Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto

Infinite Shadow

Chapter 1: Assassination

The village hidden in the leaves was at peace. Orochimaru has been quiet and Sasuke was even back in the village. He had escaped from Orochimaru and returned to his friends. To his shock Naruto had become far more powerful than he once was. He and Naruto had spent much time together training and renewing their friendship. While peace had come over the village, they had a visitor who would shake the foundations. This visitor came to assassinate Gaara who had come to visit Naruto. Currently Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara were at the training grounds.

"What brings you here Gaara?"

"There are rumors of ninja organizing to attack the village hidden in the sand and leaf. I wanted to warn you. I wish I was here for better reason like when we use to get together." Naruto blushed at the mention of old times. Sasuke rolled his eyes and clenched his fist. He hadn't been able to admit his feelings for Naruto just yet and the idea of anyone being with Naruto angered him. Despite all that Sasuke was worried about any attacks. Sasuke listened to the surrounding area as Gaara and Naruto chatted on. He could hear something in the woods. Sasuke jumped up and pulled out a kunai. Naruto and Gaara jumped up.

"What is it Sasuke?" A kunai came flying at them. Sasuke blocked it with his own and pushed Gaara out of the way. Naruto looked around to see the enemy but there was no one. Multiple Kunai flew from the trees from different directions. Gaara growled and sand shot up protecting us from the attack.

"Come out! We know you're there! What do you want?" Naruto yelled into the woods. A chuckle came from the trees and multiple ninja jumped out of the trees and surrounded the three. "Young Naruto . . . I've been looking for you. To think the prized leaf Jinchuriki is out in the open. Not that your demon power is really that powerful but still . . . strange they don't keep you confined. Not really here to talk right now, my main focus is Gaara then maybe we can talk Naruto." The number of the ninja alarmed Sasuke so he activated his sharingan and looked at all of the ninja.

"Don't worry it's a clone jutsu." The ninja laughed at Sasuke. "Is it? Prove it, take out a clone with a simple punch." Naruto ran and punched the first clone he could. It didn't disappear and only looked at Naruto. He tried again and again but the clone still stood. The clone grabbed Naruto and tossed him away.

"So much for your theory. My clone jutsu is very different than fox boy's there." Sasuke growled at the insult aimed at Naruto. He lunged at the real ninja and took him head on. The ninja was impressed by his speed and ability to anticipate his moves.

"This is the power of the Uchia clan . . . I am impressed my master wasn't joking." Sasuke kicked the ninja in the chest and knocked him backwards. Sasuke looked over and saw Gaara using his sand to destroy the clones. Naruto ran up to join Sasuke. Sasuke noticed something different about this ninja. Besides his skill and jutsu having a more powerful effect, his headband was unknown to him. It had an eye as its marker.

"What village are you from?" The ninja chuckled and put his hands together and did a hand sign.

"Shadow style, shadow chain jutsu!" Black chains shot out from the ninja's hand and captured the three friends.

"It's over Kazekage!" The ninja put his hands together again.

"Shadow style, Obliteration Jutsu!" A flare of dark energy shot from the ninja's hands towards the three ninja friends. The unknown ninja chuckled as the energy soared at them.

However, to the three friend's amazement, the earth shot up in front of the blast and took the destruction. It was Sakura, she punched the ground causing it to flip up. Sakura and Kakashi came into the fight. Sakura broke the chains with her fist and freed her friends. Kakashi went in for a frontal strike against the ninja. The four watched as Kakashi and the ninja fought. They were nothing but blurs and clash sounds.

In the end Kakashi had the ninja on the ground in severe pain. The ninja stood up holding his side.

"Damn it . . . I should have expected as much from you. Guess I won't be returning home." The ninja put his hands together. "Shadow style . . . death flare jutsu!" Green fire shot from his body at Gaara. The ninja fell to the ground and the fire shot towards Gaara. The sand blocked the attack but the force propelled Gaara backwards into the ground. Naruto helped Gaara up and they went to look at the dead ninja. Kakashi held the headband in his hand. Sasuke noticed a look of anger in Kakashi. The group went back to the village and stood outside the tower of the Hokage.

"Gaara, please come with me. You three . . . enjoy the rest of the day." Naruto wasn't about to let it go but Gaara gave a stern look that Naruto decided to obey. Kakashi and Gaara went inside the tower and the three friends went off to dinner.

(Tsunade, Kakashi, Gaara)

Kakashi reported what he knew and allowed Gaara to give his information as well. There was much confusion as to what had gone on. Kakashi laid the headband down on Tsunade's desk and she looked up with eyes of shock.

"Why would he be attacking now? What does he have to gain? There is something to this that he wants." Kakashi looked at Gaara.

"It might have something to do with Jinchuriki. He did aim to kill Gaara after all." Gaara sighed. "My demon spirit is gone though, why come after me now?" This had Kakashi stumped. It was the only obvious answer.

"What else could he want?" Gaara had a thought but wasn't sure. It was possible that he and Sasuke were the targets so Naruto would be alone.

"What if he was after Naruto? The warrior was after me and Sasuke but not really Naruto. He did little to attack him." Tsunade was intrigued by this theory.

"It's possible, remember Minato was his student once upon a time . . . just like you. Even our Sannin were under hit thumb. Our greatest ninja have learned from him." They were never full time students under this great ninja but they learned from him. Orochimaru got his determination to learn all jutsu and even be immortal from this ninja. Tsunade had similar effects with her age. Minato learned his skills and Kakashi his story is a little different and more pained.

"Forget about him my lady, he is no longer around this world." Tsunade chuckled. "Oh I know, you know as well as I where he is. This is going to be a mission for you and your brats. Go to the Village hidden in Shadows and find out what he wants. Be careful and DO NOT fight him unless you have to. He has his hospitable moments so hopefully this will be one of them." Kakashi looked at Tsunade and nodded before leaving the office of the Hokage. Gaara looked at Tsunade with confusion.

"Who is this "he" and what would he want with Naruto? Also, I've never heard of the village hidden in the shadows. Where is it?" Tsunade sighed, this wasn't something anyone needed to know about.

"The "he" refers to the greatest ninja known to this village. His name was Simeon and he was a master of all Jutsu and even revived jutsu of old and made it his own. He has mastery over shadow style and nothing like Shikamaru, the shadows Simeon controls is greater than any other. There is no matching him in skill. This jutsu is forbidden and destructive. When he left he formed the village hidden in Shadows and appointed himself Shinkage. Divine shadow . . . he's full of himself but he's partially right to be, no one has come close to beating him." Gaara was alarmed, if this man had never been beaten then why would she willingly send Naruto into danger.

"Don't worry about Naruto, Sasuke will be there and the nine tails fox won't let any harm befall Naruto." Gaara nodded and made his way out of the tower to find Naruto.

(Naruto and Sasuke)

"It was weird Sasuke, that guy was so strong. He could have killed you! Why did you jump in there to fight him?" Sasuke began to blush at his reason for doing what he did. Naruto continued to talk and Sasuke could only think of what was going through his head during the fight. It was all about Naruto. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Naruto and that was why he ran in there to fight so dangerously. Naruto stopped talking to playfully smack Sasuke in the head."

"Ah, you little idiot! Why did you smack me?" Naruto grumbled.

"You were ignoring me ya jerk!" Sasuke sighed.

"I'm sorry Naruto . . . just I thought something bad was going to happen to you back there." Naruto blushed at the statement. "I'm capable of fighting Sasuke." Sasuke looked away as if he was hurt by the statement.

"But thank you for worrying about me . . . no one really does. All they see is the fox spirit in me." Sasuke smiled and hugged Naruto. "I don't see the fox when I look at you. I see the sun in its purifying shine." Naruto was happy they were hugging so Sasuke couldn't see his blush.

"Are you two busy?" Sasuke let go of Naruto and looked at their visitor. It was Gaara.

"Yes-" Naruto cut Sasuke off by saying no. Gaara chuckled.

"In any case . . . Kakashi will be looking for you two . . . there is a mission for your team . . . but please don't go Naruto. Trust me when I say not to get involved . . . I don't want to see any harm come to you." Sasuke was jealous of what Gaara has experienced with Naruto.

"I can't turn down a mission . . . does it have to do with that ninja that was killed by Kakashi?" Gaara looked down at the ground. "Please don't Naruto . . . I have a bad feeling about this." Naruto sighed. "I'm a ninja . . . I have to do it Gaara . . . I promise I'll be careful, besides I have my knight in emo armor to save me!" Sasuke's eye twitched at the emo comment. "I'm hardly an emo Naruto." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Ok . . . you wear black . . . emo hair . . . black hair at that . . . really cold . . . what am I missing?" Sasuke sighed and walked off leaving the two. Naruto called for Sasuke but he ignored him and went to find Kakashi. Gaara and Naruto finished up and said their goodbyes.

(Sasuke)

I was so close to admitting how I feel to that little moron. He's my little moron and I want him to know it. I'm so afraid to lose him but even more so that he'd reject me. Anyway I needed to find Kakashi and find out what this mission is. Where could the pervert be?

"Sasuke." HOLY DAMN KAKASHI! I think my heart just stopped. Where the FUCK did he come from? Damn it

"Trying to kill me by sneaking up on me?" Kakashi looked confused.

"What are you talking about? I came from your front." I blushed at my idiocy. He was right.

"What do you need Kakashi? Is it about the mission?" Kakashi raised an eye brow. "How do you know about that?"

"Gaara told us you were looking for us . . . said we had a mission to do and he didn't want Naruto to go." Kakashi sighed.

"I don't either . . . not you or even Sakura. It's too dangerous but it's even more dangerous to be alone." What is the mission? Why is it so dangerous?

"Where are we going? What do we have to do?"

"To put it to you lightly . . . this mission exceeds an S rank mission . . . note there has never been such a higher rank. You can imagine the danger." What in the hell is he talking about? Are we going for Orochimaru?

"We're heading to the Village Hidden in the Shadows. It's an unknown village and filled with the most powerful ninja known to this world. Inside we are going find the Shinkage. We're to only talk to him . . . if it comes to a fight we are to flee by orders of the Hokage." Who is the Shinkage . . . I've never heard of one. I only know of the five and this wasn't one of them.

"The Shinkage is a former ninja of this village and the most powerful one at that. Not even your brother Itachi would stand a chance. He's my old mentor . . . before Minato was able to get me away from him. We're going to find out what it is he wants. If he goes for Naruto grab him and run for it with Sakura. I will try to keep him away and get back but I might not and it is my order to leave me behind if you must. He might try to convince you to join him but do not accept or let Naruto for that matter. It's harder to do than you might think. He is the master of persuasion. Luckily if you don't accept he can't keep you there and their laws forbid attacking unprovoked unless hired for the attack." This was way too much for us. How could the Hokage expect this to work out with our survival?

"I know this is a lot Sasuke but I know we'll be fine. Simeon follows his rules and doesn't forgive those who break them either." I was frightened. I had to protect Naruto on this mission.

(Regular POV)

Team Kakashi went to the outskirts of the village and when the gates closed. Kakashi held his hand up. Naruto and the others looked confused.

"Shadow style . . . dark opening Jutsu." A flash shot from the air and a portal of black energy opened.

"Inside we will find the Village Hidden in the Shadows. Be wary . . . this is where fears become reality."

First chapter! First Naruto story so be kind.