Hello readers! This is my first ever Naruto fanfic. I hope you all (or at least some) review. I would very much like to hear (or read, in this case) what you think about my writing. One can't improve if they don't know what's wrong. Oh, if I spelt any names wrong please do let me know. I don't want anyone thinking I'm an imbecile for not knowing how to spell a character's name correctly.

I do not own Naruto. Hope you enjoy.

...

Chapter One: It Couldn't Possibly Get Any Worse

The day was hot and bright, causing only the most determined of people to be outside. One of those people, of course, included Naruto. Having been sparring all morning and into the afternoon he was hot and extremely sweaty. His opponent, the equally determined Rock Lee, looked just as bad. Both were panting and seemed ready to drop.

On the sidelines some of the usual troupe watched. Kakashi stood underneath a large tree for obvious reasons. One: it was shady. Two: it was cool. Three: it was shady and cool. His attention was on both the book he held in his hand and on Naruto, his former student.

Sakura sat next to him with Sasuke leaning back against the trunk of the tree. Both were tired simply by the heat sucking up their energy and wouldn't be in Naruto's place even if someone had paid them. Sasuke watched his rival and best friend closely. He would have to keep training as well if he didn't want the over-enthusiastic blonde to get ahead of him...which he was very close to doing. Sakura was simply amazed that both Naruto and Rock Lee had the energy to keep going. She knew she would have passed out hours ago.

"Go Lee! Let the fire of your youth take you onward!" Lee could barely give his sensei a thumbs up. Beside Gai, Neji and Tenten shook their heads. Even the 'fire of youth' wouldn't pump Lee up now.

A couple more seconds passed where the combatants wheezed and fought for breath...then in the blink of an eye vanished. There was a loud whomp and a concussion of air as the two ninjas collided. Lee went down with a fist to the face. Naruto landed on the ground then immediately doubled over as he struggled to find some air.

There was applause from the tiny audience. Gai ran out to Lee.

"Oh Lee! How could this happen?! Your moves--so graceful, so powerful! You were wonderful! Lee, can you hear me?!"

"Gai-Sensei...I'm fine," Lee muttered as he sat up slowly. "Naruto...you were a fantastic opponent. When I feel better, we will most surely do this again!"

Naruto looked up and gave Lee a weak smile.

"Come on Gai. I say we go and get them some free ramen," Kakashi said as he lifted Naruto onto his back.

"Yeah...ramen...," was all Naruto could say before he fainted, Lee one stroke ahead of him.

...

The two shinobi trembled as the dark figure stalked towards them. Its eyes glowed with blood lust in the heavy gloom. A dark hand reached out, grabbing one of the Leaf Ninja by the throat. With a gentle squeeze the ninja's neck snapped. His companion swallowed, scrambling away. The ominous figure kicked him down and pinned him to the ground with his foot. It leaned on him heavily, forcing him into the earth with his weight. There was a crack and the Leaf Ninja screamed at the pain of some broken ribs.

"Now, be a good little Konoha and report this to Lady Tsunade. I wouldn't want her thinking that life is going to be simple now that Orochimaru and that irritable group the Akatsuki are gone. Let her know there's a new sheriff in town, and I mean business. I want a challenge with her strongest shinobi...her very best. Anyone less and there will be consequences. Do you understand me?"

The Konoha ninja nodded wildly. The being pressed down harder, breaking a few more ribs. "I can't hear you."

"YES! I UNDERSTAND!"

"Good. Now go." Watching the ninja run away, or stumble but it was all the same to him, the black figure turned and walked gracefully into the shadows. With the pathetic Sound Ninja dead, and the group of rogues annihilated, he could now move about freely, with no hindrance. Of course he could have eliminated the weak groups himself but that would have alerted the Hidden Villages, and the hounds that had killed Orochimaru, Itachi, and the other Akatsuki members would have been on his trail before their due time. He'd been watching them for some time, and they we're most promising. He hadn't wanted them to die too soon. There would have been no fun in it then. He hoped they would now at least be able to be a challenge at his game.

He reached the edge of the cliff and looked down at Konoha.

"Now Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke...let me us see how strong you really how."

...

"We got the news," Kakashi said as he stepped into the room. With him were the other sensei of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Along with them was the leader of the Ambu Black Ops.

"What happened Lady Hokage?" the Ambu asked.

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest, staring at her desk for a good solid minute. Finally she looked up at her ninjas. "Earlier tonight one of the shinobi on watch duty came back...with some broken ribs and a lot of nasty bruises. He reported that he and his fellows had been attacked, but they couldn't see who did it. Only that he had burning red eyes.

"He continued to report that this mystery man wanted a challenge with my strongest ninja. Any less than the best would result in dire consequences. We can only guess what those consequences will be, so I'm going to accept the challenge. Hopefully they'll be able to handle it and he won't be willing to kill them."

There was silence, and the ninja stared at her before Gai said, "And who are these ninja he wished to challenge?"

More silence. "Naruto, Gaara, and Sasuke."

Iruka growled. "Them again? What does everyone want with those three? Do they have signs on their backs that say 'Hi, My Name Is So and So. I've Been Through Hell, But Kick Me Anyway'?" His fellows echoed him.

"This is starting to get ridiculous," Kakashi put it. "Those three have been through more than any of us in our long lifetimes in just their eighteen." He shook his head. "They don't deserve this. They all three have had rough childhoods, what with Naruto and Gaara being Jinchuuriki, and Sasuke's family being murdered by his brother. Their adolescence hasn't been any easier either; Sasuke left in search of power and has only been back for about two years after finally killing Itachi and Orochimaru, Naruto had been hounded by the Akatsuki for Kyubi, having to fight them off of him and others, and Gaara was used as a weapon of mass destruction and was killed by the Akatsuki for his tailed beast. He would have stayed dead if Chiyo hadn't brought him back to life."

Silence fell on the room as the ninja's remembered the terrible events that had happened to them very recently.

"Did he say when he wanted this challenge?" Gai asked at last. None of the three were his students, but Naruto was a huge inspiration to Lee, and both he and Sasuke were Lee's biggest rivals. Even if they weren't his students they were very important to him. And Gaara had saved Lee's life once.

"He gave us one week. Gai, I want you to go and get the Kazekage. Have him here as soon as you can. If Temari and Kankuro want to come let them. Kakashi, alert Naruto and Sasuke. They are to start preparing now."

At the command the ninja's left their Hokage to her thoughts. Grimacing Lady Tsunade sat down in her chair and turned to face the stone faces of the past Hokages...and her own.

"And I thought it couldn't get any worse," she whispered.

...

sighs And that is chapter one. I myself think it's pretty good. Not too long, and not too detailed. Please read and review. If you see mistakes please point them out to me. Please and thank you!