Hey there all. DragonX here with the first chapter of my promised new story. As I said, this story will be happening before my New Legends of Konoha which will be subtitled "Shadows of Evil" at some point down the line. Also, some events present in this story will cause changes in Shadows of Evil...but what those changes will be...you'll just have to read and find out evil grin. In the meantime, heres chappie one. Enjoy! Oh...and don't forget the reviews too. hehe.

I don't own Naruto, though I DO own this particular story

Chapter 1:

Name: Uzumaki Naruto

Age: 19

Occupation: Konohagakure Shinobi

Official Rank: Chunin

Specialty Jutsu: Kage Bushin, Rasengan, Futon: Rasenshuriken

Class: A

Notes: Jinchuuriki of the Nine-tail Demon Fox, Kyuubi no Youko. Unpredictable and highly unorthodox. While officially classed as Chunin, has mastered and/or created several kage level jutsu and is to be considered of at least jounin level. Rumored to have ability to access power of the demon contained within him. Engage with extreme caution.

"Wow…" said Naruto. "I actually made it into a bingo book. I'm flattered…really."

Sakura rolled her eyes at her long-time friend and companion's remark. "Naruto…get serious. This isn't funny. It means that the Hidden Cloud Village ninja are gunning for you."

"I know! I know! Sheesh, Sakura-chan, don't get your panties in a wad. I was just tryin' to make a" (WHOOSH! BOOOM!) "…..joke." Naruto managed to finish his rebuttal a few feet away after dodging Sakura's fist that left a small crater where he was standing. He'd well gotten used to their normal ritual of him making some remark that set her off followed by her usual trying to pound him into the dirt. However, as of late, he'd strangely been able avoid his lumps a whole lot easier than he used to. A part of him chalked it up to just knowing it was coming. Another part...wasn't so sure.

"Anyway, we should get back to the villagers and complete our mission now that we got their stuff back." said Sai as he examined the new wound to Mother Earth.

The rest of Team Kakashi agreed and leapt off into the direction of Hazama Village.

"Oi, Sakura-chan? Any ideas on why Kumo-nin would be after me?" asked the blond shinobi.

"…It's probably because of what happened with the attack on team 8 a couple of months ago." Sakura couldn't help but shiver a little at the memory of that day. Even Sai and Kakashi both flinched when they recalled the event.

(((Flashback: 2 months before)))

"Maaannnn…that mission was WAY too easy! Why does baa-chan always give us these stupid missions for?!" groaned an irritated Uzumaki Naruto.

Sakura sweatdropped. "Gee, Naruto…it isn't like the last mission we got didn't almost…oh…I dunno...get us KILLED or anything! I, for one, am grateful that a simple delivery assignment turned out to be just that...SIMPLE! So quit complaining, already, baka!"

:kch: "Thi-…urenai o-…eight requ…ting assista…der attack…kumo shinobi! Loca…n…oint 2955! Is any…out there!?"

"Kakashi-sempai?" Yamato looked to his long-admired superior. Kakashi simply looked back and nodded.

"Point 2955. That's not far from here. Sai, Sakura, Naruto! Get the lead out!"

"HAI!" they responded as the 5 ninja bolted at top speed to their fellow leaf comrades.

'So much for simple' Sakura thought to herself as she glanced over to her emotionally adopted "brother"…almost expecting to see a grin of excitement decorating his face. What she saw actually surprised her a bit. He actually looked serious, almost angry, even.

"…Hinata…everyone. We're coming. Just hold on..."

His voice was almost an inaudible whisper, but she caught it. 'Hinata, huh? I know they've been spending a lot of time together lately but…hmm.' A sly grin glanced across her lips. 'I'll have to grill him about this later…hehehe'

When they arrived, there were no fewer than a dozen Kumo-nin attacking team 8, with several more already knocked unconscious or dead on the ground. Shino and his bugs dealing with a few, as were Kiba and Akamaru. Kurenai had her hands full with another three. The four of them were surrounding an unconscious Hyuuga Hinata.

Just as they were about to plan their method of attack, Sakura, Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato all felt a familiar and very intense wave of chakra. A wave so intense, it caused everyone in the area, to include the assault force of cloud ninja to stop in their tracks.

"HINATAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

Naruto had moved in a flash and was standing over the fallen Hyuuga. His eyes were two pools of deep crimson with slits for pupils, enlarged canines, and worst of all…an aura shaped like a fox with 4 swirling chakra tails. As he slowly turned to look around at surrounding ninja, he let out a blood-curdling, inhuman roar and launched himself towards his first, hapless victim. The poor bastard never even had the chance to scream as a clawed hand ripped into his throat and nearly decapitated him.

"Oh no…not again…" Sakura had seen this before.

(((End Flashback)))

The scene that had followed was in the simplest of terms, a bloodbath. She'd watched as a transformed Naruto had literally torn through the enemy ranks with a primal rage. She watched as the ones that dared to attack were ripped to shreds by the beast in front of them. The few that tried to flee…didn't make it very far. He showed them no mercy as he caught them all one by one and killed them with murderous fury. It was shortly after that that Yamato had managed to get in close enough to suppress the Kyuubi's chakra and return the blond back to himself.

Naruto wasn't told about what happened until a few days later. Though his friends had left out some of the more…gruesome details, they never really gave him a full explanation.The one thing he was thankful for, was that they told him the only people he attacked were the cloud ninja and he hadn't hurt any of his friends and comrades. What they didn't know…is they really didn't have to tell him. He never told them that he actually remembered bits and pieces. Fragments, really. The sight and smell of blood, the feeling of tearing flesh, screams of pain and cries for mercy.

The last clear memories he had were of his landing on a tree branch near where team 8 were fighting for their lives and seeing Hinata lying on the ground. Seeing her like that caused something inside of him to snap. He remembered thinking that the bastards had hurt Hinata and they had to pay…with their lives. After that, it was mostly a blur until he'd come to a short while later, being carried on Akamaru's back.

To his knowledge, he had gone into the 4-tailed state at least 2 times before. But something about this time was different. He never remembered anything about those times. It was as if he'd blacked out then later just…woke up! This time, though….he remembered, if just. And those flashes of memory haunted him. Not so much because of what was in those flashes, but more because he had them.

The other strange part was…unlike his previous transformations, from what he came to learn, was that his body hadn't suffered nearly as much damage as before. That bugged him. That REALLY bugged him. Some thought it might have been because he hadn't been changed all that long and there wasn't enough time to cause significant damage. Somehow…Naruto knew better. He just knew.

'I need answers…and there's only one place I'm gonna find'em. And as much as I've been putting this off…ugh…man…I really don't wanna talk to him.' Naruto resolved himself to have a one-to-one with his "resident asshole"…and soon.