Title: A Rilvary Bittered With Age
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did Temari would be mine.
"Speech"
'Thought'
'Kyuubi'
A/N(Auther'sNote)
Chapter One.
Everything has changed in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Nine years has passed since Sasuke defected from Konoha and everything has quieted down from the chaotic mess it was before then. Naruto Uzumaki is now a 22-year-old shinobi who has surpassed most of his superiors and they say he even surpassed the skill of the deceased Yondaime. Naruto defeated, with the help of his friends of course, the organization Akatsuki killing Itachi Uchiha in the process, Sasuke's brother who Sasuke was never able to defeat; three years after his training with Jiraiya. Sasuke killed or absorbed Orochimaru before his body could be taken over and he is now in control of the Hidden Sound. Sasuke has vowed to kill the only man who could kill his brother, Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto is currently on a mission to retrieve Hinata Hyuuga, Chouji Akimichi, and Tenten from a two-week mission from the Earth Country when they failed to return after two and a half weeks.
A red and black streak was all you could see of the young blonde haired ninja as he leaped from tree branch to tree branch at extreme speeds. His outfit had totally changed from his childhood orange jumpsuit, as if it matured along with his personality, though still quite immature. His attire at the moment consisted of a tight red tee shirt with a black kitsune face engraved on the back, now covered up by a large backpack. Naruto wore a normal type of black pants. His clothes seem to extenuate his now well-chiselled muscles and features. The shinobi's messy blonde locks have now grown shoulder length over the years, tied back with a red band and a Konoha Hitai-ate forehead protector.
His blonde locks would blow aerodynamically behind his head as he increased his speed. 'I need to get to them as fast as I can. I won't stop until I get there. I don't know what could have happened, but I won't let anything bad happen to them!' Naruto thought to himself. This was true; he hadn't stopped since he left the village. For two and a half days he ran at this speed towards Earth Country.
A low deep voice rang through his mind as his legs worked tirelessly. 'You're in quite a hurry Kit. At this rate you'll make it to the border by sundown,' A trip that usually took an average Jonin seven days, was only going to take him two and a half, 'If you don't stop for a rest you won't be able to move when you stop.'
'Shut up you fox. I haven't used up half my chakra yet and I never even touched yours. You wouldn't let that happen to our body, we could get attacked and die. And anyways Hinata, Chouji and Tenten need me. And you know how I act when my friends are in danger.' Naruto always placed his friends before his own well being, it was something he did throughout his life well, when he had friends anyway. He had many conversations with his inner beast. Though when he did he could only focus on his mind and not the outer world.
'Pay attention to your senses Kit; I can't believe you haven't learn to talk without taking your mind off everything else. You should learn to meditate. Do you smell what I smell?' The monster within his asked. Naruto would take a large whiff of air through his nose. He instantly stopped and turned in the direction of the scent. "Fresh blood." That was the only thing he could mutter.
Naruto's legs thrust hard off the branch he stopped on, sending him about five meters toward the scent. Since Naruto and the Kyuubi no Yoko are nearly half merged, Naruto's senses have increased in strength dramatically. If Naruto had focused on his hearing he could have heard what was going on, but he was more focused on saving the person or people in trouble.
After running through the trees for seven minutes, Naruto stopped about eight meters away from the location of the scent. A high pitch scream could be heard followed by the words, "Get away from me you dirty bastards!" He could instantly tell it was Tenten's voice. His body disappeared from the branch he was eavesdropping from, appearing in the clearing to a shocking sight. Chouji was on the ground in a crumpled mess using the rest of his power to stay conscious, blood spilling from his mouth as he coughed. Hinata with her jacket ripped open revealing a thin top as two males walked toward her, she had cuts and blood all over her. And Tenten being held with her arms above her head by two other males and being groped by the one in front of her.
"You guys are pathetic… I'll take great joy in ripping all your throats out and strangling you with them." Naruto said, voice resounding pure animalistic desire for blood and his eyes turning crimson red, the pupils slitting animal-like. The statement surprised the five men, thinking they had taken out everyone in the area, besides for the two women they planned to take advantage of.
"Naruto!" Tenten cried out, " We couldn't handle them ourselves… we're drained from our mission."
"Shut up bitch." Both the men holding Tenten brought their knees into both Tenten's sides, making her crumble to ground excruciating in pain.
"We're missing-nin from Iwagakure. There is no possible way one of you Konoha ninja could defeat us. You're going to die." Another said as he gave Hinata a heel kick to her face sending a crimson liquid expelling from her mouth splattering over near by trees.
"Don't touch her damn it!" Naruto exclaimed his voice darkening and a strange hint of bloodlust mixed in also. Killing intent poured from his body then he disappeared then reappeared in an instant his claw-like fingernails digging into the male's, who kicked Hinata, crotch. Naruto's hand made a fist and ripped his hand from the man's crotch; with the same hand Naruto gripped the man's throat. With a quick jerk the demonic Naruto tore a tube from the man's throat, tossing the corpse to the ground. "I'm the demon of Konoha and I won't let any of you Iwagakure pricks live!"
The rest of the missing ninja gasped in horror as they began to flee from the scene. With that statement four Naruto's appeared in a puff of smoke with the same demonic shine in their eyes. "Are you pricks ready to die?!" They all yelled as each one, except for the real one, disappeared in pursuit. The real Naruto just calmly walked over to Hinata putting her over his shoulder as if she was an enfant. The surrounding forest was filled with screams of terror and gurgling sounds, as each one was decapitate by the Kage Bunshins.
Naruto collected his injured comrades. 'Yo, Fox. Is there anything you can do to help them out?' He asked the Nine-tailed demon within him.
'Place your hands over them and focus my chakra into your hands, I'll take care of the rest.'
Naruto did as he was instructed and placed his hands over Chouji first, his wounds being the worst out of them all. His hands began to glow a red colour as he focused the demon chakra into his hands. Running his hands over Chouji's wounds they were healed in a matter of seconds. "God Chouji. You must have taken some beating. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Thanks for protecting Tenten and Hinata as long as you could."
"Don't worry Naruto. With you here we'll be alright." Said a now slightly smiling Tenten still holding her sides. "When did you learn healing techniques? Did Hokage-sama train you after Jiraiya-sama?" She asked with curiosity hinted in her voice.
"Um… Well… You see…" Naruto stuttered as he lifted his hands from once done healing Chouji and placing one behind his head to scratch. "It's kind of personal and not something I like to talk about, even with friends." He answered while smiling and giving a fake laugh.
'I guess some things never change…' Tenten thought to herself watching Naruto's actions. Her eyes then drifted over his well-toned biceps and then down towards his pecs and abs. 'God, when did he get those?' She asked herself, making her blush at herself. Naruto had moved on to Hinata and finished the Kyuubi's healing of her; looking towards Tenten he noticed the blush. "Please lay on your back Tenten." He told her and her blush deepened, but she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. "Please lay on your back Tenten." He said once again, except slightly louder.
Tenten's eyes would open slightly wider then before. She had heard the question both times, but she thought he was more coming on to her. Or that's what she wished it to be. "W…what?" She asked.
"Please lay on your back and open your legs." Naruto stated with a chuckle, obviously being sarcastic. 'God… women are so difficult. Ever since I trained my body they blush if I say the stupidest of things or even flirt.'
"I-I don't think this is the time or place for something like that Naruto!" She said pushing his shoulder some. 'But I do like the thought of it.'
"Lay on your back so I can heal you please, Tenten." Naruto asked the final time. He chuckled to himself some as she complied to his command at last. Naruto pulled her shirt up three inches above the naval, then let his hands barely rub against her skin as he healed her. The touching of her skin was pure torture to her. 'God damn it Naruto! If you don't plan on doing anything to me then don't tease me! He probably doesn't know he's doing it…' She exclaimed within herself.
'She had two broken ribs and a small amount of internal damage, but noting I couldn't fix Kit. You should tell her. The big one had life threatening injuries, but nothing I couldn't heal. And the other female had a broken jaw and a few cuts, but they're all healed now. And she finds you very attractive.'
"Tenten, you had a few broken ribs, a small bit of internal damage, and think I'm very attra-… never mind that last bit. There was nothing it co… I couldn't fix." He stated as pulled her shirt back to its normal position and stood up, holding his hand out to help her up.
Her eyes widened at what he was going to say after his examination, but thankfully he stopped. She gracefully took his hand in hers and pulled herself up. Bowing her head she said. "Thank you Naruto. I guess we should be heading back to Konoha now."
Naruto nodded in agreement, he walked over to the still unconscious Chouji and Hinata, slinging both over his shoulders as if they were feathers. Tenten looked surprised at him. 'He can lift both of them that easily… Those muscles aren't just for show.' "Do you need any help Naruto? I could carry Hinata if you want." She stated, and began to ponder again. "How did you make it here so fast? It took us a little less then a week to get here and then our mission was only simple. You should be 3 days away at least, unless you left six days ago. But that would mean you left before we were late coming back…"
"I ran non-stop for two and a half days. It's really not that hard when you've got great stamina like me. And don't forget," He said as he flexed his biceps, making them bulge while Hinata and Chouji still on them, " I'm Naruto Uzumaki! The strongest ninja in the world!"
'And the sexiest.' She thought. She blushed again at the thought that just passed through her mind, shaking her head to get rid of it. She then laughed at herself. 'I'm getting as bad as Hinata used to be…'
Naruto had noticed Tenten's distance look. He moved his face toward hers, only about 4 inches away from her face with his. "Tenten? Are you okay?" 'Shesh… girl's are always daydreaming and blushing, what's this all about. She's getting like Hinata… Oh shit. Don't tell me she likes me…' Tenten finally focused her eyes, staring directly into a pair of beautiful blue orbs. Her lids widened and she gasped at the same time trying to act scared as she fell onto her ass with a small " Oww."
"Are you okay Tenten?" Naruto help his hand out to help her up. "Can I ask you a question? It's about those guys that attacked you before I got here."
"I'm still in shock from their attacking us I think. Um… Sure I guess." She answered as she took his hand and he pulled her to her feet.
"What… did they do to you all before I got here? If you don't want to answer I will understand completely." His voice was low. Naruto shifted the two lifeless bodies on his shoulders. He finally nodded his head to make the clones disappear. Naruto didn't need to make any seals for the Kage Bunshin anymore, he was that used to creating them.
Tenten smiled and looked up at the taller male, placing her hand on his chest. "Don't worry Naruto, you got here just in time before they could do anything truly rotten."
Naruto smiled as she told him what he wanted to hear. "That's good to know. Come on we need to get the three of you back to Konoha."
At The Hidden Sound
A single black haired male sat within the confines of a large cavern type room. Snake designs placed all over the walls and ceiling. "Kabuto, please tell me why I never painted over this shit?"
"I recommended that you keep it this way, Sasuke-sama. Also I never would have expected those Earth Country Shinobi to find out about our hidden layer in their country or the information about Akatsuki." A silver haired male answered as he walked forward from the shadows.
"We wouldn't have been found if it wasn't for the Sound Six's insolence! Make sure they get what they deserve… Takai needs target practice as well." Sasuke stated as he glared toward Kabuto.
"Yes Sasuke-sama. As well you need to train to obtain your clan's most valued possession." Kabuto bowed down. He smirked slightly and pushed his glasses onto his nose.
"Yes well that's what I have your for now isn't Kabuto-kun." Sasuke spat the 'kun' part from his lips. "Inform my women that I maybe in need of company later tonight and insure that our infiltration group is prepared and sent out shortly."
"Yes Sasuke-sama." The silver haired man bowed his head slightly and walked into the darkness once again.
A/N: Well here you have it. It's my first Fan fiction so please be nice. I'll have the second chapter edited soon. I have up to chapter 11 completed, but I'm editing them so it'll be a few days. This is going to be a long fic.