand," Fukasaku said, turning toward Naruto with newfound resolve. "Jiraiya," Shima said, tapping his shoulder. "Take Naruto to the Stone Fountain." "You mean..." Jiraiya began, his eyes widening. "Yes," Fukasaku affirmed with a small but knowing smile. "We will teach him how to become... a Sage." A.N - A bit of a cryptic conversation, but I felt like if any character was going to pick up on Naruto''s origins, was going to be Gamamaru, as he is one of the most ancient beings in this world and was around even before the Sage of the Six paths. Reincarnation is also something that exists in the world of Naruto and Gamamaru is very well aware of this possibility, as someone who already existed before ninjutsu and chakra was introduced, he could have knowledge about other more esoterical disciplines. I hope it made some sense. The elder was just trying to figure out what kind of person Naruto was before deciding to give him even more knowledge that could potentially put the world at risk. When he realized that Naruto''s main objective was to ''Ascend'' to a higher plane of existence, he was able to make a decision. - Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy After leaving the Great Elder''s cave, Jiraiya guided Naruto to a different part of the Toad Village, one that seemed to be covered in stone statues. The towering carvings of toads, some weathered by time, loomed over them as they walked. The atmosphere felt heavier here, as if the statues themselves were silently watching. During the walk, Naruto noticed Jiraiya glancing his way, his expression pensive. It was clear the older man had something on his mind. "Go ahead," Naruto said, breaking the silence. "Say whatever''s bothering you." It wasn''t surprising. Their bizarre encounter with the Great Sage had undoubtedly left Jiraiya with questions. Naruto had his own, though he didn''t expect answers any time soon. The ancient toad had somehow perceived that Naruto carried memories of past lives, or so it seemed. Even Naruto wasn''t entirely sure what to make of it. Was he a foreign soul that had inhabited the boy''s body during a moment of weakness? Or... had his soul reincarnated naturally, with the memories of his past life sealed until recently?. There was only one way to know for sure. If he could ascend to the ''Spirit Transformation Stage'', he would regain all the memories his soul had accumulated across lifetimes. But that meant surpassing his previous self...going past his failures and progressing further than ever before, so he had a very long and difficult path ahead of him before he could obtain all the answers he wanted. Jiraiya suddenly stopped in his tracks, pulling Naruto from his thoughts. "Naruto..." Jiraiya began, his tone unusually serious. "Yes?" Naruto prompted, curious. "There''s something you should know." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That''s odd. I assumed you wanted to ask me something, not tell me something I don''t already know." They arrived at their destination, and Naruto''s eyes settled on an unusual structure, a small waterfall cascading into a fountain adorned with a toad statue. "That''s the fountain?" Naruto asked, puzzled. The liquid flowing from the waterfall shimmered faintly, radiating an energy that was anything but ordinary. ''That feeling from before... this must be the source,'' Naruto thought, stepping closer to examine it. "Careful!" Jiraiya warned sharply. "Don''t touch it." Naruto paused, turning to him. "That''s the Toads'' special oil," Jiraiya explained. "It''s extremely dangerous." Naruto frowned. "Dangerous? It feels... powerful. What is it?" "It''s natural energy," Jiraiya said. "The energy you''ll need to master if you want to become a Sage." "Natural energy..." Naruto murmured. So he was right...this was a source of power separate from the Yin and Yang that made up chakra. "It''s a type of energy that flows throughout the world, but it''s usually imperceptible," Jiraiya continued. He didn''t mention how unusual it was for Naruto to sense it so keenly before even beginning his training. Naruto studied the oil carefully, reaching out with his senses to grasp the flow of natural energy around it. There was something faintly familiar about it, though he couldn''t quite place why. "Eager to start, huh?" a voice interrupted. Naruto turned to see Elder Fukasaku leaping from the top of the waterfall to land on the fountain''s edge. "I am," Naruto said without hesitation, his eyes blazing with determination. The elder blinked in surprise, taken aback by the intensity of Naruto''s resolve. Though Naruto was typically laid-back when something captured his interest, his focus and drive became unstoppable. "Good," Fukasaku said with a nod. "Then let''s begin." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 168: Natural Talent Chapter 168: Natural Talent Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 168: Natural Talent Fukasaku glanced at Naruto with a satisfied smile. "It''s a good sign that you can feel the natural energy before even beginning your training. It means you must have some affinity for it." "Affinity for natural energy? I''ve never heard of any human with an ability like that. Only a few of the animal clans..." Jiraiya said, his tone skeptical. He was aware of the Snake Clan''s natural talent for Senjutsu. "Oh, but you have heard of another human like that," Fukasaku replied. "He was the first person taught by the Great Elder Gamamaru... a man known as Hagoromo." "The Sage of the Six Paths?" Naruto''s eyes widened. He recalled reading several legends about Hagoromo. The figure was a cornerstone of shinobi history, said to be the originator of modern ninja techniques. "The very same," Fukasaku confirmed. "From what I''ve heard, he also had a strong affinity for the natural energies of the world and could sense their presence even before he met the Great Elder." "Mmm... Hagoromo..." Jiraiya muttered, his expression contemplative. "But enough about that," Fukasaku said, shaking off the nostalgia. "I can tell Naruto is eager to begin this training." He tapped his wooden staff against the edge of the fountain. "Take a seat and get comfortable. This training will require a great deal of patience and focus." Naruto felt a shiver as he detected the faint traces of energy emanating from the statues. As the Elder said, these statues weren''t exactly dead but not alive either. "It''s a terrible fate," Fukasaku continued. "We keep these statues here as a reminder for future generations...to caution them against carelessness." "But if that''s the case... there''s still hope for them," Naruto said quietly. "Hope?" Fukasaku blinked, caught off guard by the remark. "Even if only a fragment of their consciousness remains, given enough time, some of them could achieve enlightenment and break free from their stone prisons," Naruto explained. "That''s..." Fukasaku paused, his thoughts interrupted by a memory of something the Great Elder Gamamaru had once said: ''There is always hope for the future. Who knows what will happen?''. Naruto noticed Fukasaku''s contemplative expression, he decided to add something else. "Given enough time, even a mountain has the chance to become a god. Who knows what might happen?" Fukasaku flinched. ''This boy...'' He wanted to press Naruto further but stopped himself. The Great Elder had warned them not to discuss Naruto''s past or origins and to focus solely on his training. "Apologies if my words were confusing," Naruto said. "Achieving ascension through pure enlightenment is... complicated. Even I don''t know enough to explain it properly." After all, this wasn''t a path available to mortals with their short lifespans. Not even cultivators could achieve it easily... it could take countless millions of years, or even longer than that. But there had always been legends about such stories in the past. "I think I understand now. I''m ready to begin, Elder," Naruto said, straightening his posture. "Right..." Fukasaku took a deep breath, regaining his focus. "Since you can already sense the energy around you, I''ll explain how to begin mixing it inside your body." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 169: The Path of Balance Chapter 169: The Path of Balance Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 169: The Path of Balance "This oil next to you is something our ancestors created," Fukasaku began. "It has the capability of attracting and concentrating all the natural energy in the surrounding area, making it an excellent tool for practice." "Oh." Naruto understood immediately. In his old world, there were devices called runic arrays that accomplished the same purpose of concentrating specific types of chi energy in a designated area. This oil seems to work on the same principle. Having such tools in a cultivation cave was almost mandatory once you reached the higher stages. Without them, the ambient energy would be far too thin and insufficient for meaningful progress. "I should give you one warning. There will be one extra inconvenience for you, though, since you''re human," Fukasaku added. Naruto glanced at him and waited patiently for the explanation. "This oil was originally designed for our Toad Clan," Fukasaku continued. "We discovered later that when humans use it, there are... minor side effects." "What kind of side effects?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow. "If your balance deviates even slightly, your body will begin to changeyou''ll develop toad-like features." "So... I could become a toad if I mess up this exercise?" Naruto''s brow arched higher. Fukasaku chuckled. "It''s not permanent, and I can fix it. With a simple tap of this staff"he gestured to the wooden staff in his hand"I can disperse all the natural energy stored in your body. The moment I notice any changes, I''ll intervene." Naruto nodded calmly. "I''ll leave it to you, then." "Very well, let''s begin. Close your eyes and focus on my voice. I''ll guide you through the process." As Fukasaku began giving instructions, it didn''t take him long to notice how unusual Naruto was. He had expected the boy to be exceptional, but Naruto followed his guidance flawlessly, with a level of precision that astounded the Elder. What Fukasaku didn''t know was that Naruto had centuries of experience practicing various cultivation methods, and this one was relatively straightforward for him. "Are you helping me again?" Naruto asked, a small smile on his lips. The artifact didn''t respond...it never did. But no answer was needed. This Divine Device had proven to him to have a mind of its own, and for some reason, he had been chosen to wield it. So it was natural that I would help him in a moment of need. As much as he would like to understand more about the Golden Scripture, Naruto was well aware that he was currently too weak and insignificant to obtain any real answers about such matters. That was something he would need to leave for his future self. Naruto turned his attention back to the chakra pool, his eyes gleaming with determination. " I can do this." His eyes were filled with determination. With this newly gained knowledge, he knew exactly how to accomplish perfect harmony. He will absorb the natural energy directly and then refine it and combine it with the other two. Absorcion, Refinement, Combination. Those were the three main steps of this cultivation method. This newly revealed chapter of Cosmic Assimilation would allow him to create a new, unified source of energy by blending the three. While maintaining balance was still critical, this method simplified the process. He only needed perfect harmony during the moment of combination...not throughout the entire process. This approach also held greater potential, though its true benefits would reveal themselves later. Opening his eyes in the real world, Naruto''s irises shimmered faintly with streaks of red, blue, and green light. Fukasaku noticed the change, though he wasn''t entirely sure what it meant. Naruto''s body wasn''t morphing, which meant he hadn''t made another mistake. For now, the Elder decided to observe. Naruto could now sense the natural energy around him with unprecedented clarity. "The natural energy around this pond will replenish even if I absorb it all, right?" he asked. "Absorb it all?!" Fukasaku nearly fell over. "Unless you want to become a permanent decoration here, I recommend only taking a small amount at a time!" Naruto smiled faintly. "Let''s see what happens..." Raising his hand, he opened his palm and softly whispered: "Cosmic Assimilation: Absorb." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 170: The Return Chapter 170: The Return Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 170: The Return Two years later. Konoha Village "Ahhh! Help!" A young civilian girl sprinted frantically through the narrow streets, her terrified screams echoing across the village. Behind her, there was a massive sand sphere bouncing around while getting closer and closer. Its weight was shaking the ground with each leap. It was so large that it barely fit within the road, causing destruction to nearby homes as it crashed through walls and rooftops. On the other side of the road was the village''s river, but the sand creature seemed to avoid it, steering its chaotic path away from the water. The girl glanced back in fear, only to trip over a loose stone. She fell to the ground, scraping her hands. Her heart pounded as she turned and saw the sphere looming over her, ready to crush her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the end. Woosh! A sudden gust of wind swept past her. "Dynamic Entry!" A thunderous shout rang out as Rock Lee flew in, delivering a powerful kick to the sand sphere. The impact stopped it in its tracks, completely halting its momentum. The girl opened her eyes and gasped. Her savior stood before her...a boy in an uncomfortably tight green jumpsuit, grinning brightly. "My lady, you have nothing to fear! The Great Green Beast of Konoha is here to protect you!" Lee exclaimed, giving her a thumbs-up. "Ahhh!" the girl screamed again, recoiling. This time, it wasn''t the sand monster she was afraid of...it was Lee, whose face was mere inches from hers. "Wait, I was just trying t-" "Ahhh!" she did not let him finish and shrieked once more while pointing behind him. A massive claw shot out of the sand sphere, aiming for the martial artist. Lee''s eyes narrowed. With a swift movement, he kicked the claw away, the impact ringing out like metal striking metal. The sand beast tumbled backward, its body shuddering from the blow. "Come on, Gaara! Wake up already and face me properly! I''ll challenge you anytime!" Lee yelled, his excitement rising. The massive sand sphere began to shift and grow, sprouting limbs and forming a familiar shape...the One-Tail, Shukaku. Hinata appeared in front of Shukaku, her chakra-infused strikes landing with incredible force. The sand construct flew backward, crashing down where Kiba and Lee had been standing moments before. "Nice one!" Ino grinned. "Looks like the raccoon is scared now!" "No... no!" Shukaku''s panicked voice echoed through the battlefield. "I don''t want to die!" Hinata frowned. "It''s not scared of us..." She did not miss that the beast wasn''t looking at them...it was scanning its surroundings as if sensing something unseen. "Whatever it''s afraid of, at least it''s heading in the right direction now," Ino said. "Just a little more, and we''ll push it out of the village." "You mean it''ll crush through the gates," Kiba muttered. " Can we fight it for real once it''s outside the village?." Lee couldn''t hide the excitement in his voice. " What are going to do?. It''s behaving differently from the last time." Hinata commented while they moved after the creature. This one had no longer any interest in fighting them and it seemed to just want to escape into the wilderness. " Hinata is right...the last time at least we could see the body of Gaara poking out of the sand. But the Bijuu seem to have gotten better at covering its weakness." Ino said. Crash! A tremendous commotion could be heard as the One Tail Beast obliterated the east gate without even slowing down a bit. Ino pointed ahead. " Okay, let''s go. At the very least we have to keep it from escaping, but don''t allow it back into the village either. I''m sure Lady Tsunade has already sent some reinforcements our way. We just need to gain some t-" " Why are you the one giving orders?. Hinata is the only Jonin here." Kiba complained and interrupted her. "Do you want me to repeat what she said?" Hinata asked, glaring at him with her Byakugan active. " No..." Kiba always got nervous when she looked at him with her Byakugan active. There was an extra something in Hinata''s eyes that made him feel like she was staring at his soul. Ino was about to throw a few taunts in Kiba''s way but was interrupted by a very bizarre noise. "Kyaaa!" Hinata let out a scream of pure joy that took everyone off guard. For the past two years, she had been so serious and composed that people often compared her to Neji. But now, her face was lit with a radiant smile. "What the" Kiba gaped at her. "Why is she looking at Shukaku like that?" Lee asked, confused. Ino, however, understood immediately. "It''s been two years..." she murmured. Hinata''s eyes sparkled with emotion. "He''s back!" she exclaimed. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 171: The Frightened Demon Chapter 171: The Frightened Demon Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 171: The Frightened Demon The One-Tail beast had just demolished the village gates, rushing away with reckless abandon, when suddenly, it stopped. Someone was standing in its path. Naruto Uzumaki had changed quite a bit over the past two years, and now he was just a few months shy of turning eighteen. He was taller, his face was sharper and more defined, and his hair had grown long enough that it was reaching down his back. His attire, however, remained as simple as usual. He wore a black martial-artist tunic paired with ninja sandals. A large storage scroll was tied to his lower back, and a long blade hung securely at his waist. Despite his physical changes, the One-Tail immediately recognized him immediately. The trauma from their last encounter ensured it would never forget this man. "Nooooo!" Shukaku, the Sand Racoon, screamed in pure terror, its expressive face twisted in horror. "Huh?" Naruto tilted his head, mildly surprised by the outburst. He hadn''t expected the demonic beast to welcome him with open arms, but this reaction seemed... excessive and exaggerated. "And where exactly do you think you''re going?" Naruto asked, his piercing gaze scanning the sand construct. It was obvious that it was attempting to escape Konoha, and it didn''t take long for Naruto to notice something else that was unusual...Gaara''s body was nowhere to be seen, leading him to believe that this escape attempt was made by the Chakra Beast was acting completely of its own volition, and had not been Gaara''s idea at all. Shukaku growled in frustration, realizing escape was impossible. Feeling trapped with no other option, it prepared to lunge at Naruto. " You have learned to hide your weakness, I see..." Naruto didn''t need to see the boy with his eyes to find its exact location. "I don''t want to die!" Shukaku screamed, desperately trying to repair the gaping hole in its head. Naruto stared at the beast, his expression thoughtful. It wasn''t going to die from this...it was a chakra construct, after all, and had no vital organs. Yet the terror in its voice was undeniable. Knowing that the demon must have been referring to something else, an idea came to his mind. "You''ve felt something, haven''t you?" Naruto asked quietly. ''Can they all be connected somehow?'' He thought. Shukaku''s only response was a furious glare, its rage masking whatever it feared. Naruto sighed. "I suppose talking to you is pointless." Shifting his focus, he tore Gaara''s shirt open, revealing the intricate black-ink seal on his abdomen. "Let''s put you back into your cage for now," he muttered. Shukaku roared one last time, extending its claws in a desperate attempt to grab Gaara and stop him from completing his next move. Naruto''s right hand began to glow faintly. In one fluid motion, he pressed his fingers into Gaara''s flesh, precisely around the seal. "Sealing Jutsu: Restriction of the Five Elements." A new formation appeared, pulsing with power. It disrupted Shukaku''s control over Gaara, forcing the beast to revert back into pure chakra. With a final agonized scream, Shukaku''s form collapsed into a swirling torrent of energy, which was swiftly reabsorbed into Gaara''s body. "Go back to sleep, demon," Naruto whispered. "I''ll deal with you soon enough. Don''t be in such a hurry." As the sealing process ended, Naruto began descending, Gaara slung over his shoulder. "Naruto!" Several familiar voices were already calling out to him before he even reached the ground. Looking down, he saw a group of familiar faces waiting below, their expressions a mix of shock and relief. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 172: Two Years Progress Chapter 172: Two Years Progress Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 172: Two Years Progress As soon as he landed, someone was already clutching his neck in excitement. "Hinata..." Naruto called her name, but she refused to let go. "Were you flying?!" Kiba exclaimed, pointing at him with a shocked expression. "Just for a bit... Lee, can you grab this?" Naruto asked, holding Gaara out for the other boy to take. "Thank you for your assistance, Naruto," Lee said politely, taking Gaara. His eyes moved to the new seal that had been placed over the original one. "You used fu?injutsu to stop him?" A soft whoosh sound announced the arrival of three more figures. The newcomers wore white masks with different animal designs. Naruto''s eyes moved to the one with a fox-shaped mask. "Kakashi," he said, recognizing his former sensei''s aura despite Kakashi''s exceptional ability to hide it. It was no wonder Kakashi had always been able to sneak up on him in the past. Even with Naruto''s enhanced senses, locating him still required some effort on his part. "Naruto, welcome back. And it''s ''Fox'' now," Kakashi corrected him before glancing at Rock Lee. "May I take him from here? We''ll handle it." The other two ANBU remained silent, patiently waiting. Their intervention was clearly no longer necessary. "Here," Lee said, handing Gaara to Kakashi. The latter briefly inspected the seal Naruto had placed. "Five Elements... Not bad. Lord Jiraiya must have been a great teacher." There was a faint bitterness in his tone. Akamaru growled in response. "I meant a girlfriend!" Kiba shouted, realizing too late that everyone had heard him. Feeling the stares from Ino, Naruto, and Lee, Kiba became embarrassed and quickly ordered his ninja dog to retreat at full speed. "Oi, wait for me!" Lee called, hurrying after him. "Ahh, I see...you want to race, Akamaru?!" He now had a challenge. Once things calmed down, Naruto placed a hand on Hinata''s shoulder and gently moved her away. "Let me take a proper look at you. I can''t see you clearly if you keep clinging to me like that." Hinata nodded and took a step back. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Sorry..." Naruto used his hand to gently wipe them away. "Why are you crying? I told you we''d see each other again in two years. Was I late?" "Two years was an awful long time!" Hinata said, her brows furrowing into a frown. Though Naruto couldn''t sense any real anger from her, he noticed that her aura was very similar to Ino''s, brimming with Yin Chakra. This meant that Ino had followed through on her promise to share her cultivation method with Hinata. The fact that Hinata had progressed as much as Ino, despite the method not being designed specifically for her, was impressive in itself. Naruto could also tell there were still hidden depths to this technique. "Hmm... Naruto?" Hinata tilted her head. Ino stepped closer and tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Naruto, I know Hinata''s matured into a beautiful girl with glistening long hair and, uh, other... features, but staring so much is kind of rude." "Ino!" Hinata exclaimed, blushing as she covered her chest. It was true they had grown over the last two years, but she didn''t want that to be the focus. Naruto chuckled. "It looks like you two are getting along much better." "Humph," Ino huffed. There was still some work to do there. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 173: Reporting Chapter 173: Reporting Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 173: Reporting "So, what happened with the village guest? I thought he was well secured," Naruto asked as they walked back toward the village. The group was headed to the Hokage''s office to report on their mission, taking the opportunity to talk along the way. Hinata clung tightly to Naruto''s right arm as if afraid he''d leave again the moment she let go. Ino walked to his left, occasionally glancing at him. Naruto''s question, however, made her expression shift to one of concern. "I''m not entirely sure, but... this isn''t the first time he''s tried to escape Konoha." "He''s very scared of something," Hinata added. "Gaara?" Naruto asked. Hinata shook her head. "The Bijuu..." "Yeah... It''s been getting worse. The last time, I had to wake him myself by entering his mind and forcing the raccoon away," Ino said. "You did?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a huge risk, especially with the demon in there." "Well... I have a lot more control now and can leave quickly if things get dangerous. But this time, the raccoon was better prepared." She sighed. Her ability required direct visual contact with her target to enter their minds, and when the One-Tail hid Gaara, her plan fell apart. "It''s a good thing you were there, Naruto," Hinata said with a smile. Naruto doubted that Kakashi and the ANBU couldn''t have handled it, but there was no need to voice that thought. "How long has this been going on?" Naruto asked. Hinata looked thoughtful. "The first attempt was about six months ago... but we didn''t take part in that one." And now, she couldn''t help but worry about how the village leaders would react to this news. If Naruto had done something to the Kyu?bi, she was certain of one thing: he hadn''t consulted anyone about it first. <><><><><><><><><><> "About time you made it here..." Tsunade''s voice greeted them as they entered the office. She was seated at her desk, looking as though her patience had worn thin. Still, there was a glimmer of amusement in her expression. "Well, come in. I''ve already waited long enough." She waved dismissively at Lee and Kiba. "You two may leave. Submit your written reports to my secretary tomorrow morning." Ino closed the door as the two boys departed, leaving Naruto, Hinata, and herself alone with Tsunade and Shizune. "Naruto, welcome back," Shizune said warmly. "It looks like you''ve grown a bit," Tsunade commented. "I suppose I have," Naruto replied, knowing she wasn''t just referring to his height. "Lady Tsunade, about the mission..." Ino began. "I''ve been briefed. Those two already gave me the rundown," Tsunade said. "And the ANBU...?" Hinata asked hesitantly. "Our guest has been secured again...for now, at least," Tsunade sighed. She knew the council would be on her case about this, as they had after the first incident. "You two may go now. Submit your reports tomorrow. I''d like a private conversation with our returning hero," Tsunade said, gesturing toward the door. Ino hesitated, reluctant to leave. She wanted to ensure Naruto wouldn''t get into trouble, but she couldn''t disobey a direct order. Hinata also seemed unhappy at the thought of leaving Naruto''s side. "For Kami''s sake, you can see him later!" Tsunade said, exasperated at their hesitation. "This won''t take long." With visible reluctance, the two girls bowed and left the office. "So..." Tsunade said, pretending to look around the room. "Where''s the pervert?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 174: The Cloud Incident Chapter 174: The Cloud Incident Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 174: The Cloud Incident "Jiraiya?" Naruto took a seat in front of the Hokage''s desk. "He made a stop in a nearby town. He should be here in a few days." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Why didn''t he come here directly? He knows I expected him to arrive with you and present the last report in person." "After leaving the Cloud Village, we''ve been traveling for months without stopping at any town or city for rest. I assume the stress got to him. He seemed very anxious to go visit som" "You know what?" Tsunade interrupted. "I''d rather not know the details. I''ll talk to him when he returns." The Hokage sighed as she leaned back in her chair. After a moment of calm, she looked back at Naruto. "That matter in the Cloud Village..." "Jiraiya said you''ve probably received some news by now," Naruto commented. "We did, but..." Shizune threw a worried glance at Tsunade.No?v(el)B\\jnn "You want our side of the story. That''s understandable" Naruto hovered his right hand over the Hokage''s desk. With a puff of smoke, a small red toad appeared. "This isn''t the usual messenger toad that Jirarya sends," Tsunade observed the little creature with curiosity. "That''s correct," Naruto confirmed. "Are you sure you killed him?" Tsunade pressed. "I cut off his head. I''m fairly sure he wasn''t alive when I left," Naruto replied, confused by the doubt. "That''s strange... because the Raikage never mentioned finding the body of another foreign ninja. They claim the only ones spotted nearby were you and Jiraiya. That''s the basis for their accusations," Tsunade explained. Naruto considered this for a moment. "They could be lying... it could be an excuse to make demands from our village." He knew the relationship between Konoha and the Cloud was tense at best, and they''d made war threats in the past. "Perhaps..." Tsunade didn''t dismiss the possibility. Still, the current Raikage didn''t strike her as someone who resorted to such tactics. "But wait," Shizune interjected. "If you retrieved their missing biju?, then... maybe we can still fix this." She glanced at Tsunade before continuing. The Hokage stared at Naruto. "Where is it? The report doesn''t mention that part. Is it with Jiraiya?" It was obvious that Naruto was not carrying any container with him. "It would be best if we wait for him to return. You can ask him then," Naruto replied. He wasn''t sure how Tsunade would react to the full truth. For now, only Jiraiya knew it, and he had suggested avoiding the topic until they could come up with a better explanation. That vague answer gave Tsunade a bad feeling, and she could already sense another headache approaching. "Fine then..." Wanting to move on, she decided to drop the subject for now. "We''ll continue this discussion when he''s here." The Hokage then gestured to her assistant. "Bring that thing here. You know...what we talked about the other day." Shizune looked confused for a moment. "Oh...already?!" "Bring what?" Naruto wondered aloud, but Tsunade only gave him a cryptic expression. Shizune returned, carrying a uniform in her arms. "I thought you were going to wait a bit longer." "There is no need for that. Let''s get this over with." She grabbed the uniform and placed it on the table. "Naruto, how would you like to become a Jonin?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 175: A Welcoming Suprise Chapter 175: A Welcoming Suprise Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 175: A Welcoming Suprise "You''re offering me a promotion already?" Naruto asked, surprised. He had intended to inquire about it but didn''t expect her to offer it outright. "Don''t I need to pass an exam or some other kind of test?" "Promotions to Jonin work very differently, Naruto," Shizune explained. "Every year, the Hokage and the ninja council can choose a few promising Chunin and give them the opportunity to be promoted." "You''ve already been a Chunin for two years," Tsunade added, "and during that time, you''ve completed several high-ranking missions for us. Normally, a ninja of that rank would need a bit more field experience before being promoted, but considering the difficulty of the missions you and Jiraiya have undertaken, I can make an exception for you." "I see," Naruto said, nodding. This would save him some trouble so he had no reason to complain. Tsunade raised a hand. "However... considering you''ve spent the last two years away from the village, I expect those old fools on the council to complain a little. They may request a short practical exam before making the promotion official." "What kind of exam?" Naruto asked. "A sparring match against a veteran Jonin. Just to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills for the new position. I''m sure that won''t be a problem, but I want you to keep it in mind so it doesn''t come as a surprise." Tsunade replied. "I''m fine with that," Naruto said nonchalantly. Having a match against an average Jonin at this point would not pose any issue for him. "Good. That''s the confidence I expect from you. So, do I take it you accept the promotion?" Tsunade asked. "Becoming a Jonin also comes with more responsibilities, Naruto," Shizune warned him. "You''ll often be required to leave the village for dangerous missions." Naruto didn''t mind that. Tsunade handed him a small card. "Here''s your new identification as a Jonin , and that''s your official uniform...though I''m sure you won''t wear it." It was clear to her that Naruto didn''t have much appreciation for the typical ninja attire and preferred loser clothing that offered no protection. Since he only had half of it, there was no point in trying to learn it earlier. But he was sure the other half was in the restricted section. As the Fourth Hokage, Minato had the authority to store important jutsu there, so it made sense he would choose that location after splitting the Flying Thunder God Technique into two parts. There was another forbidden jutsu Naruto had been meaning to learn...something he would eventually need to complete his journey. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to acquire it. ''Mmm...'' Naruto noted a lot of eyes on him as he passed through the busy commercial district. It was already getting dark, and most civilians were finishing their shopping before heading home. This was the shortest route to his apartment, although he used to travel across the rooftops to avoid being seen by civilians. Their glances used to be loaded with disdain, but now he sensed something else: respect, wariness... and some fear. Naruto wasn''t sure if it was because they didn''t recognize him or because they''d realized he could crush them with one finger if they tried anything. Regardless, he continued walking as civilians hurried to get out of his way, and eventually, he arrived at the dark street leading to his apartment. This part of Konoha hadn''t changed one bit and was still as neglected as ever. At least it was quiet, and that''s all he cared about. ''Oh...'' Naruto stopped for a moment before his apartment door. Someone was inside. They were not trying to conceal their presence, and he could sense it clearly. He opened the door to find the living room dimly lit by candles. Someone was kneeling by the entrance. "Hinata... what... what are you wearing?" He had already sensed it was her but wasn''t prepared for her attire. She was wearing an apron... and nothing else. "Welcome home!" she said with a warm smile. "Would you like a bath... some dinner? Or perhaps...me?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 176: Midnight Council Chapter 176: Midnight Council Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 176: Midnight Council Council Room, around midnight "Urgg... this is terrible sake," Tsunade muttered, setting her glass down on the table with a grimace. "That''s because it isn''t sake," Danzo replied, narrowing his eyes. "It''s a new liquor made with wheat that I ordered from a distant country. If you don''t like it, then stop drinking it!. It''s very expensive." "No no...I think I''m getting used to it," Tsunade said, pouring herself another glass and earning a glare of displeasure from Danzo. Elder Homura''s stern voice cut through the exchange. "Lady Tsunade, please focus. We have much to discuss, and we need you clear-minded." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. "Pff... I already know what you want to say and it would take many more glasses of this thing to numb my mind..." Her eyes moved to Danzo. "By the way, you have more, right?" "Then let us get to the first matter," Koharu interjected, adjusting her glasses. "The Sand Jinchu?riki and his repeated attempts to escape. We could start with that." Danzo''s voice was sharp and accusatory. "You''ve been too lenient with that boy. He''s a prisoner and not an honored guest. He should never have had the chance to escape once, let alone three times!." "I thought treating him with some kindness might prevent this sort of thing," Homura admitted with a sigh. He had obviously been wrong on that one. Koharu''s expression darkened. "The Sand Village is aware of these incidents, and the new Kazekage has already begun to demand his release." Tsunade swirled her drink absentmindedly. "That''s not surprising. Gaara is her brother. Of course, she will want him back, even if no incidents had occurred." "Hmph," Danzo huffed. "If those fools think they''re in any position to make any demands..." Homura''s tone was calm but firm. " What are your plans for the boy, Lady Tsunade? If you agree, I''m sure the Sand Village would be willing to offer generous compensation for his release." Homura''s brow furrowed. "Do we have it, then?" "No," Tsunade said. "Naruto stated that we will need to wait for Jiraiya''s return." "So it''s with Lord Jiraya then" Homura spoke. "...wait, where is he?, I thought th-" Danzo''s tone turned harsh. "Why didn''t they return together? What is that man doing at such a crucial time?!" Tsunade sighed, her irritation showing. "He''ll be here soon. You know how he is." "In any case," Koharu said, "this could be an opportunity. We should negotiate with the Cloud Village and avoid further conflict." Danzo''s eyes flashed with anger. "Negotiate? You want to give up the Biju?? This is absurd!." Koharu''s voice rose. "Danzo, we already have two Jinchu?riki in our village. Keeping a third one will destabilize the balance of power and invite war. You know this!" Homura nodded gravely. "If the Raikage and the Tsuchikage ally against us..." Danzo slammed his cane against the floor. "A Fourth Ninja War may be inevitable no matter what. Giving up our strongest weapons right before a conflict would be madness!" "Enough!" Tsunade''s voice cut through the argument as her hand slammed down on the table, shattering her glass. "We''ll wait for Jiraiya''s return before making any decisions. No one sends any messages outside the village until I can make a decision." After a long silence, Homura spoke cautiously. "Have you informed Uzumaki about the Tsuchikage''s demands?" "Not yet," Tsunade admitted. Homura opened his mouth to protest, but Tsunade cut him off. "I did, however, promote him to Jo?nin." The room erupted into stunned silence. "You... what?!" Danzo finally exclaimed. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Extra Chapter 177: Hinata I – 18+ Scene Extra Chapter 177: Hinata I C 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 177: Hinata I - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be the first smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. " So...what will it be?" Hinata asked while trying her best to do a seductive pose. Naruto stared at the half-naked girl for a long moment before saying something. " My bath is broken." " Oh...to be honest, I didn''t make dinner either. " Hinata looked unsure about how to continue. " Did Ino put you up for this?" Naruto asked. Hinata nodded rapidly. " She said to have read it in a magazine...she said that you were going to love it...did I do it wrong?" Naruto felt a pang of guilt after seeing jer pained expression. " No...you did nothing wrong." He went to her side and helped her up. "I''m not sure what to do next though...we only rehearsed up to that part," Hinata said. " Then..." Naruto ran his finger across her cheeks. " Leave it to me." The two of them began to kiss passionately and his hands began to wander. The girl was truly wearing nothing underneath that white apron, so his fingers started to run across her bare skin. He began by caressing her back before starting to move down. "Mmmm!" Hinata let out a moan when he reached her lower cheeks. Naruto left one hand there, which began to fondle the soft flesh while the other hand ventured underneath the apron and reached her bountiful breasts. "Ahh..." Hinata had become very self-aware that her chest had grown a lot in the last few years. "Is it too big?... I don''t know if you prefer them smaller." "Naruto...what are you...ohh!" Hinata gasped when she felt his tongue caressing her nether region. He made skilled use of every part of his body to pleasure hers and very soon, there were clear signs of how much she was enjoying it. "Looks like you are ready," Naruto noted how dripping wet her pussy was. So he moved up to be at her same height and positioned himself at her entrance. Hinata was visibly nervous but she looked at him and nodded. "Go ahead." She let out a soft gasp when she felt her hymen being broken and could feel a bit of blood running on her tights. "Don''t stop!." Hinata told Naruto when she saw him slowing down. "I am a ninja, I can take this much pain with no problem." Naruto smiled at the prideful display and obliged her request. His hips began to move at a steady rhythm and his member ventured further and further inside Hinata until he was all the way in. The pain was eventually dissipating and being replaced by waves of pleasure. Soon enough, Hinata was moaning loudly. "Yes!, that''s good, yes!" She wrapped her atoms around his neck. "Go harder!." She could feel an orgasm approaching. Just a couple more minutes and her legs began to tremble. "Ohh!" Naruto pulled his dick outside her and unleashed his warm cum all over her belly and chest while Hinata was gasping for air. The two of them stayed like this for a minute and enjoyed the sensation. "That was...even better than I imagined for my first time." Hinata finally said. "We are not done though. That was just the warm-up." Naruto told her. "Mmm?...what?" Hinata glanced at him. "That was just normal intercourse. I figured that it was better to start slowly. I will now teach you how to properly dual cultivate. The sensation of pleasure will be much stronger than what you just experienced." "Hold on...even more?!" HInata was shocked. Naruto chuckled at seeing her reaction. "Just you wait...are you ready?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 178: The Day After Chapter 178: The Day After Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 178: The Day After "Naruto..." He opened his eyes slowly when he heard his name being called. Some rays of light had begun to creep through the window, indicating it was already dawn. He turned his head around to look back at the improvised futon they had set up in the middle of the living room, as his bed was only good for one person. Hinata was staring at him with sleepy eyes as her long black hair barely covered her nakedness. "Good morning," he told her. She tilted her head to one side. "Did you sleep?" Naruto was sitting on the floor, just a few feet away, in his natural lotus position used for meditation. "A little bit." He rarely slept anymore, unless he got truly exhausted, it was no longer necessary for him. She looked down at herself. "Oh..." Her face gained a red tint when she realized she didn''t have a single piece of clothing on her and the mattress was only covering her lower half. "No need to be embarrassed. We saw plenty of each other last night," Naruto told her. The flush on her cheeks became more prominent. "Still... I should get dressed." Hinata wondered if she would eventually grow accustomed to this so it would no longer be awkward. "Does anyone know you were coming here? Or do I have to worry about the entire Hyuga Clan looking for their missing heiress?" Naruto looked away while the girl struggled to find all her clothes. Apparently, she had thrown them around before putting on that apron. "Few things can happen around Konoha without my clan knowing," Hinata answered calmly. "I saw Asami last night. She was wandering close to the apartment. Definitely knows I was here." "Mmm...." Naruto murmured. "Naruto?" "Do you notice any difference?" he asked. Now that he mentioned it...she did find something odd. "I feel... warmer. I never realized I was cold before." "That''s a normal side effect of gathering too much Yin energy into your core. Now you have a bit more balance. It should make it easier to control your chakra." "So this is because of that technique?" "Of course. You spent two years cultivating and purifying Yin Chakra under the moonlight. It is normal to be out of balance. If you kept going cultivation by yourself... well, let''s just say that too much of a good thing can also be bad." Naruto said. After all, that cultivation method that Ino acquired was meant to be complemented with a dual cultivation partner. "So if we didn''t do this..." Hinata was now getting concerned for Ino. What was going to happen to her if she... "In case you were wondering..." Naruto interrupted her thoughts. "Ino was very much aware of those dangers before she began." That method was created specifically for her, so of course, she would know about every single danger or side effect that could result from its practice. "She could have told me something..." Hinata complained. Naruto shrugged. "I won''t guess about her reason for not telling you. But she probably thought that you would be fine as long as we were together." "Mmmm.... I''m still going to talk with her." Hinata realized something else. If Ino knew about the side effects and still decided to cultivate this method... that could only mean that she had already decided to be with Naruto, despite continuing to say that she had to think about it. The two of them sat in silence for a few more minutes. Hinata was in no hurry to move away, but she also knew that Naruto probably had some plans for the day. "What are you going to do today?" "Today?" Naruto considered it for a second. "I think I have a library to visit." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. NA – Chapter 179: The Secret Library NA C Chapter 179: The Secret Library Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes-No?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 179: The Secret Library "It''s a bit smaller than I imagined." Naruto glanced around the room. He had entered through a secret passage above the Hokage''s office and now stood in a small circular chamber. The room held several scrolls secured in locked shelves, each one covered in complex seals meant for their protection. At the center of the room was a decently sized circular desk made of some type of dark wood with two comfortable-looking chairs next to it. "Of course it is," Shizune replied, moving toward a specific shelf. "This is the restricted section, under the Hokage''s strict supervision. It contains mostly jutsus deemed forbidden for one reason or another so they are only available to those personally approved by the current leader of the village. There are also some extremely important documents detailing Konoha''s hidden history and some of its best-kept secrets, but I suppose you''re not interested in those." She was the only one accompanying him today, and Naruto hadn''t seen Tsunade anywhere, which made him a bit curious but not enough to ask. "I''m not interested in secret documents, no. What I''m looking for is..." "This?" Shizune unlocked a shelf and retrieved a small scroll. Unlike most of the others, this one appeared relatively new and in pristine shape. Naruto took the scroll, unfurled it, and skimmed its contents. "I shouldn''t be surprised. There really are no secrets in this village." "It does look difficult but not overly so. The reason I''m returning this is because I don''t need it anymore. I''ve already engraved the contents into my mind and soul. I won''t forget a single detail." Naruto turned away, leaving Shizune standing there, clutching the scroll. "You... did what?" "Am I allowed to study anything else here?" Naruto asked casually while ignoring her question as he didn''t want to elaborate on his memorization method. He also hadn''t been told whether he was limited to one scroll or could read multiple ones. There was another jutsu he was interested in...another forbidden technique his father had mentioned on ''that day''. It would be good if he could find it today as that would save him time later on. "You want to read other scrolls? I mean..." Shizune was still recovering from her shock. "It''s not really against the rules..." Tsunade hasn''t said anything specific about this. Mostly because like her, she had assumed that Naruto would spend the entire day on this one scroll and perhaps return in the future for further study. Learning multiple forbidden S-rank jutsus in a single day seemed utterly insane. Naruto nodded. "If it''s not against the rules, that''s good. I might read a few more. Perhaps ten or twenty." "T-Twenty?!" Shizune stuttered. Did Naruto think this was a supermarket and he was casually picking out cabbages? This was one of the most sacred places in the entire village, where the most dangerous knowledge has been painstakingly preserved since Konoha''s very own founding. Ignoring Shizune''s outburst, Naruto scanned the room again. One scroll, in particular, caught his eye. It was much larger than the others and looked ancient, exuding an almost magnetic aura. "What can you tell me about that one?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 180: The Forbidden Jutsus Chapter 180: The Forbidden Jutsus Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 180: The Forbidden Jutsus "That one..." Shizune moved closer. "It''s the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. It contains a collection of very dangerous jutsus, most of which were created during the era of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju."No?v(el)B\\jnn Naruto picked up the scroll. The moment his fingers touched its surface, a strange sensation washed over him. ''Why does this feel so familiar?'' Naruto couldn''t find a logical explanation. This scroll was hidden in the most secure location in the village. There was no way he could have encountered it before. "Shizune," Naruto called. "Yes?" she replied, locking the previous scroll back in its container. "Has this scroll always been here?" "Eh?... Hmm." Shizune paused to think. "Now that you mention it, I believe it used to be stored inside the Hokage''s private manor. Several of the documents here were moved when Lady Tsunade became Hokage. Since she doesn''t use the Senju Compound, they wouldn''t have been safe there." She glanced at Naruto curiously. "Why do you ask? You seem particularly interested in that scroll." "No... It''s probably nothing," Naruto said, deciding to open the scroll. There was no use dwelling on the odd familiarity. For almost three years, he had regained no new memories of the past ''him.'' This feeling might be tied to something in the boy''s history, but reflecting on it wouldn''t help. "Oh..." Naruto''s eyes landed on the first jutsu in the scroll. "Found something interesting?" Shizune asked. She had never read the scroll but had a general idea of its dangerous contents. The common theme of the scroll was clear: jutsus that could kill you. "This is the Flying Thunder God... the original version, written by Tobirama," Naruto remarked. He should have guessed that the version his father used as a basis would also be in this archive. "Ah, of course. As I mentioned earlier, many of the jutsus here were created by the Second Hokage," Shizune confirmed. "That one is one of his most famous ones." "Clones can sometimes transfer their gained memories to the user. Not tested... possible tool for espionage?" ''Interesting,'' Naruto thought. If this were true, he could see many potential applications. After engraving the technique into his mind, he resumed reading. He paused at a jutsu called Impure World Reincarnation, another of Tobirama Senju''s creations. "A jutsu capable of bringing back the dead..." Shizune whispered. "Did Orochimaru read this scroll too?" Naruto asked. Shizune gasped. "Oh no... Do you think this is what he planned to use back then?" She recalled Orochimaru''s offer to resurrect Tsunade''s brother and lover. "It forces the souls of the dead into lifeless vessels... Did the Second Hokage really create this? It''s distasteful." Naruto frowned. He disapproved of techniques like this. Meddling with the dead was something only demonic cultivators would do. "Well... I don''t know much about Tobirama Senju...he was before my time," Shizune said. "But Lady Tsunade has told stories about him. He was a genius who created many wonderful things... but occasionally, he came up with some....more questionable ones. That''s why many of his creations ended up in here." Shizune looked directly at Naruto, her worry evident. "You''re not planning to learn that, right?" "Don''t underestimate me," Naruto replied. "I''d never lower myself to using something like this." Still, as he moved to the next section of the scroll, Naruto thought, ''But I''d be a fool not to memorize it.'' One day, he might face Orochimaru again. Understanding this technique could be crucial. Shizune didn''t notice his lingering thoughts as he continued reading. Finally, Naruto stopped, his eyes lighting up. "Ah..." He had found it...the jutsu he had been searching for. Shizune''s face turned pale as she read the title over his shoulder. "Dead Demon Consuming Seal." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 181: Where is the Kyubi? Chapter 181: Where is the Kyubi? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 181: Where is the Kyubi? He descended the narrow staircase, pausing as Shizune moved the piece of furniture concealing the secret entrance to the forbidden library. "Shizune, what are...Naruto?" Ino exclaimed as she saw them emerge from the hidden passage. The library sat just above the Hokage''s office, and this entrance connected directly to it. Naruto spotted Ino standing by the Hokage''s desk, serving a cup of hot tea. Tsunade was slumped over the desk''s wooden surface, groaning in irritation at the noise. "Keep it down!" she roared, her voice rough. "Still bad, huh?" Shizune gave Ino a concerned look. Ino frowned. "The headache and dizziness are really strong. I''ve never seen her like this." "You look terrible," Naruto remarked bluntly. Tsunade raised her head just enough to glare at him. "Naruto... you don''t talk to a lady like that. You should''ve learned that by now. Jiraiya may be a pervert, but at least he knows how to speak to women." "Mmm... you look terrible but also beautiful," Naruto quickly amended. "Better?" Tsunade rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "Did you drink a lot last night?" he asked, ignoring her warning tone. Naruto also turned to leave, since his business was concluded and the Hokage was obviously not in shape to speak with him.. "I''ll take my leave then and let you rest." As he reached the door, he overheard Tsunade speaking to Ino. Before he could close the door, Ino stepped out after him. "Wait! I''ll go with you for a bit," she said quickly. Naruto nodded, assuming she had something important to discuss. After all, they haven''t properly talked since his return. There were probably a lot of things she wanted to say. <><><><><><><><><><><> The two of them walked outside the Hokage building, and Naruto headed toward his next destination. Ino stayed close to his side, her expression tense. Once they were away from prying eyes, she pulled him into a deserted alley. "What are you doing?" Naruto asked, noting the concern etched on her face. Ino stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Naruto... tell me what happened to the Kyu?bi. Where is it?" Naruto sighed. "About that... Do you think Tsunade noticed something? I saw her staring at my cheeks earlier." "Of course she noticed. She may have a hangover, but she is not stupid." Ino asked sharply. "Lady Tsunade couldn''t have missed the fact that your whisker marks are gone. But I doubt she understands why. After all, it''s supposed to be impossible to remove a biju? from a person''s body without killing the jinchu?riki. But she must suspect that something had happened." Ino had spent years studying the subject, though reliable information on jinchu?riki was scarce. "I know I''ll have to explain it to her eventually," Naruto admitted. "I was planning to wait until Jiraiya comes back. He can help me handle it." "I''m surprised she hasn''t questioned you yet. But she hasn''t seen what I have inside your mind... So, what happened?" Ino pressed, her voice still low. "Mmm... There''s a lot to explain." Naruto scratched the back of his head, trying to organize his thoughts. "It all happened six months ago." Ino''s eyes widened at the mention of the date. Six months ago, Gaara and the One Tail Beast had started acting strangely. If that was when Naruto did something to the Kyu?bi, it could explain a lot. Naruto took a deep breath and began to recount his story. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 182: Flashback Part 1 Chapter 182: Flashback Part 1 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 182: Flashback Part 1 Six months before Naruto''s arrival in Konoha... They were camping in the northern part of the Land of Hot Springs, near the border with the Land of Sound, where Orochimaru had built his hidden village. Although they weren''t close to any of his bases, this area was considered a safe spot. As usual, Jiraiya had wandered off to the nearest village to "gather intel," leaving Naruto to guard the camp and monitor any potential movement along the border. But at the moment, Naruto couldn''t focus on the camp. His attention was consumed by a more urgent matter. The Kyu?bi had awakened...and it was furious. Inside his mindscape, the enormous fox roared and thrashed against the bars of its metaphorical cage. "What are you doing to me?!" it bellowed, its voice echoing with rage. Naruto''s mental projection stood before the beast, calm despite the volatile situation. For the past year and a half, Naruto had been siphoning the Kyu?bi''s chakra to make it his own. But this process had inadvertently caused some damage to the seal that restrained the beast. He had studied enough fu?injutsu to know he couldn''t repair the damage... the seal was crafted with a forbidden technique far beyond his current knowledge. This meant one thing, the Kyu?bi''s reckless thrashing could shatter the weakened seal, allowing it to escape its confinement. ''I have no choice but to absorb what''s left of it...all at once,'' Naruto thought, watching the beast''s violent tantrum. "You can call me Dad, if you want," Minato said, his tone light. Naruto stared at him, processing the unexpected turn of events. His mind projection had evolved over time, now closely resembling his current physical appearance. Minato showed no sign of noticing anything unusual about his "son." "How are you here?" Naruto asked warily. He couldn''t help but wonder if Minato had left part of his soul within the seal. That would be a complication Naruto wasn''t eager to deal with. "Haha! I can understand why you''re surprised to see your dead old man here," Minato said, scratching the back of his head. He gestured to the seal. "When I created this, I left a copy of my memories and chakra inside it. If the seal ever got close to breaking, my projection would activate to stabilize it." Naruto nodded slowly. That explanation made sense, and he felt relieved that his first assumption had been wrong. A memory-based projection was far less troublesome than a lingering soul. The chakra stored in the seal will just run out and then this manifestation will disappear. "Memories and chakra... clever," Naruto admitted. "So, can you fix the seal completely?" Minato puffed out his chest proudly. "That''s what I''m here for! Now, leave this to your old man and" He stopped abruptly, his expression shifting as he studied the seal. "Wait a moment..." "What''s wrong?" Naruto asked, his tone cautious. Minato turned to him, his eyes filled with concern. "Naruto... what did you do to the seal?" "What do you mean? I never touched it," Naruto replied. "I don''t even know what forbidden technique you used to create it. It''s beyond my current level." Minato pointed to parts of the seal. "The seal isn''t broken... it''s disappearing." "Disappearing?" Naruto echoed. "Yes, look here." Minato gestured to an empty section of the scroll. "There were symbols here...and here." He pointed to another section. "And these symbols are only half-visible. It''s no wonder the seal is failing. It''s like... it''s being consumed." "Oh..." Naruto suddenly realized his mistake. His absorption technique had worked too well. He hadn''t just taken half the Kyu?bi''s chakra...he''d also drained the seal itself. Minato''s expression darkened, and he spoke the words Naruto least wanted to hear. "I''m sorry, but... I can''t fix this." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. Chapter 183: Flashback Part 2 Chapter 183: Flashback Part 2 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 183: Flashback Part 2 "What do you mean you can''t fix it? You made this thing!" Naruto exclaimed. "Haha! Just let me out! You can''t contain me forever!" the Kyu?bi roared. "And when I get out I wi-" "Shut up already!" Naruto and Minato shouted in unison. Minato glanced at his son, sighing. "Look, I created that seal using a forbidden jutsu called the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. It''s an extraordinarily powerful sealing technique, but it requires the user to give up their soul to the Shinigami. The real me sacrificed everything to seal half of the Kyu?bi inside you. I''m just a collection of memories and a little chakra. I could fix it if it had a bit of damage, but I can''t completely remake the parts of the seal that were consumed, because I''m not the one who made them." Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "That''s too bad... but I understand that... Wait a minute, what was that thing you say just now?" "Half? You split me in half?!" the Kyu?bi roared, its rage growing. "You bastard! I knew something felt wrong. I''ve been weaker than normal all this time!" "This is only half?!" Naruto''s eyes widened in shock. The sheer amount of chakra this beast had was staggering, even in its current state. If this was just half, then... "Yes... well..." Minato looked uncomfortable. "I never intended to seal the entire Kyu?bi inside you. A newborn couldn''t possibly contain all of it. So, I had to split it. What you have sealed inside you is the Yang half of the Nine Tails'' chakra. And I''m that it had already caused you enough troubles while growing up." Minato''s eyes widened in shock. Purifying and integrating Biju? chakra into one''s own core? It was unheard of. "If you can really do that..." Minato glanced at the raging Kyu?bi. "Then the Nine Tails will cease to exist." The Kyu?bi wasn''t just a mass of chakra... it was a sentient being with its own memories and consciousness. Was it truly okay to erase it entirely, just because it was hostile to humanity? "What''s there to debate? It''s a demon. And it''s either him or me at this point," Naruto said bluntly. Minato didn''t need much convincing. "You''re right. Tell me what I need to do. I will help you, of course." "The absorption process will take time," Naruto explained. "It''ll also weaken the seal even further. There''s a good chance it''ll break before I''m done." "I see," Minato said with a nod. "You need me to hold the seal together for as long as possible." He glanced at the Kyu?bi. "But it won''t sit quietly. It''ll do everything in its power to break free the moment the seal weakens enough." "You can leave the Kyu?bi to me." A soft but strong voice echoed through the mindscape, catching Naruto off guard. He turned to look at who else was here, his eyes widening in surprise as a young red-haired woman approached them. "You''re..." Naruto stared at her, recognizing her from old photographs in his parents'' home. He hadn''t expected to see her here. The woman grinned, placing her hands on her hips. "Hello, Naruto. Your beautiful mother is here to help!" Kushina Uzumaki declared confidently. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 184: Flashback Part 3 Chapter 184: Flashback Part 3 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 184: Flashback Part 3 "It''s you!" the Kyu?bi snarled, glaring at the new arrival. "You still remember your former container, huh?" Kushina gave the Kyu?bi a passing glance before turning her attention to Naruto. She spread her arms wide, smiling warmly. "Come on..." "Mmm? What?" Naruto muttered, confused. "Come give your mother a hug!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. When Naruto hesitated, she marched over and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "You''ve already got your father''s face, hair, and eyes. Did you really have to inherit his cold personality too?" she teased, pouting playfully. "Hey! I was never that cold," Minato protested. "You were a complete antisocial until you met me," Kushina huffed, shooting him a sidelong glance. Naruto felt obligated to say something as he awkwardly stood there, stiff in her embrace. "We''re kind of in a hurry..." Being hugged like this felt strange to him...uncomfortable, even. He barely remembered his original parents. He hadn''t had the chance to form strong memories of them before leaving home as a child. When he was still very young, he had joined the Blue Jade Sect, and the journey to their compound had taken months. Along the way, they had stopped at countless villages and towns to recruit other students. By the time he was free to do as he pleased, he couldn''t even remember where his childhood home had been. There were countless villages like his across the continent, and truthfully, he''d never been that close to his parents to begin with. When he discovered the parents of his current self were dead, a part of him had felt relieved that he wouldn''t have to deal with interactions like this. "Just a bit longer..." Kushina whispered, holding him tighter. "He''s not wrong, Kishina," Minato said, stepping in gently. "Our time here is limited. There''s no way to replenish our chakra once these memories activate... and Naruto needs our help." Kushina sighed, letting go reluctantly. "Alright, alright." Naruto straightened up. "Then, if you can" "Kushina!" Minato''s eyes widened in horror as the seal finally broke. "Noo!" Naruto''s eyes glowed with vibrant orange light. "It''s okay. I''m almost done." The Kyu?bi may be free, but it could no longer escape. Its massive form had turned translucent, it''s chakra almost entirely drained. He was too weak now. The once-terrifying demon now resembled a pitiful, wounded creature. Its eyes, barely open, fixed on Naruto. "I... I hate humans..." it whispered hoarsely. Naruto stared at the dying beast. "Fair enough." He could understand the demon at least, and even feel some pity for it. But this was the only path he had to achieve immortality and was not going to let it pass. Not this time...he will not fail again. With a simple motion, the last remnants of the Kyu?bi''s chakra were absorbed, and its form faded into nothingness. "Is it over?" Kushina asked, her voice trembling. "I can''t believe that worked," Minato murmured in awe. Naruto nodded. "It''s complete." Minato glanced at his hands, already fading. "Looks like our time is up too. If you have any final words, now''s the time." Naruto looked at his parents, his expression serious. "If there''s anything you''d like me to do, I''ll do my best to fulfill your request." "We just want you to be happy," Minato said with a faint smile. "Live a life you can be proud of." "I do have one request!" Kushina interjected. "I want grandchildren!" "...What?" Naruto blinked, utterly thrown off by her words. "You heard your mother," Minato said with a shrug before his figure vanished. Kushina turned to Naruto, grinning. "I mean it. I don''t want you to be alone. Find a good woman, okay?" Naruto nodded solemnly. "I''ll try to honor your request." Kushina smiled warmly as she faded away, leaving Naruto alone in the now-empty chamber that used to host the demon. Naruto returned to his central chamber, gazing at the newly formed solid core floating above his lake of chakra. It gleamed with streaks of gold running across its dull gray surface. A small smile crept onto his face. "A Golden Core is forming... This is promising. But I''ll need the other half to complete it," he muttered to himself. There was still so much work to do. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 185: The Test Chapter 185: The Test Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 185: The Test "So...you met your parents, killed the Kyubi, and turned it into a golden ball?" Ino asked, still confused about the last part. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "More or less. Except I didn''t turn anything into a ball. I condensed all my chakra into a spherical nucleus. The ''Core Formation'' is the third stage in cultivation and a very important one. Also, there are three types of ''Cores'' that can be formed during this stage depending on how good the cultivation method being used and how skilled the person is." Naruto began to explain. " The worst one is the ''Fragmented Core'' where many impurities and mistakes had been left to accumulate during the previous processes, and it is the more common one. The next is the ''Flawless Core'' and this one will require having some high-grade cultivation method, access to quality resources, and a lot of talent, as well as patience to make sure you didn''t leave any mistakes behind in the previous stages. For most, this is as far as one could go. But if one were to obtain a cultivation method of the highest degree, there is a chance of forming a ''Golden Core''. This is the utmost perfection and being able to complete it before stepping into the Nascent Soul Stage will allow me to..." Naruto stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Ino''s blank stare. He could tell that she was not understanding anything. " T-That sounds great, Naruto...So, Lady Tsunade told me about your promotion," Ino said, quickly changing the topic. Deep discussions about cultivation weren''t something she was ready for. As they exited the alley, continuing their conversation. "Yes, I suppose I''m a Jonin now." Naruto responded. He had been looking forward to this promotion, but only because this would give him access to the information he was seeking from the village. "About that," Ino started, "Lady Tsunade wanted me to warn you about the Elders. They might send someone to test you." "She did mention that might happen. Do you know when?" Naruto asked. "Well, they didn''t say for sure, but Lady Tsunade thinks it could be to" "Never mind," Naruto interrupted her. His eyes sharpened as he placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. "Wait." "Huh? What do you mean?" Ino looked around but saw nothing unusual. The streets behind the Hokage building were quiet, especially on weekends. The area consisted of warehouses and manufacturing plants, with no residential buildings. Then, she spotted something moving at great speed above them. A figure leaped from the roof of a nearby building, bounded off the wall next to them, and finally pounced directly toward them. Ino realized it was some sort of feline beast with black and white fur. "An attack? Inside the village?" she thought, unable to examine it further before it was nearly upon them. Naruto stepped in front of Ino and extended his left hand. With a snap of his fingers, a violent torrent of wind erupted between them, shredding the beast and continuing for several yards, obliterating everything in its path. "Interesting... what kind of jutsu was that?" a soft voice echoed. Two large snakes lunged at Naruto from the sides while three tigers charged him head-on. Naruto extended a finger, forming a small blue sphere that quickly grew in size. The moment the first tiger reached him, the sphere shifted to an aquamarine hue, spinning violently and creating a whirlwind that pulled everything toward it, except for Naruto and Ino, who were right behind him. The snakes and tigers were dragged into the vortex, their forms shredded by the wind blades. Since they were constructs of ink and chakra, the scene was far less gruesome than it might have been otherwise. Naruto deactivated the jutsu and glanced at the boy. "Have you seen enough?." Since this was just a test for the Elders, he figured he would show them some more advanced jutsu that would be enough. But the other ninja did not seem satisfied with this. "You were supposed to fight me seriously. The Elders want to know what you''re capable of. All you''ve done is defend yourself," the boy remarked. Naruto''s grin widened. "Fight you seriously? Boy... are you asking me to kill you?" He could tell that this kid was barely on the level of an average Jonin and he was asking to be taken seriously. The young man remained unfazed. "Do you dare?" Naruto''s smile vanished, and a second later...so did he. Ignoring the ink clone that had been speaking to him, Naruto shot into the sky. He quickly spotted the boy hovering on a black bird. "How did y" the boy began, but Naruto gave him no time to finish. He was not in the mood to have a conversation with this person. In a blur, Naruto was behind him, delivering a simple palm strike. The young man, whose name was Sai, though he hadn''t introduced himself yet...felt an overwhelming pressure before being hurled toward the ground at breakneck speed. He slammed into the earth before he could form a single coherent thought about escaping. Pain washed over him in waves as his ears rang and his vision darkened. Only the ink armor he had prepared saved him from immediate death...a trick he had learned from observing their prisoner. But even that wouldn''t help if he didn''t receive medical attention soon. He had been ordered by Danzo to push Naruto as far as possible. His leader wanted to get a clear idea of how much of a threat Naruto was and what kind of techniques he had learned after studying under Jiraya for two years. But in the end, Sai was only able to see a few moves, and he only understood vaguely one of them, the other ones didn''t even look like ninjutsu. Meaning that his mission was a complete failure. He was too weak to force Naruto to show everything he had. ''Will I finally be free at least?'' Sai wondered as consciousness slipped away. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 186: The Invitation Chapter 186: The Invitation Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 186: The Invitation Naruto landed next to a panicked Ino, who was frantically administering first aid to the unconscious young man. "He''s still alive?" Naruto''s tone carried genuine surprise. That fall would have killed most Jonin-level ninja. ''Maybe I underestimated him with my initial assessment. He must have prepared some life-saving method in advance,'' he thought, noting the faint traces that the ink armor had left on the boy''s body. "Are you crazy?!" Ino''s angry voice snapped him out of his musings. "Were you really trying to kill this guy?!" Naruto blinked at her reaction. It wasn''t the boy''s well-being that concerned her but rather the consequences he might face for attacking a fellow Konoha ninja. She worked quickly, her hands glowing with chakra as she stabilized the young man''s injuries. Naruto watched her work with a mix of curiosity and respect. Two years ago, Ino barely knew basic medical jutsu, but her training under Shizune and Lady Tsunade had clearly paid off. This also meant that Ino had a great deal of natural talent for this type of jutsu, or else, Tsunade would not have wasted her time with the girl. "Not bad," Naruto commented. "Looks like Tsunade''s a decent teacher after all." It was hard to imagine for him, as he had mostly seen her worst side. Ino shot him a harsh glare. "Call her Lady Tsunade, at least. Addressing the Hokage so casually is incredibly disrespectful." Naruto shrugged. "I always address her properly in public. And shouldn''t you be focusing on him?" He gestured to the unconscious boy. Naruto gave her a sidelong glance. "If you say so." Ino began eyeing him critically, her gaze sweeping up and down his frame. Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Do you have a suit you can wear tonight?" she asked. Most of his outfits were simple robes or tunics, and she wanted him to make a good impression. "A suit of armor? Why would I have that?" Naruto looked genuinely puzzled. "Steel plates wouldn''t offer any real protection against someone at my level of strength. They''d just slow me down and get in the way." Ino pinched the bridge of her nose. "Not armor. I mean formal clothing. Like a nice outfit." " When did you buy something like that?" Ino was genuinely curious about it. " It was two years ago, in the Land of Snow. I visited some clothing stores after my mine attire was damaged in an explosion that occurred near the end of my mission. I only found a single shop that sold robes like the ones I use. But it was a very fancy and expensive one." " Did Lord Jiraya pais for it?" Ino knew that Naruto wasn''t exactly swimming in money. " No, Miss Yukie told me to get two and that I didn''t have to pay. In exchange, she only asked me to get out of her country as soon as possible. " He shrugged. " Is not like I had planned on staying there." Although he had to admit that the way she said it was kinda rude. Ino couldn''t suppress a laugh. "Poor Princess Koyuki. I''m not surprised." "Why?" Naruto asked, genuinely curious. "You really don''t know?. They''re still rebuilding her palace," Ino replied with a smirk. "I saw a documentary about it last year. The destruction you caused was... impressive." Naruto frowned. "Still rebuilding? It''s been two years. How slow can they be? It was just a small palace." Ino shook her head, suppressing another laugh. "Just wear those robes tonight, and try to behave, okay? My mom''s really looking forward to meeting you." "I''ll try," Naruto said, though he still wasn''t entirely sure what to expect. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 187: Meet the Yamanaka Chapter 187: Meet the Yamanaka Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 187: Meet the YamanakaNo?v(el)B\\jnn "Mmm... did I get the address wrong?" Naruto wondered, staring at the closed entrance of a flower shop with yellow walls. "I was sure she told me it was a yellow building next to the dango shop... it should be here." It was his first time visiting the Yamanaka clan, so he had been expecting a large manor. But there were no houses in this neighborhood, just shops and apartments. A small door on one side of the shop opened, and a woman he didn''t recognize stepped out. Naruto glanced at her. She was a tall, middle-aged woman with long brown hair and brown eyes, dressed elegantly in a simple green dress. He assumed she might be the owner of the shop, who had noticed him standing outside her business for too long. "I''m not a robber," Naruto said quickly, just in case she misunderstood. The woman chuckled at his blunt comment. "No need to worry. We''ve been expecting you, Naruto." "Oh? I see. Then..." Naruto turned back to look at the building again. "The Yamanaka Compound must be hidden behind this inconspicuous shop. Very clever." He scrutinized the woman again. She had very little chakra, just like a civilian. ''She doesn''t look like Ino or her father, so maybe she''s a servant or maid,'' Naruto thought but decided not to ask anything until he had more information. The woman smiled. "Why don''t you come in and see for yourself?" she said, motioning him inside. Naruto followed her up a narrow staircase leading to the second floor of the building. ''So far, this looks like a normal civilian house,'' Naruto observed. He saw no signs indicating a ninja lived there. The entrance was decorated with a large painting of a peaceful meadow, and there were flowers everywhere. He left his sandals at the door and was given a pair of indoor slippers. The woman led him through a hallway with several traditional-looking doors on both sides. If he hadn''t already sensed the chakra of Ino and her father nearby, he might have thought he was in the wrong place and this woman was leading him into a trap. "Here we are," she said, stopping at a door. She turned to him with a kind smile. "My daughter has been waiting anxiously for your arrival, so if she says or does something strange, please... try to ignore it." "You''re Ino''s mother..." Naruto realized he had nearly made a big mistake. The dinner was mostly peaceful, though for Naruto, the situation felt a little strange. He had little experience with family gatherings like this, so he didn''t feel completely comfortable. But it wasn''t unpleasant either. Neither parent questioned his relationship with Ino, though Noriko asked many personal questions, such as his favorite food and what it was like traveling with one of the Legendary Sannin. Once dinner was over, Ino grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the dining room in a hurry. She led him up to the third floor, which seemed to contain only two rooms. "Here," she said, opening a door at the end of the hall and urging him inside before closing it behind them. "This is..." Naruto glanced around the room. "What did you think of dinner?" Ino asked. "It wasn''t too bad, right? I hope my mom wasn''t too much... she can be a bit..." "She did ask a lot of questions," Naruto admitted with a shrug. "But I didn''t mind." None of her questions crossed any line, as far as he was concerned. "But more importantly... is this your bedroom?" "Yep!" Ino said with a grin. "Do you like it?" The room was fairly normal, with a desk, a large bed, a wardrobe, and some decorations. But one thing caught his attention. "It''s... very pink," Naruto remarked. All the furniture was the same bright shade. Ino smiled. "I know... I''ve been meaning to redecorate, but I''m hesitant to change it. A friend helped me pick it out years ago..." "Mmm..." Naruto didn''t need to ask who that friend was. "But it''s a nice space, and very private. That other room you saw is just for storing seeds, so I have this entire floor to myself." She walked over to the windows, closed the curtains, and sat on the bed. "By the way..." Her expression turned playful. Naruto glanced at her. "I talked to Hinata this afternoon. She told me about what you two did the other night," Ino said. "She did?" "Well... she didn''t want to at first, but I can be very persuasive. And she went into great detail..." Ino grinned. "I know you can be persuasive," Naruto replied. Ino, wearing a turquoise one-piece dress that matched her eyes, she then pulled down the top part, revealing a sexy black bra. "I want you to..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Extra Chapter 188: Ino I – 18+ Scene Extra Chapter 188: Ino I C 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 188: Ino I - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be a smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. "I want you to do the same thing to me..." Ino said with an alluring smile on her lips. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the sudden request. "Here?...your parents are just one the floor below us." "The walls are thick, don''t worry about that. Now take those robes and come here." She slowly removed the rest of her dress and pulled it off her before moving back onto the bed. Naruto did not need to be told twice when he had a very willing half-naked beauty on a comfortable-looking bed. He threw his robes over his head and climbed onto the bed. "Kiss me." Ino demanded as Naruto moved on top of her. The two of them shared a passionate kiss. Their tongues intertwined with each other and he began to explore her body with his hands. He began to gently massage her breasts over the fabric of her brassier and the blonde girl started to make noises of excitement. "I''ll take it off." She made a motion to move her hands behind her back, but Naruto interrupted her. "Let me do it." He lifted her body slightly off the bed with one hand and unclasped the underwear with the other one. "How skilled...is like you had done this a million times." Ino teased him. "I havent...but I have seen a few so far, and I learn very fast." That was not a lie. Women from his previous life didnt use these kind of undergarments so this was his first time opening one. But traveling with Jiraya, he had many chances of seeing these. For better of for worse. After freeing them from their containment, Naruto got a good look at Ino''s completely naked bust. "Don''t stare too much...I know they are small..." She said with a bit of embarrassment. Naruto didn''t think they were small at all, but she was likely comparing herself with Hinata and that was not a battle that many could win... ''Perhaps Tsunade.'' Naruto could not help but think about the image of their last Hokage for a second. Inos tits were perky, round, and as big as an apple. He grasped one of them and they fit perfectly in his hand. "They are perfect. There is nothing to be complaining about here." Ino was about to respond when he gave them both a light squeeze and then brought his mouth closer to one of them. "What are yo-oh..." Ino felt like an electric current passed through her when Naruto began to suck on her tits. It was strange but in a good way. He could tell that she was getting very aroused by how hard her nipples were becoming. So next thing, he slid one hand down. Naruto moved slowly across her belly and finally reached her black panties. He only touched her over the fabric and noticed how wet it was becoming. "Wait, you are not going soft now, right?. We still haven''t done it!" "Hmph!, don''t underestimate me." Naruto huffed. His member was still rock hard. "I can go on for hours!" "Good!" She exclaimed with joy. Then, she moved to the head of the bed and positioned herself on all fours, aiming her cute round naked but towards Naruto. "Then, what are you waiting for?." Naruto saw her moving that beautiful bum side to side and he felt himself losing control. He rose on the bed and moved behind the blonde girl, positioning himself at her entrance. First, he used his fingers to make sure she was wet enough and then, he went inside. "Ohhh" Ino groaned a bit. There was some pain as her pussy was being stretch out like never before. Naruto seated himself very slowly, giving her time to get used to his size. And then, he began to move. "Are you okay?" He asked to make sure. "I''m fine...I used toys before. They were not that big thought..." "Toys?" That was a new concept for him and wanted to ask what kind of toy had she used, but he could leave that for another occasion. "You can go faster now." She began to wriggle her butt invitingly. Naruto grabbed hold of her ass cheeks and began pounding her harder. "You want it like this?" "Yes!, keep going!" Ino moaned and shouted. He got a good rhythm going and continued to fuck her at an increasingly faster rate as she requested. After a few more minutes of this, he also began to let some grunts as he felt himself closer to orgasm. "Yes!, fuck me!, I''m cumming!" Ino was screaming with zero concern about the other occupants of the house. Naruto didn''t even need to ask her. Also, there was no way her parents weren''t hearing that. "Ohh!" Ino collapsed onto the bed as her pleasure reached its climax and Naruto pulled out at the last moment and spread his seed all over her back. He sat for a moment and watched her with satisfaction. Ino had a euphoric smile on her face. "That was amazing." She finally said. "It was, but..." "But?." She turned to look at him. Wondering if she did something wrong. "You said you wanted the same thing that I did with Hinata." "You mean..." Ino had almost forgotten about that. Naruto nodded. "That was just normal sex, we can now begin to dual cultivate. Now that we have finished the warm-up..." "Oh..." Inos''s eyes opened widely. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 189: Kakashi’s Discovery Chapter 189: Kakashis Discovery Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 189: Kakashi''s Discovery Three days later. "Yo!" Kakashi jumped over the gates leading to the training field and stood in front of Naruto. The blonde young man glanced at his former sensei. Today, Kakashi was wearing his usual Jonin attire instead of his ANBU uniform. "Should I still call you Fox, or..." Kakashi made a dismissive gesture. "No, no, today I''m not working. You can call me Kakashi." His uncovered eye scanned Naruto. He''d been keeping a watch on him since spotting him casually walking around the village, but if Naruto noticed his presence, he showed no sign of it. In Naruto''s hand was a large bag containing two bowls of steaming-hot ramen, which Kakashi had seen him buy from his favorite place. "Are you planning to have lunch inside the training field?" Kakashi asked. He found it odd that Naruto hadn''t eaten at Teuchi''s stand and had instead brought the food here. Naruto scratched his head. "I was also planning on getting some training done. I hope you don''t mind me using this field. It''s one of the best places to practice without a lot of spectators." Kakashi shrugged in response. "You know I''m no longer a Jonin sensei. I have no team, so I have no authority over this location anymore." He glanced toward the field. They were standing at the entrance, the path ahead led through a small forest and into the clearing where they used to train. "As long as it''s not assigned to someone else, I suppose there''s no harm in you using it." Kakashi was fairly certain Tsunade had purposely left this training field unassigned for Naruto. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have remained vacant for two years, given the limited number of fields available for new teams. "That''s great, then." Naruto walked a bit further inside. "Was there something you wanted to discuss?" He was eager to move the conversation along before the ramen got cold and soggy. "Actually..." Kakashi stared at him for a moment, as if analyzing something. "Can I make a selfish request? Do you mind if we have a quick spar? There''s something I''d like to test." ''Then again...this could be just Nauto''s careless attitude. But I cannot shake the feeling that something is off with him...'' Kakashi thought. His former student was now at the offensive and was coming straight for him. Kakashi could not help but scowl slightly at this approach. His sharingan could not detect any hidden traps or anything deception on his part. "How reckless..." The ground before Naruto became soft as quicksand and his feet began to sink into the ground. A pair of hands came out from beneath and tried to grab one of his legs while another one of Kakashi''s clones jumped off one of the nearby trees while the real Kakashi held a new kunai in his hand and aimed it at Naruto. ''Is this it?'' Kakashi thought, slightly disappointed. Then Naruto took a deep breath and released a powerful stream of wind, dissipating the quicksand and destroying the clones. Kakashi recognized the B-rank jutsu but was impressed by Naruto''s ability to perform it without hand signs or a verbal cue. Naruto jumped into the air toward Kakashi, then suddenly propelled himself sideways mid-air at tremendous speed. "What?" Kakashi was shocked. His Sharingan detected no jutsu or chakra fluctuation. Noticing movement behind him, Kakashi turned to see Naruto with a Rasengan in hand. The blue sphere of energy promptly changed colors to adopt a greenish tone and he could tell that a lot of wind chakra was being concentrated in that little sphere. ''A wind rasengan...it seems like Naruto had been working hard on improving his father''s jutsu.'' Kakashi took a brief instant to consider how to tackle this unknown variant of his Sensei technique, when all of a sudden, Naruto stopped in his tracks. "Oh... I used too much," Naruto said with a pained expression. "What do you m" Puff! Kakashi stared in shock as Naruto disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving no trace. His Sharingan couldn''t track him. There was only one explanation for this. "Have I been fighting a shadow clone the whole time?" Kakashi muttered, stunned. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 190: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu Chapter 190: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 190: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu Kakashi stood in silence for a long moment, staring at the empty space left behind by what he had initially thought was his former student. ''Was that really a shadow clone?'' he wondered, though it was the most logical explanation. But if that was the case, then this little sparring session had been completely pointless for gauging Naruto''s true progress. After all, the strength of a shadow clone largely depends on how much chakra the user divides among them. The jutsu splits chakra evenly, so the more clones created, the weaker each individual clone becomes. This was why Kakashi himself rarely created more than one or two in battle. Just as he was considering the possibilities, he heard movement from deeper within the training grounds, and just a second later, another Naruto emerged, leaping through the air with ease before landing next to a bag of ramen. "Tsk... that clone had one job and messed it up," Naruto grumbled, lifting the bag. "Now the ramen''s probably all soggy." "Sorry about that. It''s kind of my fault," Kakashi admitted, scratching the back of his head. "Though to be fair, I thought I was talking to the real you." "Eh, it''s fine. He should''ve explained things better," Naruto replied. As he spoke, a puff of smoke appeared beside him, revealing an identical clone of him. Naruto handed the bag to his clone. "You know what to do, right? Take this back and bring me two new ones. And don''t forget the extra pork chops." "Got it!" The clone gave a thumbs-up before vanishing. "Are you sure? You seem... busy," Kakashi said, glancing at the sea of clones. Naruto waved him off. "I have to dispel them a few times a day anyway. Otherwise, processing all their memories gets tricky." Naruto sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes. "Wait, you''re not going to dispel them all at once, are you? The feedback would be" Before Kakashi could finish, every clone disappeared in a massive cloud of smoke. Naruto''s body twitched as the memories flooded back, and Kakashi watched with concern. After a minute, Naruto opened his eyes. "All done." "Are you okay?" Kakashi asked. "Of course. I already learned my lesson the first day when I made twenty thousand clones and had them practice fu?injutsu for twelve hours. That headache was killer," Naruto said with a laugh. "Now I stick to ten thousand and limit the memories to six to eight hours max." "You made twenty thousand?!..."Kakashi stared at Naruto, dumbfounded. "Wait, you''ve been training like this for three days?. " Naruto nodded. "Indeed I did. It''s very efficient. Like I said before, I kinda wish I had learned it sooner. It would have saved me some time." He couldn''t speed up his cultivation with this jutsu, but he had already found several areas where the clones became very handy. "What are you trying to learn?" Kakashi asked, still trying to process everything. Naruto glanced at him, a small grin forming on his face. "Well...everything." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 191: Sage Mode Chapter 191: Sage Mode Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 191: Sage Mode "You want to learn everything," Kakashi repeated, his voice tinged with skepticism. "I meant eventually. But I am very patient, so for now, I''m focusing on understanding the jutsu my father left me," Naruto replied. "The Flying Thunder God," Kakashi muttered, familiar with the infamous technique. "And... any progress?" Naruto seemed to consider his response carefully. "Not sure yet. I''m still testing the formula for creating the mark, but I think I''ve figured out the other part." Kakashi''s visible eye narrowed slightly. "Really?" He doubted Naruto could have had access to the full jutsu for more than a few days since returning to Konoha. Of course, the Shadow Clone training method could significantly accelerate progress, something Kakashi had only recently realized the extent of. "I''d love to see it in action once it''s complete," Kakashi offered, genuinely intrigued. The Flying Thunder God was the cornerstone of Minato''s fearsome reputation, after all. "Sure," Naruto said nonchalantly as he stepped into the center of the clearing. "Are you ready?" Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan. He had a feeling he was going to need it. "Did you visit Mount Myo?boku by any chance?" "Not quite. What I''m saying is that I''m always in what you call ''Sage Mode.'' I''m constantly using and blending natural energy with my own chakra," Naruto clarified. " That''s...." Kakashi wanted to say that it was ridiculous. And that there was a limit on how much he could make up. His Sharingan was not able to see Naruto''s charka as clearly as the Byakugan could, but if he was currently using natural energy, he should be able to feel something distinct about his chakra...but there was nothing, no matter how much he looked. Naruto''s chakra was still as a pond. "I see you have doubts," Naruto felt a bit annoyed by his former Sensei''s lack of faith but kept calm. He did not want to come out as rude. "I suppose I can''t blame you, but fine. Since you wanted a demonstration, let''s do that." A sense of unease settled over Kakashi. Naruto extended his right hand. "Sage Art: Exploding Flame Ball." In an instant, a massive sphere of fire materialized in front of Naruto''s palm before shooting toward Kakashi. As this one moved away, the fireball erupted mid-flight, creating a blazing torrent of flames. "Sage Art: Vortex," Naruto called lazily. A powerful gust of wind surged forward, combining with the flames. Moments later, a roaring fire tornado formed, tearing through the clearing. Kakashi''s visible eye widened. "I don''t think the training field is going to survive this..." A.N 1: - The reason Naruto doesn''t gain any of the typical Sage marks on his face is because he''s not using Sage Mode in the conventional way. Instead of temporarily boosting his power, he''s permanently merging natural energy with his chakra. This feat would be impossible without Naruto''s unique cultivation technique. He still gains all the benefits of Sage Mode, such as increased physical abilities and the ability to use senjutsu.- A.N 2: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 192: A Playful Spar Chapter 192: A Playful Spar Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 192: A Playful Spar "Water Release... Raging Water Dragon!" Kakashi used the nearby pond to call upon a water jutsu potent enough to disperse the fire. As he landed back on the ground, Kakashi noticed it was softer than normal. "Toad Sage Arts... Swamp Binding Formation." As he heard Naruto''s voice, the dirt beneath him turned into mud, and he felt himself being dragged into it. Kakashi hurried to jump away, but tentacle-like appendages shot out from the swamp and grabbed onto his limbs. "Mmm... that''s an annoying jutsu." Naruto ignored the figure of Kakashi being dragged into the swamp and focused on the real one that had just escaped into the forest using a ''substitution jutsu'' he''d previously set up. "Toad Sage Arts... Stamp!" A cloud of smoke appeared above the forest, and from within the smoke, a colossal toad''s foot descended, crushing everything in its path. Kakashi had to hurry and move away from his hiding spot before being crushed. ''He''s not giving me time to breathe...'' Kakashi thought as he endured a barrage of attacks from Naruto. ''It''s like he''s trying to show me his arsenal of Sage Arts...'' Kakashi thought again. His Sharingan picked up a shift in the air around him, and he knew his opponent was about to attack again. Naruto saw Kakashi return to the clearing while he floated above it. He snapped his fingers, aiming in Kakashi''s direction. "Sage Arts... Wind Blast." Pressurized air shot out like a cannon. Kakashi raised his arms in defense but was sent flying by the impact. "Urgh!" When he managed to regain his balance and glance up, Naruto had already disappeared again and was reading the next attack. Kakashi then felt a wave of heat behind him. "Wait... what do you mean by calling their names out loud?" Kakashi didn''t notice anything strange in Naruto''s movements or actions. "I mean this." In an instant, Naruto snapped his fingers. Kakashi felt something whiz past him like a bullet, followed by a loud cracking noise. When he turned back, he saw several trees with the top halves of their trunks missing. "Normally, I''d use it like that." "That''s... not how ninjutsu works," Kakashi muttered. Ninjutsu required circulating chakra, performing hand signs, and chanting names to shape techniques before releasing them. "What you just did, is skipping several steps." "It''s not ninjutsu," Naruto told him. "I''m just releasing some of the energy stored in my body and shaping it as it''s released." He lifted his palm, and a mass of chakra began spinning, forming a Rasengan. "Like this." The blue sphere took on a green hue as a current of wind formed around it. Kakashi observed closely as a wind-elemental Rasengan took shape in Naruto''s hand. Naruto threw it into the air, and it floated for a moment before he caught it with his other hand. He moved the wind sphere around while steadily increasing its potency. The wind current grew strong enough that Kakashi had to exert effort to avoid being pulled in. Naruto played with it like a toy, but Kakashi could tell that if any living being came into contact with that sphere, they''d be torn apart. Eventually, Naruto grew bored and tossed the Rasengan into the air, where it exploded, creating a powerful gust of wind. "Something like that," Naruto said. "I can use other elements, but wind is the easiest for me to manipulate." "So it''s true... you can keep Sage Mode active the entire time..." Kakashi muttered. If he told anyone, they''d call him crazy, but he couldn''t deny what he''d seen. Naruto was using Sage Arts one after another without any apparent strain or change in appearance. At that moment, the Naruto clone that had been sent away returned carrying two large containers. "Let''s leave it at that for now. It''s ramen time!" Naruto said with a wide grin on his face. Kakashi sighed. "At least something hasn''t changed..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 193: Urgent Mission: Onto the Land of Sound! Chapter 193: Urgent Mission: Onto the Land of Sound! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 193: Urgent Mission: Onto the Land of Sound! On the next day, Naruto received a call to attend a meeting at the Hokage''s office. Initially, he had assumed that Jiraiya had returned to the village so his presence would be required. But after being unable to sense the man''s presence inside the range of his ''Divine Senses,'' this thought was discarded. When he opened the door of the room and glanced inside, he noted that Shizune was missing from her usual spot next to the Hokage. Tsunade sat at her chair while glancing at some papers, and two men in jonin outfits stood before her. "I have an urgent mission for you, Naruto," she told him without lifting her eyes from the papers. Naruto closed the door and walked closer. One of the men standing there was Kakashi, who gave him a gesture of acknowledgment. The other one, he had never seen before without the mask, but he had felt his peculiar aura before. On the day he arrived at the village...this was one of the ANBU who came to face the One-Tail Beast along with Kakashi. His physical looks were very ordinary, other than his peculiar headband that also covered the sides of his face. He had short brown hair with dark eyes and wore the standard Jonin uniform. "Must be a difficult one," Naruto commented. After all, a mission that required two ANBU ninjas and him, could not be anything less than an SS rank. Tsunade finally glanced at him and began to explain. "Two years ago, Uchiha Sasuke defected from Konoha while also killing one of his teammates in the process." Naruto shook his head. "There is no need for that. I always have access to my supplies. I''m ready to leave whenever you want to." Kakashi could not see any scrolls on him. Naruto was just dressed in his usual simple attire consisting of martial arts robes and sandals. At most, he could have a small storage scroll inside the robes, but not much more. Still, this was not the time to question him about that. "Well then... let''s leave." Kakashi calculated that it would take them close to half a day to reach the border, but after that, they would need to move at a much slower pace since they had to be wary of sudden enemy attacks from all sides. <><><><><><><><><><><><><> As they were passing through the gates, the brown-haired man finally decided it was time to introduce himself at least. "It''s good to finally meet you, Naruto. My name is Yamato." "Are you no longer in ANBU?" Naruto asked. This seemed to surprise him a bit. "How did you know that?" "You are not as good at hiding your presence as Kakashi. I remember you from the day you went after the Sand Demon," Naruto told him. "Oh...that day. I see." It was true that Yamato had seen Naruto before. He had actually seen him many more times before that one. But it was not something he wanted to admit. Or the fact that he had been chosen to keep an eye on him. "Okay, enough talking. Let''s keep a fast pace until we reach the border," Kakashi ordered. "Unfortunately, there is little more information to share, so we will maintain communication to a minimum in order to prioritize speed." As he said this, Kakashi jumped on top of a tree and began to increase the pace while Yamato and Naruto followed behind. ''Sasuke...'' There were a lot of thoughts running through his mind right now. He could not wait to see his former student...there were a few things he wanted to tell him. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 194: The Secret Hideout chapter 194: the secret hideout disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto.no?v(el)b\\jnn i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 194: the secret hideout the three jonins were traveling through a thick forest when, all of a sudden, kakashi stopped atop a tree and examined its trunk. on it, they could all see a distinct mark made with a sharp blade. "alright... this is the area marked by our spy. be on full alert. i''m sure there are traps everywhere," kakashi whispered. yamato scanned the surroundings. it was hard to see anything but branches and leaves. the trees were tightly packed together, and the ground was covered in dense shrubbery. "it won''t be easy to find a secret entrance in all of this. on top of that, we need to worry about traps... this may take us all day," he said, regretting the delay. he was keenly aware of how critical it was to hurry if they hoped to find the uchiha boy. every second spent here, searching for the entrance, would lessen their chances of success. "i have an idea to solve both of those problems," naruto said suddenly as he got on his feet on top of the tree branch. kakashi glanced at him, concern flashing in his eye. he''d read several of the mission reports from naruto''s time with jiraiya, most of which ended with massive property damage and casualties. "naruto, hold on a m" kakashi tried to stop him but it was too late already. "let''s go." naruto made a hand sign, and hundreds of clones appeared all around him. immediately, the clones began exploring the area with no regard for their safety. "wait, but wouldn''t this method trigger the tr" before yamato could finish his sentence, a shockwave from a nearby explosion, likely produced by a triggered tag, interrupted him and shook him on his feet. that explosion was quickly followed by many more. and it wasn''t just explosions...pits opened, acid traps sprung, spears, arrows, kunai, and other projectiles launched in all directions, covering the area in fire and steel. "be careful. there are probably traps attached to the h" "not anymore," naruto interrupted kakashi. both turned to look at him. "two of my clones got blown up while trying to open it," naruto added nonchalantly. "doesn''t it bother you, experiencing so much... destruction through your clones?" yamato asked hesitantly. naruto shrugged in response. "fine... let''s do this." kakashi inspected the hatch thoroughly before finally putting his hand on the latch and opening it. the hatch revealed a set of stone stairs descending deep underground. the darkness beyond the entrance was impenetrable, so kakashi retrieved a small stick from his tool pouch. after removing the cap and striking it against the rough surface of the metal hatch, it ignited, providing a steady flame. "proceed with caution," kakashi said, preparing to descend. he stopped and glanced back at naruto. "and i really mean it. don''t break anything in there!, the whole structure could collapse on our heads." "how dramatic..." naruto huffed. once down the stairs, the group found themselves in a large, empty stone room. the only notable items were a desk with papers and writing tools. the papers appeared to be a simple visitor log. on the far side of the room was an open doorway leading to a dark corridor. "this place seems abandoned," yamato said. he found it odd that no one was guarding the entrance and that everything was so quiet. naruto extended his senses but felt almost nothing. this could mean that orochimaru was extremely good at concealing seals or...that this hideout had already been abandoned before they arrived. and right now, the second one seems more likely. a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 195: The Unfortunate Secretary chapter 195: the unfortunate secretary disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto. i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 195: the unfortunate secretary "this feels more like a dungeon. i was expecting a laboratory," yamato commented. he was all too familiar with orochimaru''s research facilities. "this hideout must have had a different purpose, like..." kakashi leaned forward, peering down a set of stairs that descended further into the darkness. along the walls of the stairwell were rooms with barred doors. "...a prison." yamato moved closer to see what kakashi was referring to. "of course..." the rooms on either side of the stairs were unmistakably cells, their metal bars leaving no question about their intended use. "he must have kept some of his experimental ''materials'' here," yamato said grimly, trying to avoid thinking of the past. "but where are they? the place looks empty. it couldn''t have been abandoned if sasuke and one of orochimaru''s associates were just here," kakashi pointed out. "i can sense a few auras down there. it''s not completely empty," naruto interjected.no?v(el)b\\jnn "you can sense chakra signals?" yamato asked, surprised. naruto''s dossier hadn''t mentioned this ability. kakashi glanced at him curiously. "since when are you a sensor?" "since about six months ago," naruto replied casually. his divine senses had awakened when he broke through the core formation stage. this ability allowed him to detect energy sources nearby...though only from living beings. kakashi wanted to ask more but decided the mission took precedence. "alright... let''s find those people and see if we can figure out what happened here." "i think i''m fine... but my body is sore. i was so scared that everyone had left and i''d be trapped here forever..." her voice faltered when she noticed the symbols on kakashi and yamato''s headbands. she gasped. "y-you... you''re from konoha?!" to their surprise, the girl didn''t react defensively. instead, she threw herself into kakashi''s arms, sobbing. "thank kami you''re here to save us!" kakashi glanced at yamato, who looked just as puzzled as he was. "can you tell us what happened?" yamato asked gently. it was clear this woman wasn''t one of orochimaru''s minions but rather one of his victims. she explained that she was from a small village in the land of hot springs, near the border with the land of sound. she had been kidnapped along with others and brought to this facility. most of the other captives who came with her, had died...either as a result of orochimaru''s experiments or in attempts to escape. she had been spared because of her literacy and skill with advanced mathematics, which orochimaru found useful. in exchange for her work as a secretary, he promised not to harm her or use her as research material. she had been here for almost a year, slowly losing hope that anyone would come to rescue her. "i see... don''t worry, we''ll get you back home," kakashi reassured her. he chose not to mention that her country had never issued a mission for their rescue. the land of hot springs likely didn''t want to antagonize a sannin over a few missing villagers. "how did you end up under that bookcase? did someone attack you?" yamato asked. "oh, that... no..." she glanced back at the now-upright bookcase. "i was trying to reach for one of the books on the top shelf when the entire facility started shaking violently. the case fell on me. it must''ve been a strong earthquake, though i''ve never felt anything like it before." "ah..." naruto''s face lit up in realization. "when was this ''earthquake''?" kakashi asked. "hmm... about ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago," the woman replied. "i''m lucky you were nearby." yamato and kakashi both turned to look at naruto. fifteen minutes ago was exactly when naruto had set off all the traps, causing chaos in the forest above. "so... anyway, we should continue our investigation," naruto said, quickly changing the subject. a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 196: Discoveries chapter 196: discoveries disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto. i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 196: discoveries "let''s see..." the girl tried to recall the last events. "did you see a boy named sasuke uchiha? he has black hair, black eyes, and he''s always in a bad mood," naruto asked. "i have a picture here," kakashi added, showing her a photo of sasuke. "oh!" her eyes lit up. "the handsome boy. i didn''t know his name, but yes... he visited today." "so never saw him here before today?" yamato clarified. the girl shook her head. "the only ones who visit this facility are mister kabuto and very occasionally, lord orochimaru." "did you say kabuto?" naruto''s reaction was immediate. he had killed that man over two years ago. if this girl had only been here for a year...that should not be possible. kakashi''s thoughts mirrored his. "when did you last see kabuto?" "eh?... well, today. he came here with the handsoi mean, sasuke uchiha," the girl responded. "could it be?" yamato glanced at naruto. "i reduced him to dust. there''s no doubt he died. i even got paid for it," naruto said with a scowl, already guessing how kabuto could still be around. "how does resurrection work when it comes to bounties?" he sighed. there was no way he could return the money now. he had already spent most of it. "resurrection?" yamato looked confused. but kakashi''s mind went to a forbidden jutsu orochimaru had used against the third hokage. while not public knowledge, kakashi was one of the few who had learned of it. the name ''impure world reincarnation'' echoed in his thoughts. "you think he used that again?" kakashi asked naruto. "why wouldn''t he?" naruto retorted. according to the texts he''d memorized, orochimaru only needed a sample of kabuto''s blood or skin and a human sacrifice to bring him back. "tsk. how annoying..." even if naruto''s technique hadn''t left remains, orochimaru likely had samples from his most trusted subordinates, so he could bring them back if they died. the jutsu was not without flaws, though. those who are brought back only have around half their original power, so they are less useful for combat. there is also the risk that they will lose control and turn against their creator. his gaze landed on a large man near the bottom of the pile. though his body was covered in cuts, subtle movements betrayed his breathing. kakashi followed and confirmed. "this one''s alive." as naruto pointed at him, the man suddenly rose, twisting his body to throw a powerful hook at naruto''s face. "rahhh!" the large fist connected with naruto''s cheek, making a loud sound. naruto stood still, unfazed. "for now, that is." kakashi swiftly immobilized the man. judging by the punch, the man''s strength was around genin level, so he was nowhere near enough to hurt naruto. "ahh, wait, please!" the man''s desperation was clear. "don''t kill me!" "we didn''t come here to kill you," kakashi assured him. "hold on, let''s not discard anything yet," naruto added dryly. ignoring him, kakashi continued. "we just want some information. what happened here? who''s responsible?" "lady guren came and ordered us to fight. i don''t know where they went after that... i was knocked out quickly. when i woke up and saw the arena, i pretended to be dead," the man explained. naruto''s eyes shifted to a suspicious pool of blood. "what about you?" "heh heh..." a figure rose from the blood: a thin, snake-like man with a mask covering most of his face and unsettling eyes. "i know a lot more than that fool." kakashi''s eye became fixated on the new appearance. this one seemed to be a lot more dangerous than the other one, but despite his gruesome appearance, he did not perceive any hostility coming from him. "go on," naruto urged, his patience thinning. "not so fast... i want something in exchange," the man said. naruto sighed. "you get to live. isn''t that enough?" "promise me you''ll get me out of this hellhole, and i''ll talk." "that''s it? sure, i prom" "not you." the man pointed at kakashi. "i recognize you... copy ninja kakashi. you''re an honorable man. promise me, and i''ll tell you." kakashi nodded. "you have my word. we''ll take you out of here, and you''ll be free to go." the masked man relaxed slightly. "i don''t know their plan, but... i know where they''re going next." a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 197: The Cursed Island chapter 197: the cursed island disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto. i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 197: the cursed island six hours later, waters near the coast of kame island, land of water. the little boat they were in, was moving side to side, every time the rower pushed against the murky waters. "are you sure that toad was able to get the girl home?" yamato asked. "of course. gamatatsu is very reliable," naruto assured the jonin. but yamato didn''t seem convinced. after leaving the hideout, he had offered to escort the poor girl back to her village, but that would require them to deviate from the most optimal route. naruto had instead proposed summoning one of his toads to take her there safely. "that toad didn''t seem very reliable..." yamato didn''t want to say it outright, but the toad appeared to have some sort of mental deficiency and spoke in a strange way. "you worry too much. gamatatsu is more competent than he looks," naruto said confidently. in truth, he wasn''t entirely sure himself. he''d only summoned gamatatsu because the little guy had been pestering him endlessly about giving him something to do and was becoming annoying. "i''m sure it''ll be fine, yamato," kakashi added. "all members of the toad clan are carefully trained by their elders." "if you say so..." yamato muttered. "hey, if you''re that interested in her well-being, you can check on her once the mission is over," naruto teased, noticing yamato''s concern for the girl. yamato''s face flushed slightly. "i do n" suddenly, the small boat shook violently, cutting him off. the three jonins turned to look at the old fisherman steering the vessel. the three of them began moving toward the island, with kakashi and yamato walking on the water and naruto hovering just above it. "i know you can walk on water too. it''s one of the few things i can claim to have taught you. are you just showing off?" kakashi asked. "didn''t want to get my sandals wet," naruto replied. "i see land!" yamato exclaimed. as they drew closer, the thick mist parted slightly, revealing the coast of the island less than fifty yards away. "i''ve been to the land of water a few times. the mist is always an issue, but i''ve never seen it this thick," kakashi commented. when they finally reached the shore, the mist thinned just enough to allow a few yards of visibility. the ground was dark and wet, with no vegetation, it was just dirt and jagged rocks. "what do you think orochimaru wants from this place?" yamato asked. "i can''t imagine anything of value being here." kakashi glanced at the sky. the sun was already setting. "we''ll find out soon enough, but we should rest for now. wandering this place in the dark isn''t a good idea." yamato nodded in agreement. the mist already made visibility a challenge, and darkness would make it impossible to navigate. they would easily fall victim to a trap if they did that. kakashi settled on a rock. "let''s hope whatever they''re here for, takes them more than a day to complete..." he turned to naruto. "can you sense any presence on the island?" naruto shook his head. "the mist is interfering. i can''t sense much at all." "what do you mean? it''s just water," yamato said, puzzled. "it''s not just water. there''s chakra mixed in it," naruto explained. hearing this, kakashi uncovered his sharingan and scanned the surroundings. "he''s right... this mist isn''t natural. someone or something is producing it." yamato recalled the fisherman''s words about the island being cursed...or harboring a demon. a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 198: The Strange Crystals chapter 198: the strange crystals disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto. i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 198: the strange crystals as the first rays of light began to pierce through the mist covering the island, the group started moving again. for now, they had decided to head toward the center of the island. if there was anything of interest here, it was likely to be there. after a few minutes of walking, they began to notice some rotting trees along the way, giving at least some evidence that there used to be life on this island. "there was likely a lot of vegetation in these lands before this fog appeared," yamato pointed out. "i''m more curious about the source of this fog. and why orochimaru sent sasuke to a place like this," kakashi said. "from what i learned from jiraiya, orochimaru often sends his followers to various places to collect anything or anyone that catches his attention. the man is an obsessive collector," naruto commented. "that is true," yamato agreed with a touch of bitterness in his voice. "orochimaru is obsessed with gaining knowledge, and he''s willing to go to great lengths to achieve his goals. he has no moral qualms about his methods, either." kakashi glanced at yamato. "there''s little chance that orochimaru himself will be here. if he is, we''ll come up with something. for now, our mission is to find sasuke and uncover whatever plans they had for this island." kakashi cast a brief glance at naruto, pondering if the current naruto could handle someone like orochimaru. their sparring session the other day had left him both shaken and curious about the young man''s full potential. ''at this point, only jiraiya might know what he can truly do.'' unfortunately, kakashi hadn''t had the chance to speak with the sannin before leaving on this mission. "there''s something strange ahead..." naruto spoke suddenly. "strange how? do you sense someone''s presence?" yamato asked. "a bloodline variation of earth jutsu... hold on." kakashi extended his hand. sparks of electricity began to form as he touched the crystal. as he did, the entire structure crumbled with little resistance, releasing the man inside. "naruto was right. something created with earth particles will be vulnerable to lightning due to the impurities in the earth that help conduct electricity," kakashi explained. yamato moved quickly to catch the man but realized it was too late for that person. "unfortunately, this one won''t be telling us anything new," he said with a shake of his head. naruto pointed ahead. "we''re likely to find more if we go that way." "let''s proceed with caution. naruto, you take the lead since you''re the sensor. yamato, you take point. if anyone gets trapped in a crystal like that one, i''ll free you immediately," kakashi ordered. he was the only one capable of using lightning release, making this the safest option. "we''re close," naruto said after walking for less than a minute. soon enough, another crystal emerged from the fog. like the one before, it had a man trapped inside. this was another prisoner like the other one, judging by his attire. before they could consider freeing him to check if he was alive, naruto spotted many more crystals ahead. "looks like there was a large battle here. these prisoners were fighting this crystal release user..." yamato concluded. "but they didn''t finish the job," naruto remarked, scanning the area. suddenly, someone emerged from the mist and lunged at naruto. "die!" shouted an unknown blue-haired woman. a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 199: The Lake chapter 199: the lake disclaimer: naruto and all of its characters belong to shueisha and masashi kishimoto. i own nothing but the original characters i create. "dialogue" ''thoughts'' -author notes- chapter 199: the lake "die!" the unknown woman lunged forward, her hand reaching out in an obvious attempt to grab him. naruto had already detected her clumsy movements before she got close enough to attack, so he was prepared. not wanting to risk being caught by the crystal jutsu, he waved his left hand lightly, sending the woman flying backward with a bit of wind chakra before she could touch him. they watched as she disappeared back into the mist, followed by the sound of her crashing to the ground and grunting in pain. "that must be the crystal user!" yamato stated the obvious. wasting no time, kakashi rushed toward her with a kunai in hand, his sharingan active. but as he got closer, he noticed how severely injured the woman was, and it was because of that last attack. naruto''s push couldn''t have caused much damage, but she was struggling to stand, and a large pool of blood was forming beneath her.no?v(el)b\\jnn "you''ll die if you keep moving," kakashi warned her. the woman fell back to the ground, groaning in pain. she slightly tilted her head to look at him and immediately seemed shocked. "you... you''re... konoha...urgg..." she stammered, coughing up blood. "i have some healing supplies," yamato suggested, but kakashi shook his head. this woman was clearly beyond being saved by some basic first aid. only someone with skills akin to lady tsunade might stand a chance of saving her. given her condition and the risk that she might retaliate if yamato got too close, kakashi decided against offering assistance. "what happened here? who are you?" kakashi asked. she tried to move but failed. "s-save... save yukimaru... p-please." naruto stood. "staying here won''t help us. let''s keep moving." he glanced in the direction the woman had pointed...it led directly toward the center of the island. "the chakra concentration is stronger in that direction. whoever is creating this mist is likely there," naruto added. "if sasuke is there, that''s where we need to go," kakashi said. "let''s hurry. i have a bad feeling about this island," yamato said. the trio advanced toward the island''s core at a fast pace. visibility worsened as they moved, until they could only see a few feet ahead and had to rely on their other senses. naruto led the group, but the dense chakra concentration dulled even his advanced sensory abilities. "wait... i hear something," kakashi said suddenly. "water," naruto added. it sounded like water colliding with something. "the smell of salt is faint, so it can''t be the sea." "a lake!" yamato exclaimed. "there must be a lake at the center." as they focused on the sound of water, another sound reached their ears...it was a boy''s voice. "no, please... i''m tired!" the boy shouted. "i want to see my sister! where did she go?" "that way!" kakashi pinpointed the source of the voice. "let''s go!" to their surprise, as they approached, a large part of the mist dissipated, and they could see clearly again. just as they had suspected, a massive lake lay before them. near the lake''s shore were three people. one was a young boy, held firmly by kabuto. standing next to him was a young man with black hair, instantly recognizable. "sasuke!" kakashi called out immediately. a.n: - remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. those things help me a lot and i would really appreciate it. you can support me on p@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /kriogenix Chapter 200: The Awaited Meeting? Chapter 200: The Awaited Meeting? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 200: The Awaited Meeting? Before them stood the figures of Sasuke and Kabuto. The former had changed quite a bit over the last three years. He was taller, more muscular. His hair was longer, and the intricate purple and black robes he wore gave him a mature look. The moment he spotted them, Sasuke''s hand moved to the handle of the long sword at his hip, giving him an air of danger and wariness. The latter had not changed at all. He looked exactly the same as Naruto last saw him, except for the different clothes. The moment he saw them, his expression changed to one of displeasure and when his eyes landed on Naruto, this ones became filled with anger. Next to Kabuto was a small child with long dark green hair. Judging by his posture and expression, it was easy to assume he was there against his will, even if they hadn''t heard his earlier pleas. "Sasuke, I finally found you!" Right now, Kakashi''s attention was solely focused on his former student. No matter how calm and composed he liked to appear, it was clear that this encounter had shaken him emotionally. Yamato''s eyes darted between Kabuto and Sasuke, waiting for instructions on how to approach the situation. A wrong move could put the child''s life in jeopardy. Even though protecting him wasn''t part of their mission, they couldn''t let an innocent civilian get hurt. Naruto observed Sasuke closely and noticed something odd. His posture and general demeanor were different from what he remember. This wouldn''t be too strange after such a long time apart, but what surprised Naruto was that his demeanor felt familiar, it reminded him of someone he had seen before and must have left a strong impression on him. Sasuke didn''t seem to react strongly upon seeing his old allies from Konoha. He discreetly turned to Kabuto and whispered something. "You sure?" Kabuto looked at him with concern. "Just do what I say." Sasuke''s tone turned quickly to irritation. "You don''t owe him anything!. He deceived you, Sasuke. He''s a master manipulator who took advantage of you," Kakashi argued, stepping closer. "Can I really come back?" Sasuke glanced at Kakashi before looking away. "I... don''t know. I''ve done too many bad things already..." "Kakashi..." Yamato''s instincts flared with a sense of danger. Something was wrong. But Kakashi didn''t notice. He placed a reassuring hand on Sasuke''s shoulder. "It''s not too late to make things right. You can start by coming back home." "Sensei... I..." Sasuke gently clutched Kakashi''s sleeve, his head bowed. "I don''t know what to say, except..." When Sasuke looked back up, Kakashi realized his mistake...but it was too late. Sasuke''s mouth opened, and a blade shot out at lightning speed, aimed directly at Kakashi''s face. The jonin couldn''t move, as Sasuke had effectively restrained him with more than just his hands, but had also done something to prevent him from using his chakra. The blade was less than an inch from Kakashi''s mask when a pair of sandals deflected its path. Kakashi caught a fleeting glimpse of Naruto, who used one foot to kick the blade away and the other to strike Sasuke''s face, sending him flying into the nearby lake. "Naruto!" Kakashi exclaimed, catching his breath. "Kakashi!" Yamato joined them. "That''s not Sasuke!" The copy ninja, though emotional, wasn''t blind to the truth anymore. Sasuke leaped out of the water and landed back on the shore, cradling his cheek. "Naruto... that''s no way to treat your beloved teammate." "You''re..." Kakashi stared in shock as Sasuke''s countenance began to change. Sasuke''s features contorted into a familiar cruel grin as he glanced at Kakashi. "Kukuku, how were my acting skills, sensei?" His tongue slithered out like a snake, licking his lips. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 201: The Real Face Behind Chapter 201: The Real Face Behind Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 201: The Real Face Behind " You...what did you do..." Kakashi revealed his hidden eye to look at Sasuke. He should have done this from the beginning, as now he could spot the evidence that something was wrong. There was a second source of charka in that body. Sasuke''s response to Kakashi was just a mocking grin. " What is wrong, Sensei?, it is me, Sasuke. " He said as he got out of the water. No?v(el)B\\jnn The sword on his hip was then discarded, as he had no use for it. It was just something he had given the boy. Yamato arrived at Kakashi''s side and got ready for a fight, although he was clearly nervous about it. This was the last person in the world he had wanted to face. " Answer me!, what did you do to Sasuke!" Kakashi Sharingan spun around as if it was responding to his anger. " You know the answer to that..." The Sharingan on both of Sasuke''s eyes also became fully active and the tomoes began to move around. Kakashi gritted his teeth...seeing the Uchiha doujutsu being activated was more confirmation than he needed. This was no disguise or deceit...this had to be Sasuke''s real body. Except the one using it was someone else. " You used that Reincarnation jutsu on him..." That was exactly what he was afraid was going to happen after learning Sasuke went to him. This is why the Hokage had given the order to kill Sasuke if they were unable to retrieve him...to prevent this exact scenario. Orochimaru with the body of a fully developed Uchiha. " Orochimaru...." Kakashi mutterd. But then he glanced at Naruto and wondered if this young boy would truly be capable of confronting someone like Orochimaru and survive. He had heard many things about his capabilities, and many had already compared him with the likes of Itachi Uchiha or Kakashi, who had been renowned geniuses of their respective generations. Kakashi knew a lot more about Naruto''s capabilities than Yamato, but even he was not sure. However, Naruto did not seem too worried about it. And if there was one thing that Kakashi had learned about the son of Minato...was that he was nothing like his father. Naruto was not the type of person who would be willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of the village or to complete a mission. '' If he is willing to fight Orochimaru by himself...he must be sure of his survival.'' Kakashi concluded. "Let''s go then." Kakashi turned to leave. " We will leave this to you." Yamato was surprised to hear Kakashi say that. He had expected him to refuse Naruto''s request and at least ask him to stay and assist him. Kakashi glanced at Orochimaru for a second before turning back to Naruto. The Sannin had not moved from his spot and seemed to be content to just wait. Making it obvious that only had an interested in earning time for whatever Kabuto was doing. " Can you really kill him?" Kakashi asked. " Probably," Naruto responded. He could not give any guarantee without knowing all the tools that Orochimaru had at his disposal, but he was at least confident he wasn''t going to lose. As far as he was concerned, the Sannin had made a grievous mistake at coming out of his hiding spot, so soon after taking over a new body. And he was going to take advantage of that fact. The smile disappeared from Orochimaru''s face as he heard Naruto comment. " Probably?...you say..." He bit his finger and performed a few quick hand signs. " Well, let me tell you something...none of you are leaving this shore." A giant cloud of smoke appeared in between them, and from within it, half a dozen colossal snakes came out and lunged at them with their mouths open and their venomous fangs showing. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 202: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 1 Chapter 202: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 1 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.No?v(el)B\\jnn "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 202: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 1 "Useless..." Naruto scoffed at the half-hearted attempt to stop them. He waved his hand at the snakes, creating a powerful gust of wind that pushed back everything in front of him. This was a modified version of Great Breakthrough, the first wind jutsu he had ever learned. Simple enough to use instantly, and it allowed him to apply as much force as needed, making it a very useful tool for a large variety of situations. The gigantic snakes were helpless under Naruto''s technique, as they had nowhere to anchor themselves so they went flying very far, despite their heavy bodies. Orochimaru was also hit but managed to secure himself in place using his chakra. The snakes crashed into the lake, sending up huge splashes of water that rained down on the Sannin, wetting his hair and clothes. Judging by his expression, he was not amused by this. But neither was Naruto. "If you treat me like the child you fought three years ago... I can guarantee this will be a short fight." He warned the Sannin with a harsh tone. "Was that a jutsu? I didn''t see any hand signs," Yamato asked, puzzled by what he just saw. Naruto turned around and snapped. "Why are you two still here?!. Just move already." Kakashi did his best to hide the fact that he also got distracted and responded quickly. "He''s right... let''s go." Orochimaru''s eyes narrowed as he saw Naruto charging directly at him. "How careless..." he scoffed. No matter how much Naruto had improved, he still didn''t consider the boy as an equal. Extending his left arm, Orochimaru summoned a torrent of snakes from his sleeve to intercept Naruto. "You''re obsessed with those creatures," Naruto remarked. He had never encountered anyone so fixated on a single species of beast to use as assistance. A Rasengan formed in Naruto''s hand, but it quickly began to change. Infusing it with wind chakra, the sphere turned green, sprouting cutting blades of wind. Naruto hurled the jutsu at Orochimaru, using his movement technique to reposition himself in mid-air. The Wind Release: Rasengan shredded through Orochimaru''s summoned snakes, forcing him to sever the connection and retreat a few steps. Naruto landed behind Orochimaru and created a new Rasengan, this one infused with fire. Orochimaru anticipated the attack and burrowed underground to avoid the intense heat, much like his snakes did earlier. The fiery, rotating inferno crashed with the earth, melting dirt and stone while raising the temperature in the area. Orochimaru emerged from the ground a hundred yards away, his face contorted in displeasure. His right shoulder has become scorched. Despite his quick reaction, the Sannin had underestimated the intensity of Naruto''s technique and suffered for it. "Very well... you asked for this. I''ll take you more seriously now," Orochimaru growled, anger flashing in his eyes. "This will only take a minute." He bit his finger and performed another summoning jutsu. This time, the creature that appeared was many times bigger than the ones from before and it was easily the largest snake Naruto had ever seen. Standing atop its head, Orochimaru sneered and pointed down, "Manda! I want you to kill this bug right now!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 203: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 2 Chapter 203: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 2 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 203: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 2 The vertical eyelids of the colossal snake moved downward to focus on Naruto. To Manda, Naruto must have appeared as insignificant as an ant, and not just by the size. "Hmm... you summoned me for this?" The snake sounded both annoyed and disappointed after seeing the unknown young boy. Manda had faced some of the most dangerous individuals on the entire continent during its long lifetime, so being summoned for this seemed like a senseless decision by Orochimaru part. "Don''t let his innocent appearance fool you. He''s far more dangerous than you thi" "A hundred," Manda interrupted him. Orochimaru didn''t need clarification. This was Manda''s usual demand for sacrifices. However, the higher-than-usual price reflected the snake''s particular irritation at being summoned. "I''ll have them ready in a week''s time." In the end, it did not matter to Manda, for as long as the compensation was good, it was going to do what the summoner instructed. The snake said nothing more and, after a brief moment of deliberation, lunged directly at Naruto with its mouth open, ready to swallow him whole. Despite its immense size, Manda struck with alarming speed. As its jaws clamped shut, swallowing everything in its path Then...all of a sudden, an explosion occurred inside the snake''s throat. "Pfff!" A cloud of smoke erupted from Manda''s nostrils. "An explosive tag?" Orochimaru deduced. Naruto must have used a substitution jutsu paired with an explosive seal. This was a common tactic, but the speed with which Naruto had acted baffled even Orochimaru''s Sharingan. Until the last moment, Orochimaru had clearly seen Naruto standing still...and then he was gone. ''That shouldn''t be possible... nothing escapes the Sharingan''s sight.'' For a moment, Orochimaru questioned his own abilities. It had only been a day since he''d taken over Sasuke''s body, and he hadn''t yet tested his new eyes properly. Perhaps he needed more time to adjust. "You really thought that was going to work?" Naruto''s voice startled both Orochimaru and Manda. Orochimaru barely managed to intercept the strike with his own sword, which he drew from his mouth. "Urgh..." Orochimaru grunted. Though he successfully deflected the attack, it wasn''t easy. There was immense power behind it. "Come here!" Manda lunged at Gamadachi, attempting to swallow the toad whole. Despite Gamadachi''s size, it was still small enough to be devoured by the colossal snake. But before Manda could succeed, two more toads descended onto the snake''s massive body. Orochimaru stopped one, it was a green toad wielding dual swords and it was much larger than the previous one, but the second toad landed a clean blow on Manda''s head. "Forgive my clumsiness," said the red toad who had struck Manda with a giant hammer. "Gamaken, I owe you one," Gamadachi called before continuing his descent. "Oh..." Orochimaru looked up as he sensed another disturbance. This wasn''t over. The next arrivals were none other than Fukasaku and Shima, attacking in unison. "Sage Art: Frog Call!" The sonic wave disoriented and distracted their enemies. Orochimaru was able to partially defend himself by covering his ears, but snakes were particularly vulnerable to this type of attack. "Ahhh!" Manda hollered in pain. "Take this!" Orochimaru turned just in time to see the Toad Lord, Gamabunta, descending with his sword drawn. Orochimaru failed to intercept the strike before it slashed into Manda''s back. The snake shrieked in agony. Orochimaru knew that if Manda sustained more serious damage, the summon would end and he wouldn''t be able to call it again for a long time. He used a powerful wind jutsu to push Gamabunta away but noticed more toads descending from above. "How is he doing this?" Orochimaru wondered aloud. Naruto had somehow brought not just a single toad but the entire Toad Clan into this fight. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 204: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 3 Chapter 204: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 3 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 204: Naruto vs Orochimaru Part 3 "Orochimaru, do something about these pests!" Manda complained while it was getting overwhelmed by the toads. "Summon more of my clansmen," it demanded. "Tsk... as if it were that easy," Orochimaru muttered under his breath. It wasn''t as though the thought hadn''t crossed his mind, but summoning Manda had already consumed a significant portion of his chakra reserves. Summoning additional powerful creatures would drain him too much, forcing him to retreat from the battle. ''Wait... there''s something else I can summon,'' the Sannin thought. "Keep them occupied for a few seconds!" Orochimaru commanded before leaping down from the snake''s head. The Toad Clan had surrounded Manda and continued their relentless assault. "Argh! Get off me, you damn toads!" the Snake Lord roared, whipping its tail violently in an attempt to fend them off. As soon as Orochimaru''s feet touched the ground, he sprang into action. He had no time to waste if he wanted this to work. The Sannin moved to a good distance away from the battle and was about to unfurl a large scroll when he was abruptly reminded of something critical amid the chaos. He had failed to keep track of the boy''s position. Naruto appeared behind him and delivered a powerful kick to his side. "You brat!" Orochimaru snarled, tumbling before quickly recovering. He turned to face Naruto, his expression murderous. "You think you can fight me up close? I''ll kill you first!" With a loud crack, Naruto''s blade was severed in two, forcing him to retreat before Orochimaru could counterattack. Orochimaru grunted as he pulled the broken steel shard from his leg. The wound began to heal almost instantly. It wasn''t the physical injury that stung him...it was his pride. He had been bested in their exchange, prevailing only because of his superior weapon. Naruto glanced at his broken sword with a deep frown. "I won''t be able to afford a better sword than this one..."He wasn''t exactly swimming in money. And even if he was, swords better than this one would be very hard to find. ''I never intended to become a serious sword cultivator,'' he mused to himself as consolation. ''The Dao of the Sword is just a side path... but I still enjoy practicing it.'' His gaze shifted to Orochimaru''s sword. It didn''t appear particularly remarkable, but the ease with which it had shattered his blade, and the fact that it was wielded by a Sannin, spoke volumes about its quality. ''Maybe I should take that one from him. It''d be fair since he broke mine,'' Naruto reasoned. He was not one to let a treasure go away if he had the chance to take it. He glanced briefly at the toads, who were still battling the giant snake. Manda''s chakra was flickering, a clear sign that its summon was nearing its end. Orochimar however, showed no signs of summoning reinforcements. Instead, he seemed preoccupied with a scroll. As Naruto contemplated his next move, a sudden surge of chakra erupted from the lake. "What is that?" A torrent of water shot skyward, forming massive waves that spread in all directions. Something colossal emerged from the lake. Its form was difficult to discern at first, but it almost resembled... "A tortoise? Wait... this chakra feels like..." Naruto couldn''t see chakra flow as Hinata could, but he could sense it. This creature''s energy was different. There was no flow to it. But instead, it was a pure mass of chakra. Only one type of entity in this world behaved in such a manner. Naruto''s eyes widened, his voice filled with excitement. "I''ve found another one!." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 205: The Forbidden Jutsu Chapter 205: The Forbidden Jutsu Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 205: The Forbidden Jutsu "Impressive, isn''t it?" Orochimaru said with a joyful tone. "That''s none other than the Three-Tails, once possessed by the Mizukage. It''s been resting under this lake for years." Naruto frowned, realizing he had let the sudden appearance of the Bijuu distract him. Orochimaru had taken advantage of the short moment, unsealing the contents of his scroll. Now, three ominous black coffins stood before the Sannin. Not wasting a second, Orochimaru activated the technique. "Impure World Reincarnation!" The coffins creaked open, revealing the figures within. "Oh... you chose those three," Naruto muttered, his expression tightening. The fight had just gotten exponentially harder. Emerging from the coffins were none other than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Naruto had only personally met one of them, but he knew enough about the others. Tobirama''s work had particularly caught his interest, and many of his jutsus were fascinating in their complexity. Behind him, Manda vanished in a puff of smoke, the Toad Clan having successfully dispelled the giant serpent''s summon. Although, Orochimaru was no longer concerned with the snake. His previous summon had already served its purpose.No?v(el)B\\jnn "Oh no! You have to stop him!" Fukasaku and Shima rushed to Naruto, their expressions grim as they stared at the opened coffins. Naruto shook his head. "It''s too late. He''s already activated the jutsu. Look." He pointed at the coffins just as Hashirama opened his eyes. "This is terrible!" Shima exclaimed. "Maybe this boy isn''t so bad," Tobirama said with a sly grin. "You shouldn''t be looking forward to this!" Hashirama scolded. "Being used like this is humiliating." Sarutobi''s eyes snapped back to Orochimaru. "How dare you disturb our eternal rest to harm a boy like Naruto? I didn''t think you could fall any lower, but obviously, I was wrong!." Orochimaru shrugged off the accusation. "Be as outraged as you like. As your summoner, you will follow my orders without fail." Naruto turned to the toads. "Be ready. I need you to distract Orochimaru for at least a minute while I take care of those three." "Wait," Shima interjected. "You''re not planning to face the Hokages alone, are you? That''s insanity! Let us help." "If they were at full power, even if all of us worked together, it would not be enough...but that is not the case so we have a chance." Naruto could admit that despite his growth over the past three years, he still had a limit on what he could accomplish. "They are not at full power? what do you mean?" Shima asked. Gamabunta nodded, gripping his blade. "Sounds like you have a plan. Are you familiar with the technique that snake used?" Naruto nodded. "I see then..." Fukasaku nodded. He was sure that Naruto had been thinking about something since the Sannin brought those coffins out. "I''ll gladly give my life for Lord Naruto''s cause!," Gamadachi declared. This toad had always been the most loyal one to him. Perhaps it was because Naruto had given him a few pointers in swordsmanship and even passed some of the Uzumaki sword-style forms. "You can''t die here. We''re summonsed," Gamabunta reminded Gamadachi, glancing at the fading image of Mount Myoboku in the sky. "Once the mount vanishes, we''ll return home. Don''t waste the chakra Naruto has given us," Shima warned. "One minute, then," Gamahiro said, stepping forward with his twin blades. "We can manage that much," Gamaken added, positioning his shield. "I''ll take the front." Orochimaru pointed at the three resurrected Hokages. "What are you waiting for? Kill Naruto Uzumaki!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 206: The Three Hokage Chapter 206: The Three Hokage Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 206: The Three Hokage They could not disobey a direct order from their summoner, so the three Hokages jumped out of their coffins. Orochimaru took this opportunity to step back and recover some of his strength, but the toads summoned by Naruto had no intention of letting him do so. While Gamabunta and the other, rushed at the Sannin and began to attack him, the thee Hokages did nothing to stop them and allowed them to pass by them. Their only order was to kill Naruto Uzumaki and was the only thing that they had planned to do.@@@@ This was one of several weaknesses of this particular jutsu. As long as they weren''t directly commanded to do something, the resurrected individuals retained a fragment of their free will and could make decisions on their own. The First Hokage, Hashirama, placed his hands on the ground. Branches emerged from beneath Naruto, entangling him and forming a structure around him simultaneously. "Wood Release: Samsara Prison!" Hashirama called out. "Sorry about this... we''ll make it quick at least," Tobirama said, forming hand seals. From the lake, a large hurricane of water surged forth and collided with Naruto''s newly formed cage. The wooden structure began filling with water at an alarming rate. Within seconds, the water was already at Naruto''s knees. "What are you doing?" he demanded, confused. His brother had always demonstrated perfect control over his techniques, so collateral damage was unusual. "How curious..." Hiruzen muttered, now entangled in branches as well. It was as though they had been the intended targets, not Naruto. "Fire Release...Stream," Naruto''s voice rang out. Flames emerged from his mouth and engulfed the entire area, burning a large part of the tree branches that were restricting the other two Hokages movements. "Water Release... Water Formation Wall!" Tobirama hastily conjured a barrier to protect them from the fire. Despite blocking most of the flames, the branches continued to hold him. His left arm and leg were trapped and was using his free hand to keep the water shield up. "Hashirama! Wha" Tobirama turned, only to catch a brief glimpse of blond hair before a sharp impact struck the back of his neck. "Urgh..." Tobirama felt as if some weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Hiruzen managed to free himself from the branches, only to find himself face-to-face with Hashirama. "Sensei... I see..." Naruto landed beside the First Hokage, who made no move to attack him. "Naruto, you''ve achieved what I failed to do... very impressive," Hiruzen said, his voice filled with gratitude and admiration. "I should have done more research on that jutsu." Tobirama appeared next to them, rubbing the back of his neck where Naruto had struck him. "I remember writing some warnings about using this Jutsu on enemies... something about how it doesn''t alter the subject''s loyalty. If the control seal is damaged, well, you''re in a lot of trouble." "I still hear his voice in my head, but I don''t feel compelled to obey," Hashirama added. "What did you do?" He asked. "I couldn''t remove the seal completely...just damaged a bit to disrupt its effect," Naruto explained before turning to Hiruzen. "I don''t know if Orochimaru had left anything else in that seal for this particular scenario... let''s take care of you now." He pointed at the Third Hokage. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 207: A Calculation Error Chapter 207: A Calculation Error Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 207: A Calculation Error With the assistance of the two Hokages, restraining Hiruzen long enough to destroy the control seal was easy enough, as it only took a moment. The old man looked visibly relieved once he felt he was no longer being forced to obey Orochimaru''s orders. "Thank you for that," Hiruzen said. "Under different circumstances, I would have loved to exchange pointers with three powerful warriors like yourselves," Naruto told them before turning to leave. "But there''s a ninja I want to kill and a tortoise I want to eat." "Wait," Hashirama called out. "Allow us to assist you in your conflict against Orochimaru." "We no longer have a place in the world of the living," Tobirama added. "But I''d love to kick that arrogant snake''s ass before returning to eternal rest." "I also wish to assist you," Hiruzen said, his voice heavy with regret. "I can''t help but feel much of this situation is my fault. If only I hadn''t been so lenient with my student back then..." "You''ve always been too soft," Tobirama scoffed. Naruto turned away, focusing on the ongoing battle. The Toad Clan had been doing a remarkable job keeping Orochimaru occupied while he dealt with the resurrected Hokage. The Sannin looked far less confident and arrogant than he had at the beginning of the battle. Naruto noted that most of his own summons had already vanished, leaving only Gamabunta and the two Elder Toads in the fight. Orochimaru, too focused on trying to finish off Gamabunta, failed to notice Naruto closing in. Even without those three to assist him, he could tell with a quick glance that Orochimaru was nearing exhaustion, and probably running out of tricks to use against him. "You..." Orochimaru glared at Naruto. "Who are you really? You can''t just be a young ninja whose career started less than four years ago. No matter how much of a genius people claim you to be, there''s a limit to how much someone can grow in such a short time. I know this from personal experience." ''Does he really expect me to explain anything to him, or is he just trying to earn more time to recover?.'' He wondered. Naruto''s only response was to send a kunai flying at Orochimaru''s face. When this one dodged it, Naruto used the ''Flying Thunder God'' jutsu to teleport behind him and slammed a Rasengan into his back. "Ahhh!" Orochimaru, taken completely by surprise was unable to avoid the attack and was sent tumbling away once more. "Sorry... were you really expecting an explanation?" Naruto asked, retrieving his kunai. He handled it carefully...it was the only one he had at the moment. He''d only had time to make this single kunai and engrave the formula on the two girls, before setting out on this mission. Orochimaru had nothing left to say. His resources were depleted, and he still didn''t know the full extent of Naruto''s abilities. Seeing Naruto use the Flying Thunder God technique was enough to make Orochimaru decide that retreating was the best course of action at this time. This mission had never been that critical one, to begin with. Orochimaru had come here to stir trouble between Konoha, the Mist Village, and the Akatsuki by awakening the Three-Tails and releasing it. But when he encountered Kakashi, Yamato, and Naruto, he saw this as an opportunity to test his new body...eager to the Sharingan to good use. Now, he regretted that decision. He should have spent more time mastering his new eyes before engaging in a serious fight. Not that he thought that Naruto was going to be such a troublesome oponent to begin with. Naruto moved to attack again, but once he got close, he saw Orochimaru''s body explode into chunks of flesh that transformed into hundreds of snakes that lunged at him. "I see..." Naruto muttered, ignoring the snakes as he flew into the air. His keen senses told him the real Orochimaru was underground, attempting to flee. The explosion and the snakes were just a diversion. "Where do you think you''re going?" Naruto''s eyes glowed with an eerie light. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced /Kriogenix Chapter 208: Orochimaru: The Eight-Headed Serpent Chapter 208: Orochimaru: The Eight-Headed Serpent Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 208: Orochimaru: The Eight-Headed Serpent Naruto flew past the horde of small snakes hissing at him, his focus locked on Orochimaru. The man was burrowing underground at incredible speed, but he couldn''t hide from Naruto''s divine senses for as long as he did not leave its range. So tracking his exact position was no issue for Naruto, despite not being able to see Orochimaru with his eyes. Naruto extended his hand, pointing at his target, and began firing a flurry of wind bullets. The potent projectiles pierced the ground with ease, ripping through everything beneath the surface. Orochimaru''s speed began to slow after receiving a few hits, so Naruto prepared something stronger. A ''Wind Release: Rasengan'' formed in the palm of his hand, and with precision, he hurled it like a shuriken. The spiraling sphere of destruction vanished into the earth, followed by a brief moment of silence...then an intense explosion erupted, flinging dirt and rock into the air. "What is that?" Naruto murmured, expecting Orochimaru to surface to avoid the Rasengan. Instead, he appeared to have taken the hit. However, his chakra began to surge out of control. Suddenly, something massive shot out of the rubble and lunged directly at Naruto, who had been floating a few feet in the air. Naruto barely managed to evade the sudden attack, shifting to the side at the last moment. Only then did he get a clear view. It was the head of a colossal snake with pure white scales and piercing yellow eyes. Naruto immediately recognized that this was no ordinary summon. "Orochimaru... is this you?" A massive cloud of smoke erupted around Naruto as dozens of clones appeared, scattering in all directions. The serpent paused briefly. Despite its monstrous form, Orochimaru''s mind remained intact. Seeing the sudden amplification of Naruto''s aura filled him with a mix of surprise and apprehension. ''Even after all this, he was still holding back?!'' Orochimaru thought, watching the clones surround him. Naruto could have made use of the shadow clones before this but chose not to because he didn''t need to. The clones moved with flawless synchronization, each one forcing the serpent to use its eight heads to fend them off. Orochimaru felt a growing sense of urgency. He could tell the clones were merely a distraction, buying time for the original Naruto to prepare something devastating. ''If I can''t interrupt him...'' Orochimaru''s thoughts were clouded by worry. Transforming into this form had been a gamble. While it granted him immense power, it made escape nearly impossible. A sharp hiss escaped one of the heads as a clone landed a deep cut along its side. Another clone hurled a ''Wind Release: Rasengan'', obliterating one of the heads entirely. Orochimaru ignored the pain, focusing on destroying the clones. Normally, they would be a minor nuisance, but these were different. Each clone wielded enough chakra to unleash high-level jutsus, and they fought with the same skill as the original. "Hisss!" Two more heads were destroyed, though one of the earlier ones had already regenerated. While the clones couldn''t kill him outright, they made it impossible to reach the real Naruto. All eight heads turned skyward, sensing something ominous. In the distance, Orochimaru spotted a massive, fiery structure hovering in the air. It resembled a giant flower, its petals glowing with intense heat. "Infernal Lotus Blossom!" Naruto''s voice boomed from above. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 209: The End of an Era Chapter 209: The End of an Era Disclaimer:@@@@ Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 209: The End of an Era The fiery explosion that followed was potent enough to render the surrounding area hotter than the core of a volcano. Naruto hovered a safe distance away, observing the aftermath while taking a moment to catch his breath. This was the most destructive technique he could use at the moment, given his current cultivation level, and the second most destructive in his entire arsenal. However, it was also extremely draining on his reserves, so he won''t be able to use it again for a while. After witnessing Orochimaru''s resilience and incredible regenerative abilities, Naruto made the decision that this was the safest way to ensure his definitive destruction. Below him, the raging inferno continued for a long moment before it finally began to die down. The fiery lotus flower that had bloomed in the sky vanished without a trace, and the flames emanating from it started to dissipate. The ground beneath had melted into molten magma, and a large part of the lake''s water had evaporated, creating a dense vapor that mingled with the existing mist, further reducing visibility. Naruto descended closer to the ground, his gaze locking onto the massive corpse of the eight-headed snake. "Arrghhh!" Orochimaru''s mouth opened unnaturally wide, and from deep within his throat, a sharp sword shot out, aimed straight for Naruto''s face. This one caught the blade with his left hand, feeling the cold steel bite into his flesh. "Goodbye," he said calmly before unleashing several blasts of compressed air. The attacks tore through Orochimaru''s new body, leaving gaping holes. The Sannin, utterly drained of chakra, could no longer resist nor heal these severe wounds. His vision darkened, he tried to form some last words but was unable to say anything...and his body went limp as he succumbed to his injuries. Naruto stood over Orochimaru''s lifeless form, sprawled atop the charred remains of the eight-headed serpent and surrounded by magma, and waited for a bit longer until he was sure there were no more surprises. Satisfied that the man was truly dead, Naruto''s attention turned to the blade in his hand. Its craftsmanship was remarkable, and this was no doubt a peerless legendary weapon. "I''m keeping this," he said aloud. "Consider it compensation." He glanced back at Orochimaru''s corpse. With a swift motion, he severed the Sannin''s head for good measure and sealed both the head and the body into separate storage scrolls that he had prepared. "I wonder if I can still use those eyes..." Naruto mused, recalling the Sharingan Orochimaru had recently acquired. "After all, he worked so hard to get them. It''d be a shame to let them go to waste." His thoughts were interrupted by a loud commotion from the other side of the lake. Naruto''s eyes narrowed down."Something''s happening over there..." He could now detect two unknown sources of chakra. It appears that Kakashi and Yamato are dealing with more than just the Bijuu. " I''d better take a look." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 210: The Unrestrained Beast Chapter 210: The Unrestrained Beast Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 210: The Unrestrained Beast Kakashi and Yamato seized the opportunity to escape from Orochimaru and hurried after Kabuto, deeply concerned about the mysterious plan he was enacting. They found the silver-haired ninja standing on an old, wooden dock that had clearly seen better days. Next to him was the boy they had seen earlier, looking both exhausted and terrified. As Kakashi and Yamato approached, Kabuto reacted swiftly, placing a kunai to the boy''s throat. "Don''t come any closer!" he snarled. "Tsk... what a coward," Kakashi muttered in frustration. The mist was thinner here but still obscured many details, making it hard to fully grasp the scene. However, the waters of the lake were visibly becoming more turbulent. "Kakashi, we have to act quickly. Whatever Kabuto is doing, it''s draining the chakra of that poor boy," Yamato observed grimly. Kabuto kept glancing at the lake while the boy''s skin grew increasingly pale. Kakashi signaled Yamato with hand signs, avoiding speech to maintain stealth. "I know. We move on my signal. You grab the boy; I''ll take down Kabuto." Yamato nodded, and the two acted without wasting a moment. With his Sharingan uncovered, Kakashi rushed at Kabuto, analyzing every movement before striking at the arm holding the boy. Kabuto dropped the boy and leaped back from the dock, allowing Yamato to retrieve the child immediately. Kakashi anticipated seeing panic on Kabuto''s face but instead was met with a smug grin.@@@@ This event predated Yamato''s time, but as a member of both Root and ANBU, he had been briefed on many of Konoha''s secrets. Among them was the tragic fate of Kakashi''s former teammate, Rin Nohara. The Mist Village had kidnapped Rin and forcibly sealed the Three Tails inside her, planning to release the unstable Jinchuuriki in Konoha to wreak havoc. Kakashi had intercepted their plan, and in the end, he killed Rin himself to prevent her from being used. "Kakashi... are you" "I''m fine," Kakashi cut him off. "We can''t let this thing run wild. We need to do something about it." The Three Tails rose higher from the water, letting out an earth-shaking roar. "The only thing we can do, is to report this to Konoha. We''re not equipped to handle a Bijuu by ourselves," Yamato said urgently. Though Yamato had methods to restrain chakra demons, and it was one of the reasons he''d been chosen to accompany Naruto...sealing a Bijuu was an entirely different matter. They would need a skilled sealer and a proper container. ''Kakashi might be competent enough to perform the sealing, but the container...'' Yamato considered. Kakashi hesitated. He knew Yamato was right, the best course of action would be to retreat, report to Konoha, and return better prepared, perhaps with Jiraiya''s help. If they were lucky, the Sannin had already returned to the village. But he couldn''t shake the thought of what Orochimaru might be planning for the Three Tails. Clearly, this Bijuu was the reason Orochimaru had come to this remote island. "Kakashi!" Yamato shouted suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts. Kakashi followed Yamato''s gaze and spotted two figures standing a short distance away. At first, he thought they might be more of Orochimaru''s men, hidden until now. But the moment he saw the long black cloaks with red cloud patterns, he realized their troubles had just multiplied tenfold. "Akatsuki?!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 211: A Duo of Artists Chapter 211: A Duo of Artists Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 211: A Duo of Artists "What are Konoha ninjas doing here?" one of the Akatsuki members asked the other one. He was a large, imposing man with a hunched back, his appearance was enhanced by a metallic tail extending from behind, giving him the look of a scorpion. His face was half-covered by a mask, and he had no visible hair. "Hmm... who knows? This is just a minor inconvenience after all. The real prize is just ahead," said the other Akatsuki member, a tall, lean young man with long blond hair tied into a ponytail. His eyes were locked onto the imposing figure of the Three-Tailed Beast rising in the background. "I wouldn''t call it a minor inconvenience... That one over there is the Copy Ninja, Kakashi, an S rank-level threat that we can''t underestimate." the larger man remarked. He didn''t recognize the other ninja but knew he wasn''t likely to be a pushover either if they came together. "Hmph! Whatever, we can deal with those, wait... There''s something going on over there." The blond one glanced toward the other side of the lake, where Naruto was battling Orochimaru. They arrived just in time to see the Sannin summon Manda, the colossal snake. "That''s probably Orochimaru," the larger man deduced. He could guess as much since he was the one who had sold the information about the Three-Tails being here to the Sannin. He hadn''t expected to be assigned the task of capturing this particular Bijuu, though. "Looks like our little secret got leaked," Deidara teased his partner. Despite the jab, he had no intention of exposing him to their superiors. He was more intrigued by the identity of the individual fighting the Sannin. "Forget it. We''ll take care of these two and capture the Bijuu. If Orochimaru gets in our way... we''ll deal with him." The larger man, Sasori, doubted that would happen. Orochimaru knew exactly what consequences awaited him if he tried to interfere. ''I may have to use it...'' Kakashi thought grimly, clutching his left eye. The Mangekyo? Sharingan was a last resort, but it could be the key to victory if timed correctly. "Now, I will" Kakashi was cut off as Deidara hurled something in their direction. He caught only a glimpse of the gray substance before both he and Yamato leaped to safety. It was fortunate they did...the substance exploded violently just an instant later. Judging by the sheer force of the blast, Kakashi estimated it was three or four times stronger than an average explosive tag. A second''s hesitation could have cost them a limb. Acting swiftly, Kakashi hurled several shuriken at Deidara, keeping the blond''s attention on him. Meanwhile, Yamato landed at a safe distance and gently laid down the boy''s lifeless body. "I''m sorry..." he murmured, a brief but heartfelt apology. There was no time to dwell on it. He rushed to intercept Sasori, ensuring the two enemies couldn''t team up against Kakashi. Keeping them separated was their only chance. Yamato slammed his hands to the ground, creating a wooden wall that blocked Sasori''s path toward the shore. "Oh? You want to play with me?" Sasori''s metallic tail shifted menacingly. "You don''t seem like someone who would appreciate my art, but I''ll humor you for a while." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 212: Art is…Explosive! Chapter 212: Art is...Explosive! Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 212: Art is...Explosive! The four ninjas were so enthralled in their battles that they failed to notice the Three-Tails Demon beginning to stir. Whatever the beast had planned to do, however, it would not be able to carry it out. "Infernal Lotus Blossom." The fighting was interrupted by Naruto''s voice, which resonated through the air. It wasn''t loud, but it was imbued with so much chakra that it could likely be heard across the entire island. "Naruto?! What is... that?" Kakashi''s head snapped toward the other side of the lake, where Naruto had been fighting against Orochimaru. From this distance, it was impossible to see either of them, but what he could see was a colossal flower seemingly made of pure flames floating in the air. Just an instant after Naruto''s voice was heard, the fiery flower burst into a torrent of flames. The explosion was unlike anything Kakashi had ever experienced before. The shockwave alone was enough to throw him off balance, even though he was over a mile away. The heat from the blast was as intense as if his face stood right next to a blazing fireplace. The mist was momentarily blown away, granting them all a brief moment of clarity, only to be replaced by a thick vapor rising from the lake. The immense heat had evaporated an enormous amount of water in an instant. Kakashi saw that his opponent had become even more distracted than himself. Fortunately for him, Kakashi was also watching the Three-Tails. This gave Deidara an opening. He prepared to drop his most potent C2 bomb, enough to kill Kakashi and scare the beast into staying put. The clay in Deidara''s hand continued to grow as he floated a safe distance away, never taking his eyes off his opponent. "Tsk... I have no choice," Kakashi muttered in annoyance. He had seen firsthand the destructive power of Deidara''s clay. Now, with Deidara preparing something even larger, Kakashi knew he couldn''t allow it to be unleashed. From this distance, his options were limited, and he chose the best one. The three tomoe in his Sharingan began to spin and shifted into a three-pointed star. Kakashi focused his gaze on the target. "Kamui." Deidara was caught off guard. Kakashi hadn''t performed any hand signs or movements that might signal a jutsu. Space warped around Deidara, and then a hole opened in the air, sucking everything nearby into it. Before Deidara fully understood what was happening, his prized creation was gone, along with his right arm. "Arghhh!" Deidara screamed, clutching at the bloody stump as he retreated further into the sky. Kakashi knew this was the perfect moment to strike, but the use of Kamui had left him drained. He needed a moment to recover. But just at that moment, as he was thinking of his next move, he heard Deidara''s pained screams echoing in the sky. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 213: Fears From a Demonic Beast Chapter 213: Fears From a Demonic Beast Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 213: Fears From a Demonic Beast "These useless branches cannot trap me!" Sasori shouted, using his metallic tail to break apart Yamato''s wooden creations. "Wood Release... Thousand Spears!" Yamato responded with another attack. This time, Sasori was unable to brush the attack aside. Several sharp wooden spears pierced through his arms and legs. But it didn''t seem to bother Sasori in the slightest. He simply snapped the spears apart and prepared to fight back. This amount of damage was not enough to stop this puppet as it had been designed mostly for protection. Yamato wanted to conserve more of his chakra, but he realized that if he wanted to get past the puppet and harm the real Sasori, he would have to use something far more potent. He planted his hands on the ground and took a moment to concentrate. "Wood Release" Before he could finish, something came crashing down from the sky, landing directly on top of Sasori. The scorpion-like puppet, Hiruko, Sasori''s longtime companion, was shattered into a thousand pieces from the impact of a single strike. "Naruto?!" Yamato exclaimed, shocked to see the blonde young man now standing atop the rubble of the broken puppet. At the last moment, Sasori escaped his construct, moving aside before Naruto''s punch could also damage him in the process. He landed a safe distance away but was just as stunned as Yamato by Naruto''s sudden appearance. "You''re... the Jinchu?riki of the Kyu?bi, Naruto Uzumaki!" He had known that someone was fighting against Orochimaru on the other side of the lake but did not expect to be this particular ninja. Twisting columns of water rose from the lake and shot toward Naruto with tremendous force. Naruto dodged them effortlessly and rushed forward. Focusing a large amount of energy into his right palm, he converted it into wind chakra. He thrust his palm forward, sending a powerful shockwave toward the colossal turtle. At first, it seemed as though nothing had happened. Then, suddenly, the air itself seemed to explode outward. The shockwave was so strong that it sent the Three-Tails flying backward, despite its massive size and weight. A significant portion of the lake''s water was displaced in the process. "Naruto!" Kakashi''s voice was filled with awe as he watched his former student. The move Naruto had just used appeared simple at first glance, but Kakashi''s Sharingan caught a glimpse of its intricacy. The technique wasn''t just about the amount of chakra Naruto used, it was the way he used it. Kakashi had a strong suspicion that even if the Three-Tails were a hundred times heavier, it still would have been flung away. If his analysis was correct, Naruto hadn''t pushed the turtle itself but the very space around it. "How terrifying..." Kakashi muttered as he watched Naruto walk back to the shore. He couldn''t imagine where Naruto had learned to use wind chakra in such a way. It was certainly nothing Jiraiya had taught him. "So, Akatsuki is here for the Bijuu as well," Naruto commented as his blue eyes scanned his surroundings. Yamato arrived at Kakashi''s side, intending to warn him, but paused when he spotted the real Naruto standing over the river. "What happened to Orochimaru?" Kakashi asked before Yamato could speak. Naruto met Kakashi''s gaze, his expression calm yet resolute. "He''s dead." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 214: The Jinchuriki of the… Chapter 214: The Jinchuriki of the... Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 214: The Jinchuriki of the... "Orochimaru... is dead? That''s not possible..." Yamato said with a tone of pure incredulity. "You killed Orochimaru?" Even Kakashi had a hard time believing it. It''s not that he didn''t trust Naruto''s strength, but Orochimaru was the type of ninja who always had a dozen escape plans ready if things went south. He had evaded capture by Konoha so many times it was hard to keep count. The idea of someone like that being killed...was hard to swallow without having seen it with his own eyes. "We can discuss that later, I''ll even show you his corpse, but right now... I need you to stop that demon from going anywhere." Naruto''s eyes shifted to Yamato. "You should be able to do that with your Wood Element, right?" Yamato gave the demon a side glance. It was currently struggling to get up but didn''t seem injured. "My chakra reserves are limited and my control is nowhere near the one from the First Hokage... perhaps I can contain it for four or five minutes at best." "That''ll do." Naruto turned to Kakashi. "Can you use that technique again?" " The ''Kamui'' ?... maybe once more," Kakashi considered. That one puts a heavy strain on him. "Then next time, aim for his head," Naruto instructed him. "Don''t show them any mercy. I don''t want to bring your corpse back to Konoha." Kakashi nodded. "I won''t..." "Then you two know what to do." After saying that, Naruto walked away. "Yes!" Yamato exclaimed. "Ehmm... yes," Kakashi muttered. Wasn''t he supposed to be the one in charge? He tried to recall the moment Naruto had taken over the team. Sasori checked on his partner. "Can you keep going?" "Of course... this is nothing," Deidara grumbled as he chewed on a soldier pill. He had stopped the bleeding on his stump, but the pain was still severe. "That chakra... that can''t be right." Kakashi, watching from just a few feet away, was stunned. He had seen Naruto unleash the Kyu?bi''s chakra before, but this was definitely not the demon fox''s energy. A chakra tail appeared and swayed behind Naruto, quickly followed by another. A cloak of light blue demonic chakra enveloped Naruto. It took on the shape of cat ears atop his head, and his pupils became vertical slits. The way the chakra flickered around him made it look like he was engulfed in beautiful blue flames. "The... Two-Tails?" Sasori couldn''t believe his eyes. "How cant that be?!" Deidara exclaimed. Neither could the others. Even Kakashi was baffled. He was certain the Kyu?bi was still sealed inside Naruto. There was no reason to think otherwise. ''Other than his suspicious lack of whisker marks,'' Kakashi reminded himself. He''d been meaning to ask Naruto about that. Naruto was not going to waste time explaining anything to them. He opened his mouth and released a massive ball of blue fire toward the two Akatsuki members. Deidara leaped away, preparing a flying mount. Sasori hurriedly unleashed his entire puppet army...one hundred in total. His honed instincts were yelling at him to go all out from the beginning. "Where did he go?" Even then, Sasori had lost track of Naruto. "Ahh!" Deidara''s scream was followed by the appearance of a massive sphere of rotating blue flames overhead. "Shit! He went for Deidara first?!" Sasori realized Naruto had prioritized the injured partner. But then he felt something behind him. "No... I''m right here," Naruto whispered into his ear. Sasori''s eyes widened in shock. Before he could move or question how the boy moved arrived so fast to his back, he felt Naruto''s hand gripping his skull. A loud crack echoed in the air. Chapter 215: Lightning Fast Chapter 215: Lightning Fast Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 215: Lightning Fast Sasori''s skull became cracked by the pressure, but he reacted quickly by activating a spinning blade that was attached to his back. This forced Naruto to release his grip and allowed him to get some distance while sending all his puppets at him. Naruto was also keeping track of the other Akatsuki member, the blonde one called Deidara. He previously used two of his clones to knock him out of his flying construct. The guy had already been severely injured by Kakashi so that was not difficult. During that short interaction with Sasori, he realized that the redhead boy was also a puppet, but his senses were telling him that the real Sasori was also in there...he could feel a potent chakra signature around the area of the puppet''s chest. '' If I destroy that part, he should die.'' Naruto thought as he watched him move away.@@@@ What Sasori failed to realize, was that Naruto had left his formula kunai embedded on his left shoulder. One of the disadvantages of being made of wood. The redhead had also been too preoccupied with not having his head crushed, moving away from him, and commanding a hundred puppets to attack him, to realize the most important mistake he made. A dozen puppets were already in striking distance of him. Naruto knew he could easily outnumber these puppets with his clones, but there was no need for any of that. He has already found a much simpler solution to this fight. ''It''s too bad...'' He had noted that all the puppets we very distinctly different from each other. This person had likely spent decades, carefully crafting every single one of these contracts. Each one with its own secret weapons, and its own strong points. But none of that was going to help Sasori now. Naruto had to admit that over the short period he had known them, he had grown fond of those two girls and at least, he wanted to make sure they were okay. He may not be the heroic type who tries to save everyone, but could still have a few individuals who were important to him. '' That reminds me...I should leave a formula with Jiraiya when I see him next.'' The old pervert was also someone he had grown fond of. "Let''s see...there is one left." His blue eyes turned to look at the other member of Akatsuki. Deidara was staring back at Naruto and looking completely horrified. He saw everything that happened to his partner Sasori, and that was more than needed to see in order to completely lose his will to fight. His partner, who he had considered an equal in most things, except for their taste in art... was obliterated so fast that he couldn''t even showcase his best puppets, the ones he created with the corpses of his parents. " The Yellow Flash..." Deidara muttered. As someone who grew up in the Stone Village, he was very familiar with that name, and the technique that granted it to him. However, in Deidara''s home village, Minato Namikaze had other names, and none of them were flattering. The man had killed thousands of ninjas from Stone during the war, using that same jutsu he just saw Naruto use to kill his partner in an instant. But that was not important right now. The situation had taken a completely unexpected turn in the worst possible way for him...and now he could not think of anything other than escaping from here. In his desperation, Deidara called upon his most powerful technique, one that he had been receiving for an emergency, and didn''t think he was going to need this soon. But now...he could not hesitated " C4!" He cried. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 216: Making Some Room Chapter 216: Making Some Room Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 216: Making Some Room "C4!" Deidara closed his mouth shut before his body began to inflate like a balloon.@@@@ Kakashi was taken aback by the sudden reaction. He did not know what Deidara was trying to accomplish, but from what he had seen so far, he considered it wise to get some distance in between them. Naruto had the same thought and decided not to approach him immediately. Moments later, the inflated body of Deidara, which had grown over a dozen times its regular size, detonated... The resulting explosion was more than just potent. The cloud of smoke made it impossible to see what was going on, and Naruto detected that something was left behind in the air. " Kakashi, be careful. There is s-" " I know." Kakashi was using his Sharingan and had also realized that Deidara''s latest jutsu was more than a simple bomb. Naruto brought his hands together and formed a powerful current of wind that pushed away the smoke and the microscopic bombs that the C4 jutsu had left behind after its initial explosion. " He is escaping..." It was then that Kakashi caught a glimpse of a figure in the sky. Naruto saw it too and could still detect the presence of Deidara. He had moved extremely fast and was now close to his Divine Sense range limit. " Not going to follow him?" Kakashi was surprised to see that Naruto didn''t attempt to chase him. This one showed him the broken kunai. "Can''t use that jutsu anymore and I cannot fly that fast either." Naruto shrugged. " Leave him. He''s not important anyway." If Deidara tried to get in his way again, it would be the last. But he realized that someone was missing and looked around the place in an attempt to find him. " By the way...what happened to Kabuto?." He could not see his corpse anywhere. Even if Orochimaru was dead, people brought back with that forbidden jutsu would not disappear after the caster died. So if they didn''t kill Kabuto themselves, that would mean he is still around and no longer under Orochimaru''s control. That one member of Akatsuki that fled, will definitely inform the other members of the group. Soon enough, this island will be surrounded by them. Naruto reabsorbed the Charka cloak, ending the transformation. " Puff..." Kakashi took this gesture as a sign of exhaustion. It wasn''t surprising after all he did. Not only did Naruto fight against Orochimaru, but also an S rank ninja immediately afterward. Even with his ridiculous stamina, it was already impressive he was still standing." You must be tired. The more reason to take a step back and as-" All of a sudden, there was a loud commotion and the ground shook violently. The Three Tais had broken free from its cage and Yamato was forced to retreat. He landed next to Kakashi and was having trouble breathing. He had taken two soldier pills already and was near the point of being chakra-depleted. "I''m sorry...I couldn''t hold it any longer..." Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. " You did great. Now is the time to rest. He glanced at Naruto, who had his eyes closed. '' What is he doing at a time like this?.'' Kakashi wondered. " Is not safe to remain here." The Bijuu was glaring at them already and it looked more than angry at this point...the chakra beast was enraged. Kakashi was about to say something else to Naruto, when his eyes snapped open, and his aura became a lot more oppressive, to the point that it almost made him lose his balance. Naruto had just absorbed the Two Tail beast and assimilated its chakra into his Core. This time it had been much easier, compared to the Kyubi. Not only was there a lesser amount of chakra, but the Two Tail was nowhere near as violent and confrontational as the fox had been. But regardless of that, Naruto now had room for more. " It is time to eat a turtle." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 217: You Are Next Chapter 217: You Are Next Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 217: You Are Next "Where are you going?!" Yamato called out in alarm as he watched Naruto heading toward the lake and moving closer to the colossal turtle. "You two stay here and rest. I have one last thing to do," Naruto replied without stopping. Kakashi wanted to step forward, intending to intervene, but it was clear from Naruto''s tone and demeanor that his decision was final. Naruto leaped onto the lake''s surface, landing on the water without sinking. The demonic turtle glared at him warily. "You have nothing to say? The Kyu?bi liked to complain a lot... I guess this is better," Naruto said casually before vanishing from the spot in an explosive burst of speed. In an instant, he closed the distance between himself and the Three-Tails, who must have realized that escape was impossible. The beast launched an attack.@@@@ A massive wall of water surged up between them, its surface firing a barrage of high-speed water bullets aimed directly at Naruto. Naruto avoided the projectiles with a nimble leap into the air, soaring above the wall. He descended swiftly, landing atop the turtle''s head with a resounding impact. "Don''t get it wrong...this isn''t a fight," Naruto said coldly as he drove his fist into the turtle''s skull. The blow unleashed a shockwave that pushed the surrounding water outward, stunning the massive beast. "To me, demon, you''re nothing more than a resource I must consume to get stronger." Naruto jumped onto the turtle''s shell, raising his hand. "Cosmic Assimilation... Absorb!" The Three-Tailed beast roared, its voice echoing in desperation across the lake. Naruto looked at them, unsurprised by their questions but unwilling to spend too much time explaining. "You could say that, yes. I sealed it inside me." There was more to that, of course. But it would take to long to make them understand. "But what about the Kyu?bi? Or the Two-Tails you showed before?" Kakashi pressed. "Let''s just say I have a method that allows me to consume others'' chakra and add it to my own," Naruto replied. "The Kyubi and Two Tails no longer exist." Kakashi frowned. "Absorbing other ninjas'' chakra is one thing, but a Biju?? What kind of technique is that?" "There''s no jutsu in Konoha capable of doing what you just described," Yamato said, bewildered. Naruto''s gaze sharpened. "I never said it was a jutsu from Konoha, or even a ninja technique for that matter." Kakashi''s expression turned serious. "So, the Kyu?bi is truly gone, as you said before?" ''Half of it, at least,'' Naruto thought. Out loud, he replied, "Yes, it''s gone. And so is the Two-Tails. In a moment, I''ll do the same with the Three-Tails I just absorbed. But it''ll take some time, and I need you to make sure no one interrupts me." Kakashi frowned. "Very well..." He decided that it was better not to dwell for too long on the same thing. He can always get explanations later on. " But why do you insist on doing this right now, and here of all places? You know how dangerous it is for us to stay here." "Exactly! One of them just escaped!" Yamato added. "I''m aware," Naruto replied. "But reinforcements won''t arrive for at least a week or two. I only need a day at most." He paused, calculating. The Kyu?bi had taken longer because he hadn''t been able to contain its chakra properly at the time. But now, he was nearing the peak of the ''Golden Core Stage''. The Three-Tails'' chakra would allow him to break through to the ''Nascent Soul Stage''. Once he gets to that point, he won''t be lacking storage space for all that energy. "Normally, I would have done this back home, where I wouldn''t have to worry about interruptions. But if I did that now... Konoha could be destroyed." "What?!" Yamato exclaimed. "Destroyed? By what?" Kakashi demanded. Naruto''s eyes darkened. "A Heavenly Tribulation." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 218: Breakthrough Chapter 218: Breakthrough Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 218: Breakthrough " A Heavenly Tribulation?..." Kakashi repeated. " What is that?" Yamato asked. Naruto considered for a moment how he could explain this concept to those who knew little about cultivation. Heavenly Tribulations were the Universe''s countermeasures to prevent mortals from going above their assigned stations. Mortal beings were meant to be born, live for a while, and then die. This is how the universe maintains its balance. This was the nature of things. Cultivators were mortal existences who threatened to break this balance by pursuing Godhood and immortality. On the lower ranks of cultivation, nothing happens, but once one reaches the Nascent Soul Stage, is when you are finally powerful enough to be noticed by the Heavens. And the tools used by the Heavens to stop you from continuing any further...were called Heavenly Tribulations. " You will see it for yourselves soon enough. Then you will understand better...the dangers that I speak of. " In the end, Naruto decided to avoid giving them a proper explanation. Even if he did, they would not understand until they saw it with their own eyes. He sat down with his legs crossed in the lotus position and closed his eyes in order to concentrate. " Wait...what are we supposed to do now? Yamato asked. "He hasn''t told us anything!." " Just stay there and guard me. Don''t let anyone or anything disturb me." There was little chance of anyone coming here before he was done, but one can never be too sure. Being interrupted in the middle of a breakthrough could be catastrophic so he rather be safe. " You want us to just stay here?...how long?" Kakashi asked. Not only that, but he was also able to form a perfect Golden Core. At the center of his Mind Palace, there was now a perfect golden sphere, levitating while gently spinning around. This sphere was now containing most of his energy reserves. A combination of all the Yin, Yang, and Natural chakra he had acquired over the years. Above this sphere was the golden scripture. Naruto glanced at it. " I have gotten this far because of your help... I wish I knew what you wanted from me in return, before progressing further...but you won''t tell me, right?'' There was no change in the golden divine artifact. This made him wonder if it even has a mind of its own after all. Sometimes it does give him that impression. Like the time when it gave Ino that gold page containing a cultivation method. This was one time the artifact acted on its own volition, without input from him. This made him believe that it was trying to help him progress further, but the fact that he didn''t know its motives for this help... made him uneasy. Good things usually don''t come free. He waited for a bit longer observing the golden pages floating, but still saw no change and knew that he was not going to get an answer to his questions yet. " Perhaps my cultivation is not enough yet..." Naruto reasoned. If this truly came from the realm of the Gods, then maybe one would also need to be one, in order to communicate with it. " Very well..." His eyes shifted to the sphere. " it is time for the last step. Preparations are complete." He was truly looking forward to this one. The Nascent Soul Stage had been the as far he got during his previous life. Now he was just one step away from reclaiming all the power he had lost. " But this is just the beginning...this time, for sure. I will reach the peak!" His golden core began to spin rapidly. " Absorb it all!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 219: Nascent Soul Chapter 219: Nascent Soul Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts''@@@@ -Author notes- Chapter 219: Nascent Soul As soon as he began the process, his core spun around at a tremendous speed and the condensed energy stored within spread in all directions. At first glance, it appears as if the room containing his core is a boundless black void, as it is surrounded by darkness that prevents him from seeing anything beyond a few steps from the core. But as the energy began to move, clear boundaries could be seen. Those boundaries were the metaphysical edges that gave shape to his soul and were now absorbing his cultivation in them. Up until now, every stage of cultivation had been dedicated to reinforcing the body in some way, but the Nascent Soul Stage was different. This was the point where the soul was the one being strengthened instead. No matter how much one extends their lifespan, mortal bodies will always be mortal at the end of the day. And there is no way to change that, no matter how much one cultivates. The soul is where the key to immortality lies...only by empowering the soul with enough energy, one will be able to take that last step and break the shackles of mortality. This is why the Heavens only begin to administer tribulations once someone gets to this point. It is only now the Universe begins to feel the threat and fears its laws are being broken. Naruto could feel his soul regain its lost power now, as his core poured all of its energy into it. The first stages of cultivation were mere preparation for what was coming next. Had he not refined his mortal body, it would never have been able to contain the powerful soul of a Nascent expert. From now on, the golden core will serve as a temporary container and refinery for his chakra, while his soul will be where it all ends up, further reinforcing it until it''s ready for the next step. Naruto watched as A pillar of pristine white marble rose up until it stood at the same height as the core. " It is done..." This had gone a lot smoother than he expected. Perhaps it was because of the Golden Core he had created. The purity of the energy stored within had made the process much less troublesome than the last time. His eyes moved to the pristine pillar that appeared close to his core. This structure was merely a visual representation of how far his soul has been reinforced. " A storm?...so sudden?." Yamato commented. Just a moment ago, the sky was completely clear, and now it was filled with dark clouds. Kakashi looked up and immediately knew that there was nothing natural about this phenomenon. " Heavenly Tribulation..." Naruto''s previous words came to mind. " What he said before?. You think he was talking about a storm?" Yamato asked. " I have a bad feeling..." Kakashi said. "Whatever this is, Naruto believed it was dangerous enough to threaten the safety of Konoha. Thars why he chose to do this here instead." Yamato nodded. " Then...what do we do?" " Nothing..." Naruto opened his eyes before moving them to the sky. " Naruto!, you are finally awake," Yamato said. " I wasn''t sleeping..." Naruto responded. " Is this the phenomenon you spoke of?, the one that could destroy the village?" Kakashi asked. " A Heavenly Tribulation...indeed." Naruto stood up. " You are about to see something that few mortals have seen before." " We have seen storms before," Yamato said. " Not like this one, you haven''t. And this is not a thunderstorm...look." Naruto pointed at a spot in the sky. Yamato and Kakashi gasped when they saw it. There was a point in the sky where the thick dark clouds had parted aside, forming a perfect circle, however beyond that circle was nothing but darkness. " What is that?." Kakashi asked. Naruto stretched his limbs and got ready. " What you are about to witness is...The Wrath of the Heavens." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 220: Taking on the Heavenly Tribulation Head On! Chapter 220: Taking on the Heavenly Tribulation Head On! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 220: Taking on the Heavenly Tribulation Head On! "You may want to take a few steps back," Naruto warned them. "The Wrath of the Heavens?" Yamato repeated. "Naruto, what are y" "Seriously, back away," Naruto interrupted Kakashi''s questioning. "You won''t be able to ask anything else if you stay here. This is not something you are prepared to face." "And you are?..." Kakashi asked though he did it while still backing away. Naruto responded with a grin. "Of course I am." A loud sound resonated across the sky. It was similar to thunder, but not quite the same thing... it was something else that they could not describe. Light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the lake so intensely that it became almost blinding. Naruto focused his cultivation and extended his arms upwards. "Come now! Give it your best shot!" A translucent red circle with complex symbols appeared in front of him, quickly followed by more circles until there were nine in total. Then... the Heavenly Tribulation made its appearance in the form of a massive column of light that struck down at him. The first strike shattered the initial barrier with little effort, moving on to the second, while Naruto watched with rapt attention. These nine shields were his most potent defense, but he knew they alone would not be enough. If that light managed to hit him, it would do more than just kill him...it would also damage his soul beyond repair, preventing any form of reincarnation. The last time, he had only survived the tribulation thanks to a life-saving artifact his Dao companion, Liao Ming, had given him. As a genius of the Sword Saint Sect, she had access to many precious artifacts. He had none of those things now, but what gave him confidence was that he now understood how to better utilize the ''Golden Scripture''. The tribulation manifestation had already pierced through seven shields. Only two remained between him and certain death, while Kakashi and Yamato struggled from the sidelines to even comprehend what was happening. "Now!" As the last shield shattered into particles of energy, a single page from the Golden Scripture manifested in the real world, bathing everything in a golden hue and forcing back the intense brightness of the tribulation. "Is it... over?" Yamato asked hesitantly. "Did you just absorb that column of light?... How did you do that?" Kakashi asked. He had been watching Naruto closely and had not missed the fact that he used the same technique as when he absorbed the Three-Tails. "It''s over. And yes..." Naruto answered briefly before turning his attention elsewhere. Inside his Mind Palace, Naruto could now see the results of his actions. The pure energy he had obtained from the Heavenly Tribulation had flowed into his body, settling into his core. From there, it had begun to be assimilated into his soul, strengthening it immensely. Two additional pristine white pillars rose around his core. "Amazing..." The amount of energy needed to create two pillars was immense. That Tribulation may have been equivalent to the chakra of the Three-Tailed Beast, or possibly even greater. In the real world, Naruto had to suppress the urge to laugh like a madman. Not only had he survived the Tribulation, but he had thrived from it. "Naruto... are you okay?" Yamato asked, still shaken after witnessing such a massive strike of pure light. "Never felt better. I" "What''s wrong?" Kakashi immediately noticed the change in Naruto''s expression, his joy was replaced with a serious look. "Something bad must have happened..." Naruto said. "Ino just triggered the ''Formula'' I left with her." Kakashi reacted instantly. "Formula?... You mean the Flying Thunder G" "I have to go." Before Kakashi could finish his sentence, Naruto disappeared from sight. The two of them stood there, near the shore of the lake, staring at the spot where he had just been. "What do you think happened?" Yamato asked. "I think... we better rush back to Konoha," Kakashi replied, a bad feeling settling in his gut. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 221: The Return of the Great Sannin Chapter 221: The Return of the Great Sannin Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 221: The Return of the Great Sannin Twenty-four hours after Naruto''s group departed. "Hey!" Jiraiya opened the door to the Hokage''s office and walked inside. "Oops, I didn''t mean to interrupt." He noted that Asuma Sarutobi was currently standing in front of Tsunade''s desk. "Yes, you should at least knock." Tsunade huffed. "And where have you been? Naruto came back almost a week ago." "Lord Jiraiya, greetings." Asuma offered a polite bow. "I had already finished my report, so no need to worry about interruptions." "I see." Jiraiya didn''t miss the concerned expression on Asuma''s face. "Must have been something serious." Asuma glanced at the Hokage, and she nodded, giving him permission to speak about it. "There has been some... unusual activity at our borders," Asuma said. "Unusual how?" Jiraiya could tell there was more to it. Criminals and spies were constantly trying to infiltrate their territory, but that wouldn''t be enough to alarm a veteran Jonin like Asuma. "Someone is probing our security. It''s being done very carefully and professionally. These aren''t missing-nin or bandits. When we spot them, they move away and don''t engage. They wear no headbands or other indicators of their origins. We still haven''t been able to capture a single one. But I have a very bad feeling... It''s like..." Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade and knew she was thinking the same thing. "Are you fearing an invasion?" "They did something similar back in the Third War... It''s a common tactic from the Stone Country. They''re testing the soil and planting traps," Tsunade said. "You think they''d go that far just because Minato''s son is here?" Jiraiya asked. "Hmph! That would just be an excuse. Onoki has been biding his time, waiting to get revenge, the war never ended in his mind... but I doubt he would dare to come here alone." Tsunade folded her arms. "That old man is many things, but ''a fool'' is not one of them." "The Cloud..." Jiraiya muttered. "They''ve cut communications with us, the same as the Rock Village. Those two are plotting something together. I have no doubt about that," Tsunade said grimly. "Lady Hokage..." Asuma started. "Perhaps it''s too early to reach that conclusion... We are talking about a Fourth Ninja War." "It''s going to happen sooner or later. And right now, Konoha is a bit vulnerable. Thanks to Orochimaru, we lost our Third Hokage and our best ally." "What can I say? That boy is quite something..." "Meaning?" Tsunade pushed for more. "Do you believe in reincarnation?" Jiraiya asked. Tsunade was taken by surprise by the question. "Reincarnation?... I don''t know. Never been the religious type, if you''re talking about the Samsara." Some believed in the cycle of endless reincarnation, while others believed in the afterlife. "The Samsara... the cycle of rebirth. Yes, perhaps that''s what it is, but..." Jiraiya looked concerned about something. "What does this have to do with Naruto and his training trip?" Jiraiya shook his head. "Forget it. It was just a random thought." He decided this wasn''t the best time to get into that. His theory about how Naruto came to be the way he is was yet to be completed, and she wouldn''t understand it right now. "The trip went well. He learned everything I had planned to teach him and much more..." Jiraiya said. "His learning speed is quite fast, yes," Tsunade acknowledged. "You have no idea..." Jiraiya muttered. "It will be even faster now," Tsunade added. "How so?" "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu..." Tsunade said. Jiraiya gasped. "You let him learn that?" "I gave him access to the private library. I expected him to read the jutsu left by his father, but he took a lot more than just that." "Naruto can use the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu... The memory feedback with the number of clones he could create, that would be..." "Jiraiya?" Tsunade noticed a flicker of worry in his expression. And... fear? At that moment, the door opened, and Shizune walked in with the wine. Noticing the strange atmosphere, she stopped. "Is something wrong?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 222: Loyalty Chapter 222: Loyalty Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 222: Loyalty "Should I come back later?" Shizune asked. "Everything is fine. Just leave that tray here," Tsunade told her. Shizune did that and then left the room, knowing that they needed more time to speak in private. "Let''s move to the most crucial point right now," Tsunade decided to leave the topic of Naruto aside, not knowing that it was about to return anyway. "The Two Tails... where is it?" "Did Naruto tell you that I had it?" Jiraiya asked. "He said... that I should question you about it. You don''t have it?" Tsunade was somewhat confused. By Naruto''s words, she had expected Jiraiya to have the missing Bijuu, but his reaction said otherwise. "I''m afraid not," the Sannin said. Tsunade frowned. "Don''t be cryptic with me about it. Returning that thing to the Cloud Village may be the only chance we have to avoid a war." If they could make amends with the Raikage and he stopped backing the Stone Village... they might not dare to attack on their own. "I''m afraid I have to disappoint you on that one. I don''t have it, and you won''t like where it is..." "Where?" Tsunade demanded to know. "Last I knew... sealed inside Naruto." "What?! Jiraiya... this is not a moment for one of your jokes. If that''s what it is." Tsunade wanted to slam her fists on the table. Jiraiya''s eyes moved to the bottle of wine sitting on the desk. He picked it up, opened it, and began to pour a glass. "You know me better than that. I only like making dirty jokes. I would never lie about something like this." "That''s what I thought." She nodded. "But... he is loyal to some of its people. Naruto may not care for the village itself, but he is not ungrateful enough to turn his back on us during a moment of need. If... mmm?" Jiraiya snapped his head around. "What is it?" Tsunade reacted to his sudden change. "I could swear that I heard something... it sounded almost mechanical," Jiraiya said. Tsunade frowned. "The room is secure." There were plenty of privacy seals spread around the walls of the office, and she had it searched for listening devices every other day. "I can call the ANBU and tell them to search the room." Jiraiya shook his head. "You can do that later. I just wanted to tell you that you can trust Naruto. Even if he never becomes a loyal ninja to the village, he will not turn against Konoha unless it betrays him first." "Very well... let''s hope you''re correct about him. He may be our best chance to survive, then..." "There''s one more thing I wanted to tell you before I leave," Jiraiya said. "You''re leaving again? You just came back." Tsunade said. "It won''t take long. But yesterday, I received a bit of information that I need to investigate... it''s about the leader of Akatsuki." Jiraya had a grave expression as he spoke. "You found his identity?" Tsunade knew he had been pursuing that intel for years. But other than the name ''Pain,'' they didn''t know much about this mysterious figure. "Not yet, but I did find out where his hideout is. His base of operations is somewhere inside the Hidden Rain Village." "That gloomy place? Do you want to go there alone? That seems reckless. Take a couple of ANBU agents with you at least," Tsunade suggested. That country had become very secretive since the war, and they didn''t know what was truly going on there. Jiraiya huffed. "I know what I''m doing. I wouldn''t have survived this long if I didn''t. I''ll just go there to collect some information on ''Pain.'' Then I''ll come back. I have no intention of engaging in direct combat with Akatsuki right now." "Be careful..." Tsunade said. Jiraiya chuckled. "Of course." He stood up. "When I return, we can have a proper meal together and some drinks." Tsunade watched him jump out of the window, as he had done many times before. But something felt off to her this time, and she didn''t know what it was. "Jiraiya... you''ll come back... right?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix @@@@ Chapter 223: The Spy Chapter 223: The Spy Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue"@@@@ ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 223: The Spy A young-looking woman was walking at a rushed pace while nervously glancing behind her. ''How could Lord Jiraiya detect the device?'' she wondered. She had been assured that this new model was undetectable. It had taken her months to land a position closer to the Hokage''s office than the one she initially had when she began working in the building, and now her cover was probably blown since she had fled the Hokage building in such a manner. ''They will find the device and know it was me...'' She knew this. But this information was too important. She only regretted not being able to hear the end of their conversation. The moment she left the building and noticed that no one was following her, she felt a bit of relief but still did not slow her pace. The receiver from the listening device was still in her purse, as well as a notebook where she had written down the conversation between the Hokage and the other Sannin. If she were caught with this... she would be thrown in a cell and never see the light of day again. Her quick steps took her back to the village center in just a few minutes. From there, she navigated through a maze of narrow alleys and ended up in front of an inconspicuous house with a wooden door. She knocked on the door in a very specific way, and this one opened slowly. A person wearing a grey uniform and an animal mask stood on the other side. At first glance, one might mistake this person for an ANBU agent, but this was a different branch...a much more secretive one that not even the Hokage knew it still existed... ROOT. "The shipment is too heavy," she simply said and was allowed inside. This was the code for "Extremely important message." She will now be taken directly to Lord Danzo, as he was the only one authorized to receive such information. She saw another masked person inside. This one signaled for her to follow him... and she did. The masked agent moved aside a bookcase, revealing a secret entrance. "Come on, don''t delay," he told her. She tried her best to keep up with him through the narrow tunnel that led underground. This was one of the five secret entrances to the ROOT Headquarters. All of them were well-hidden and well-guarded. But she was a low-level agent and only knew the location of one entrance. Watching the back of the ROOT member walking in front of her filled her with envy. All masked members were incredibly strong and had at least achieved the rank of Chunin before becoming agents. Some of them had even grown up inside the facilities and trained since childhood. She was only a Genin... Her back had been injured during an early mission, and she had to give up her career as a ninja after the medics claimed there was nothing they could do. She would never be given the chance to climb up the ranks. The girl knew that her best chance for recovery was to meet Lady Tsunade. She was the only one who could heal her, but their new Hokage was always busy, and even after getting a job inside the Hokage building as a secretary, she never had the chance to speak with her properly. She was ready to give up her dream of being a ninja again and live the rest of her life as a civilian... until she met Elder Danzo. He had approached her a few months after she landed a job at the Hokage building as a secretary. He knew of her health issues and, unlike others... he was willing to help her. "Y-Yes!" She felt very nervous. She hadn''t talked to the Elder in person since her recruitment. She always delivered her intel to other agents. She took out her notebook and handed it over to Lord Danzo, who picked it up and began reading its contents. At first, she didn''t see much change in his expression as he read, as if he were a bit bored. ''Did he already know all of this?'' She was starting to get concerned that she hadn''t brought him anything useful. But then his expression changed completely. "What..." Danzo muttered. "This can''t be... an ability like that exists?!" He snapped the notebook shut and turned his sharp eyes to her. "The device... do you have it?" he demanded. "Y-yes!" She hurried to take out the listening device and handed it to him. "Did anyone detect your presence or the listening device?" he asked. She knew there was no point in lying since the conversation was cut short at the end because she had to flee. "Lord Jiraiya made a comment about hearing some mechanical device... I didn''t want to take any risks, so..." She wondered if she had messed up too badly by missing part of the conversation. "I understand," Danzo told her. "You did the right thing." He stood up from his chair and walked closer to her. She grew more nervous now. The masked agent was behind her, blocking the door, and now the imposing figure of Lord Danzo was standing in front of her. "Lord Danzo?..." "Did anyone else hear this conversation?" "N-no... Lord Danzo." "And you didn''t speak of it with anyone? Not even another agent?" "No! I mean, I thought this was too important and had to be reported directly to Lord Danzo... Did I do something wrong?" Danzo smiled at her. "No, you did nothing wrong. This information is indeed very important." She felt a wave of relief wash over her. ''I''m going to be rewarded then! He will heal my back, and I can finally become a ninja once more.'' As she was thinking this, she felt the hand of Lord Danzo on her shoulder. She lifted her eyes to look at him, but he was staring at the masked agent behind her. He made a subtle gesture with his eyes that she barely spotted, and then... the agent behind her moved at lightning speed and grasped her head. "W-what i-" She did not have time to understand the situation before her neck was snapped by the masked man behind her... As her lifeless body collapsed on the ground, Danzo gave her one last look. "I''m sorry, but you found something too important. Can''t take any risks here..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 224: The Elder’s Decision Chapter 224: The Elders Decision Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 224: The Elder''s Decision Danzo and the other two occupants of the room were now glancing at the dead girl on the floor. "Dispose of that girl, and do it appropriately... make it look like she was attacked by some lowlife criminal on her way home from work," Danzo ordered. "Yes, sir!" the masked ninja responded.@@@@ "Check her apartment too... I want to make sure she didn''t share anything with someone she wasn''t supposed to," Danzo added. The girl had sounded sincere in her loyalty, but one could never be too cautious. The ninja nodded in acknowledgment and took the dead girl away. "Now then..." Danzo walked up to the door and closed it. "Where were we?... Sai." He turned to look at the injured young man on the bed. "Uzumaki Naruto..." Sai spoke. He had just woken up an hour ago after being knocked out by Naruto. He was honestly surprised to be alive after that. "Tell me about your encounter with him. You were tasked with measuring his strength and character." Sai nodded. "He... he is much stronger than I predicted based on the reports I was able to read. He is much faster and more powerful than the average Jonin. The way he uses jutsu is also...abnormal." "Elaborate," Danzo demanded. The conversation between Jiraiya and Tsunade had revealed to him that Naruto had somehow absorbed the Kyuubi''s power into his own, and potentially, the Two-Tailed beast as well. This left them only with the Jinchuuriki of the One-Tailed beast, which was not going to be enough, even if he could brainwash Gaara to make him completely obedient to him. Naruto Uzumaki was growing in power in an uncontrollable way, taking away their weapons in the process. His personality was troublesome... smart and ruthless were a dangerous combination. And his loyalty to the village was questionable at best. ''I need a way to guarantee his compliance. To be sure that when the time comes, he will not turn his back to the village, or even ally himself with our enemies, for that could be our end,'' Danzo thought. There was only one course of action with a chance to work, but it was a risky one. Failure could result in countless deaths, including his own. The elder sat back down on his chair and sighed. His mind had been made. Now he just had to make the call. "Lord Danzo?" Sai decided to speak up. He wondered what could have the elder so worried and if it had something to do with what he had said about Naruto. "Sai... how are your wounds? Can you still fight?" Danzo asked. Sai moved his body a bit to evaluate his condition. His broken bones had been mended to a point, but they still hurt, and if he forced them too much, they would break again. "I can move around, but I probably won''t be able to use more than half my strength if I have to fight." Danzo nodded. "That will do. This won''t be too difficult, and you can take another agent with you for assistance, but no more than one. I want discretion above all." "What is the mission?" Sai asked. Danzo looked directly into his eyes. "This is a very important one... I need you to kidnap Ino Yamanaka and bring her to this facility. No one can see you or hear you during this... no one can know that my men had anything to do with this, or we will be declared traitors to the village... did I make myself clear?" "Yes, Lord Danzo..." For the first time since his childhood, Sai was feeling conflicted. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 225: Prisoner Chapter 225: Prisoner Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 225: Prisoner Ino opened her eyes with difficulty and immediately felt a sharp, painful sensation wash over her body. "Urgh..." The pain almost made her fall from the bed she was on. Only then did she realize that she was no longer in her own room but in a small cell instead. Her last memories rushed back to the front of her mind. The last thing she remembered was getting into her bed and falling asleep. She had been woken up when she felt someone''s presence right next to her, and when she looked up, there were two masked individuals inside her room. They wore black cloaks and white masks. Ino reacted as fast as she could and tried to fend the intruders off. One of them appeared to be injured, and she was able to stop his attempt to stab her with a poisoned needle and push him away. But the other one joined in immediately and attacked her. Her memories after that were a bit fuzzy. She recalled summoning some water jutsu that destroyed part of her room and sent her crashing against a wall. ''That explains all the bruises...'' She passed her hand across her legs and ribs. She had hoped that her stunt would attract enough attention from the surrounding area, but help must not have arrived fast enough, since she was locked in here. The last thing she knew was that one of the masked ninjas had managed to get behind her and stabbed her with something. She touched the back of her neck and noticed a small puncture wound. Likely from another steel needle with a sedative.@@@@ ''Those masked ninjas... the one who looked injured was very familiar.'' She couldn''t see their faces, but she saw the hair of one of them when his cloak moved aside. He had the same black hair as the ninja they had encountered the other day. Above her belly button, several symbols had been engraved with special black ink. ''I can call him now....'' Naruto had told her and Hinata that if they were ever in trouble, all they had to do was inject chakra into that formation, and he would immediately come to help them. ''But if I do that, he''ll become trapped in this cell with me.'' She knew very little about how the Flying Thunder God jutsu worked. Naruto was not one for long explanations, except when it came to cultivation. She had just a basic understanding of how it worked, based on what was written about the Fourth Hokage. Just as she was contemplating this, the door to her cell made some metallic noises and began to open slowly. Ino''s eyes sharpened, and she adopted a fighting posture, ready to strike at the first person she saw. "Don''t even think about using a jutsu from there, Miss Yamanaka." An elderly male voice came from the other side of the door as it opened. "If you do that... you will die. There are fuuinjutsu formations in these walls. Any offensive jutsu that you use will bounce back to you." This made her hesitate. That would explain why they hadn''t bothered to shackle her. The door opened, and she finally saw her captors'' faces. Her eyes opened wide with shock. "Elder Shimura?!" Ino was fairly familiar with the three Konoha Elders. They had visited the Hokage''s office very regularly, and she had even been allowed to stay for some of their least important meetings. She must have served tea to this man a dozen times at least. "Why?..." she asked. Danzo was standing a few feet away from the door. Several masked ninjas were around him. "I will explain my motives in a moment, Miss Yamanaka. Now... come closer." Danzo lifted the bandage covering his right eye... revealing the Sharingan underneath. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 226: Rescue Chapter 226: Rescue Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 226: Rescue "The Sharingan?! How do you have that?" Ino asked in shock. Danzo didn''t answer her, but she felt a terrible sense of dread from the look he was giving her. The moment she saw the Sharingan begin to move and change shape, Ino didn''t hesitate any longer...she injected her chakra into the formula inscribed on her belly to call for Naruto''s help. Danzo noticed the strange way her chakra moved, but he couldn''t stop what he was doing midway. "Kotoamatsukami..." he whispered as the ability of his Mangekyo? Sharingan activated. A connection between his mind and Ino''s began to form, it would only take a second, and then...she would be completely on his side. "No..." As an expert in the mind arts, Ino immediately realized the exact purpose of Danzo''s technique. Once he linked his mind to hers, he would be able to manipulate her thoughts and memories in ways she couldn''t predict. Her mental defenses were strong, but they were not enough to stop the most powerful technique of the most dangerous eyes...the Mangekyo? Sharingan. She dreaded the idea of Naruto arriving just in time, only to find her brainwashed and changed. Nothing could stop the power of Kotoamatsukami... or so Danzo thought. Right as Ino''s mental defenses were about to collapse, something incredible happened. A ''Golden Page'' manifested inside her mind palace, standing between her and Danzo, preventing the connection from being established. Ino recognized this page. It was the same one that, three years ago, had produced her cultivation method. She had been certain the page had vanished afterward, but unbeknownst to her, remnants of the ''Divine Energy'' that formed every page of the ''Golden Scripture'' had remained inside her... deep within her very soul, waiting for the moment she would need its protection. His blue eyes burned with fury as he scanned the room. "So..." His voice was low, laced with dangerous intent. "Who''s in charge here?" His gaze darkened. "Who is responsible for this girl''s fear?" He cracked his knuckles. "I''d like to kill that one first." There were sixteen operatives surrounding him. Judging by the density of their chakra, they were all at Jo?nin-level. But there was one more signature in the room, right in front of him. It had been faint when he arrived, but it was getting stronger by the second. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the figure of Danzo Shimura returned to the realm of the living. "I thought that presence felt familiar..." Naruto watched as the man reappeared next to the large pool of blood left behind by his dead subordinates. Danzo''s expression first twisted with anger and frustration, realizing he had just lost one of his ''lives'' in such a careless manner. But then, his face shifted into shock, his eyes locking onto Naruto, standing just a few feet away, holding Ino in his arms. "What... how..." Danzo wasn''t sure what to ask first, What was Naruto doing here? Or how had he arrived so fast? Naruto''s voice sounded cold. "Elder Shimura... so, it is you who will die first then." He snapped his fingers. "Uzum" Danzo never finished his sentence. His head exploded, obliterated by the highly pressurized gust of wind that Naruto sent his way. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 227: ROOT vs Naruto Chapter 227: ROOT vs Naruto Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 227: ROOT vs Naruto@@@@ "You killed the Elder?!" Ino finally snapped from her stupor and turned her face toward Naruto, but she did not let go of her grasp on his neck and remained in his arms. "I''m not so sure about that... his chakra has not dissipated one bit, and there is a different source of energy within him as well," Naruto said, keeping an eye on the other sixteen ROOT operatives in the room. They were all stuck to the walls and ceiling, using the darkness to conceal their positions, but that was not enough to escape Naruto''s senses. He knew exactly where they were and what they were doing. The form of Danzo Shimura appeared once more. He glared at Naruto with anger. "Stop this! You can''t kill me!" The Elder''s mind was racing like never before, trying to find a way out of this predicament. He had already used his Izanagi twice to save his life, meaning he still had eight more uses. However, he knew that if Naruto discovered this information, he would not hesitate to kill him eight more times, something he was more than capable of. His entire plan had gone out the window because he had tried to use the Mangekyo? ability of the Sharingan in his right eye socket on the girl. The Kotoamatsukami was an incredibly powerful tool that could permanently rewrite a person''s memories. He couldn''t completely change the way that person thinks or acts, but he could inject false memories into their minds to make them completely loyal to him. There was no defense against this and the effect will remain even if he were to die, it was completely unstoppable... or at least, that''s what he thought before today. The downside of this powerful ability was its downtime. Back when this eye belonged to Shisui, it could only be used once every ten years. But thanks to Danzo''s experimentation with Hashirama''s cells, he had managed to reduce this time to twenty-four hours. Naruto realized something else then. He had looked into Danzo''s eyes before but never felt any sort of mental attack. ''Why didn''t he try to invade my mind like he did with Ino?...'' The only answer he could think of was that Danzo was unable to use it again. Kakashi became extremely tired after using his ''Kamui,'' so Danzo''s ability must also be very exhausting for him. Naruto still decided to take some precautions and looked away from Danzo''s face, focusing on his feet instead. This was more than enough to predict his movements. Danzo didn''t remember the last time he had been this angry. He had lost three of his ''Izanagi'' uses. This was a massive loss, and it was likely he was going to lose many more before this was over... and that was the best-case scenario. "Kill him!" he finally ordered his men, as they weren''t going to move on their own if he didn''t say anything. The sixteen members present in the chamber were his most elite, but he knew it wasn''t going to be enough. He would have to join the fray as well. As far as Danzo was concerned, despite his incredible power, Naruto was at a terrible disadvantage right now. He was alone and had that girl to protect, so he couldn''t even fight at full force. ''We can do this,'' Danzo convinced himself as he saw all his soldiers charge at Naruto simultaneously, surrounding him in the process. "You think you can overwhelm me with your soldiers?" Naruto''s words came across as arrogant and overbearing. But then, out of nowhere, a cloud of smoke appeared around him, and hundreds of clones jumped out in all directions. "The Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu?!" Danzo exclaimed, taking a step back. The situation had completely changed now. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 228: Mercy Chapter 228: Mercy Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes-@@@@ Chapter 228: Mercy While Naruto remained in the same spot, his clones jumped into action and began to engage the several members of Danzo''s secret army. Each of these members was an expert ninja at the jonin level, but each one of them had to deal with a dozen clones or more, so they quickly began to fall, one by one. His clones only had a fraction of Naruto''s chakra, so they couldn''t use any of his most destructive techniques. However, this was of little consequence since they still had access to his wind manipulation and various Rasengans. Not to mention, each single clone was a martial arts expert of the highest caliber and could compete with the likes of Maito Gai. Naruto left around thirty clones for Danzo. He estimated that it would be enough for this opponent. "Rip his eye out," was the first order he gave them. He did not want to take any risks against an awakened Sharingan that he didn''t understand. Danzo fought with everything he had. The man was an expert in taijutsu and wind jutsu. He took down several clones with blades made of wind or just with his own fists. "No!!" he screamed when two clones grabbed onto him from behind while another tried to rip his right eye from its socket. Just then... branches appeared from underground and destroyed the clones in an instant. "Wood element?... You are truly full of surprises," Naruto commented. "How?... Only the Senju can use that jutsu," Ino asked. "There are several strange chakra signatures coming from that bandaged arm of his... I believe that is the source of that power," Naruto said. Danzo was giving Naruto a similar feeling to Orochimaru, and he couldn''t help but wonder if those two had been involved in some shared experiments. "Argh!" Danzo pushed his wood element further, creating more destructive branches that destroyed the rest of the clones. But in the process, he also removed the bandages that were covering his right arm. Ino gasped when she saw this inhuman limb of his. "What did you do...are those eyes?!" Sai glanced at Naruto and Ino and stood up with difficulty. He was already hurt before this battle even started. Then, several Naruto clones had rushed at him, beaten him black and blue, and launched him to the ground. He had lost his painting tools in the process, leaving him only with a kunai and a little bit of chakra to defend himself. "Do you see, Ino?" Naruto asked her. She turned around to look at him. "This is what happens when you show mercy to your enemies. You give them another chance to kill you," Naruto said while pointing at Sai. "But..." She was still hesitant, even though she knew that Naruto was right. Her insistence on saving that young man had ended up putting her in a lot of danger. She had told herself that she only did it to protect Naruto, but the truth was that she didn''t really like to see anyone dying in front of her. Naruto saw her hesitation. "If you save someone''s life, you are responsible for them... forever." "Naruto?" "I''m not saying that you should never show mercy to others or try to save their lives. I''m saying that you should choose carefully who you save... and only choose those who truly deserve it," Naruto pointed at Sai. "Do you think he does?" "No," Ino said with less hesitation this time. "Then take it back... the life you saved. It is yours to take." Ino looked at Sai. Naruto was telling her to kill this ninja in front of her. The memories of the previous night came back to her. How this person, whom she had saved, came to her home in the middle of the night to kidnap her so she would be brainwashed and used against the person she cared about the most in the world. The temperature around her dropped by several degrees as she moved her chakra. "You are right..." Her turquoise eyes became locked onto Sai''s black ones, and he got on guard , knowing that he would have to fight for his life. Ino was not going to show him mercy again. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 229: The End of His Road Chapter 229: The End of His Road Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 229: The End of His Road "Water Release..." An orb of water manifested in front of Ino. "Water Dragon Whip!" Sharp tendrils of water shot out from within the orb, all aimed at a single target. Sai grunted in pain as he jumped away to avoid the water constructs and heard them impact the stone ground behind him, destroying everything in their path. He then stood up and charged at Ino. Even without his tools to create ink constructs, Sai was still an expert in taijutsu. He sent a barrage of punches and kicks at Ino as she struggled to block them. "Urgh!" Ino received an impact on her belly and went tumbling down. During all of this, Naruto watched their fight but did nothing to intervene or help her. This was her fight, and if she couldn''t defeat this injured opponent, then perhaps he had been wrong in his assessment of her. On the other side of the chamber, Danzo was busy dealing with his clones. Waves of wind, water, and other elements were mixed with the occasional Wood Release attack. A loud splash of water was then heard. Sai tried to attack Ino with a flying kick aimed at her face, but instead ended up hitting a water clone. The real Ino emerged from the ground and immediately took control of the remaining water around Sai. "Water Release... Water Prison!" The water moved extremely quickly, forming a sphere that trapped Sai inside. The young man struggled to escape while Ino did her best to keep him there. Naruto saw the conflict in her. This wasn''t just difficult because she had to maintain her focus on the jutsu, but because she was slowly killing someone. Because of her inner conflict, the water prison weakened, allowing Sai to escape it. The black-haired ninja wasted no time after getting out and lunged directly at her, with the intent to end her. By the memories he had received from the destroyed clones, he knew that they had killed Danzo twice. "So that''s what''s keeping you alive. Every time you die, one of those closes," Naruto commented. He kept his attention on Danzo''s expression and was able to see tiny changes on the old man''s face. "If I kill you five more times, that Sharingan will close, and you''ll stay dead then, but... what a waste of resources." "U... Uzumaki..." Danzo muttered as he tried to stand back up. Naruto''s blue eyes were cold as ice. "Rip his arm off." The clones moved without hesitation. Danzo had no more strength to resist and could only scream as the clones removed his modified limb. Like he did with the extracted right eye, Naruto stored it inside a scroll. If looks could kill, then the look of rage that the elder was giving him with his only remaining eye would have done the trick. "Elder Shimura... don''t forget that it has been your own failure...to believe that you could take something from me without consequences," Naruto lifted his right hand. "No more protections?... Any last words at least?" Danzo''s body was starting to convulse, and his skin was growing paler due to the blood loss, but he still found the strength to speak once more. "Y-you... you will... perish at t-their... hand." "Hmm... I expected you to say something more insulting, or personal. Instead you gave me a vague threat...how disappointing," he snapped his fingers, summoning a high-pressure blast of wind that destroyed the upper torso of Danzo without resistance. This time... he did not come back. "Now..." Naruto got the attention of his remaining clones. There were still over two thousand of them inside the chamber. "Clean this place up. If you find more of those mas ked ninjas, you know what to do." Naruto turned around and began to walk away. "I have a lady to take home." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix @@@@ Chapter 230: The Way Back Home Chapter 230: The Way Back Home Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes-@@@@ Chapter 230: The Way Back Home "What are they doing?" Ino asked as they moved through the corridors of Danzo''s secret hideout. She saw clones of Naruto running all over the place. "They''re mapping the place and looking for the exit," Naruto said, skipping the part where they were also eliminating any remaining agents in the area. There were thousands of clones, and Naruto was constantly receiving feedback and information from their memories whenever they found something new. As he walked with Ino at his back, he knew the way he needed to go to avoid running into a dead end. "One of my clones has found an exit," Naruto said, taking a turn into a different corridor. "You know what your clones are doing?" Ino asked. "No. I know what they did after they''re dispelled," Naruto told her. "But there are thousands of them... doesn''t that give you a headache?" She couldn''t imagine the amount of information he was receiving. "I''m getting used to it," Naruto said, turning his head to look at her. "You seem a bit better now," he pointed out. She had been in complete shock when he arrived, but now she was returning to her usual self. "That mind jutsu the Elder tried to use on me... I''d rather not think about what could have happened if it wasn''t for that..." Ino stopped mid-sentence. "For what?" Naruto asked. "A golden page appeared inside my mind and protected me," Ino said. "A golden page? You mean..." Ino nodded. "Yes, it was like the one I saw three years ago... the one that gave me my cultivation method." "They''re ANBU." He recognized at least one of them. The one with the bear mask was often with Kakashi. "Naruto Uzumaki... Ino Yamanaka, you were declared missing last night," one of the ANBU said. "Everyone has been looking for you." "I''m fine now. Naruto found me," Ino told the ninjas. "I just want to go see my parents." "They''re at the Hokage''s office. If you''re not in need of medical assistance, we can escort you there right now," one of them said. It may have sounded like an offer, but they weren''t going to let her out of their sight now. "I''ll take her there. You can follow us if you want to," Naruto said, taking off without waiting for their response. The ANBU hurried to chase after him. "I think they''re upset..." Ino commented. Even without using her jutsu, she could feel the emotions surrounding them. "They''ll get over it. I''m not letting them lay their hands on you," Naruto huffed. "How possessive," Ino grinned and hugged Naruto from behind. "I like that." When they reached the Hokage building, the two of them noticed that there were people outside waiting for them. ''The ANBU must have used one of those communication devices to inform Tsunade,'' Naruto recalled, remembering using them during his genin training with Kakashi. "Wow," Ino said. It wasn''t just her parents and the Hokage waiting for them. Hinata was also there, as well as several of their old classmates and their Jonin senseis. "Looks like everyone was looking for you," Naruto said. "Yes," Ino replied, feeling a warm sensation washing over her and pushing away the unpleasantness from her experience. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 231: The Message Chapter 231: The Message Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 231: The Message Inside a well-hidden wooden shack on the outskirts of Konoha, two individuals wearing white masks and black cloaks sat at a table, glancing at a piece of paper carefully placed in the center of it. "Hmmm... it''s reacting," one of them said as the paper began to shake and make noises. "Already? It''s too soon!" Their mission had only begun last night, and they didn''t expect any developments for at least a few days. The two men stared at the paper as it sparked into flames and disappeared. They remained in silence after witnessing this...as if they were trying to process the consequences. "It completely burned out... this is the worst-case scenario." One said with a grave tone. "Lord Danzo... is dead." The other one added. Danzo knew the risks when he decided to openly confront Naruto in such a way. So, he had made preparations for several different scenarios that could occur. This...was one of such preparations. That piece of paper had a fuuinjutsu formation connected directly to Danzo himself. If his heart ever stopped completely, the paper would destroy itself, signaling his death to these two agents. From that point, the ROOT agents will have to follow the plan they had memorized. "The next step is clear," one of them said. "It is... we have a mission to complete," the other one added. Regardless of their feelings about the death of their leader, they would carry out his orders without fail. They both stood up from their chairs and prepared to leave. One of them walked to a corner of the shack and lifted the wooden tiles, revealing a secret hidden space. Inside it was a small scroll, which he took. The scroll contained a message from Danzo. It held many of his best-guarded secrets, including a lot of confidential intel about Konoha. And also...crucial information about Naruto, including the one that forced him to act in such a reckless way. One of the agents secured the scroll inside his clothes. In the event of Danzo''s demise, their mission was to deliver this scroll to one particular person. Just as they were all talking, more people arrived. It was Chouji and Shikamaru. "Look! Ino''s back," Chouji exclaimed with joy at seeing his friend safe and well. "Yes..." Shikamaru sighed in relief. They had just come back to inform Tsunade of their findings, but those were no longer necessary. The boy may not show it, but he felt incredibly relief to see his friend return safe and sound. Tsunade gave some orders to her ANBU agents, and they took off immediately. Then, she finally approached the group surrounding Ino. "Let me say first that I''m glad to see you back, Ino." "Lady Tsunade," Ino said, giving her a bow. "Thank you." Tsunade gave Ino a good look. "You don''t appear to have any serious injuries, but I''d like for Shizune to examine you anyway. But I can also see that you''re in need of a change of clothes and perhaps a bath... so..." "Why don''t I accompany them home?" Shizune advised, since Ino was still in her pajamas and barefoot. It was best to perform the examination there. Tsunade nodded. "That''s what I was going to suggest." "Don''t I need to present my report about what happened?" Ino asked. "You can do that tomorrow," Tsunade said, glancing at Naruto. "He can fill me in on the details today. Isn''t that right?" "Of course," Naruto responded. Ino said her goodbyes and left with her parents and Shizune. "Alright," Tsunade said, addressing the rest of the crowd. "You must all be tired after running around the village all night. You can take the rest of the day off." Hinata made sure to give Naruto a kiss before leaving, seemingly unbothered by being in the presence of the Hokage. "I heard she used to be extremely shy," Tsunade commented with a hint of amusement in her tone. "I fixed that," Naruto told her. She chuckled. "I''m sure you did..." Tsunade''s expression turned serious. " Well then...I believe we have much to talk about." Naruto could tell that she was referring to more than just the most recent events. "Do you have something to drink in your office?" he asked. Tsunade turned around to look at him. "Do you really need to ask that?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 232: Reporting! Chapter 232: Reporting! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 232: Reporting! "Where do you want to start?" Naruto sat down in front of her desk, filled a glass with wine, and passed it to Tsunade. "How polite," Tsunade noted. "I can be when I want to," Naruto said as he poured another glass for himself. "That means that most of the time, you choose to be impolite," Tsunade pointed out. "Mmm... this wine is delicious," Naruto savored the flavor. This may not have been his alcohol of preference, but he had the chance to taste some of the best ones out there. This would be at the top. "I took a few bottles from Elder Danzo... but I still don''t know who the supplier is." That was something Tsunade had been trying to find out as well. Naruto looked displeased at the revelation. "That''s too bad... I won''t be able to drink this again." "How so? I''m sure I can steaget a few bottles once in a while," Tsunade told him. Naruto shook his head. "I doubt that... I just killed him." Tsunade spat the wine all over the table. "Don''t waste it!" Naruto exclaimed. "You did what?!" Tsunade smashed the glass in her hand. "I had a good reason," Naruto assured her. It''s not like he was going around murdering people. That was not his style. "Wait... was Danzo behind Ino''s disappearance?" Tsunade asked. "That was mainly the reason. He was also trying to use some sort of mind-controlling jutsu on her. She got lucky on that one." "Mind control? Why would Danzo do that? The Yamanaka family isn''t that influential." "Right. You weren''t sure if he was dead." Naruto revealed a couple of storage scrolls and opened them up. "What is this?..." Tsunade stared at the two objects on her table. One was a bloody Sharingan, poorly ripped out of someone''s skull, and the other was a pale-looking arm with more eyes embedded in it. Some of them were closed, while others were open. "They belonged to Elder Shimura. They were taken before turning his body into a meat paste. So this is all that''s left of him...I suppose." Tsunade was too focused on examining these objects to berate Naruto about his poor choice of words. "Sharingan, and... this arm." She felt something very familiar in it. "It''s impossible to tell for sure without further analysis, but I believe this arm has been implanted with cells from my ancestors... the Senju. And if that''s the case, they must have come from my grandfather, Hashirama Senju." "Is that how he was able to use the ''Wood Release'' element? I thought it was strange he had a different chakra in his arm." "He did?..." Tsunade frowned. "Orochimaru had done a lot of research with my grandfather''s cells... this isn''t the first successful case I''ve heard of where one is able to gain access to that element in such a way." "Yamato," Naruto mentioned. "So you''ve seen him use it too..." Tsunade nodded. "But these..." She examined the Sharingan eyes on his arm. "I don''t know what the purpose of these was... but I have an idea of where he got so many eyes." Tsunade''s expression showed how furious she was. "I can''t believe Danzo had been performing all these disgusting experiments under our noses..." "His underground base had several laboratories in it. It is quite massive too," Naruto recalled the layout of it as his clones were able to map it out completely. "He had an underground base? Is that where he took Ino? No wonder we were unable to find her... he must have created a new ROOT hideout after my Sensei forbade him to..." "So the previous Hokage already knew about his secret army and did nothing about it?" Naruto felt very disappointed with the old man. "He disbanded the ROOT organization and forbade Danzo from creating another one." "He did..." Naruto pointed out. "We must find all of his agents and arrest them before they can cause more harm," Tsunade said. "I wouldn''t worry about that..." Naruto muttered. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 233: He is Dead Too?! Chapter 233: He is Dead Too?! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 233: He is Dead Too?! There was a long pause after that. "All of them?" Tsunade asked. "The ones I came across," Naruto responded. "Were you not taught the benefits of taking prisoners? You know... for information..." "I...maybe have forgotten about those things. But still, I doubt they could have told you anything of use. I noticed that all of them had a seal engraved into their tongues," Naruto explained. "I see..." She could easily guess the purpose of such a seal. It made sense for the Danzo she knew to not take any risks by having one of his secret soldiers captured. "Can you tell me the location of this hideout?." "I''ll mark it for you on a map. The entrance was inside an old house far from the center." Tsunade nodded. "Will I be in trouble for killing this Elder?" Naruto asked. Not that they could arrest him anyway, but it would be annoying if they tried. "There will be an investigation into this incident. I will inform you of the results when I have them. But for the moment... no, you are not under arrest." Of course, Tsunade was also well aware that, at this point, there may not be a way to restrain Naruto. At least not without suffering catastrophic losses. "Wonderful." Naruto gave her a smile, knowing that they both had reached a silent agreement. "I would like to hear all the details about your mission with Kakashi, but... there is one matter that I wish to discuss first." Tsunade''s tone grew more severe. This was the most crucial part of the conversation, and if this went wrong, things could take a terrible turn for Konoha. "I''m listening." He waited for her to collect her thoughts. In the meantime, the ANBU from before had returned with a bottle of sake. After he left and sealed the door, Tsunade poured herself a glass of sake and downed it in one gulp before continuing. "I had a long conversation with Jiraiya recently..." "He came back and left already?" Naruto would have been able to tell if someone with an intense chakra signature like him were inside the village. "Where did he go this time?" She saw Naruto open another storage scroll and began to wonder where he was storing them. All of a sudden, there was a head on top of her desk. It made for an eerie display next to the severed arm and eye. ''I hope no one walks into my office right now,'' Tsunade thought. It was very changed and partially burned, but she could still recognize her old teammate. "Orochimaru... he''s really dead." "Of course. I have the rest of his body here." Naruto placed another scroll on her desk. "You can open it later if you want to. It probably wouldn''t fit your desk anyway." He only avoided saying that he also acquired Orochimaru''s sword, just in case she wanted to claim it for the village or something. "Are the Sharingan still useful? I wasn''t too sure after incinerating his previous body." Tsunade was about to repeat herself, but then she thought otherwise. Naruto was not one to make things up. ''Could it be?...'' She reached into the eyelids of the decapitated head and opened one of the eyes. "This is the Sharingan!" she gasped. "I just told you..." Naruto said. "But how?... Where did he? Wait, is this?..." "Oh...right, I forgot to mention. Orochimaru took over Sasuke''s body with his immortality jutsu... I don''t know what it''s called." "Sasuke Uchiha is dead?!" Tsunade exclaimed. "Maybe you should take another sip of that." Naruto pointed at her sake. "You''re overly excited. And by the way, I have nothing to do with Sasuke''s demise. That''s all on Orochimaru." He decided to point out. Tsunade followed his advice and took several sips of alcohol. "This is a lot to take in..." "I guess..." Naruto decided to pour himself some sake as well. The wine was long gone after all. "Mmm... this is not too bad." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 234: One Hundred Years Chapter 234: One Hundred Years Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 234: One Hundred Years "Danzo is dead..." "Orochimaru is dead..." "Our last Uchiha is dead..." "And we lost the Kyubi..." Naruto looked over at the Hokage. She seemed to be in shock, so he waited for her to recover a little bit. One would think that ninjas are used to people dying all the time, but apparently, he was wrong. Unless she was concerned with something else. "Are you worried about the Council''s reaction?" he asked. "Of course, I" She meant to slam her hand on the desk but instead ended up hitting the decapitated head of Orochimaru. "Would you get this thing off my table!" Naruto didn''t need to use his divine senses to know that the woman was freaking out. So he stored all the limbs in their respective scrolls. "I still want to know if some of those eyes can still be of use." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Do you seriously want a Sharingan implanted in you?" "Why not?" "Because... you know... there are a lot of downsides. But let''s talk about that another day...this is too much for one day. And I would need to examine them properly to know if any of them is still usable." Naruto chuckled. "I''m sure Jiraiya already told you this, but I''m not the ungrateful kind. I may not be like your loyal subjects, but this village has helped me during the beginning of my journey, and not by a small amount. I believe that those who do good will receive good." "Meaning?" Tsunade felt relief to hear him say those words, but she needed to make sure he was on their side. There could be no ambiguity on this. Naruto then raised one finger up. "One?..." She wondered what he was trying to say. "One hundred years. As repayment for the resources this village has bestowed upon me, I will protect it for one hundred years. However, I will only give you my most sincere oath on this. I will not perform any soul-binding ritual. You will have to trust my word." Tsunade looked shocked now... and confused. "A hundred years?..." Naruto frowned. "Is it not enough? You''re getting a bit greedy here. With this place under my protection, there will be no one capable of" "Wait!" Tsunade interrupted him. "What do you mean by a hundred years?! That is a ridiculously long amount of time. Most people don''t even live that long, not to mention protect one place..." "Ah... I see." Naruto had forgotten for a moment that he was no longer in his old world. The perception of time for these mortals with no means to extend their lifespans was very different. "I suppose you are correct." Naruto nodded. "For a normal mortal, one hundred years must be almost a lifetime... but for me, that is just a short stop in my long journey to immortality." "Immortality? Is that what you are after?" Tsunade''s tone became a bit harsher. Naruto didn''t pay it any mind. "I know what you are thinking... but do not make the mistake of comparing me with your old teammate, Orochimaru. I will never resort to such despicable means to accomplish my goals." Tsunade thought about it for a moment. If someone else had told her what Naruto just did... she would have laughed in their face before kicking them out of the office for wasting her time. But Naruto was different... every time she thought she had a good grasp of what he was capable of, he revealed more and more... as if he had always been holding back for their own benefit. And now, Naruto was just starting to reveal the true him. "You will truly protect Konoha for a hundred years?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 235: The Twelve Kunai Promise, oh…and there is also Gaara Chapter 235: The Twelve Kunai Promise, oh...and there is also Gaara Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 235: The Twelve Kunai Promise, oh...and there is also Gaara "One hundred... and not one more." Tsunade had no idea how Naruto planned to live that long, but the look on his face showed absolute confidence. What Tsunade didn''t know was that at Naruto''s current level of cultivation, he could almost live to his one-thousandth anniversary. The most powerful being that Naruto met during his previous life was the person who killed hima greedy man called Hong Feng. He was one stage higher than where Naruto was now... at the peak Spirit Transformation Stage, and as far as he recalled, Feng was already past his fifteen-hundredth birthday. "Deal..." Tsunade went for a handshake, which he accepted. It was a very informal way to seal a deal like this one, but it showed that she was trusting his word to keep his part. Naruto then made a gesture towards the window, and much to the Hokage''s surprise, it opened up. "Who goes there?!" She immediately went into full alert. That window should have been sealed shut and guarded. "Relax. They''re just bringing me something that I need." As Naruto said this, two clones came inside, carrying large bags with them. "Clones? What''s in the bags?" Tsunade had already forgotten about the security breach, as she was more curious about what Naruto could have in those bags... hopefully no more bodies, she jokingly thought to herself. "Something that I''ve been needing," Naruto simply responded. After cleaning up the table from the residues of wine and other fluids... the clones emptied the bags onto it. "Kunais? Where did you get so many with this design?" Unlike the typical ones, these had two tips, like some type of fork. A piece of scroll had been carefully wrapped around their handles, and several symbols were written on them. "We just made them," one of the clones said with pride. Naruto was not a master craftsman, and this meant that neither were his clones. But one thing he didn''t lack was workers. So eventually, they managed to produce almost one hundred kunais in a few hours. "Now... this meeting has gone on for too long, and I''m getting hungry. So if you don''t mind, I''ll be paying a visit to Teuchi." Naruto stood up from his chair. Tsunade still had more questions, but she knew she could get those answers after speaking with the rest of the ninjas involved. Kakashi and Yamato should be returning in a few days, so she could ask about the mission, as she was sure that Naruto had omitted something important. And Ino could tell her more about what Danzo was doing. "Very well, we can end this me" Just then, two more clones jumped inside the office, but this time, they were carrying a person. "Right... I almost forgot about that." Naruto commented as he approached the unconscious young man being held by his clones. "Gaara?!" Tsunade exclaimed. "I found this guy inside Elder Shimura''s facility. They were keeping him locked in a secure room filled with seals." Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder and activated his skill. ''Absorb!'' Tsunade saw a flash of light coming from Gaara. "What was that?" Tsunade stood up and got closer. "I took the One-Tail Beast from him. So you can send him back to his village now." "You did what?!" Tsunade exclaimed. "Don''t worry, he''s alive. Anyways... I''m going out for ramen now." Naruto jumped onto the window frame. "Hold on a minute!" Tsunade tried to grab him. Naruto used his movement technique and disappeared from the spot. "Wait! You can''t just leave like that after doing...!" Tsunade had to hurry to catch Gaara after the clones vanished. "Damn it... Naruto!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 236: Roommate Chapter 236: Roommate Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 236: Roommate "Ah...this is delicious as always, Teuchi. You have no idea how much I missed your food." "Weren''t you here like two days ago?" Ayame asked. "That was three days ago," Naruto corrected the chef''s daughter. "And that''s why he''s my favorite client," Teuchi said with a smile. After eating two more bowls of ramen and paying the man, Naruto walked towards his apartment. He did notice that his wallet was starting to become a bit light. His last monetary entry was Kabuto''s bounty reward, and he was yet to be paid for the missions he did during his time with Jiraiya. According to what Shizune had told him, this was due to all the destruction he had caused during these missions. He had meant to bring up the subject of Orochimaru''s reward during his conversation with the Hokage, but the woman was unable to stay on the same topic for long and became tremendously excited every time he mentioned anything, so he was worried about how she was going to react. But Naruto wasn''t worried one bit. He knew that Tsunade wouldn''t try to scam him out of any funds. He was also due to receive payment for the mission he just completed with Kakashi and Yamato, but he''d have to wait until those two returned and gave their report for that to happen. Unfortunately, he wasn''t going to be getting paid for the Elder and his followers, as they weren''t classified as criminals. ''Oh well...it''s not like I have that much use for cash in this world. As long as I can buy delicious food and drinks, I''m fine with it,'' Naruto thought. He had already acquired a sword of the highest rarity, and it wasn''t like there were cultivation pills or anything of the sort for sale. He was in no hurry to reach his destination, so he enjoyed the stroll through the village. By the time he reached his apartment, the sky was starting to darken. "Hmm?..." Before opening the door, he already knew that someone was inside. The handle wasn''t damaged, and there were no signs of forced entry. ''I didn''t expect her to visit this soon...'' Naruto wasn''t surprised about this. After all, he had given her the keys to his apartment before leaving on his long trip so she could help maintain it during his absence. Naruto opened the door and walked inside. "Welcome home, roommate!" He found Ino lying on his couch, reading a book. "Roommate?" Naruto asked. "My room got destroyed, remember? So I need a place to stay while they repair it. You don''t mind if I stay here, right?" she asked with a sweet smile that would make most men fall to their knees and agree to anything she asked for. But this wasn''t enough to move Naruto...he knew she was hiding something. He closed the door and walked to the couch before sitting down next to her. "You can stay for as long as you want, but I want to hear the real reason," Naruto said, observing her closely. "I..." Ino''s smile disappeared, and she now looked hesitant. "I''ve been to your house," Naruto continued. "It may not be huge, but I do remember seeing a few extra rooms on the lower floor. If that wasn''t enough, Hinata could offer you at least a dozen rooms for you to stay in while repairs are completed...there''s something you''re not telling me." Ino lowered her head. "You can read through me that much? Is this thanks to your...something senses?" "Divine Senses...and I don''t need to use them for something trivial like this. I just know you, Ino." She sighed. "After Shizune finished up with her check-up and had a long conversation with my parents, I decided that I was going to stay in a guest room in my house, but...the moment I was left alone inside that bedroom, my body began to tremble...I was so scared." "None of those people can harm you again...or anyone else, for that matter." "I know that! I know it''s an irrational fear. I mean, I''m a freaking Chunin! I shouldn''t be afraid of an enemy attack," Ino snapped. Naruto didn''t say anything and just let her blow off some steam for a while. "What can I do?..." she eventually asked him something that wasn''t rhetorical. "A while ago, I trained Hinata to surpass her fear. Although, in her case, the fears came mostly from her own insecurities and lack of self-worth. In your case...you don''t believe you''re strong enough to face your enemies." "Isn''t that the same as Hinata?" Ino asked. "No...Hinata was never weak to begin with. She always had tremendous talent for combat that could surpass her cousin Neji." "So I''m truly weak?" Ino stared at him, waiting for an answer. "Only when compared to Hinata, and only if we''re talking about pure combat. You have a talent for the mind arts, and from what I''ve seen, you also excel at healing jutsu," Naruto told her, but this wasn''t going to be enough for her. "I don''t want to feel weak." "Then...I''ll make you strong," Naruto responded. "You will?" she exclaimed. "It won''t be easy...I warn you." "That''s fine, I can take it!" She stood up in excitement and jumped onto his lap before embracing him. "So...can I stay here? I always feel safer at your side." "Mmmm..." Naruto pretended to be considering it. Ino knew what he was doing and let out a chuckle. She then leaned closer and whispered into his ear. "I don''t have any money for rent, but...I can pay you with my body," she said in a seductive manner. Even with all his mental resistance, this was able to move Naruto. "Very well...I can consider that offer." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Extra Chapter 237: Ino II – 18+ Scene Extra Chapter 237: Ino II C 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 237: Ino II - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be a smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. "Let me see what you are offering..." Naruto pulled Inos shirt over her shoulders and she finished taking it off. Underneath, she was wearing one of the sexy pieces of underwear she had recently purchased. It was a red lacy bra that allowed her nipples to be seen through the fabric. "You were already expecting this outcome, didn''t you?." Naruto teased her while fondling her breasts over the fabric. "Mmm...I like to be prepared." Ino said in between moans. She leaned forward to kiss him while moving her hands back and unclasping her bra. Naruto used one hand to pull it away and continued to massage her tits, pinching her nipples a few times. Ino flinched at the pain but did not complain nor ask him to stop. She was enjoying the treatment. "Take those robes off." She demanded as she climbed down from his lap and got in between his legs. Naruto''s monstrous member was freed from its restraints and was already hard as a rock. Ino did not waste time to get it into her mouth and began to suck. She moved her head up and down and used both her hands to increase the feeling of pleasure. In just a few seconds, Naruto was already making noises... that turned her on and made her wet between her legs. She had to release one hand from his dick to begin caring for herself. Naruto felt his climax approaching and took hold of her hair. "Take it." He told her. Ino increased her pace until she felt something warm shoot down her throat. She made sure to take it all, not wasting a single drop. The warm feeling continued until it reached her belly and Ino felt more energetic all of a sudden. Contained inside Naruto''s semen, was also a large amount of his pure chakra, which was now being absorbed into her body. She stood up and pulled down her pants, along with her red panties before climbing on top of his lap and impaling herself with his rod. "Ohh!, fuck!." Despite having seen it and felt it before, it always surprised her the sheer size of Naruto''s dick when she felt it going inside her. He allowed her to dictate the rhythm. She started slowly as she was adjusting to him and then began to move progressively faster., "Don''t focus only on the pleasure, make sure to also circulate your chakra in the way I taught you," Naruto instructed her as she moved. Ino had almost forgotten about that part and allowed herself to get lost in the enjoyment. But for Naruto, this was more than just lovemaking, it was also a way of training and improving himself. Not that she didn''t benefit from it as well. Even after just beginning, she could detect her chakra becoming more refined and potent. "Like that." Naruto placed his hands on her naked ass and helped her move at the right time. "Yes!" Ino shouted. "Yes!" Naruto was glad that all of his neighborhood had already moved out. Ino was the type who liked to shout a lot during sex. "Im almost there!, keep going!, fuck me!" Ino moaned like crazy as her orgasm approached. Naruto could also feel himself getting closer. His hands clasped onto her soft asscheeks as he emptied his second load inside her pussy. "Ahhh!" Ino''s entire body trembled in ecstasy at the sudden release and she collapsed on top of Naruto''s chest. They stood there for a moment, not moving a single muscle while enjoying the peace that came after the orgasm. Then, he grabbed the blonde girl by the hip and lifted her up in the air. Ino gasped as his dick slid out of her and she was shocked to see that he was still completely hard. Cum was dripping out of her pussy as Naruto placed her down on the couch with her butt pointing at him. Ino looked back, wondering if Naruto was planning on pounding her from behind. She then felt his fingers being buried deep into her before coming out and entering her other hole. "Naurto!. Thats my ass!" She shrkieked. "I am aware. You have a wonderful ass by the way." "Are you going to put it in my ass?" She asked, hesitantly. "Do you not want me to?." While he spoke, his fingers were busy working on lubing her up. They went into her moist pussy before moving into stretching her asshole. "Ohh!...that feels...strange." She had never experienced that hole before while playing with her toys. This was a new venture for her. "Naruto..." "Yes?" He moved his face closer to her and kissed her back and shoulders while continuing to finger her. "Ahh....fuck me!" Ino shouted as her horniness peaked. "Where do you want it?" He asked her in a teasing tone. "In my ass!, fuck me in the ass already!" She couldn''t wait any longer. His playful fingers had gotten her in the mood for some ass fucking. Naruto didn''t waste a moment and began o drive his dick inside her plucking hole. He went slowly and made sure to stretch her property since he didn''t want to hurt her. At first, Ino didn''t say anything. She was focused on the new sensations. But as soon as Naruto started to pump in and out of her, she began to feel waves of pleasure invading her body. "Ohh...yes!" Once she was ready, Naruto increased the pacing while venturing just slightly further every time, burying his dick deeper into her ass. Ino lay flat against the couch while Naruto was completely on top of her body, moving his hips to fuck her while using his hands to caress her back and shoulders. She blonde girl found herself screaming with ecstasy as that massive dick brought her plenty of fulfillment and soon enough, she felt another orgasm approaching. "Yes!, Yes!, don''t stop ?!, don''t stop fucking my ass now! " Naruto grunted. "Almost..." "I''m cumming!" Ino exclaimed. Just a moment after, she felt an even stronger warm feeling going inside her and moving into her belly. "Ufff..." She huffed and remained there, laying still on the couch, with Naurto right on top of her, still buried inside her ass. "You know...tonight you have filled all of my holes..." Ino commented. "Will that serve as rent?." Naruto chuckled. "For tonight at least." Chapter 238: Intense Training in the Forest Chapter 238: Intense Training in the Forest Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 238: Intense Training in the Forest Training Grounds 44 "Did you ask for permission to be here, or?..." Ino threw Naruto a glare as they ventured further into the thick forest. "Of course," Naruto assured her. "Then why did we have to jump the fence from an unguarded spot?" Hinata asked. "That''s how I usually come in here," Naruto responded. "So you don''t have permission!" Ino snapped. "Ouch!..." She felt a sudden wave of pain. "Ino, are you alright?" Hinata looked at her with concern. "Did you hurt your butt during the kidnapping?" She noted where Ino''s hands were. "N-No! I mean...I''m fine," Ino said, looking away to hide her red face. The activities from last night had left her a bit sore down there, but that wasn''t something she wanted to talk about right now. "You''re also walking a bit funny..." Hinata was now getting suspicious. "I''m not!... Forget about me," Ino said, trying to walk faster to get away from Hinata, but it was difficult. "Did you and Naruto have sex last night?" Hinata finally asked. "No! Let''s just focus on the tahh!" Ino was startled when she found that Hinata had sneaked around her and was now mere inches away from her face. Hinata sniffed her. "Aha!" She pointed at Ino. "I can smell the scent of Naruto''s dick coming from your mouth!" "What?!" Ino exclaimed. "That''s impossible! I washed my mouth like three times while I showered, so...oh..." She realized too late. "She got you," Naruto chuckled. "So you did!... Ino, we were supposed to talk about this," Hinata frowned. Before agreeing to date Naruto at the same time, the two of them had sat down and had a long talk to establish a few rules. One of them was that they would always give a heads-up to the other before they planned to do anything with Naruto, so the other one was mentally prepared. "I''m sorry," Ino said, knowing she had broken one of their rules. "It wasn''t something I had planned. It''s just that...yesterday...I didn''t want to sleep alone, so I went to stay at Naruto''s apartment." "Hmm..." Hinata seemed to be thinking about it. "I suppose that, given the circumstances, we can make an exception." "So, you''re not angry with me?" Ino asked. Hinata smiled. "Of course not. But if you had told me, I would have joined in," she said, winking at her. "You mean?...the three of us together?..." Ino hadn''t considered that possibility yet. "Alright...enough of that. We came here for a different kind of training," Naruto said, pointing ahead. "That clearing over there is where we''ll be staying for the next three days." He had wanted to make it a longer stay for better results, but Hinata and Ino couldn''t be absent for too long unless it was for an official mission. And to be fair, Naruto was likely to be called by Tsunade once Kakashi returned with a report for their mission. As they entered the clearing, the girls realized that they weren''t alone...at all. "Are those your clones?" Ino asked. "What are they doing here?" Hinata added. "They''re doing sword practice," Naruto pointed out, though it was obvious just by looking at what the clones were doing. "Just ignore them; we have more than enough space for us here." "I suppose they''re the reason we haven''t encountered a single wild beast on the way here," Ino commented. Lady Tsunade wasn''t going to be happy if she knew about this, or Anko, for that matter, since she''s one of the ones responsible for this training field. "Where did you get so many swords?" Hinata could tell that there were hundreds of Narutos here, each of them wielding a similar sword in their hands. "The swords are also clones. They''re using the ''Transformation'' jutsu. There''s no way I could afford five hundred swords...even low-quality ones," Naruto told her. "I thought you were using the seventh training ground," Ino recalled hearing about it. "I am doing that too. I''m also using numbers two, ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty-one, and thirty-two. The rest of the clones are outside the village walls," Naruto explained. "Wait...how many clones do you have moving around?" Ino asked. "Around ten thousand," Naruto answered. ''And they''re all training?...all the time?'' Hinata thought. "Mostly, yes..." Naruto nodded. A few teams were doing other projects though. "Is that what you''re going to teach us?" Hinata asked. He shook his head. "That works for me because I have a lot of chakra to create this many clones. You''d need to develop further before trying this method. Besides...you first need something to train on, or the clones would have nothing to do." "So, what do we do?" Ino asked. "You currently have very different styles of fighting, but since Ino wants to be less reliant on others during combat, you''ll both benefit from intense training in martial arts." "You mean taijutsu? That''s my family''s specialty," Hinata said. If there was one aspect in which she wasn''t lacking, it was that one. "I''ll teach you some new moves that will complement your style," Naruto said. His eyes turned to Ino. "And to you, I''ll teach you how to defend yourself in close-range combat." There was a puff of smoke, and dozens more clones appeared around him. "So many Narutos...." Hinata''s mind was starting to wander already. "For the first two days, you''ll be trained by them...on the last day, I have something else for you to learn," Naruto told them. Both girls looked at each other, wondering what Naruto had in store for them. But one thing was for sure: these were going to be three very long days.... A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 239: New Techniques Chapter 239: New Techniques Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 239: New Techniques "Ahh!!" Ino went flying after being hit by a black-robed ninja with a white mask. "Damn it, take this!" She recovered in the air and sent a barrage of water blades at her target. The masked ninja vanished into smoke after the impact, but two more equally dressed men took his place and rushed at Ino. She took a battle stance, as Naruto had taught her, and exchanged some moves with the two individuals. The blonde kunoichi tried her best, but she quickly found herself being overwhelmed once more when fighting at such close range with no one to support her. "Urgg!" She received a kick to her side that made her lose her balance, and the two masked men took the opening to attack her again. Ino was prepared for some pain, but then she heard a loud voice resonating over the clearing. "Okay, that''s enough." As soon as Naruto spoke, the clones disappeared. She stood up and glanced at Naruto as he approached, a frown on her face. "Why did you have to make them look like that?" He had transformed all the clones used for her training into those uniforms resembling ROOT agents. "I thought it would help motivate you to fight back and improve," Naruto explained. "Did I improve?..." She wasn''t sure of that. It had been two days since they arrived in this forest. Naruto had tried to show her a few moves she could use when fighting at close quarters, but Ino was having trouble implementing them. "It''s only been two days. Shake off the dust and try again," Naruto said while taking out a scroll from his robes and handing it to Ino. "What is this?" she asked, curious about the contents of the scroll. "You can read it later, after we return from this trip. It''s a very powerful movement technique called ''Crystal Wave.'' Make sure to study it properly." "A movement technique? So I''ll be able to move faster with this?" she asked. "Much like the one I use, it''s divided into several stages. If you master them all, it will allow you to do considerably more than just move faster. This one, in particular, also has some offensive moves in the later stages," he explained. "That sounds awesome!" Ino exclaimed. "Did you also give this to Hinata?" "I prepared a different one for her," Naruto responded. "How come you know so many different movement techniques when you always use the same one?..." Ino had some suspicions about the origin of these techniques. Naruto could tell what she was getting at. "These belong to an old friend of mine. The one I gave you was something she learned after unlocking the full potential of her special physique." "She..." Ino didn''t know how she felt about receiving something that likely belonged to an old Dao companion of Naruto. She was aware that he had memories from a previous life but had never put much thought into Naruto having other romantic interests before meeting her and Hinata. "Ino... there''s no point in getting jealous of someone who has likely passed away already. This was a very long time ago in a completely different life." "I know that, but..." She couldn''t help it. "Looks like Hinata is finally done with her training session..." Naruto saw the other girl approaching with a satisfied smile as she carried a scroll in her hands. The technique he gave Hinata was called ''Ripple Step,'' and even though it was something that his old dao companion had used during her earlier days, it was not something to be looked down upon. All the techniques and resources given to that girl were some of the best the Sword Sect had to offer. They truly spoiled her too much. "Were you also fighting those masked guys?" Ino asked her friend. "Masked guys?... No," Hinata looked confused for a moment. "You didn''t change the clones for her?" Ino asked. "She didn''t need extra motivation," Naruto brushed her off. "Now, grab onto me. We''re going to a different place for the last day." The two girls held onto his arms without questioning him, but their expressions showed their increasing curiosity. Naruto activated his teleportation jutsu and brought them all away from the forest. In the next instant, they found themselves in a rocky area, in front of a small-looking cave entrance. Nothing special could be seen at first glance. "Where are we?..." Ino glanced around, not recognizing the layout of the place. "Around fifty miles south of Konoha. In a rocky area called Devil''s Fang," Naruto answered her. "Ah, yes. I was here once with my team," Hinata said. "We had to escort a merchant from the Land of Tea, and we crossed a valley nearby... this place was swarming with wolves." "Indeed. There are many dangerous beasts in this land. That''s why most people avoid it. And that''s also why I chose it. Come on, follow me." Naruto began walking into the cave. Ino and Hinata looked at each other, but neither of them had any idea why Naruto had brought them here. The entrance to the cave was small enough to force them to hunch their backs to avoid hitting their heads on the ceiling, but after walking for a bit, it began to expand. Naruto created a flame in his hand to serve as a source of light. "There are protective seals on the walls," Ino noted. "Did you put them in place, Naruto? What are you guarding in here?" Hinata asked. Naruto didn''t mention it to them, but there were a lot more protections than just those seals they saw. This cave was not something he wanted anyone to gain access to. "There''s chakra in here... but it feels strange," Hinata said. She activated her Byakugan and could see some unknown energy flowing through the cave like a river, and the source seemed to be in the direction they were traveling. "You''ll get your answers in a moment. The main chamber is just ahead," Naruto told them as he guided them deeper into the cave until they reached a large stone door with foreign symbols carved into it. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 240: The Cave Chapter 240: The Cave Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 240: The Cave Naruto placed his hands on the cold stone, and it moved aside, revealing the entrance to another chamber. "Come on, what I want to show you is in here." The two girls followed Naruto inside, expecting to enter a small room within a cave. However, they immediately realized how wrong their assumptions had been. "Whoa!" Ino exclaimed as she looked around. Hinata had her Byakugan active, and her eyes widened in shock. But it wasn''t just the sheer size of the chamber that surprised her the most. She could see an unusual flow of chakra traveling across the walls. It resembled cascading waterfalls of energy, flowing downward and pooling into a thick, dark liquid that covered the circular floor. Ino, on the other hand, focused on the chamber itself. It was immediately clear that this was no natural cave. The walls had been carefully carved into a perfect sphere, and beautifully decorated pillars stood at the center, surrounding an altar with a sitting area where comfortable-looking cushions had been placed. "What do you think?" Naruto asked as he walked toward the core of the chamber. "Did you build this?" Ino asked in amazement. "I did. Well, my clones did it." "When?" "Yesterday." "You built this in one day?!" "You''d be surprised what one can accomplish with enough workers," Naruto replied with a grin. "No... I can see that," Ino muttered, still inspecting the chamber. "Your clones put a lot of effort into decorating those columns." "Forget about the columns. What is that dark liquid flowing around the chamber? There''s an unusual chakra signature emanating from it," Hinata pointed out. "You can feel it already? That''s a good sign," Naruto said, nodding approvingly. Then, he pointed at the center. "Go sit over there." "Hold on... I can''t feel anything. Is that bad?" Ino glanced at the dark liquid but struggled to see through the dim lighting. The only source of illumination was a small hole in the ceiling that allowed some natural light to seep through. "No, it''s completely normal not to sense anything at first," Naruto reassured her. Once they were both seated, he continued, "As for the purpose of this chamber, it''s simple...this is a cultivation cave." "You mean like the ones inside those sects?" Ino asked. "What sects?" Hinata asked, unfamiliar with the concept. "I''ve placed several arrays here to attract the natural energy in the surrounding area and concentrate it inside this cave," Naruto explained. "The dark liquid you see is actually a special type of oil. This oil is capable of accumulating large amounts of natural energy, making it easier for us to absorb into our bodies." "Natural energy? Is that the same as chakra?" Ino asked curiously. "Chakra can only exist inside living beings," Hinata reminded her. Even though they could externalize chakra through jutsu or concentrate it within their bodies, chakra itself did not naturally exist in the air. This meant the energy Naruto referred to was something else entirely. "Correct," Naruto affirmed. "Natural energy is different from the chakra you''re used to. It exists in nature, and once you get used to it and align yourself with this energy, you''ll be able to feel it everywhere." "And what do we use this energy for?" Ino asked. "To become Sages." Ino didn''t react at first, but Hinata, who had studied history extensively, immediately realized the significance of his words. "You mean like the Sage of the Six Paths?" Ino finally said in astonishment. "And the First Hokage," Hinata added. "The Three Legendary Sannin were also rumored to have achieved this..." "Lady Tsunade is a Sage?" Ino asked, turning to Naruto. "I don''t know about Tsunade, but Jiraiya was capable of using an incomplete version, and I believe Orochimaru also experimented with it," Naruto answered. "Naruto... there''s no way we can achieve something like that. We aren''t legendary ninjas like them," Ino said doubtfully. "She''s right. You said Lord Jiraiya was unable to completely master Sage training... what chance do we have?" Hinata asked hesitantly. "I never said it would be easy," Naruto replied, glancing at Ino. "You said you wanted to be strong...this is the path to achieving that goal." "But..." Ino was still unconvinced. "Besides," Naruto continued, "you have something that none of those legendary figures had." "What would that be?" Hinata asked. Naruto pointed at himself. "You have me, of course." He knew that wouldn''t be enough to convince them, so he began explaining the training plan he had designed for them. Today, they would meditate to open their senses to natural energy, allowing them to cultivate it anywhere they went. The chamber was specifically designed for him, meaning the concentration of natural energy here was extremely potent. In fact, it was too potent for them at their current level. If they stayed for too long, it could become dangerous. However, this place was perfect for their first session. After instructing them on what to do, Naruto remained close, keeping a careful watch. He absorbed any excess natural energy from their bodies to prevent them from turning to stone. He lacked the Toad Elder''s staff, but his ability to absorb energy made it unnecessary. Naruto had a strong feeling that in just a few months, these two would at least be able to use a partial Sage transformation. Even that alone would be enough to multiply their strength. And the stronger they are, the more he would benefit when they cultivate together. So at the end of the day, this was one more thing that would get him closer to his final goal. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 241: Meeting The Hyugas Chapter 241: Meeting The Hyugas Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 241: Meeting The Hyugas Naruto stood at the door of the massive Hyuga compound. The two guards were staring at him with their intense white eyes, as if they were trying to look intimidating. "I believe your Lord is waiting for me, so... do you mind opening the door already?" Naruto told the grumpy guards, wondering what he had done to offend those two. "If Lord Hiashi has truly invited you..." one of them said. "We will first have to check inside. So you''ll have to wait there in the meantime, while one of us goes to do that," the other one added. By their tone and words, it was implied that they didn''t believe he had any business here, or... they just wanted to make things difficult for him. Naruto was starting to consider if Hinata''s dad would get too mad if he threw those two over the wall, but just then, the door opened, and a young woman with short dark hair came out. He recognized her quickly as Hinata''s personal attendant, Asami Hyuga. "Lord Naruto, we were waiting for you. Thank you for coming... please, this way," she gestured for him to come inside. The guards were about to complain but stopped when they saw her expression. "Do you want me to tell Lady Hinata what you were doing?" Their faces went a few shades paler. "No, please no!" "We were just messing around a bit. We were about to let this esteemed guest inside!" Naruto ignored their plight and walked into the premises, closely followed by Asami. "I hope you can forgive their behavior, Lord Naruto. They haven''t received proper education about etiquette when it comes to treating guests properly," Asami bowed. "You seem a lot more formal than the last time... and you don''t need to call me Lord or anything like that." Asami shook her head slightly. "Given the nature of Lord Naruto''s relationship with Lady Hinata, my way of referring to Lord Naruto is definitely the correct one," she insisted. Naruto shrugged, not really minding enough to argue. "And what''s with those two guards? Have I offended the Hyuga clan in some way?" he asked as they walked. He already knew the way to the main hall where the Lord was waiting for him, so he could walk ahead while Asami remained a few steps behind him as a sign of respect. "Not at all, Lord Naruto. Those two guards, as well as many other young men of the clan, are... well, to put it simply, they are jealous." "Jealous?" "Indeed! Lady Hinata has become extremely popular over the past few years. With her unparalleled talent, beauty, and lineage, she is without a doubt one of the most desired women in the entire continent. But everyone in the clan knows that Lady Hinata only has eyes for... you." "I see..." He wasn''t going to argue about Hinata being beautiful and talented because she was definitely those things. If this was his old world, she would likely be one of those fairies who were born into a powerful clan and were treated as goddesses, receiving countless marriage proposals. Not just for herself, but also for the connections that one would gain. Naruto didn''t put that much weight on the last part anymore. Her connection to the Hyuga clan was no longer of importance for his current situation. But he still wanted to give Hinata the proper attention she deserved. And that was the motive for tonight''s visit. A while ago, he had promised her to come and have a proper conversation with her father about the nature of their relationship to clear things up, since he was a very formal man who liked to obey traditions. "Hmm... what happened there?" Naruto noticed that the building next to the main hall was partially destroyed, and there were stains of blood on some of the broken walls. It gave the appearance that some serious fight had occurred there very recently. "Oh, that..." Asami looked somewhat troubled. "A week ago, the son of one of our elders decided to propose marriage to Lady Hinata. He wasn''t exactly... how should I say it? He wasn''t very tactful in his approach and ended up offending Lady Hinata in the process." Naruto stopped and glanced at Asami. "What did he do?" Asami felt her blood run cold. She did not feel any anger coming from Naruto, but she knew that if she gave the wrong answer, that young man would be dead before dawn. "Lord Naruto, it''s not what you are thinking... what angered Lady Hinata so much was... that he insulted you." "Me?" Naruto asked. Asami was correct then, and this wasn''t what he was thinking. She nodded. "He said that Lord Naruto was not worthy of her and... well, he used some very rude words to describe Lord Naruto. Let''s just leave it a that." Asami glanced at the bloody, broken wall. "So she threw him against that wall?" Naruto asked. Asami shook her head. "If only that had been all... she went further than that. Lady Hinata crippled his chakra veins... permanently. This made his father and uncle extremely furious. They are both Elders of the clan and have been looking for ways to cause trouble for Lady Hinata since then." "I see..." Naruto seemed to lose interest and continued walking to the grand hall. Asami had thought for a moment that Naruto was going to ask for the names of these people, at least. As if he could guess her thoughts, Naruto looked at her. "I trust that Hinata can handle these clan matters for herself, and if she can''t, then she can ask for my help." Although he was sure that would never happen. Hinata knew that asking for his direct intervention would disappoint his expectations of her, so she would never do it. Hinata was born with immense talent. On top of that, she received an incredibly powerful cultivation technique from Ino, and just yesterday, she got two more boons from Naruto. Not to mention that she has full access to all the resources of the Hyuga clan. If, with all of those resources, she is unable to handle a few old coots, then Naruto would truly be disappointed in her. He saw the gates of the Grand Hall and got closer. "Open the door for my guest." Naruto heard Hiashi call before he even set foot on the wooden steps. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 242: What Are Your Intentions? Chapter 242: What Are Your Intentions? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 242: What Are Your Intentions? An old servant opened the door. "Welcome, Lord Naruto. Please come inside. Our Lord is waiting." He walked into the hall while Asami trailed behind him. The massive room was a lot less populated this time around. Other than the two attendants present, Naruto could only see Lord Hiashi and Hinata herself, who was sitting on the right side of her father. They had left a cushion ready for Naruto right in front of them, on the other side of the small table. Hiashi waited patiently for him to get comfortable while Hinata offered him a sweet smile. Naruto noted that the table had been moved to one side, leaving most of the room quite empty. As soon as he sat down, Asami and the old servant moved quickly to bring some green tea and a plate with some plain cookies. His host remained quiet while the tea was served into cups and placed in front of them. Once everything was arranged, the two attendants left the room and closed the door but remained standing to the side, as if they were ensuring no one interrupted their meeting. Hiashi took a sip of the tea before placing the cup down. Only then did he speak. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" Hinata threw her father a glance and then looked at Naruto. "Quite direct," Naruto said. Hiashi looked directly at him. "I believe my time is too valuable to waste on useless chatter, and so is yours. So forgive me for being too direct." He let a short pause create a moment of silence before continuing. "I am aware that you are courting my daughter... but you are also doing the same with the Yamanaka heir. Is my daughter alone not good enough for you?" "Father!" Hinata snapped. Hiashi raised a hand to request her silence. "I wish to hear what he has to say." "That depends... for a romantic partner, she would be more than enough by herself. But for a Dao Companion... that is a different story. She doesn''t have enough cultivation by herself, so at least one more is necessary." By the look on his face, Hiashi did not like his answer. "Dao Companion... I have heard that term a few times already. And I can get an idea of what it implies... You are using my daughter and the Yamanaka girl as tools to strengthen yourself. Is that correct?" Hiashi asked. "That would be correct, but also incomplete. I am not the only one who benefits in this relationship." Naruto looked at Hinata. "Surely, you have not missed her progress." "No... I have not. And that is one of the reasons I am even having this conversation with you in a polite manner," Hiashi said. "Good." "I may not have been the best father to her, but... I truly care for both of my daughters. I want them to be happy," Hiashi said. This made a smile appear on Hinata''s face. "A tool..." Hiashi glared at Naruto. "Is that all my daughter is to you?" "Do you believe Hinata is stupid enough to be with someone who only wishes to use her?" Naruto asked. Hiashi remained quiet after that. "Then you have your answer," Naruto said. "How much do you actually care for her, though?" Hiashi asked. The aura around Naruto changed... it became more hostile. "I will only say this... if anyone was bold enough to cause them serious harm, this entire world will be reduced to cinders on my way out." "Naruto..." Hinata felt a warm sensation in her chest. Naruto had just promised to destroy the world if anyone were to kill her. ''That''s so romantic!'' she thought. "Will that be enough?" Naruto asked. "I''m afraid not...." Hiashi stood up. "Father?" Hinata wondered what her father was planning now. He had purposely chosen not to share his intentions, other than having a conversation with Naruto. Naruto glanced at the man as he stood up and walked away from the table until he reached the center of the room. "I want two more things," Hiashi said. "If you wish to be with my daughter... you will do this properly and marry her. An official wedding inside this compound." Hinata gasped. Naruto nodded. "That would be fine." Hinata had to try her best not to lose consciousness. Her imagination was starting to run wild now. "And the second thing?" Naruto asked. "I had wanted to do this three years ago, but it would have seemed like I was bullying a Genin. You are now a proper ninja and a Jonin." Hiashi adopted a fighting posture and gave him a signal. "Show me what you can do. I want to see what kind of person my daughter has chosen." Naruto was surprised by the request. As the Lord of the most powerful clan in Konoha, he was sure that Hiashi was well-informed about him. By now, Kakashi and Yamato must have returned, meaning that the news about him killing Orochimaru and that agent from Akatsuki must have become public knowledge to the most influential figures of the village, like Hiashi. Not to mention the fact that he had also killed Elder Shimura and his entire organization. Hiashi knew his chances of beating him were none, but still wanted to fight him just for his daughter''s sake. This made Naruto gain a great deal of appreciation for this man. ''It seems like my initial impression about him had been wrong.'' So he had made the decision to give him what he wanted. "You are an admirable man..." Naruto''s aura exploded with force, shaking the entire building in the process. "You have earned my respect, Lord Hiashi." His pure chakra, which contained Yin, Yang, and Natural energy, began to flow around his body at an increasing pace. With each revolution, his aura grew more violent and intense. "Byakugan!" Hiashi did not hesitate to activate it, and neither did Hinata. Lord Hiashi had more experience in analyzing others'' chakra circuits with his eyes, not to mention that he had already sparred against the most notable ninjas of the village... including Maito Guy. So he immediately knew what Naruto had done. "S-Stop!" Hiashi hurried to say. The hall was being disintegrated around them, but the Lord did not care for that. Without uttering a word, Naruto had opened seven gates already. Hinata was also watching with concern, but she did not try to stop him. Her trust in Naruto was absolute. ''He knows what he''s doing.'' She still had to remind herself. Hiashi tried to approach, but the sheer force generated by Naruto''s aura was enough to keep him at bay. "Don''t do it! Don''t open it!" And then... he saw it. The Eighth Gate is called the ''Gate of Death'' because it passes through the heart. Once that immense amount of chakra goes through, it destroys this vital organ beyond repair, killing the user. And Naruto had just opened it. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 243: The Mighty Roar Chapter 243: The Mighty Roar Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 243: The Mighty Roar A column of light erupted from the remnants of the once-pristine Great Hall. Hiashi lost his balance as the ground beneath him trembled, threatening to give way at any moment. His vision was overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the chakra being unleashed before him. The Lord of the Hyuga clan had witnessed Jinchurikis discharging their powers and even seen the most powerful Bijuu laying waste to Konoha. Yet, none of that could compare to what he was now witnessing with his Byakugan. "Father, are you alright?" Hinata rushed to his side, but he quickly pushed her away. "This is between me and Naruto. It''s best if you stay back. I don''t want you to get hurt," Hiashi told her firmly. Hinata shook her head. "Naruto wouldn''t hurt me, so you don''t have to worry about that. Besides..." She glanced toward the column of chakra radiating from Naruto. "He has no intention of fighting you either." "What do you mean, ''no intention of fighting me''? He opened the Eight Gates!" Hiashi shouted. "I think he was just trying to show you something. Look..." Hinata pointed in Naruto''s direction. The light began to dim, and the ground seemed to settle as if whatever Naruto had unleashed was reaching its conclusion. "Lord Hiashi!" "Lady Hinata!" Their attendants rushed toward them, ensuring they hadn''t been injured. And they weren''t the only ones. The commotion had drawn the attention of the entire clan. Within moments, the courtyard of the Hyuga Compound was filled with members from both the Main and Branch Houses. "Lord Hiashi! Are we under attack?" "Look! The Great Hall has been destroyed!" "Who dares?!" The Elders were the first to voice their concerns. Hiashi stepped forward, blocking their path to Naruto. "That''s enough! This is a private matter. No one is attacking the clan." "Naruto... what did you do?" Hinata''s gaze fell on Naruto, who stood motionless amidst the ruins of the Hall. His previously overwhelming aura had vanished, and she could no longer sense any chakra emanating from him. "Wait..." Hiashi turned his attention back to Naruto and realized the same thing. Moments ago, Naruto had summoned an immense amount of energy, but now there was nothing. There are certain laws of nature that everything must obey, and one of them is that energy cannot simply vanish without a trace, it must go somewhere. "Is that Uzumaki?" "Wasn''t he visiting the Lord tonight?" "Is he the one who destroyed the Hall?" The crowd grew restless as they spotted Naruto. He had never enjoyed a favorable reputation among the Hyuga clan, and when his relationship with Hinata became public, many had refused to accept the union. "Hiashi Hyuga!" Naruto''s voice rang out. "You wanted to see what I was capable of. So pay attention... because I''m only doing this once." As he spoke, he raised his right hand into the air. Before anyone could react, an immensely powerful wave of energy surged from Naruto''s hand. All the chakra he had unleashed earlier hadn''t disappeared...it had been concentrated, compressed, and was now exploding outward. Lines of light formed above them, shifting and intertwining to create a familiar shape: a circular diagram consisting of two interlocking teardrop-shaped halves. "That''s the Yin-Yang..." Hiashi muttered. "He poured all of that chakra into it... it''s reaching a critical point," Hinata added. Naruto grinned. He never thought he''d use this technique again so soon. He had last used it on the day he died, taking down countless enemies before his eventual demise. This move had once been his last resort, reserved for the most desperate of situations. It was fueled by his own life force, a finite resource that, once exhausted, signaled the death of the cultivator. But that was no longer the case for him. Natural energy could now serve as a replacement, and he had an abundance of it, with the ability to gather more whenever needed. "Heavenly Blast of the Mighty Dragon!" Naruto roared into the night. From the diagram, a legless dragon emerged, soaring into the sky like a lightning bolt. Its power was so immense that everyone present was forced to their knees, compelled to gaze upward at its majestic form as it parted the clouds. Just as it nearly disappeared from view, the light dragon exploded into a shower of radiant particles that illuminated the sky. For the next minute, the brilliance was so intense that it turned night into day. "Wow!" "What was that?!" Hiashi stood in silence, watching Naruto. Most of the Elders did the same. While many were awestruck by the display, seeing it as nothing more than a beautiful spectacle, the more experienced members of the clan used their Byakugan to gauge the sheer magnitude of energy involved. Those who did were left shaken, realizing that if Naruto had directed that attack anywhere other than straight up, Konoha would have been wiped off the map. The thought left them uneasy, and they wondered about the intentions behind this demonstration. Was it a threat, a response to their disrespect? Or was there something else at play? Hiashi, however, understood better than the Elders. He had challenged Naruto to a spar to gauge the young man''s abilities. Naruto had held nothing back in showing him exactly what he was capable of. As the chaos subsided, Hiashi watched his daughter leap into Naruto''s arms, embracing him tightly. At first, Hiashi was concerned. Using the Eight Gates to their fullest had always carried a 100% mortality rate for those who pushed themselves to the limit. At least, it used to. Hiashi activated his Byakugan, examining Naruto thoroughly. To his astonishment, Naruto''s chakra system showed no signs of damage. It was as if nothing had happened. "What... are you?" Hiashi couldn''t help but wonder as he watched his eldest daughter cling to Naruto''s arm, her smile radiant. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 244: Akatsuki’s Plan Chapter 244: Akatsukis Plan Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 244: Akatsuki''s Plan "So... your room was destroyed too?" Ino asked, eyeing Hinata with suspicion. "Ah, yes. I''m sure Naruto didn''t do it on purpose, but during his display last night, several buildings inside the compound were damaged. Unfortunately, that includes my room," Hinata said, settling more comfortably onto Naruto''s couch. Ino had heard her friends recounting the events of the previous night. Naruto''s actions had put the entire village on high alert, fearing an enemy attack. However, as far as Ino was aware, only a select few knew that Naruto was the one responsible. "Seriously...what was he thinking?." Ino huffed. "I think it was his way to show respect to my father..." Hinata said. Ino glanced at her. "That''s a weird way to go about it." "Naruto has always been unusual," Hinata responded. Ino rolled her eyes. "Still...I suppose we should be grateful that things didn''t get out of hand." Lord Hiashi had made the members of his clan swear a vow of silence about the incident. To the officials investigating, he offered a vague explanation of a training exercise gone wrong. Since only the Hyuga clan had suffered damages, they couldn''t press for more details even if they knew he was lying. Although the Hokage had an idea of what had happened, she trusted Naruto enough to avoid pursuing an investigation. She had bigger concerns than Naruto accidentally damaging a few buildings, especially when the affected parties weren''t complaining. Ino had only learned the full truth when Hinata appeared on the doorstep of Naruto''s apartment with a large suitcase. "Wasn''t your room on the opposite side of the courtyard from the Great Hall?" Ino asked. Hinata ignored her question and pretended to read a magazine she found on the table. "Are you going to stay with us, then?" Ino decided to move on. It was obvious that Hinata had made up her mind about this. "Do you dislike the idea?" Hinata lowered the magazine to look at Ino properly. "There''s no need to glare at me like that," Ino said, walking over to the couch and sitting beside her. "Of course, I don''t mind. We agreed to be in this... weird relationship together, after all." "Really?" Hinata felt much more relieved now. She had been afraid that Ino might become more possessive now that she was living with Naruto. "Really," Ino assured her. "It''s just that the apartment is a bit small for three people." Hinata chuckled. "I''m sure we can make it work. I don''t mind if we have to sleep together in the same futon." Ino raised an eyebrow. "I bet you weren''t thinking about sleeping..." Hinata covered her face with the magazine to hide her embarrassment. <><><><><><><><> Inside a hidden cavern near the border between the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Fire, two figures stood facing each other. The one sitting against a large rock covered most of his face with an orange mask, leaving only his right eye visible. He now went by the name Tobi and was supposed to be one of the newest members of the organization. However, his companion knew better than that. The other individual was a humanoid with plant-like features. Half of his body was black, while the other half was completely white. Both wore black cloaks adorned with red clouds, signifying their allegiance to the organization known as the Akatsuki. "Nagato is becoming doubtful about the success of our plan," Tobi said, his voice calm but laced with concern. The entity known as Zetsu responded, "I can''t blame him for that." "Neither can I..." Tobi shook his head before glancing at the note in his hands. "You should have intercepted this message before it reached him. That didn''t help." "This was the last message left behind by Danzo. It was meant for the Akatsuki leader. Those two agents were truly talented, so I was unable to track them down until after they delivered the information," Zetsu lamented. "Even I can fail sometimes." The notes contained a wealth of sensitive information, but the most troubling detail pertained to Naruto Uzumaki and his ability to consume the Bijuu. These ancient creatures were a crucial part of their plans, and Naruto''s newfound power threatened everything. Nagato, who now went by the name Pain, had been acting as the leader of the organization. His role was pivotal, and if he began to believe their plan was doomed to fail, he might refuse to continue playing his part. That was something they had to avoid at all costs. "Is there no chance of success? Madara did not prepare me for a situation like this before he died," Tobi said. His former teacher could not have predicted the emergence of someone like Naruto. The Bijuu had always been considered immortal entities. Even if one were to destroy them completely, it would only be a matter of time before they reappeared. Zetsu smiled. "Worry not. There is always a way..." Tobi glanced at his partner. "Care to share?" "I may not know the inner workings of the ability the Uzumaki boy possesses, but at the end of the day, the chakra of the Bijuu cannot be destroyed. Even if he has a way to refine this energy into himself, he is still nothing more than an enhanced Jinchuriki. If anything, he is making things easier for us," Zetsu explained. "You mean... the ritual could still work if we capture him and bring him to the statue?" Tobi asked. "Capturing him would be difficult..." Zetsu said. "We''re talking about someone capable of killing the likes of Orochimaru. Not to mention, he has already killed one of our members." "Sasori was easily the weakest of our members," Tobi pointed out. "And Deidara would have died too if he hadn''t put all his effort into running away," Zetsu reminded him, recalling their conversation with the terrified young man. "I''m not trying to underestimate our enemy. All I''m saying is that we have the power to take him down," Tobi said. "Perhaps... but only if we prevent him from taking any more Bijuu for himself and growing even stronger," Zetsu mused, wondering how far Naruto could go if he were to absorb all nine of them. "It won''t come to that. We already have the Five and Six-Tailed Beasts in our possession. The Seven-Tails has been located and will soon be acquired," Tobi commented. "The Jinchuriki of the Four and Eight-Tails... are going to be problematic. They are both too close to their Kage and refuse to leave their villages now that war is approaching," Zetsu said. Tobi frowned. "We must delay that war at any cost!" If war broke out, they would be delivering those two Bijuu straight into Naruto''s hands. "And if we can''t do that, then we must convince Nagato to invade Konoha directly and capture Uzumaki before things get worse." "Why don''t you leave the young man to me for now? There may be a different way to get what we want," Zetsu proposed. Tobi could already imagine what Zetsu was planning. Zetsu was known for his silver tongue. "I may not know this boy, but I knew his parents... if he''s anything like them, he''ll kill you before you have a chance to convince him of anything." Zetsu didn''t seem worried. "I''d still like to try. There will always be time to break things later." Tobi shrugged. "Suit yourself, but don''t waste too much time on that useless endeavor. I''ll try to secure the Seven-Tails in the meantime." They had been preparing everything carefully for years, but now, because of Naruto, they had to rush. And rushing often meant making mistakes. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Extra Chapter 245: Hinata and Ino I – 18+ Scene Extra Chapter 245: Hinata and Ino I C 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 245: Hinata and Ino I - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be a smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. "Ino...you are putting your elbow somewhere uncomfortable..." Naruto muttered. She tried to move and ended up falling on top of him. "I told you it would be cramped!. This futon was barely enough for two!." "Well, my bed is not an option, since it is a single one," Naruto commented. "Hold on, I have an idea. "Hinata stood up and began to remove her clothes. "What are you doing?!" Ino exclaimed. "I''ll take less space without clothes," Hinata said. "That makes no sense..." Ino had to look away when Hinata began to remove her brasier. "Come on!, you should take them off too." Hinata threw her panties away before jumping onto Ino while completely naked. "Ahh!, stop it." Ino had to grab her as she tried to rip the top of her yellow pajamas. "This is embarrassing, put something on." Hinata tilted her head. "Why?...you knew where this was going. And besides..." she gave Naruto a side glance. "I believe that our boyfriend is enjoying the view." Inos''s turquoise eyes moved down to his crotch. Even under the cover of the futon, it was clear how hard he was. "Seriously?." "What can I say?. I''m still human...mostly. " Naruto moved closer to Ino and began to kiss her neck while moving his hands over her clothes. "W-Wait..." Ino felt her body began to heat up. Hinata took the other side and started to imitate what Naruto was doing. She got her face closer to Ino and landed kisses on her shoulder while slowly opening the buttons of her top. Naruto left that part for Hinata and moved a bit lower. His hands began to caress Inos legs and butt cheeks for a minute and then, he slowly began to pull her pants down. Inos''s complaint had vanished in an instant. "Oh..." Her moans began to be heard across the room. Hinata finished taking the top of her pajamas and moved her hands to fondle Inos breasts while Naruto took off her pants and did the same on her crotch. "This is...this feels strange." Ino never had two people going down on her at the same time and was feeling a bit overwhelmed. She did find it strange that Hinata was so good at touching her. The way she was kneading her tits was making her extremely wet. Naruto could not wait any longer and took off her black panties. "Looks like you are almost ready...but let me help out a bit more." "Ohh fuck!" Ino moaned. Hiata was sucking her tits while Naruto was liking her pussy. She glanced down at the dark-haired girl and decided to do something. While trying not to get lost in the pleasure, Ino slides a hand down Hinatas''s body, caressing her sexy curves while making her way to the price between the girl''s legs. Ino was satisfied to hear Hinata moans when she began to play with her clit in the best way she could. This also had the effect to make the other girl more motivated to suck her breasts, turning Ino soaking wet as a result. Naruto looked down at her shaven pussy with satisfaction. "Looks like you are ready for more." He said as he freed his member from his pants. Ino could not see what Naruto was doing, but she did feel it when his massive dick was driven inside her to pussy and to its very core. Her noises were starting to become louder when Hinata kissed her all of a sudden. Ino was shocked by this at first as she had never kissed a girl before and she was sure that it was the same for Hinata. But she then began to get into it. The two of them moved their tongues and began to make sexy noises that were driving Naruto crazy. Hinata then moved right on top of Ino while Naruto was taking her in missionary style, giving him a perfect view of her ass and pussy. Without slowing down, Naruto put his hands to good use and drove his fingers into Hinata''s inviting pussy hole. As she got wetter, he put more fingers inside her and once he got her soaking wet, he took his lubricated fingers and inserted them inside her asshole. "Ohh!" Hinata let out a loud sound at the sudden invasion and she looked back. "Do you want to put it in there?." "Wanna give it a try?. Ino loved it." Naruto teased her. "I did n-...ohh fuck...ohh!, I''m coming!" Ino was no longer able to put a sentence together. Her body was shaking with ecstasy as the orgasm took over. Naruto emptied a load inside his blonde girlfriend before pulling his still-hard dick out of her. He stood up a little bit so he could align himself with Hinata. This one didn''t voice a word of complaint as she observed Naruto aim his massive rod into her plucking hole and slowly start to penetrate her. Naruto had enough experience to know how far he could go to avoid causing her any pain. Hinata felt Ino''s arms wrapping around her waist, making her laid completely on top of her. When she glanced down, Ino placed her hands on both sides of her cheeks and moved her face closer so they could kiss. "Come on... don''t make me ask." Ino was almost pouting, something that Hinata found very amusing and exciting, so she didn''t make her ask twice. As the two of them kissed passionately, Naruto was increasing the pace of his ass pounding and Hinata could feel waves of pleasure washes over her. Just a few minutes later, Hinata was unable to hold any more. "I''m coming!" "Come inside her ass," Ino demanded. Of course, Naruto had intended to do exactly that. He reached his orgasm and while grabbing onto Hinatas generous ass cheeks, he emptied his load deep inside her. Hinata felt something warm traveling toward her navel and screamed in ecstasy before she collapsed on top of her naked companion. "I hope you are not tired, Naruto." Ino moved her face to glance at him. "Because I haven''t got enough yet." Naruto chuckled. "It''s going to be a long night..." Chapter 246: A Visitor with a Proposal Chapter 246: A Visitor with a Proposal Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 246: A Visitor with a Proposal Naruto opened his eyes and stood up from the futon before walking to the other side of the room. "I don''t appreciate being interrupted while I meditate." "Is that what you were doing?" An invisible speaker responded to his comment with a mocking tone. "By the looks of those two naked girls sleeping close by...I would have guessed something else." Naruto glanced down at the wooden floor of his apartment. "I know exactly where you are. There''s no point in trying to hide from me." He had already detected this strange person since they ventured inside his detection perimeter. From the moment he had promised to protect this village, Naruto had set up several clones around the surrounding area to extend the range of his senses. It was just five clones in total, so it wasn''t much of a loss to have them stand guard while the rest worked on other projects. "Yes...I''ve felt your eyes on me since I crossed the village walls. It''s a new experience for me, to be honest." A figure emerged from the floor. This was a humanoid creature with completely white flesh. Its left side appeared almost human, while its right side was deformed beyond recognition. The creature wore no clothes whatsoever but also lacked human features down there, something Naruto was at least grateful for. "I presume you came here because you have something important to say...so speak while you still have the chance," Naruto told the creature. It responded with a smile devoid of concern. "You are too kind, Mister Uzumaki. I do have something very important to say. But before I introduce myself, let me make it clear that I come with no bad intentions toward you or your girls." Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering what the creature was getting at. "My name is Zetsu, and I am a member of Akatsuki." "The ones trying to capture me to extract the Bijuu sealed inside my guts?" Naruto asked. "The same ones," Zetsu said without hesitation. "But we both know that the Kyubi is no longer there...isn''t it?" "Hmm..." Naruto''s eyes narrowed. That was not publicly available information, and only a handful of people knew about it. "Yes, we know about your special ability to absorb the Bijuu, and we also know that you''ve taken at least three of them...perhaps four?" Zetsu hadn''t received news about Gaara''s state, so he could only speculate based on the fact that the boy was seen returning to the Wind Country with an escort from the Sand Village. From what he knew of Naruto, the boy wouldn''t have let Gaara go while he carried something Naruto wanted. "And now you''re going to tell me that you wish to cooperate with me..." Naruto scoffed. If they knew that much, they must realize how much of a threat he was to their plans. ''The only reason for one of them to come here to talk is because they''re no longer confident about capturing me,'' Naruto concluded. "Do you know where the other Jinchuriki are? You may know about Killer B since he''s the brother of the Raikage, but others are a bit more elusive, aren''t they?" Zetsu commented. Naruto did have an idea about the location of a few others, like a girl named Fu, who lived in the Waterfall Village, or that the Six-Tails Jinchuriki was a missing-nin from the Mist. He was also sure that the Rock Village was in possession of at least one Jinchuriki, either the Four-Tails or Five-Tails...perhaps both. However, he wasn''t going to reveal what he knew to this individual. "And you''ll share that information with me?" he asked instead. "We''ll do more than that! If you join us, we''ll give them to you in person so you can absorb them," Zetsu promised. "And why would you do that?" "Did you know that the nine Bijuu were originally a single entity? One that was known as the Juubi. The goal of our organization is to reconstruct this legendary creature and use it to enforce a long-lasting peace in the Elemental Nations," Zetsu revealed a small part of their plan. Naruto could tell when someone was lying to him. This person was mixing lies with truths, or at the very least, it was the truth as far as he knew. Making it difficult for him to discern any lies. "Peace...you say. You want to acquire unrivaled power to enforce an artificial peace under threats. ''Either do what we say or be destroyed''...that type of thing?" Zetsu didn''t seem deterred by Naruto''s comment. "And yet, it is better than war." What Zetsu failed to mention was how they planned to use the Juubi exactly. "If that''s your goal...then giving me the other Bijuu won''t help you, would it?" Zetsu shook his head. "Now...I won''t claim to fully understand how that ability of yours works. But even if you''ve refined the chakra from the Bijuu, they should still be usable for our purposes. Think about it...we''ll make you the most powerful being in the world, and then, when the time comes, you just have to share a small part of that power with Akatsuki." ''Now that...is a complete lie,'' Naruto noted. With what he''d been told so far, he could piece together their intentions. Since they didn''t know how his Cosmic Assimilation worked, they believed that he could still be refined for their purposes and that the chakra from the Bijuu could be extracted. They probably wanted to lure him to their base of operations and capture him before attempting the extraction. "Is the organization already in possession of any other Bijuu?" Naruto asked. "No...but we know where they are. If you come with me, I can take you to our leader. He can share everything with you after you swear loyalty to us," Zetsu promised. ''More lies...seems like I won''t get much more from this guy,'' Naruto thought. "Who told you about my ability?" he asked. "I''m afraid I don''t know who the informant was...our leader has contacts all over the continent who share information with him," Zetsu responded. ''Lies again...'' "I''ve heard enough. I''ll give you my answer." "Will you join us?" Zetsu asked. "Absolutely..." Naruto raised his palm toward Zetsu. "No." A blast of compressed wind shot out at his target, reducing Zetsu''s white flesh to powder before the creature could react. Unfortunately, since Zetsu was in front of the entrance door of his apartment, the blast also decimated the entire front wall, along with the door and windows. Ino and Hinata nearly jumped out of bed after hearing the commotion and stood in full alert. "Naruto?" Hinata activated her Byakugan and looked around. "What''s going on?" Ino glanced at the massive hole in the apartment. They could now get a good night view of Konoha from the living room. "Sorry about that. We had an uninvited guest...so I had to show him the way out." Just as he said this, his senses picked up an unusual movement near the north wall of the village. The signature of the creature he had just destroyed appeared there for a couple of seconds before vanishing. ''He survived somehow...'' Naruto shouldn''t have been surprised. If this creature dared to come right into his apartment, it was because it was confident in escaping. ''Now that Akatsuki knows what I can do...they''re going to get more aggressive with their methods.'' Naruto had no doubt about that. Things were going to get hectic very soon. But he wasn''t concerned about this. It would just be an opportunity to acquire what he needed. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 247: He Must Be Stopped At Any Cost! Chapter 247: He Must Be Stopped At Any Cost! Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 247: He Must Be Stopped At Any Cost! "Lady Tsunade, this is unacceptable!" Elder Koharu didn''t usually raise her voice so much, but this was too much for her. "Are you going to ignore something like this?" Elder Homura glared at the Hokage. "Naruto Uzumaki has gotten out of control!" Tsunade leaned back in her chair and looked at her secretary for a moment. Shizune merely shrugged in response. She had already warned Tsunade that this was going to happen. "And what would you have me do, exactly?" Tsunade asked the two remaining Elders of the village. "He killed Elder Shimura, and you won''t even allow an investigation?" Koharu felt like she had already been too tolerant with the son of the Fourth Hokage. "Why are you so insistent on protecting that boy?" "You think I''m protecting Naruto?" Tsunade thought she must have misheard that. Those two couldn''t be so badly informed. "Elders...there has already been an investigation into this. You''ve read the reports...Elder Shimura committed countless crimes, including the kidnapping of Ino Yamanaka, stealing several sets of Sharingan from victims of the Uchiha Massacre, as well as continuing his covert operations with the ROOT Agency that the Third Hokage had officially disbanded years ago." Shizune attempted to de-escalate things before they got out of control. "Now...we are aware that some of Elder Shimura''s methods could be questionable at best. But he was always loyal to Konoha, and at the very least, he deserved a proper trial. Naruto Uzumaki had no right to play executioner," Elder Homura said. "His actions should have consequences. Uzumaki deserves some proper punishment, at the very least. I mean...look what happened the other night!" Koharu added. "A member of Akatsuki invaded his home, and he defended himself. What was wrong with that?" Tsunade asked. "His methods are reckless! He destroyed part of his building and damaged the one beside it. Lots of innocent people could have been injured by his actions," Homura exclaimed. "No one was injured. And only Naruto''s apartment suffered serious damage," Shizune reminded them. Homura pulled out a large stack of papers and slammed it on the Hokage''s desk. "This is a list of property damage, complaints, and unlawful death reports from Naruto''s missions since he became a Genin." "Even if he is the Jinchuriki and Lord Minato''s son...he cannot be allowed to continue like this without consequences. Killing Elder Shimura without any sort of punishment would be the last straw," Koharu said, her voice carrying a tone of warning. The air around Tsunade changed. "Are you telling me what to do? Be very careful with how you talk to me, Elder Koharu. I am the Hokage, and you two are my advisors. Nothing more." "That is true, but as your advisors, we have the right to tell you this," Homura said. "And if you won''t listen to us, we will be forced to take this issue directly to the Daimyo in person." "That sounds like a threat," Shizune''s tone became colder. "We are merely doing our job. And what is best for the village," Koharu snapped. "Don''t think we don''t know he was also responsible for the destruction on the Hyuga Compound premises...although we are unsure why Lord Hiashi would want to avoid accusing him openly," Homura mentioned. Tsunade''s eyes sharpened. "Let me just say this, and I hope I won''t have to repeat myself. Naruto Uzumaki is off-limits. You will not conduct any investigation on him, and you will not interfere with him in any way. Do I make myself clear?" The old Koharu was about to retort when her teammate placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. If they went too far, they would be the ones being punished instead. "Very well, Lady Tsunade..." "We will do as you wish." The two of them responded solemnly with a light bow of their heads. "Good. This is also for your own interest. " Tsunade added. "If there is no other business..." "We will take our leave." The two Elders turned around and left the office without a single word of courtesy, they were in an extremely bad mood. "I don''t think they''ve been convinced," Shizune pointed out after the door was closed. "Me neither, but perhaps this is for the best," Tsunade said. "How so?" Shizune asked. She couldn''t imagine a good outcome in this situation. If they tried to attack Naruto, things could get very messy. "Big changes are coming to our land...proper leadership will be necessary," Tsunade muttered under her breath. "Do you want me to give Naruto a heads-up? Those two Elders will definitely try something very soon," Shizune suggested. Tsunade smiled. "Leave it... I want to see what happens." <><><><><><><><><> Nearly four hours later, Naruto was seated at a restaurant, eating some dango. He sometimes liked to come here for something sweet after filling his belly with ramen. He was almost done with his dessert when Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and began to speak in an urgent tone. "Can you repeat that?..." Naruto thought he must have misheard what his former sensei had told him. "An order for your arrest has been issued to all Chunin and Jonin of the village. This includes the ANBU agents currently available. That''s how I learned about it almost an hour ago," Kakashi spoke with a grave tone. "Who is the one who wants to arrest me, exactly?" Naruto asked while calmly finishing his tea. "I''m sure the order didn''t come from the Hokage." Tsunade wasn''t dumb enough to do something like that, but it must have been someone with a very high ranking in Konoha. "Naruto Uzumaki!" The voice of Elder Koharu could be heard across the entire commercial district. Next to her was the other Elder. "Surrender immediately. You are to be detained while a more thorough investigation into the death of Elder Shimura is carried out." Behind them were several dozen ninjas of Konoha, many of whom were people Naruto was familiar with. "I see...so it''s you two, then." Naruto placed the cup on the table and stood up with an amused expression. "Go ahead...arrest me." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 248: Naruto, You Are Under Arrest Chapter 248: Naruto, You Are Under Arrest Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 248: Naruto, You Are Under Arrest "Elders! Stop this nonsense. Naruto hasn''t done anything to warrant this treatment," Kakashi stood up in front of him. "Hatake, if you are not going to follow our orders, then move aside," Koharu ordered. "If you don''t obey, we will order your detention as well," Homura added. "Tsk... Why go so far?" Kakashi gritted his teeth. Naruto placed a hand on Kakashi''s shoulder and moved him aside. "It''s best not to get involved in this." "But..." Kakashi wanted to complain, but the look on Naruto''s face told him all he needed to know. As he glanced over at the two Elders, Kakashi almost felt pity for them. Naruto walked forward and looked around. He was surrounded by over a dozen ANBU agents, several Jonin, and even a few bold Chunin who didn''t know any better. "Stay there and don''t move!" Koharu pointed at him. "Resistance is futile!" Homura added. A smile appeared on Naruto''s face as he put his hands together and offered them freely. The Elders were surprised to see Naruto surrendering without a fight. They knew how dangerous this person was, so they had prepared for a long battle and brought as many forces as they could find. "P-put the chakra cuffs on him!" Koharu hurried to order the closest agent before Naruto changed his mind. An ANBU ninja with a monkey mask pulled out a pair of metallic handcuffs. These were specially made to restrict the use of chakra on whoever they were put on. It was the most advanced model they had available and was only meant to be used on the most dangerous criminals. The ninja approached Naruto with caution. He could not sense any hostility coming from the young man as he got closer. He then reached over and secured the cuffs around Naruto''s wrists while everyone watched with rapt attention. Many of the Jonin present in the area were very familiar with Naruto and began to discuss among themselves. "Is he not going to fight?" Asuma said. "It doesn''t seem right..." Kurenai told him. "You are incorrect, Asuma. He is definitely going to fight," Maito Gai commented. They turned to look at him. "What makes you say that?" Kurenai asked. "It''s in his eyes," someone else joined their conversation. They turned around and saw the Lord of the Hyuga clan standing right behind them. "Lord Hiashi... you were called also?" Asuma asked. "No. I just came to check on my son-in-law when I heard what the two Elders were plotting. But I doubt he would need my intervention." "You also came to help Naruto?" Asuma said. "Wait... son-in-law?" Kurenai was fixated on a different part. Hinata had failed to mention that she was going to get married already. "When did that happen?" "Forget about that. What are we going to do to stop this?" Asuma said. "Hmph! There is no need to stop anything. That ANBU is about to get his face broken," Anko pointed out. "You noticed too, huh?" Ibiki nodded in approval. "Indeed... I can see the fire in Naruto''s eyes. He is just playing with the Elders," Gai commented. "You guys all came here?" Kakashi approached them. "Relax, Kakashi. None of them came here to harm Naruto," Yamato told him. "Honestly... only a few Jonin-level ninjas in Konoha are crazy enough to fight him at all." He still remembered how easily Naruto had defeated those members of Akatsuki before absorbing a Three-Tailed Beast. Naruto was not someone he wished to face in combat. They all heard the chakra cuffs making a ''clank'' noise when the ANBU shut them closed. Only then was the man wearing the monkey mask able to relax a bit. Without access to his chakra, it should be easy to restrain this person. At least, that''s what this agent thought. Monkey only lowered his guard for a fraction of a second to make the announcement to the Elders. "I have secured the chakra cu-" "Careful!" Homura shouted. It was too late. Naruto''s fists moved at the speed of lightning and were driven into the ANBU agent''s monkey mask. The impact was powerful enough to create a shockwave that disintegrated the reinforced mask and sent him flying through the air until he hit a nearby building. They watched this with dumbfounded eyes. Right now, Naruto should not have access to any chakra to enhance himself, meaning that this was just his normal physical strength. "He''s still alive..." One of the agents said after checking on the person Naruto just punched. His face had been destroyed, but he was still breathing. "How dare you!" Koharu exclaimed. "What are you all waiting for? Arrest him!" Homura demanded. The remaining ANBU agents, as well as some other Jonin and Chunin, charged at Naruto at the same time. They could not use any dangerous ninjutsu here, since this was the center of the commercial area of Konoha, and many civilians were close by. But still, none of them thought this would be a very difficult task. Their target was already in cuffs, which kept both his arms locked together and restricted his movements. Not to mention, the seals on the cuffs were preventing Naruto from using any jutsu. The first to reach him was a Tokubetsu Jonin named Ebisu. He no longer held any grudges against Naruto but still believed in respecting the village rules. If the Elders gave the order to arrest him, they must have had a good reason for it. As an expert in taijutsu, Ebisu approached with confidence and began by positioning himself on Naruto''s side. Since his arms were locked together, this would make it difficult for him to protect those areas. So that''s where he aimed his first attack. Ebisu saw his kick about to connect against Naruto''s ribs, but just then, his opponent managed to twist his body in an impossible manner, avoiding the blow and positioning himself in a good spot for a counterattack. "Urgh!" Ebisu groaned when he ended up receiving a powerful kick to his stomach. He could not believe the force behind the simple-looking attack; it was like he had been hit by a train. The man collapsed, with blood coming out of his mouth. Two Chunin came to his aid. Kotetsu and Izumo tried to ambush Naruto. Ebisu wanted to warn them to back out. This short exchange had told him everything he needed to know about Naruto''s current skills, and these two had no chance of touching him. "N-N...o..." Alas, his mouth was filled with blood, and he could not stop them in time. Ebisu then witnessed the two veteran Chunin being sent tumbling down with one move, as if they had been nothing more than academy students on their first taijutsu practice. The man then could not help but wonder if they had a chance to begin with. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 249: A Guaranteed Defeat Chapter 249: A Guaranteed Defeat Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 249: A Guaranteed Defeat "Urgh!" Another ANBU agent went flying toward a nearby wall with enough force to leave a large, gaping hole. The ground in the shopping district had become riddled with the bodies of all the ninjas the two Elders had sent to arrest Naruto. Meanwhile, the blonde young man was still standing, with his hands restricted by the chakra shackles. "Anyone else wants to give it a shot?" Naruto glanced around. The group of Jonin he was familiar with had not moved from their spot and limited themselves to observing. From the squad of ninjas that Elder Koharu and Elder Homura had brought with them, there was only one ANBU remaining. She had long purple hair and wore a mask resembling a cat. Naruto noted that the last ANBU was not paying attention to him and instead seemed to be more focused on all the people he had just defeated. "What are you doing?! Your target is that way!" Elder Homura shouted at her when he saw that she was moving in a different direction. "Go do something, you useless ANBU!" Koharu was beyond frustrated by the lack of success. They had sent a small army against a Naruto who was restrained by chakra chains, and they still accomplished nothing at all. The Elder glared at Naruto and noticed that he didn''t even look a bit tired. "You didn''t kill any of them..." the female agent commented. "I won''t spare them a second time." He had promised Tsunade to protect this village, so he gave them this one chance. But if Konoha ninjas were to turn against him, he would not hesitate again. The ANBU took off her mask. She was a beautiful woman with long purple hair and dark eyes. "I still appreciate it. Thank you, Mister Uzumaki... some of these ninjas are my friends, after all." She offered a polite bow to him before turning around to look at the Elders. "As for you two... I won''t be following any more of your orders." "How dare you!" "We are Konoha''s Elders! Our position is only second to the Hokage herself. You will do what we say, or we will charge you with treason!" She ignored the threat and looked back at Naruto. "My name is Yugao Uzuki, by the way." She threw her mask in the Elders'' direction. "And, I quit," she said before disappearing. "Well then... should I fight you next? You two Elders used to be powerful ninjas, right? You must still have some fire in you." Naruto turned to the two Elders. Homura and Koharu were starting to truly panic now. They may still have a few tricks up their sleeves at their late age, but nothing that could work against someone capable of defeating an entire squad of elite ninjas while wearing handcuffs. They turned their eyes to their last hope: the group of Jonin composed of Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, Anko, Ibiki, Gai, Yamato, and Lord Hiashi. They were the only ones left because they never attacked Naruto. "You must do your duty to your village!" "Yes! This dangerous individual wants to kill your Elders. You must do something!" Koharu and Homura shouted at them. "Sorry... I can''t fight my last student. It goes against my code," Kakashi shrugged. "He is my future son-in-law. It wouldn''t be right," Hiashi added. "I don''t do arrests, only torture," Ibiki told them. "And I work for him. Don''t wanna get fired!" Anko chimed in. "He''s kinda my student too. I taught him how to use his wind chakra once, I would feel wrong to attack him." Asuma mentioned. "I consider Hinata like a little sister," Kurenai said. "So... I can''t attack Naruto since that would make her sad." "He gave my beloved student a chance to achieve greatness," Gai said. "I will always be grateful for that." They turned to look at Yamato. "There''s no way I''m fighting Naruto! You don''t know what he can do!" Yamato cried. "This can''t be..." Homura was now visibly scared. The old man glanced toward Naruto. "You can''t strike us! We are this village''s Elders!" Koharu shouted at him. "Can''t I?..." Naruto twisted his wrists. His restraints began to emit an awful sound as the metal started to bend and grind against each other. A moment later, the part that was keeping the cuffs together shattered in an explosive manner, sending pieces everywhere. Naruto then grabbed each of the remaining parts that were still attached to his wrists. His fingers dug deeper into the metal, deforming it as if it were made of clay, before applying more force and ripping them off. "You... you took them off with brute force?!" Homura looked horrified. Without being able to use chakra, that should have been impossible. Those cuffs had been carefully designed to contain the most dangerous criminals. Koharu came to another realization. "You could have taken them off at any time you wanted..." "Of course. Do you understand now?" Naruto walked closer to them. They did understand. Naruto had just shown them that he could take on their best ninjas with his hands cuffed and his chakra sealed. They understood... there was nothing they could do against him. No matter what ploys they could come up with, in the end, they didn''t have the power to enforce anything against Naruto. The Elders were so scared that they became locked in place, unable to move away from him as he approached. Kakashi and the others were still watching attentively, wondering what Naruto was going to do next. "Normally, I would kill you for plotting against me," Naruto''s sharp blue eyes were locked on the two terrified Elders. "But just for this one time... I will let ''Her'' decide on your punishment." Only a few of the present people had realized there was someone else nearby, waiting for the opportune time to jump in. "Lady Tsunade... what do you want to do with these two?" Naruto asked. Only then did the figure of the Hokage appear from the roof of a nearby shop. She landed right in front of the two Elders. Their previous arrogant expression was nowhere to be seen. Now, Tsunade could only see two scared old folk. But she knew that she could not go easy on them. If her punishment was too light, she might upset Naruto in the process. "Lady Tsunade!" "Save us from this monster!" The Elders practically threw themselves at her feet. Not that she had planned to go easy on them to begin with. This was actually the outcome she had been waiting for. "The two of you have gone against my direct orders and conspired behind my back. I will now decide your fate..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 250: Banishment Chapter 250: Banishment Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 250: Banishment "Mercy!" Koharu cried. "Lady Tsunade, please. We were merely doing what was best for the village!" Homura struggled with his restraints but could not break free. Tsunade had put the two of them in the same type of shackles that they had previously used on Naruto. "You went behind my back and acted against my direct orders... should I consider that an act of treason?" Tsunade asked them. This seemed to infuriate them. "We are not traitors!" "How dare you! We dedicated our lives to Konoha." "The fact that you still think like that just makes it worse," Tsunade said. "I read about what happened years ago with Danzo. Sarutobi-sensei went too easy on him and allowed him to keep his position and all his benefits. This only led to more trouble down the line. I cannot afford to make the same mistakes." She gave Naruto a side glance. With a war approaching, they could not afford to lose Naruto''s protection now. Unfortunately, she was one of the few in the village who knew just how important he was for the survival of Konoha. She now had to consider a punishment that was not only appropriate for their crime but also something that would satisfy Naruto. He may not show it, but Tsunade knew him well enough already. He did not take kindly to those who made a move against him. The two Elders were glaring at Tsunade with pure vitriol in their eyes while Kakashi and other Jonin observed the proceedings. "To begin with, you two will be stripped of your positions as Elders of Konoha, with immediate effect," Tsunade said. They were already expecting this, so the former Elders didn''t have much of a reaction. Tsunade continued. "I am also stripping you of your Jonin ranks. You will no longer be recognized as ninjas of Konoha. You are hereby expelled from this village. If a-" "You can''t do this!" "You have no right!" The two elderly ninjas shouted with outrage. "Shut them up!... I wasn''t done yet." The Hokage ordered. Yamato and Anko went ahead and covered the former Elders'' mouths so they couldn''t utter a single word. Tsunade nodded in approval. "As I was saying, you two will no longer be recognized as ninjas of this village and will also be banned from its premises. If any of you steps foot inside the boundaries of Konoha in the future, you will be labeled as wanted criminals and pursued accordingly." Tsunade knew that throwing them into prison was going to be impossible, considering their political influence in the Fire Country. Those two had many friends in this land and they will never be sentenced just for acting behind her back. Taking away their ninja ranks and removing them from the village was as far as she could go as Hokage of Konoha. As the Hokage, she only had authority over the ninja village of Konoha itself and the surrounding lands. The rest of the Fire Country belonged to the Daimyo, so she could not just deport them. "Yamato and Gai, you will escort these two to the boundaries of Konoha, take off their restraints, and allow them to leave. Make sure to inform whoever is necessary to ensure they won''t be allowed entrance in the future," Tsunade ordered. Tsunade glanced at the enraged faces of Koharu and Homura and shook her head. ''Do they not realize that I just saved their lives?'' she wondered. If they they were foolish enough to ignore her punishment and attempt to return to Konoha in secret...then she would be able to take further action. Tsunade turned to look at Naruto. "Was there something you wanted to add?" Naruto shrugged. "I said that I would leave this matter to you, and I meant it. But if something like this happens again... I will take care of it myself." He may have promised to protect this place, but his patience and goodwill were limited. "I understand." She gave Yamato and Maito Gai a hand gesture, and the two Jonin took away the former Elders before they could complain anymore. Tsunade was sure that those two would go directly to the Daimyo to report her actions. Something like that would surely bring her a few headaches. "Now then..." She turned to address the others. "I need to speak in private with Kakashi and Lord Hiashi. The rest of you, take care of the wounded and make sure they are all brought to the hospital and attended to. They were just following orders from those two foolish old folk." While everyone got to work, Naruto approached Tsunade. "Are you thinking of making those two the next Elders?" He used a low tone so only she could hear his words. "Do you agree with my choice?" she asked. "You chose my former sensei and the father of one of my girls. Will Mr. Yamanaka receive a call soon?" Tsunade chuckled. "Don''t flatter yourself too much. I chose them because they are competent ninjas who I believe I can trust in such an important position. Homura and Koharu should have been replaced a long time ago... not to mention Danzo, who should have been locked in a cell after his first betrayal." "If that is the case, who is your third choice?" Naruto asked with curiosity. "I was thinking of Shikaku Nara. He is a bit lazy, much like his son, but he is still one of the smartest men in this village. Can''t imagine a better choice for the position that will give me advice." Naruto nodded. He hadn''t interacted much with Shikaku, but from what he knew of him, he was much smarter than he usually let on. "Seems like a solid choice of personnel. Much better than your predecessor." He turned around to leave but then stopped for a second. Tsunade glanced back at him, wondering what else he wanted to say. "However... next time you want to replace your council, don''t use me to get rid of the old one," Naruto said before disappearing. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 251: Akatsuki Leader Chapter 251: Akatsuki Leader Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 251: Akatsuki Leader Amegakure, inside a secret hideout situated below the city center. A humanoid figure wearing a black cloak emerged from the ground like a plant and observed his surroundings. His half-black, half-white body stood tall and domineering, but it quickly relaxed when he saw the female ninja standing next to a large wooden door, staring at him with her intense amber eyes. "You seem to be in a bad mood, Konan," Zetsu commented in a jovial manner. Her eyes turned sharper than any blade. "You disappeared for much longer than usual this time. What have you been doing, Zetsu?" "Oh, I assure you that I had something very important to do... I had to meet with a very crucial person for the success of our plan," Zetsu told her. "A new member?" She was aware of the two new openings in their ranks, but she didn''t expect Zetsu to take any initiative in recruiting members. They first lost Sasori, and a bit later, Itachi defected from their ranks, almost taking out Kisame on his way out. "I had hoped for... but alas," Zetsu said, glancing at the closed door. "How is our dear Leader doing? I would like to speak with him directly. We have much to discuss." "He is..." Konan looked down to hide the sadness in her eyes. "He is not feeling well today." "That''s unfortunate. But I must insist on seeing him today. This info-" The wooden door opened by itself. "Come in..." "Nagato, but today..." Konan wanted to say more but not in front of the other person. "It''s fine... I also wanted to speak with Zetsu," the voice of Nagato sounded tired, but there was still a great deal of power contained within it. Zetsu made a happy gesture and ventured inside the room. Once in there, he found Nagato sitting at the back of the dimly lit space. Other than the man himself, the only other objects in this room were the dark metallic rods stabbed into his back. Most members of Akatsuki only knew the powerful and imposing side of Nagato, the one that went by the name of Pain. What they didn''t know was that the person they saw was nothing more than a puppet being controlled by the power of the Rinnengan. Zetsu was one of the few who had seen his weak and sickly side. If he didn''t know any better, he would say that this man had one foot in the grave already. Although his state was particularly bad because of the events that had occurred earlier that day. "I''m very sorry about the loss of your sensei, Lord Jiraiya," Zetsu commented casually. There was a clear change in Nagato''s expression...a mixture of sadness and anger. "How did you know?" Zetsu shrugged. "My specialty is being sneaky and observant... When I arrived in the city, I traveled through the sewers to avoid being seen. There was a particular section that caught my attention by the pungent scent of blood, so I went to check it out. I didn''t find any bodies there, but there were signs of a fierce battle that had taken place there very recently." "How would you guess it was Jiraiya-sensei? Did you leave one of your clones here to spy on me?" Nagato glared at him. "Oh, please... the ''Great Pain'' would know immediately with those ''godly'' eyes," Zetsu chuckled. "No, no... this was merely a work of deduction. The toad clan members tend to leave behind a very particular trace of chakra that has been mixed with natural energies. There are currently only two human members in that clan... and I just so happen to have been speaking with the other one in the meantime." "Naruto Uzumaki... you went to speak with him? Why?" Nagato demanded to know. "Why not? He was already our enemy. We had nothing to lose by speaking to him, even if the chances of him coming to our side were very low." "He would never have joined us," Nagato said. "Perhaps that''s for the best. Had he joined us, it would have been short-lived. I mean... from what I have discovered about Naruto Uzumaki... you just killed one of the few people close to him." Nagato frowned. "He was also..." "Your sensei, and Konan''s too, I know. That''s why I said sorry when I came in," Zetsu commented casually. But there was no emotion in his voice, so it was impossible to tell how much of that he truly meant. "Do you think the plan can still work?" Nagato finally asked what he wanted to know. " We do," Zetsu responded without hesitation and used the ''We'', so Nagato would know this wasn''t just his idea. Nagato stopped for a moment to consider. "What does Lord Madara want to do next?" Zetsu did not skip a beat at the mention of ''Madara,'' since, as far as Nagato was concerned, that was the real identity of the ''orange-masked man'' who went by the code name Tobi. "He believes that you are the most indicated person to visit Konoha and take on Naruto Uzumaki." "When?" Nagato didn''t say a word of complaint. He would not admit it, but the idea of destroying Konoha was something he was looking forward to. Zetsu smiled, as he already knew it would be easy to convince this man to destroy the village that had once ruined his life. Of course, Nagato didn''t know that the one behind all of that suffering had been the sole work of Lord Danzo, who had been acting independently at the time, and it had nothing to do with any of the village leaders. "As soon as possible. There is a war approaching Konoha, and you must arrive before that happens. Your main goal is to capture Naruto Uzumaki alive and pull all of his chakra into the Gedo Mazo statue. Even if he has absorbed the Bijuu with that peculiar technique of his... the energy from the chakra beasts must still be somewhere in there. We just have to take it, and our plan will succeed." A smile appeared on Nagato''s face. "Finally... we are getting closer now." "Yes! Very soon, the Eye of the Moon will bring peace to the Elemental Nations," Zetsu said. "We will bring peace to this chaotic world," Nagato muttered. Zetsu had to use all his will to keep his expression unchanged. ''This foolish boy... you don''t know what''s coming to this land. But it is definitely not peace.'' A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 252: New Home and Bad News Chapter 252: New Home and Bad News Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 252: New Home and Bad News "Here." Ino handed him a plant as soon as he opened the door. "Why are you giving me this?" Naruto stared at the flowerpot with confusion. "It is customary to gift a plant when someone moves to a new place." Ino walked into the house and noticed that Hinata was already there. The Hyuga princess glanced at Ino without getting up from the couch. "It is? I didn''t bring Naruto any plants." "Don''t worry. I had no idea I should be expecting any." Naruto looked down at the pot again. "I don''t even know how to take care of this thing." Ino sighed and took it from his hands. "You can leave it to me then. I''ll take care of the plants. It''s the least I can do for letting me live here." "So, you''re staying here too? I thought your house was already repaired," Hinata commented. "I discovered some advantages about not living under the same roof as my parents. It feels more...comfortable, you know?" "And you don''t have to worry about screaming loudly while you have an orgasm," Hinata added. Ino''s cheeks gained a red tint, but she did not deny it. "I assume you''re staying too?" "Of course!" Hinata admitted with enthusiasm. "There''s no reason for me to go back to the compound. Especially now that Naruto and I are engaged. It makes more sense for me to live here." "Right...you''re getting married." Hinata noted a tinge of concern on Ino''s face. "Ino..." "Is this marriage thing important to your family also?" Naruto asked her. "I agreed with this mortal wedding because it appeared to be important to Hinata''s father since he''s fond of tradition. But..." "So you would marry me too, if my parents asked?" Ino said. Naruto shrugged. "As far as I''m concerned, the bond between two Dao Companions is more important than this marriage thing. But if it makes you happy..." Ino chuckled. "I figured that you thought that way. We don''t need to get married." "Are you sure about that?" Hinata was carefully observing Ino. "Yes." Ino turned to look at Naruto. "From the perspective of a cultivator like Naruto, the bonds of marriage mean little, as he puts more importance on different things. Besides, in the Land of Fire, you can only have one spouse." "You would be the mistress, then," Hinata pointed out. Ino shrugged. "Sure." "As long as you''re happy with this arrangement, that''s fine with me. But if you change your minds, just tell me. The laws of mortals can easily be changed. I''ll just pay a visit to this Daimyo and convince him." "That would start a war..." Hinata muttered. "We must welcome conflict and use it to temper ourselves," Naruto exclaimed with enthusiasm. Both girls began to laugh. "That is such a reckless way to think," Hinata commented. "Naruto has many things, but common sense is not one of them," Ino added. "Hmph! I do have common sense. But I am only wary of those with the potential to defeat me," Naruto said. There was a moment of silence after he spoke. "Is there anyone left who can do that?" Hinata wondered. "Not in Konoha, probably..." Ino added. They were both aware of what happened two days ago in the commercial district. Naruto had fought and defeated many of Konoha''s strongest ninjas, and he did it while having his arms restricted in chakra cuffs. The story had already become common knowledge throughout the village. There was no one left who didn''t know about Naruto''s accomplishments. He was already being considered by many as the first SSS-rank ninja since the era of Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara. "I''m sure there are still many powerful folks out there. The world is too large to make assumptions about being the strongest...something like that would get you killed. I will not be lowering my guard until the end. And I will not stop trying to improve myself until I reach the peak and ascend to the Heavens," Naruto promised. "But you won''t be doing that any time soon, I hope," Hinata said, looking somewhat worried. She knew from the beginning that Naruto was not meant to remain here forever. "You don''t need to worry about that. I still have a long journey ahead of me, and I also promised Tsunade that I would protect this village for a century." "A century? Isn''t that way too much?" Ino exclaimed. Naruto grinned. "What is a century to someone intent on achieving immortality? This village has given me many opportunities. I will repay the karma I owe before moving on. That''s how things must be done." "So...we can live comfortably here, then?" Hinata said. "I want to choose my room! This place is much bigger than the apartment," Ino said with excitement. "Why, of course it is...that''s why I decided to move here," Naruto said. The apartment had been fine when he was alone, but now that those two girls insisted on living together, he had moved to the house that his parents left him. It had been too spacious for himself, but now it would offer enough room for the three of them to live comfortably. "There are three rooms on the second floor, but..." Hinata glanced at Naruto. "I thought we were going to be sharing one." "I mean, we can have our own rooms and get together when we want...you know," Ino said, turning to look up at Naruto. But just then, she saw his expression change. "Naruto?" Hinata had also noticed it. He only makes that grim face when something serious happens. "What is it?" Ino inquired. Naruto stood up. "One of the clones I left at Mount Myoboku has ended the jutsu in order to send its memories to me..." "You left clones with the Toad Clan?" Hinata was not aware of that. "What did the clone discover?" Ino asked. "Jiraiya is dead...murdered during his last mission." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 253: Residual Energy Chapter 253: Residual Energy Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 253: Residual Energy "Come in..." Tsunade stared in disbelief as Naruto entered. "You never visit me unless I call you...if it''s about the wine, I still d" "Jiraiya is dead." Naruto decided to be direct about it. Ino and Hinata had insisted that he needed to come here and inform the Hokage before doing anything else. "What did you say?" Tsunade''s tone completely changed. "I believe it''s best if you hear it from them." Naruto bit his finger for a bit of blood and made the summoning sign. From a cloud of smoke, two old toads appeared. Fukasaku was carrying two large scrolls in his hands, while his wife, Shima, stood at his side with a solemn expression. "The Toad Elders..." Tsunade had only seen these two on very rare occasions, as they don''t like leaving Mount Myoboku. The fact that they were here now only emphasized the gravity of Naruto''s first words. "Jiraiya...what happened?" "I''m afraid it is true," Fukasaku said. "We were with him during his last battle," Shima added. "We tried our best, but the enemy this time was too powerful." "The Akatsuki leader?" Naruto asked. Tsunade had previously informed him that Jiraiya had left to chase a lead inside the Hidden Rain Village. Fukasaku nodded. "His name is Pain. But there is more to it than Jiraiya initially thought." He placed one of the scrolls on top of the Hokage''s desk. "Inside that scroll is the body of Pain." "Wait...he killed him?! Then how?" Tsunade didn''t understand. She stared down at the scroll as if demanding answers from it. "That is one of the things we discovered," Shima said. "Pain isn''t just one man, but several of them. All acting under the same name." "Open it. I want to see this Pain," Naruto demanded. "Not here. We should go to the morgue. We have specialists there who can give us more information after analyzing the body," Tsunade said, her eyes shifting to the other scroll. "Is that other scroll what I think it is?" Fukasaku handed the scroll directly to Tsunade. "We couldn''t let his corpse fall into the hands of the enemy. We had to risk a lot to bring him home...take care of him now." The wounds on his body were evidence that confirmed his words. Both Toad Elders were in terrible shape, but they still came here to deliver these scrolls. "Thank you, Elders," Tsunade said, doing her best to keep her composure, though her hands trembled as she held the scroll containing the body of her teammate. She had recently buried what was left of Orochimaru but didn''t expect to be laying her other teammate to rest so soon. The toads turned to look at Naruto. His expression hadn''t changed, but they could tell that he was truly furious. "We''re sorry, Naruto," Fukasaku said. "Will you be going after this person?" Shima asked him. Naruto considered it for a moment. "Something tells me that I won''t need to chase the leader of Akatsuki. Instead...he''ll be the one coming directly to me." After his conversation with Zetsu, Naruto learned that his ability to absorb the Bijuu had been leaked to the organization. Since he refused to join them, they would have no choice but to come to Konoha and attempt to capture him. If they had a functioning brain, they would send their strongest members after him. "I will do what is necessary, Elder Shima. But rest assured, the person responsible for this...will not live long," Naruto responded. "Then this may help," Fukasaku said, revealing a code that had been engraved into the flesh of his back. "Jiraiya did this during his last moments." "A code?" Tsunade and Naruto stared at it. It was a series of numbers. "It must be a clue to defeat this individual," Tsunade concluded. "I''ll put my best decoders to work on this." Naruto didn''t seem very interested. If there was some secret to this Pain, he''d rather figure it out during the fight. "Call upon the Toad Clan when the moment arrives," Fukasaku said, a fire still burning in his eyes. "Yes, if you encounter this bastard...summon us," Shima added. <><><><><><><><><> After the toads left the Hokage''s office, Tsunade and Naruto made their way to the most restricted area of the ninja hospital...the morgue. The corpse of a ninja could hold many important secrets, so they were always taken to this well-guarded place. The director of the morgue came to personally perform the autopsy of the two newly received corpses. "..." Tsunade stared at the body on the table. "Lady Tsunade, ehm...you don''t need to remain here. I will give you my full report as soon as I" "No. I''m a medic too. You might miss something that I pick up on," Tsunade said, turning her eyes to the director. "No offense." "Oh, none taken, Lady Tsunade. You are the number one medic in this village, after all. I appreciate you being here," the director hurried to say. While they examined the corpse of Jiraiya, Naruto turned his attention to the other one. He extended his senses, trying to figure out all of this body''s secrets. By the scent, he could tell that this person had been dead long before their encounter with Jiraiya. ''If I remember correctly, there was an old Demonic Sect that used to control corpses by placing a special type of blood crystal on their foreheads.'' Naruto considered if the metallic rods embedded in this body served a similar purpose, aiding in controlling this person. ''Hmm...what is this?'' His attention was drawn to the eyes. The dead eyes didn''t look human. Instead of the usual iris, there was only a thin black line forming a spiral across the eye''s surface. But that wasn''t what he found interesting...after all, he had already seen many people in this world with strange eyes. No...it was the residual energy in them. It was a tiny amount, barely noticeable. In fact, if he hadn''t reached the Nascent Soul Stage already, he wouldn''t have been able to detect something so small. But no matter what, it was still there...something that didn''t belong in this world. ''There is Divine Energy in there...'' Naruto considered the possibility that he might not be the only one in this world with a Divine Artifact. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix Chapter 254: The Gloomy Days Ahead Chapter 254: The Gloomy Days Ahead Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 254: The Gloomy Days Ahead For the next few days, the village of Konoha fell into a somber state. The funeral for Jiraiya was held just the day after the visit from the Toad Elders. The news about his death was shocking to everyone, as Jiraiya was held in great esteem as one of the remaining legendary ninjas. For the common folk, it was hard to imagine who could kill such a being. If that wasn''t enough, rumors about an upcoming war began to spread. There were people claiming to have seen armies from the Cloud and Rock, marching towards Konoha from the furthest reaches of the Fire Country. These two things combined managed to create a very gloomy atmosphere around the village. Although it also had an effect on their view of Naruto. When he arrived in this world, most villagers were treating him like a pariah, despised and feared by all. Now that they knew he might be their best chance to survive an invasion, he was treated like royalty. The villagers greeted him with smiles and bows as he walked through the streets. Some even offered him free samples of their goods, followed by a polite, "This is for you, Lord Uzumaki," or, "Please, Lord Uzumaki, take this offering." For his part, Naruto continued to treat the villagers with the same indifference as before. He never cared for their opinion, and that was something that didn''t change. In the days that followed the funeral, Tsunade and many other ninjas of Konoha worked hard to decipher the code left behind by the Sannin, as well as to understand more about their enemy by examining the corpse they had acquired. Naruto did learn one thing of importance. The eyes with the remnants of Divine Energy were called the Rinnegan and were supposedly originated from the Sage of the Six Paths. Of course, the ones inside the corpse were nothing more than an imitation, but one that was made by the original. The energy that Naruto had felt was just scraps left behind by its creation. This meant that the real Pain was in possession of the actual Rinnegan eyes. According to all the records studied by his clones, these eyes were the predecessor of both the Sharingan and the Byakugan and offered the user near godlike abilities that surpassed both of those previous ones combined. Now Naruto had one more reason for wanting to meet the Leader of Akatsuki. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> "You seem distracted lately..." Hinata lifted her eyes to look at him. She was sitting on a comfortable-looking cushion in the middle of the Cultivation Cave that Naruto had created. "It''s dangerous to let your thoughts wander while you''re training with natural energy," Naruto reminded her. "Isn''t that why you left this clone with me? To make sure I don''t end up turning into a rock?" Hinata asked. "How can you be so sure I''m a clone?" Naruto asked her. Hinata''s eyes emitted a white glow while looking at him. "Since I started training to become a Sage... my eyesight has become sharper. There are minute differences in the way your chakra moves compared to your clones." "Is that so? I thought I made them perfectly." "Your clones are perfectly made. Their chakra system looks exactly like it''s supposed to," Hinata said. "It''s the original Naruto who is different from everyone else. He always has this strange flow of energy that differs from the normal chakra paths. It all converges into a single point, like a vortex that wants to eat everything around him... I... I suppose it''s a bit hard to explain what I see, but it gives me the feeling of wanting to devour everything. The clones don''t have ''that,'' so I can tell them apart." "Mmm... not bad. It seems like the natural energy has allowed you to enhance your eyes and peer into my Mind Palace. An ability like that would be considered exceptional even in my old world." "Your Mind Palace? Isn''t that?..." "My soul, well... the original Naruto''s soul, at least." "I was looking at your soul? I didn''t know the Byakugan could do that," Hinata said. "Just a superficial glimpse, but if you continue to refine your skills, you could have a pair of eyes capable of seeing through everything in existence. People with that kind of skill were called ''The All-Seeing Ones''..." "You think I can go that far?" Hinata stared into his eyes. "With all the resources you''re being given and your natural talent, you can go as far as you want. You can become a force to be reckoned with across the entire continent. Even the mightiest figures in the land will have to step aside when you walk by." Hinata grinned. "You''re making it sound like I''ll become a tyrant." "You''ll become only what you wish," Naruto extended his hand to her. "Now come, we must return. This training can only be done for a short amount of time to avoid side effects. We can return tomorrow for more." "Right..." Hinata stood up. "When is Ino coming back? It''s more fun to train when she''s also here." "She should return from her mission in five days or so," Naruto responded. Hinata grabbed onto his hand. "Let''s go back home then. I promised my father I would visit him today." Naruto nodded and activated the Flying Thunder God, aiming at the marker he left at their new house. As soon as they arrived, both of them began to hear a loud banging on the door. "That sounds urgent," Naruto commented. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 255: Flying To the Rescue Chapter 255: Flying To the Rescue Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 255: Flying To the Rescue "Yamato?" Naruto could tell, based on his chakra signature. "He looks worried. You should open the door," Hinata said, seeing him clearly through the door. As soon as Naruto unlocked the main door of his house, Yamato began speaking. "There you are! Why did you take so long to answer the d" His eyes moved from Naruto to Hinata, who was standing right behind him. "Oh... were you two... busy?" "Focus, Yamato... what did you come here for?" Naruto said. "Right. The Hokage needs you in her office immediately. It''s about Asuma and his teamthey may be in trouble." "Ino is in trouble?!" Hinata exclaimed. "May be in trouble? So you don''t know?" Naruto frowned. Ino had his Flying Thunder God formula with her. If she was in any real danger, she was smart enough to use it immediately. "I don''t know all the details. They just received a report, and she sent me here to fetch you. It''s best if you g" "I''ll send this information to the original. He''ll take care of it," Naruto said. As soon as he finished his sentence, he burst into a cloud of smoke. Yamato stared at it for a moment. "A clone?..." "He has them all over Konoha," Hinata told him. "But where is the original, then?" Yamato asked. Hinata shrugged. She didn''t know either. "He shouldn''t be too far away. Anyways, let''s go. I want to speak with the Hokage as well." "But she only called for Naruto." "In seven days, I will be Naruto''s wife and the next Lady Hyuga. Lady Tsunade won''t turn me down," Hinata said with confidence. "...What?!" Yamato almost fell on his butt. <><><><><><><><> "What happened?" Naruto jumped through the window of the Hokage''s office. Other than Tsunade herself, he also found Kakashi sitting on a nearby chair. "See? I told you to leave the window open," Kakashi commented. "Yamato said that Ino''s team was in danger. But she would have called for me if that was true," Naruto told her. "He would have told you that they ''may'' be in trouble. We can''t know for sure yet, but the chances are high," Kakashi added. "Okay, explain," Naruto decided to hear them out properly. "As you know, Asuma''s team was sent on a mission to the northwest of Konoha. There had been a series of murders in several villages and towns in that area," Tsunade explained. "Yes, I was aware of that part," Naruto nodded. "We just received some troubling news from one of our agents stationed in the Hidden Waterfall Village. Their Jinchuriki has been kidnapped by two Akatsuki members," Tsunade said. "The Jinchuriki of the Waterfall Village? That would be a girl named Fu, who holds the Six-Tails, right?" Naruto asked for confirmation. "You are well informed... For a long time, the Waterfall Village has been our ally, so they''ve sent a request for help," Tsunade said. "Did you send Ino''s team to confront those Akatsuki members?" Naruto asked. "Of course not!" Tsunade hurried to say. "As much as I trust in Asuma''s skills as well as his team, we''re talking about dealing with some of the most dangerous missing-nin on the continent. And we don''t even know which Akatsuki members we''re dealing with in the first place." "Lady Tsunade may not have told Asuma and his team to intervene, but... the Waterfall Village is situated northwest of Konoha. In fact, the place they were investigating was very close to the border with the Waterfall Country. We could even assume that those murders they were investigating are related to the appearance of Akatsuki in the area," Kakashi explained. "I see. So you believe there''s a good chance that Ino''s team will end up running into these dangerous guys," Naruto said. "That is the case, yes," Tsunade nodded. "We decided to call you because we know that you can get there faster than anyone else. And if they''ve encountered the Akatsuki members, you are our best bet to defeat them and rescue the Jinchuriki." "If you were thinking about the Flying Thunder God, then I can''t use it unless Ino calls for me," Naruto said. "Doesn''t she have one of these?" Tsunade showed him the special kunai that Naruto had given her. "She has something like that one, except it''s inscribed onto her body. The way those work is that they have to be activated with chakra. Only then can I teleport to the location. I call those ''Rescue Formulas,''" Naruto explained, showing her another one he took from his belt. "These are different. They already have a sliver of my chakra in them, so I can teleport to them anytime. These are ''Combat Formulas.'' But the downside is that they''re only good for a few weeks, and then they have to be recharged or remade. The ones I left with Ino and you, those will last forever." "I see... so if Ino doesn''t activate her brand, you won''t be able to get to where she is," Kakashi said. Tsunade''s expression turned grimmer. "Even my fastest ANBU squad will take over two hours to arrive at that location, and then they''ll need to find the team." "Just leave it to me. I''ll handle this situation," Naruto told her. "But you said that you can''t g" "I said I can''t teleport," Naruto interrupted her before walking closer to the window. "I have other ways of traveling now." He jumped off the window, but instead of falling down, his body remained levitating in the air. "Knowing the general location, I''ll be able to find them in less than five minutes. The country is not that big." "Hold on... since when can you f" Naruto''s body shot out toward the sky and disappeared in less than a second. "...Fly," Tsunade glanced at Kakashi. "Did you know about this?" "I knew he could levitate a bit. But this is new," Kakashi responded, also wondering what else Naruto could do that they didn''t know about. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 256: Akatsuki Spotted Chapter 256: Akatsuki Spotted Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 256: Akatsuki Spotted "Sensei, we need to request backup. This mission has increased drastically in difficulty." Asuma glanced at Shikamaru for a moment before resuming his movement. "I know." "By the description those villagers gave us, we are dealing with Akatsuki," Shikamaru added. Their serial murder investigation had led them to a village in the far northwest of the Fire Country. According to the witnesses they had spoken to, they saw two men dressed in cloaks that matched those of Akatsuki members. "But they said that the men were traveling further north. So they went to the Waterfall Country, right?" Chouji asked. "Do we have permission to go near another Hidden Village?" Ino was the one who asked this time. "The Waterfall Hidden Village is an ally of Konoha. If Akatsuki members are going that way, I can already guess what they want from there," Asuma said. "Is there a Jinchu?riki in that village? I thought only the major villages had them," Shikamaru said. "Waterfall was the only exception. They have the Seven-Tails, although I''m not very familiar with the identity of the Jinchu?riki. All I know is that it''s some young girl," Asuma explained. "We should go warn them of the danger then!" Chouji exclaimed. Shikamaru shook his head. "It''s too late. It''s been over six hours since they were seen. By now, they''ve had time to go into the village and get what they wanted. If we go there th-" "So we should do nothing at all?" Ino frowned. They couldn''t just stand by and let Akatsuki kidnap a Jinchu?riki. She moved her hand to her belly, thinking of him. ''Perhaps I should call him now, even if it''s just to inform him of what''s happened.'' Ino thought for a moment, understanding how important the Biju? were to him. "If the Waterfall Village has already been attacked, then they must have sent a report to Konoha asking for help. In that case, we need to find a place in this area to set up a camp and wait for the reinforcements that will surely come," Asuma suggested. As they moved north, toward the border between the two countries, the group spotted some old ruins ahead. During the First Ninja War, the Fire Country had a large fort near the border with the Waterfall Country, which it used to access the Land of Rice. After being destroyed by the enemy, it was never rebuilt, and over time, only these remnants were left. "That''s a good point to stop. We can take a break and send a message back to Konoha, just in case the ninjas from the Waterfall weren''t able to do so," Asuma said. "We can also set a perimeter, in case o" "Shhh! Silence." Ino was the first one to notice it. There were shadows moving in those ruins. "Hide, quickly!" Asuma commanded his team. There was no lack of places to hide, at least. Countless large pieces of debris from the broken walls littered the area. The team took refuge behind one of those and observed their surroundings in more detail. "There... just three hundred feet north of here, near that collapsed gate," Shikamaru whispered after spotting them. "It''s them!" Chouji recognized the cloak. His face became paler as he understood the danger they were now in. Under the shade of a large piece of broken gate were two men wearing black cloaks. They seemed to be relaxed and chatting about something. At their feet, they could see the vague shape of someone else lying on the ground, not moving at all. Taking advantage of their moment of distraction, the group got slightly closer, now just two hundred feet away from them. Now they could see their physical attributes a bit better and perhaps identify them. One of the Akatsuki members was a tall, lean man with slicked-back silver hair that fell to his shoulders. He had a very intimidating aura around himself and was making a deranged expression while speaking with his partner. The other one was a broad-shouldered man with a rugged and imposing presence. His face was almost completely covered by a mask, and they could only see a pair of bright green eyes that almost seemed to glow. "Do we have any information on those two?" Ino asked, wanting to know more about the enemies they were dealing with. "I don''t know the masked one, but the other one resembles the description of the Akatsuki member that Naruto and Lord Jiraiya encountered near the Cloud Hidden Village," Asuma commented. "Shouldn''t that one be dead?" Ino asked. She recalled hearing the story from Naruto himself, so she couldn''t be wrong about that. "Maybe he had a twin brother?" Chouji suggested. "The real question is... do we know what those two are capable of?" Shikamaru asked. "Because if the answer is no... then perhaps we shouldn''t be this close to them." "They shouldn''t be able to detect us from this dist" Asuma''s eyes sharpened. Without saying a word, he grabbed Ino and moved her out of the way as a hand emerged from the ground and tried to grab her. Asuma''s eyes darted back to the place where the two Akatsuki members had been talking just an instant before. The silver-haired one was looking straight at them with a smile on his face. The masked one was no longer there. "On your guard! We''ve been found out!" "Tsk... how troublesome. This is what I was talking about." Shikamaru prepared himself to use his family''s jutsu the moment someone approached them, while Chouji stood close to his friend to protect him. Asuma landed and placed Ino back on the ground. "Go with Shikamaru and Chouji, hurry!" Now they no longer had a choice... they had to fight and hope that reinforcements were already on the way. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 257: The Beauty Versus the Beast Chapter 257: The Beauty Versus the Beast Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 257: The Beauty Versus the Beast "What do we have here? Some scrubs from Konoha." The silver-haired ninja approached them. "Come on, Kakuzu, let me fight them." His partner emerged from the ground. "Don''t be too greedy, Hidan... these opponents won''t be that easy to kill." "What are you talking about? There''s only one Jonin and three newbies. I can deal with them." The silver-haired ninja called Hidan took out a nasty-looking weapon from his back. It was a scythe with three red blades. "Jashin requires more sacrifices. Those farmers weren''t enough, and you didn''t let me kill any ninjas in that girl''s hidden village," Hidan complained. Meanwhile, Asuma made some hand signs to Shikamaru to prepare. Kakuzu frowned. "This is not the time for arguments, Hidan. Let the Jonin and that blonde girl to me. You can go t" Not wanting to waste the opportunity while their enemies were distracted talking, Asuma went on the offensive, while Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino assisted him. Hidan moved forward and blocked Asuma''s wind knives with his scythe before attempting to stab the Jonin with a small spear he had in his other hand. Shikamaru''s shadow was already on the way, approaching Hidan at incredible speed, while Chouji charged at the man. Ino made some quick hand signs and used the humidity in the air to conjure a powerful water jutsu over the heads of her enemies. At the same time, she was having a mental struggle to decide if she should activate the formula and call for Naruto. She had no doubt that he could handle these opponents without issues. She only had one reason for hesitating in calling him... and it was her own pride as a ninja. Ino may not be a battle specialist like Hinata, but she did not want to become overly reliant on Naruto to deal with every dangerous situation. She did not want to be the damsel in distress every single time. "Damn it..." Ino bit her lip when she saw her jutsu being deflected with ease by the one named Kakuzu. "Careful!" Asuma glared back at her and shouted, feeling that something was about to happen, but he could not take his eyes off his own opponent. The silver-haired ninja called Hidan had a very dangerous weapon, and it required all of his focus to stay out of trouble. Kakuzu removed his black cloak, revealing a body filled with scars and what looked like stitches. On his back were four masks seemingly attached to his flesh. One of the masks shot outwards and went directly for Ino. She saw that Chouji was hesitant to move towards her in order to protect her. "No! Stay with Shikamaru. Don''t break the formation!" she ordered her teammate. Their team had a clear strategy, and she would not allow it to be broken because she was at a bit of risk. While the white mask that came from Kakuzu was still in midair, some black sludge came out of it and began to form a strange body that resembled a wild beast. Ino exchanged a look with Shikamaru. In that instant, she was able to convey a simple message: ''I''ll take care of this.'' "Water Release... Water Severing Wave!" Ino expelled from her mouth a highly pressurized stream of water that impacted directly on the black beast, cutting its body in half before it could even land. "Did that do it?" Ino stared at the black mass on the ground... still not willing to lower her guard by any means. Naruto always told her that one must always remain alert and prepared. And good thing that she did... it only took a second. The head of the black beast moved slightly, just enough to look at her. From the mouth hole of the mask, there was a spark, followed by an intense burst of fire that covered the distance between itself and Ino in just a fraction of a second. "Water Release... Water Wall Formation!" She called upon her most powerful water defense. "Ahh!" She was forced to move back as the water began to evaporate, creating extremely hot vapor that burned her skin. Now she couldn''t see anything at all, but she could make use of her other senses to detect the enemy''s location. All of a sudden, Ino felt something on her right. A black claw was now lunging for her throat. It was a good thing she had been training to fight at close range, and thanks to that, Ino could react in time to avoid the attack and create some distance between them. She could now see that the black beast had fixed its body completely. The damage from her previous water attack was nowhere to be seen. ''Its body appears to be made of some sort of black substance and lacks a flesh body that I can damage.'' Her eyes moved to the strange mask from where this strange body had come out. "That must be its weak point... I just need to destroy the mask." The creature then began to create more fire and sent it her way. Ino noted that all the fire techniques this black creature seemed to use were very advanced. The one from before had destroyed her water wall, and that was an A-rank jutsu capable of stopping pretty much anything. She saw at least a dozen balls of fire coming her way, so instead of creating another wall for the creature to destroy, Ino decided on a different approach. She circulated her chakra, focusing on her legs, and activated her newest movement technique. "Crystal Wave Glide!" The temperature around her was lowered tremendously, creating a layer of frost on top of the grass. Before the fire could reach her, Ino was propelled upwards by a column of ice that manifested beneath her feet. Once in the air, she located her target, which was a short distance away. The masked black beast was now looking at her. "Now it''s my turn to attack... Ice Release!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 258: A Troublesome Situation Chapter 258: A Troublesome Situation Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 258: A Troublesome Situation "Ice Dragon!" Ino brought forth a massive, wingless dragon made of ice that was formed using the one that was created by her movement technique. The ice construct moved at an extremely fast pace, not leaving the black beast much time to react. It attempted to create a wall of flames to block Ino''s attack, but the dragon broke through it and landed a direct hit on the white mask, cracking it in the process. The black substance that had been forming the beast seemed to dissolve into nothing, and the mask flew back to its owner. "I did it!" Ino wanted to jump with joy for her small victory, but then she saw that the rest of her team was not doing so well. A burst of lightning hit Chouji and sent his giant body flying away, leaving Shikamaru exposed. And the next instant, Shikamaru had to release his shadow jutsu to avoid some nasty wind blades aimed at his head. "Ahhh!" Ino turned towards the scream and saw her Sensei clutching onto his bleeding arm while his opponent, the silver-haired Hidan, was laughing like a maniac. "I got you now!" Hidan exclaimed with joy. A strange red circle manifested beneath his feet, and his skin became covered in bizarre black tattoos. "What is happening to him?" Ino tried to approach but was promptly stopped by Asuma. "No! Stay away from here!" Asuma shouted. His instincts were already telling him that he was in an extremely dangerous situation, and he had to keep his students far away from him. Kakuzu did not take the chance to continue his assault on Shikamaru and instead was observing the white mask that had just returned to him. His green eyes then moved to Ino. "You have damaged one of my hearts... I will have to take yours in exchange." Ino felt that his attention was now completely on her. She could feel her blood run cold. ''This man is truly dangerous...'' Realizing how much trouble her team was now in, she could hesitate no longer and activated the formula embedded on her belly, hoping that Naruto would come quickly before someone died. "I''m sorry... I should have called you sooner..." Ino muttered. "You really should have... Idiot." The voice came from above her, and when she looked up, she saw the figure of Naruto just floating in the air, glancing back at her. "Naruto!" she exclaimed, bringing everyone''s attention in her direction. Kakuzu, who was about to begin his assault... stopped the moment he heard that name, and then he looked up and saw him. "Naruto Uzumaki..." he said with furrowed eyebrows. "That''s the other Jinchuriki! When did he get here?!" Hidan said. "This is bad." As one of the smartest members of Akatsuki, Kakuzu understood better than his partner just how much more difficult their mission had become. He had lived for many decades, and it had been mostly thanks to his wits, which were now telling him to get away from here. This was not an oponent they were ready to face. Hidan, however, was not aware of the danger he was in and just glared at Naruto with rage. "Wait a minute..." Naruto returned the stare to Hidan. "Didn''t I kill you already?" He pointed at the silver-haired ninja. "Ha! Kill me?! Keep dreaming, boy. I am the great Hidan of Jashin, and I am IMMORTAL!" Hidan laughed. "I''ve heard that one before..." Naruto muttered. But he had to admit that this one had come back from the dead... just like that other silver-haired ninja he killed years ago. ''Is there something about silver-haired men who refuse to stay dead?.'' "Careful!" He heard the voice of Shikamaru right before a burst of lightning attempted to pierce his chest. Naruto disappeared from the spot and reappeared next to Ino. Now that she had activated her formula, he could use her as a jumping point until the chakra was exhausted. He glanced at her for a moment. "We''ll talk later about your recklessness, but now I''d like to be informed of the general situation... and what is wrong with Asuma?" He could feel some strange energy around the Jonin. Ino gave him a brief summary of what happened while he stopped a few more attempts by Kakuzu to harm him. As he scanned the area, he immediately found her, just a good two hundred feet away, lying unconscious on the ground. ''That must be Fu, the Jinchuriki of the Seven-Tailed Beast... and she''s just right there for the taking.'' He couldn''t help but feel a bit excited. Another Bijuu had fallen into his lap, and he wasn''t going to let this chance go to waste. "Ahhh!" Just as Naruto was about to move, they all heard Asuma screaming in agony. He had been paying attention to the other Akatsuki member as well, and he was sure that Hidan hadn''t moved from the spot at all. All he had done was use a small spear to stab his own leg, but it was Asuma who was clutching onto his leg and bleeding profusely. "Maybe I should take care of that situation first." It looked like Asuma was not going to last long if he didn''t do something about it. He immediately unleashed a hundred clones to distract Kakuzu, as well as protecting Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji, while he moved in front of Hidan. "Are you going to try again? Go ahead, Naruto Uzumaki! I cannot die!" Hidan opened his arms, welcoming an attack from him. Naruto wasn''t stupid enough to take the bait. It was obvious that Hidan had done something to Asuma and any injure on Hidan would somehow be shared with the Jonin. "Wait! Don''t kill him! He''s done something strange to our Sensei!" Shikamaru still felt the need to warn him. Naruto could perceive the strange energy creating a connection between Hidan and Asuma, but even with his enhanced senses, he couldn''t see it properly. And thus...he could not break it apart. While he was starting to get frustrated, an idea came to his mind. "Right!..." He took one of his special kunai out of his robe''s pocket and threw it into the air. While everyone was wondering why he did that... Naruto disappeared completely from the spot in a flash of light. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 259: Hinata, the Savior Chapter 259: Hinata, the Savior Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 259: Hinata, the Savior Naruto appeared on the marker he had set up in his house''s yard. He then activated the last stage of his movement technique, the Red Lotus Shift, and took to the skies. In an instant, he flew through the window of the Hokage''s office, where he had sensed that Hinata was. The two of them seemed to be discussing something, but he didn''t stop long enough to find out. "I need you." He landed right beside Hinata, and while she stared at him with a shocked expression, he pulled them back to the marker he left at the previous location. "What th" Was all he heard from Tsunade before leaving. The two of them were back in the grassy fields, surrounded by the ruins of the old fort. Hidan was in front of them, while Asuma was behind, still clutching his leg. Naruto used his free hand to grab hold of the kunai he had previously thrown into the air and was now coming down. "Now... I have a job for you, Hinata-." "Hinata?!" Ino exclaimed. "Where did she come from?" Hidan looked very confused by Hinata''s sudden appearance. "Did... did you just go back to Konoha and bring her with you?" Shikamaru was staring at him like he was some sort of monster or something like that. "Yes, but that''s not important right now," Naruto said. Hinata looked around to get her bearings. "You found Ino... and" Her eyes went to Asuma and his injured leg. "You''re seriously hurt." She looked back at Naruto. She was sure that he hadn''t brought her here just to heal Asuma. When it came to healing, Ino was miles better than her. So there must be another reason. "Sorry about this." Naruto charged forward at lightning speed and, without hesitation, punched Hidan right in the face, sending the man tumbling backward. "Argh!" At the same time, Asuma seemed to suffer a similar blow and was pushed away from Naruto, with blood coming out of his mouth. "Sensei!" Shikamaru shouted. "Naruto! What did you..." Hinata then understood. The silver-haired Akatsuki member that Naruto punched had a similar wound on his leg and was holding a small spear covered in blood. That had made her suspicious as to why it looked like he had just injured himself. But when Naruto attacked him, she was able to put the pieces together and knew why Naruto said he needed her. "Byakugan!" She saw it immediately. There was a strange membrane of energy connecting Hidan and Asuma. "Do you see it?" Naruto asked. Hinata nodded. "There''s a black string connecting them. But it doesn''t look like a chakra string... it''s something different... it''s dark and eerie, but also powerful." "It''s called Death Chi. I can''t see it with my own eyes, but I can feel its traces. That''s why I called you," Naruto told her. "Death Chi?" Hinata had never heard of such a thing. "If Natural Energy represents life, then this is the opposite. Death Chi is cultivated by being close to those who have just died. At the moment of a person''s death, a small amount of that energy becomes concentrated enough to be absorbed. This means that the most optimal way to follow this path is to commit countless murders in order to gain power," Naruto explained. "That''s so cruel..." Hinata frowned. Indiscriminately killing innocent people just for a small increase in power was just evil. There was no other way to see it. "Now... I need you to cut the connection between this man and Asuma... then I''ll put his immortality to the test." "I''ll try..." She was still getting used to this new vision, but Hinata understood that if she could break that connection inmediatly, then Asuma was likely to die. Dark marks appeared beneath Hinata''s eyes as she began to take in the natural energies in the surrounding area and mix them with her own chakra. Her eyes gained a blue tone on the outer ring, and she could now see the connection much clearer. ''I can do this...'' She told herself. The ground cracked beneath her feet, and her body became a blur. ''Such power!'' This was the first time Hinata fought while using her Sage Mode. Even though it was still far from being perfect, she could immediately feel a massive boost in her speed and strength. Her hands were glowing with energy, ready to strike at her enemy. Hidan couldn''t follow her movements with his eyes, but knowing that she was coming directly at him, he took a swing of his triple-bladed scythe in her direction. Hinata could see him move in slow motion. She passed beneath the crimson blades and arrived at his back. The black strings originated from the back of his neck, and that''s where she aimed her attack. "Gentle Step... Lion Emperor Fist!" Her chakra-covered hands cut through the Death Strings with ease. And that wasn''t the only thing they cut. "Sensei!" Shikamaru hurried to Asuma''s side when he saw him collapse. At the same time, Hidan''s head was separated from his shoulders and sent flying through the air. "Ugh..." Hinata made a face of disgust when she realized that her strike may have had too much force behind it. "Let me see!" Ino arrived at Asuma''s side to check his condition. "He''s alive!" She immediately began to administer first aid to her Sensei. "She broke the connection in time, then..." Shikamaru sighed in relief. When he saw Hidan being decapitated, he had feared for the worst. Hinata also sighed in relief. "I did it... phew." She felt a massive weight being lifted from her shoulders. "You did great, Hinata," Naruto said as he caught something from the air. "Release me!" Hidan spat with fury. "He''s still alive?!" Hinata was shocked, but just then, she saw the body moving by itself and attempting to attack her. "How can that be?..." Shikamaru frowned. "Is that guy truly immortal?" Naruto chuckled. "No one in this world is truly immortal, but even for those who believe they are...there are fates worse than death." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 260: A Fate Worse Than Death Chapter 260: A Fate Worse Than Death Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 260: A Fate Worse Than Death "Thanks..." Asuma opened his eyes and saw that Ino had already healed all his wounds. He then looked around and noted Chouji sleeping close by. Shikamaru was at his side, but he wasn''t looking at him; instead, he was staring into the distance. "What the!..." Asuma almost choked when he saw Naruto holding the head of Hidan while the rest of the body stumbled around aimlessly. There were also at least a hundred clones of Naruto fighting the other ninja, the one who had his face covered. He could see all sorts of elemental reactions in the distance as this one tried to fend the clones off. By the looks of it, he wasn''t having much luck. "Hinata Hyuga?... When did she..." Asuma had just noticed the girl standing a bit further away. She was glaring at Naruto right now. "She won''t respond right now," Ino told him. "But after this is over, don''t forget to give your thanks. She saved your life." "She did?" He had presumed that Naruto had done something to break the curse Hidan had placed on him. He was shocked to find out that it had been Hinata who did it. "What are you going to do with him? Maybe if you destroy his body completely, he won''t be able to regenerate," Hinata suggested to Naruto. He turned to her and showed her a smile that made her wary. "One should be careful when they pursue this type of immortality if they''re so weak." "Hey! Who are you calling weak? Wait until I can get my head back onto my body. Then I''llouch!" Hidan flinched when Naruto kicked the body away. He then began to levitate in the air while still holding onto the head. The group wondered what he had in store for the Akatsuki member, and then... they saw him ascend into the sky at a tremendous speed. Naruto ascended so fast that they could see the shockwaves being created as his body broke the sound barrier. In a moment, he disappeared into the clouds. "What is he planning?... Does he want to drop the head?" Ino muttered. "No. I think he''s taking it further away," Hinata said. She was able to watch him with her special eyes for a bit longer than the rest. "He just keeps going up... He''s out of my range already." All of a sudden, Hidan''s body tripped over and began to shake violently on the ground. "What''s happening to the body?" Asuma asked. "It''s shaking from the cold..." Ino noted. Shikamaru looked back at the sky. "I see... That''s what he was planning... What a terrible fate." He was the only one to realize why the body was cold. Not even a minute later, they saw the figure of Naruto descending at a tremendous speed until he landed, cracking the ground in the process. "It''s done." "What did you do to the head?" Ino asked. "I threw it toward the moon," Naruto responded. "You went to the moon?" Asuma couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "Oh no... I''m not that fast yet. I just went into open space and tossed the head in its general direction. It may take a few years to arrive," Naruto shrugged. "Not my problem anymore. Now he can live forever, as a head floating in the vastness of space." They felt shivers run through their bodies. Like Shikamaru had said, that was indeed a terrible fate. Hidan would constantly feel the freezing temperatures of space cracking his skin while also being suffocated by the lack of oxygen. And yet... he wouldn''t be able to die, no matter how much time passed or how much he suffered. "What about the body?" Hinata asked, pointing at the shaking body on the ground. "Oh...let me see." Naruto got closer to it before placing his hands on the ground. The dirt beneath Hidan''s body began to move and change, transforming into sand. "That jutsu...!" Shikamaru and the others stared in shock at what Naruto was doing. This was something they had seen before. "Prison Sand Burial." Naruto made one hand seal, and the sand forced the body to become buried dozens of feet into the earth. After a short moment, Naruto returned the dirt to its previous state. Once the grass had the chance to grow back, no one would be able to tell that an immortal body was buried deep underground. "There... I even made you a tomb. Be grateful," Naruto said as he stood back up. "That''s Gaara''s jutsu... How can you use it?" Asuma asked. "Some things are better left unknown... Trust me," Naruto responded. When he absorbed the Bijuus, he gained more than just their chakra. He also acquired their affinities and some of their knowledge. The rest came with practice, thanks to his endless army of clones who were training every day, all day. Right now, he could use hundreds of different jutsus and had access to several special bloodline abilities. Ignoring the stares, Naruto turned to Hinata. "Your use of natural energy was a bit clumsy, but overall... you did a good job. Considering how little time you''ve been training in it." "T-thanks... I still have a long way to go," Hinata said. "You need more practice," he said, pointing to his right, where his clones had been fighting Kakuzu. "What do y" Hinata was interrupted by the sound of Naruto snapping his fingers. As he did, all of his clones disappeared, revealing the form of Kakuzu, who was still standing and didn''t seem seriously injured. "What is the meaning of this?!" Kakuzu shouted. "Are you going to fight me for real, or are you going to keep playing around with those clones?" His tone showed his outrage. Naruto smiled. His clones had only been keeping him busy but didn''t try to kill him or hurt him. This was because he had initially intended to face this opponent in person. But now he had a different idea in mind. "Hinata... Kill this one for me." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 261: Hinata Vs Kakuzu Chapter 261: Hinata Vs Kakuzu Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 261: Hinata Vs Kakuzu "You want me to fight this person?" Hinata pointed at Kakuzu. "There''s no better way to hone your skills than real combat with powerful foes. This one doesn''t seem too bad. So give it a go." "Give it a go?! Naruto, what are you saying?!" Asuma shouted at him. "That man is an S-rank missing ninja! This is too dangerous." "Hinata can do it." Ino''s words turned Asuma''s attention to her. "What do y" "She''s incredibly strong... I know that for a fact. We''ve trained together a lot over these past three years," Ino added. There was no one in Konoha, except for Naruto, who knew Hinata''s strength better than her. Despite sharing a technique that was created for her, Ino realized that Hinata was growing stronger at a much faster rate than herself. Ino didn''t like to admit it, but when it came to combat, Hinata''s talent far outshined hers and everyone else''s. With Naruto''s teachings and resources, there was no telling how far she would go. "Do you not wish to? If you don''t, then I" "No!" Hinata interrupted him. "I''ll do it. Leave it to me." Her eyes were filled with determination. Naruto was putting a lot of trust in her to face an opponent such as this one, and she would not let him down. "Hey! Do you think you can use me as a stepping stone?! You bastard... I''ve faced the likes of the Legendary Hashirama Senju in combat!" Kakuzu shouted with rage. "If you don''t like it... why not try to escape? You haven''t moved from the spot even after I removed my clones," Naruto taunted him. Kakuzu clenched his teeth. Of course, he had thought about escaping, but he then realized that Naruto still had many clones hidden around, buried underground... ready to jump at him if he tried anything. "Tell you what. If you can beat this girl, I''ll let you go." Naruto tapped on Hinata''s back. "Are you serious?..." Kakuzu glanced at Hinata. "Naruto, what are you saying? You can''t let that criminal escape," Asuma stood up, ready to intervene, but Shikamaru put a hand on his shoulder. "Don''t..." "Shikamaru." Asuma glanced at his student. "Naruto knows what he''s doing. Look at his eyes... he has no intention of letting that man go away." "He''s just confident that Hinata will win. That''s all," Ino told them. "The way he sees it, Hinata is his Dao Companion, one that he has personally trained. And there''s no way this missing nin will be able to win against her." Shikamaru looked at Ino. "Aren''t you the same?" "Hmph! That''s right!" Ino puffed her chest. "So don''t mess with me." "You expect me to believe your words?!" Kakuzu shouted. Naruto shrugged in response. "Let''s be honest for a moment here... what other choice do you have?" He gave Hinata a signal to begin, and she didn''t hesitate to attack. "Byakugan!" Her eyes shone, brimming with energy as she charged at her opponent. Kakuzu was not impressed. He was very familiar with the Hyuga clan''s techniques and had already fought several members of that clan. He still had four working hearts. Ino managed to damage the fire one, but he could still use Wind, Water, Earth, and Lightning Jutsus with no problem. But even without all of that... close-range combat was his specialty. "Earth Grudge Fear (Jiongu)!" Countless threads emerged from within Kakuzu''s body, opening him up as if he were composed of many pieces held together by these threads. Just as Hinata was about to reach him, the dark threads grabbed hold of her, restricting her movements completely. "This always seems to work against your clan," Kakuzu smiled. "I don''t need it, but I guess I''ll take your heart anyway." His hand was covered in threads, forming a sharp tool that he aimed directly at her chest. "You Hyugas are too predictable!" He buried his hand into her chest, ready to rip her heart out. But then... Hinata exploded into a puff of smoke. "What?!... Substitution? But when?... No. It was a clone." Kakuzu felt something above him, and when he looked up, he saw Hinata descending on him, her two fists covered in a mass of chakra that resembled the heads of two lions. He activated his signature jutsu to protect himself and moved his organs out of the way while blocking her path. However, Hinata moved much faster than he anticipated, and her strikes were aimed with surgical precision. "I see you," she said before piercing one of his hearts with her fingertips. "Ahhh!" Kakuzu screamed with rage, his threads covering his body in a cocoon of spikes that forced Hinata to back off. ''She destroyed one of my hearts!'' Kakuzu thought with dread. The water heart was no more. His green eyes were locked onto the girl. "Now I will definitely take your heart to replace the one you destroyed." He was more determined than ever to kill this girl now. He hadn''t expected to see a Hyuga clan member using a jutsu other than their signature clan one. But now that he knew this girl could use clones, he could adapt to it and create another strategy. Two of the masks on his back became loose before falling to the ground. From the white masks, a black goo began to emerge, forming the distinct figures of two black creatures. One was brimming with wind chakra, while the other had sparks coming out of its body. "That''s the thing he used against me!" Ino pointed out. "But the one I fought used fire jutsu. A powerful one at that." "So, each mask holds an element... I''ve never seen that technique before," Asuma said with concern. He had no idea if Hinata was going to be able to handle this. Hinata''s eyes gained a blue tint while dark marks appeared beneath them as she activated her Sage Mode. She had waited until this moment to use it because, in her incomplete state, she could only make use of it for a very short amount of time before being forced to cancel it. ''I have one minute to end this fight,'' she reminded herself. If she couldn''t do that, then she would be in real trouble. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. /Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 262: Awakening Chapter 262: Awakening Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 262: Awakening The two black beasts at Kakuzu''s sides moved forward to protect him. One of them sent a series of wind blades toward Hinata, while the other attacked with a bolt of lightning capable of piercing a mountain. Hinata made a hand sign while running at full speed. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Four clones appeared next to her, two on each side, and charged directly at the two beasts. Kakuzu then focused on the Hinata at the center for his next attack. Black strings emerged from several gaps in his body and tried to trap her. "Ripple Step!" Hinata activated her movement technique when she was only a short distance away. The black strings were about to touch her skin when, all of a sudden, she disappeared from the spot, leaving only water ripples behind. Kakuzu saw her clones attacking his black beasts, but he could not afford to get distracted now... he had to find the real one and eliminate her immediately. He felt something moving behind him and reacted by instinct. Countless black strings shot out, covering all his blind spots, so no matter what she did, he would be able to trap her. "There!" He finally got a glimpse of her figure. "Earth Release... Rock Spears!" From the ground, dozens of sharp needles made of stone shot upward, threatening to impale anything that approached. Kakuzu could clearly see as one of the spears went through Hinata''s body, only for her to disappear an instant later. "A clone?... No, that''s not it. An illusion?" Ripples appeared all around him. "Where is she?!" Kakuzu shouted while unleashing his strings in all directions. "Kaiten!" A torrent of chakra protected Hinata from all damage. "I''ve got you now." Kakuzu grinned. He was familiar with that jutsu and its weak point. He wouldn''t be able to get through its defenses, but he knew exactly where she would be once it was over. He retracted his strings and waited... just a few seconds later, Hinata ended her jutsu, and Kakuzu jumped at the chance to finish her off. "Die!" He had her surrounded on all sides. His strings shot out at an incredible speed, and she couldn''t avoid them in time. Kakuzu then sent an attack directly at her heart, ready to rip it out of her chest. "Poof..." Hinata exploded into a cloud of smoke. "A clone?! No... this can''t be." He was sure he had been fighting the real one. Unless... "Gentle Steps... Lion Emperor Fist!" He heard her voice from a short distance away. This was shortly followed by a painful sensation. "No!" Kakuzu screamed when he saw the real Hinata, who had used a jutsu to substitute herself with one of her clones, drive her glowing fists through the white mask of the lightning beast, destroying another one of his hearts in the process. "She can see them." Kakuzu realized that this had been her target from the beginning. She went for the other hearts first. And now he only had three left... with one of them being barely functional. "Come back!" He tried to recall his wind heart before Hinata could also destroy it, but her clones weren''t going to let that happen. The two clones left were launching a barrage of attacks, keeping the beast occupied and preventing it from moving away. The real Hinata then moved towards the beast like a lightning bolt and drove her hand right through the white mask. Kakuzu''s third heart was destroyed just like that. The old ninja was now able to understand the real danger that Hinata posed to him. Unlike Hidan, Kakuzu''s immortality relied on his extra hearts and his many ways to protect them, such as moving them to any part of his body or pulling them away and into these black beasts made of his black strings. But this wasn''t going to work against someone capable of seeing right through him with no trouble. She knew exactly where all his weak points were and had the skill and power to destroy them before he could do anything about it. At this moment, he only had the damaged fire heart, which wouldn''t be of much use, and his original one, which he had to protect at all costs. The only element he could use right now was earth, and there was only one jutsu that he thought could save him. He brought his hands to the ground and circulated a massive amount of chakra. "Earth Release... Gravity Binding!" "Urgh!" Hinata felt the effect immediately. Her body became dozens of times heavier, making it almost impossible to move from her spot. Her clones were destroyed immediately, unable to withstand the pressure. But her biggest issue right now was time... she was running out of it already. Only having a few more seconds before her Sage Mode ended. Once that happened, she would be unable to continue facing an opponent as strong as this one. Kakuzu smiled after noticing that his jutsu had the intended effect on his enemy. Now he could go on the offensive. "Say your goodbyes, girl... you''re going to die by my hands, and I''ll take your heart as a prize!" Countless strings emerged from his body and went directly for the defenseless Hinata. "We have to do something!" Shikamaru prepared himself to intervene. He activated his shadow jutsu to stop Kakuzu. Asuma and Ino were also about to jump in and help her out. Naruto appeared between them and crushed Shikamaru''s shadow with his feet before turning to the others. "You will not intervene. This is Hinata''s fight." "Are you blind?! She''s going to die!" Asuma shouted at him. "Naruto..." Ino stared at him in shock. He glanced back at her. "Have faith in your partner... Hinata has yet to showcase her full potential." Naruto said before turning back to the fight. He had noticed it recently, during her Sage training and during their moments of intimacy, but there was something special about Hinata. He could feel some dormant power within her... reacting every time he interacted with her. And right as the black strings of death were encroaching on her, and her time was about to run out... Hinata could also feel it... awakening. Her Byakugan changed shape... her eyes turned light blue, while the iris began to emit a radiant light, giving it an otherworldly and ethereal appearance. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 263: New Eyes Chapter 263: New Eyes Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 263: New Eyes "This is..." Hinata felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and not in a metaphorical way. The gravity created by Kakuzu was gone, and her body felt even lighter than usual. She instinctively knew that she was now capable of moving many times faster than before, as her body was brimming with energy. However, she did not have the luxury of exploring this sudden surge of power. The black strings from Kakuzu were just inches away from her. Hinata released a burst of chakra to push everything away from her. The ground cracked beneath her feet before she disappeared from her spot. ''Nine seconds left...'' Hinata thought as she reached her opponent. Kakuzu''s green eyes moved to meet hers, and she noticed something in them... he was afraid. She manifested three shadow clones around her target in an instant, surrounding him completely. Kakuzu knew there was no time for hand signs or jutsu; the only thing he could do was use his strings to protect his vital organs and survive the attack. "Kaiten!" "Kaiten!" "Kaiten!" "Kaiten!" The real Hinata and her three clones created four separate vortexes of pure rotating chakra, hitting Kakuzu from all directions. The number one signature defensive jutsu of the Hyuga clan was now being used as an offensive weapon, tearing apart Kakuzu''s flesh and bones without giving him a chance to fight back, like a meat grinder. ''Six seconds left.'' Hinata ended the jutsu; her clones were gone... destroyed by the violence of the technique she had just unleashed. Her eyes immediately tracked down all the body pieces of Kakuzu flying through the air and found the two remaining hearts. Moving faster than lightning, Hinata unleashed a flurry of attacks on the defenseless Kakuzu, obliterating what was left of him. ''Five seconds left.'' The fight was over. "Hinata!" She saw her friend Ino running toward her with a worried expression. Hinata shut off the massive flow of chakra and expelled all the remaining natural energy from her body, ending Sage Mode. Her eyes returned to normal, and she felt all the exhaustion hitting her at once. Ino caught her before she could fall down and wasted no time starting her medical examination. "I''m fine, Ino... just a bit tired." She tried to reassure her friend. "Shh! Let me check. You''ve never used Sage Mode for this long before. I have to make sure you don''t have any lasting damage to your body." "He''s really dead, right?" Shikamaru asked while looking around at Kakuzu''s remains. "He is. I''ve destroyed all his hearts. It was the only thing keeping him alive." Hinata assured him with a tired voice. "Hinata... that was..." Asuma didn''t know what to say. He had never seen a Hyuga fight like this. She killed an extremely dangerous S-rank missing-nin in less than a minute. "Very impressive." "Indeed. But you really cut it close this time." Naruto arrived at their side. He was carrying the kidnapped girl on his shoulders. None of them had even noticed when he went to pick her up. "That''s because you didn''t let us help her before." Ino frowned. "She could have died." "Ino... don''t be too harsh on Naruto." Hinata told her friend before looking at him with her white eyes. "Did you know I could do that?" "I knew you had some potential ability to awaken. You just needed to be pushed hard enough to do it." Naruto responded. "What did I awaken, though?" Hinata was confused. She had never heard of the Byakugan having any other ability that she didn''t already know how to use. "Your eyes changed shape back then, they turned...kinda blue. " Ino told her. "They did?" Hinata had obviously not noticed any physical change in her, only a burst of powerful energy filling her body. "Hmm... we know that the Sharingan has some hidden abilities. Perhaps the Byakugan has something like that." Shikamaru suggested. "Do you know something about it?" Hinata asked Naruto, since he always seemed to know everything when it came to these things. But Naruto could only shrug. "I''m afraid I cannot tell you about your own bloodline ability. Perhaps it would be something to consult with your father." Naruto did know something else but didn''t want to mention it in front of the others. He was sure that the secret to awakening that ability resided in the residual divine energy inside Hinata''s body. Divine energy is, as the name indicates, energy that originates from a real God, the ones living in the upper realms. Normally, one would not find that type of energy in the mortal realm, but there is always a way. Gods can transfer tiny amounts of divine energy to their followers in the lower realms, like with that Hidan guy. But the best source of this type of energy is divine artifacts, as these always carry divine energy inside them to make them work. Naruto, in particular, had a very strong artifact like this. The Golden Scripture was a very mysterious and powerful divine artifact from an unknown source. And it contained a tremendous amount of divine energy. Probably more than Naruto could even imagine at this point. As he cultivates and grows in power, more and more traces of this energy become imbued into his body and soul. And when he dual cultivates with Hinata and Ino, traces of divine energy inevitably enter their bodies. Naruto believes that it was this exchange that helped awaken Hinata''s new ability. However, he was not willing to speak a word about these matters in front of them. He was too wary for that. The existence of his divine artifact was not something he wished to share. "We can talk more once you are all back in the village." Naruto glanced at Asuma. "You still have a mission to complete. Bring this girl back to her village." He handed the unconscious jinchuriki to the jonin. "Right..." Asuma was exhausted, but he knew that Naruto was correct. They could not bring this jinchuriki back to Konoha with them. The Hidden Rain Village would not take that lightly. "Do we have to do that now?" Shikamaru looked down at Choji. The boy was just waking up. "Urgh..." He groaned. "I''m hungry... wait... what happened?" He looked around in confusion. "We''ll catch you up on the way." Asuma told his student. "Hinata, go with them. I know you''re tired, but there''s no rush. You can take a slow pace and rest a bit." Naruto told her. "No problem, I''ll stay with Ino and the others..." Hinata could tell that there was something strange with Naruto. "Naruto..." Ino was thinking exactly the same. It felt like Naruto was in a hurry to get them away from here. "You''re not coming with us?" Shikamaru asked. "Sorry. I have something else to do. But if you run into trouble, those two know how to call me." He pointed at Ino and Hinata. After a few brief exchanges, the group parted north, leaving Naruto alone in the ruins of the old fort. Naruto''s voice then broke the eerie silence. "You''ve been very patient... but you can come out now, Itachi." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 264: An Older Brother’s Anger Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 264: An Older Brother''s Anger "I would very much like to go meditate now, so if you can make this brief... I would appreciate it," Naruto said. Right now, he was mostly thinking about absorbing all the energy from the Seven-Tailed Beast he had just sealed inside his body. Of course, he wasn''t going to waste the opportunity when a Bijuu just fell into his lap. So, while everyone was distracted with Hinata''s fight, he took the girl and removed the chakra beast from her, just as he had done with Gaara. She should wake up in a few hours, having no idea what happened. And if the Waterfall Hidden Village complained, they''d just assume it was something Akatsuki had done to her before she was found. A figure emerged from behind a broken stone wall. He looked a few years older and more tired than he had three years ago when Naruto had encountered him in that small town outside Konoha. Itachi was no longer wearing the Akatsuki cloak and had opted for a plain black one instead...a detail Naruto completely glossed over, as he cared little about the fact that Itachi had betrayed the organization and gone rogue. "Naruto..." Itachi glared at him with a blank expression. "I''ve been waiting for a chance to speak with you alone." He knew that if he followed those members of Akatsuki, there would be a good chance for Naruto to show up. At this point, it was no secret that Naruto was after the Bijuu, just like his old organization. Two powers with the same objective were bound to clash sooner or later. "You wanted to speak with me?" Naruto asked. "I''m surprised you waited this long to come out. I mean... you let your two friends die. Well, technically, one of them is still alive, bu" "I''m not with them anymore," Itachi interrupted him. "And I have no interest in capturing you or any other jinchu?riki. I am on my own now." "Oh... Is this about your brother, then? Because I had nothing to do with that," Naruto told him. Although he didn''t believe the two were that close. Sasuke was mostly obsessed with killing Itachi, while Itachi seemed to ignore him. Itachi''s expression changed slightly at the mention of his brother. "Sasuke... my little brother is dead." ''Perhaps he did care a little bit...'' Naruto thought after seeing him like that. Itachi''s Sharingan began to change forms. "I know it wasn''t you who was responsible for his demise." "Then why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. It was obvious he was about to be attacked. "You did not take my brother... but you took my revenge. Orochimaru..." Itachi said. "I suppose I did kill that one," Naruto admitted. "Danzo..." Itachi clenched his fists. "The Elder? I killed that one too. But I can''t see what he had to do with Sasuke," Naruto said. "That man was involved in the downfall of the Uchiha... No matter now. You also killed him." Itachi''s Mangekyo? Sharingan formed. "You left me with nothing. So, I will kill you instead." "I don''t follow your logic, to be honest. You''re welcome to try, though. It won''t go the same way as it did three years ago. I can promise you that much." Naruto had sworn to himself on that day that the next time he encountered this man, he would be powerful enough to take him down. "I have nothing more to tell you," Itachi said, pointing at him. "Now it''s your turn to show yourself, Naruto." With a swift motion, Itachi threw a shuriken at him. While in the air, the single shuriken turned into a hundred, all well-aimed at Naruto''s body. Naruto avoided some of them while blocking the rest with his own kunai. The deflected shuriken flew all over the place, but instead of falling down, they transformed into black birds... crows. "Nice trick," Naruto commented as the beasts impacted him, attaching themselves to his clothes and skin, as if they were made of some sort of clay. A moment later, the summoned birds exploded, destroying a large portion of the terrain in the process. Itachi turned around, moving his red eyes over the area. More shuriken were thrown, and just like before, they turned into crows that then dove into different parts of the clearing before exploding. "I told you to show yourself!" Itachi seemed to be losing his patience. He then heard a chuckle from above. "So, you were in the sky the whole time..." Itachi glared at him. The Uchiha had immediately guessed that the Naruto from before was nothing but a clone. He couldn''t see as much as Hinata could with her Byakugan, but just enough to notice that the real Naruto had a different aura from the rest of the clones, even though he didn''t know why this was. What he had just destroyed were all the clones Naruto had previously placed down during his brief encounter with Kakuzu, so he couldn''t use them against him. "Since you wanted to fight me so badly, I decided to do this in person. No more clones," Naruto said. "You''re willing to discard your best weapon against my genjutsu? Perhaps I was wrong about you after all. You''re still immature... allowing your emotions to rule you, just like my brother did," Itachi huffed with clear annoyance. His solemn mask was beginning to fall, but he didn''t care anymore. The three tomoe in his eyes now looked like the blades of a shuriken, and they were staring directly into Naruto''s blue eyes. "You will regret that mistake... Tsukuyomi!" Naruto could feel his consciousness being dragged away, and everything went dark. When his vision returned, he found himself in an oddly colored landscape. His body was restrained, tied to some sort of wooden cross. The figure of Itachi appeared in front of him, wielding a long katana in his right hand. "Are you going to say something like... ''It''s over!'' or ''You''re dead now!''?" Naruto spoke calmly from his cross. Itachi shook his head. "It''s far from over for you... This is just the beginning." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 265: Power over Consciousness Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 265: Power over Consciousness "Mmm... interesting." Naruto moved his head to look around. "These Sharingan abilities don''t cease to amaze me. Have you ever wondered about their origin?" Itachi raised his blade toward him. "Do you not understand the situation you are in?" "This pocket dimension you''ve created inside our minds is affecting space and time, twisting it and compressing it." Naruto''s eyes went back to Itachi. "I don''t think that you or any of the other Uchihas can truly comprehend that these abilities can only have originated from a higher plane of existence... the source that the Sharingan came from..." "You are speaking about the Rinnegan," Itachi said. He didn''t understand most of Naruto''s rambling, but he did understand what he was referring to at the end. "That''s right, the Rinnegan! And even more so, the origin of those eyes. What do you think that is?" Naruto asked. Itachi shook his head. "I don''t care about any of that! I brought you here to show you pain... But you are correct about one thing. This place is able to compress time. Just an instant in the outside world would feel like an entire year in here. And when your body and mind are under severe distress, it would feel even longer... an eternity of pain. That''s what you will find in this place." As he said that, Itachi drove his sword into Naruto''s stomach. His robes were cut open, and blood poured from his wound, dripping onto Itachi''s sword. "This is the problem with those born with the label of ''genius.'' You think that you know everything already, so you lose your sense of wonder and discovery," Naruto continued, completely ignoring his wound. Itachi was surprised by his tolerance to pain but did not let it show on his face. He retracted his sword and drove it back into Naruto''s chest, piercing one of his lungs. Once more, Naruto didn''t seem bothered at all by Itachi''s attack and continued speaking. "Well... it''s not like you could do anything with that knowledge. It would be wasted on you. Sooner or later, I will get my answers anyway," Naruto responded. Itachi frowned. "This..." He was surprised but couldn''t stop now. Duplicates of Itachi manifested all around Naruto. Every single one of them held a sharp sword in their hands... all of them aimed at him. Without hesitation, all the copies of Itachi stabbed Naruto''s body simultaneously, inflicting terrible wounds all across his body. They repeated this over and over until Naruto''s body was a bloody mess of torn flesh and bones. But Itachi noticed that the light in his eyes never diminished. Naruto''s face healed instantly, and he grinned. "You are wasting your time, Itachi." "What?!" Itachi exclaimed in shock. This, he couldn''t believe. No matter how much tolerance to pain one had, no one should be able to brush aside so much trauma as if it were nothing. "Then again... time is being compressed in here, so you''re not wasting much, I suppose," Naruto added. "How are you doing this?" Itachi asked. Naruto broke the restraints that were securing him to the cross and let his body touch the ground. All of a sudden, his body was completely healed, and his clothes were restored. Not a drop of blood could be seen on him. "Impossible..." Itachi took a step back. "I am in full control of this space. You shouldn''t be able to do this." "Wrong." Naruto made a dismissive gesture with his hand, and all the clones of Itachi disappeared, leaving only the original one. "You are not in full control. We both are." "No... this is my ability!" Itachi summoned more ropes to restrain Naruto again. These ones wrapped around his wrists and legs before pulling him up. "This is my genjutsu." He tried to stab him again. Just as his sword was about to touch Naruto''s body, his figure disappeared, along with the wooden cross and ropes. Another Naruto reappeared behind Itachi. "Then you don''t understand how your ability works. This space is creating a bridge between our minds and pulling our consciousness in here." Itachi made another attempt to bring more copies of himself to attack him, but Naruto sent them all away with a simple hand gesture. "No... this can''t be... You say that I don''t understand how my ability works? That''s ridiculous." "Hmph... you''re the one being ridiculous, as far as I''m concerned. Trying the same thing over and over, despite the fact I''ve proven to you that it won''t work." Itachi remained silent after that. So Naruto continued. "If you could comprehend what the human consciousness truly is, then you would begin to learn the flaw in this technique of yours." The consciousness and the soul were connected in an intimate way, to the point where they could not be separated. When Itachi pulled him here and created that connection, he also opened the possibility for Naruto to wrestle control over this temporary dimension by sheer brute force. Itachi had no way to be aware of that weakness because this world had no cultivators, so the idea of someone having enhanced the power of their very own soul was not something that existed before Naruto''s arrival. But now, Itachi was facing someone who had entered the realm of the Nascent Soul Stage, the point when a cultivator begins to empower their soul with all the energy they had previously accumulated. At this moment, Naruto''s soul must be hundreds, if not thousands, of times mightier than any normal mortal''s. Because of this, anyone who attempted to affect his consciousness with a jutsu such as this was going to have a very hard time. Itachi had no way to understand why his jutsu was not working, but he was at least smart enough to know when to stop. After all, the Tsukuyomi was placing an incredible strain on his eyes with every fraction of a second he kept it operating. "Enough!" Itachi roared, and the jutsu was canceled, allowing their minds to return to the real world. Not even a second had passed in reality. Naruto was still floating in the air, looking directly into Itachi''s eyes in a defiant manner, as if saying, ''Go ahead... try again.'' "I hope you have something better prepared for me, Itachi." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 266: A Battle Thought Ground and Sky Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 266: A Battle Thought Ground and Sky "Urgh..." Itachi covered his bleeding left eye. Even after only using it for a moment, the Tsukuyomi still put a heavy strain on his eyes. Naruto landed in front of him. "Do you need a moment to rest? You don''t look too well." Itachi''s expression showed how furious he was. "Do not mock me, Naruto Uzumaki." His stare became more intense, as did the blood that was now pouring from both his eyes. "Amaterasu!" Naruto saw black flames manifesting around him. Right as they were about to consume him, he teleported a short distance away, where one of his kunai had been dropped by the first clone that Itachi destroyed. "That was scary," Naruto said as he picked up the formula kunai. Those flames looked nasty, and after this brief interaction, he wasn''t sure how much of that he would be able to block or absorb. "You can truly use the Flying Thunder God Jutsu," Itachi said, trying to appear calm, but he was obviously in a lot of pain. "Does every use of your Sharingan inflict so much damage on yourself?" Naruto commented, considering that it was probably for the best that he never got those eyes implanted in him. He recalled that Kakashi was always exhausted and in pain when he used his eye. But Naruto had the feeling that there was something more to Itachi''s suffering...something different. "Or maybe there''s something wrong with you in particular... are you sick, perhaps?" Itachi''s response was to launch a barrage of small fireballs at him. "Fire Release... Phoenix Sage Fire!" "Did I hit a nerve?." Naruto jumped into the air and threw his kunai down. While the blade was airborne, it exploded into a cloud of smoke, and from within it, hundreds of kunai came raining down at the general area where Itachi had been standing. Naruto disappeared from the sky in a bolt of lightning and reappeared on top of one of the kunai that landed next to Itachi. "Rasengan." Itachi used a substitution jutsu to avoid the attack and gain some distance between them. Naruto disappeared again, and once more, he reappeared on another kunai, which was the closest to Itachi. The blue Rasengan still spinning in his right hand was driven toward Itachi. "Tsk!" Itachi had to use substitution once more. But he knew this was pointless... he had to get away from the field of formula kunai that Naruto had created, or he would never escape from his reach. Naruto appeared next to him again. But this time, Itachi used his taijutsu skills to deflect Naruto''s hand away from him while going for a counterattack. Naruto released the Rasengan, allowing it to vanish while blocking Itachi''s attack. The two of them engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Itachi grunted as a kick landed on his left calf. He tried to attack again, but Naruto was able to block or deflect all of his attacks. "Urgh!" Itachi grunted louder now when another kick from Naruto landed on the exact same spot, making him lose his balance slightly. His Sharingan showed him every move that Naruto was about to make before he did, and even then, he could not avoid them. Naruto always chose the best moments to poke at Itachi''s weaknesses, not giving him the chance to fight back. Itachi grunted again... another kick... the same place. Itachi lost his balance and had to use his hands to keep himself from falling. His left leg was unresponsive. Knowing that he couldn''t continue with this strategy, he created several shadow clones as a distraction to get away. The shadow clones detonated once he gained a bit of distance. "You really thought you could beat me at taijutsu?" Naruto commented with amusement before disappearing. "That''s my specialty." Itachi heard Naruto''s voice sounding from behind him. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Naruto had stopped next to another one of those kunai of his. "Ahhh!" This time, Itachi heard the bone in his left leg cracking and shattering under the pressure of the kick. "Did you thought you could get away from me?," Naruto added. Itachi tried to control his fall with his hands. His Sharingan spun rapidly as his eyes snapped toward Naruto. "Amaterasu!" He knew that this wasn''t going to kill Naruto, but he needed some breathing room to perform his next jutsu. "Summoning Jutsu!" Beneath Itachi, a massive black crow appeared and lifted him into the air. "I''ll give it to you. You''re a resourceful guy," Naruto said as he began to float in the air. "Fire Release... Great Fireball Technique!" Itachi ignored Naruto''s comments and attacked again. Itachi expelled from his mouth a massive stream of flames that burned everything in the area. Naruto avoided it by flying higher. "An aerial battle won''t be to your advantage," he said, glancing down at the field he had been in. "But that was clever..." Itachi had destroyed all the kunai clones that Naruto had spread over the field. No more teleporting around. Itachi then summoned more crows, this time smaller ones. The birds surrounded Naruto as he floated over a hundred feet in the air. The aura around Naruto grew more intense and violent as he channeled large amounts of chakra through his body. "Sage Arts... Great Flame Flower." A multitude of massive balls of fire appeared all over the sky and began to fall upon Itachi and the summoned creatures immediately after. This was an S-rank fire jutsu capable of decimating an entire battlefield, and Naruto had empowered it even further with the natural energy inside his chakra. The crows summoned by Itachi began to disappear before even making contact with the fire...the heat alone was enough to cut the connection and send them back. The giant crow that Itachi was using as a mount fared a bit better, but even with Itachi''s assistance, they were not able to avoid every single attack. A ball of fire passed too close to one of its wings, burning it completely and causing it to end the summon too early. Itachi fell toward the field, which was now completely covered in flames, while Naruto watched from the air with his arms crossed. "Go on... what else you got?" Naruto wondered if the Uchiha genius had already shown everything he could do. If that was the case, he was not impressed. But just then, something rose from the black cloud of smoke that the fire had created. A massive red hand shot out and tried to grab Naruto. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 267: Unable to Contact Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I make. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 267: Unable to Contact "Lumos." A small bright sphere illuminated the hall. A bit of moonlight was able to get into the entrance hall, but the upper corridors were pitch black. There were some torches on the walls, but all of them were off. ''Something happened here...'' The more time he spent here, the more he had this feeling. Even if Augustus Rookwood was the only member left of his family or the only one who lived here, there should be at least some servants working here. A castle this big would need at a minimum three house elves or two dozen squibs to keep it in decent shape. Harry looked over the furniture and decorations as he walked. There was no dust on them. The wooden floors were clean and polished. This home had been well cared for until recently. ''It also makes no sense for the wards to be... wait...'' His green eyes moved to a double door to his right. It appeared to be the entrance to a dining hall or another large room. But what caught his attention was that one of the door handles was missing and there were slash marks on the wooden surface. He could even feel the traces left behind by the cursed weapons that had been used. Harry pushed the door open and aimed his wand inside. "Mmm... someone had a bad time in here..." There were clear signs of a fight in the living room. It must have been fancy at one point, but now it was filled with broken furniture, pieces of glass all over the floor, and several large red stains near the end of the room. "So... somebody attacked Lord Rookwood in his house... but where is he?" If he had been killed, the body should have been here. Considering the amount of blood on the ground, if it all belonged to the wizard, he was most definitely dead. But there wasn''t a single corpse in the dining hall. He decided to check the rest of the castle. "This is going to take a while..." By the time he had visited all the rooms, including a few hidden ones, it was already dawn. The only interesting things he found were a stash of illegal artifacts and a couple of dead house elves. Very hardworking house-elves, Harry was sure of that. There was no trace of Rookwood or anyone else. He did find the point of entrance. They used one of the windows of the west tower to gain access to the castle. Other than the dining hall, that was the only part with signs of a fight. Harry then used his last resort. "Answer my call... Augustus Rookwood..." There was no immediate response. "So, he is alive? Someone took him as a hwhat?" The green mist started to manifest in front of him. He had only used this ability a few times, but it had never taken this long to show any sort of reaction. The mist began to group together and form a human figure, as it usually did, but it was now moving very slowly, like it was struggling to create the visage of the dead wizard. "Augustus Rookwood... are you there?" Harry asked. For a moment, the mist began to form the face of a middle-aged man. Harry recalled the face he saw in the newspaper months ago. It was definitely him. The spirit appeared to look at Harry and then opened its mouth to speak, but before a single sound could come out... the mist lost its shape... and dispersed. "Wait! What?..." That had never happened before. Calling a spirit would take a toll on his magic, but despite that, he would be able to maintain it for a long time. This could only mean that this was not a failure on his part but instead, it was on Rookwood himself. "The soul... whatever they did to him, they must have also damaged his soul..." He personally knew a few ways to accomplish that. There are spells out there that are capable of attacking more than just the body. There is even an entire branch of magic dedicated to affecting the soul. It''s called soul magic, but its main purpose is not to destroy souls but to find ways to make them stronger. It is commonly believed that the soul is tightly associated with one''s magic and is also the reason some people are able to use magic at all, while others just can''t. ''There is another branch of magic whose practitioners normally delve a lot into the study of the soul... necromancy.'' Necromancy and soul magic go well together, and sometimes you need the latter to make the former work at all. "Maybe I''m getting ahead of myself. Whether this was the work of a necromancer or someone else... it doesn''t get me closer to my initial goal." He came here looking for information about the other Death Eaters, and especially to Lord Parkinson. Now he was left empty-handed, with no more leads to follow. He did not know where to find any of the other members of Parkinson''s inner circle, and he couldn''t exactly walk into a Wizengamot meeting and kill them there. "There is another way..." He did not want to use this method, but the only other person who could lead him to where he wanted to go was Pansy Parkinson. He had no qualms about using Draco Malfoy to access his house. But Pansy was innocent, as far as he knew, she had no idea what her father was doing behind the curtains. With a sense of defeat... he returned to Hogwarts. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 268: The New Leader Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing except for the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 268: The New Leader Three Days Later The entire Hyuga Clan had gathered in the massive central garden of their compound. They had all been summoned for a very special occasion...today, the clan would welcome a new leader. That leader was none other than Hyuga Hinata. The young woman stood on a large wooden platform, placed so that everyone could witness the ceremony. Her father, the current leader, stood before her, while the Clan Elders and other important family members surrounded them. "Before we continue," Lord Hiashi began, "as tradition dictates, the Elders will be given the opportunity to speak their minds about the candidate. They may either grant their blessing to the new leader or voice their disapproval." Hiashi fully expected some complaints. He had heard them a month ago when he first proposed that his daughter assume leadership, arguing that she was not ready yet or that she was just not fit for the role. But of the six Elders, most had agreed with his decicion, having witnessed firsthand how much Hinata had grown in recent years. They recognized that she was destined to become one of the strongest figures on the continent. Hiashi himself had once doubted his daughter''s ability to lead. He had believed that someone like Neji or even her younger sister, Hanabi, would be a better candidate. But ever since Naruto''s sudden change in personality, he has influenced those around him...including his own daughter. In fact, she was probably the one who changed the most thanks to Naruto. In just three years, she had transformed from a timid girl who couldn''t even speak to the boy she admired into a fearless warrior...one who had recently taken the life of one of the most notorious missing-nin in the entire continent. News of Hinata defeating Kakuzu had already spread throughout the village, shocking many to their core. Four of the Elders stood up and immediately voiced their support for Hinata as the new leader. The fifth Elder, while not opposed to Hinata herself, felt it was too soon for her to take on such a responsibility. "What is the rush? Why not wait a few more years?" the Elder questioned. The other family members were not given the chance to voice their opinions, but their expressions showed that many shared the Elder''s concerns. Hinata''s progress and achievements were undeniably impressive, but she was still young. And with Lord Hiashi in good health, there seemed to be no immediate need for a transition in leadership. Hiashi was about to respond when Hinata placed a hand on his shoulder. "Father, if I may? I would like to address their concerns personally." Hiashi smiled and nodded. If she was to lead the clan, she needed to take charge of the situation. "I know I am still young and inexperienced." She gazed at the assembled clan members. "Many of you must be wondering the same thing...why not let my father remain in power for another ten years or so? My father has been a great leader during these times of peace following the Third Ninja War. But the situation is changing. The instability in the Elemental Nations is leading us toward a new war, one unlike anything you have ever seen before. And when that time comes, the Hyuga Clan will need me as its leader to ensure its survival and prosperity." "A war..." the Elder muttered. "Yes, we have all heard the rumors of an impending great war, threatening to reach our village gates. But how is Lord Hiashi any less qualified to lead us through these dark times than his own daughter?" The final Elder stood up, a middle-aged man with a deep scowl. "How can you not see it yet?!" he shouted, turning his sharp gaze toward Hinata. "This is all about Naruto Uzumaki!" A murmur spread through the crowd, and even the Elders exchanged glances. "What do you mean by that, Elder Murano?" another Elder asked. "Isn''t it obvious?" Murano sneered. "Lord Hiashi is marrying her to Minato''s son, Naruto Uzumaki. And from what I''ve heard, the wedding is happening very soon...within the next few days." The news of Hinata''s upcoming wedding was no secret among the Elders, but they hadn''t realized it was this imminent. "Elder Murano... be careful with your implications," Lord Hiashi warned. He could already see where this was heading. "Should I be careful?" Murano scoffed. "Shouldn''t we all be wary when our clan leader is about to hand control of this powerful, ancient clan to an outsider?" He pointed an accusatory finger at Hiashi. "Now, now, Elder Murano," another Elder interjected. "Marriages with outsiders are not uncommon. And Naruto Uzumaki seems like an excellent match. He is a powerful ninja with an important lineage. Not only is he the son of our former Hokage, but the Uzumaki bloodline was once highly sought after for its immense chakra reserves and enhanced healing abilities. There are only a handful of them left." "Also, even if he were to marry Lady Hinata, the control of the clan would still fall solely onto her." Another Elder added. "You don''t know that boy!," Murano spat. "He is nothing like his father. He is reckless and cruel... If we allow Lord Hiashi''s daughter to take control of the clan, this Naruto Uzumaki will not hesitate to seize leadership for himself. I''m telling you, that boy is a d" SLAP! No one saw Hinata move. One moment, she was standing in place. The next, she had appeared before Elder Murano, striking him with such force that he was sent flying before he could finish his sentence. "Elder!" "Grandfather!" Several clan members rushed to Murano''s side as he lay sprawled on the ground, groaning. Meanwhile, Hinata remained where she stood, her cold, white eyes surveying them all. "You may criticize me all you like," she said, her voice ringing clearly through the courtyard. "You are free to question my readiness for this responsibility. However..." Her gaze darkened. "If you dare to speak ill of Naruto in my presence again" Her voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "I will take your life." The Hyuga courtyard fell into complete silence. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 269: Hinata’s Challenge Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing except for the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 269: Hinata''s Challenge "Lady Hinata! You are going too far!" A young man around her age was the one who spoke. Everyone in the clan recognized him. He was the grandson of the Elder Hinata had just slapped, the same young man who had previously questioned her marriage to Naruto, earning himself a few punches from her in return, as well as having his chakra veins destroyed by her. Hinata had already expected both Elder Murano and his grandson to protest during her promotion. The young man had never forgotten the humiliation he suffered at her hands and they were more than eager to get revenge. "Am I going too far?" Hinata repeated, her voice unwavering. "I thought I made it clear that I wouldn''t tolerate any insults toward Naruto. You, of all people, should have known that." "You...!" The young man glared at Hinata with pure hatred in his eyes. Once, he had hoped to marry her, believing himself to be a far better match than anyone else in the village. But now, that dream was gone. He no longer desired her...he only wanted retribution. He wanted to see her suffer. And his grandfather shared that sentiment. "Urgh..." Elder Murano struggled to his feet, his expression contorted in anger. "See? Is this the kind of leader our clan needs? One who would assault her own kin?" "Elder Murano, you brought this upon yourself," Lord Hiashi responded, his tone calm but firm. "You and your grandson hold a clear grudge against my daughter. And now you question her right to become Clan Leader." "Father, let me handle this," Hinata said, stepping forward. "Very well... I will propose something that may be more to your liking." She walked to the edge of the platform, her gaze sweeping over the assembled Hyuga clan members, both from the main family and the branch family. "First and foremost, the word of the Clan Leader is absolute. If he declares that I am to be your next leader, then that is exactly what will happen, whether you like it or not." She let her words sink in before continuing. "However, that is not how I wish to begin my leadership. I see that many of you still doubt me. So, I will give you all a chance to prove that you are right." She glanced at Hiashi. "I will need the Lord of the Clan to approve my request." Hiashi sighed, already guessing what she was about to do. "Go ahead. I grant you whatever you suggest." Hinata pointed to the empty space beside her. "Anyone who believes I am unfit to rule this clan, step forward and prove it. Show everyone that you were right. If I am defeated by any challenger... I will withdraw my candidacy for leadership...forever." "Hinata! What are you saying?!" Hanabi snapped, alarmed by her sister''s proposal. Hiashi glanced at his youngest daughter but showed no sign of concern. He merely thought this was an unnecessary gesture on Hinata''s part. As she had said earlier, the clan was bound to follow his decision, whether they approved of it or not. Most of the clan already supported her, and only a minority opposed her leadership for their own reasons. "Are you serious?" Elder Murano looked at Hinata as if she had lost her mind. His grandson scanned the crowd, searching for anyone willing to take up the challenge. But as seconds passed, no one stepped forward. The crowd only exchanged uneasy glances. Hinata''s reputation as a fierce warrior had spread throughout the village. But even without that, few would take the risk, as there was nothing to gain for them. At best, they would defeat the Clan Leader''s daughter and earn a powerful enemy. Elder Murano seemed to grasp this immediately. Leaning on his grandson for support, he turned to address the crowd. "Anyone willing to take Lady Hinata''s challenge will be rewarded by me! Ten thousand Ryo to anyone who dares to step forward, and one hundred thousand to the one who defeats her!" "Murano! How can you make such an offer?!" "That is outrageous!" The other Elders glared at Murano in anger. "I don''t mind," Hinata interjected, her voice cutting through the rising tension. "In fact, I will add my own reward to the challenge. If anyone defeats me, I will grant them one wish...anything they desire." The crowd erupted in chaos. "What?!" "Seriously?!" "Any wish we want?!" "Father! You can''t allow this!" Hanabi ran to Hiashi''s side, looking at her sister in concern. "I see... so that''s what you''re doing," Hiashi murmured, realization dawning in his eyes. "Father? What do you mean?" Hanabi asked. "I believe your sister is aiming to accomplish two things with this challenge," Hiashi explained. "First, she wants to earn the clan''s respect more quickly. The Hyuga Clan has always valued martial prowess above all else. In our clan... might makes right." "And the second reason?" Hanabi prompted. "Elder Murano and his family aren''t the only ones who disapprove of Hinata becoming the next leader. Others have kept silent only because they lack a position high enough to voice their complaints," Hiashi said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "You mean the branch family?" Hanabi guessed. "Exactly. And this challenge will give them an opportunity to remove her as a candidate. I believe your sister is trying to flush out anyone disloyal to our family." Hanabi stared at her father, then back at Hinata, who stood confidently on the platform. "Since when did my sister become so... shrewd?" she muttered. Meanwhile, Hinata''s voice rang out across the courtyard once more. "Well? What are you waiting for? Are the rewards not enough? Or is my clan filled with spineless cowards?, you can all attack me at the same time." That was the final push. Suddenly, men and women from the Hyuga Clan began stepping forward, making their way onto the platform. The Elders and other members who weren''t participating moved back to clear the area. The wooden platform, originally built to serve as a stage for the Clan Leader''s speech, had now become a battlefield. Hinata stood at the center, surrounded by her clansmen, all of them prepared to fight her with everything they had. A slow smile crept onto her face. "Byakugan!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 270: God Eyes Chapter 270: God Eyes Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 270: God Eyes Attacks came from all directions. Hinata had to move at an incredible speed to avoid any of her chakra points being closed by the clanmates who had jumped onto the platform. At this moment, there were thirteen of them, and Hinata knew them all. Twelve of them were from the branch family. Talented ninjas with bright futures ahead of them. Some were already at the rank of Jonin and had mastered the Gentle Fist to its highest degree. The last one was a middle-aged man she had seen many times before. He was the younger brother of Elder Murano, and although he wasn''t as antagonistic as his older brother, he had never liked her or her family. ''No surprises here.'' Hinata thought as she defended herself from a barrage of attacks. She had already an idea of who was going to give her trouble, but this had given her the opportunity to confirm it. ''Now...all I have to do is what Naruto had taught me since the beginning. To your enemies...show them no mercy.'' Dark lines appeared beneath her eyes as she forced all the natural chakra in the surrounding area to circulate through her chakra system. All the members of the clan who had their dojutsu active were able to see the changes immediately. One of them was right next to her. "Gentle Steps...Eight Tr-ahhhhh!" Hinata grabbed the hand of the young man at her side and gave it a twist. In her Sage Mode, her physical strength is enhanced many times over. The young man fell on his back while screaming and gasping at his broken arm. They could all see the bone of his elbow poking from his bleeding flesh. She felt her power continue to surge as her eyes awakened once more. Hinata had more control now. Three days to practice may not be much, but she was a fast learner, and her shadow clones helped her quite a bit. Her eyes turned sky blue. Her iris transformed into white lightning. And now Hinata knew she could do much more. The next man who got too close got to experience it first. Hinata glanced at him for an instant and used a mere sliver of her power. The man''s legs became broken and twisted before he collapsed on the wooden floor and began screaming. The others stopped their attack immediately and looked at Hinata with shock and confusion. Not truly understanding what she had just done. "You are all within my range." Hinata''s soft words could be heard in the entire compound. She wasn''t just talking about her ten remaining opponents on the platform, or even the almost two hundred clan members in the compound. Right now, she could see the entire village of Konoha, and for this short amount of time that she could maintain this state...they were all inside her range of attack. "What happened to her?!" "Those marks...it''s like the First Hokage!" "What''s wrong with her eyes?..." Her opponents had become hesitant all of a sudden, and their will to continue this fight was rapidly diminishing. "Father? What did Hinata do?" Hanabi asked. "That''s..." Hiashi was one of the only ones who knew the truth. His daughter had spoken with him about her new power just two days ago, after her return to the village. She wanted to know more about those eyes. And he had wanted to help her out and give her a clear answer. Unfortunately, he didn''t know either. There were no records in the archive of any member of the Hyuga clan having awakened an ability like this one before, and those records went back hundreds of years, even prior to the founding of Konoha, when the clan acted independently. But just as he was about to give up, he ended up finding a clue in the last place he had planned on looking for...the section for legends and tales. There are many stories about the origins of the Hyuga Clan, none of them had concrete evidence so they could not be claimed as the absolute truth. The most popular one goes back to the Sage of Six Paths and says that one of his children was the ancestor who unlocked the Byakugan and founded the Hyuga family. This same ancestor would one day take most of the clan members and bring them all to the moon, in order to seal some ancient evil Goddess. The members of the family who remained behind were the ones who created the clan as it was known today. Hiashi had heard this tale before, when he was a kid. Him and his brother loved to read these kinds of legends. But there was one detail that he had forgotten over time. The book contains a physical description of this founder...this descendant of the Sage of Six Paths. His eyes were different from theirs...it was described in the book that he had eyes as blue as the sky. And at the center...there was pure white lightning running across their surface, brimming with divine power. The book even gives them a name. "Hinata has managed to unlock an ancient skill from our very own founder," Hiashi responded to his daughter. "From the founder?..." Hanabi had no idea who the founder of the clan was. But she knew it must be something amazing. "It is called....the Tenseigan." Hiashi added. Hinata stared at the ten members of her clan who had challenged her. They were now all standing still, just looking at her. "You were in such high spirits a moment ago...If you are not going to do anything, then allow me to go first." She made a gesture with her hand. They all felt their bodies getting heavier and heavier... they could no longer move from their spots. Their bones and muscles could no longer keep them standing and began to shatter under the tremendous pressure they were now in. Hinata had enough control to direct the change of gravity to only affect her intended targets. So the people watching could not understand what was happening. They just saw the ten remaining members of their clan, who had gone onto the platform to challenge her, fall to their knees while screaming in agony until the floor beneath them could no longer stand the weight and broke down. Hinata then stood alone on what remained of the platform and turned to look at the remaining members of her clan. Her blue eyes were radiating with divine energy. "Anyone else?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 271: A Reason To Live Chapter 271: A Reason To Live Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 271: A Reason To Live "Lady Tsunade! Something is going on at the Hyuga Clan Complex." Shizune opened the door to the room and rushed inside. Tsunade was sitting down next to a hospital bed. She turned around to look at her assistant, who continued with her report. "A tremendous spike of chakra. I think they may be fighting!" Shizune exclaimed. "Calm down, Shizune. The Clan had just announced their next leader. Hinata already warned me that something like this could happen. Some members must have disagreed with Hinata becoming the next leader, and she is setting them right." "Hinata is becoming the next clan leader?!" Shizune said with shock. "Yes...we can talk about this later. Right now I was in the middle of something with a patient of mine." Tsunade pointed at the young man on the bed. Itachi was sitting upright on the bed, wearing a hospital gown. Bandages could be seen covering his chest and eyes. "Mister Itachi...I''m so sorry for interrupting. I trust the surgery went well?" Shizune said. "It''s okay. And you don''t need to call me Mister." Itachi responded calmly. "I was just getting to that." Tsunade turned to address Itachi. "As I was saying before, we found the issue with your body. The condition of your heart was too severe to cure..." "How long do I have left?" Itachi asked, not sounding very concerned, as he was already prepared. He had been prepared for a long time. Tsunade frowned. "You should have let me finish speaking...you are cured now. We performed a heart transplant. Luckily, we have a surplus of organs available in Konoha...thanks to a certain someone who doesnt know how to take prisoners..." "That''s great!" Shizune exclaimed. "Cured?...That''s not possible." Itachi said. "I was told that I could not be cured...I..." "Told by who? Some backwater healer in a small village?" Tsunade scoffed. "Who do you think you are talking with? I am Tsunade Senju, and there is nothing I cannot fix." Shizune had to stifle a chuckle. "...That''s..." Itachi didn''t know what to say. He felt conflicted right now. "I''m going to live?" Tsunade and Shizune understood what he was thinking. Itachi''s physical condition may be fixed, but his biggest problem right now were his mental scars. This was a man who had lost everything - his clan, his brother, and his reason to live. "Your mental trauma is something we can work on." Tsunade glanced at her assistant. "Shizune here has been trained to assist in mental healing. She will be helping you from now on." "I''m not sure I want that..." Itachi didn''t even know what he wanted anymore. Before this, he just wanted to die in battle at least. But Naruto denied him that as well. "That will take time. However..." Tsunade raised a finger. "I am hoping this will help." She got closer and began to remove the bandages around Itachi''s eyes. "What are you doing?" Itachi asked. "Wh-...!" His words became stuck in his mouth when he began to perceive light as the layers of bandages began to be pulled away. "This can''t be..." He had assumed that he was blind after pushing his eyes to their limit during his fight with Naruto. "I should be blind." "That is correct...you should." Tsunade finished pulling the bandages away. Itachi looked around in disbelief. He could see perfectly. But then he noticed that something was off. He brought his hands closer to his eyes. "These...these are not mine." "Correct. We have recently recovered several Sharingans. The two I have implanted in you were the ones in the best condition." Tsunade had initially prepared these for Naruto, since he wanted to have them implanted. But recently, he seemed to have changed his mind and his interest had switched to something else. So she used them to replace Itachi''s original Sharingan, which had been worn out by overusing them. "I hope you are more careful with those. We don''t have many to spare any longer." Tsunade warned him. "Where did these come from? It was Danzo...right? That bastard stole them from my clan." Itachi''s voice became filled with anger. The tomoe in his eyes began to spin around. "Correct. He had implanted several eyes on his body. We were able to recover just a few that were still usable. But the ones in you...came from someone else. I thought it would be more appropriate for you to have them." "Why? Who did they belong to?" Itachi asked. "They are Sasuke''s." Tsunade responded. Despite all the strain from the fight with Naruto, the pair of Sharingan eyes were still in very good condition when Naruto brought the head back to her. They were much better than any of the eyes recovered from Danzo. "Sasuke...why?" Itachi muttered. "I thought you would prefer to have them, instead of letting them rot in some container." Tsunade responded. Itachi remained silent after that. "Lady Tsunade...I believe Itachi needs some time alone." Shizune suggested. "That is fine. I have much to do, but before leaving, allow me to say something else." Tsunade stood up. "The charges against you have been dropped and your name has been removed from the bingo book. But your face and name are still those of a known criminal among the population of Konoha, so it would be better if you used some disguise...if you plan to go outside." "Can I go anywhere I want?" Itachi asked. He had expected to be held prisoner in Konoha. "I''m sure the old council would have complained. But you will soon find out that Konoha has changed a lot lately. We have a new Council of Elders and a crazy guardian. Even the citizens are changing, but things take time. You are a free man, Itachi. You and your clan have been wronged by this village...it''s the least we can do for you. Even if you want to leave the village, we won''t stop you. But it would be best if you take some time to recover and think things through properly before making a decision." Shizune approached him. "I will be staying close by. If you need anything, just ring the bell next to your table." She said with a warm smile. The two women left the room, leaving the tired ninja to rest. Itachi had now been given another chance to live. But he needed to think about what he wanted to do with it...a reason to live after having lost everything. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Extra Chapter 272: Ino III – 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 272: Ino III - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be a smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. Deep inside Naruto''s Cultivation Cave Ino was sitting crosslegged on top of a comfortable-looking cushion...and she was completely naked. "Mmm..." Her voice was becoming increasingly louder. Naruto was standing right behind her. "Stop moaning so much. you are suppose to concentrate on circulation the natural chakra properly." He scolded her again. "Then stop shoving your fingers inside my pussy!" Ino snapped, opened her eyes and glared back at him. "That would defeat the purpose of this training." He moved another finger inside her while his other hand worked its way across her round ass cheeks. "You need to isolate any distractions and keep your chakra moving at the right pace." "Fine!" She closed her eyes and tried again. Ino was doing her best to ignore the waves of please washing over her as Naruto touched her with his skilled fingers. She brought in some of the natural energy in the surroundings and began to move along with her own. Dark marks appeared beneath her eyes as she entered the Sage Mode. "Focus...focus..." she repeated. "Good, just like that. You are doing great." Naruto used his thumb to rub her clit and saw her biting her lip. He knew she was getting close to an orgasm, so he decided to try something. "Ahh!...Naruto!" Ino screamed while jumping up from her seat. "You!." He had to hurry up and clear the natural energy from her body before it could harm her. "You broke your concentration completely." "You shove your fingers into my ass!" She screamed. "My job was to distract you. Yours was to ignore it." Ino frowned "I can''t ignore that" "Why not?. I put bigger things into your ass before." Naruto asked. "That''s..." She turned around and hid her face. "I was not expecting it this time." Naruto''s eyes moved across her naked body. He now had a clear view of her perfectly shaped curves and it was getting him in the mood. So he walked closer and grabbed her from behind. "Naruto?" Ino got surprised by the sudden touch. "I believe need a different kind of training then." He grasped her breasts from behind while using his other hand to stimulate her crouch. "Ohh!...that feels good!" Ino was feeling very sensitive after being so close to an orgasm before. Her pussy was still soaking wet. Naruto reseased his grip on her . "Put your hands against that pillar over there." He pointed ahead. Ino was so horny that she didn''t question anything and did as told. She walked a few steps towards the beautifully decorated stone pillar and placed her hands on its surface while pulling her ass out in a suggestive manner. She then looked back at Naruto, who had just finished taking off his robes, and smiled. "Do you want this?." She shook her ass a bit. "I do..." Naruto approached her, took his hard cock, and guided it inside her. "Ahh!,yes!" Ino moaned loudly. She did not have to care about the noise in this place. Naruto pounded her from behind with no mercy, as he knew she could take this much. "Do you like this this?." He asked while moving his dick out, before shoving it all the way inside her inviting hole. "Yes!, Yes!. I love it!." Ino cried in ecstasy. He kept driving his cock inside her pussy while grabbing onto her ass checks for several more minutes until they reached their climax. "Ohh!..fuck me, yes!" Ino screamed as a massive orgasm made her legs tremble, and she felt Naruto''s cock unloading inside her, filling her insides with his warm cum. He had to hold onto her so she would not fall when her legs gave up. Naruto was grabbing her from her waist while she rested her head and arms on the pillar. Then...a thought came to her mind all of a suddded. "Wait...you are not a clone, arent you?. Naruto was surprised by the sudden question. "What are you talking about?. Of course not." There were certain things that he wanted to experience personaly. "I mean..." She turned her face around. "I thought you were using a clone to train me in natural energy." "Normally, I do. But this time I came in person to...wait, you thought I was a clone and let me fuck you?." "I wasn''t sure. That''s why I asked." She huffed. "I never even thought about using my clones for this purpose. There are certain activities that I prefer to do in person." Naruto told her. "But...could you do it?. Can your clones do it?" Ino continued insisting on the same topic. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to try it? Is that what you are saying? A clone wouldn''t be different from myself in that regard...I suppose." "Is not that, but...we could try other things if ther were two of you." Ino suggested with a mischievous smile. "Oh...I see." Naruto understood what she meant. From a puff of smoke, a copy of Naruto appeared next to him. The clone was already completely naked and his dick was rock-hard. Ino''s eyes moved to his massive cock as he moved to the other side, sitting himself behind her. The real Naruto grabbed her and pulled her away from the pillar, and Ino saw with excitement as the clone got closer to her. Now she was sandwiched between the real Naruto at the front and a clone at her back. "You want this?." Naruto asked to make sure. Ino licked her lips. "Give it to me." Naruto grabbed hold of her ass and lifted her in the air while driving his stiff cock inside her soaked pussy once more. Ino then felt the clone fingering her asshole for a few seconds, before sensing something much bigger entering her a moment later. "Ahh!" She moaned loudly. Naruto began to fuck her soaked pussy while the clone worked her asshole, shoving their dicks all the way into her loins. "Ohhh!, Ohhh!. This is...this feels!..." Ino screamed with pleasure. She had never felt so filled, taking two dicks at the same time was a whole new experience for her. "Harder!, fuck me harder!" Her screams would resound into the cave walls for the next two hours as she was relentlessly pounded by the two Narutos. Chapter 273: Alarm Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 273: Alarm "I''m exhausted..." Ino laid back on the cushion after spending all her energy on their ''activities''. "You need to work on your stamina." Naruto went to sit down at a nearby spot. "Mmm... forget about my stamina, shouldn''t you be doing some real training?" she asked. "That was real training." Naruto responded. "Naruto... we spent most of the day fucking..." Ino raised an eyebrow. "Not that I''m complaining, but..." Naruto''s chakra began to flare. "You may find it hard to believe, but I am capable of multitasking. I finished assimilating all the chakra I got from the Seven-Tailed Beast." "Oh? I don''t see any difference in your chakra." Ino commented. "I''m still containing most of it. Let''s see..." Naruto allowed his cultivation to burst out. He was reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage now, and he had never felt so powerful before, not even during his previous lifetime, with centuries of cultivation as a foundation. This went to show just how incredible his ''Cosmic Assimilation'' cultivation method was. The product from the Golden Scripture was likely something outside the normal ranks used by cultivators. His body became enveloped in a golden aura that resulted for the mixture of all the energies accumulated inside his body. The entire cave shook under the pressure that was being created by merely releasing some of his power. "Kami!" Ino could only feel a fraction of the effects on herself, as Naruto was purposely shielding her, and it was still enough to make her entire body tremble. "Wait, slow down!" She shouted. Naruto looked down at himself, it felt liberating to release his cultivation in such a way. ''This is further than I have ever reached... but I still have a long way to go. I won''t stop... I cannot stop until I achieve my goal.'' He was approaching the Spirit Transformation Stage. At that point, the soul undergoes an important change, one that allows for memories of all past lives and reincarnations that the soul had experienced, to return at once, allowing the cultivator to learn everything that all their past selves had known. Naruto had the feeling that he would finally come to understand many important things about himself when he reached that stage, and he was now so close... just one more Bijuu should do it. "Naruto, the cave!" He heard Ino''s shouting and put the restraints back on his power. The golden aura surrounding his body began to diminish, and the ground stopped shaking. "Phew... I thought we were going to be buried alive..." Ino huffed. "Not a chance. I''ve made this cave sturdy enough to withstand much more than that. A bit of shaking won''t collapse it," Naruto told her. "So... what did you think?" "What did I think? That was scary as heck. But you know I don''t understand much of that cultivation stuff. Compared to the ninja ranking, how far do you think you are?" Ino asked. "The ninja ranking? That only goes to Kage level, right? Like Jiraiya, Tsunade, or Orochimaru... I''m already way past that stage," Naruto said. "Well... it is said that the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara were on another level compared to the other Kages, but I don''t know if there are still ninjas of that caliber left in the world." Ino was wondering if there was anyone out there who could face Naruto at this point, but she didn''t want to word it like that. "One should never get complacent and lower their guard," Naruto said firmly. "And I do believe there are still powerful individuals left in this world. In fact... one of them is about to arrive at Konoha." "Wait... what?" Ino looked at him with shock at the sudden comment. "What are you talking about? Who?" "The supposed Leader of Akatsuki, Pain. I''ve set up a perimeter with hundreds of clones. I''ve been receiving information about his appearance for the past couple of minutes. He is moving really fast..." "The Leader of Akatsuki is coming to Konoha?! You mean the one who killed Lord Jiraiya?" Naruto nodded. "That same one. He should be there in... thirty seconds." "Then what are we waiting for? We have to go back!" Ino snapped. Naruto glanced at her. "I''ll come pick you up once I''m done." Ino''s eyes opened wide. "No... you can''t leave me here! I want t" Naruto disappeared from the cave. "Damn it... Naruto!!" Ino screamed. <><><><><><><><><><><><><> Konoha, Commercial District "Give me another bowl of pork ramen, Teuchi." Kakashi requested. "Comming up!" Teuchi poured the soup into the bowl and then carefully placed the noodles and toppings. "By the way, I forgot to congratulate you." Kakashi looked up at the man. "What for?" "Your promotion, of course!" He put the bowl down. "Aren''t you like a big shot in the village now?. That''s what I heard, at least." "You heard that?." Kakashi was surprised he knew. This was not a commonly spread piece of information. "That''s right!" Maito Gai, who was sitting at Kakashi''s side, jumped in to answer. "My rival has become part of the Elder Council of the village. In order not to lose, I will also have to become one very soon." He said with enthusiasm. "Yeah... I don''t see that happening," Asuma said before turning to the woman at his right. "What do you think?" Kurenai chuckled. "Please... you''re going to make me choke on my noodles." She could not imagine Gai as an Elder, sitting on the council and guiding the Hokage. "By the way..." Ayame, the daughter of Teuchi, glanced at the four Jonin. "It''s very rare to have four Jonin eating here together. Did something happen?" "To be fair... many things have happened in these last weeks," Kakashi said. "Ayame, don''t be silly," Teuchi scoffed. "If something important had occurred, they wouldn''t be able to tell you. Jonin needs to keep all sorts of vital information secret." "I mean... yes, but there have been a lot of rumors lately." She didn''t want to mention the war, but that was the most popular one. She hoped nothing else had occurred. "Don''t worry about those rumors," Kakashi could tell what she was thinking. "Whatever happens... we will keep this village safe." "That''s right!" Gai shouted. "The Blue Beast will never allow anyone to harm this place or its citizens." Just then, they all heard a loud sound spreading around, it was similar to a siren. Everyone present was familiar with that sound. It was the same one that sounded eighteen years ago... when the Nine-Tailed Beast was unleashed on Konoha. "We''re under attack," Kakashi said. "I see some smoke near the Hokage building!" Kurenai exclaimed. "Everyone!" Asuma stood up. "Let''s go!" said Maito Gai. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 274: Pain Is Here Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 274: Pain Is Here Tsunade rushed outside the building and quickly spotted the invader. He was a man with spiky orange hair and wore the Akatsuki cloak. On his skin, she spotted several of those black pieces of metal they found on the corpse brought here by the toads. This clearly revealed the identity of this individual... the Leader of Akatsuki had come here in person to her village. "Sound the alarm," Tsunade ordered without hesitation to the ANBU agents around her. The Akatsuki Leader turned around and looked at them, particularly staring at Tsunade. "I didn''t expect the Hokage to come out so soon... I thought I would have to torture at least a few more of your ninjas to do that." Tsunade noted a person lying at Pain''s feet, she recognized him as Ebisu, a Tokubetsu Jonin who was in charge of training new recruits. ''He is alive.'' Tsunade saw his chest move and felt relief. She could not allow anyone to die. Knowing the severity of the situation, she immediately grasped the ''Formula Kunai'' that Naruto left with her and activated it with her chakra. He had mentioned to her that he was going to spend a few days away from the village because he needed to meditate, but this was an emergency, and he must be called back. "Lady Tsunade..." The four remaining ANBU agents around her were shifting nervously. They could tell how powerful this person was, and their instincts were likely telling them to avoid a fight. "Don''t engage directly. We must gain a bit of time," she told them. "I honestly don''t care about any of you, no offense, Lady Hokage. " Pain spoke again. "But you know what I''m here for... just tell me where Naruto Uzumaki is, and no one else will have to die today." "Have we met before? You look familiar," Tsunade told him. This was not a mere bluff to gain time, he really did look familiar. She was sure she had seen this young man years ago with Jiraiya. "So you remember me," Pain said. "You were one of the boys that Jiraiya rescued from the Land of Rain, Yahiko, I think... how could you, of all people... kill him..." Tsunade clenched her fists. "I am no longer that naive boy you met on that day... I have grown, and I have become something more. I have become God now! A God who will restore order to this corrupt land, and break its cursed cycle of hatred." Pain said while extending his hands in the air. "A God?..." Tsunade scoffed. "I''m not much of the religious type, so don''t expect me to bow." She got ready to attack. "Tsunade-sama!" "We should be the ones to take risks." "Let us do the fighting, please." "Give us the order, and we will assist you." The four ANBU next to her said. "So be it... if you wish to pursue this foolish idea of opposing a superior being like me, I will show you the consequences." Pain''s body began to levitate in the air. "Do we have to intercept him?" "What do we do?" Tsunade shook her head. "Never mind... he is already here. What took you so long?" she said. "This world shall know pain!" The Leader of Akatsuki rose further into the air. "I don''t know about the world... but you are about to suffer quite a bit of that." Pain suddenly felt the presence of someone right behind him. Before he could turn around to see, he was hit on the back of his head and sent toward the ground with incredible force. "Deva Path!" He used his power to manipulate gravity and stop his descent, but even after pushing his power near its limit, he was only able to slow down the fall. Crash! Pain''s body impacted the ground and created a small crater, sending a cloud of dust and smoke into the sky. Naruto landed next to Tsunade. "I thought you would have arrived instantly..." she said. "It took me like five seconds to assess the situation... did someone die already? Because that would be pathetic... oh..." He then saw the body of Ebisu just a short distance away from where Pain had landed. "He is not dead. But we should get him out of there." Tsunade made a gesture for one of the ANBU to take the instructor away. "There are other puppets entering the village. They should be here any second," Naruto told her. "That''s what delayed me. I had to put all the information from my clones in order." "Puppets?... You mean that guy was just a puppet?" one of the ANBU asked. "So you figured it out too?" Tsunade knew about this because they had deciphered the code left behind by Jiraiya. This one warned them that the real one was not among them, meaning that all the ''Pains'' he fought were nothing but puppets, controlled by those metallic bars embedded into their bodies. They were all dead already. She would have told this to Naruto, but he specifically informed her that he had no interest in hidden messages and wanted to figure out things as he fought against Pain. "Of course I have. I can sense every source of energy in a very large radius. I even know where the real" "Summoning Jutsu!" "Five enemies at six o''clock!" the agents warned them. They could see five dark-cloaked figures approaching quickly toward them. One of them formed hand signs and brought into existence two massive beasts that immediately descended upon them. "Chidori!" "Dynamic Entry!" Kakashi and Maito Gai attacked the two beasts before they reached the Hokage and her guards. They didn''t disappear, but their path was moved away from their initial course toward the Hokage and Naruto. "Lady Tsunade." "Are you injured?" Asuma and Kurenai arrived at her side. Tsunade shook her head. "I am fine. I need you all to make sure the rest of the village does not suffer any danger. I believe the situation here is under con" "Oh, I almost forgot!" Naruto exclaimed. "W-what did you forget?" Tsunade asked. He had made a promise to the Toad Clan Elders to bring them here when he faced Pain. Seeing that other guy summoning the two beasts had just served as a reminder. An intense golden aura surrounded Naruto as he concentrated a massive amount of chakra. "W-what is he going to summon?" Asuma glanced at him with concern. "What a ridiculous amount of chakra..." Kurenai said in disbelief. "Summoning Jutsu... Mount Myoboku!" Naruto roared. The sky was covered in darkness all of a sudden. "Did he said ''Mount''?..." Asuma asked. "What is that?" Kurenai pointed up. "That looks like..." Kakashi started. "What is a mountain doing there?" Gai added. The entirety of Mount Myoboku was now floating in the sky above Konoha, with its peak pointing downward toward them. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 275: Naruto vs Pain Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 275: Naruto vs Pain "This may have been a bit overkill..." Naruto muttered as he watched dozens of toads fell from the mountain and into the village. " I only needed to call the two Elders." "Mmm...I don''t believe our help is much needed here," Kakashi said. He watched as the beast he had knocked up was struggling to stand when, out of nowhere, a massive toad fell on its head and drove a sword through it. "Gamadachi...right?" Kakashi asked. "Oh, Mister Kakashi, it''s an honor seeing you again." The giant toad gave him a bow. A short distance away, two more toads landed next to the other summoned beast and hit it with a barrage of attacks. Gamahiro wielded two swords, while Gamaken had a giant hammer and a metallic shield at his side. The five puppets commanded by Pain were able to understand that time was of the essence. They were not going to win a long fight against two entire ninja villages - one of humans and another of toads. So they made the prompt decision to rush directly at Naruto, hoping for a quick victory that would allow them to take him away. This was the only objective from the beginning. Pain was willing to sacrifice all six of his puppets if that''s what it took to capture Naruto. As long as he could accomplish that, nothing else mattered. Naruto saw them approaching and just gave Tsunade a signal to stay away. He didn''t want to worry about hitting others with any of his moves as he fought. But just then, he saw two small toads land on his shoulders. "Fukasaku, Shima...I promised that I would call you when facing Pain, and I did," Naruto said. "But I thought you were going to be watching from the sidelines. There is no need t-" "Nonsense! We can help you!" Shima said. "Yes, we have some experience facing these enemies. Each one of them has a particularly dangerous ability. Like that one...he can s-" "Summon things...I already know that one." Just as Naruto said this, that same puppet performed another summoning. This time he brought forth a massive rhinoceros. Or something that looked like it. "Hmph!" Gamabunta landed in front of the beast and tore it to shreds with his sword. "You called the entire clan to face these lowly creatures? Is that all we''re good for now?" The Toad Lord complained. "No, I mostly called the clan to watch as I destroy the one who killed Jiraiya. I thought you guys would like to see that," Naruto told Gamabunta. "But you can also help make sure the village doesn''t suffer much damage during the fight. I''m sure Tsunade will compensate you with several barrels of sake." "Mmm...I suppose I can''t say no to that." Gamabunta responded. "Hold on, Naruto! How much can that toad drink? My reserves are not limitless!" Tsunade shouted. "Naruto, be careful with that one!" Fukasaku warned him as he saw one of the puppets approaching. He was the largest one of them all and had his palms extended in a peculiar manner. "He can absorb chakra attacks, so don''t use ninjutsu against him," Shima added. "Okay..." Naruto extended his arm and manifested a growing sphere of chakra that began to shine brightly with a blue hue. The giant Rasengan was then shot out toward the large man, along with a small kunai. "Naruto!" "We just told you not to do that!" The toads were not too happy with his actions right now. But he paid them no mind. Naruto observed as the man used his open palms to stop the Rasengan and began to absorb all the chakra like it was the most delicious meal. "You like that, huh?" Unfortunately, he was too distracted to notice that a kunai had also landed right in front of him. Naruto used his new favorite technique to teleport to the kunai''s position and found himself sandwiched between the large man''s arms and his own Rasengan that was spinning behind him. Right now there was only a bit of chakra left and it had lost most of its volume. "What?!" "How?!" The toads on his shoulders must have felt disoriented and confused for a moment since they weren''t expecting that move. Naruto grabbed hold of the man''s wrists and as soon as his Rasengan disappeared, he jumped and put his feet on his face. He then extended his body and pulled, using all the strength given to him by his cultivation, plus Sage Mode. In a fraction of a second, the two arms that Naruto had been gripping were pulled from their sockets and were ripped apart as the large man was sent tumbling backwards. Naruto then kicked the kunai on the ground as he allowed the two arms to fall from his grip. The four other puppets were rushing to the aid of their partner. "Too slow." Naruto disappeared again. The kunai was still mid-air as he moved to it and was now passing by the side of the dismembered puppet. Naruto formed another Rasengan and brought it up to the man''s face. This time, the Preta Path puppet had no way to absorb his chakra and Naruto''s jutsu made direct impact on the middle of his face. The chakra from the Rasengan spun with tremendous violence under Naruto''s command and tore through everything it made contact with...bones...flesh. Nothing stopped it before it went completely through the head, leaving nothing but a bloody mess behind. The puppet collapsed on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood, and Naruto stood at its side with a grin of satisfaction on his face. "You know...when you tell me that I can''t do something...I take that as a challenge." There was a long silence after that. Everyone was staring at him in disbelief. The elders told him not to use ninjutsu against this one, so he went out of his way to kill him using only ninjutsu. "I don''t know what to say..." Shima shook her head. "I think Jiraiya would have been proud," added Fukasaku. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 276: Perfect Coordination Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 276: Perfect Coordination "Hmm, don''t get too confident because you destroyed one of my puppets. They can easily be replaced... in the end, my power is limitless!" The one who spoke was the strangest-looking puppet. This one barely looked human and possessed an extra pair of arms. Mechanical noises sounded as the puppet opened its two extra arms, revealing the barrel of some type of firearm underneath. From one of them, a barrage of metallic bullets emerged, and Naruto blocked them with a shield made of wind chakra. From the other, metallic cables shot out, attempting to bind his body. At the same time, the other puppets began to move as well. The Animal Path summoned two more gigantic beasts, while the Human Path ran at full speed toward Naruto. Meanwhile, the Naraka Path used its ability to summon a massive head they called the King of Hell. This entity was capable of bringing people back to life, though Pain mostly used it to restore his lost puppets. The target was clearly the Preta Path puppet Naruto had just destroyed. Fukasaku panicked when he saw that. "Naruto, don''t let that one finish!" he shouted while pointing at the large summoned head. "The King of Hell will continue to bring back the ones you destroy. There will be no end to it," Shima added. "Mmm... I see, so this is what the Rinnegan can do," Naruto commented as he avoided the metal cables. "Each puppet follows a different path. Deva, Asura, Human, Animal, Preta, and Naraka. The six Buddhist Paths of Reincarnation." "You are familiar with us," the Human Path appeared behind him. "That won''t help you." It reached for Naruto, attempting to pull his soul from his body - killing him in the process. Pain''s logic was that all the chakra Naruto had absorbed from the Bijuu should still be sealed inside his body, making this the easiest method to obtain what they wanted. What Pain didn''t know was that Naruto had already reached the point in cultivation where all accumulated energy fused with his soul itself. Had he succeeded in this task, he would have been left with an empty shell of a body. Naruto felt his soul stir and understood what this puppet was attempting. A smile appeared on his face. "You have no idea how pointless your attempt is..." His soul had been reinforced to an absolute extreme, as he was already reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. The Human Path''s ability was meant to work on normal human souls. At this point, trying to forcefully pull Naruto''s soul from his body would be like trying to drag an elephant with a sewing thread. The puppet made an expression of surprise when it finally realized the futility of its actions. It didn''t have much time to be surprised, though. Naruto snapped his fingers, and its entire upper torso was blown away by a blast of wind. He then threw a kunai into the air while moving away before the two dog-like beasts could reach him. The kunai exploded into a rain of cloned formula kunai. Now he could move anywhere he wanted. "Careful!" "He''s not dead!" The two toads on his shoulders let out sounds of panic when they saw another Pain appear behind him. This was the first one Naruto had defeated - the Deva Path he''d punched into a crater. It was now standing up and aiming its ability at him. The puppet had been waiting for the opportune moment to rise. "Almighty Push!" The ground around Naruto broke apart from the pressure, and he felt his body becoming a thousand times heavier. Naruto considered standing in place to fight this gravity, but quickly remembered the two toads on his shoulders. They wouldn''t withstand this pressure for more than a second, so he used the Flying Thunder God jutsu to teleport away from the high-gravity area the Deva Path had created. He appeared on the other side just in time to see the giant head opening its mouth, from which a large man emerged. This was the Preta Path - the one who absorbed chakra attacks, whom Naruto had just destroyed with a Rasengan. The puppet was now in pristine shape again. "Naruto, you need to destroy that one first," Fukasaku said with difficulty, as he was still recovering from the gravity attack. Shima the added. "There will be no end to this otherwise. He''ll then bring back the Human Path you just killed," the toads stated the obvious problem. Naruto was about to respond when a rocket shot toward him. He blocked it with another wind shield, but this one exploded into a cloud of smoke. The two summoned beasts were almost upon him already, and a third one, a giant bird had now joined the fray. "This is starting to annoy me..." He had to admit all the puppets complemented each other quite well, covering their flaws and coordinating attacks perfectly. He could understand why Jiraiya had fallen to such an opponent. But he was already in a different level. First, he created a clone to pick up the two toads and carry them away. "Wait!" "What are you doing?!" the toads complained. "Sorry, but you''ll have to watch from the sidelines for a bit. I need to get serious, and what I''m about to do would likely kill you." The aura around Naruto began to change, growing more intense. The shockwave of energy emanating from his body pushed away the smoke cloud and even the two massive dogs trying to bite him. Everyone around him felt their blood ran cold. The energy emanating from his body was enough to put everyone on high alert. "What..." Kakashi muttered, his uncovered sharigan was locked on the figure of Naruto. "Is this the Kyubi''s chakra?." Kurenai asked. "No, this is something else..." Gai responded. "I can feel natural energy in there." Tsunade commented. As someone who had dabbled in the path of the Sage, he was familiar with it. "This is much more than that..." Fukasaku spoke. He had been the one who taugh Naruto how to become a Sage. "I never expected for him to take things this far in such a short amomunt of time." "What do you mean?." Tsunade asked. Shima was the one who answered. " He means that Naruto was already using the Sage Mode before, he has perfected the method to a degree that allows him to be in a permanent Sage Mode, just like the original user was able to do...the Sage of the Six Paths." " But what he is doing now is something else...this is more than just a combination of yin, yang, and natural energies... I think he is adding something else now." Fukasaku said. Naruto''s calm voice resonated across the area as his body became encased in a golden aura. "Pain... let me show you the difference between someone pretending to be a god and someone aiming to become one." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 277: The Great Sage Chapter 277: The Great Sage Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 277: The Great Sage The energy emanating from Naruto could no longer be called chakra. It was a combination of several sources, all perfectly melded together, refined and purified by his own cultivation method. As he approached the realm of a Spirit Transformation cultivator, the energy contained in his body and soul was going to go through several changes. The ultimate goal was to refine his own Divine Energy. This was a necessary step before a mortal could perform their Apotheosis and become a real ''Immortal''. Naruto, however, was already several steps ahead of what would be considered normal at this stage of cultivation. Thanks to possessing an incredibly powerful Divine Artifact and his Cosmic Assimilation technique that allowed him to absorb energy from all sources, he was able to seep a small amount of Divine Energy from the Golden Scripture and combine it with his own. The amount of Divine Energy in his system could be considered absolutely tiny, but anything else would have killed him on the spot. However, even those small traces were able to transform and enhance his cultivation far beyond what would normally be possible. The golden aura surrounding his body was the result of this union. Yin Chakra, Yang Chakra, Natural Energy, and Divine Energy. With this, he was able to push his body beyond what it should be capable of. All his chakra gates were now fully open. This is what they referred to as the ''Eight Gates'' technique, the kinjutsu that usually ends with the death of the user. But for Naruto, it was different. His golden energy caused him no harm, no matter how much he channeled through his veins. In fact, it healed him constantly, fixing any imperfections or wounds he could have. This was a side effect of the ''Life Chi'' contained within the Natural Energies flowing through him. However, even with that tremendous amount of energy coursing through his veins and manifesting on the outside as an aura, everything around Naruto remained extremely calm and serene. There were no violent outbursts of metaphysical forces. "What is going on?" Asuma and the rest were staring in awe at the figure of Naruto. "There is something different... I don''t know what he has done, but his chakra has completely changed." Kakashi had uncovered his Sharingan and used it to examine his former student. "It''s beautiful..." Kurenai commented, earning a look from Asuma. Naruto''s long blonde hair was floating as if it were underwater and shone with a golden light. Even his piercing blue eyes had adopted the same golden tone as the aura surrounding him. This was also affecting Pain himself. He had suddenly stopped his assault, and all his puppets stood in place, staring at him, as if he wasn''t sure what to do now. "Have you lost your will to fight already?... No, it''s too soon for that." Naruto''s golden eyes moved to the large head they called the King of Hell. As long as it remained intact, Pain would be able to reform his puppets. Naruto lifted his left hand, and something made of his own golden chakra formed above the Naraka Path puppet, the one who controlled the head. The other puppets reacted immediately and went to protect their most important member. "Pointless." Naruto''s construction took the shape of a massive hand that went on to grab the head with a powerful grip. Before Pain could make it release its hold on the head, it was crushed into a bloody pulp and disappeared. As the golden hand vanished, it left behind a series of seals. "You won''t be able to call it again." Naruto told them. The Deva Path flew into the air, while the rest went directly for Naruto. This one looked up. "You think I''ll let you do that?" Dozens of clones came into existence all around Naruto and engaged in combat with the puppets as he flew into the sky after the Deva Path one, who was going to use his control over gravity in a desperate attempt to cause as much damage as possible. Naruto had to stop this one first because he was the most likely to cause collateral damage with his ability. Deva Path Pain looked down at the approaching Naruto and immediately made use of his full power. "Almighty Push!" Naruto made a gesture with his right hand. "Great Sage Art... Buddha Palm." A massive golden palm appeared in front of him and intercepted Pain''s attempt to break everything apart. The palm then continued traveling until it made contact with the Deva Path puppet. The palm then closed instantly, trapping the puppet in its grasp. The energy forming the palm became more violent and unstable. "Boom!" A powerful explosion covered the sky in flames and smoke. When it cleared up, there was no trace left of the Deva Path puppet. Naruto looked down and saw one of his clones destroying the Human Path puppet. This one only had power over human souls and could do nothing to his clone, so it had become an easy target. The Naraka Path went next. Since it had lost its ability to call the King of Hell and resurrect the other puppets, its usefulness in combat was none, and it became another easy prey to his clones. Naruto teleported behind the Animal Path one and drove a Rasengan through its back. As soon as the puppet went down, all the summoned creatures disappeared as well. The Asura Path was putting up a decent fight, with all its mechanical limbs and firearms. It managed to dispel two clones before it went down. The last one left was the Preta Path puppet...the first one that Naruto had destroyed. "I hate having to kill things twice..." He sent his clones to tear it apart without using any ninjutsu. And with that... all Six Paths had been defeated. Once he had taken away their ability to recover the destroyed puppets, they all came crashing down very quickly. "You did it! You defeated Pain." Maito Gai cheered. "Is that really all? It seems a bit underwhelming for the leader of Akatsuki." Kakashi felt that something was missing. "It''s not all." Tsunade knew better. "Naruto, the message that Jiraiya left behind..." "I know." He interrupted her. "These were all toys, controlled from afar by the real Pain." "Wait, so the real one was not among these?" Asuma asked. "I can deploy all the available agents to try to find him. He shouldn''t be too far from here." Tsunade suggested. "There is no need." Naruto''s golden eyes looked into the distance, and he smiled. He could feel his exact location. "Like the Hyu?ga likes to say... you are inside my range." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 278: Face to Face Chapter 278: Face to Face Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 278: Face to Face Naruto flew out of the village, following the chakra signature that could only belong to the real Pain. He could feel the traces of Divine Energy on his target, even from several miles away. "There..." Naruto looked toward the thickest part of the Konoha forest. There was a large tree with a hollow trunk... inside it was Pain, as well as someone else he was not familiar with. "Huh?" Just as he was about to resume his flight, he spotted the ground moving beneath him. Large pieces of rock shot into the air and flew toward him. Naruto avoided them, but more and more rocks began to circle around him. "You still have a few tricks... I see." This was the same power used by the Deva Path puppet. If he had to guess, the real one was able to make use of all the abilities from his puppets at the same time. "Then why not face me directly?... Why use those useless toys?" Naruto wondered for a moment as the rocks grouped together and trapped him inside a stone sphere. Naruto made his chakra explode outwards, decimating all the rocks around him and turning them to dust. "Why are you hiding?" Something moved in the forest, near the area where he had first detected Pain''s presence. Naruto descended to the ground and took a better look around. He could now detect more signatures in the area. They had appeared out of nowhere, but the real one had not moved from his spot. Six shadows leaped from the trees toward him. "Not this again." Naruto groaned when he saw six more puppets standing in his way. They were different from the ones before, so these must have been spare corpses he kept in storage in case the others were destroyed. They began the same strategy as before. The Naraka Path would summon their King of Hell, the Animal Path would call forth creatures, and the rest would protect them. "Enough." Naruto''s golden aura intensified, the previous serenity replaced by a violent outburst. He was no longer inside Konoha, so there was no need to worry about collateral damage. A small blue Rasengan manifested in front of him, quickly growing in size and shifting from blue to orange, then red. Sensing the danger, the puppets moved to attack, but Naruto was not alone...he was never alone. Hundreds of clones appeared around him, standing guard and preventing any puppet from getting close. The red Rasengan emitted increasing heat as it spun faster, its color shifting until it turned completely white. The sheer heat radiating from it began incinerating the surrounding forest. Then, Naruto released it, letting the sphere of destruction surge forward. He saw the Preta Path puppet rushing toward it. Naruto found it amusing. "Go on... try to absorb that. Let''s see how that works for you." The puppet did try. The moment its hands neared the fiery sphere, it expanded violently. The puppet''s arms were engulfed, the intense heat reducing them to cinders before consuming the rest of its body. Naruto made a subtle gesture, and the rotating sphere rose into the air, growing even larger and brighter. "Great Sage Art... Collapsing Star." The orb detonated instantly, unleashing an explosion that consumed everything in a fiery embrace. Naruto shielded himself with multiple layers of his turtle shell technique to avoid being burned by his own attack. This technique was a step above the ''Infernal Lotus'' he had used against Orochimaru. Back then, that had been his second most destructive technique, but now, he could do much more. His physical eyes couldn''t see past the blinding light, but his other senses told him everything he needed to know. The six puppets were gone. The chakra signatures of Pain and his companion had weakened drastically, they must have struggled just to survive. Part of him had expected that. It would have been a shame if those valuable eyes were lost... but if they couldn''t endure this, they weren''t worthy of him anyway. The light finally faded after a full minute, leaving behind a charred wasteland. For miles around, nothing remained...no trees, no life, only ash. Ahead of him stood a small black mound, all that remained of the massive tree where Pain had hidden. The only reason anything survived was because it had been protected. Naruto pointed at the mound and snapped his fingers. "Ahh!" A woman''s scream echoed as he obliterated their last barrier with a high-pressure blast of wind, pushing her away in the process. Revealed beneath it, was a short-haired woman in an Akatsuki cloak, blood pouring from her lips, her body trembling with exhaustion. But Naruto''s focus was on the other figure. A man with black hair, seemingly fused into a strange stone chair. Black metallic rods protruded from his back, and tubes connected him to the structure. ''No wonder he didn''t come to fight me in person. He can''t even move. That chair must be sustaining him somehow... and those rods are how he controlled the puppets.'' Naruto assessed the Akatsuki leader at a glance. "Naruto Uzumaki..." Pain''s voice was weary. "You are... much more than I expected..." Naruto took a step forward, and the woman immediately blocked his path, ready to fight to her last breath. "Konan, stay out of this," Pain ordered. "But Nagato" She glanced back at him. "I wish to speak with you, Naruto Uzumaki... if you would listen for a minute." Naruto crossed his arms. "You have one minute to say what you want... then your life is mine to take." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 279: To Bring Peace Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 279: To Bring Peace Naruto stared at Pain and the woman he had called Konan. She seemed to be ready to pounce on him at any moment. On the other hand, he noticed that Pain looked a lot more relaxed in comparison. This could mean that he had another trick up his sleeve, or perhaps...he had already given up and realized he had no chance of winning. "So you are the Leader of Akatsuki," Naruto fainly said. "Only in name...I merely accepted the responsibility," Pain responded. "Are you saying that someone else is in charge of the group?" "That is correct," Pain answered, earning a harsh look from Konan. "Who?" Naruto asked. "You will have to find that out yourself. But I doubt it would take long." Naruto could think of a few ways to make him talk, but he was not that interested in the answer to go through that effort. "But you are the one who killed Jiraiya." He noticed that Konan reacted at hearing that name. "I am..." Pain did not hesitate in his answer. "Was he important to you?" He did his best to pretend that he did not care about it. "You could say that. And there are few people who fall into that category." "Then you must want to avenge him," Pain responded. "There are several reasons for wanting to kill you. That is one of them." As Naruto said this, Konan stood in his way. "I won''t let you take him!" Konan shouted. She jumped and launched a kick aimed at his face. "I will kill you first!." Naruto blocked it with little effort before countering with a kick of his own. "Obviously, you cannot do that." "Urgg!" Konan groaned in pain as she felt some of her ribs break from the impact, but she was not deterred. Her arms began to transform into pieces of paper. "Maybe is not that obvious to you..." Naruto commented. "Konan, enough! I told you to stand back," Pain exclaimed with enough force to shake the ground. Even when he was nearing exhaustion, he was still a powerful individual. This seemed to have an effect on her, and she stopped her jutsu midway. Konan bit her lip and held her injured torso with one hand, but did not try to attack Naruto again. Naruto moved his eyes to Pain. "What did you want to tell me before you die? Let''s not drag this out unnecessarily." "Did you know that Jiraiya was also our sensei? We met him years ago, when the Country of Rain was still in the middle of an intense war. He saved us and taught us how to defend ourselves...he shared with us his values and ideals," Pain explained. "And killing him was your way to thank him for that?. And they say that I am the strange one." Naruto said. "Nagato never wanted to kill Sensei!" Konan snapped. "Konan...there is no need to defend my actions. I will take responsibility for what I did," Pain said. "But it is true that I would have preferred not to kill him. However...our goal was too important, and his efforts were putting it all at risk. I could not let him go... our mission is too crucial for that." "Akatsuki''s goal? You mean, other than gathering the Bijuu?" Naruto still didn''t know what their plans for the chakra beasts were. "What is it that you are trying to accomplish?" "Peace." "Is that a joke?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You don''t need to believe me, but that is the truth," Pain said. "You have no idea what we have gone through...what the war has done to us," Konan added. "When Nagato says that he wishes for peace...he means it." "And you were planning on using the Bijuu towards that purpose...how exactly?" Naruto was now curious. "Great power can serve as a deterrent. The First Hokage of Konoha knew this when he gave the Bijuu to all the major ninja villages. As long as each village had their weapons of mass destruction, they would avoid going to war against each other," Pain explained. "I''m not a history expert by any means, but...weren''t there already two more wars after that?" Naruto asked. "Yes, that didn''t work," Pain admitted. "Spreading the power in such a way only made people more greedy, eager to take what others had. But if all the weapons were held by a single entity...everyone would have no choice but to obey. Holding absolute power is the only way to enforce a lasting peace." "That''s the conclusion you reached?" Naruto shook his head. " You foolish boy." "It is the only way! You may have defeated me, but I still believe that my actions were correct. I fought to obtain peace...I fought to make the world a better place. You are the villain here for stopping me!" Pain exclaimed. Naruto shrugged. "Please...if you truly believe that, then you don''t know anything about the nature of people. A peace obtained with an iron fist would never last." "They wouldn''t have a choice! They would have to obey their God," Pain said. "And that''s why you are a foolish boy," Naruto responded. "The one thing that is more important to mortals than anything else...is freedom. If you take that away, they will reject it and fight you for it. No matter how powerful you are, they would still try to find a way to get rid of you." "Then they would die," Pain said. "Yes...then they would die, and you will rule over nothing. That''s where your road to peace ends." Naruto added. "No..." Pain shook his head. "This is...you are wrong! This is the way...the only way to break the curse of hatred that plagues this world. They need someone to guide them in the right direction." "Believe what you want. It doesn''t matter anymore." Naruto took a step forward. "Is that all you wanted to say?" "Then what is it that you are trying to accomplish?!" Pain shouted at him. "What is your goal? Why are you gathering all the Bijuu?" "Me?" Naruto asked. "I''m afraid I don''t have any lofty goals like yours. I just want to be stronger... break free from the shackles of mortality and see what lies beyond the Heavens. I have no intention of staying here and ruling over some mortal countries. That is not going to make anyone''s life better. Including mine." Pain remained silent for a moment. "I have lost to such a selfish person?..." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 280: Give Me Those Eyes Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 280: Give Me Those Eyes "Have you said everything you wanted to say? I think I''ve been generous enough to someone so little deserving of my mercy." Naruto raised his hand. "No! I won''t let you kill him!" Konan stood in his way once more. "Go ahead, try it." Naruto added. "Wait, I just have one small request for you," Nagato hurried to say. "You are not in a position to make requests," Naruto reminded him. "Just...urgg..." Nagato groaned. He had pushed his powers too far this time and knew that his end was near, even if Naruto did nothing. "I have something to give in exchange...the identity of the real Akatsuki leader." "I thought you wanted me to figure it out for myself," Naruto responded. "And honestly...I don''t really care who they are. Eventually, they will get in my way, I will kill them, and that will be the end of Akatsuki. It will be brief and underwhelming, and in a few years, no one will even remember you existed." "What about the location of the two Bijuu that are in Akatsuki''s possession?" Nagato suggested. "Now that...is more interesting." Naruto''s interest was piqued. "What do you want to request?" "I just want you to let Konan leave...don''t kill her," Nagato said. Naruto glanced at the girl. He didn''t care for her either. "Fine." "No! I won''t leave you here!" Konan shouted. "You will! Because there is no point in both of us dying here," Nagato told her before turning to Naruto. "North of here, between the borders of the Waterfall Village and the Sound Village, there is a mountain range at the end of a massive forest. It is called the Mountain Graveyard...there is a cave there, at the bottom of the tallest mountain." "A cave..." Naruto repeated. "The Bijuu are sealed inside a large statue. It will be well guarded," Nagato added. Naruto glanced at the girl. "What are you waiting for? Unless you want to stay and watch." "Konan...go," Nagato ordered her. "But..." She seemed hesitant. "Go!" Nagato used what little force he had left to scream. Giving them one last glance, she took off at full speed. "Thank you," Nagato told Naruto. "Now..." Naruto got closer to Nagato. "My eyes...will you take them?" "Why do you care? You''re not going to miss them," Naruto told him. "I don''t...but He will come for them if you do. He needs them for his plan." Naruto moved in front of Nagato. "Then ''He''...can try." <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> When he returned to Konoha, he found everyone waiting for him near the Hokage building. Even the toads were still there. "Oh...I forgot to cancel the summoning, didn''t I?" He noted that Mount Myo?boku could still be seen in the sky. "Hold on, I''ll fix that in a moment." "That can wait, Naruto," Fukasaku said. "Tell us...did you do it?" "Did you kill Pain?" Shima asked. Naruto glanced around. The Hokage, Kakashi, the ANBU agents, they were all waiting anxiously for the answer. "Are you really doubting me? Of course, he''s dead. You''ll find his body and his partner''s in the forest. I''m sure you''ll know where to look." He left several miles of burned forest out there. Yamato is going to have to work on restoring that. "Partner?" Asuma asked. "He didn''t come here by himself?" "There was another Akatsuki member with him. Some girl called...Konan, I believe." He had promised Pain to let her go, but there was no way he would allow an enemy to escape while he killed the other. That scenario always ended the same way...with the one who escaped returning years later, seeking revenge. The moment they had exchanged blows, Naruto had left a chakra mark on the girl, and after killing Nagato, all he had to do was send clones after her. She was too exhausted to put up much of a fight. "Konan...I think I remember meeting a girl with that name," Tsunade muttered. "So she is dead too..." "We saw a large explosion from here," Kakashi said. "The Konoha forest will need some replanting," was all Naruto said to that. "So it''s done...Jiraiya has been avenged," Fukasaku said with a sad tone. "I told you it was just a matter of time. Now it''s done," Naruto responded to the toad elder. "We should return now," Shima looked up at the sky. "The natural energy from Mount Myo?boku will begin to affect the village if the connection isn''t closed soon." Naruto looked upward and willed the connection to break. A moment later, the mountain disappeared from the sky, and all the toads that came from it vanished in puffs of smoke. Tsunade turned to the ANBU agents next to her. "You know what to do. Scout the forest and bring back anything useful you find." "Don''t bother looking for that guy''s head. You won''t find it," Naruto told them before they could leave. "Speaking of..." He glanced at Tsunade. "I need some alone time with our beloved Hokage." <><><><><><><><><> He was lying down in a private room of the hospital. Next to him was Tsunade, fully dressed in her healer attire. "Are you completely sure about this?" Tsunade glanced at the decapitated head on the table. Nagato''s eyes were wide open, and even in death, she could feel the residual energy of the Rinnegan. "Of course I am," Naruto said. "From what you described...it sounds like the Rinnegan consumed Nagato''s vitality until he couldn''t move from that chair he was attached to. These legendary eyes originated from the Sage of the Six Paths...I don''t think they''re meant for humans to use," Tsunade said with concern. "Luckily for me, I''m not a normal human," Naruto responded. "We still don''t know how your body would react. My advice is to try transplanting just one of them and see how that goes," Tsunade advised him. "You know me, Tsunade. I wouldn''t put my life on the line if I wasn''t sure I could do this." He didn''t truly need the power of these eyes, but he had a feeling that if he didn''t use them, someone else would wield them against him. And he hated wasting good resources. Also, he hadn''t forgotten Nagato''s comment about a secret leader pulling the strings of Akatsuki from the shadows. And if he went looking for that cave, he would likely come face-to-face with this person. "Do it..." Naruto told Tsunade. "I want those eyes." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 281: New Eyes Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 281: New Eyes "Look, he is waking up." "Finally!" He heard the voices of his companions and began to regain his consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, Naruto saw the world in a different light. Some of the things that he previously could only perceive with his divine senses, he could now see much more clearly. The auras of chakra emanating from every living creature in the surrounding area, as well as the traces of natural energies that could be found everywhere. If it was someone else, they would have become overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information. But Naruto was different. Between his divine senses and the bursts of memories that he was constantly obtaining from his clones, this was almost a mild experience. It took him a minute to adjust himself to his new eyes, and his attention now returned to the two girls who had been patiently waiting at the side of his bed. "Good morning... I thought I was in a hospital room," Naruto commented. At least he had been in a private hospital room with Tsunade when he was put to sleep for the surgery. Now he was in his own bed, inside his house. "It''s afternoon already." Ino had an expression that gave away a mixture of relief and annoyance. "By the way... thank you for abandoning me in that cave. I had to run all the way back to Konoha." "We asked Lady Tsunade if we could bring you home. And she agreed, as long as Ino stood guard and made sure there were no complications." Hinata explained the current situation. "And... how are you feeling?" Naruto moved his hands and feet. "My body works fine. My mind is quickly adapting to the extra information." "Let me see." Ino got closer and began to examine him. "There are no signs of rejection or infection." She then pointed to a glass of water on the nightstand table. "Hand me that, Hinata. And the medicine." Ino then gave the medicine to Naruto. "You will need to take these once a day for the next week or so. To make sure there are no issues." "Yes, doctor," Naruto said with amusement. "Hmph! Is more than you deserve." She huffed. "I only left you in the cave for your own protection. I thought Pain was going to be much more dangerous than he was in the end. Otherwise, I would have brought you along," Naruto explained to her. "Ehm... Ino? Are the eyes supposed to have that color?" Hinata pointed out. She was one of the few who got to see Pain and his puppets from up close. "They are different now." "Different how?" Naruto glanced toward a table set up on the right side of the room. A handheld mirror was resting on top of it. He extended his hand, and the mirror flew towards him. "Whoa... what was that?" Ino looked at him with shock. "Is that new or?..." Hinata looked around. "I saw a strange pulse of energy moving the mirror. Is that the..." "The Rinnegan, yes. When I woke up, I noticed some fragments of information seeping into my mind. I have a general grasp of how to use them, but I''m going to need some time practicing to really learn what they can do." Naruto stared at his own reflection and realized what Hinata was talking about. When the eyes were being used by Nagato and his puppets, the sclera and the iris had a pale lavender tone while the iris was just slightly darker. But now... they all have a golden color, with different tones to differentiate the parts of the eye. "I''m not an expert on the Rinnegan, so I cannot say the reason for the change. But I can tell you that there are no visible issues with the transplant. At least for now. I will need to perform a daily check to make sure," Ino said. "The change of color is likely due to my chakra. It must have had some influence on them. But I don''t feel any issue either," Naruto said. "That''s good..." Hinata sighed. "It''s indeed a good thing you are feeling fine..it was very reckless of you to transplant both eyes. And we were also worried that you were going to miss the grand event tonight," Ino said. Naruto was about to ask what she was talking about but quickly managed to stop himself before saying anything. There was something important he had to do today. He and Ino were supposed to have stayed in the cave for a bit longer and returned today for the event. But the Akatsuki Leader''s sudden appearance had made him almost forget about it. "Of course, I won''t miss it." He glanced at Hinata. "I know how important it is for you." "It''s okay, Naruto. We can move it to another day. You just had a serious surgery." "Nonsense. You spent the last week preparing everything. It will happen tonight, even if we have to drag him from the bed, or even bring him with the bed included." Ino exclaimed. Naruto looked at Hinata. "That won''t be necessary. I feel fine. Tonight, it''s our wedding. There is not a chance that I will miss it, so you can rest at ease." "Naruto..." Hinata smiled gently. "We left a proper formal kimono for you to wear. It''s inside your wardrobe, so you have no excuses. You better not appear with your training robes or I will freeze your balls." Ino created some ice above her palm. "I can do that now!" "I''ll see you tonight." Hinata leaned forward and gave him a kiss. Ino stood back and didn''t approach Naruto. "Today is all for Hinata, but I expect some compensation afterwards. I can be greedy too, you know?" "Oh, you can have Naruto for yourself next week. What do you say?" Hinata suggested. "Hold on... what am I, a toy to pass around?" Naruto asked. Ino ignored him and considered Hinata''s proposal. "Maybe, but I was thinking of going to have some fun with the three of us." "Me too?" Hinata asked. "Of course." Ino chuckled. "I heard about some amazing hot springs in a small village west of here." "That does sound fun..." Hinata''s cheek gained a red tint, just thinking about what Ino had planned for them to do there. "It''s decided then!" Ino said. "Do I have no input on this?" Naruto asked. "No." Both girls answered together. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 282: The Wedding Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 282: The Wedding "Mmm... I feel observed," Naruto muttered. "That''s because everyone is looking at you," Kakashi pointed out. "People usually like to watch the groom and the bride during their wedding. Or perhaps they freak out by your charming new eyes." The two of them stood at one side of the Hyuga Clan courtyard, waiting for the arrival of the bride. The place was completely filled with people who came to witness the union. Not just members of the clan, but from many others. Everyone who held an important position in Konoha was currently here. None of them wanted to miss this event. After all, this may be the most important wedding of the decade, or perhaps even the century. The union between the Uzumaki genius, who had climbed the ranks until he became the most powerful ninja in the entire village, and the newest Leader of the Hyuga Clan. Not to mention, Hinata was also a powerful ninja in her own right. The first Hyuga member who awakened the Tenseigan since the era of their founder. "Are all of these mortal weddings so noisy?" Naruto asked the man at his side. "I imagined it was going to be something more...private." "No," Kakashi simply responded. "Typically, weddings between ninjas are a quiet affair, just for the immediate family or friends. Sometimes not even that. You see... if it becomes public knowledge that you have a spouse, then your enemies could potentially use that to get an advantage over you or even to force you into betraying your village." Naruto understood that quite well. In his old world, it was the same. Having a partner that you cared about was bound to become a weakness. So most cultivators tried to stay away from things like love and instead focus on their cultivation. "She really wanted this," he ended up saying. Kakashi grinned. "That''s nice of you. You clearly don''t care about these types of things." "I care for her. I don''t need the words of some monk or a piece of paper to serve as evidence. But it''s important to her, so here I am," Naruto said. "You will make a good husband," Kakashi said. "Your parents would have been very proud." "I don''t know about my mother, but we can ask my father when I get his soul out of the Shinigami," Naruto commented. "Wait..." Kakashi''s face went pale. "What did you s" "Oh, I believe it''s time for us to move," Naruto pointed ahead. "Neji keeps waving at us." "R-Right..." Kakashi would have to pretend he didn''t hear what Naruto just said. "Thank you, by the way. For accompanying me. I was told it was a necessary part of the process to have a family member at my side," Naruto said. "Well, you are still my precious student. Even though I haven''t taught you much," Kakashi admitted. "No, I suppose you did not." Naruto spotted Hiashi moving to the well-decorated white arch that had been set up on the other side of the courtyard. The Elder Monk who would officiate the union was already there, waiting for them. Next to Hiashi was his daughter, Hinata. She was wearing a traditional white kimono, decorated with some expensive-looking gold pieces. The Hyugas were not sparing any expense today. Not for the wedding of their Leader. Watching from the sidelines were many of the people that Naruto had gotten to know over the years. Like his old classmates, Neji, Rock Lee, and TenTen. As well as Jonins like Asuma, Kurenai, Maito Gai, and Yamato. He saw Ino standing next to her parents. She greeted him with a warm smile as she passed by. "He looks very handsome, doesn''t he?" her mother, Noriko, pointed out with a playful tone. "Of course he does! He is also mine, don''t forget about that." Ino puffed her chest with pride. "Are you really okay with this?" her father looked at her with concern. "You two won''t be able to get married now. The law only allows for one wife." He had a hard time getting used to the idea that his daughter was sharing her boyfriend with someone else. But now she would have to live in a relationship where she would be considered the mistress while only Hinata would be the wife. Ino didn''t look affected by the question. "I''m okay, even if it''s hard for you to believe. We talked about this... a lot. Naruto doesn''t give importance to these kinds of ceremonies or titles like husband and wife. He considers me and Hinata as his companions and we stand as equals in importance." "As long as you are okay with this, then we are okay too." Noriko glanced at her husband. "Isn''t that right?" "Ehm... sure." Inouichi had to agree. "And hey, Naruto told me that if one day I change my mind and I want to get married... he will drag the Daimyo out of his castle and force him to change the law." Ino said with a grin on her face. "That''s..." Noriko looked around, hoping that no one had heard that. "That does sound like him..." Inouichi didn''t think that Naruto was kidding on that one. Naruto and Kakashi arrived in front of the monk and his former Sensei moved to one side, leaving him alone for a short moment, until Hiashi did the same with his daughter. Naruto glanced at Hinata...she looked both beautiful and extremely happy. She smiled at him and grabbed hold of his hand in a gentle manner. They then looked ahead at the monk who was supposed to marry them and noticed that this one was making strange faces while glaring at Naruto. "Is something wrong?" Hinata asked to the old man. "That... that..." The Elder Monk pointed at Naruto''s face. "The Legendary eyes from the Sage!... that''s the Rinnegan!" "Yeah... I got them yesterday. Is there a problem?." Naruto looked around, and the monk was not the only one glancing at him with shock. "I don''t want to appear rude, but... can we proceed already?" He really disliked crowds like this one and was starting to get uncomfortable. The monk began to tremble while his face grew paler. "Th-the... the Sage has returned!... I... I..." He then fell on his back and stopped moving. "..." Naruto stared at the monk on the ground. "That was very impolite..." Hinata was not pleased. Someone was going to pay if she didn''t get married soon. Naruto turned to Hiashi. "We are going to need another monk." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 283: Incoming Troubles Chapter 283: Incoming Troubles Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 283: Incoming Troubles "So, in the end, Lady Tsunade performed the ceremony," Ino said before taking another sip of tea. "I can''t believe a Senior Monk would pass out like that..." Shikamaru reached for another piece of shogi and moved it forward. "You wouldn''t have to believe it if you had been there," Ino huffed. "I don''t like crowded events. And my father was there, so the Nara clan was represented. My presence was unnecessary," Shikamaru said. "You didn''t miss much. They didn''t even have any food," Chouji spoke of his disappointment while chomping on a rice ball. "These are delicious!" "Of course they are. My mother is an excellent cook," Shikamaru said. "Too good, to be honest. At this rate, you''re never going to move out of home," Ino pointed out. "Unless you find a girlfriend who is very homely." "Women are troublesome. I''m fine where I am," Shikamaru responded. "Mmmm, you say that. Let''s wait until you hit puberty," Ino said with a playful grin. "Very funny..." Shikamaru moved another piece. "You lost." "Wait...hold on..." Ino checked the board. "Shit!" "You''re worse than Chouji. I don''t know why I bother playing with you," Shikamaru said. "I am not worse than Chouji!" Ino exclaimed. "You do lose often against me," Chouji said. "I..." Ino stopped when the door to the living room opened. They were all expecting Shikamaru''s mother, coming back with more tea and snacks, but instead, it was his father, Shikaku Nara, who now held the title of Clan Lord as well as Council Elder. "I thought you were busy in a meeting," Shikamaru noticed the serious expression on his father''s face. "We had to cut it short...we received a...troublesome report..." Shikaku said. "By the face you''re making, it seems like it was more than troublesome," Ino mentioned. "What happened?" Shikamaru asked. Shikaku sighed and sat down. "The combined armies of the Cloud and Rock villages are currently marching towards our village, and they''re moving very fast." "What?! They''re attacking us already?" Chouji shouted. "I thought we still had months before..." "Where are they?" Shikamaru asked. "They just crossed our border from the northeast. They killed most of the ninjas we had posted there, but one managed to escape and deliver the message." "How long until they''re here?" Ino asked. "We were only able to do a quick estimation, but...in a matter of hours, perhaps around dawn," Shikaku said with a heavy tone. The severity of the situation was just sinking in. "We only have a few hours to prepare ?! What are we going to do?" Chouji asked. "There''s a war council in one hour." Shikaku glanced at Ino and Chouji. "You two need to hurry home and speak with your parents. They''ll tell you what to do next." He then looked at his son. "You''re coming with me to this council. We could use your brain." "Wait, aren''t we going to need Naruto? Where is he?" Chouji asked. "He just got married, so I bet he''s enjoying his wedding night," Ino had a specific idea of what he was doing with Hinata right now. "Did he leave the village?" Shikamaru turned to look at Ino. "He went to a tranquil location just outside the village." Ino didn''t want to mention the cultivation cave, but that''s where he probably was right now. "But you can call him," Shikamaru stated. "We''re going to need him, that''s for sure." "Don''t worry about Naruto. He has eyes everywhere, inside and outside the village. Trust me...he knows already, and he''ll be here." Ino was sure of that. He had promised Lady Tsunade to protect this village, and there was nothing that would stop him from doing that. "I''m not sure how many ninjas they''ve brought, but...it won''t be enough for him." <><><><><><><><><><> "Here''s a good place. I''ll perform the ritual." Kabuto examined the forest near the border of the Land of Fire. This was one of the smallest ones in the country, and it was still far away from the village, but it would serve his purpose. A massive army was at his back, all of them here for the same purpose...to destroy Konoha. And aid him in his vengeance, even if they didn''t mean it. ''Naruto...I will soon have your head.'' Kabuto repeated in his head as he summoned several wooden coffins and prepared himself to bring back some reinforcements for their attack. Failure was not an option. He had already been killed by Naruto once, and the second time, he''d managed to escape thanks to his good luck. There probably wouldn''t be a third time. "Are we sure this is a good idea? The last time didn''t go well." A, the Raikage from the Cloud Village, was a large and imposing man. Right now, he was glaring at Kabuto as if trying to measure his worth. "This boy has already failed once. Do we want to risk it?" "That''s different!" Kabuto exclaimed. "He was on another level...I couldn''t have predicted he could free himself from my control so quickly." He had to admit that he''d underestimated that one. The Impure World Reincarnation was a jutsu originally designed by the Second Hokage. Orochimaru later made some modifications, but for the most part, the jutsu remained the same. Kabuto, however, took the technique one step further. He had greatly enhanced several aspects of the jutsu. Particularly, he had improved the safety of the user by adding several more layers of seals that would prevent the resurrected individuals from breaking away from their control. Unfortunately...he''d underestimated the power of the ninja he had previously called to serve as the vanguard for this army. "Hahah! These youngsters are too naive nowadays." A short old man walked next to Kabuto and examined the coffins he''d brought forth. "You thought you could control someone like Uchiha Madara?" It had only taken a minute for the former leader of the Uchiha clan to break away from Kabuto''s control. They were all preparing for a fierce fight with the ancient ninja, but much to their surprise, he just left without attacking anyone. "We got very lucky there...boy," the old O?noki said. "Tsuchikage..." Kabuto stared at the current leader of the Rock Village. Despite his harmless looks, he knew just how dangerous this old man was. "I won''t fail again. This time, I''ll bring some crucial backup for our cause." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 284: Council of War Chapter 284: Council of War Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 284: Council of War In a large circular room, the leaders of Konoha were having an unexpected emergency meeting in the middle of the night. "Do we have a plan to counter this army?" The Leader of the Akimichi clan spoke up. "This is exactly the purpose of this meeting. To form a strategy that can get us out of this crisis," Lady Tsunade answered. "If it is a plan that we need..." Hiashi turned to Shikaku Nara and his son, Shikamaru, who, despite his age and rank, had been allowed a seat at this table. "Shikaku would be the first one that I would ask." "What are their numbers? How strong are their weakest soldiers? Do they carry any heavy weaponry or just men? How many jinchu?riki do they have at their disposal?" It was not Shikaku but Shikamaru who spoke first. His father glanced at his son and gave him a nod of approval. "My son is correct. We need to have as much information as possible before we can form any semblance of a plan." "Unfortunately, we don''t have much of that, but..." Tsunade received some papers from her secretary, Shizune. "I''ll share what we have. The only surviving scout from whom we received the initial report was sure to have seen a large army of around thirty or forty thousand strong. They wore headbands from both the Cloud Village and the Rock Village, so at least those two major villages are involved. There could also be recruits from some minor ones too." "Forty thousand?!" Tsume Inuzuka, the current leader of the clan and Kiba''s mother, spoke with shock at the massive number of enemies. "How reliable is that information? The scout couldn''t have had much time to do any counting before he had to retreat. Do we have any other source?" The Aburame Clan leader asked. "Unfortunately, no. At least for now. I have sent several more groups to see if they can get us anything else. As for the validity of the information... I''ll just say that I have complete confidence in the skills of my ninja. If he said that is the number, I will work with that as fact unless someone can prove it wrong," Tsunade said. "The scout didn''t mention anything about war weapons. As for jinchu?riki... we know from our spies in the Rock Village that Ro?shi, the jinchu?riki of the Four-Tails, had been seen always close to the Tsuchikage for the past months. And then there is Killer B, the jinchu?riki of the Eight-Tails and brother of the current Raikage." "So two jinchu?riki at least, as well as two Kage. Those would be their heavy hitters," Kakashi commented. "We don''t know for sure that the Kage will be participating," Lord Akimichi said. "I personally know O?noki," Tsunade spoke up. "The old man has been boiling for a chance to kill anyone from Konoha, but more especially, he will want to face Naruto. He won''t miss this war. As for the Raikage... he is the type who likes to charge on the front lines. He won''t send his ninjas and his own brother to fight alone. The Raikage will be here." "How did they even make it so close to our village without us noticing that massive army approaching?" Inoichi Yamanaka asked. "During the Second War, the Rock ninjas liked to use their earth jutsu to create tunnels," Shikaku said. "Yes, I do remember that... it was what made their armies so scary. They could pop out of nowhere," Tsunade recalled. "Okay, they have a huge army, and it''s very close... what about our own forces? What do we have available?" Tsume Inuzuka asked. Tsunade frowned deeply. "If we want to send everyone, including the genin... maybe four thousand." "One-tenth of their numbers," Lord Aburame pointed out. "And that''s counting the genin. Those won''t do much but serve as cannon fodder," Tsume Inuzuka felt the need to point that out. The genin had been used that way in previous wars. "You don''t have to worry, Tsume. I have no intention of sending children to die on the front," Tsunade said. The people in the room looked at each other. No one wanted to send kids as fodder, but if they only sent the most veteran ninjas, they would get overwhelmed by sheer numbers in an instant. "You can send me. I''ll go to the front." They all turned to the person who spoke. Tsunade glanced at him. "Itachi... we haven''t gotten to that part yet." "I know." He looked around the room. "And I know that many of you present here don''t believe I deserve to be sitting here. But Konoha has always been my only home, as it was my family''s. I will defend it." Tsunade smiled gently. "Thank you. You could have walked away with no repercussions. The fact that you decided to stay in the village already means a lot." "I mean, that''s great. But even if we all walk onto that field and face the army, we are too outnumbered," Shikaku stated. "What about allies? There are a few villages close enough to make it in time if we request help right now," Shikamaru added. "Allies?... We don''t have any," Tsunade said. "The Sand didn''t even respond to my messages after returning Gaara." That was probably because Naruto took away the biju? from him without any kind of consent. "The Waterfall is the same." Again, they returned a kidnapped jinchu?riki without the biju?. Her excuse that it was Akatsuki may not have been too believable. "We are alone in this," Kakashi said. "We could request help from the daimyo?," Asuma suggested. "Assembling the royal army and sending it here would take at least two or three days, even if he immediately agreed to assist and leave the capital undefended. " Hiashi stated. "Which he won''t... it would be more advantageous for him to just make a deal with the other two villages to ensure the Land of Fire retains some semblance of ninjas, rather than meddling in a ninja war." Kakashi understood well how these rulers thought. The ninjas were nothing more than tools to use and discard. He wouldn''t risk his throne to save them. "Are we doomed, then?" Akimichi asked with dread. "Of course we are not," Tsunade didn''t look worried. "We have a weapon of mass destruction on our side... our own guardian." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 285: A Moment of Calm Before the Storm Chapter 285: A Moment of Calm Before the Storm Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 285: A Moment of Calm Before the Storm "Sir! Konoha is in sight!" One of the soldiers from the vanguard shouted. O?noki, the Kage from the Rock Village, smiled with excitement. "I can''t wait to get there and rip those Konoha bastards apart, especially Minato''s brat. I will enjoy sending him to meet his father." The Raikage stood at the old man''s side. "I understand your anger, but be wary of that young man. He may be the most dangerous ninja in that village." "There are rumors that he has a technique that allows him to consume the Bijuus to get stronger," Killer B spoke in a somber tone, much different from his usual jovial one. "If he can do that..." "Hmph! Those rumors are nonsense. Most humans can''t even contain a single Bijuu. To have so many of them... he would have been long dead." O?noki had, of course, heard the rumors, but there was no way they were real. "Konoha is lying to everyone." "I wouldn''t dismiss them so quickly," Kabuto interjected in the conversation. "Whatever he is using to make himself stronger, it''s definitely working. Don''t forget that he was able to single-handedly kill someone like Orochimaru. That''s not an easy feat by any means." "Your former master was a freak," the Raikage spat the words. He had always hated that man and his nasty methods. "But there''s no denying that anyone who was able to kill that monster is someone we should all be wary of." "Who says I''m not wary? Hmph! I didn''t live all these years by acting carelessly," O?noki looked offended. "I just pay no mind to crazy rumors. That doesn''t mean that I intend to lower my guard around Minato''s son. During the last war, that bastard killed over a thousand of my best soldiers just by himself... including my two sons." The old Kage felt his blood boiling just thinking about that man. Another person approached the group, it was a middle-aged man with red hair and a generous beard. By the reaction of the ninjas around him, everyone was wary of him and moved out of the way as he passed by. "Everything is ready, My Lord. Just give us the order, and we will begin the attack." "Ro?shi," O?noki called the man. "You will remain at my side. Do you understand?" He was not going to risk losing the last jinchu?riki they had. The Tsuchikage had only brought him along just in case they needed an extra push for the assault, even if he thought it was a very unlikely scenario. "Wouldn''t I be of more use at the front? Me and the beast will make short work of Konoha''s ninjas." He was in possession of the Four-Tails, a monkey-like entity named Son Goku?. But Ro?shi always referred to his Bijuu as ''the beast,'' even though he knew its name, he refused to address the creature by it. "Just do as I say. I don''t want you running wild on the battlefield unless it''s absolutely necessary." O?noki''s tone was firm. Ro?shi nodded after hesitating for a moment. He knew his Kage was even more hard-headed than himself and would not change his mind. "Yes, My Lord." His eyes moved to the strange individuals standing close to Kabuto. "What about them? Will they really obey their orders?" Kabuto frowned. He was already tired of being doubted by everyone. His mishap with Madara seemed to have cost him a lot of trust. He looked at the three figures ahead of him, the First Hokage, Hashirama, along with the Second and Third. "Orochimaru already used them in combat, and they presented no issues. My version of the jutsu is even safer than his, so they will definitely obey without hesitation." He avoided telling them that during that fight, Naruto had been able to break the loyalty seals on the back of their necks. There was no need to worry, as these resurrected puppets were not meant to confront Naruto directly. Instead, they were going to be used to kill the current Hokage as quickly as possible. By destroying their chain of command, Konoha''s remaining forces would fall with little effort. "You better be right. We only allowed you to join us because of this nasty jutsu of yours," the Raikage said. He didn''t like Kabuto one bit. He knew this young man was even more traitorous than his former master and would stab them in the back without hesitation if it became convenient for him. "Well? Do we give the order? I''m anxious to start," Killer B said to his brother. He had a nagging feeling at the back of his head, and he was not the only one. ''Be careful, B... I don''t like this.'' Gyu?ki, the Eight-Tails, spoke in his mind. ''I know. You told me already.'' He had been wary of this war from the beginning. But his brother insisted that it was necessary, that they could not allow Konoha to continue as they were. Everyone suspected that they had been collecting Bijuu for themselves, and the one behind it all was none other than Naruto Uzumaki. ''I cannot feel most of my brothers and sisters any longer. I fear the worst.'' Gyu?ki said. ''Be wary of that Naruto. He is a lot more dangerous than everyone thinks.'' <><><><><><><><><><><><> Dawn arrived. Almost two thousand men and women stood across the tall walls that guarded the village of Konoha, looking into the distance at the approaching army. They could be seen with the naked eye, marching between the sea of trees that surrounded their territory. "I think the scout may have been right in his count..." Cho?za Akimichi said, clear concern on his face as he caught glimpses of the incoming army. "He definitely was," Inoichi added. "At least they don''t have any heavy weaponry." "They won''t need it," Shikaku commented. "With those numbers, they can surround the village. Just a few thousand ninjas using Earth Jutsu will be enough to bring our walls down, and then we''ll become an easy target." Kakashi turned to Tsunade, who was staring into the distance. "Where is Naruto? I thought you had already called him." He did not like the idea of relying completely on one individual, but he was also well aware that without him, they were going to get stomped into the ground. "Naruto will come," Tsunade said with absolute confidence. "He will come." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Extra Chapter 286: Hinata II – 18+ Scene Extra Chapter 286: Hinata II C 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 286: Hinata II - 18+ Scene A.N - Warning. This will be a smut chapter and will only contain a sex scene. There will be no plot advancement so if this is something you don''t want to read, you can skip it. "I''m coming," Naruto grunted. "Me too!, I''m coming too!" Hinata was resting her hands against the walls of the cave while sticking her naked butt towards him. Naruto had his hands at the sides of her generous hips and used them as leverage to push deep inside her. After a few more trust, he emptied his load into her her soaked pussy. "Huff...huff..." Hinata''s naked body was covered in sweat. They had been going at it for several hours already and their clothes had long been discarded somewhere in the cultivation cave. "Want to rest? That would be understandable." Naruto suggested. "No!." Hinata hurried to say. "This is our wedding night and I have you all for myself." Hinata knew that the next time they were together, Ino would also be there. But just for tonight, she wanted to be selfish and have Naruto all to herself. "Mmm...want to try something new?. If you feel adventurous enough." Naruto said with a mischievous smile. This picked Hinata''s interest. They had already fucked in pretty much every posture available and he had filled all her holes already. "What did you have in mind?." "Here." Naruto grabbed her hand and guided her back to the center of the cave, where all the large cushions had been laid. He rested his back against one of these and gestured for Hinata to lower herself onto him. She did it without hesitation, using her hands to guide his rock-hard cock into her entrance, and moved down until he was all the way inside her. "Mmm...that feels good." She let out a soft moan. "But this..." this was hardly new. They had already used this posture many times, even tonight. Naruto grinned. "That''s not all...look behind you." Hinata gasped when she spotted another naked Naruto standing behind her. She didn''t even notice him using the shadow clone jutsu. Her eyes scanned the body of the new arrival. He was an exact copy of Naruto in every aspect, even the massive thing between his legs. "Oh..." She got excited with anticipation now that she knew what Naruto wanted to do. "Are you up to it?. You think you can take two?." Naruto asked. "Why have we made this before?." Hinata asked. "Fuck me already." She moved her ass a little bit, to make it easier for Naruto2 to get inside her butthole. "Here we go." The clone said while guiding his hard rod into her. It was still well lubricated from the recent ass fuck Naruto had given her tonight, so it went in with surprising ease. "Ahh, that feels..." Hinata bit her lips as the sudden wave of pleasure hit her. "Keep moving, please don''t stop!." Naruto smiled. She rarely got so excited while they fucked. Hinata was usually the quiet type who moaned softly and allowed him to take control of the situation. She was very different from Ino in that regard. She moved her hips to match the rhythm of the two cocks entering her, closed her eyes, and began to get lost in the euphoria of the moment. Naruto decided to give her a surprise and created one more clone, who moved to her side and put a hand on the top of her head. Hinata opened her eyes and was surprised to find another massive cock staring directly at her. "What?!" "You still had one more hole to fill. Why don''t you suck it?." Naruto suggested. Hinata licked her lips and looked up at the clone for a moment before opening her mouth and welcoming the stiff cock. She wrapped her tongue around it, and began to suck him off with enthusiasm while the other two Narutos keep ramming their members in and out of her. The original Narutow was enjoying the spectacle while lying comfortably beneath Hinata. His hands moved to her generous tits and caressed her nipples, bringing her to the edge. Hinata moaned like crazy but could not speak, as her mouth was currently busy with Naruto3. The clone placed his hands on the sides of her head and began to move his hips, using her mouth as a fuck toy. The other clone began to increase the pace and fuck her asshole harder and faster. The original stopped playing with her nipples and brought his hands to her hips to use as leverage and started to move his hips much faster, inserting his cock all the way into her pussy until she reached her deepest parts. "Mmmm!." Hinata could not utter a single word. She was being fucked like a whore, each of her holes was treated as simple playthings. And she was loving every second of it. "I''m close...want me to fill you up?." Naruto asked. "Mmm!" Hinata moaned. "I can''t understand you with that cock in your mouth. Want me to fill you up or not?!." Naruto said as he slapped her ass cheeks, making her groan. Hinata blinked a few times in quick succession while the clone fucking her mouth increased the pace, grabbing onto her hair roughly. "I''ll take that as a yes." Naruto was getting close to his climax. His clones were ready to go whenever he gave them the order. "Here it comes." He gave her a short warning before all three of them released their loads into her pussy, ass, and mouth at the same time. Naruto kept her in place until he saw her swallow until the last drop, and only then, did he release his grip and dispelled the two clones. "Ahh..." Hinata fell to one side, breathing heavily with her eyes glassed over. "Uff..uff..." "Did you enjoy it?." Naruto asked her after giving her a minute to recover. Hinata lifted her body a bit, and he could see some white cum dripping from her pussy. She smiled at him. "I loved it." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 287: He is Here Chapter 287: He is Here Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 287: He is Here "Lady Tsunade, we need our orders!" Tsume Inuzuka and her clan were ready to jump from the walls and charge at the enemy. "Just say the word and we''ll go." "This is bad... if we let them surround the village, it''s all over," Shikamaru noted. "We are all in position. The strategy will be as we discussed before," Shikaku turned to his friend. "Leave it to us. We''ll take the front," Cho?za Akimichi reassured his friend, though inside he was deeply concerned. His clan only had a few dozen members capable of fighting, and that was not going to be enough against the thousands of ninjas approaching. Inoichi looked at his daughter. "How can you be so calm?" Ino smiled. "Because there''s nothing to be worried about. Naruto will not let our enemies touch the walls of the village." "He should have been here already," Inoichi couldn''t understand how she could trust someone so much. Tsk! Tsunade bit her lip. ''Why are you taking so long?'' The enemy was at their gates, she could not wait any longer to begin sending her troops to battle. "Very well, here they come! Prepare to defend our village! We wi" "Hold on." Tsunade stopped when she heard that voice. It came from right above her. "Naruto! You finally appear....where the hell have you been?!" Naruto frowned. "Of course, I have appeared. I gave my word to protect this place, and I have never failed on a promise like that. As for where I was...I think you can imagine..." "But did you have to wait until the last second to get here? I''m sure you detected their presence even before our scouts," Kakashi pointed out. He was one of the few who knew about Naruto''s massive spy network, created solely by his own clones. He had them everywhere, inside and outside Konoha. "Sorry about that. I got lost on the path of life," Naruto responded with a grin. Kakashi grumbled something under his breath. "Naruto!" Tsunade shouted at him. "What do you want me to say? I was a bit busy with... you know... my wedding night and all," Naruto told them. Ino glanced at him with a playful grin. "I bet Hinata had the fun of her life." "You can ask her about it later," Naruto told her. "Next time, you''ll be there too, and w" "Ahem... can we focus on the current situation?" Hiashi huffed. He was happy for the marriage, but he would rather not hear what Naruto and his daughter had been up to all night. "Couldn''t you at least send some of your clones to hold the line until your arrival?" Tsunade complained. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?..." She muttered the last part very softly, as she didn''t want others to hear that their leader was concerned about their chances of survival. "My clones are already here. No one will be able to reach the walls," Naruto said. "They are?" Tsunade asked. "They''re rushing in!" Cho?za Akimichi shouted. "We can''t let them get closer! We have t" Before he could finish, they all began to hear the screams of the soldiers beneath them. "Something is attacking the soldiers," one of the chu?nin said. "Naruto''s shadow clones..." Hiashi and the other members of his clan were using their Byakugan to scan the battlefield. "There are... hundreds of thousands. He''s surrounding the entire army!" He didn''t know Naruto could create so many. "When did you put those there?" "You managed to outnumber this massive army," Neji looked impressed. "As expected of Sensei." Naruto had barely taught him anything, but for some reason, Neji refused to refer to him in any other way. "I want everyone to stay on this side of the wall. I''ll handle the army," Naruto ordered the two thousand soldiers present. "Are you going to fight by yourself?" Itachi looked at him. "I wished to fight at..." He stopped when Naruto turned to him. "Sorry," Naruto could tell that Itachi was eager to prove himself to Konoha after being given another chance in life, and to feel useful again. "You will have your chance. Just wait a bit longer." "Right..." Itachi stared into Naruto''s eyes. He had, of course, heard that Naruto had acquired the Rinnegan from the Akatsuki Leader, but this was the first time he had seen them like this. Itachi had once met the Leader in person, but the energy emanating from Naruto was very different. It felt serene and harmless... but Itachi knew better. Naruto''s chakra was like a tranquil sea, one that could suddenly turn into a violent tsunami and destroy entire countries. "Are you sure you don''t need assistance? Every man and woman here is ready to fight for Konoha," Tsunade told him. Naruto looked around. He was very familiar with many of the people here, some of them he could even consider his friends. "This is something I have to do by myself. I need to send a clear message to any of those who wish to attack Konoha." After saying that, Naruto began to levitate high into the air. "The first line is being pushed back!" The members of the Hyu?ga clan began to report, as they were the only ones who could get a clear view of what was happening among the sea of trees beneath them. "The clones may be enough against their weakest members, but he won''t win the war with just that," the Lord of the Aburame clan commented. "I don''t think he ever had the intention of using them for that purpose," Hiashi said. "He''s creating an encirclement with... oh..." He then realized Naruto''s intentions when he saw where the real Naruto was. "Everyone, take cover!" he shouted. Naruto had used hundreds of thousands of clones not only to prevent the army from surrounding the village but to keep them all in one place. As his clones finished encircling the army, he stood over four hundred feet in the air, enjoying a perfect view of the battlefield. "Too much cannon fodder and too many trees to enjoy a proper battle. Let''s clean this place up a bit." His eyes began to glow with an eerie golden light. Naruto extended his hand down, aiming at his target. "Almighty Push!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 288: The Tsuchikage’s Rage Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 288: The Tsuchikage''s Rage The ground shook with violence as Naruto activated his new ability. He could now control the gravitational forces in a large area around him, just like Pain did. One hundred times gravity was enough to crush every tree and rock inside the encirclement that his clones had created. It was also enough to kill any weaklings in that army, leaving only those who were worth fighting. From the sky, he could see the flames of their chakra signatures being extinguished rapidly. When he ended the technique, all that was left was a massive circle devoid of anything but dirt and very tiny stones. ''From the initial thirty-seven thousand individuals, there are now... four hundred and thirty-seven.'' Meaning that Naruto had just killed over thirty-six thousand humans. But he was not affected by it. This was a war... a war that they started. And those who died were soldiers, who came here to destroy the village under his protection. He was not going to show them mercy, and will not feel any regret for his actions. There was a long moment of silence after that, and when the dust and smoke began to settle, everyone started to realize what just happened. "What just happened? I can''t see anything with all that dust. Hiashi!, report!. " Tsunade called with urgency. "They''re... ehm... they are dead." Hiashi stood on the wall, observing the battlefield with shock. He had personally experienced war. He had seen much death, but nothing on this scale. "There are still a few left. But most of the army has perished. I cannot feel any of their chakra signatures." Neji added. "Kami! There is nothing left. What just was that?!" Tsume Inuzuka shouted. "That is what the Rinnegan can do... in the hands of Naruto." Kakashi had seen Pain using this technique, but it didn''t feel anywhere near what he just witnessed. "This is no time to be so shocked." Tsunade shouted. "You say there are still enemies down there, so we don''t lower our guard until every single one of them is dead!" "The Hokage is correct. And we can assume that anyone who survived something like that will be at least at Jonin level." Asuma added. "I don''t think we will have to worry about fighting today..." Ino said while her turquoise eyes scanned the field. "No one will make it here." <><><><><><><><><><><> Down at the barren battlefield, the remaining ninjas from the Cloud and Rock were starting to recover from the impact that made them feel like a mountain just fell on their backs. The dust settled down, allowing them to see the results. "No... what just..." A, the Raikage, was for once, out of words. "Naruto Uzumaki did this?" Killer B stood up with difficulty. His body was covered in cuts and bruises. His signature sunglasses were nowhere to be seen, but he cared little for that right now. ''Run away, B! I told you to never come here!'' The voice of Gyuki, the Bijuu of Eight-Tails that was sealed inside him, was warning him again. "Damn it... Namikaze..." Oonoki stood up and watched with agony the thousands of bodies around him. At least half of them were his own soldiers. They came here under his command, and they died because of it. But he could not blame himself for it. The Tsuchikage could only blame the being floating in the sky above them, looking down at them with his condescending golden eyes. "Naruto Uzumaki!" "Urg... since when can he do that?" Kabuto lifted himself from the ground and removed a piece of rock that had embedded into the flesh of his leg. "Grr..." He groaned in pain but was relieved to see that he could still heal himself very quickly. He moved his eyes around the field and found his puppets. The three of them were still in one piece and seemed functional. "Good... this must have been his strongest attack, and we survived it." He concluded that Naruto must have exhausted most of his chakra to perform this jutsu, in an attempt to end the war with one move. But there were still hundreds of soldiers left, and the strongest ones at that. Kabuto glanced at the Tsuchikage. The old man was beyond enraged right now and seemed ready to end this battle by himself. "Forget the initial plan of taking down the walls." The Raikage said. "We need to first kill that man. Are you with me, brother?" Killer B nodded. Despite what his companion kept saying, there was no way he was going to run away. He would fight at his brother''s side until the end. "Let''s do this." "Lord Oonoki..." Roshi moved to his Kage to check if he was okay, but before he could get any closer, he was pushed back by a wave of chakra. "Lord!" Oonoki had his eyes locked onto Naruto. His face was contorted with rage. Naruto noticed the spike in energy, and this piqued his interest. He glanced at the old man. "Let''s see what the leader of the Rock can do." "Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!" The old Oonoki was not fooling around and immediately used his deadliest jutsu. Dust Release was a combination of earth, wind, and fire, and it was capable of creating three-dimensional shapes that could disintegrate anything they made contact with, reducing the target to dust. From the Tsuchikage''s hands, a translucent cylinder emerged and shot out at a tremendous speed, directly to where Naruto was floating. If any part of this cylinder were to touch him, Naruto would meet certain death, as nothing could regenerate from dust. The surviving soldiers from the Rock and Cloud stood watching in awe at the magnificent demonstration of power by the Kage of the Rock. This was the jutsu that made this man a feared individual in every corner of the Elemental Nations. Naruto only needed a fraction of a second to determine his best course of action. Absorbing this jutsu with the Preta Path was not safe, due to the physical qualities of the molecular disintegration. He opted for the next best choice and disappeared in a bolt of lightning before the Dust Release could touch him. His body reappeared behind Oonoki. The Tsuchikage only had time to get a glimpse of something metallic flashing next to his face before everything went dark. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 289: Uzumaki Sword Style Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 289: Uzumaki Sword Style There was a moment of respite as the head of the old Kage fell from his shoulders. "I know what you are all thinking." Naruto stared. "How did he do that? Doesn''t he need to have one of those formula kunais to activate the Flying Thunder God? You see, yesterday, I had nearly five hundred thousand clones working on this, and they managed to a" "Nooo! Lord Oonoki! You murderer! Die!" Roshi, the Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails, just rushed at him. "Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!" The man spewed a massive wave of lava at him. Naruto moved his hand in the way of the jutsu and activated his Preta Path. This was something he could absorb. Not only that, but he could take things one step further and combine the Rinnegan ability with his own cultivation method, putting that energy to good use by sending it directly into his chakra pool to be refined and later fused into his core. A vortex appeared on the palm of his hand and pulled all the elemental energy into him. The moment he removed the fuel powering the jutsu, it vanished into thin air. "You will have to wait for a bit before I take care of you. So...just sit tight." Naruto sent a wave of energy to Roshi and pushed him with enough force to send the man flying to the other side of the battlefield. "Kill him!" Several ninjas jumped at the opportunity to attack him now that he seemed distracted. These were the elite ones who had survived Naruto''s initial attack. They were some of the best soldiers that the villages of the Cloud and Rock had to offer. Almost four hundred of them...all hardened battle veterans. Naruto held his sword firmly in his hand. "Let''s give this one a go." The Kusanagi Sword used to belong to Orochimaru. But after acquiring it from him, he hadn''t had a good chance to try it in real combat, at least, until now. He was surrounded on all sides. The first attacks came in the form of powerful ninjutsus, which were probably absorbed, just like how he did with the lava one. "Stop! Don''t use more ninjutsu!" "That monster can absorb jutsus!" They then changed tactics and began to use taijutsu and physical weapons. "That''s more like it." Naruto gave the sword a swing. It increased in length and went through the bodies of a dozen ninjas. "Ahh!" "Careful, that''s the Sword of Kusanagi!" "Didn''t Orochimaru have that one?" The ninjas argued among themselves. "Wait... I wasn''t trying to do that." Naruto muttered. He now regretted not having some of his clones practice with this particular sword to learn what it did. ''Now that I think about it, the sword was also changing length when Orochimaru was using it.'' He had assumed it was some trick of his, but it turned out it was an ability of the weapon itself. He moved out of the way of some kunais, but hundreds more were flying his way. "Forget it... I can adapt." Naruto vanished in a bolt of lightning and reappeared a hundred feet in the air, right above his enemies. "Uzumaki Sword Style... First Step: Clashing Stream." Naruto made a vertical slash that incorporated all his accumulated knowledge about the Sword Dao and his mastery over the elements. A thin line slashed the ground. Everyone who had the misfortune to be too close to the point of impact found their bodies cut into pieces. Naruto teleported again, this time to the ground. "Second Step: Rippling Stream." A circular slash deflected all incoming attacks and released a single cut that went through several dozen ninjas. This move was immediately followed by the next. "Step 3: Rolling Waves." Another vertical slash, but this one was like a violent explosion. A wave of energy collided with the ground, sending hundreds of wind blades everywhere. Naruto charged forward. "Step 4: Raging Torrent." A flurry of stabbing motions began to pierce everyone in range. The sword changed its length as necessary to reach its targets. He teleported back into the air and stabbed his sword toward the earth. Golden energy was now visible on the surface of his body. "Step 5: Thunderstorm Surge!" A column of pure elemental energy erupted at the epicenter of the impact. All of those who couldn''t move out of the way in time were reduced to dust. At this point, some of his enemies decided to give up and tried to escape. More than half of them were already dead. "Step 6: Eternal Flow." A stabbing motion with nearly infinite range. No matter how far they tried to run, all of those who made the attempt were stabbed in the back of their heads. A small group of less than a hundred ninjas were all that was left. They stood their ground and prepared to attack Naruto again. But he was not done yet. Naruto''s body was now brimming with energy. Golden chakra emerged from his pores, creating something similar to a mist. His eyes shone with an eerie light that terrified everyone who saw it. He twisted his body, moving the sword around, over and over, gaining speed with each circle. The enemy ninjas jumped into action, knowing that this was their last chance to do something... because the last step was next. "Step 7: Devouring Whirlpool." Powerful currents of wind began to create a suction effect that pulled everyone closer to him. Those who failed to resist were flung into the tornado that had formed at the center and was torn to pieces. This was not normal wind, either, it had been created using Naruto''s monstrous affinity for wind and an enormous amount of chakra. The strongest ones were able to resist for a bit longer, but eventually, everyone who had been too close when Naruto began his technique ended up the same way. Feeling that no more targets were inside his range, Naruto ended the technique, and the torrent of wind disappeared, leaving only traces of blood behind. Naruto scanned the area once more. From the nearly four hundred surviving ninjas... there were now seven left. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 290: Everyone Vs Naruto Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 290: Everyone Vs Naruto Naruto looked down at his new sword. Even after all the stress he had put it through, the blade was completely intact. "Not bad... as expected of a legendary swor-" "LARIAT!" The figure of the Raikage appeared out of nowhere and tried to crush his skull with his massive arm. His entire body was covered in lightning chakra, enhancing his power and speed. Naruto was forced to unleash a large part of his cultivation to block the attack in time. He had never seen a ninja move so fast, it was almost like teleportation. The Sword of Kusanagi stood in the way of this massive muscular arm and deflected the blow before Naruto used his knee to attack the giant man and push him away. The Raikage immediately returned to the offensive, this time alongside his brother B, who was covered in his chakra cloak, while several tails could be seen behind him. "Double Lariat!" The two of them used a coordinated attack to assault Naruto. This one was easier to block. It was obvious that Killer B could not quite reach the speed of his brother. However, the impact was several times more potent than the previous one. Naruto''s blade shook violently as it blocked the hit. He then used his free hand to send a blast of high-pressure wind that managed to hit B on his leg, making him lose his balance. Naruto followed it with a quick slash aimed at his other leg, with the intent to cut it off. He needed the Jinchu?riki alive, but they didn''t need to be whole. "Brother!" A hurried to move Killer B out of the way before Naruto could maim him. Naruto smiled. "Not bad. I was starting to believe there was no one worth fighting in this army you brought to my doors. I think tha-" "Crack!" "What was that?" Naruto''s eyes moved to the source of the sound. His new sword had a large crack running across its surface. "Are you joking?... I thought this was a legendary sword." It had only taken two hits and was already cracking. He had already forgotten how much pressure he had put on the blade by unleashing the entire arsenal of the Uzumaki sword style. Naruto placed the sword back inside its seal. Now he would have to find a blacksmith that could fix it, and maybe improve on it. Just as he had finished doing this, a large branch emerged from beneath him and tried to trap him before shooting upwards. This attack was immediately followed by a beam of high-pressured water that was capable of cutting everything in its path, almost as well as his sword had previously done. Lastly, Naruto found himself facing a massive dragon made of stone. When it opened its mouth, molten lava came out while it tried to swallow him. "This again..." He did not need to put any effort into finding the ones who just attacked him. With his enhanced senses, keeping track of what the seven remaining individuals were doing was extremely easy for him. The three resurrected Hokages prepared the next barrage of attacks. Naruto noticed that they were different compared to when they were summoned by Orochimaru. Unlike then, the three men had completely lost the light in their eyes. They did not say a single word and just followed Kabuto''s commands without complaint. "I see you''ve tried to copy that jutsu from Orochimaru, and failed in the process," Naruto said with disappointment. Kabuto''s expression contorted with anger. "What are you talking about?! I have improved upon it. I now have absolute control over the puppets, and they can use almost one hundred percent of their strength. How is that a failure?" "You really don''t see it..." He said with a hint of disappointment. Naruto avoided several more tree branches that were appearing all around him but then used his ability of the Preta Path to absorb the water chakra from the next attack coming from the Second Hokage. Hiruzen then threw a massive ball of fire at him. "Stop!" The Raikage screamed. "Quit using ninjutsu!" Ro?shi added. Naruto took all the chakra powering the ball of fire before creating one of his own. "Great Sage Arts... Crimson Lotus Rasengan." The spinning ball of fire continued to grow in size as it traveled, swallowing everything in its path, including all the trees that the First Hokage had been creating. Hashirama and his brother Tobirama stood in the way of the blazing Rasengan and used their defensive jutsu to stop it. Naruto took this as a chance to teleport behind Hiruzen, who had become separated slightly from the other two. A violent whirling manifested on the palm of his hand. "Great Sage Art..." Hiruzen turned to face him. The real one would have been able to assess the danger properly and perform some evasive maneuvers, but this puppet was no longer able to think. It would just continue to attack its target with whatever jutsu was left stored in its arsenal. The old man tried to morph the ground around Naruto and form some sharp spikes to impale him. The whirling separated from his palm and shot out. "Divine Wind Rasengan!" Immediately after doing this, Naruto disappeared from the spot via his Flying Thunder God technique. The spikes summoned by the Third Hokage hit nothing but empty space, while the miniature tornado that Naruto had created grew in size the moment it made contact with the older man. The Wind Rasengan created a semi-sphere around Hiruzen, and the violent winds carried within them countless blades that cut everything in its range. There were millions of tiny blades that cut over and over until nothing larger than a dust particle was left. Naruto reappeared close to the two other Hokages, who were still busy trying to stop his fire jutsu with their own. Not giving them a moment of respite, he formed two more spheres, one white and one black in each of his hands. He finally brought them together. "Yin-Yang Release... Rasengan Blast." A beam of pure energy manifested from Naruto and aimed directly at the two distracted Kage. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 291: Interesting Technique Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 291: Interesting Technique "Triple Rashomon!" Three massive gates stood between Naruto''s beam of energy and the two Hokages. His attack pierced through the three gates, but even though it failed to stop the beam of energy, it did delay it just enough for the two Hokage puppets to move out of the way. The yin-yang blast collided with the rotating ball of fire, creating a chaotic explosion. "I won''t let you win!. You still have to deal with me." Kabuto screamed at him. His skin began to crack and scales formed on its surface. His eyes turned yellow and his pupils transformed to resemble those of snakes. Naruto sensed some of the natural energy in the surrounding area starting to circulate through Kabuto''s body. "He''s a sage too?!" Killer B and his brother were obviously surprised by the transformation. Neither of them expected someone so young to achieve such a difficult feat. "No matter! We should work together on this one," Roshi told them. The chakra from his biju? created a cloak around him. "I can only control the ''beast'' for a few minutes. We must hurry." The Raikage nodded. He hated to admit it, but Naruto was not an opponent they could defeat by acting on their own. Even with this new show of power, they didn''t trust Kabuto to hold his own for long. "Wait until my signal... then we ambush him from all directions. Don''t give him the chance to teleport away." "Summoning Jutsu!" A massive cloud of smoke appeared beneath Kabuto. A moment later, he was standing on the head of a colossal snake. "Manda." "You dare call me, Kabuto?" The snake looked more than upset after being disturbed by someone he didn''t deem worthy. "Only Orochimaru had been given that right." "We can discuss my worthiness later... look who my opponent is." The narrowed eyes of the snake scanned the battlefield until they found Naruto. "You?!" "That''s right," Kabuto told the current Lord of the Snake Clan. "That is Naruto Uzumaki. The one who killed Orochimaru. I thought you would be interested in getting some revenge for last time." "Mmmm... you think calling that big worm would help you? I mean... be my guest," Naruto said. "But th-" "Now!" the Raikage shouted. The next instant, Naruto was surrounded by enemies from all sides. Kabuto was attacking along with Manda. The two remaining Hokages were assisting them from the sides. Two jinchu?riki and the Raikage were performing a joint assault from three points. A smile crept onto Naruto''s face. "Fools..." A golden wave of energy erupted from Naruto. Everyone around him felt their bodies turning extremely heavy, forcing them to stop in their tracks. At the same time, countless clones of Naruto began to appear out of nowhere, surrounding them completely across the entire battlefield. "Kami! How many can he make?" Roshi exclaimed. The clones created several layers. While the ones on the inside seemed to be merely observing, the ones further away began to grab each other''s hands and muttered some sort of chant. Glowing symbols formed in the air one after another. "What is that?" Killer B said. "A formation? What are you up to?" Kabuto stood with difficulty on top of Manda. "Don''t worry about that," Naruto told them. "That''s just to prevent you from leaving. The formation won''t allow anyone to go in or out. Not even by teleportation. Of course... unless you kill me." "That''s funny, you brat. Because that''s exactly what I was planning on doing!" The Raikage shouted as his body became cloaked by lightning chakra. "Lightning Armor!" He broke through Naruto''s restrictions and vanished from the spot. The next instant, the Raikage was already next to him. "Ahhh!" He sent a barrage of powerful attacks. "Die!" "That is an interesting technique..." Naruto said calmly while blocking these attacks. As he did this, he was also analyzing the way his chakra was moving and being transformed. They exchanged a few more attacks over the next minute. They seemed to be reaching a standstill. "He can move as fast as my brother... that should be impossible..." Killer B had never seen anyone even close to that level before. "No... pay attention. He''s starting to gain more speed," Roshi pointed out. "What the... that can''t be!" The Raikage looked at Naruto in shock before receiving a fist to the face that sent him tumbling down. "As I said... an interesting technique." On the surface of Naruto''s body was a layer of lightning chakra, very similar to the ''Lightning Armor'' of the Raikage. "That''s a secret jutsu from our clan. How can he..." Killer B now understood what shocked his brother so much. "That''s not right... let''s try again," Naruto muttered as he changed the way the cloak of chakra was formed. "You think you can imitate my jutsu just by seeing it once?" The Raikage stood up, filled with rage, and charged at him again. "Lightning Release... Piercing Fingers!" He attempted to stab Naruto using chakra-coated fingers. "Imitate it? Not at all," Naruto answered as he grabbed hold of his hand. "But I can analyze it superficially and get the rest through practice. It takes a lot of time, but that''s not something I lack." "Practice? What practice?" The Raikage thought Naruto was insane. "You really should pay more attention to your surroundings," Naruto commented. "I''ve been learning your jutsu for the past two minutes." "Lightning Armor!" "No, not like that!" "Like this?" "Hold on, I got this." It was after Naruto''s comment that the ninjas present realized what was going on around them. The clones in the inner ring were no longer just staring at them... they were training. Some of them would disappear and be quickly replaced by new ones, who then continue to practice. "What is going on?" Killer B asked. "Are those clones out of control? They look crazy," Roshi said. "No... they''re not out of control," Kabuto''s eyes were filled with fear. "He''s... abusing the memory feedback from the shadow clones. He creates them, uses them, and dispels them to get their memories. But how many are..." His enhanced senses allowed him to perceive that Naruto had created a ridiculous number of clones. It wasn''t just around the area they were in, but he could feel his signature all over the forest. It extended around Konoha for miles and miles. "How many clones can he make?" "Oh, can you feel them?" Naruto glanced at Kabuto. "I suppose you are a Sage... somewhat. But the answer to your question would be... millions." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 292: Moving Like a Lightning Bolt Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 292: Moving Like a Lightning Bolt "M-Millions?!" Kabuto muttered with shock. Some quick mental math revealed to him that a single minute of practice for Naruto would be equivalent to two years'' worth of feedback. That was an insane amount of information for anyone to process. But if he was actually able to do that, progressing so fast would not be out of the question. "Wait... the pressure is disappearing." Roshi felt like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I can finally move..." Manda grumbled. "Let''s not waste this opportunity... it may be the only shot we have," Kabuto said. "I''m coming to help, brother!" Killer B unsheathed his own sword and coated it with lightning. "Lightning Release... Thunder Sword!" "So the effect has passed." Naruto shrugged. "No matter... it is time to wrap this up." His body became covered in his golden chakra, but instead of merely coating the surface, the energy was now crackling like lightning bolts. "Is that my jutsu?... No, it feels different," the Raikage said under his breath before turning his eyes to his brother. "Wait! Don''t get close to him!" He had a terrible feeling about this. Everyone had turned to the offensive, but Killer B was the first one to reach Naruto. His lightning blade was aimed at Naruto''s vitals. "I hope you don''t mind, but I had time to make some improvements," Naruto said before his image became blurred. The blade phased through him like it just hit an afterimage. ''Be careful!'' the Gyu?ki shouted inside his mind. The biju?''s chakra spiked, forming a thick coat in an attempt to protect its host. Killer B had barely any time to react before he felt hundreds of punches impacting his body from all directions. Naruto was moving so fast that he could only see a blur as he attacked him. This was far beyond what his brother''s "Lightning Armor" could accomplish. In an instant, dozens of his bones were broken and his internal organs were destroyed. "Urgh!" He then received a powerful hit on his jaw that sent him flying straight up, just before his brother could reach him. "No!" the Raikage screamed and tried to jump after him. But Naruto got there first. He flew at full speed and grasped Killer B by the neck. The man was so broken that he could no longer resist. "Let''s start with you. Cosmic Assimilation... absorb!" Killer B let out a blood-curdling scream as the Eight-Tailed Beast was forcefully dragged out of his body. A massive tree appeared beneath Naruto and extended its branches to trap him inside. At the same time, a large sphere of water appeared above him. ''The mindless puppets are getting annoying. I should deal with them next.'' Naruto teleported away just as a barrage of water bullets barreled into the wooden structure. "B!" the Raikage screamed with desperation. Naruto got away, but his brother was left defenseless up there, with his broken body. While the Raikage was trying to rescue what was left of his family member, Naruto moved to his next target. The Hokages were in front of him, but the giant Snake Lord towered behind his back. "I can summon too." Naruto''s Rinnegan shone with an eerie golden light, and two creatures emerged into existence to protect him from Manda. "What is this?" Neither the Snake Lord nor Kabuto had ever seen these creatures before. But one thing he was sure of, these were not members of the Toad Clan. "Flying serpents? What kind of mockery is this?" Manda spat the words, feeling that Naruto''s creation was an aberration toward his species. Naruto scoffed at the comment. "You''re lucky those aren''t real. Dragons don''t take kindly to being compared with snakes." Kabuto opened his eyes in shock. "Those are dragons?" The Rinnegan''s ability allowed Naruto to form any creature that he could imagine and bring it into existence. So he brought forth a couple of dragons, as they existed in his old world. These dragons were able to fly without wings and had tiny legs compared to the rest of their bodies. Because of this, some people would call them flying serpents. But no one with a bit of sense would ever say that to one of these creatures'' faces, as that would only enrage them. The two black dragons flew toward Manda. One of them was breathing fire while the other one had a breath of ice. Kabuto and Manda began fighting the two legendary creations while Naruto turned around, not caring about the outcome. He was merely using that as a short distraction. The two mindless puppets of the Hokages continued their assault, but Naruto could tell that their chakra was running low. The Jutsu they used had become progressively less grandiose and more conservative when it came to chakra use. He understood this resurrection technique well enough. Even if Kabuto had made some improvements upon it, the amount of chakra that the puppets could make use of was always going to be much lower than that of the original people they were supposed to imitate. And since the puppets didn''t even have their own ability to think freely, they could not manage their chakra correctly and completely misused it. This was why Naruto had previously called Kabuto upon it, pointing out the fact that his supposed improvements were nothing of the sort. It may have been more difficult to wrestle control away from Kabuto, but he didn''t even need to do that anymore. These two were running out of steam on their own and would soon disappear even if he didn''t lift a finger. However, Naruto did not want to wait that long. His golden aura flared up and crackled violently as he moved closer to the two Kages. In their limited state, neither Hashirama nor Tobirama had a chance to fight back against his assault. He punched and kicked them while moving as fast as a lightning bolt. Each move carried the power to destroy a mountain. The puppets were turned into a meat paste in less than a minute. "Okay... and where are you going?" Naruto''s golden eyes locked onto the distant figure of Roshi, the jinchu?riki of the Four-Tailed Beast, as he tried to escape from the battlefield. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 293: Real or Not Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 293: Real or Not Roshi had seen enough. The rumor about Naruto''s ability to absorb the Bijuu was no longer a rumor. He had witnessed it with his own two eyes and realized that he needed to get away from here. Fighting was no longer an option... victory was impossible, no matter how much he wanted to avenge his Kage. The beast screamed inside his mind to hurry up and get away. Roshi had never cared for what the beast wanted. For him, it was nothing more than a tool for his use. But for once in his life, the two of them were in agreement. The Jinchu?riki made use of all the chakra he could get from the beast to enhance his speed and power. Four tails appeared behind him, meaning that he was pushing his seal to its very limits and taking a big risk of breaking it. He was fully ready to fight for his life as he passed by several clones of Naruto, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention. There were countless of them, as far as his eyes could see. The ones in the inner circle were distracted, performing different actions...some were meditating, others practicing martial arts, and others were channeling chakra in different ways. Roshi had no idea how Naruto was able to process all of that or for how long he had been doing this. However, none of that was important to him right now. He just had to get away. He could not let the Bijuu inside of him fall into Naruto''s hands. Ahead of him was the last line of clones, the ones who had formed some sort of barrier. According to what Naruto had revealed to them before, this barrier could prevent anyone from entering or leaving, even by teleportation. "But he didn''t say what would happen if enough clones were destroyed. If I can force them to take down the barrier, even if momentarily... I''ll be out in a second." Roshi jumped over some of the distracted clones and aimed his attack at the ones creating the barrier. His fist smashed the ground in front of the last line. "Lava Release... Grand Geyser!" This was his most destructive attack, capable of affecting a large area. An eruption of lava burst from the ground, immediately engulfing a dozen clones nearby. The clones disappeared in puffs of smoke as soon as they began to burn. "Yes! Come on, let me out!" Roshi shouted, hoping that the real Naruto remained distracted with the others while he escaped. "Hmm... it doesn''t seem to be working." Roshi was startled when he heard a voice behind him. When he turned around, he found himself staring at Naruto, who was only a few inches away. "Maybe you should try destroying a few more," Naruto suggested. "No! You are" He glanced into the distance and spotted another Naruto, this one facing an enraged Raikage. "You''re just a clone." Roshi''s four tails lashed out, smashing toward the enemy in front of him. Or at least, they tried. Naruto avoided three of them while grabbing the fourth tail. He then yanked Roshi forward and kicked him in the chest. Roshi coated his hands with fiery red chakra. "Lava Release... Volcanic Smash!" He delivered a devastating barrage of punches, each coated in deadly lava. Naruto blocked every single one. His own chakra coat protected him from any damage. "That''s impossible..." Roshi was getting frustrated. How could he have so much trouble destroying a single clone? There were millions of them all around him. That meant Naruto''s chakra had to be divided by that number as well. This made him hesitate. "Are you... the real one?" Naruto shrugged. "Maybe I am. Or maybe I''m just a clone, and the real one is back there, facing the angry Raikage. Or maybe we''re both clones, and the real me was never here in the first place... who knows?" "Tsk!" Roshi knew his situation was getting worse with every second. He couldn''t maintain his fully powered state for long. With this in mind, he made a bet. Assuming this one was a clone, he would have to ignore it and try to break through the barrier no matter what. "Lava Release... Lava Armor!" Roshi covered himself in a layer of molten lava, enhancing his attacks and burning anyone who tried to touch him. He then went to unleash hell upon the clones maintaining the barrier. ''Maybe if I destroy another dozen, it''ll do it.'' "Water Release... Spiraling Torrent Rasengan!" Roshi heard the voice behind him. Before he could turn around, he was blasted by a torrent of water that slammed him against the barrier. The impact felt like hitting a steel wall, followed by excruciating pain. The jutsu was tearing away his armor, along with his flesh and bones. Clone or not... Naruto using a water jutsu was not something he had expected. No intel they had on him mentioned anything beyond fire and wind. "Not many know this, but... every time I consume a Bijuu, I gain more than just chakra. My elemental affinities also improve. When I ate that turtle-looking Bijuu, I acquired enough water affinity to play around with that element. A few days of having my clones practice was enough to come up with some interesting moves." Naruto explained as he approached. "Urgh..." Roshi lay on the ground, barely able to move. He glanced at Naruto, still wondering if he had been bested by the real one or if he would suffer the humiliation of being killed by a mere clone. "I can tell what you''re thinking." Naruto told him. "Allow me to share another piece of information." He knelt beside Roshi and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Only the real me can do this..." Roshi felt a powerful force pulling everything from him. He heard the beast inside screaming wildly. "Cosmic Assimilation... Absorb!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 294: The War Is Over Chapter 294: The War Is Over Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 294: The War Is Over "Ahh!" Kabuto fell to the ground after Manda was destroyed by the two legless dragons Naruto had summoned and sent back to its point of origin. He had thrown everything he had at the two beasts, but Kabuto was forced to admit they were too powerful for him to handle. "Damn it..." He was running low on chakra, so summoning more snakes wasn''t an option, and his Sage Mode had also ended. One of the dragons turned its sights onto Kabuto and flew at him. "Lariat!" The Raikage came out of nowhere and crushed the dragon''s head with his arm. "You''re still alive..." Kabuto lifted his eyes to look at the man. He looked almost as exhausted as himself. "Uff... I... I''m still here." The Raikage said while breathing with difficulty. His Lightning Armor vanished into chakra particles as he could no longer maintain it. "Weren''t you fighting against Naruto?" Kabuto asked. He had lost track of what was happening in the other parts of the battlefield. The Raikage frowned deeply. "It was just a blasted clone... I had to give it my all just to defeat one of his clones." There was a moment of silence after that. "Hehe..." The Raikage couldn''t help but laugh. "This is ridiculous... how can a monster like that exist?" "Speaking of monsters... I can''t see Roshi anywhere." Kabuto tried his best, but could only see countless copies of Naruto surrounding them. "He''s likely dead... and we are soon to follow the same path." The Raikage glanced up at the remaining dragon. He was exhausted and nearly out of chakra, he had used everything he had left to eliminate the other one. But the beast wasn''t attacking, it just floated in the air, staring at them. "What is it waiting for?" "I don''t know... but I''m not waiting anymore." Kabuto took a scroll from his belt and unsealed it. A large wooden coffin appeared in front of him. "Wait... you had more of those? Why didn''t you use it before?" the Raikage asked. "I didn''t want to bring this one back... especially not while the Tsuchikage was around," Kabuto replied. On the cover of the coffin, the kanji for Fourth was written. The Raikage''s eyes widened. "Is that really him?" "You''ll see him soon... the original Yellow Flash," Kabuto said as he prepared to activate the seal. But the air shifted around them. Before Kabuto could open the coffin, several Naruto clones jumped onto it and detonated themselves. The resulting violent explosion sent both men tumbling backward. "Sorry, but I can''t let you summon my father. His soul must remain where it is at the moment." Naruto appeared, floating in the air above the Raikage. The Raikage was about to ask about Kabuto, but then he saw him, the silver-haired man lay in a pool of his own blood just a few feet away. Several Naruto clones stood beside him. "And stay dead this time." Naruto threw a comment at what remained of Kabuto. That''s when the Raikage realized something. Those hundreds of thousands of clones could have attacked them at any moment, but they didn''t, only because Naruto had chosen not to act. The moment Kabuto did something Naruto disapproved of, he was killed instantly. The Raikage shook his head. "I suppose I''m next... make it quick, then." He wasn''t sure if his brother was still alive. The last time he saw him, he was seriously wounded, but he had to leave him to continue the fight. "Almost forty thousand men came today to attack my village." Naruto landed in front of the Raikage. "You''re all that''s left. Do you have any last words? I''ll listen to them." The Raikage seemed to consider it for a moment. His will to fight was gone, but something still remained, he was the leader of his village, after all. "What we did today... I won''t apologize for launching an attack on Konoha. I did what I thought was best for my people..." The Raikage moved with difficulty. For the first time in his life, he felt the need to kneel and prostrate himself before someone else. "Naruto Uzumaki... I know I''m in no position to make demands, but I ask that Konoha leave the Cloud in peace. They were merely following my orders, and now that our army has been destroyed, they pose no threat to your village." "I''ve heard your words. I can''t make promises on behalf of Konoha, as I''m not their leader. But personally, I don''t massacre defenseless villages without reason. I have some strict moral rules... even if that''s hard to believe from your position." "I ...thank you." The Raikage had nothing more to say. He closed his eyes and waited for the end. But instead of death, he heard loud noises around him. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see that Naruto had dispelled all his clones and taken down the barrier surrounding the area. "I... don''t understand," the Raikage said. Why was he still alive? He had clearly been defeated and was ready to accept his end. Naruto tossed him a glass bottle. "Here." "This is...?" The Raikage stared in confusion. It was a small bottle filled with some kind of liquid. "Give that to your brother. If he''s lucky, he might still survive," Naruto said. "I... what?" the Raikage asked. "The war is officially over. I''ve defended the village as promised, and I''ve acquired what I needed from you. There''s no point in more bloodshed. You may return home and recount what happened here today... so no one forgets." That''s when the Raikage comprehended Naruto''s intent...he was being allowed to live, to serve as a messenger and spread the story of what happened. After hearing his tale, no one would ever dare to attack Konoha again. Not while Naruto Uzumaki stood to defend it. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 295: Visiting a Friend Chapter 295: Visiting a Friend Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 295: Visiting a Friend The next day, during the early hours of the morning, Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha. There were still a few people lingering here and there, stumbling around the streets, heavily intoxicated from last night''s party. This time, there was no way for the Hokage to cover things up...so everyone in the village was fully aware of how close they had come to being destroyed by the combined armies of the Cloud and the Rock. Many must have thought it was the end, and that they were going to die. This was especially true for the civilians, who had no hope of surviving an assault from a massive enemy ninja force. After receiving word of the complete annihilation of the invading army, people felt the need to celebrate wildly and savor every second they had. Both civilians and shinobi had spent the entire night dancing and drinking. "Urgg..." One man collapsed over a table just as Naruto passed by. "You..." A young woman was resting against the wall of a closed shop. The moment she saw Naruto, her eyes widened like plates. There wasn''t a single soul in the village who didn''t know who he was or what he had done the day before. Calling him a legend in Konoha would be an understatement. "Ahh..." The woman collapsed next to one of her friends, who had long since passed out from drinking. Naruto sighed. "These mortals can''t handle their drinks... how disappointing." He continued walking, soon leaving behind the center of the village and the crowds. Eventually, he reached the place he had come to visit. On a desolate corner of the village lay a massive plot of land reserved for one purpose: to serve as the resting place for those who had fallen. Naruto passed by the short stone walls and continued forward. The first sections of the cemetery were reserved for civilians. The tomb he had come to visit belonged to a ninja and was located in a more restricted area. After pacing for a few more minutes, he arrived at the metal gate leading to the section reserved for fallen shinobi. Naruto noticed that no one was guarding the gates. Normally, at least one person would be stationed there, but he assumed everyone had gotten too drunk to do their jobs last night. He pushed the gate open and walked inside. This was the second time he had come to this place. The first had been several years ago, for Sakura''s funeral. Had he died under different circumstances, Sasuke would have been buried here as well, but from what Naruto had been told, Orochimaru''s remains were cremated and the ashes given to Itachi. After all, it was a Uchiha body and should remain with the clan. At the top of the tallest hill rested the most important graves. That space was reserved for the most important figures, like the previous Hokages. Jiraiya had never earned that title, but his status as a legendary Sannin was enough to grant him a spot beside his old sensei. Naruto stopped before the stone slab covering the grave. The epitaph read: Here lies Jiraiya the Gallant A teacher who inspired generations, A warrior who laughed in the face of danger, A sage who loved deeply and fought fiercely. Though he fell to the shadows, his light lives on... In the students he raised, In the tales he penned, And in the hope he left behind. Rest now, noble toad. Your story will never drown. "I''m surprised it doesn''t mention your obsession with women... I suppose you have Tsunade to thank for that one," Naruto was sure that his old friend had something to do with the text written there. He stared at the grave for a long moment, thinking about what to say next. "I was going to visit you sooner, but things have been a bit hectic these past few days. One of your former students came to destroy Konoha. I got married. And before I could even recover from my wedding night, I had to save the village from an army of terrified mortals." Naruto shrugged. "Not like I didn''t gain anything from it. Got a nice pair of eyes, and I''m one step closer to my goal. Just two more Bijuu to go. Well... two and a half. I''ll take care of that one soon." "Mmm..." Naruto sensed a chakra signature approaching fast. He waited patiently. "Huff..." She was completely out of breath by the time she landed next to him. "I thought that out of everyone in the village, you would be the one with the worst hangover," Naruto said casually. His comment earned him a sharp glare from the Hokage. "You should know that no one in this village handles alcohol better than me. This is just another Tuesday for me," Tsunade huffed. "It''s Friday, though," Naruto pointed out. "Naruto..." Tsunade suddenly grew serious. "I hope you''re not planning on doing what I think you are... because if" "You can rest at ease, Tsunade." Naruto''s golden Rinnegan flickered for a moment. He knew her fears well, and the reason she had rushed here, ready to stop him if necessary. "You''re not planning to use those eyes?" she asked. "To resurrect the dead?" Naruto glanced back at the tomb of his old friend. "I probably could... but I have many reasons not to." On a technical level, it would be unwise to bring back someone who had been dead for so long. Jiraiya''s body must have long since decayed, and a new vessel would be needed for his soul to rest in. But more than that, Naruto understood...perhaps better than most, what kind of journey souls embark upon after death. "You''re not going to try?" There was a time when Tsunade would have begged Naruto to bring her loved ones back. "No... I won''t disturb my friend''s soul. Besides, death is hardly the end..." He understood this well, as someone who carried the memories of a previous life. "It''s just another part of our journey. He''ll come back someday. There is no need for me to intervene." Naruto looked down at the grave. "I just came here today to say goodbye." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 296: You Need a What? Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 296: You Need a What? "Give me another bowl, Teuchi," Naruto said, raising his hand. "Right away, Naruto. Pork ramen coming up." The old chef got to work, assembling another bowl for him. "I''d also like another one..." Hinata asked shyly. "You''re eating a lot today..." Ino gave her a suspicious glance. "Are you pregnant?" Hinata snapped the chopsticks in her hand. "What?! No! Why would you ask that?" Ino shrugged. "I mean, it wouldn''t be impossible. Those pills are very effective, but nothing is infallible. And I know you got a lot of action the other night." She gave the other girl a playful wink. Hinata''s cheeks turned bright red. She wasn''t as shy as she used to be, but talking about these things in public still made her uncomfortable. "Not now, Ino..." "Hoping to get some action soon myself." Ino looked at Naruto, who was just starting his fourth bowl of ramen for the night. "When are we going to visit those hot springs I mentioned the other day? None of us have any missions right now." "Missions have been suspended for the time being. We''re still waiting to see how the other nations will react to what happened during the war..." Hinata explained. "Is too risky to venture outside the country right now." "I don''t know if you can even call that a war... although people are already calling it the One Day War," Ino said. "They''re also calling Naruto the One Man Army," Ayame joined the conversation while handing Hinata her food. "Do the clones not count?" Naruto asked. "Because if they do... then I had the numbers on my side." "I don''t think they count," Hinata said. "And what about the... you know who? Did you get them?" Ino whispered in his ear. Naruto scoffed. "Please, Ino. Speak normally. Do you think I''d keep secrets from my favorite ramen chef?" "Ehm... yes?" Ino raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Teuchi is still a civilian. I hope you haven''t been sharing classified information." "He does do that..." Ayame confessed. "Sometimes..." Teuchi laughed. "Don''t worry, Miss Yamanaka. My daughter and I will always be loyal to Konoha, even if we''re only civilians." "I wasn''t trying to call you untrustworthy, but..." Ino made a complicated expression. "Were you talking about the Bijuus? There were two Jinchurikis on the battlefield, right?" Hinata asked. Naruto nodded. "Indeed. I took care of absorbing them both. It was a very worthwhile battle." He had a satisfied smile as he said this. "I don''t really notice any difference in your chakra. Did you really absorb them?" Hinata commented. With her new eyes, she could perceive the totality of Naruto''s chakra, even if he held it inside himself. So she assumed it would be obvious if Naruto had gained the chakra of two more Tailed Beasts. "Did you gain another stage in your cultivation? What was the name of that one? Something about spirit..." Ino looked unsure. "Spirit Transformation. And no...I''ve contained the two beasts, but I haven''t assimilated their chakra into myself yet," Naruto commented. "You haven''t?..." Hinata found it strange. So far, Naruto hadn''t wasted any time progressing his cultivation, so it struck her as odd that he''d wait now. "I do have, of course, a good reason for this. When one breaks through the final stages of cultivation, an event called Heavenly Tribulation occurs. This is the Heavens'' attempt to prevent mortals from ascending to godhood and gaining immortality. It goes against the nature of the Universe, and as such, the Heavens act as defenders of these Universal Laws." "For you to be wary of this tribulation... like, how dangerous is it exactly?" Ino asked, concern in her eyes. "Mmm... well, to be fair, it''ll be my first time encountering something of this magnitude. But if I had to guess... it could definitely decimate the entire Land of Fire, if it''s not stopped or contained," Naruto said calmly. "What?!" Teuchi rarely lost his composure. "The entire country? Not just the village?" Ayame looked shocked. "I assume you have a plan to deal with that. You always have a plan," Hinata pointed out. Naruto chuckled. "Of course I do. But I don''t want to talk about it now. Just wait until tomorrow, and you''ll see it with your own eyes." "How reassuring..." Ino muttered. "Well, if Naruto says he has everything under control, that''s enough for me." Hinata didn''t look very concerned. Her trust in her husband was absolute. "And you really won''t tell us anything about this plan of yours?" Ino asked. "Tomorrow," Naruto said simply. "Urgg..." Ino groaned. "Did you at least warn Lady Tsunade? She''s had enough shocks lately... and she''s been drinking more than usual," She commented. "Oh... now that I think about it, I''ll need to speak with her. There''s something I require for my plan to work," Naruto said. "What do you need?" Hinata asked. Naruto glanced at them for a moment before speaking again. "I require... a sacrifice." <><><><><><><><> It was the early hours of the next morning. The first rays of light crept through the tree branches, beginning to illuminate the empty field below. Naruto was sitting cross-legged at the center of a patch of forest devoid of life. This was the location where he had ended the life of Pain, the former leader of Akatsuki. Back then, he had used one of his strongest fire techniques and burned away a massive circle, where nothing but ash remained. He had precisely selected this location because it had already been destroyed so that he wouldn''t damage even more of the forest surrounding Konoha. He had done that a lot, lately. His senses picked up the presence of several individuals approaching. "Naruto..." Tsunade jumped down from a tree and landed close to him. Two ANBU agents arrived right after her, holding a large man in chains and prison rags. Ino and Hinata appeared just a moment later. "We brought you what you requested..." Tsunade glanced at the prisoner before looking back at Naruto. "Now... can you tell me what this is all about? What are you planning to do now?" "You may want to stay and watch this," Naruto said, standing up. "I am going to kill the God of Death." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 297: Spirit Transformation Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 297: Spirit Transformation "The God of Death?..." Tsunade was no longer sure if Naruto was messing with her or being serious...he was always doing something ridiculous so it was hard to tell. "What exactly are you planning?" Hinata asked. "Yeah, and why did you need this?" Ino pointed at the man held by the ANBU agents. Naruto''s golden eyes glanced over the chained man. "Is this the sacrifice?" "Sacrifice?!" the man exclaimed in shock. The two agents looked at each other. "This man is a serial killer we recently captured. According to our initial orders, we were going to transfer him to the Blood Prison and schedule his execution for next week." "He liked to target young villagers, for...well, it doesn''t matter. He will be dead soon." The other agent added. "Perfect. You can leave him with me then," Naruto said. "What are you going to do with him?" Tsunade asked, though she could easily guess the answer involved killing him. "You''ll see in a moment." Naruto created a couple of clones, who moved to take custody of the prisoner. "W-Wait! Don''t leave me with him!" the man shouted. "I don''t want tmmm!" One of the clones covered his mouth. "Thanks... I need to concentrate now. This operation requires perfect timing." Naruto pointed to a group of trees in the distance. "If you want to watch, make sure you do it from a safe distance. Things are about to get very dangerous, very soon." Tsunade sighed. She understood that Naruto wasn''t going to explain anything else, so they''d just have to wait and see what he had planned. Ino had mentioned something about a Heavenly Tribulation, but she had no idea what that was. What she did know was that it sounded dangerous. "Let''s go," she instructed the others. Naruto sat back down and closed his eyes. It was finally time to break through and reach the Spirit Transformation Stage. Inside his Mind Palace, the two Biju...the Eight-Tailed Beast and the Four-Tailed Beast were being contained by chakra chains and kept in a state of slumber. ''Let''s get started...'' He was already at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, so he decided to start with the Eight-Tails first. The chakra from that demon should be enough to push him past the barrier. Naruto began absorbing the chakra from the octopus-like beast. It was a process he had done many times before, so it went quickly now. A stream of chakra emerged from the sealed demon and traveled to his core, where all unnecessary impurities were filtered out. The chakra was then purified and refined. This pure chakra was then mixed with Naruto''s remaining reserves of Yin, Yang, and Natural Energy, creating his signature golden energy. Only then did he allow it to flow into his soul, reinforcing it and pushing it ever closer to its limits. To achieve the Spirit Transformation Stage, Naruto had to force his soul to its absolute breaking point. A transformation needed to occur...his spirit had to evolve to a semi-godlike state and cast off the limitations placed on all mortal souls. All mortal spirits were the same. When a person dies, their soul travels through the Yellow River (Pure Land) to be purified and reforged. The soul then passes through the Purgatory Flames of the Underworld Cauldron, which burns away sin before allowing reincarnation. This process also seals the memories of past lives. However, this cycle could be broken, if someone transformed their spirit into something that was more than just a mortal soul. In the real world, Naruto''s body was now surrounded by a golden light that grew increasingly bright. Tsunade and the others watched from a safe distance as it happened. Ino, being the most familiar with cultivation, had some understanding of what Naruto was trying to achieve. Still, it was hard to comprehend how exactly one transformed a soul. Hinata''s eyes glowed with blue light as she observed the change in her husband. She could see things the others couldn''t. "What''s happening to Naruto?" Tsunade asked. She might not have the ability or knowledge of his Dao Companions, but she could tell something fundamental was changing within him. "I don''t know how to describe it..." Hinata said at first. "To me, it looks like his soul is expanding... becoming more refined." "You can see his soul?" Tsunade turned to the new Hyuga Clan leader. They had only briefly discussed Hinata''s new eyes, but she had never mentioned this. "Spirit Transformation... that''s the name of the stage Naruto is trying to reach," Ino explained. "Supposedly, he''ll regain memories of past lives... I just hope that, by the end, he''s still the Naruto I know." "Of course he will," Hinata said with conviction. "Naruto won''t let a few extra memories change him." "You think he could become a bit more polite? That wouldn''t be so bad," Tsunade joked. "Look!" Hinata pointed above Naruto. She wasn''t sure if the others could see it too. A column of golden light shot out from Naruto''s body and pierced the sky. At the same time, his body began to levitate. Nine orbs of pure light manifested behind his back, and finally, Naruto opened his eyes. But what he saw next was not the charred forest clearing where he had been moments ago. Instead, he saw an open field covered in green grass. In the distance, tall mountain peaks pierced the clouds. There was no sign of Tsunade, Hinata, or Ino. He couldn''t even sense the clones he had stationed throughout the Land of Fire. "What is this place?" Naruto wondered, trying to figure out if something had gone wrong with his breakthrough. He didn''t think he had made a mistake. That''s when he noticed something peculiar. When he looked down at himself, he realized his clothes were completely different. He was wearing simple brown wool garments and a rope belt to keep his pants from falling. Then he realized that he was not alone. "Baaaa!" Naruto turned around and found himself staring at a large flock of sheep. "...What is this?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 298: Memories Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 298: Memories He could not remember the last time he felt so disoriented. On the one hand, he had never seen this place before, but on the other, this was very familiar. Or it felt that way at least. "Oi, boy!" an older male voice called for him. When he turned to look at the person in question, he found a middle-aged man with short black hair and a long beard. He spoke in a strange language, but he had no trouble understanding what was being said. "Help me get the sheep back home. It will start to get dark very soon," the man told him. "Yes, father," he answered without thinking and began to perform his task as he had done before a thousand times. He skillfully guided their animals back to their enclosure and made his way along with his father to a very modest wooden cabin. "Your mother must be finishing dinner. Let''s not tarry," the father said as he walked towards the cabin. But then...all of a sudden, he stopped. Naruto took a moment to look around, and it wasnt just his father, but everything around him seemed to have frozen in place. But that was not the part that he found strange. It was all of the memories that continued to flow into his mind. "This is... was first life." He was sure of that. There was nothing before this... his soul was new at this point in time. There was no way for him to tell how long ago this was, or if it even took place in the same world. There was no concept of cultivators here. People only prayed to the Sun God, the shiny ball of fire in the sky, and lived simple lives...taking care of their crops and animals. His family had been taking care of sheep for a few generations now, and that''s all they did. He would later on find a wife and father three children before dying at the age of thirty-eight. That life had been simple, but it was just the beginning of his journey. The landscape dissipated and everything went dark for a moment. Then he found himself in a different location. A large wooden house with two stories was in front of him, and endless farms could be seen beyond the house. In his next life, he was the son of a wheat farmer. The world had changed quite a bit. Technology had progressed, and they now had tools made of metal at least. But he still had a simple life. "First a sheep herder and now a wheat farmer?. Is this truly how my journey began?." Naruto could not help but feel disappointed. He had hoped for a more grandiose past life. His consciousness continued to move through all of his lifetimes. He found himself being reborn as some sort of peasant dozens of times, although in a few of his past lives, he had a bit of a higher standing as the son of some merchant or a lower noble like a knight or a baron. But overall, all these lifetimes had been very mundane. It wasn''t until his fiftieth life that he caught a glimpse of something extraordinary. As the heir of the town''s blacksmith, he was able to meet for the first time some cultivators who would come to buy basic tools and weapons for their sect. He could tell they were weak, and their methods were yet underdeveloped, but it was still miles ahead of what normal humans could achieve. However, it would take him many more lifetimes before he was reborn as someone with a talent for cultivation and had the chance to join a sect. Naruto continued to assimilate the knowledge of all these lifetimes. They were very short on average...maybe around forty or fifty years. Even the ones where he started cultivating, he never seemed to get far enough to increase his lifespan. After his one hundredth life, Naruto was noticing one pattern. He would only be reborn in the same world two or three times, and the next life would happen in a different one. Some of the worlds he was born into didn''t have any sort of mystical background. Others would have different sets of powers. While some worlds relied more on martial arts and cultivation, others seemed to lean towards magical abilities and spells. Naruto had to put a lot of effort into not getting lost in this river of memories he was experiencing and losing track of who he was now. He had to admit to being a bit dissatisfied with his accomplishments during his previous lives. It seemed that in most of them, he was just one more mortal among billions... nothing special. But this was not going to discourage him from his final goal. Perhaps this is why he had always been so driven to achieve greatness... because he came from nothing, and even deep in his soul, he was determined to change his fate. It was in his one hundred and fifty-first life... when he was finally born as Zheng Yun. This was the life he actually remembered. He had once more been born as a commoner, son of simple mortals. But the Heavens gave him a small favor and granted him some decent talent for cultivation. Later on, thanks to his fortuitous encounter with the Golden Scripture, he would go on to become a powerful figure on the continent. Alas, that was not enough, and he ended up dying at the hands of a greedy man who was trying to seal his Divine Treasure. And it was thanks to this same Divine Treasure that he called the Golden Scripture, that he was able to retain his memories for his next life. "Meaning that this one should have been the last." Or at least that''s what he thought... something strange happened next. More memories began to flow into his mind, but these were not as clear as all of the previous ones he had experienced so far. These memories were fragmented... incomplete. Memories of a boy named Asura O?tsutsuki... the son of the Sage of the Six Paths. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 299: Spirit Transformation Stage Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 299: Spirit Transformation Stage These seemed to be the first memories he had of this world, but it became immediately evident that this had not been one of his lives. For one, if it had been, his Golden Scripture should have awoken his memories back then at some point, instead of waiting until he was Naruto. But also, after experiencing the remnants of so many lifetimes, he could tell that this was very different, as he was not seeing things from a first-person perspective as he had done during all his previous lives. He was seeing this Asura boy''s life, but he was nothing more than a spectator...watching things from afar. It was like his soul and the one belonging to Asura O?tsutsuki shared a connection, but they were separate beings. It was still an illuminating experience to see the legendary Sage of the Six Paths, also known as Hagoromo O?tsutsuki. From the fragments of Asura, Naruto learned many things, like the fact that his father Hagoromo O?tsutsuki was not exactly a human being and that the origins of his clan lay in some distant world. He also discovered the origins of the nine Bijuus; apparently, he had been wrong in calling them demons since they had nothing to do with the demonic creatures from his old world. They were just sentient masses of chakra brought to life with the power of the Rinnegan. The flashes of memories seemed to come to an end, and Naruto could feel his consciousness returning to reality. <><><><><><><><> It took him a moment to readjust himself. He opened his eyes, this time for real, and found himself back at the burned field where he started. Not much time seemed to have passed while he was immersed in his illuminating experience of awakened memories. Tsunade and the rest were just ahead, still watching him. His two clones were holding the prisoner but seemed to have moved it to a safer distance. Naruto became immediately aware of the changes in his cultivation. He had broken into the Spirit Transformation Stage, making the energy in his body and soul start to transform into something else. His senses had become much more potent, allowing him to perceive almost the entire Land of Fire. His physical and mystical powers had also improved many times over, and his energy reserves were much more abundant now. But the biggest boon he received from breaking into this stage was remembering all these past lifetimes, and removing all the restraints placed on his soul. He may not have learned any prodigious technique or anything that could enhance his combat abilities from his past memories, since most of his lives had been fairly humble and common. However, even from the simplicity, there were things that could be learned... a certain degree of enlightenment can be obtained by living a quiet life and just trying to understand the nature of all things. The road ahead of him was completely new and unknown to him. It was not something he had ever experienced before in any of his lives, but now he understood how to move forward and what he had to do. His beginnings were mundane...he had never been anyone special. Not a prince, or the son of some Emperor, or the heir of a powerful sect. He was no chosen one by the Heavens...he was just...a man. But this man was determined to break away from the shackles of mortality and discover what lies beyond these lower realms of existence. From here on, there was only one more step to reach the Immortal Ascension Stage. During that stage, Naruto would need to purify all of his accumulated cultivation to create his own Divine Energy and imbue his own soul with it... as these were the only things that would be allowed to ascend into the higher realms. ''But that will be a worry for tomorrow...'' Naruto looked up into the sky. ''Now... I have a tribulation to face.'' The clouds had turned dark, almost completely black, and began to cover the entirety of the sky, preventing most of the sunlight from reaching the land. Sounds of thunder could already be heard. The Heavenly Tribulation was starting to form and would soon attempt to end Naruto''s life, so he may never achieve immortality. This tribulation was many times stronger than the previous one, and if he failed to overcome it... it would do more than just destroy his body. It would also destroy his very soul, and basically erase his very existence. He will not have another opportunity to try again. "Come here." Naruto made a gesture to his clones and these ones hurried to bring him the prisoner they were restraining. He stopped levitating and allowed his feet to touch the ground. His body was still surrounded by a golden aura while nine orbs of light floated behind him. This, all combined with his golden Rinnegan, gave Naruto a very mystic feeling, almost making him seem like an otherworldly entity. "N-no..." The prisoner tried to wrestle away from the clones. He did not want to get any closer to the real Naruto, as this one was giving him a terrible feeling. "Do not fret. I have no intention of killing you today." Naruto reassured him. "You called me a sacrifice..." The prisoner responded. "And a sacrifice you will be." Naruto began to form hand seals. Snake, boar, ram... nine in total, followed by both hands being clasped together. "Ahhh!" The prisoner screamed desperately when he saw a giant shadowy figure appear behind Naruto. A short distance away, Tsunade was the first one to recognize the jutsu that Naruto was using. "That is the Dead Demon Consuming Seal! What in Kami''s name is Naruto thinking?" "What is that shadow behind him?" Ino asked. "A God of Death, also known as a Shinigami." Hinata had at least read about the jutsu, even if she never learned it, since the only copy was inside the Hokage''s private library. "That jutsu allows you to seal anything inside the Shinigami, but then... it will claim the soul of the one who called it." One of the ANBU agents said. "That''s the forbidden jutsu that took the life of my Sensei... why would Naruto use something like that?" Tsunade asked. "Oh... so that''s why he said that before." Ino seemed to realize something. She turned to Hinata. "Do you remember what he told us about the Kyubi?" Hinata nodded. "He is trying to retrieve it..." "To retrieve what?" Tsunade felt somewhat lost. "You were not in the village... you must have heard the story of how Naruto''s father died. The Third was not the only one who resorted to this forbidden technique." Ino reminded her. Tsunade finally understood what Naruto was trying to accomplish. "Is he trying to get his father''s soul back from the Shinigami?" "Yes... and the other half of the Kyubi that should still be tied to the Fourth''s soul." Ino was sure that Naruto was more interested in the chakra from the Kyubi than freeing his father''s soul. "But that''s impossible! We are talking about the God of Death. No one can reclaim souls from him. The God is the one who takes souls, not gives them away." Tsunade exclaimed. "Naruto promised us before that he was going to kill a God of Death." Hinata said with no visible concern. "I want to see that." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 300: The Shinigami’s Price Chapter 300: The Shinigamis Price Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 300: The Shinigami''s Price "Ahh, nooo! Keep that monster awaay!" The sacrifice struggled to get free from his clone''s grasp. The Shinigami moved from behind Naruto and approached the terrified man. Its hands touched the man''s chest, and signs of seals began to appear over his skin while he screamed. Just a few seconds later, the screams stopped...the prisoner''s eyes were glaring at the Shinigami with clear terror reflected in them, but no sound came from his mouth. His body was now covered in seals, and the criminal became unable to move a single muscle. The two clones of Naruto vanished into thin air, but the man still didn''t move. "See? I told you I wasn''t going to kill you. I just sealed your entire body...you will never move again, but you''ll live. At least until your execution. " Naruto told the man before turning his attention to the supposed God of Death. This was, of course, a title given by mortals. Naruto knew for a fact that this was no God, as these were incapable of stepping onto the lower realms. This was no God''s avatar either, as these are extremely rare and besides, he could not feel any divine energy coming from this creature. He could only guess it was something closer to a demon, although it was certainly a variant he was not familiar with. The Shinigami proceeded to ignore the other man, now that its job was completed, and turned to Naruto with the intent of receiving its end of the deal. "I suppose you want to take my soul now," Naruto told the Shinigami. The sounds of thunder were getting louder. This told him that the tribulation was about to strike. The aura around Naruto began to shift and turn more intense. The Four-Tailed beast that was sealed inside him suddenly woke up and began to scream. ''Goku...'' He now knew its name, and the names of all the others. The fragmented memories of Asura told him everything he needed to know about the Nine-Tailed Beasts and their origin. But this familiarity was not going to stop him from achieving his purpose, now that he was so close. The creatures were not demons, but they would still serve as stepping stones for his ascension. Naruto pulled all the chakra from the Four-Tailed beast in a single instant, reducing the creature to its primal building blocks. He removed all the emotion and other impurities before moving it onto his core for further refinement before it could be put to use. In the real world, his cultivation was flaring up as he got ready for the next step. The nine orbs of golden light shone brightly behind him while his body started to levitate. The Shinigami didn''t seem deterred by this demonstration of power and continued to approach. The God of Death extended its right hand to touch Naruto''s chest, intending to pull his very own soul and consume it, fulfilling the payment for its summoning. The semi-translucent body of the Shinigami towered over Naruto. This entity existed in between the realm of the living and the dead, and as such, it could only interact with mortals in a limited manner. But it also worked the other way around, as mortals could not directly harm the Shinigami in any way, since they could not touch the demonic entity. Naruto understood the basics of its existence, and this was not going to stop him from doing what he wanted to do. His right hand became covered in a divine light. Before the demonic hand of the Shinigami could touch his soul, Naruto grabbed hold of its wrist, using his bare hands. "Sorry... I''m not paying." The God of Death showed no change in its demeanor, despite the fact that it was being physically held by a human...a feat that was supposed to have been impossible to accomplish. "You are not even fully conscious, aren''t you?" Naruto noted that the lack of emotion shown by the creature in front of him was likely due to a lack of mental capacity instead of a lack of emotions. "That''s too bad..." He sounded disappointed. "I wanted to see the so-called God of Death showing an expression of terror as I destroy it." A blinding light appeared in the sky, pushing away all the dark clouds in the process. "It''s here... let us go face the Heavens." Naruto shot towards the air, pulling the Shinigami along with him. This tribulation was several magnitudes higher than the previous one, and with just a quick glance, Naruto could tell that his estimation had not been too far off the mark. If this lightning were to impact the earth, it would at least decimate the entire country, if not more. Naruto pushed the Shinigami in front of him to serve as the first line of defense. The entity may be intangible and likely immune to most forms of attacks. But nothing can escape the wrath from the Heavens... or at least that''s what wise people like to say. He watched as the Shinigami was hit by the intense energy from the lightning bolt, reducing the creature into particles of black light that quickly dispersed. Multicolor luminescent orbs shot out from the remnants of the Shinigami and scattered everywhere. Naruto''s senses warned him that these were souls... there were countless souls that had been trapped inside the belly of the Shinigami since the beginning of time. But he only cared about one particular soul, the one belonging to his father, Minato. Naruto could only try to keep track of that one and hope that he could interact with it before leaving. Because right now, he still had a tribulation to face. The Shinigami did serve its purpose and took the blunt force of the initial impact, but there was still enough energy left in this bolt of light to kill Naruto and everyone present if he didn''t do something. A rotating sphere of golden light appeared on Naruto''s palm. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 301: Facing the Tribulation Chapter 301: Facing the Tribulation Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 301: Facing the Tribulation The full force of his full cultivation became focused on a single point, and then Naruto made this mass of energy begin to rotate, just like the first time he had used it. Except that this one had the strength to obliterate a thousand mountains. "Rasengan!" The golden sphere of destruction collided against the terrifying Heavenly Tribulation. The resulting encounter generated enough light to blind everyone present in the area, and it shook the ground with enough violence to break almost every single window in Konoha, which was several miles away. Down on the ground, Tsunade and the others were hiding behind a wall of ice that Ino had created to protect them from all the heat that had been created by the collision of those two monstrous forces. "Can someone tell me what in Kami''s name is going on out there?!" Tsunade shouted. "Sorry, Lady Tsunade," Hinata said. "But there is so much chakra around us that even I am blinded by it. The energy emanating from Naruto''s body is colliding with the one that came from the sky...they are still struggling against each other." "I hope they don''t struggle for too long. Unlike Naruto, my chakra is not limitless," Ino said as she added another layer of ice to the wall. "Even at this distance, the pressure and heat is tremendous...I cannot imagine what Naruto must be feeling up there," Tsunade said. "This Heavenly Tribulation...I have never heard of something like that before." "There has never been someone like Naruto before...maybe that''s why," Ino said. "Wait! I can see something changing," Hinata exclaimed. "What is it?!" Tsunade asked. "The Tribulation seems to be receding," Hinata responded. "Finally!" Ino said with relief. Just moments later, the blinding lights began to diminish slowly until they completely disappeared. The dark clouds dispersed and the skies seemed to recover their normal blue tone. Ino dispersed all the ice she had created so they could see what was happening outside. The first thing they did was to look upwards, in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Naruto. "What the" "What happened to the sky?!" "Did he do that?..." The three women and two ANBU agents stared in shock. In the middle of the blue sky, where Naruto had been floating just moments ago, there was now a massive black gap. It was like a giant had punched a hole into the blue sky, pushing everything aside, and revealing what lay beyond. They could all see the lights coming from the stars in the far distance of the cosmos. "Hinata, where is he?" Ino realized that she could not find Naruto anywhere. "Hold on...Byakugan!" Hinata activated her Sage Mode again so she could put more chakra into her eyes and increase the range. It was then that she spotted something falling from the sky. Not wanting to waste a second informing the others, Hinata put as much chakra into her legs as they could take and rushed out. Ino and Tsunade exchanged a single glance before following her. Hinata covered a large distance while moving like a blur and arrived at the exact spot in an instant. The figure of Naruto was falling down at great speed, and it became immediately obvious that he was not conscious. Hinata could not fly into the air like her husband usually did, but she was not out of options either. "Water Release...Revolving Geyser!" She created a column of water right beneath Naruto, so she could stop his fall without causing more harm. "Naruto!" Hinata gasped after she saw how terrible his state was. She dispelled all the water and caught his body in her arms. His robes were completely gone and most of his skin was covered in severe burns. Hinata could also sense that his chakra signature was dangerously low. Naruto had to use everything he had to stop the Heavenly Tribulation, and it had barely been enough. Had he not weakened it by sacrificing the Shinigami before, he would have likely perished by now. After all, this is what usually happens. The tribulation was meant to kill a cultivator at the Spirit Transformation Stage, so the rate of survival was very low. There are already few cultivators who make it this far, but only a small fraction of those are able to survive this deadly event in order to continue their journey. Usually, the ones who survive only manage to accomplish this by making use of extremely powerful defensive artifacts of the highest rarity. But Naruto had none of those. In fact, in this entire world, there are no artifacts that could help stop something like this tribulation. So he did it by sheer power and guts. "Oh no!" Ino looked at him with shock. "Let me see him." Tsunade moved to Hinata''s side. "Damn..." She was getting flashbacks to the day when she first met this young man. That day, she made a silly bet and he almost burned his arm off in an attempt to win it. This was much worse though. "Those burns are very deep...we have to hurry." Ino tried to keep herself calm and collected as she assessed the wounds. "Can you heal him?" Hinata was concerned for the first time. "I''ll do my best. How is his chakra? Can you see it?" Tsunade asked as she moved her hands over the burns while also checking his pulse. "It''s weak, but steady...it seems to be increasing now. I think his core is gathering energy from around us to recover. I have never seen him do that," Hinata said. But to be fair, she had never seen him get this injured either. "He is going to be okay," Ino said with conviction. The best healer in the entire continent was right next to them, and she was no slouch either, even if she would not say it herself. Hinata nodded. "I know...he still has much to do." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 302: Chasing a Spirit Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 302: Chasing a Spirit "This is kinda comfortable..." When Naruto regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a piece of fabric, his head resting on someone''s lap. "What do you mean by ''kinda''...?" Ino looked down at him with a deep frown. "I''ll have you know most men in Konoha would kill for the chance to rest on my lap." Naruto lifted his hand and examined it. His skin was burned, but it didn''t seem serious. The pain was mild, though his chakra reserves were extremely low. "How long was I out?" "Five very long minutes," Hinata replied. "Your wounds are healing fast... you''re lucky to have those crazy Uzumaki genes," Tsunade added. "You had third-degree burns over ninety percent of your body," Ino informed him. "Anyone else would''ve died." "I think you all know that I am not like..." Naruto looked down at himself. "Where are my robes?" "I just told you your body was completely burned. What makes you think your robes survived that?" Ino replied. "Is not just my robes, I had a lot of things stored inside scrolls....oh well. And this?." He pointed at the black pants that had been laid on top of him to cover his crotch. "One of the ANBU agents had a spare," Hinata explained. Naruto glanced around the area. "They just left with the prisoner you sealed. Technically, he was still alive," Hinata clarified. "Okay, I get the idea." Naruto tried to stand but was quickly stopped by Ino. "Hold on, you can''t move yet," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I''m feeling much better, thanks to your magnificent care," Naruto replied. "Your body heals faster than anyone''s, but you should still avoid moving too much. Just rest a little longer," Tsunade advised. "It''s not that I don''t want to stay here, half-naked and surrounded by beautiful women, but my father''s soul won''t last long. If it disappears, all of this will have been for nothing." Naruto gently moved Ino''s hand off his shoulder and stood up. "Your father''s soul? You actually got it out of the Shinigami?" Ino asked. "What happened to the Shinigami exactly? We couldn''t see much from here," Tsunade added. Naruto adjusted the pants and secured them with a piece of string. "Yes, I got it out. In fact, I''m pretty sure all the souls trapped inside the Shinigami were released when it was obliterated by the tribulation." "Are you saying the lightning killed the God of Death?!" Tsunade exclaimed. Naruto scoffed. "Please... that thing was no god. Mortals really need to calm down with their exaggerated titles. If there truly is a real God of Death, that wasn''t it. And besides, what it was hit with, was a lot more powerful than any normal lightning." He tried to extend his senses...it was difficult, but he could pick up the traces he was looking for. His clones had all been dispelled, and he couldn''t make any more at the moment. He would need to go there in person. Naruto could tell his reserves were recovering fast, but it would still take several days to fully restore them. He had to use whatever energy he had left with utmost care. Naruto''s eyes regained some of their usual golden glow. When he extended his hand forward, a cloud of smoke appeared. From within the smoke, a large bird emerged, dispersing the remaining mist with a wave of its wings. "Naruto, you shouldn''t be using chakra!" Tsunade scolded. "Summoning a flying creature is still cheaper than flying on my own...and I need to get there as fast as possible." He walked toward the bird to climb on. "Let me help you up." Ino grabbed his waist. "And I''m coming with youjust in case you need medical attention. You''re far from recovered." He didnt not try to argue with Ino, and the two of them climbed onto the beast. Naruto then turned to Hinata. "You two go back to Konoha. This won''t take long." "Be very careful. You''re in no shape for a fight," Hinata warned him. "I don''t expect to fight the ghost of my father... but I''ll be careful." Naruto gestured with his hand, and the summoned beast soared into the sky. "Do you know where the Fourth''s spirit went?" Ino asked. She had no idea how they were supposed to find a lost soul, but she hoped Naruto could manage it with his enhanced senses. Otherwise, they should''ve brought Hinata. "I tracked it as my father''s soul left the Shinigami''s belly... I can still sense some of the traces left by his spirit. I think he was moving around Konoha before heading to the outskirts." "He went to Konoha? You think he was looking for you? I mean... I don''t know anything about ghosts, but do they still remember things from when they were alive?" "Spirits definitely have the ability to retain memories," Naruto said. He knew this for a facthe remembered everything now. "My father''s soul never went through the normal process, so his memories were never removed... However, once he leaves the mortal realm, that''ll change." "If he does remember, then he must''ve been looking for his family. That''s what I''d do if I became a ghost," Ino said. "If he''s looking for someone... then yes, it''s possible he''s looking for me, or more likely, he is looking for his wife. Wait... I''m picking something upstronger this time. I think it''s him." Naruto guided the bird as it flew past Konoha and continued toward the east. The massive forest of the Land of Fire stretched out beneath them, but a large clearing devoid of trees lay just ahead. "That place..." Naruto could feel his father''s spirit. It had stopped there. Ino recognized it too. That clearing held deep meaning to Konoha''s people. It was the site of the final battle against the Kyu?bi, eighteen years ago. "My father went to the place of his final battle." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 303: Minato Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 303: Minato "I can see something down there!" Ino pointed. "Yes, that''s definitely him." Naruto ordered the bird to descend into the clearing. A ghostly figure stood motionless in the middle of the field. "Wow, I can actually see ghosts!" Ino said excitedly. This kind of thing might be normal for someone like Hinata, but not for her. "His soul must be in some sort of transitional state, making it visible to the naked eye," Naruto said. "Wait, so anyone could see him right now?" Ino asked. "Do I look like a ghost expert? It was just a guess. Now let''s hurry before he disappears." Naruto jumped off the bird and approached the translucent figure of his father. Minato stared into the distance, seemingly unaware of their presence. "Hey there," Naruto called. As he got closer, he could detect traces of the Kyubi''s chakra...different from what he remembered, but definitely familiar. Minato blinked, turning his head. "You... look familiar." "Well, I should," Naruto shrugged. "I''m your son, after all." "Naruto? No... that''s not possible. He was just born... I..." Minato looked around. "I can''t find my wife. She was just next to me a moment ago." "Uh, Lord Hokage, sir?" Ino said hesitantly. "I''m afraid that wasn''t a moment ago. It''s been eighteen years since you died." "Died...?" Minato''s confusion deepened. "The battle with the Kyubi. It happened right here," Naruto said. "The Kyubi... yes... I remember now!" Minato''s eyes lit up with recognition. "The demon escaped its seal and was laying waste to the village. Kushina had just given birth... I had to leave them to protect Konoha, and..." "You did protect Konoha," Ino added. "You saved everyone that day. You were the greatest hero." "And Kushina..." "She died too," Naruto said. Minato nodded slowly. "Those last moments... they''re fragmented. Hard to make sense of. But I remember... she helped me hold the Kyubi while I... oh. I used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, didn''t I?" "You did. Your soul ended up trapped inside the Shinigami''s belly," Ino confirmed. "Then... how...?" Minato looked at Naruto in wonder. "That Shinigami is no more," Naruto replied. "Are you really my Naruto? You look like a man." "It''s been eighteen years," Naruto said softly. "I am a man now." "Eighteen yearsKami... Wait, what do you mean, ''That Shinigami is no more''?" "Naruto used the same sealing jutsu to summon the Shinigami," Ino explained. "Then he destroyed it, freeing all the souls trapped inside." "You killed the God of Death?! That''s impossible, even for my son." "There''s no such thing as ''impossible'' for me," Naruto huffed. "And that thing wasn''t a God. I''ve had this conversation already...just trust me." "Well... I can''t argue with the fact that I''m clearly not in that prison anymore," Minato said. "When I used that jutsu, I knew the price. But I''m glad you got me out... son." Minato smiled. "It''s strange to say that. You''re already a grown man. The last time I saw you, you were a newborn. I wish Kushina could see you now." He looked at Ino. "And is this your...?" "Girlfriend," Ino answered with a small smile. "Ino Yamanaka. Nice to meet you, Lord Fourth." "You''ve even got a cute girlfriend. Yamanaka... are you Inoichi''s daughter?" "I am!" Ino beamed. "You knew my father?." "It''s hard to believe that serious old Inoichi has such a cheerful daughter..." Minato muttered with a smile. Naruto noticed energy particles starting to drift from Minato''s body. "Sorry to interrupt, but we''re running out of time. Your soul is close to being pulled from the mortal realm, and we still have important business to conclude." "Business?" Minato asked. "I need to extract the Yin half of the Kyubi you sealed inside yourself. That chakra became tied to your soul when the Shinigami took you. If I don''t recover it now, it''ll disperse when you leave...and it could take years to reform. I can''t wait that long." "The Kyubi... right. I remember now. I sealed the Yang half inside the baby. I thought sealing the full beast would destroy his body, so I took the other half into myself," Minato muttered. "Correct. Now I need the other half," Naruto said. Minato glanced at Naruto''s belly. "But shouldn''t you still have the Yang half sealed inside you? Where''s the seal? I can''t see it." Since Naruto was only wearing a pair of black pants, Minato could clearly see his belly, and there were no signs of the seal he had created. "I broke that seal a long time ago," Naruto replied. "What?! You freed the demon?!" Minato stared at him with shock. "No. I consumed its chakra and made it my own." "You consumed that vile chakra? That should''ve killed any normal human!" "Any normal human, yes. But Naruto is different," Ino said proudly. "It''ll be easier to show you," Naruto said, extending his hand. "Cosmic Assimilation... Absorb!" A vortex appeared in his palm, pulling red strands of demonic chakra from Minato''s soul. "What is this?!" Minato looked in shock as the energy was drawn out of him. Naruto focused intently to avoid absorbing any of Minato''s soul by mistake. After nearly a minute, the last of the chakra had been removed. In his mindscape, he worked to contain the mass before it could regain any form of consciousness. "You... you did it?" Minato asked. "Yes. The other half of the Kyubi is with me now," Naruto answered. "I''ve never heard of a jutsu that could do that in my time..." "Lord Fourth, your hands" Ino pointed. "Oh..." Minato noticed his hands fading. The rest of his body was slowly dissipating as well. "I guess... it''s time to go." "I hoped to have more time to explain things properly, but... I wish you luck in your next life, Father. " Naruto said. Minato''s eyes widened. "Waitbefore I gothere''s something you must know. The night of the attack... someone was controlling the Kyubi. A masked man with a Sharingan. He said his name was... Madara Uchiha... Be careful, son. If you see that masked man agai" Minato''s soul dispersed before he could finish. "Oh... he''s gone," Ino said sadly. She had hoped to talk with him a little longer. "Madara Uchiha..." Naruto repeated quietly. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 304: The Return of The Legend Chapter 304: The Return of The Legend Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 304: The Return of The Legend Ino and Naruto stood on that field, watching in silence as his father''s soul disappeared into particles of light. "Is he now going to the Pure Land?" Ino asked. " At least, that''s what people often say." "Pure Land, Yellow River, Purgatory... mortals have come up with many names for it. It doesn''t matter what you call it. It''s just a place of transition where souls go until they are purified and sent back to some mortal world." Ino looked at him. "Do you know this because of your past life''s memories?" Naruto returned the stare and noticed something in her eyes. "Kind of... but that''s not what you want to know." "I mean..." Ino muttered. "You want to know if remembering all my past lives has turned me into a different person," Naruto stated. Ino stood silent for a moment. "Did it?" Naruto shook his head. "It gave me some valuable insight... but no, I don''t believe it changed me. After all, I already had memories about the longest one of all my lifetimes." Ino looked very relieved to hear him say that. "So you weren''t a cultivator in your other lives?" "Not really, not like my last one." "So what were you doing then?" Ino asked. "In my first life, I was a sheep herder and the others... I was all kinds of farmer or craftsman." Ino stared at him in shock. "You worked with sheep?..." She had to try hard to contain her laughter. "Okay, that''s enough questions." Naruto rolled his eyes. "You need to go back to the village. I have to spend some time in my cultivation cave." "You should come to the hospital and let us do a proper check-up," Ino told him. "My body is fine. But I need to stabilize my cultivation. I''ve taken in a lot of chakra from those Bijuus but haven''t had the time to set everything properly. I also need to process the Yin part of the Kyubi... it''s a massive amount of chakra, it may even get me close to the last stage already." "But you just broke through this one," Ino said. "I know... if those old cultivators from my previous world, who spent centuries trying to get this far, could hear what I just said... they''d spew blood until they died." "Spew blood? Why would they do that?" Ino looked confused. "Oh, it''s just a way of... nevermind." "So, how long are you going to stay in the cave?" Ino asked. "I''m not sure, but it will be a while... there is much I have to do. Cultivation is akin to building a tall tower, and I just added several new floors in a matter of minutes. I need to make sure the foundation is solid or the whole thing could collapse on me." "I think I understand." "Don''t worry, when I come out, we can go to those hot springs you wanted to visit," Naruto told her. "You haven''t forgotten about it!" Ino exclaimed. "Of course not." Naruto grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer. "I bet we will have a lot of fun." Ino licked her lips in a suggestive manner. "Looking forward to that." The two of them kissed passionately for a while, and Naruto jumped onto his flying summon. <><><><><><><><> A long distance away from Konoha, in between the borders of the Waterfall Village, there is a massive forest called the Green Death. Very few dare to venture inside, as the creatures who populate this forest are some of the deadliest in the entire continent. Near the end of the forest, there is a mountain range, called the Mountain Graveyard. There is a cave hidden somewhere in these mountains. A cave that belongs to a certain legendary ninja, who was now making his way toward it... after having returned to the realm of the living. Madara Uchiha stood on a large rock and examined his surroundings with narrow eyes. "Something is different here..." he muttered. Coming back to life by the hands of Kabuto, who used the Impure World Reincarnation, was not part of his plan. He was supposed to be resurrected via the Rinnegan... that''s why he had left it with Nagato, along with some very specific instructions for Zetsu and Obito to follow. But when he returned to life, he found himself staring at an army and discovered that he was resurrected by some boy who had somehow learned that forbidden jutsu created by Tobirama. "That bastard..." This just made him angrier. The Senju had been dead for decades, and they were still ruining his plans somehow. Now that his soul had been pulled from the Pure World, it would be impossible for him to be reborn in the way he wanted. Madara glanced down at himself. He was able to remove all the control seals that Kabuto had placed on his body and escape from his control. But now he was trapped in this flawed puppet... Madara hadn''t had the time to perform enough tests, but he had estimated that he only had access to around sixty to seventy percent of the strength he had during his prime. And he wasn''t sure if this was going to be enough to complete his plan, unless he could get his Rinnegan back, as well as Hashirama cells. There was much he had to do now, but first... he had to find them. "Zetsu!" Madara shouted as he went inside his cave. "Zetsu! Come out!" He had already detected things being different outside. But they were also different inside. "Obito!... Damn it... where are my things?" His cave was not just different. Most of his belongings were missing. "Did someone raid my cave?..." That seemed impossible. Thieves would not dare to venture this far into the forest, and the cave itself would be extremely difficult to find for those who were unaware of its existence. Madara''s mind was starting to go through all the possible scenarios that could have occurred. It''s not like he hadn''t considered that Obito could betray him, but that also should be impossible, unless he found a way to remove the cursed mark he had placed on the boy. As for Black Zetsu... the creature was an extension of his own will, so betrayal was not possible either. He was about to shout again, when he sensed someone''s presence. "Lord Madara... you have returned." A black humanoid figure emerged from the ground. "Zetsu..." Madara turned around to look at him. "Finally... you have much to explain." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 305: Madara Uchiha Chapter 305: Madara Uchiha Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 305: Madara Uchiha Zetsu bowed politely. "Of course, Lord Madara. And explain I will. But if I may... how have you managed to return to life?" "I was brought back by a young man with silver hair. He used a forbidden jutsu from Konoha." Madara managed to find his old stone seat and rested on it. "Ah... that was probably Kabuto. The successor of Orochimaru," Zetsu said. "Orochimaru?" He did recall a young boy with that name. "Indeed. The Snake Sage had become well known for his mastery of that particular jutsu, and Kabuto was his spy in Konoha, as well as his best student," Zetsu explained. "Then Orochimaru and his student have much to answer to me... how dare they bring me back to life in order to use me as a puppet." Madara was brimming with rage. He was the legendary Madara Uchiha, not just some tool to use for war. "I''m afraid that won''t be possible. You see... Orochimaru is dead. And from what I have heard, so is Kabuto. As well as the entire army they brought to destroy Konoha." "What?! That army was going to Konoha?!" He was now regretting leaving in such a rush instead of trying to gain more information. "Yes, it was an army composed of the combined forces of the Cloud and Rock villages, as well as several minor ones. I believe around forty thousand strong, and that included two Kages and two Jinchurikis. " Zetsu said. "That''s a mighty force indeed. How did Konoha manage to survive such an attack? Has the village grown so much in strength during my absence?" Madara couldn''t imagine how that would be possible. It had not been that long since he died, and he used to keep himself well informed, even if he rarely left this cave during his latest years of life. "The village''s strength has not grown that much. In fact, their current Hokage may be the weakest one they ever had, at least when it comes to combat. But they do have one incredible ninja in their ranks. This ninja was the one who destroyed the entire army by himself... in less than one hour." Madara stared at Zetsu like he had gone insane. "Zetsu..." "This is the truth, Lord Madara. I would not jest about these things... you know me better." "Who is this ninja? Did Hashirama come back to life as well?" Madara didn''t really think that his old friend could have done something like that, but no other person came to mind. "Naruto Uzumaki. He is the son of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki, the previous container of the Kyubi," Zetsu simply said, although he knew that further explanation was going to be necessary. "The son of the Fourth?... but he would be just a boy." Madara had a very hard time believing any of this. "Eighteen years old. He was born shortly before Obito attempted to wrest control of the Nine-Tailed Beast. That plan was a failure for the most part. But we did manage to get something out of it at least." Madara glared at Zetsu. Things had been moving much faster than he had initially predicted. "Tell me everything that I have missed, and start from the beginning...it seems like I have much to learn about current events." "As you wish, Lord Madara. I will regale you with the full story. And it is a good thing you are already seated because it is a long one." Zetsu would spend the next hours telling Madara everything that had been going on since the day Naruto was born, until today. All the important events of the last eighteen years. Madara listened to the report, and by the end of it, the sun had begun to go down and the cave had grown too dark to see anything. He stood up from his chair and used a bit of chakra to light all of the torches in the chamber before sitting back down. It took him several more minutes to process everything he had heard. "We lost seven out of the nine Bijuus, most of the members of Akatsuki are dead, and the Rinnegan is currently in the hands of our enemies." Madara''s Sharingan reacted to his anger and frustration. "How can you fail so miserably?!" His fist smashed the stone chair beneath him. "Lord Mada" "And where is Obito?! I want to see him now." "I beg of you to calm down, Lord Madara. Not everything is lost. We may still have a way to complete our plan." "Is that so?" Madara raised an eyebrow. "I will explain my idea, but first we must leave this place. It is not safe to remain here any longer," Zetsu said. "Why not? This cave is one of the most secure places on the continent. That''s why I made my hideout here," Madara said. "I''m afraid that is not the case anymore. Naruto Uzumaki knows about it... I have seen his clones scout this area. Eventually, they found the cave, but by then I had already taken away all the most important objects stored in here," Zetsu said. "Mmm... so that''s why it all felt so different and most of my things are missing. But how could this Naruto find the location of my cave? Who betrayed us?" "There is only one person who could have given him that information... and that would be Nagato. Before his death, he must have revealed this to him," Zetsu concluded. After all, other than the two present, the only other person who knew about this cave was Obito, and he was unable to betray Madara because of the mark that had been placed on him. "Nagato..." Madara glared at Zetsu. "I only entrusted my Rinnegan to that boy for one reason... you and Obito were supposed to keep him under control. You have failed in your task." "I will do what I can to redeem myself from my failures, Lord Madara. I promise you that. But now we must take our leave." "Very well... and where are we going?" Madara asked. Zetsu smiled. "Our organization has a new hideout. The remaining members are waiting there. Once we arrive, we can begin working on our plan to counterattack. Now that Lord Madara is with us, we may have a chance for victory." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 306: Back Home Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 306: Back Home 1 Year Later "Mmm... the village looks much more... busy." Naruto''s figure floated in the air above Konoha. His physical appearance hadn''t changed much compared to a year ago...only his blonde hair had grown even longer, now reaching his waist. However, his aura had undergone a transformation, becoming more serene and majestic than before. His body radiated a constant golden glow, giving him an exalted appearance. "I wonder if they''re going to get mad when they see me now..." Naruto was somewhat worried about Ino and Hinata. After collecting the other half of the Kyu?bi, Naruto had gone straight to his cultivation cave, where he remained for the past year. Stabilizing his cultivation had taken longer than he originally expected. Of course, spending a year or two inside a cave wasn''t a big deal to him and couldn''t be considered a long period of time. But he understood that, from his companions'' perspective, it might be different. "Oh well, not much can be done now." Naruto looked around. The forest had been restored from all the damage he had caused. This was likely the work of Yamato. "Before I forget... I should restore my network." As Naruto said this, countless clones materialized all around him and immediately took off in all directions. They would now travel to all corners of the Elemental Nations and allow him to keep an eye on what was happening in the world while he stayed here. His senses extended and located everyone who was of interest to him. Ino was in the Hokage''s office. "I should go there first." Naruto hovered a bit lower and began to hear shouts coming from the people below. Now that he was closer, the civilians were able to see Naruto flying over the village, and they all got very excited to see him. This was a much different reaction compared to the first time he ''awoke'' as Naruto in that hospital bed. After the so-called "One-Day War," Naruto Uzumaki''s name had become more than legendary in the Land of Fire. And extremely infamous in other places like the Rock and Cloud Countries, where he was seen as a murderous demon. But to the people of Konoha, Naruto was their savior and guardian. Many villagers worshiped him as if he were already a god, and had even built statues of him in several places around the village. Naruto happened to spot one of these statues on the way to the Hokage''s building. "What are those mortals thinking?" He decided to be polite just this once and went through the front door, then walked toward the office. A middle-aged woman sat at a desk just outside the Hokage''s office. Naruto was vaguely familiar with her... even though he usually came through the window, he recalled a few times she had brought him something to drink. "Is the Hokage busy? I wish to speak with her," Naruto asked the secretary. "Name?" she asked back, without lifting her face from the book she was reading. "Naruto Uzumaki." "..." She was about to flip the page but then froze. "Sorry, did I hear...?" She lifted her face to look at him...and gasped. "Lord Naruto, you''re back!" She nearly fell from her chair. "It''s only been a year..." Naruto huffed. ''Is everyone going to overreact like this?'' She hurried to open the door for him. "Go on, the Hokage will receive you now." "Hey! What do you mean by that? I don''t have anyone on my agenda this morning." Tsunade''s annoyed voice came from inside. But her demeanor quickly changed when she saw who it was. "You''re back..." Tsunade stared at him in shock. "Yes, I concluded my business at the" Naruto''s eyes moved to the sofa on the right. Ino was sitting there, drinking some tea. "Hey!" He waved at her. Ino blinked a few times, set the cup down, and stood up. She then walked up to him, and...slapped him. Hard enough that the sound echoed through the entire building. "Hey?! You were gone for a damn year!" Naruto scratched his cheek. The slap didn''t hurt, of course, but it was a bit itchy. "I figured you were going to get angry. But it''s not like I disappeared. You knew where I was." "Yes, but we couldn''t even go see you. I mean, I wanted to, but Hinata said we shouldn''t disturb you until you were done," Ino replied. Naruto nodded. "That was a good call. As expected from Hinata." That girl had great insight and always seemed to make the correct decision. Interrupting him during meditation could have forced him to spend several more years stabilizing his cultivation, instead of just one. "Just hug your boyfriend already, Ino," Tsunade said with an annoyed tone. "I know how much you''ve missed him." Ino turned to her and huffed. "I was getting to that!. I just wanted to slap him first. He deserves it." Naruto waited patiently as she made up her mind, and finally, she jumped into his arms. "Sorry I made you wait so long," Naruto said softly as he held her. "Just don''t do that again," she replied. Tsunade watched the couple hug and kiss. "This is starting to make me angry...can you two go do that somewhere else?. Have some mercy..." She reached into the bottom drawer, where she kept her emergency booze. The two of them ignored her and continued. "Oi, that''s enough already... stop making out in my office," Tsunade shouted at them before filling up another glass. "Have you seen Hinata yet?" Ino asked him. Naruto shook his head. "No, I thought it was best to come here first and announce my return to Tsunade." "Thanks for the gesture, I guess," Tsunade muttered. "Oh..." Ino made a troubled expression. "Then you should go see her now." Naruto glanced at Ino. "Did something happen to Hinata?" "I mean, yes? But it''s nothing bad. It''s best if you go see for yourself instead of me explaining," Ino said. Naruto nodded. "Very well. I''ll go now." He was already planning on going to the Hyuga Compound anyway. After he flew out the window, Tsunade let out a chuckle. "How do you think he''s going to react when he finds out?" Ino chuckled too. "I have no idea. But now I kinda wish I could be there to see it." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 307: Naruto’s Surprise Gift Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 307: Naruto''s Surprise Gift Naruto landed before the front door of the Hyuga Compound. Two familiar guards were performing their duty at their post and got startled when they spotted Naruto arrive. "Whoa!" "Where did he come from?" Naruto sighed. "How can you be startled by that? I thought you could see in all directions." "That''s only when we have our Byakugan active!" "Yeah, that consumes a lot of chakra. No one can keep it active the whole time, except maybe the Matriarch..." "Speaking of... I would like to see her," Naruto said. One of the guards seemed to have gotten upset over the request. He was about to shout at Naruto for his rudeness when he realized who this was. "You are..." His eyes opened like plates. "You want to see the Matriarch without an appointment? I don''t think so, buddy." The other guard was busy looking at his registry book. "And I don''t have any appointments for today. So you''ll have to g" "Wait, you idiot!" The other guard smacked the back of his head. "Look who you''re speaking to." "Damn you..." He grabbed his head before turning his eyes to look at Naruto. "What are you talking a Lord Naruto?!" "Hello." Naruto greeted them with a polite smile. Even if he was married to the leader of the clan, it was made clear to him that he did not possess any authority over clan matters. And Naruto was perfectly fine with that. He could live without that hassle. But even if he didn''t have any political influence, most members of the clan still respected him just as much as their Matriarch. After all, the Hyuga Clan values individual strength quite a bit. "My Lord, please accept our apologies for not recognizing you immediately!" The first guard was already opening the door. "Wait! Let me help!" The other one hurried to push the massive wooden gate all the way open so Naruto could pass. "Thank you." Naruto wasn''t sure if they were being this desperate to avoid offending him because they were afraid of him, or because they were afraid of what Hinata would do to them if they tried to antagonize her husband. Naruto walked inside and could see that some things had changed in the compound. This was partially his fault, since he had destroyed the previous Main Hall, where the Patriarch had all the important meetings. Other minor buildings had also suffered damage during his demonstration, so in the end, Hinata decided that some remodeling was in order. The new Great Hall looked twice as big as the previous one, and there were a few new buildings around the main one. "It does make the garden smaller though," Naruto commented. "That''s what I told my sister." Naruto stopped and looked at the girl standing at his side. "Is that how you are supposed to greet me, Firecracker?" The young girl puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "It''s Hanabi!" "And it is Lord Naruto for you. Or have you forgotten about our little bet? Because I haven''t." "It''s been almost five years since that!" Hanabi complained. "Yes, and your manners have not improved... how disappointing." Naruto made an exaggerated gesture. "Urgh... greetings, Lord Naruto." She gave him a polite bow. "Welcome back to the Hyuga Clan... is that good enough?" "It''s passable, I guess," Naruto said. "Can I punch you now? How dare you abandon my sister for an entire year. Especially in her condition." Hanabi looked seriously upset. " I have already been slapped for it, even though I didn''t abandon anyone. I went into a period of secluded cultivation. I''m sure Hinata understood this better than everyone else. And what do you mean by condition? She wasn''t sick or anything when I left." Hanabi''s anger turned into surprise. "You mean you don''t know?... well, of course you don''t. Why am I surprised?" She rolled her eyes. "I''ve had enough riddles." Naruto felt her chakra signature coming from the second floor of the new Great Hall. She was not alone. There were two other signatures with her. "I''ll go see her now." His body began to levitate. "Wait!" Hanabi tried to say something else, but Naruto just ignored her and flew to the nearest window. The moment he crossed the window frame, Hinata turned to look at him. She was sitting in front of a small table and was holding something in her arms. In front of her was her attendant, Asami. "Naruto, welcome back." She had a bright smile on her face as she said this. "The runaway husband has finally returned," Asami said. "Does everyone believe that I ran away?... That''s ridiculous." Naruto''s eyes moved to the bundle in Hinata''s arms. "Is that?..." Hinata grinned. "Don''t listen to them, I''m not upset about that...I understand that you did what you had to do. Now, why don''t you come closer and greet your daughter?" She moved the baby in her arms so he could see her better. "My daughter... so that''s what everyone was talking about." Naruto walked closer. "Her name is Himawari and she is just three months old," Hinata told him. "My apologies for choosing the name by myself, but I couldn''t wait any longer for naming her." " That is fine, Hinata. Himawari is a nice name, for...mmm... let''s see." Naruto sat down next to Hinata, and this one-handed over his daughter to him. He did his best to avoid stirring her awake, but she woke up anyway. The baby opened her eyes and stared at Naruto with curiosity, but did not cry or yell. Just stared at him with her wide blue eyes. "Hello, little one. I am your father, Naruto Uzumaki." "That''s a very formal way to introduce yourself to a three-month-old baby..." Asami pointed out. "Oh... she has my eyes. Well, the old ones," Naruto commented. "I kinda miss your blue eyes. They were very pretty," Hinata commented. "And it looks like she has inherited her mother''s beauty," Naruto pointed out. The baby started making noises as if she understood she was being complimented. "How kind." Hinata smiled. "So you like her?" "Of course. You have given me an heir. I would have requested one at some point. I just didn''t expect one this soon," Naruto said as he held his daughter. "I wanted to tell you, and Ino did too. But I didn''t wish to disturb you during your cultivation," Hinata said. Naruto nodded. "It was the right call. Still, I''m sorry for leaving for this long." "You did what you had to do, no need for apologies." Hinata said. "So, you are not going to slap me like Ino did?" "She did what?!" Hinata exclaimed. Naruto chuckled. "It''s okay, I deserved it." "You did not!..." Hinata sighed. "All I care about is that you have returned to me." She wrapped her arms around him. "Can I kiss my husband now?" "If you two are going to get nasty, let me take the baby outside," Asami suggested. Naruto glanced at her for a moment before looking back at his wife. "Can you take a few days off?" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 308: An Unfortunate Fate Part 1 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 308: An Unfortunate Fate Part 1 "It is time to wake up, Lord Madara." A calm voice aroused him from his sleep. Uchiha Madara opened his eyes and felt completely disoriented. He scanned the surroundings while his mind was trying to make sense of the situation. He instinctively knew that he had been asleep for a very long period of time. Some fragments of memories from the brief periods of time he managed to regain consciousness for mere seconds rushed to the front of his mind. And as this happened, he felt a surge of absolute rage washing over him. "Zetsu! What did you do to me?!" His mind was starting to work properly, but his body was completely restrained. He was in the middle of some desolate plains, with nothing but dust and rocks all around him for hundreds of miles. There was only one single thing in this otherwise empty place... a tree, but it was not a common one by any means. It had a massive trunk that rose into the sky, with not a single branch and not a single green leaf in sight. Its roots, however, could be seen leaving the ground and extending everywhere. The husk of the Ten-Tailed Beast, or as Madara had called it, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path...had been embedded near the top of the tree, giving it a very bizarre appearance. Madara found his limbs rooted into the trunk of this massive tree, and no matter how much force he put into trying to break free, he could not damage the wood. And he was not the only one. The remaining members of Akatsuki were not too far from where he was. Madara could see their faces poking out of the tree trunk. Memories from the day when it all began appeared at the front of his mind. He was brought to this cursed place under false pretenses by who he thought was his most loyal follower... Zetsu. Madara was informed that the remnants of the organization were inside a secret hideout, somewhere in these plains. But when he first arrived, there was nothing here, at least nothing that he could see at first glance, even with his enhanced senses. This didn''t arouse any suspicion at first. After all, it was supposed to be a secret hideout, so it shouldn''t be easy to find. And the one who brought him here was Zetsu himself... he had always thought that this black variant of the Zetsu constructs was a personification of his will, using Hashirama cells to create a physical body. He could never have suspected that he would be betrayed by his own will... that just seemed ridiculous. But betrayed he had been... Madara could only remember a few bits of what happened next. He knew that Zetsu had attacked him and inflicted some grievous wounds on his body...enough to make him lose consciousness. Next thing he knew, this massive tree had appeared out of nowhere, since he was sure there was nothing in the rocky plains when he first arrived. His body was restrained to the trunk of the tree, and he could feel his chakra being constantly drained, keeping him weak and fragile. Other people were brought here by the White Zetsus and promptly had their bodies embedded into the tree as well. Some kind of fishman was carried first, along with a blonde young man. Shortly after, he woke up just in time to see Obito being secured in the same manner. This told Madara that Black Zetsu''s betrayal was his own work and the rest of the members had taken no part in it. Madara still didn''t understand how that could happen, or even why... "Zetsu!" He felt his strength returning to him. For some reason, the tree was no longer draining him of his chakra and keeping him in a half-conscious state... docile and unable to fight back. This was likely the reason for the return of his senses. Madara was in no position to question why this was happening, as this may be the only chance he had to escape. "Zetsu! Show yourself, you traitorous slime!" He knew that the bastard was close by, but couldn''t even move his head a little bit to turn around. "Calm down, Lord Madara. I am right here." The voice of Zetsu was filled with joy. "As I have been for the past year." "A year?..." Madara couldn''t believe it. Had he been tied to this tree for an entire year? It was hard to tell how much time passed, as he kept going in and out of consciousness. "Indeed. A year has passed, but not to worry. I have not wasted our time... not even one bit. And now, everything is close to being ready," Zetsu said. Madara had no idea what he was talking about, since he never explained what his plan was. "What the hell are you plotting?... You think you can restrain me forever?! I will get out of here eventually, and then, I''m going t" "There is no need to get aggressive, Lord Madara. I told you I had a plan... a way to achieve victory over our enemies, and that was true. Unfortunately, for this plan to work, some sacrifices are necessary. So you see, I never lied to you... not completely." "Plan, you say?... All you have done is make this tree appear and drain my chakra for a year. What do you think y" "You truly underestimate me, Lord Madara." Zetsu interrupted him again. With a simple gesture, his hand transformed into a polished piece of wood. It was not a mirror, but the surface was reflective enough for Madara to see his reflection on it when Zetsu brought it closer to his face. Madara became too shocked to scream at Zetsu again when he saw his eyes. "The Rinnegan!... I have the Rinnegan!" He could see it clearly. His eyes had evolved from his normal Sharingan. "This is more than just the Rinnegan... this is the combination of both," Zetsu proclaimed. "The Rinne-Sharingan! And also... our hope." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 309: An Unfortunate Fate Part 2 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 309: An Unfortunate Fate Part 2 "The Rinnensharingan..." Madara repeated. "That''s right. An evolution of the most powerful eyes, their ultimate form... even fit for a God," Zetsu proclaimed. "A God..." Madara was starting to truly feel like one now. All of the chakra that had been taken away from him was now returning in troves, and it felt much more refined and potent than before. No, it wasn''t just what was taken away, but much more... he could feel an immense amount of chakra entering his body and fusing with him. His new eyes were now able to see everything around him, and with a degree of detail that he never even knew existed. The bodies of the fish-like man and the blonde young man at his side were starting to break apart and disintegrate. Their chakra had been consumed and filtered through the trunk of the tree, only to eventually travel to Madara. "Noo! Stop!" Obito woke up just in time to realize that the same thing was happening to him. His single Sharingan found Madara and Zetsu, and he continued to scream at them to stop this. It was too late to stop what was happening. Something had been triggered the moment Madara awoke his new eyes, and it would not stop until the process was completed. Obito lasted a long minute until his body became too decayed for him to continue his ranting... and just like that, the man who had been orchestrating and directing the Akatsuki organization from the shadows... died alone. His body broke apart and disappeared into dust particles. There would be no burial, and no one would miss him. With three of the last four members of Akatsuki dead, the organization could be considered officially destroyed. Zetsu watched all of this happen without a shred of emotion on his face. "They have served their purpose... they should be honored. Their deaths will be your Apotheosis!" At that point, Madara should have noticed that Zetsu was not looking at him as he said these words, and instead, he was looking toward the Moon. But Madara was too distracted by the overwhelming amount of information that his eyes were feeding his mind. After the death of the three humans, the tree also began to decay... the roots turned dark grey, and large cracks appeared over their surface like it was turning into stone. Finally, the wood from the tree that had been holding him prisoner started to release its hold. The tree was dying while he was filled with life. He had never felt so powerful before, not even at his peak during his previous life. Despite all the refinements that it had gone through, Madara could more or less tell the sources of all that energy. A large amount of it had come from the two Bijuus that had been held inside the demon statue connected to the tree. Some of it had been inside the tree itself. The seeds had been passively collecting chakra so they could one day fulfill their function. Madara now understood it all. This was the Tree of Life...an otherworldly artifact that had been brought to this planet a very long time ago. The purpose of the tree was to collect energy from the planet itself and create a single fruit that contained the condensed and purified combination of all the chakra in the world. Whoever ate this fruit would gain powers akin to a God. A frown appeared on Madara''s face. Something must have gone wrong at some point, because this tree that had been keeping him prisoner for an entire year was no longer attempting to create the fruit. Its purpose had been shifted... forcibly changed to do something else. Madara''s senses extended to cover everything in his surroundings. But something else caught his attention. His eyes moved toward the celestial body in the sky. "There is... something there... it''s calling for me..." It was too far away to tell what it was. Madara moved his hand up and opened his palm as if he were trying to grab this massive and distant object. Legends said that it was the Sage of the Six Paths who created the Moon. "Maybe I can use my eyes to... to see what... what?!" Madara felt something hit his back, followed by an intense painful sensation. When he looked down, he saw a black hand poking from his chest. "Z-Zetsu..." How could he have missed when Zetsu moved behind him? Was he distracted by these new sensations?... No, he knew that was not the case. This had been a trap from the beginning. "My apologies, Lord Madara. As I said before, some sacrifices are necessary so we can achieve victory in the end." "You..." He had been used. His senses had been clouded from the moment the tree had changed its behavior. It was not a coincidence that his chakra was being returned while all the other humans had been drained to death. Zetsu moved closer so their bodies were now touching. Madara could not move one inch, it was like he had become paralyzed as when he was inside the tree. "I wish I could explain more, but we are out of time," Zetsu said. "You..." Madara could barely speak. But even during his last moments, he wanted to understand... more than anything else. "You are my will... I made you, so, how..." How could Zetsu betray him? "That was your own foolish conclusion... I was never your will. I was Hers! I only live to serve the Goddess." Zetsu''s body began to morph and fuse into Madara''s flesh. "Goddess?..." Madara said. "Your body and mine will now be used to free the Goddess from her prison, and to give her spirit a vessel to inhabit," Zetsu said. This may not have been the original plan, but he had been forced to improvise when Naruto began consuming all the Bijuus. Zetsu''s black mass covered Madara completely. "A... ve...ssel..." Madara said his last words, and they were filled with frustration and anger. In the end, all his ploys had been for naught. He was defeated and used to serve as a vessel for some Goddess he had never heard about. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 310: Peace Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 310: Peace "Did you have any interesting missions while I was gone?" Naruto asked before slurping some ramen noodles. "Oh, I missed these." Ino, who was sitting right next to him, gave him a glare. "Did you miss Ichiraku''s ramen more than me?" "What are you talking about?" Naruto asked. "Naruto!" Ayame exclaimed with a frown on her face. "The correct answer was a quick ''Of course not!''..." "Hey, there is nothing wrong with a man missing his favorite food," Teuchi added. "I''m just saying it because you never said that you missed me after begin gone for an entire year. But you did miss the ramen, apparently." Ino huffed. "Of course, I missed you. And Hinata." Although the truth was that his mind was fully occupied while cultivating, he didn''t have much chance to miss anything. "Really?" Ino asked. "Tomorrow, I''ll show you how much I''ve missed you," Naruto added. Ino''s cheeks became slightly red. The next morning, they were finally going on their little vacation. They were going to a remote town to enjoy their hot springs. Just thinking about it was getting her hot and bothered... It''s been an entire year since she got something from him. Hinata had agreed to leave her father in charge of the clan for the incoming week, and Tsunade had gladly given her some time off. "Naruto, not here." Ino composed herself. Given her current position, she couldn''t be seen doing anything inappropriate. Teuchi chuckled. "Ah... to be young again." Ayame rolled her eyes. "Please, you say that now, but always complain when I go out on a date." "That''s different! You are my daughter." Teuchi said. "Anyways..." Naruto turned to look at Ino. "You haven''t answered my first question. Anything interesting happen?" "Plenty of things," Ino responded. "But you asked me about missions. I''m not doing missions outside Konoha anymore. I am currently working full-time as Lady Tsunade''s assistant." "Isn''t that Shizune''s job?" he asked. "It was, but she has officially retired from that position. Now she only works part-time at the hospital." "How so? Did she get injured or something?" "No. She got pregnant and married. In that order," Ino said with a grin. "Shizune got married? With who?" Ino had an expression of amusement. "Don''t you want to take a guess?... Okay, fine. She is married to Itachi Uchiha." "Itachi?... Seriously? How did that happen?" He had only seen Itachi a few times, but he seemed as uninterested in romance as his little brother. "Shizune was in charge of Itachi''s rehabilitation. The two of them grew very close in a very short amount of time. I mean, most of the village still hated Itachi, and Shizune was one of the few people who talked to him on a regular basis. She took care of him and they fell in love... Don''t you think it''s romantic?" "It''s very romantic!" Ayame said. "And Itachi is super hot... Damn, Shizune! She is so lucky!" "Mmm... Itachi is going to need more than one woman if he''s expected to restore the Uchiha clan. He has a long road ahead of him," Naruto commented. This earned an accusatory glance from the other two women. "What?" Naruto asked. "Anyways... as I was saying, I haven''t done any dangerous missions in a long time. And neither has Hinata. Shortly after taking over the role as the leader of the Hyuga Clan, it became evident that she was pregnant, so she was forbidden from leaving the village anyway." "Has there been no movement from Akatsuki? They should still have a few members left," Naruto asked. One of his clones had gone to that hideout a year ago, but it was already empty, and it looked like it had been abandoned for a while. "I''m afraid not. And not just Akatsuki... Things have been very quiet after the war. The Rock Village elected Onoki''s granddaughter as the next Tsuchikage, but they have not attempted to communicate with us in any way. The Elders believe that they are worried about triggering a reaction from us... or more like, from you," Ino explained. "I already told the Raikage that I have no interest in going around destroying villages for no reason," Naruto said. "Maybe that''s why the Cloud requested a peace treaty with us. We received an envoy just one month after you left. They even brought us some offerings, like gold, silver, and some rare materials for crafting ninja weapons," Ino said. "Did Konoha accept?" Ino shrugged. "I was not part of the meeting, so I don''t know exactly what was said, but yes...in the end, it was accepted. We had no reason not to. The Cloud had already lost most of its military power. It is going to take them several generations to recoup the losses they suffered. The same goes for the Rock Village." "Looks like we may have a long period of peace after this," Naruto commented. "That''s what everyone is thinking," Ayame said. "That''s also why so many civilians want to move here. Normally, ninja villages are not the first choice for civilians to live in, since they can be very dangerous. But people are noticing how calm things have become. Konoha has been striving a lot for the past year. We have many new businesses, and we have been getting many new clients." "It''s not just the Cloud either. The Wind Village also requested to renew our alliance treaty, something that they had been pushing aside for a while. And many minor villages are wanting to get on our good graces," Ino commented. "They are afraid. That won''t last forever." Naruto knew this very well, as he had seen it many times before. This is the kind of peace that Pain had been wanting to achieve, but that won''t endure for long periods of time. Eventually, people will forget what their parents and grandparents were so afraid of, and war will ensue again. "It may not last forever. But a period of peace will always be a good thing. Don''t ever doubt that," Teuchi added. Naruto could not argue with the man. "Another bowl." So he just asked for more food. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 311: Road Trip Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 311: Road Trip "It''s going to take us forever to get there on foot," Naruto commented. It had been three hours since he left the village behind, along with his two companions, Hinata and Ino. Their destination was a village located near the border of the Fire Country. "According to my calculations, if we continue at this pace, we''ll arrive by sundown," Hinata said as she looked around. They had just left behind the lush forest that surrounded Konoha and its nearby areas. They were now entering massive plains that stretched for hundreds of miles, with only a narrow stone road and the occasional sign indicating the closest villages or towns. "I could teleport us there in less than a second. What do you say?" Naruto suggested to the two girls. This caused Ino to snap at him. "Absolutely not! The journey is part of the fun. I''ve been stuck in Konoha for over a year. I want to get out and enjoy some fresh air." "Mmm... to be honest, I''m also enjoying this walk. The weather is nice and the view is fantastic. Don''t get me wrong, I love being the Clan Leader and a new mother, but I missed going outside for more than a few street blocks..." Hinata said. "I suppose I can understand that." He had also spent the last year cooped up inside his cultivation cave. "Very well, let''s take it easy on our way there. It''s not like we''re in a hurry." "Naruto, I just realized something," Hinata started. "Hmm? About what?" He turned to look at her. "You said before that you could teleport to that village. Did you put a marker there in advance?" she asked. "No, of course not," Naruto shook his head. "I simply have no more need for markers." "You don''t? How can that be? That''s the way the jutsu works," Ino said. "Yes, it was initially designed to use a formula as a jumping point. But once you simplify it enough, you only truly need a source of chakra. It could be anything near the point where I want to teleport to. Like a person, animal, or plant. Every single living thing has some amount of chakra in it. Of course, the source needs to be within the range of my divine senses, otherwise I''d be jumping blind." "How big is your range now? It must have increased after your last breakthrough," Hinata pointed out. "I can cover the entire Fire Country and all the smaller areas beyond it," Naruto said. "That''s a massive area to cover," Ino said. "Yes, but technically, I can go further than that if I use my clones. Thanks to them, I can cover the rest of the continent. Right now, I have a few million clones collecting information across the land. I need to make up for the year I wasn''t paying attention," Naruto explained. "You''re doing more than collecting information... you''re looking for the last two, aren''t you?" Ino asked. She knew that Naruto didn''t care much about spying on other nations for the sake of Konoha or the country. He was searching for the remaining Bijuu. After the war, the remnants of Akatsuki seemed to have disappeared from the continent, and with them, the two Bijuu in their possession as well. "If I don''t absorb the last two, it''s going to take me an awfully long time to reach the final stage of cultivation. And to break beyond that may not even be possible without their chakra. That''s how important the Bijuus are to me." "I''m sure you''ll find them," Hinata tried to sound reassuring. She wished there were more she could do to help her husband, but unfortunately, she couldn''t create nearly as many clones. And even if she had her clan collecting information, it wouldn''t come close to the amount of intel that Naruto could gather with his army of clones. "Wait, I just thought of something," Ino said, pointing at her belly. "If you don''t need the formula anymore, then... does that mean these brands you put on us are completely useless?" "Talk for yourself. I like mine," Hinata huffed. "And Naruto made it for methat alone makes it invaluable." "I wouldn''t say they''re useless," Naruto responded. "You can still use them to call me. I just no longer need you to activate them before I can teleport to your position. The same goes for the formula kunai I left with Tsunade." "Mmm... I suppose that...wait!" Ino''s eyes became sharp. Her whole demeanor changed in an instant. "We''re being surrounded." The road they were on had just passed through an area with many large boulders scattered around. The moment they got past the first boulder, Ino felt movement nearby. This was a clear sign of an ambush. "Oh shit, I just remembered." Ino had been spending more time in the Hokage''s office and had attended many of the meetings. Lately, there have been reports of merchants being attacked by bandits while crossing this area. A mission had been issued, and a team of genin had dealt with the bandits, or so they thought. If they were dealing with a large band, then the genin likely only took out a small portion of it. "Took you a while to realize," Naruto said, glaring at her with an expression of disappointment. "You knew?... Of course you knew, what am I saying? Damn it..." Ino''s eyes moved to Hinata, who looked somewhat guilty. "You knew too!" She should''ve realized sooner. After all, Hinata could see everything with her Tenseigan. And Naruto could feel the movement of a fly on the other side of the country. She was the only one who still had to rely on normal senses to detect ambushes. "This is not fair... I also want supernatural senses..." Ino complained. "Halt!" a large, armed man shouted, peeking out from behind a nearby boulder. "You are surrounded by the BloodKnife Bandits! Drop your weapons and surrender!" Naruto began to laugh. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 312: Reaching The Destination Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 312: Reaching The Destination "Hey, what the hell are you laughing about?!" the bandit shouted at Naruto. "Hinata, how many are there?" Ino asked. "Thirty-two. Twenty-one are wielding diverse close-range weapons, and the other eleven are archers. Four of them are situated a bit further away from the rock formation, likely to shoot at anyone who manages to escape the encirclement," Hinata answered. "Eh?..." The bandits looked at Hinata with shock. "Who is that girl?" "Wait, I think the two girls are ninjas." "The blonde guy looks like a rich fellow... this may be an escort mission." While the bandits continued to argue among themselves about the current situation, Naruto turned to the two girls. "They seriously want to rob us..." he said. "Of course they do. This band of bandits has been giving us some trouble lately. I thought we had dealt with them, but apparently we missed a large part of the band," Ino explained. "Naruto, don''t you have clones running around everywhere? How come you haven''t eliminated all the criminals in the area?" Hinata asked. "My clones are only meant to gather information that could interest me. They won''t engage in combat unless it seems necessary. If my clones start hunting down every lawbreaker in the country, there would be little to do for the ninjas of our village." Ino frowned. "That''s true... Naruto''s clones could make the rest of us basically useless." "Then you better don''t do anything... I like things the way they are." Hinata didn''t want her clan to become obsolete. An arrow came flying and landed next to their feet. "That was a warning shot!" the leader of the bandits yelled. "Surrender immediately and we will spare your lives." "I''ll handle this," Naruto said. "Are you sure? I could eliminate them in a moment if you want me to," Hinata suggested. Naruto''s golden Rinnegan began to shine as he made a gesture with his hand. The ground shook violently, and the bandits began to scream. All the boulders and rocks in the entire area floated in the air like helium balloons, along with the bandits themselves. "Oh... you can also decrease the gravity," Hinata said. "This is the opposite of what you did the last time to that army, right?" Ino asked. "Indeed. A decrease in gravity can also be used as a weapon, as you can see." Naruto looked at the bandits as they struggled against their situation. But there was little they could do. As far as their bodies were concerned, there was no gravity keeping them on the ground, so they just continued flying higher and higher into the sky. "How far can you send them?" Ino asked. "Mmm... never really tested this all that much. But I suppose that in theory, they could continue to rise until they leave the atmosphere. However, that would take an awful amount of time at that speed, and I would need to maintain my concentration for the whole duration," Naruto said. "You''re just going to let them down after a while," Hinata could guess what he intended to do. It was the least strenuous way to kill them. And she knew that Naruto was not going to put much effort into some random bandits. "That''s the idea." Naruto began to walk again. Ino and Hinata followed at his side, and once they were far away, Naruto canceled his technique. By this point, the mass of boulders, rocks, and bandits was over five hundred feet in the air, more than enough to kill a group of humans with no special abilities. "Kinda makes you feel sorry for them. They couldn''t even fight back," Hinata commented. "Don''t feel too bad for them. Those guys were quite nasty as bandits go. That''s why Lady Tsunade hurried to send a team to eliminate the band the first time," Ino said. "I should write a report as soon as we reach the town." "You can send it back with one of my clones. That would be faster than any bird," Naruto suggested. "Right, I didn''t think about that." Ino seemed to have something on her mind. "Say, Naruto. Couldn''t Hinata and I learn that teleporting jutsu? That would be really handy." "You want to learn the Flying Thunder God?" Naruto seemed to be considering for a moment. "I suppose I could try to teach you the basic version, the one that requires the formula kunais. But you need to have a high comprehension of seals first." "That''s no problem. I have been studying seals for years already," Ino responded. "I''m going to pass," Hinata said. "I''m not good with seals. And I have too much on my plate already to spend time trying to improve on that." It wasn''t like Hinata didn''t see the benefits of learning that jutsu, but she would have to divert her attention from many important things for years to even have a chance. It just wasn''t worth it for her. "Right... I suppose you have little free time now that you are a mom and the leader of the clan," Ino said. The group continued to follow the road, and since they didn''t encounter any more trouble on the way, they were able to reach the small town with the hot springs by the time the sun was starting to come down. "We did have to run a bit at the end, but we made it!" Ino said with excitement. She enjoyed the journey but was glad to finally have arrived. "The hotel where I booked the room is at the end of this road, I believe," Hinata commented. "You didn''t tell me that you booked a room for us," Ino pointed out. "This town is in the middle of nowhere... I doubt they would have that many people," Naruto said. "Right." Ino looked around. There were several shops and houses on the sides of the main street, but overall, it appeared to be a very quiet place. The locals looked at them as they passed, with eyes filled with curiosity. "Maybe. But I wanted to make sure we had enough intimacy," Hinata said. "So I booked the whole hotel for us." "Hold on, what?!" Ino exclaimed. "How much did you spend?!" A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Extra Chapter 313: Hinata and Ino II – 18+ Scene Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Extra Chapter 313: Hinata and Ino II - 18+ Scene "This bath is huge!." Ino said with excitement as she walked out of the back door of their room. This one led directly to a natural hot spring surrounded by a wooden fence for privacy. "Do we really have all of this for ourselves?." "At least for three days. They don''t have that many clients on this part of the year, so it wasn''t that expensive." Hinata said while removing the only piece of clothing covering her body, a large white towel. Naruto did the same, and they both entered the warm waters. "Wait for me." Ino hadn''t been so sure that no one would be here, so she was still wearing most of her clothes. She hurried to begin disrobing so she wouldn''t miss the action. Naruto sat down on an area where the waters were fairly shallow and gave Hinata a sign to get closer. "Mmm..." Hinata sat down on his lap, and he began to caress her body. "I missed your touch..." "I''m sure you missed more than just my hands." Naruto reached in between her legs and used his fingers to stimulate her. Hinata her butt a little bit so she could grab into his penis and began stroking it. "I also missed this." Just then, a completely naked Ino jumped into the water. "I told you to wait for me!, you horny dogs!." "Ino!, Behave yourself." Hinata huffed. "Things were getting good." "I''ll show you good." She held her breath and submerged her head under the water before starting to suck onto Naruto''s dick. "I guess she missed that too," Hinata said. "It does look like that. She is being very enthusiastic." Naruto commented as he enjoyed the moment. "Then... let''s help her out." Hinata moved behind Ino. The blonde girl was leaning forward with her head submerged into the water while her cute round butt was still on the surface. Hinata grabed onto her asscheck, moved her mouth closer to her pussy and began licking it with entusiashm. Naruto noticed the change in Ino and felt her body trembling. "Mmm...not bad." He was getting close to cumming, so he grabbed Ino''s head and lifted her out. "Naruto?...did you not like it?." Ino watched him with confusion. "Of course I did. But I want to cum insdie you." "She is ready," Hinata said as she fingered Ino''s pussy. "Ohh!" Ino turned around and looked back at Hinata. "Do you mind if I go first?." Hinata glanced at Naruto. "I want two." Naruto didn''t need to ask her what she wanted. He made two clones right next to her, who promptly took her into their arms and brought her to another part of the hotsprings to be fucked relentlesly. "Come here," Naruto told Ino. The blonde girl got on top of him and lowered herself, using her hand to guide his hard cock into her pussy, all the way in. "Yes!" She screamed with ecstasy. Naruto leaned forward and began to use his tongue to lick her breasts as she began to move up and down. "Ahh!" Hinata''s moans of pleasure could be heard from the nearby spot where she was being double-teamed by the two clones. One was holding her up from behind and fucking her ass while the other one was working on her pussy. Ino continue to ride him with enthusiasm. She got into a good rhythm, letting his dick go all the way into her hole before moving up again. "Yes, fuck yes!." Ino yelled. Naruto used his hands to caress her body. One of his hands made its way to her butt and moved closer to the other hole. One finger went inside with ease. "Ohh..." Ino was getting crazy. "Keep going!. I love it." Her moans got louder. Naruto worked with one finger, then two and finally three, while his mouth licked her neck and tits. Ino could not hold on any longer under all of that stimulation. "I''m coming!." Naruto grabbed onto her hips and increased the pace. "Me too. Im cummung inside you." "Yes!, Do it. Fill me up." She said. "Ahhh!" Ino felt a warm sensation wash over her as the seed of Naruto made its way into her. She then stood there, lying on top of him, enjoying all the sensations she was feeling. A few minutes later, Hinata came back, walking with difficulty. The two clones were helping her out. "Okay, Ino. It''s your turn." Hinata told her. Ino turned around. "Huh?." "You are going to love it," Hinata said with a grin. Before Ino could respond, one of the clones grabbed her and lifted her over his shoulder, taking her away. The other clone followed. "Now it''s my turn." Hinata lowered herself on top of Naruto, just as Ino was before. But instead of insderting his dick into her pussy, she placed it on her asshole. "You really like that hole, huh?." Naruto commented with amusement. "Oh yes..." Hinata moaned as she began to move. "Ahhh!" The yells of Ino could be heard from nearby. "Looks like she is having fun too," Naruto said. "I can''t wait to retrieve those memories." "I bet she is. But now, focus on me." Hinata grabbed Naruto''s face and buried it in between her generous tits. Naruto did not complain and began fondling them and licking every inch of their surface. "Yes. Play with my nipples, too." Hinata told him as she got into a good rithmic movements, letting his dick go in and out of her asshole. She used her other hand to caress her clitoris, increasing the pleasure even more. They continued like this for several more minutes until they could not take it anymore. "I''m close," Naruto told her. "Oh...me too. Keep doing what you are doing." Hinata began to move faster. "Yes!." She moaned louder. "Ohh!, yes!" Her body trembled and welcomled the warm sensation of Naruto''s fresh load going inside her ass. "I really missed this..." Hinata said. "I know. Me too." Naruto responded. "Next time you plan on going away. At least leave us a few clones so we don''t get too restless." Hinata glanced back. The clones were bringing Ino back. The girl looked completely spent, but she had a wide smile on her face. "I''m sure she agrees," Hinata added. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 314: A Trace Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 314: A Trace "I feel so relaxed..." A naked Ino rested her body against a large boulder. The warm water reached her chest, and vapors filled the bath area. "Not really surprised." Hinata glanced at her from a short distance. "You were very... enthusiastic today. Not that I''m complaining." "Well... It''s been a year. How can I not be enthusiastic? I''m surprised you held so well," Ino said. "I went through nine months of pregnancy... that''s how. You''ll see how it is one day," Hinata responded. "No, no..." Ino panicked. "I''m not ready for that yet!" Naruto was sitting between them. "There is no hurry for that, Ino. Don''t stress yourself. Besides, with my help, extending your lifespan to a few centuries should not be a problem." "Wait... really?" Ino almost jumped out of the water. "I thought that we needed to cultivate like you for that to happen," Hinata said. "There are many ways to cultivate. My method may be faster, but the dual cultivation technique we''re using will also bring you benefits... I know I already mentioned this to you. And on top of that, you have the technique granted to Ino by the Golden Scripture. Don''t look down on that one...it was created by a very powerful artifact." Ino and Hinata may never be able to ascend, as the requirements for that were almost impossibly high, but living much longer than normal mortals was not that hard to accomplish with his help. "You did mention that, yes," Hinata said. "But we never really talked about how long we were planning on living." "I mean... normally people don''t talk about that kind of stuff until they''re very old," Ino pointed out. "In any case..." Naruto glanced at the sky. The moon was unusually bright tonight. ''There is something happening... I can feel it...'' His senses could not reach something that distant, but his instincts were warning him. "Naruto?" Hinata got closer. "Is everything okay? You stopped talking mid-sentence." "I was just getting a strange feeling when looking at the moon, that''s all," Naruto said. "The moon?" Ino looked up. "It does look brighter than usual. But I don''t feel anything off about it." "Me neither..." Hinata stared at the moon and awoke the full form of her eyes. The Tenseigan formed immediately. She had completely mastered it by now, so it required her little effort to activate them. "Hinata?...do you see anything?" Ino asked with increasing concern. "No, but... I would never doubt Naruto''s instincts. If there''s something that caught his attention, it cannot be too trivial." Hinata turned to look at him. "Does this have something to do with the remaining Bijuu and Akatsuki?" "Hold on." Naruto stood up from the bath, and before either of the girls could say anything else, he disappeared in a flash of light. "What the hell?!" Ino shouted. "This may be bad." A deep frown appeared on Hinata''s face. "It may be terrible if he just teleported to a crowded area... he''s still naked!" Ino exclaimed. "Come on, let''s get dressed." Hinata also stood up while covering herself with her towel. "We may have to leave sooner than expected." "But we have the whole hotel for three days. We can''t leave yet," Ino complained. "Ino." Hinata''s tone turned serious. "If the remaining members of Akatsuki are on the move again, it''s only because they believe they have a chance to win. By this point, they should have a good idea of how strong Naruto is." "I see. Yes, I suppose you are right. But I''m still not worried." Ino continued to rest in the bath. "How so?" Hinata asked. "Because the truth is that they cannot know how strong Naruto is...not completely. No one knows what he truly can do, other than Naruto himself. And after the year he spent in that cave..." "I see your point." Hinata considered something for a moment. "But even so, that doesn''t mean they won''t pose a danger to others." She was mostly thinking of her family back in Konoha. Naruto had left some extra protection, but she couldn''t help being worried. Just then, they heard a loud cracking noise, and a moment later, Naruto was back in the hot springs, standing there in all his nakedness. "I should have brought a towel... that was very cold," Naruto commented. "Yes, I can see that." Ino was staring at something between his legs. "Where did you go? What happened?" Hinata asked. "Well..." He grabbed a towel from a closet bench and covered himself. "I sent various clones to cover a few areas of interest. I should have something more concrete very soon." His clones had already delivered an overwhelming amount of information over the past two days. In fact, anyone else would have had their brains explode with just a fraction of what he had learned. But Akatsuki was still being evasive. He hadn''t found a single clue about what happened to them... they seemed to have vanished from the continent. With that in mind, he decided to revisit that cave that Pain had once mentioned. When he went there the first time, he found nothing of interest. The place appeared to be abandoned. However, in his second visit, he found traces of chakra everywhere. It was the same chakra of the strange individual who once dared to invade his home. This was his key to finding what he was looking for, and he was not going to let it go. An army of clones was now combing through the lands, following any traces of that particular chakra. "So... does this mean we can still relax in the bath for a bit longer?" Ino asked. "Ino..." Hinata frowned. "Hinata, I can tell what you''re thinking," Naruto said. "Konoha is well guarded. Nothing will happen to the people there. And besides, the clues I''m currently following are leading far away from the village. There is no reason for concern, I can assure you that... whatever Akatsuki has been preparing... I will take care of it." A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 315: Meeting The Goddess Chapter 315: Meeting The Goddess Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 315: Meeting The Goddess Many miles away from the comfort of the hot springs, in the furthest reaches of the Land of Earth, there is a massive, desolate plain that very few dare to venture into. Hundreds and hundreds of miles with nothing in them. No plants, no animals, and not even a bit of water. The extreme heat, combined with the dull landscape, often causes travelers to hallucinate. Their brains become desperate for some stimuli and begin to create things that are not there. The locals call this place ''The Whispering Wastes''. Right now, a single individual was running through this deadly land. The blonde young man moved at tremendous speed, covering large distances in a short moment, but at the same time, he was aware of his surroundings, trying to find anything unusual in this dull landscape. The traces of chakra from Zetsu had brought him to this location. It was faint, as if he had passed through many months ago, so Naruto had to put in a lot of extra effort to figure out in which direction he was supposed to continue. "Mmmm... there is something ahead." His attention shifted from the chakra signature to something else. Usually, there is absolutely nothing in this desert, so when something comes into view, it seems worth paying attention to, no matter what it is. "Roots?" He was still too far to tell for sure, but they did look like massive tree roots. He increased his speed and got closer. The roots were massively big. He jumped on top of the dead tree root and could use it to get a better view of the area. There were many roots like this one around here, all of them clearly dead. "What is that?" At the center of all the roots was a depression in the land, creating a large hole. Inside this hole were the remains of an impossibly big tree that appeared to have collapsed. But what caught Naruto''s attention was something else. There was someone standing at the core of this hole. It looked like a person with long silver hair and white robes. He was still far away, and his senses were very limited due to the fact that he was not the real one. Still, the traces of chakra that he had been following appeared to lead him right into that hole...where that person was. Naruto approached slowly, trying to pick up any extra information. He did not want to miss anything; otherwise, the main body would receive faulty information when he was dispelled. He jumped into the hole and continued to approach. Now he could get a good glimpse of the person standing there. It was clearly a woman. Even with her eyes closed and her long silver hair covering half her face, it was apparent how beautiful she was. It was also obvious that she was not human. The impossibly white skin and the long pair of horns on top of her head made this very evident. He tried to get a feel for his surroundings, but no one else seemed to be here, other than this woman. ''At least not alive...'' The scent of rotting human flesh was something very easy to recognize...and this place was truly reeking of it. "Excuse me, miss, I''m looking for s" It was very subtle, but Naruto felt the ground move beneath him and wasted no time moving away. As he did, sharp bones that looked like spikes rose from the dirt and attempted to impale him. "Well... that was rude." Naruto huffed. The woman opened her eyes. ''That''s the Byakugan... but this is definitely not a Hyuga,'' Naruto noted. Her expression and demeanor changed immediately after seeing him. She went from aloof and uncaring to properly on guard. "Did I get your attention?" Naruto realized that she must have recognized him. The first attack was just meant to squash an annoying bug...nothing more. But now she was considering him a threat. Her aura rose up, and Naruto was now able to perceive the energy coming from her. The chakra signature of the person he had been tracking down was definitely there... but it was being mixed up with many other types of chakra. ''She''s doing the same thing I do... she''s mixing and purifying chakra to turn it into something that is only hers,'' Naruto thought. "You are Naruto Uzumaki," she spoke to him for the first time. "What gave me away?" Naruto asked. "...Everything." "I thought you were going to mention my beautiful eyes." Naruto shrugged. "I care not for the Rinnegan in your possession." As she said this, a third eye opened on her forehead. A red eye with three tomoe and a black spiral running through its surface. "That looks... very peculiar." Naruto felt a strong pressure on him. That eye seemed to be a combination of the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. ''She''s trying to delve into my mind...'' Naruto wondered what she was looking for. "You have something that belongs to me," she suddenly said. "You haven''t even introduced yourself, and I''m already being accused of stealing something? Did your parents teach you no manners, girl?" She snapped at his words. Her hair expanded and moved like it had a life of its own. Strands of hair turned into rope-like constructs and moved at blinding speed to snag Naruto''s limbs while pulling him up. He had already exhausted a large part of his chakra coming here, so he didn''t have enough to fight back against an opponent like this one. His arms and legs became trapped by her hair, which made sure he couldn''t move an inch. "You want to know who I am, Naruto Uzumaki?" she asked. "That would make me very happy," Naruto responded. "I am Kaguya O?tsutsuki, an otherworldly Goddess and the true owner of the Nine Bijuus. Seven of which you have stolen... You will give them back to me, otherwise...I will not just kill you, but also destroy everything you care for." "That''s very scary. And I assume that the remaining two are somewhere inside you, mixed with all of that chakra you recently got. Am I right?" "That is correct. I am in possession of the Five and Six-Tailed Beasts. They have already become part of me, and soon... the rest will follow." She raised her hand. "Will you stand in my way, Naruto Uzumaki?..." "Oh..." A grin appeared on his face. "I''m going to do a lot more than that." The clone vanished in a puff of smoke. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 316: Goodbyes Chapter 316: Goodbyes Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 316: Goodbyes "Pack your things. We have to leave a bit earlier than expected," Naruto suddenly said. Hinata and Ino were startled by his sudden change in demeanor. They could tell by a quick glance at his face just how serious the situation was. "And I assume you don''t have time to explain anything to us," Ino said. "Someone dangerous has appeared, and she''ll be looking for me now," Naruto told them. "She?" Hinata raised an eyebrow. While they returned to their room, got dressed, and grabbed their belongings, Naruto tried to offer them an explanation of what he had discovered. "A Goddess?... But you said that no true gods can exist here," Ino commented. "I only said that she called herself an otherworldly Goddess, not that she truly is one. At least... not yet." "Not yet?" Hinata looked at him with curiosity. "What do you mean?" "This one has the right idea, at least. She wants to absorb all the Nine-Tailed Beasts and use their chakra to improve her own. And she knows I have seven of them. So she''s very interested in me right now," Naruto explained. "Where did this Goddess come from? I''m sure I''d remember if someone like her had popped up in any of our files," Ino said. "That... I don''t know." Naruto glanced at the moon through the window of their room. "I''m sure it has something to do with that strange individual named Zetsu and with Akatsuki." "Akatsuki''s goal was to unite all the Tailed Beasts. You think it was to bring this goddess back?" Hinata suggested. "I doubt it." The memories he got from the clone suggested that the few remaining members had perished in that same location. "Maybe it was the intention of one particular member, but definitely not everyone." He recalled his conversation with Pain, who at the time was supposed to be the leader of the organization. His idea of how to use the power of the Bijuus had nothing to do with bringing back some Godlike individual who would then absorb all the chakra beasts for her own benefit. "It doesn''t matter!" Ino exclaimed. "All you have to do is kick this woman'' ass and all will be well, right?" "When you put it like that..." Hinata said. "Come on. I''ll get you back to Konoha, and then I''ll go pay a visit to this pretender." Naruto was in a bit of a rush. Once Kaguya finished assimilating all the chakra she had obtained, her next move would likely be to search for him. And the most obvious place to find him would be... Konoha. He didn''t want another wannabe God in the village. He had promised to protect the place, so that wouldn''t do. "Okay, ready?." Naruto asked them. "Ready," the two girls said to him. In a moment, they disappeared from the room and were once more in their home in Konoha. "Home, sweet home." Hinata smiled when she saw the house. She was looking forward to being able to return to living here. "That was a short trip," Ino pouted. "We''ll make another one once this is all over," Naruto promised them. "Naruto... there''s something you''re not telling us, isn''t there?" Hinata asked. "Is there?" Ino asked. "What are you not telling us? Is it about that woman?" "It''s not the woman that concerns me. When the fight is over and I''ve collected all the chakra I need... I''ll be breaking into the Immortal Ascension Stage. This is the last stage of the mortal realm, and with that comes..." "Another tribulation?" Hinata asked with concern. She still remembered what happened the last time quite vividly. Naruto almost died. "Another one of those lightning strikes? Naruto, the last one, almost killed you! You can''t do that again," Ino exclaimed. "It''s not like I have much of a choice. I won''t be able to progress any further if I''m too scared to face this tribulation." This was an option that many cultivators took. Not everyone was stuck at the Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation stage because they lacked talent or resources, but because after much deliberation, they concluded that they could not survive the resulting tribulation, and thus decided to stay where they were and lock their cultivation in place. This meant that they would just live the rest of their natural life and die, with no hope of progressing any further. But those were always tired old men who had only barely managed to break through by some miracle and didn''t think they could pull it off again. Naruto was still young and full of vitality. "I have no plans on dying... I will conquer this tribulation and continue on my path to the peak," Naruto said with a serious tone. He still had one ace up his sleeve that he hadn''t used yet. "Aren''t you powerful enough already? I mean, there''s no one in the entire continent who will ever come close to you... Why do you always want more?" Ino complained. "Because that''s who he is." Hinata seemed to understand him a little better. She knew that once he made up his mind, there was no turning back. "It is the path I have chosen, and I will not give up. You could say it''s my ninja way," Naruto spoke with confidence. "Tch... ninja way. You never really cared much about ninja stuff," Ino pointed out. "I care about two ninjas in particular," Naruto told them. Hinata approached and hugged him tightly. "If you do, then come back alive." Naruto glanced at Ino and extended his hand. Ino sighed and joined the hug. "This is not a goodbye hug. You better come back or I''ll go find you and break your bones." "You have my word. I will return to this place, no matter what," Naruto promised them. After saying his goodbyes, Naruto used the signature left behind by his clone as a jumping point and vanished in a bolt of golden lightning. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -patreon.com/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 317: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 1 Disclaimer:Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 317: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 1 He appeared next to one of those decayed tree roots. The hole where he found the woman previously could be seen from here. ''She is still there.'' He thought she would have been in more of a hurry to chase him down, but she seemed to be giving priority to her own preparations. ''Cautious.'' He would have preferred a more impulsive opponent. Those are always easier to deal with. "Let''s go say hi then." Naruto raised his hand in the air, and a minute later, a massive object descended from the sky. Naruto had used the Rinnegan to pull a rock from orbit and brought it down to Earth, turning it into a deadly meteorite that then proceeded to crash right where Kaguya had been standing. The impact generated a tremendous amount of heat and covered everything in dust. For a moment, he lost track of her chakra signature, but didn''t get any ideas that such a simple attack had killed her. Had it done that, her chakra would not have immediately vanished, but instead, it would have remained in place for a while. ''She can manipulate space then.'' He reached this conclusion easily, since he could also do something similar. He then picked up a presence behind him. She was trying to conceal herself and was doing a good job at it. He only felt a faint trace of energy, and she did not even make a tiny sound. Naruto turned around just in time to see Kaguya trying to pierce his body with some type of projectile that she launched from her hand. Only half her body was visible, and the other half was inside some black void. Naruto avoided the projectile and moved towards her. His body was encased in his version of the Raikage''s ''Lightning Armor'', which greatly increased his speed. On top of that, he was making full use of the Eight Gates and Sage Mode. Ground and air exploded around him as he moved at speeds that reached the thousands of miles per second. A powerful palm strike hit Kaguya on her chest, pushing her inside the void, and Naruto followed through with it before it had the chance to close. "Mmm?..." He found himself in a completely different area now. His feet were floating above a pool of molten lava, and he spotted Kaguya landing on some distant boulder. All around him, there was nothing but an endless molten landscape, with lava and black rocks everywhere. "How cozy... is this your old home or something?" Naruto commented. "Naruto Uzumaki... how dare you attack me." Kaguya''s body floated in the air. "Is this the first time someone fights back against you, Grandma?" Naruto asked. She looked surprised at the comment. "What did you call me?" Kaguya looked closer at Naruto and seemed to realize something. "No... you can''t be him..." "I am not Asura. But his chakra carried over to me during my last reincarnation, giving me many of his memories. And as the son of Hagoromo the Sage, he had some very interesting ones. I didn''t recognize you at first, but now I see the similarities. You are his mother, aren''t you? The one he sealed in the moon." That would explain why he felt that way while looking at the moon after she broke the seal. His instincts were warning him of the danger that was approaching. "You are right, but I don''t feel any of his chakra on you... I see... you have changed it into something else," Kaguya said. "You have done the same with the chakra of the two remaining Bijuus. But I don''t mind... I take everything that you have and put it to good use." Naruto extended his hand. "Of course, if you want to just hand it to me, I will make your demise completely painless. I may even allow you to keep a tiny piece so you can live the life of a normal mortal." Her eyes furrowed into a frown, and a third eye on her forehead opened up. "Do not mock me, boy! I am Kaguya O?tsutsuki." Her body rose in the air. "I am the progenitor of chakra. All chakra belongs to me and me alone. I shall reunify all chakra once more." "A greedy one, huh? I don''t need all chakra... but I''ll take yours." Naruto''s body exploded in a burst of golden energy. Three figures appeared on his left, and another two appeared on his right. They were similar to him, but not exactly the same. Their clothes and hair color were all different, and they also had a very distinct chakra signature. Each one of them held dominion over one element, as well as part of the Rinnegan''s power. The Naruto with red hair and robes held dominion over fire. The water one had blue hair and clothes. Earth was brown. The lightning one had blue hair and robes. And finally, the wind clone had green hair and robes. "More of those clones? Very colorful ones, but that won''t help you, so go ahead and bring as many as you want." Kaguya created countless arms made of pure chakra and sent them to crush the clones. The red-haired Naruto extended his hand. "Almighty Push!" The golden Rinnegan shone brightly as he called upon its power and used it to send away all those chakra arms. "What?! How can a clone do that?" Kaguya looked startled. "These are a lot more than mere shadow clones," Naruto said. Normally, shadow clones were not able to make any use of their eyes, but these new creations were very different. Naruto had designed them to serve as his elite guards. "Now, it is time to kill a pretender." Naruto vanished from the spot. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 318: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 2 Disclaimer:Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 318: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 2 "You dare call me a pretender... when you are nothing more than a human with delusions of grandeur? You believe that just because you have my son''s eyes and can use chakra a bit better than the rest of those worthless creatures, that you can defeat ME?" Eight orbs of light appeared behind her, each one then grabbed by a translucent hand made of chakra. "We, the O?tsutsuki, are the originators of chakra, and only we can use it properly!" she shouted before launching her attack. The hands did not come directly for the clones, and instead disappeared into black portals, only to reappear right next to them. The clones created several Rasengan orbs out of their own elements to defile the Truth-Seeking Orbs that Kaguya had sent at them. "You forgot about something..." While the clones tried to deflect the attacks, the real Naruto could move as he wished. He disappeared from the spot and went directly for Kaguya. Naruto appeared behind her with a golden Rasengan in hand. This was his most powerful version so far, as it directly used all the elements combined into his purest chakra, also infused with natural energy and divine energy. He was about to hit her when, all of a sudden, she vanished, and the landscape completely changed. "I have not forgotten about anything, you foolish boy." The voice of Kaguya came from several places at once. ''She teleported me...'' Naruto found himself inside a frozen wasteland. And he was alone. No trace of his oponent in sight. He closed his eyes and extended his senses as much as he could. These dimensions that she was manifesting were all connected to each other, so he could feel traces of chakra from his summons. They had all moved to different places. ''She decided to separate us by using control over space... that''s not a bad idea. But...'' Golden bolts of lightning manifested all around him. A moment later, the frozen world was gone, replaced by an endless desert. Kaguya was just ahead, fighting against his water clone. This one was struggling to keep up, as he was unable to use any ninjutsu in this place. ''She brought the water one to a place with no humidity.'' He had to admit the woman made clever use of her powers. Naruto placed his right hand on the ground. He could feel the sand going for miles and miles. As far as he was aware, this might be the only thing in this pocket dimension Kaguya had created. "I can use this." After absorbing the Shukaku and a few thousand hours of practice, he was able to manipulate sand just like Gaara used to. All of a sudden, hundreds of spikes made of sand surged beneath Kaguya as she fought his clone. "I see you!" she shouted as she avoided the spikes. "Don''t think that you can catch me off guard. My eyes can see everything that is happening in my dimensions!" "I wasn''t trying to catch you off guard. I was just giving him an opening." Naruto commented. Kaguya was then grabbed by the water clone. This one only managed to grasp one of her legs, but that was enough. The sand spikes that Naruto had summoned were still in place. They had formed hundreds of little columns all around Kaguya. Naruto then expanded all these columns and pressed them against the goddess, encasing her in sand. "Sand Burial." Naruto snapped his fist closed. The sand became a compacted structure that crushed everything inside. He held it for just a few seconds before releasing his hold. Naruto approached the pile of sand. As he expected, Kaguya had teleported away to a different pocket dimension, and his water clone was gone, but this attack had not been wasted. A crushed, severed leg was left behind. This was the one the clone had been holding onto. Just like Naruto, all his clones were experts in the art of seals. The moment the clone grabbed her leg, it did everything it could to prevent her from teleporting away. In the end, it only affected the leg that was being held, but it was enough to tell Naruto that his plan could work. He now had a way to kill her. "Now, let''s see..." He pushed his senses to their limits once more. "There you are..." He found the trace he was looking for and teleported away. Naruto was now in a world filled with pools of green bubbling liquid that appeared to be some kind of acid. He located her a short distance away, standing on a large boulder. There were no clones of him here, but traces of the wind one had been left behind, meaning she had already destroyed it. Naruto noted that she had her leg back, suggesting that she had some crazy regenerative abilities. However, a quick glance at her face told Naruto that the injury he had caused took a heavy toll on her. Kaguya turned to glare at him. Naruto taunted her with a smile. "I bet that hurt like hell, didn''t it?" "I''m going to enjoy killing you, Naruto Uzumaki." She growled. Naruto shrugged. "I have to say though... you have the power to create pocket dimensions, and this is the best you can come up with? You''re really lacking when it comes to creativity." His body continued to rise into the air. "Shall we continue?" As he said this, the sky became covered in a massive cloud of smoke. Kaguya''s eyes moved all over the place, trying to figure out what he was doing. Figures began to emerge from the cloud. One after another, they flew out and surrounded the goddess. In a matter of seconds, a million clones were floating all around Kaguya, ready to attack. "Let''s go." Naruto ordered. A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it. You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 20 advanced chapters. -/Kriogenix For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix Chapter 319: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 3 Chapter 319: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 3 Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 319: Naruto vs Kaguya Part 3 Kaguya began tearing through his clones, using her Truth-Seeking Orbs to decimate those who tried to use any jutsu against her, while using her own hair and two bone spikes that protruded from her hands as weapons to kill anyone close enough. Her portals could also be used as weapons, sending masses of clones away to be locked in different dimensions. Meanwhile, the real Naruto observed the fight from the sky, waiting for his opportunity. He knew well enough that the clones were not going to be enough against an opponent such as this one, but that was not to say they were useless either. ''There...'' Naruto spotted a tiny opening in her moves and used the full power of his Flying Thunder God to appear beside her. His hand managed to touch the skin on her right hand and immediately formed several runic seals over its surface. Kaguya noticed the contact and tried to move away, but the moment she did this, the hand that Naruto had touched... exploded. "Ahhh!" Kaguya screamed in agony. She had never experienced pain like this before. No one had been able to injure her in such a way since the day she was born. "You damn insects! You dare?!" She made her chakra form a shockwave that pushed everything away from her. It was a desperate move to create some distance so she could teleport away. Naruto dispelled all his clones. They were no longer necessary. "You can''t escape from me anymore." The seals he drew on her hand did more than just cause her damage. They also left behind a trace that he could follow. Using this trace as a jumping point, Naruto teleported away. He now found himself in a barren land with a red sky over his head. "Human!" Kaguya screamed at him. She sounded completely enraged now. When Naruto looked at her, she was floating in the air. A massive orb of energy was hovering above her. It was similar in nature to the Truth-Seeking Orbs that she had been using, and it contained all chakra natures combined into one. Naruto noticed that it was continuously expanding, and with a quick estimation of its destructive power, he calculated that it would be enough to destroy this entire pocket dimension. ''I see... so her plan is to bury me along with this place she created.'' "Foolish... that won''t be enough." Naruto said. "This dimension will be your tomb, you impertinent pest!" The Rinne-Sharigan eye on her forehead opened wider and its tomoes started to spin rapidly. Naruto felt his senses being attacked, just like during his fight with Itachi. ''Genjutsu.'' He saw visions of possible futures. Living peacefully with his companions, ascending to Godhood, and exploring the Heavens. Eating a mountain of ramen at Ichiraku. These were nothing but representations of his inner desires. ''A distraction.'' He rejected the illusions and pushed against the genjutsu. His mind and soul had been reinforced by all of his cultivation, so even a mental attack of this level would not be capable of disabling him. His eyes readjusted to reality. Only a second or two must have passed, but it had been enough for Kaguya to complete her ''Expansive Truth-Seeking Orb'' and send it toward him. ''No time for fancy techniques. Fight fire with fire.'' He was also capable of creating these pure chakra orbs since his last breakthrough. A black orb manifested in his hand and began growing in size as he made the energy rotate. Naruto then added a large amount of natural energy from his reserves. This created some white traces across the surface of the orb. "Sage Arts... Truth-Seeking Rasengan." The massive sphere of energy was on him already. He pushed his own attack and made them collide. The impact of the two Truth-Seeking Orbs generated a powerful explosion that seemed to destroy everything in the surroundings, enveloping reality in darkness. Naruto made use of his powers to create a chakra shield around him and protect himself from harm. He caught a glimpse of Kaguya narrowly escaping as reality collapsed around him. The existence of the pocket dimension was ending, and he needed to leave before it was too late. His cultivation flared up, and he became covered in an intense golden aura that enhanced all his natural abilities. Naruto then flew as fast as he could and managed to pass through the portal that Kaguya had created before it had a chance to close. "This is..." He was sure from the first second he was out. This was the real world. Naruto was once more in the place where it all started. His eyes detected movement and found Kaguya levitating out of the hole where the remnants of the God Tree were left. He flew towards her and managed to catch up in a second. His right fist became coated in his chakra and punched her back. Kaguya let out a grunt and went tumbling over the ground. It became immediately obvious that her last stunt had left her exhausted. "This... this is all your fault..." She glared at Naruto with narrowed eyes. "My resurrection was incomplete because you had taken what was mine. Zetsu was supposed to only bring me when he urgg!" Naruto appeared right next to her and kicked her in the gut. "I''m not interested in hearing your excuses. You were already defeated by the Sage back then, and now you lost again. Second chances are very rare... and you wasted yours." He moved again. Kaguya reacted this time. Her hair grew in length and tried to intercept Naruto, while deadly bone spikes appeared from the palms of her hands. "Just die already!" Naruto''s body disappeared over and over, avoiding all her attacks while finding openings to counterattack. Each of his punches was charged with his pure natural energy and left behind seals that restricted Kaguya''s movements. Eventually, the Goddess fell on her knees, unable to defend herself any longer. This is when Naruto went for the final blow. "It''s over... you are mine now." He placed his palm on her head. "Cosmic Assimilation... Absorb!" Chapter 320: It is Time Chapter 320: It is Time Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create. "Dialogue" ''Thoughts'' -Author notes- Chapter 320: It is Time "No!! You can''t do this!" Kaguya screamed as she saw all her energy leave her body at a fast rate, leaving her weak and unable to defend herself. "It''s over, fake goddess whose name I will soon forget. Your chakra belongs to me now," Naruto said coldly. "You... you..." Kaguya saw her body becoming translucent. Her entire being was made of the chakra that she had been given by her children. Now that it was all being taken away... nothing was going to be left behind. Her mind went blank, and she was unable to speak or even think any longer. The last thing she saw was the imposing figure of Naruto standing over her with his golden aura still flaring up... and taking everything that was supposed to be hers. It took him several minutes to finish absorbing the last drop of energy. "Phew... that was exhausting..." Naruto muttered. The fight had been difficult...probably the most difficult he had faced since his soul awoke in this world, but Naruto knew that this was nothing compared to what was coming next. Without moving from the spot, Naruto sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. The amount of chakra he had just absorbed was tremendous. It not only included the last two Bijuus, but also the chakra of the last few members of Akatsuki, Madara, and everything that Zetsu had been collecting for a year and storing in the God Tree. He could not delay this. It was simply too much for him to contain inside his body unless he properly assimilated it and made it his own. When he ventured into his mind palace, he saw the torrent of energy trying to break free as if it had a mind of its own. And it probably did. After all, the Bijuus were sentient masses of chakra, and there were two of them inside that mass. The goddess he had just killed was not much different, as she too, was composed entirely of this energy. He wasted no time in wrestling control of the raging chakra. Inside this space, he could use his will to control everything within it. Naruto used this to move it where it needed to be, while at the same time, he began to use his cultivation method. His body and soul were like a well-oiled machine. Everything had a function, and it all worked together to fulfill a purpose. The newly acquired chakra passed through his Golden Core to be refined before it was allowed to join his reserves of chakra, which were now forming a massive lake in the middle of his mind palace. The Golden Scripture was, as usual, floating above this lake of pure energy as if it were observing the proceedings. Naruto got into a rhythm, processing and refining the wild torrent of chakra that had entered his body and making it his own. He lost track of time, but his cultivation continued to rise higher and higher. The peak of the Spirit Transformation Stage approached, and without slowing down, Naruto broke through it and continued. He was finally one of the few selected cultivators who had reached the Immortal Ascension Stage. The last stop before one was allowed to ascend to the Heavens and discover what lay beyond the realm of mortals. There was still plenty of energy left to process, and now that he had broken through, he had to refine all of his chakra one step further. According to the information he received when the Golden Scripture bestowed upon him his cultivation method, in order to complete his ascension, Naruto was going to need to refine his own ''Divine Energy'' out of all the chakra he had accumulated. This process was going to take a very long time, although he wasn''t sure exactly how much. Naruto''s eyes opened in the real world, and as soon as he did, his Divine Senses seemed to expand even further, until they covered the entire continent of the Elemental Nations. He could now feel everything and everyone in this small world, and his body was brimming. This was great, because he was about to need everything he had left in just a moment. His golden eyes looked up at the sky. "Already here, huh? The Heavens seem eager to stop me now," Naruto said. The sky had turned pitch black despite the fact that it should still be around midday. The sounds of thunder resounded everywhere, and sparks of light would occasionally flash across the heavens. He still had much that he wanted to do, as he hadn''t even finished absorbing all the energy he acquired from Kaguya. But that would have to wait. The Tribulation was already here. The aura around Naruto grew in intensity as he released more and more of his power. This time, he had no plan... no ideas on how to surpass this obstacle. All he could do was give everything he had and hope that it would be enough. "I suppose that counts as a plan." Up until now, he had done everything he could to create the most perfect body and soul, and he was using a method he acquired from a mysterious Divine Artifact. His current strength had to be enough to survive this. "And if it isn''t... at least I''ll go knowing that I tried my best." Bolts of lightning began to impact the wastelands, some of them striking the roots of the God Tree and blowing them to pieces. Those little bolts were of no concern to Naruto. A big one was approaching. The clouds in the sky parted in a very unnatural way, as if they were giving passage to the wrath of the Heavens themselves. Naruto opened his hands and began to form two spheres of rotating energy. "It is time." He then flew into the air.