Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto; if I did, Danzo would never become Hokage

A/N: Sorry for the delay; I've been without the Internet for the past week, so it's been a little difficult getting anything done. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 2: Ankokugakure

"You called us, Leader-sama?" asked one of six shinobi. All had hitai-ate featuring two small stars on ether side of a circle above a horizontal line.

"I did. Have you heard of the tournament issued by Nagato of Amegakure no Sato?" asked the man addressed as leader.

"Hai, leader-sama," replied all six shinobi.

"Good. Then you should know why you are hear," replied the leader.

"We are honored you have chosen us to represent Ankokugakure in this tournament, leader-sama," replied another one of the shinobi.

"You are six of the best shinobi here. You, who led the bands of the former Oto-nin, are the strongest of these lands, and the most ideal candidates for representing our village to the rest of the shinobi world," spoke Ankoku's leader.

"Arigatou, Leader-sama," replied the six shinobi.

"I expect to hear of your victory. And, if possible, defeat Nagato," spoke the Ankoku leader.

"Do you wish for us to kill him?" asked a kunoichi of the group.

"No, that would not be advised. Such a move could cause problems for our village. I have my own grudges against Nagato, but they will be dealt with in due time. For now, aim for victory," spoke the leader of Ankoku.

"Hai, leader-sama!" shouted the shinobi.

"Come, I have informed the village of your selection, and wish to formally introduce you to the village," spoke Ankoku's leader.

The six shinobi nodded, and followed their leader to the balcony outside of his office. The leader was the first to appear on the balcony. He wore a suit of black armor, and had long black hair. The man's eyes were black with a solid red iris and pupil. The people of the village cheered loudly upon seeing their leader appear before them.

"Everyone, as I am sure you are already aware, Nagato of Amegakure no Sato is holding a tournament for all the high level shinobi of the lands. The best of all the villages will be there, including the strongest of the Five Great Nations. I have chosen six of the greatest shinobi these lands have produced to meet the challenges that lie ahead in this tournament. I have only known them for a few months, but I'm sure most of you have been well acquainted with them for years. I present to you, the Sentaku Roku (Chosen Six)!" shouted the leader of Ankoku.

"Come out! Koukei Akari!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A kunoichi with tanned skin came out. Here outfit consisted of a tight top with a loose hanging skirt over tight pants. The outfit was black with yellow shoulders and stripes at the side going down the skirt. Her eyes were black with a yellow iris.

"Shirazaki Tsuki!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A kunoichi in a loose fitting gray outfit appeared, with black bicycle shorts underneath. On her back was a black crescent moon. She had a bone white sword hanging at her side, hidden in an ivory sheath. Her hair was dark, her skin pale, and her eyes were white with a solid black iris and pupil.

"Kurohama Kukai!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A man in an outfit of black armor over a dark gray shirt and pants emerged. His eyes were black with a solid white iris and pupil, black hair, and pale skin.

"These three make up our first team to enter the tournament!" shouted the leader of Ankoku. The crowd below erupted into cheers at the appearance of the three shinobi. All three were leaders of different groups following the collapse of Otogakure. As a team, they were thought to be nearly invincible by the villagers.

"And now, to introduce our second team, come out, Tazaki Fue!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A kunoichi with dark red hair appeared. She had white eyes with a steal gray iris and pale skin. She wore a white kimono with a styled 田 (ta, rice fields) in black. She had a small case hanging on her left, and a sheathed katana hanging on her right.

"Tazaki Ikuo!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A man with black hair appeared. He had white eyes and a solid black iris and pupil, with pale skin. This man wore black kimono with a styled 田 in white. He also had a small case on his left and a sheathed katana hanging from his right.

"Tazaki Hayashi!" shouted the Ankoku leader.

A man with blond hair appeared. He had white eyes and a bright blue iris, with tanned skin. This man had a black kimono with a styled 田 in white. His katana hung on the left, while a small case was on his right.

"I present your second team, the leaders of the Tazaki Ichizoku! (Tazaki Clan)" shouted the Ankoku leader.

"We shall represent Ankoku with the conviction bestowed upon us by our leader, Sen Honou-sama!" shouted all members of the Sentaku Roku.

The crowd cheered with a deafening roar. The villagers had a fire within them they were never allowed to let ablaze under Orochimaru's regime. For the first time, the people of the shinobi village of Ta no Kuni could feel pride in something.

"We will take victory in this tournament, and show the world that our village is stronger than any of the other villages! Even the shinobi of the Great Five nations won't stand a chance against us!" shouted Kukai.

"As I would expect of my shinobi," spoke Honou, "Now, go and make a name for our village!"

"Hai, leader-sama!" shouted the six shinobi before Honou. They stood atop the balcony, listening to one last cheer from the villagers below, then took off for Amegakure at their best speed.

"Let us have one more cheer for the Sentaku Roku of Ankoku!" shouted Honou, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers once again. Honou took a bow before returning to his office chamber. He sat down, and took a sip of tea, thinking on the current events.

"So, Nagato, you wish to show that your village has recovered, eh? We'll see just what it is you can do. This village I've established... it will allow me the chance to build my strength, right before we crush the other nations... and you're at the top of the list, Nagato!" thought Honou, as he continued to sip at his tea, and file through some documents laid out on his desk.

"What do you guys think of this tournament?" asked Kukai.

"What do you mean?" asked Fue.

"Why did you guys decide to participate?" asked Kukai.

"For the chance to show the strength of the Tazaki Ichizoku. The famous clans of the other lands... the Hyuga, Yotsuki, even the extinct Kaguya have distinguished themselves more than our clan. I wish to change that. That's why I'm here," replied Fue.

"That's our Fue for you. We made her our leader because of her fighting spirit. She always knows the right path to take in life," spoke Hayashi.

"Kiss ass," spoke Ikuo.

"Stuck up," replied Hayashi.

"I should call you that. You're the one who's always 'stuck up' Fue's ass," spoke Ikuo.

"I can't help but admire her," replied Hayashi.

"I'll bet..." muttered Ikuo.

"Will you two give it a rest," spoke Fue, "So, why are you guys doing this?"

"For me, it's to make a name for myself. I don't really care about the village, or its people, even thought they seem to adore me," spoke Akari.

"For me, it's to honor the man who bestowed this upon me," spoke Tsuki, while holding her sword. It's a precious keepsake, and a powerful weapon... it's all I have left to remember him by. I want to prove myself worthy of his respect."

"As for me, I hope to repay a couple of grudges, namely against the shinobi of Konoha. I hope to find the man who left me with this 'keepsake,'" replied Kukai, as he pulled down part of his undershirt to show the start of a scar.

"This mark goes all across my body. I almost died that day, if it weren't for the fact the man who did this was in such a hurry, I probably would have," spoke Kukai.

"Took part in that invasion, did you? That snake bastard did a lot of things without consideration for his people. That's why I kept our clan away from him. I should thank the one that killed him," spoke Fue.

"We all were thankful to see him go, for the most part. Only a few of us had any kind of respect for him," replied Kukai.

"I guess I'm the only one in the group to show any kind of respect for him," spoke Tsuki.

"Really? What for?" asked Akari.

"Because of him and his respect for Orochimaru-sama. I know I'm in the minority, though. I know not to press the point with the others about the glory of Orochimaru-sama. I hold my respect for him to myself, as do the few others who respected him," spoke Tsuki.

"I never really picked you for a snake lover," spoke Kukai.

"There are a few of us. I'm sure you know how the worst of us have tried to assassinate Honou-sama," replied Tsuki.

"I've killed those would be assassins on several occasions," spoke Ikuo, "If it weren't for the fact that Honou-sama wills you to participate in this tournament, I would kill you where you stand," spoke Ikuo.

"Gee... what a pleasant thought..." muttered Tsuki.

"Have any of you been to Amegakure before?" asked Fue, "none of us have been out of Ta no Kuni."

"I haven't," spoke Tsuki.

"I've never really had reason to go there," replied Akari.

"I've been on a couple of spy missions for Orochimaru in the past," spoke Kukai, "He suspected it was where the leader of Akatsuki was hiding. I was never able to confirm it myself, though Orochimaru's former partner, Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin of Konoha, was able to find the man. I heard he was nearly killed in battle against the man, if memory serves."

"I thought he was dead," spoke Fue.

"I heard rumors that he survived, but I've never seen proof that he lived, Fue-san," spoke Hayashi.

"Is that so? I didn't know you kept an ear open for information," spoke Ikuo.

"I may appear to be 'easy going and detached with reality,' as you often say, but I pay attention to what takes place in the world," replied Hayashi.

"He's actually better at getting information than you are. Amazing, isn't it?" asked Fue.

"Perhaps, but he was never able to confirm it. Rumors such as that are just glorified gossip. A genin could pick up on such nonsense," replied Ikuo.

"Then why didn't you?" spoke Hayashi, with a big grin on his face.

"Fuck you!!" shouted Ikuo.

"Again..." muttered Fue.

"Well, we know for sure the leader of Akatsuki was able to defeat Jiraiya. This man is currently the leader of Amegakure no Sato," spoke Kukai.

"I heard about that. We get to face him in a one on one match if we win the tournament. Beating him would prove the supremacy of our clan for sure," replied Fue.

"It would do a lot for the pride of any individual, but I doubt any of us stand a chance against him," spoke Kukai.

"You saying something like that? That's amazing," spoke Tsuki.

"He has the Rinnegan, the legendary eyes once possessed by the Rikudou Sennin. I wouldn't expect to beat this man. He is said to be undefeated. I merely wish to fight as hard as I can against him," replied Kukai.

"Hmm, I heard he was defeated at one point in time," spoke Hayashi.

"Another rumor of yours?" asked Kukai, sounding slightly irritated.

"Not quite a fact, but not quite a rumor, either. I know nothing of the individual who did it, but there are plenty who claim someone was able to defeat him at one point in time, enough to confirm that much as true," spoke Hayashi.

"Is that so? And what have you heard of the one who beat him?" asked Kukai, sounding a little more interested.

"A lot of different things. Some say it was the Rikudou Sennin himself, brought back from the dead. Others say it was a great beast that did it. Others still claim it was a man with enough chakra to take on a bijuu single handedly," replied Hayashi.

"Isn't there a rumor that the man was a legendary creature told about only in children's stories?" asked Ikuo.

"Yeah, some of those, too," replied Hayashi.

"I was being sarcastic..." muttered Ikuo.

"Well, whoever was able to do this, I would like to face this one in battle, too," spoke Kukai.

"Well, if he exists, and is a member of one of the shinobi villages, the person will more than likely be in the tournament, right?" asked Hayashi.

"True. No village would hide a 'weapon' like that for an event of this caliber," spoke Kukai.

At that moment, an explosion rocked the canyon the group from Ankoku was traveling through. Each had a nervous twitch, as they felt the presence of a being with a large amount of chakra.

"What the Hell was that!?" shouted Kukai.

"It looks like it came from over there in that mountain!" shouted Fue.

"Did you guys feel that chakra just now?" asked Hayashi.

"I thought I felt something, but it seems to have gone away. Must have been something exploding. I don't sense anything now," spoke Ikuo.

"I'll take a look at it," spoke Akari.

"If that is your desire. We'll wait here for a few minutes. Don't be long," spoke Kukai.

Akari nodded, and dashed off towards the site of the explosion. She saw what appeared to be the remains of a cave at the point the explosion occurred. It appeared as though it had been blown open. Akari took a look around the point of the explosion. She noticed there was nothing out of the ordinary. She pulled out a kunai, and entered slowly, looking out for anything that could pose a threat. She checked the walls of the cave to make sure they were stable, and continued into the cave. As she continued, she took note of the start of man made features.

"Was this some kind of facility? It is well known that Orochimaru had bases throughout all of Ta no Kuni. We've yet to find them all. Perhaps that explosion was a result of some failed experiment? A long term one at that," thought Akari.

The kunoichi continued to look around the facility. She saw several emptied vats. Some of them appeared to be cracked open, and covered in blood. It was obvious Orochimaru used the facility for experimenting on humans. The thought sent chills down Akari's spine. She found one chamber that appeared to be active.

"What is this?" thought Akari as she read the screen that was connected to the chamber.

"Experiment successful. Subject ready for field testing. Door is open," read the panel.

"Did whatever was in here cause that explosion? And where is it if it did?" thought Akari, as she continued to look around the base. She found a room full of dissection tools, many covered in blood. Next to it was a room full of corpses. Akari stifled a scream, being careful not to give into her emotions, and end up doing something that could give her presence away. She found some documents about what was taking place in there.

"Ultimate Body Project," read the header of the research documents.

"I should bring this back with me. Honou-sama might be interested in this," thought Akari. She decided she had seen all she needed to see. It was apparent to her that the lab had been abandoned. The explosion was likely caused by a piece of malfunctioning equipment, though she couldn't find an explanation for the source of chakra.

"It was probably just a reaction to that explosion..." muttered Akari to herself, as she made her way for the exit.

"What was a reaction to that explosion?" came a voice from behind Akari. The kunoichi acted on instinct and prepared one of her strong jutsu.

"Hikari Kantsuu Kousen no Jutsu! (Light Piercing Ray Technique)" shouted Akari. The light entering the cave twisted and lifted off of the ground, directing it's way towards the voice. The light burst into several branches, rushing past Akari, and diving straight at the source of the voice.

"Serves you right," spoke Akari.

"Ow, that almost hurt," came the voice.

"Die!!" shouted Akari.

"What is taking Akari so long?" asked Kukai.

"Dunno. Think we should check up on her?" asked Tsuki.

"There's no need," spoke Akari.

"About time. What was up there?" asked Fue.

"Some lab of Orochimaru's. One of his pets tried to attack, but I got the best of... it," replied Akari.

"Is that so? Anything of note in there?" asked Kukai.

"No, the lab was destroyed between that explosion and our fight. All the documents pertaining to what took place in the lab appeared to have been destroyed, too," replied Akari.

"That's a damn shame. Some of the things the snake left behind proved to be of some use to us," spoke Kukai.

"Goes to show just how great Orochimaru-sama was," spoke Tsuki.

"There she goes again," spoke Akari.

"While I would like to see how much further you three take your bickering, there is a tournament for us to attend," spoke Fue.

"I was about to say the same. Don't lump me in with those two. We might be on a team together, but we prefer to work alone. Especially me," replied Kukai.

"Whatever, let's go," spoke Fue.

The group out of Ankoku continued on their way towards Amegakure, pausing to sleep and eat, as well as continue their arguments, much as the other shinobi heading towards Amegakure.

"Just about half a day left, and we'll be there," spoke Sasuke.

"I wonder how long we'll have to wait for the start of the tournament?" asked Naruto.

"I would think he would start it as soon as we were all there. He might wait for a few more clients, or something, but he should know just how precious time is to a shinobi," spoke Itachi.

"I suppose," replied Sasuke.

"I can't wait, I've been waiting for a chance to fight a real battle again. I haven't had any fun in a fight since my last duel with Kawazaki," spoke Kisame.

"What about all those spars you had with that Zabuza guy, hm?" asked Deidara.

"Oh, he does put up a good fight, but we're at roughly the same level. Kawazaki-san on the other hand... now there's a challenge!" shouted Kisame.

"You know, I just realized something, hm," spoke Deidara.

"What would that be?" asked Kisame.

"Well, Nagato was the leader of Akatsuki, right?" asked Deidara.

"So what about it?" asked Kisame.

"Well, wouldn't that mean he knows all of our strengths and weaknesses, and trained his shinobi to deal with them, hm?" asked Deidara.

"He does know something of how I fight, too, now that you mention it," spoke Naruto.

"See? His shinobi will be the most difficult to deal with!" shouted Deidara.

"Why would they? I've spent a year working on new strategies and styles. I won't use anything they know, if it seems they know me far too well," replied Naruto, "What have you been doing for the past year? Slacking off?" asked Naruto.

"Yeah, for real, it's not an issue as long as you keep evolving your fighting style. Information becomes obsolete rather quickly in the shinobi world," spoke Itachi.

"Grr... I know that, but... my art is perfect, hm!" shouted Deidara.

"I kicked your ass, remember?" asked Naruto.

"You caught me off guard," replied Deidara.

"You should have kept in mind that there would be others coming after you," spoke Naruto.

"Shut up!!" shouted Deidara.

"You haven't tried on working on any close range styles, have you?" asked Sasuke.

"Not really..." muttered Deidara.

"Your going to have problems with the first part of the tournament," spoke Kisame.

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to avoid close range battles underground," spoke Naruto.

"Silence!!" shouted Deidara.

"Actually, we do have the best advantage for the maze, since we've seen how the network works. I'm sure this maze he has set up won't be too much different," spoke Itachi.

"That's true, but Sasori was with us, too. I'm sure Suna would send him. He could inform the group with him on how the tunnels work, not to mention the Ame jonin will know," spoke Sasuke.

"I've considered that. The Ame jonin will likely be relatively weak. They'll try to avoid combat in the maze, and use their knowledge to escape. Sasori can tell his team about it, but they still haven't been there before, so we'll still have the advantage," replied Itachi.

"Good to know. The maze doesn't interest me that much, to tell you the truth. I'm looking forward to the individual battles. I can really cut loose when I don't have to look out for a team," spoke Kisame.

"Indeed, the maze doesn't interest me too much, either. The fights interested me the best," spoke Itachi.

"If I have to fight any of you, I'll be sure to show you just how grand my art is, hm," spoke Deidara.

"I suppose, though, I would think they would avoid setting up pairings that would prevent anyone from fighting someone from their own village," spoke Sasuke.

"We'll know soon enough," spoke Naruto.

Everyone in the group nodded in agreement.

"Let's get to sleep. I want to get moving again," spoke Kisame.

"Right, I'll keep the first watch," spoke Itachi.

The group from Konoha finished setting up their camp, and rested for the night, taking turns keeping lookout for anyone interested in picking a fight with Konoha shinobi. The night passed without incident, and the group continued on to their destination.

"Oi, you see them over their?" asked Kukai.

"Yeah, looks like six people heading for Ame... they're Konoha shinobi," spoke Ikuo.

"Konoha, eh? I wouldn't mind fighting them now," spoke Kukai.

"Easy does it, we can wait for the tournament. It would be best to avoid starting unnecessary fights," spoke Fue.

"Fine," replied Kukai.

"There's a group of six shinobi up ahead, hm," spoke Deidara.

"Which village?" asked Itachi.

"Unknown. I've never seen a hitai-ate like that before. It has two stars on either side of a circle above a horizontal line," replied Deidara.

"That must be the new village in Ta no Kuni," spoke Sasuke.

"I heard about that, but never heard of what the name of the village was," spoke Naruto.

"We don't know the name of the village, either. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to enlighten us," spoke Itachi.

The two groups decided to approach one another. When the groups met each other, each shinobi looked at each of the members of the opposing group in detail.

"Hmm... blond hair hanging down with a ponytail on top... and those hands... so, Deidara of Iwa is with Konoha? And that's Hoshigaki Kisame of Kiri. Don't know much about the others... hmm... a Hyuga? Interesting," thought Fue.

Kukai seemed to have his gaze fixed on Itachi. His face turned from a relaxed one to one of anger.

"You!! I'll kill you!!" shouted Kukai, as he charged towards Itachi. A spike emerged from the end of the armor on his right arm. Itachi drew his katana, and deflected Kukai's thrusts.

"Enough!" shouted Fue, as she appeared before Kukai with her katana at his throat.

"He was the one that did this!!" shouted Kukai.

"What are you talking about?" asked Itachi.

"During Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha four years ago, I tried to stop you as you approached the village!" shouted Kukai.

"The invasion..." muttered Itachi.

"I have to get there as fast as possible. If my information is correct, Orochimaru is planning to assassinate the Sandaime. I can't allow him to kill the old man!" shouted Itachi, as he raced towards Konoha at his best speed. As the village came into view, he could see smoke rising out of the village.

"Damn it! Am I too late!? It looks like it's already started!" shouted Itachi.

"Stop where you stand!!" shouted a man wearing black armor. He had on a cow patterned scarf and was wearing an Oto hitai-ate.

"I don't have time to play with you!" shouted Itachi, as he drew his katana.

"I am not to allow anyone to pass. Orochimaru wouldn't want someone to backup Konoha in their fight, after all. Even if it's just one person," spoke the man, as he emerged from the shadows. The man before Itachi was Kukai. Spikes emerged from the tips of his armor on his arms and knees, while blades appeared at the tips of his feet. Itachi charged straight at the man. Kukai blocked Itachi's strikes with the spikes on his arms, while attempting to impale Itachi with the spikes on his knees. Itachi backed off, avoiding a kick what would have removed his head.

"I don't have time for this," thought Itachi, as he activated his Sharingan.

"Sharingan!? Who the Hell are you!?" shouted Kukai.

"That's none of your concern," shouted Itachi, as he charged at Kukai at his best speed. Kukai was unable to defend in time as Itachi slashed him down. His scarf, as well as the top of his armor on his chest was cut through. Blood spattered out of the wound as Kukai was knocked into the ground from the force of the hit. Itachi didn't check to see if the man was dead or alive, he merely continued on his way into Konoha.

"That's right, you were the one with the armor that tried to stop me. I see you dropped the scarf, and switched over the the new village. I'm sorry about what happened, but I had to protect the Hokage. Orochimaru nearly killed him," spoke Itachi.

"Don't think I won't try to get my revenge on you during this tournament, Uchiha," spoke Kukai.

"Uchiha Itachi."

"Uchiha Itachi!?" shouted Kukai, "The one Orochimaru tried to possess!? I see, so that's why I couldn't defeat you. I've improved much since then. Keep this in mind, Kurohama Kukai will avenge himself upon you in this tournament!"

"Very well, Kukai-san. I look forward to the challenge," replied Itachi.

Kukai grunted as he retracted the spike into his armor.

"It's not him I'm worried about. That kunoichi... I could barely track her speed, even with my Sharingan," thought Itachi.

"So that's the one, eh, Kukai?" asked Hayashi, "He's a tough one. You might have trouble with him."

"Shut it, blondie!!" shouted Kukai.

"Geez, I was just playing," replied Hayashi, "anyways, we know Itachi, here, and these two, Kisame and Deidara are rather famous, but what of the rest of you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hyuga Hinata."

"I see. You two are of doujutsu clans. I don't know anything of your lineage, though," spoke Hayashi.

"I'm the son of Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage," replied Naruto.

"He had a son? I see... aren't you a jinchuuriki? I've heard some rumors about you," spoke Hayashi.

"I am, I am the kyuubi no jinchuuriki," replied Naruto.

"The kyuubi no youko? Interesting," spoke Hayashi.

"I don't suppose we could ask of your names?" asked Hinata.

"Oh, right. Tazaki Hayashi."

"Tazaki Ikuo."

"Tazaki Fue."

"Koukei Akari."

"Shirazaki Tsuki."

"The Tazaki Ichizoku of Ta no Kuni? I think I've heard of you before, though, I don't know much outside of you being one of the stronger clans of Ta no Kuni," spoke Itachi.

"You have heard of us, have you? Interesting. There will be many who know of us by the end of this tournament. I won't lose to anyone," spoke Fue.

"I look forward to fighting you," spoke Itachi, which seemed to anger Kukai, though he opted not to say anything in response.

"Let's finish our journey, I want to get to the fighting," spoke Kisame.

"Anxious?" asked Hayashi.

"Just feel like kicking some ass," replied Kisame, while giving a shark-like grin. Hayashi seemed to be a little bothered by his grin, and took a couple steps away from him. As the group continued on, Tsuki took note of the handle on Naruto's zanbatou.

"Hey, Naruto, right? Where did you get the sword from?" asked Tsuki.

"This? I made it myself," replied Naruto.

"It looks like a weapon of a shikotsumyaku. (Dead Bone Pulse)" spoke Tsuki.

"It is. How do you know about that? Did you know Kaguya Kimimaro?" asked Naruto.

"I did. He gave me this weapon... I heard he had died in battle. I carry this to remember him by," replied Tsuki.

"Dead? He's alive and well. He's a jonin of Konoha," replied Naruto.

"What!? Are you serious!? I thought he succumbed to his disease!?" shouted Tsuki.

"No, Tsunade-sama was able to cure him of his disease," replied Naruto.

"I don't believe it... all this time, I thought he was dead," spoke Tsuki.

"A few members of the Oto squad sent after me are alive and are a part of Konoha," spoke Sasuke.

"They are? Which ones?" asked Tsuki.

"Tayuya and Kidomaru. The others were killed in battle," replied Sasuke.

"I see... I never liked the other two... the fat one was always complaining, and Sakon and Ukon were just... creepy..." muttered Tsuki.

"Hey, were you and Kimimaro lovers? You seem to know a lot about him, and you blush when you talk about your weapon," asked Naruto.

"Um... uh..." muttered Tsuki.

"She's been like that ever since she had a chance encounter with the Kaguya while working on a mission for Orochimaru. Apparently she must have left some kind of impression on him, since he gave her that weapon," spoke Kukai.

"Oh?" replied Naruto.

"That's sort of how things were between Naruto and me before I finally opened up to him," thought Hinata.

"I'll tell you what, after this tournament is over, you can come to Konoha and see him. It shouldn't be a problem, and it would be a good way to promote relations between our two villages," spoke Naruto.

"I wouldn't mind, if it's okay with you, Kukai-san," spoke Tsuki.

"I could care less, really," replied Kukai.

"Okay then. Now I have even more reason to do well in this tournament!" shouted Tsuki.

"You're such a fan girl," spoke Akari.

"Shut up! I'm not some lousy fan girl!! I can take care of things on my own just fine... it doesn't hurt to have an interest in someone, though. Maybe you should find a guy to be interested in, eh? You don't want to die an old maid, do you?" asked Tsuki.

"Gah, I could have anyone I wanted. Watch. Hey, you, blondie, wanna go on a date with me after the tournament," asked Akari.

"I think not," spoke Hinata, while getting close to Naruto.

"I already have a girlfriend, thank you," replied Naruto.

"How about you?" asked Akari of Sasuke.

"My girlfriend would kill both of us," replied Sasuke.

"What about you, blondie number two?" asked Akari.

"Hmm... you're not really my type, hm," replied Deidara.

"How about you?" asked Akari, while looking at Itachi.

"Not interested," replied Itachi, while thinking of several kunoichi he was going to ask out later.

"I'm interested!" shouted Kisame.

"No!!" shouted Akari.

"I win!" shouted Tsuki.

"Shove it!!" shouted Akari, "At least you understand. We don't need guys, right?"

"Uh... no, I suppose," spoke Fue, while thinking of asking out Itachi if he proved to be a strong enough opponent."

"What about..."

"No Hayashi!" shouted Akari.

The group continued on into Amegakure. They were the first group to arrive in the village. As per usual with Amegakure, security was tight. Even though the village and country were relatively stable, Nagato preferred not to take too many risks. The group was escorted to Nagato's tower, and taken to his office. There, a man with a long, orange hair in a top ponytail and multiple piercings greeted the group.

"Hey, look, it's your twin," spoke Kisame.

"Kind of..." muttered Deidara.

"Hey, Pein-san, it's been a while, eh?" asked Naruto.

"A little while. I was hoping your Hokage was going to send you here. Hmm... I've never seen a hitai-ate like that before. I take it you are from the new village in Ta no Kuni?" asked Pein.

"Correct, we are shinobi of Ankokugakure no Sato," replied Fue.

"Interesting name. I'm curious to see how your group will fare in battle. Tell me, are either of you the village leader?" asked Pein.

"No, Honou-sama need to keep his presence in the village," spoke Kukai.

"I see. I didn't expect to see the village leaders here, of course. You are the first group to arrive. Some of the clients have already come. I have arranged quarters for everyone near the arena where the tournament will be held. There are three rooms per village. You may divide yourselves up as you wish amongst them. Simply tell the person at the hotel who are you, and you will be given you room keys. Also, I should tell you that you will be under constant watch while you're here. My ANBU will monitor you closely, merely as a precaution, of course. I would advise you not to do anything foolish while you are here," explained Pein.

"Understood, Pein-sama," spoke Fue.

"Maybe after the tournament, we can meet up somewhere and talk about our lives over the past year," spoke Naruto.

"I look forward to it. I'm sure Konan and Yahiko would be more than glad to see you again," spoke Pein.

"Hai!" shouted Naruto.

"I wish all of you the best of luck in the tournament," spoke Pein.

"Arigatou, Pein-sama," spoke the shinobi in the room.

"I'll send a messenger to give you the details on the time frame of the tournament as the other participants arrive. The tournament will begin in five days at the latest, otherwise, it will begin after the arrival of the other shinobi," explained Pein.

Everyone nodded in response, and made their way for the hotel. The Ankoku group split into two groups, boys and girls, opting to use their third room for storage. For the Konoha group, Hinata and Naruto shared one room, Sasuke and Itachi shared the second room, and Kisame and Deidara took the third room.

Over the next few days, participants from the other villages arrived. The hotel became filled with the shinobi of the lands as everyone arrived. All the shinobi met with Pein. Some showed some interest in fighting the man. The teams of Ame quietly observed the shinobi arriving in their village. Hidan was more than happy to see members from his former organization there, as did another member of his team, though both were interested for different reasons.

"Hey, Seigai, still want to pummel everyone for capturing you before?" asked Hidan.

"Years of loyal service just to have Pein kill me first? I want to win this tournament for the sake of burying him alive!! Hell, should be doing it to you, after all, you were part of Akatsuki, too," spoke Seigai, a man wearing a blue kimono. He had dark hair, a green container held in his pants, mostly hidden by his kimono, along with a small pipe.

"It's not like I was the one who did you in," spoke Hidan.

"You were there, you helped," replied Seigai.

"Ungrateful mother fucker... we could have left you dead, you know?" replied Hidan.

"I suppose I should be thankful for that... but still, I don't appreciate being used as I was. I'll have my revenge by the end of this tournament," spoke Seigai.

"You mean we'll have our revenge, right?" asked a kunoichi in a purple kimono, matching that of Seigai's.

"Of course, Amika-chan," replied Seigai.

"Tell me, Hidan, why did you decide to ask us to join your team? You had some nerve to ask me after what you did to my husband," spoke Amika.

"I needed two strong shinobi to fight with me. Sad to say, you two were the only ones interested. The other bastards I asked were too worried about me 'cursing them,' or something," replied Hidan.

"Whatever," spoke Seigai.

"You two fight well together, too. As long as you don't cut me up in battle, we'll be fine," spoke Hidan.

"I suppose, but after the team part is over, all bets are off," spoke Amika.

"Feh, like I care. I need a team to get through the first part of the tournament. What happens to you after that isn't of my concern," replied Hidan.

"Likewise," replied Seigai.

"Any of the participants catch your eye?" asked Amika.

"The other former members of Akatsuki, of course. I didn't think the Kazekage would come. I wouldn't mind challenging him. The leader of Kusa doesn't interest me so much. That Kawazaki guy from Kiri has a good reputation. Who really caught my eye was that blond out of Konoha," replied Seigai.

"Oh?" asked Amika.

"Uzumaki Naruto? He's the kyuubi no jinchuuriki. He's also the only person to have ever defeated Pein," replied Hidan, waiting to see if he would get the reaction he was hoping for.

"What!?" shouted Amika and Seigai.

"You mean to tell me that brat defeated Pein!?" shouted Seigai.

"And before you two could get the chance. Didn't you know? Not that he really told anyone. I just know as a matter of circumstance," replied Hidan.

"You're lying. No one has ever defeated him! No one can before we do!" shouted Amika.

"Ask him if you want. You'll be in for a surprise," spoke Hidan.

The two disappeared quickly, leaving Hidan to laugh to himself, knowing he was able to get under the skin of his "teammates."

"Hey Pein!!" shouted Seigai, as he and Amika stormed into his office.

"What do you want, Seigai-san?" asked Pein.

"Did that blond brat from Konoha beat you in battle?" asked Seigai.

"Hidan shooting off his mouth again? Or are you two paying too much attention to the rumors flying around?" asked Pein.

"Fuck those damn rumors! I want to know the truth!" shouted Seigai.

"As do I, now tell us!" shouted Amika.

"You shouldn't listen to rumors, or anything Hidan says in jest," replied Pein.

"I see," spoke Amika.

"However, he is right in this case. I would rather you not tell anyone, but I won't lie about the issue if it's brought up," replied Pein.

Amika and Seigai went silent. They bowed to Pein before leaving their leader alone to think.

"Seems they have a new rival. If it gives them drive to do well, then so be it. They are representing our village, after all," thought Pein.

All of the shinobi prepared themselves for the arrival of tournament. They knew the day was soon to arrive, with all the shinobi in the hotel. The next morning, a messenger arrived to give the time frame on the tournament details.

"So, it begins tomorrow. I look forward to it," spoke Gaara, as he faced his siblings.

"Aren't you worried about being a bigger target than the others? You are a kage after all. I'm sure that'll get the attention of many of the competitors," spoke Temari.

"I'm not the only village leader here. The leaders of Kusa and Taki are here, as well as the Tsuchikage," replied Gaara.

"That's true, but still, I'm sure a lot out there know you are a jinchuuriki, and may have reason to hold a grudge against you for that," spoke Temari.

"If that's the case, then I'll defeat them. If that's how they want it, that's how it'll go," replied Gaara.

"You shouldn't baby him so much, you know. It's not like that could happen again," spoke Kankuro.

"And I won't allow myself to be captured so easily. Not to mention I don't have to worry about protecting the village if something were to happen. You shouldn't worry too much," spoke Gaara.

"Alright then, if you say so," spoke Temari.

"You'll be watching my back; I have nothing to worry about," spoke Gaara.

"That's true. We won't let anything happen to you," spoke Kankuro.

"Alright. Maybe I am just worrying a lot about nothing," spoke Temari.

"Roshi! Takeru!" shouted the Tsuchikage.

"Hai, Gantarou-sama?" asked the two men before the kage of Iwa.

"You remember why I asked you to join me in this tournament, correct," asked Gantarou.

"Hai!" replied both men.

"You wish to challenge Nagato, and attempt to kill him for his actions while at the head of Akatsuki," spoke Roshi.

"Correct. You two also wish to avenge yourselves upon the leader of Ame, correct?" asked Gantarou.

"Hai," replied both men.

"I put on a show at the kage meeting a year ago. With everyone else willing to pardon this man, I couldn't oppose them. If it weren't for Suzume-san's words, Nagato would be in a prison right now, where he belongs," spoke Gantarou.

"It was best for you not to oppose the raikage. Our alliance with them is critical to our survival, should a fourth shinobi war break out," spoke Takeru.

"Correct, but, if I happen to kill him during our exhibition match, it will be looked at as an accident. After all, such things are known to happen during tournaments such as these," replied Gantarou.

"This is where we'll have our chance," spoke Roshi.

"I can't forgive him and his men for overwhelming me as they did. With all the deaths they've had in the organization, I may not be able to find those who fought me, but I can take it out on the one who held their command," spoke Takeru.

"Good. Then we have an agreement. I will win this tournament. You two will wipe out the competition, allowing this to be possible. You two are jinchuuriki; it should be no effort to take care of this.

"I believe the other jinchuuriki are here, too," spoke Roshi.

"Are you sure?" asked Gantarou.

"I have sensed it as well. We know the Kazekage himself is a jinchuuriki. There are two here from Kumo. Uzumaki of Konoha is here, as well was Kame Kawazaki of Kiri. I wouldn't be surprised if the others are here," spoke Takeru.

"We'll deal with them as we need to. For the time being, we must keep our eyes on our goal. By the end of this tournament, I'll have the leader of this village in a body bag," spoke Gantarou.

"Hai, Gantarou-sama," replied both men.

Many of the shinobi spent the day before the start of the tournament resting, avoiding doing anything that could keep them from being at their best for the start of the battles the next day. The village was full of spectators from all over the lands. The merchants of Ame had more business than they had ever had. They had more business than they did when Ame hosted the Chunin Selection Exams. Pein stood out by his window, looking down upon the village below, allowing Nagato to see how prosperous his village was, due to his tournament. Nagato smiled to himself. He kept himself in a secret chamber in his tower. It was only accessible to him, the Pein Rikudou, Konan, and Yahiko. At that moment, Konan entered the room.

"Nagato, are you watching the village?" asked Konan.

"I am. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought I would be able to see something like this. This village has come a long way in such a short amount of time," replied Nagato.

"I am also surprised as the level of activity in this village. It would seem public events featuring battles between shinobi have wide spanning popularity," spoke Konan.

"It's because the shinobi arts are constantly evolving, never remaining the same from year to year. Such a thing would be necessary to allow ninja to carry out their duties, to maintain a level of unpredictability. That's what draws people to these matches," explained Nagato.

"Of course. Are you ready for tomorrow?" asked Konan.

"I am. I'll be sure to put on a good show. I hope you've set things up on your end," replied Nagato.

"I have. Yahiko as well. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and the challenges these shinobi will bring for us," spoke Konan.

"Hai," replied Nagato.

That night, Amegakure was silent. There were some who were awake from anxiety. Others were sound asleep, being sure to be fully rested for the challenges ahead. Those with ulterior motives worked out the final details of their plans, while some teams discussed strategy. The next day, everyone gathered at the arena for the start of the tournament.

"I welcome you all to Amegakure no Sato! I, the leader of this village, am amazed at the participation of all the shinobi villages in this special tournament. Today, and for the next several days, we shall witness these proud shinobi, as they demonstrate their skills, putting the pride of their villages on the line. As you are aware, the first part of the tournament will be an underground maze. The participants will have three days to make their way for the exit. Along the way will be several obstacles. The best will be able to succeed, while the others will fall. Today, I present to you the participants! The shinobi of Iwa!" shouted Pein.

The team from Iwa stood forward, getting cheers from different sections of the crowd. This continued as Pein introduced the groups from the different villages.

"And last, from the new village in Ta no Kuni, the shinobi of Ankokugakure no Sato!" shouted Pein.

The Ankoku group stepped forward. Though they didn't get as many cheers as the shinobi of the other villages did, the stadium was still roaring, much to the surprise of the six shinobi of the newest hidden village. After the cheering subsided, Pein gave a full explanation and timetable for the tournament. The maze portion would last for three days. There would be two days for the shinobi to rest. The next day would consist of battles between teams, assuming enough of the teams were able to make it through the maze. The following day would consist of the one on one matches, followed by the exhibition match between the winner and Pein. The opening ceremony for the tournament lasted for an hour, as Pein talked about the hardships endured by the villages in the past, as well as spending time talking about the pride of his own village. At end of Pein's speech, the spectators left to look into more of the specialty shops of the village. Pein walked down into the arena to explain the final details of the first round of the tournament.

"I'm glad to see you all here. I'm sure you're anxiously awaiting the start of the tournament," spoke Pein.

"I'll say! You still talk too much!" shouted Hidan.

"There are eighteen entrances to the maze, all at the perimeter of this complex; however, there is only one exit. Your job is to make it through all of the traps and find your way out within three days time. You will likely encounter one another in your travels. You may attempt to impede the other teams, but keep aware of the time. Also, a team will be disqualified if one of its members is killed. You will only be allowed what supplies you have with you now. If you attempt to leave through the entrance you will be disqualified. As for how the maze itself works, I will leave that to you to figure out. While there are some of you who already understand the basic mechanics of how the maze works, keep in mind that this will not give a severe advantage or disadvantage to any of teams. Are there any questions?" asked Pein.

The shinobi before him went silent, eager to begin the tournament.

"Very well. Each village has opposite entrances. All the entrances are marked by the village symbol. The three days begins as soon as the gates open. Good luck to you all," spoke Pein.

Each of the competitors made their way for their designated entrances, and eagerly awaited for the gates to open.

"All teams are in position. The tournament shall being... now!" shouted Pein over the loud speaker. The gates snapped open, and the shinobi ran straight into the tunnel network set up by Pein.

"This tunnel appears to be different from the one we used before," spoke Naruto.

"This one is a little wider. I guess it's to accommodate teams," replied Sasuke.

"It still reacts to chakra. My Byakugan can see how our chakra is being absorbed," spoke Hinata.

"We can see it with the Sharingan, too," spoke Sasuke.

"With our eyes, it should be possible to avoid using a lot of chakra. It will give us some edge, since we won't give out our whereabouts as easily as the other teams," spoke Naruto.

"Hai," replied Sasuke.

"Hinata-chan, can you see through the walls?" asked Naruto.

"I can try," replied Hinata, as she focused on her doujutsu.

"It's hard to see clearly, due to the chakra flowing into the walls, but I have a rough idea of how the maze is laid out," spoke Hinata.

"What can you tell us?" asked Sasuke.

"It seems like this maze goes down far underground. It looks like we have to do down and then back up. It's so twisted up, though. I can't say which is the right way," spoke Hinata.

"We'll probably end up having to go back and forth between levels," replied Naruto.

"A maze that works all three dimensions. That does add to the challenge. We already have some advantage in knowing that. The other teams might take a little time to catch on to that," spoke Sasuke.

"Itachi nii-san will likely figure it out quick. There might be other shinobi with doujutsu able to see it, too. We can't assume we're the only ones able to figure it out quickly," spoke Naruto.

"True. I didn't plan on lowering my guard, anyway. What appears to be the best way to go, Hinata?" asked Sasuke.

"There's a fork up ahead. It looks like there are more branches off to the right side," spoke Hinata.

"Let's give it a go, and see what happens," spoke Naruto.

The trio of Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata began on their way through the maze, being careful to avoid the traps Nagato promised them.

"You think this maze spans three dimensions?" asked Kisame.

"There appears to be chakra running down deep under ground. I can't see it clearly, but it's likely part of the maze network. It would take a lot more space to make a maze of two dimensions. This would be the most efficient way to make such a structure. Looks like there's an entrance to the next level down over there," spoke Itachi.

"I see it, too, hm," spoke Deidara, using a lens on his scope to allow him to see clearly.

"You two have the best tools for this kind of thing. I guess I'll just have to leave navigation up to you," spoke Kisame.

"That's the plan. We'll keep our eyes set on finding our way out. Kisame, you keep an eye out for traps and enemies," replied Itachi.

"Ah, I see. Alright, works for me," spoke Kisame.

The trio of Kisame, Itachi, and Deidara descended down into the next level of the maze. The pair of Itachi and Deidara kept a careful eye on where they had already traveled in the maze.

"Ho, would you look at that. Seems I found you already," came a voice from the tunnels.

"Itachi, do you see anyone?" asked Deidara.

"I see a group of chakra signatures over there," replied Itachi.

"It looks like there is a bright light in that direction. It must be another team... wait, it got dark suddenly," spoke Kisame.

"They're masking their approach. Get ready to fight," spoke Itachi.

"You guys are at a terrible disadvantage. We're used to fighting in the darkness," came another voice.

"I think I know those voices... it's one of the teams from Ankoku," spoke Itachi.

"Them, eh? I suppose they would know how to navigate in the dark, right?" asked Kisame.

"I suppose so," spoke Tsuki, as she pressed her katana to the back of Kisame.

"Sneaky, aren't we?" asked Kisame.

"You wouldn't know this, but our village lives by a different clock than the other villages. We live by night, as opposed by the day. The activities of our village are hidden within the darkness, sleeping away the day to work under the cover of the night," explained Kukai, "We're used to working in the dark. It's the best time for assassinations, you know. We're trained to specialize in working in dark environments."

"That explains how you got the name," spoke Itachi, as he turned to face Kukai.

"It does tell a lot, doesn't it," spoke Akari.

"Uchiha, looks like I'll finally get my chance. I'm a lot stronger than I was back then. You won't find me to be some pushover this time around," replied Kukai, as he extended all of the weapons hidden within his armor. His feet were covered in blades. Spikes emerged from over his hands and from his knees, as well as his shoulders.

"You don't have the advantage you think you do," spoke Itachi, as he drew his katana. His Sharingan eyes met with Kukai's.

"I can see you, can you see me?" asked Itachi.

"I don't need to see you with my eyes," replied Kukai, as he charged after Itachi. Itachi blocked a strike from Kukai's arm spike. He was forced to dodge a kick from Kukai, backing off. Kukai saw an opening, and attempted to ram Itachi with the spike emerging from his right knee. Itachi blocked the strike, and pulled out a small dagger. Itachi attempted to stab Kukai in the side, only for his blade to bounce off. Kukai backed off a little, waiting for another chance.

"I was careless for a moment, but you should know that this armor is a lot stronger than the one I wore during our last meeting. A normal weapon won't penetrate," spoke Kukai.

"Good thing I don't use normal weapons," spoke Itachi, as he charged chakra into his katana. The blade began to glow a dull red as it was empowered by fire natured chakra.

"I see. Well, as strong as that blade may be, it allows me to see you a lot more clearly. In the darkness, such weapons give you a disadvantage!" shouted Kukai, as he charged towards Itachi again. Kukai slammed his arm spike into Itachi's katana. Itachi was hoping to cut through it, only to realize the spike was stronger than he thought.

"I should mention that this armor is reinforced with earth chakra, making it harder than steel," spoke Kukai, as he did a high kick aimed at severing Itachi's head with the foot blades of his armor. Itachi was barely able to avoid it, receiving a cut to his face. Kukai ran at Itachi full force, thrusting his spikes towards Itachi. The Uchiha was put on the defensive. Itachi was able to block most of the strikes, able to see Kukai's movements clearly with the Sharingan. Metal hitting metal echoed throughout the tunnels as the two clashed. Itachi would receive a shallow cut every now and then, but gained no serious injuries, while Kukai was protected from minor hits by his armor.

"Something's not right. With that armor, he shouldn't be able to move this fast. Either his strength is off the charts, or there is some secret to that armor that holds the key to defeating him," thought Itachi, as he dodged another kick from Kukai.

"Is this the best the Uchiha can do? Perhaps your victory against me before was nothing more than dumb luck," spoke Kukai, as he put a spike into Itachi's shoulder. Itachi repelled Kukai with his katana. The Uchiha held his arm, noting he wouldn't be able to use his left arm for a little while.

"I grow bored with this, it's time to end it," spoke Kukai, as he charged at Itachi once again. Itachi held off his strikes, once again going on the defensive. Itachi kept flowing chakra through his katana, hoping to overpower the defense that was empowering Kukai's armor. Kukai started to direct his strikes to Itachi's left side, taking advantage of his disabled arm. Kukai was able to make a cut up Itachi's side. Itachi stepped back, stunned slightly by his injuries. After he last barrage of strikes, Itachi noticed something, and decided to test his observation by charging at Kukai. Kukai could only smile at the fight Itachi continued to put up, believing himself to already be the victor. Itachi was quickly forced on the defensive as Kukai thrust forward, aiming to impale Itachi on his knee. Itachi backed off, and took note of the attack.

"What, you seemed to want to go on the attack a few moments ago. What's the problem?" asked Kukai.

Itachi said nothing, as he took a defensive stance.

"Fine, if you won't attack, I will," spoke Kukai, as he charged at Itachi again. Itachi continued to block the thrusts directed at him. Kukai attempted to severe Itachi's head again, only for Itachi to repel the attack. Itachi switched to being the aggressor, forcing Kukai to raise his spikes in defense. Itachi increased the speed of his attacks, while departing from his fighting style, showing signs of desperation. Itachi's strikes no longer flowed evenly, making him look more and more like an animal backed against the wall. Itachi left a wide opening, allowing Kukai a clear shot at his heart. Kukai thrust forward, only to have Itachi spin at the last minute, and cut through the spike on Kukai's right arm. Itachi used his surprise to deliver a slash up through Kukai's body. Kukai fell back, spitting up blood.

"What... how..." muttered Kukai.

"Your chakra signature," spoke Itachi.

"But... only the Byakugan can..." muttered Kukai.

"You're right, I can't see the flows like the Byakugan, but I can still tell where chakra is concentrated and where it isn't. You purposely reinforced your initial strikes, knowing I would block, and avoided doing so with your other attacks, allowing you to maintain speed, and deliver hits. That's the secret to your armor, isn't it?" asked Itachi.

"Clever... that's right, I didn't plan on hitting you with half of my strikes... you win this time... Uchiha," spoke Kukai, as he passed out.

Itachi left Kukai to regroup with the other members of his team.

A loud clash could be heard as Kisame brought the Samehada to bear on Tsuki's katana.

"I was hoping you wouldn't make this easy for me. I expect a good duel from a member of Kiri's Nananin," spoke Tsuki.

"Oh, looking for a fight, are you?" asked Kisame.

"Can't let Kukai have all the fun. Now, let's go!" shouted Tsuki.

The pair brought their blades to bear once again. The tunnel walls cracked from the force of the blow. The area around the pair began to glow brightly as the two tapped into their stores of chakra. Sparks began to fly between the blades of the two before the force sent both back.

"Impressive. That's no ordinary weapon you have there," spoke Kisame.

"Likewise. It wouldn't be as fun with normal weapons, right?" asked Tsuki.

"I don't suppose it would," replied Kisame, as he ran towards Tsuki. The Ankoku kunoichi was pushed back by the force of Kisame's strike. Tsuki pulled back and took a swing at Kisame, aiming to remove his head. She ended up delivering a cut by the gills on Kisame's face. Kisame made a small grin as he pulled back his weapon and sent it back in Tsuki's direction. Tsuki was able to block Kisame's strike, but had trouble holding back Kisame and his great strength. Tsuki could feel the Samehada making contact with her shoulder. She could feel the weapon absorbing her chakra, messing up her control. She wasn't able to put as much power into repelling Kisame, allowing the shark-like nin to push his blade deeper into Tsuki's shoulder. When Kisame felt his weapon sink into Tsuki far enough, he pulled it back, ripping through her shoulder. Pieces of flesh and cloth stuck to the Samehada as Kisame pulled back. Tsuki's shoulder felt as though it were on fire. She placed her hand on her shoulder, feeling the blood rising up through her wound. She looked to where Kisame was. In her mind, the image of a demon appeared. Instead of backing down in fear, though, Tsuki renewed her determination, and went on the offensive, nearly catching Kisame off guard. Kisame was able to prevent would could have been a fatal blow. The blue man could feel the point of Tsuki's sword penetrating the skin on his chest. Tsuki pulled back and began slashing violently at Kisame. The shark-nin was able to use the size of his weapon to his advantage, preventing further injury. As Tsuki realized she wouldn't be able to break Kisame's guard with her current method of attack, she backed off.

"Not bad. I haven't had a duel like this in quite some time," spoke Tsuki.

"You're not too bad yourself. I thought you would be more of a pushover," replied Kisame.

"I'm not sure whether I should take that as a compliment or not," spoke Tsuki, as her expression changed from one of mild amusement to hardened determination, "The next will be the last. Let's end our duel with a showing of our best kenjutsu."

Kisame nodded in response. Tsuki charged her blade with earth chakra. The sword of bone responded by hardening. Kisame channeled his water chakra into the Samahada, making the sword glow an eerie blue, which showed up well in the darkly lit tunnel. The dim lighting changed as the pair continued to pour chakra into their blades. The part of the tunnel they were in became bright as day as the two finished their preparations for their attacks.

"Kenjutsu: Kouha! (Sword Art: Shark-wave)" shouted Kisame, as he swung the Samehada down. A shark of water came screaming out of his blade.

"Kenjutsu: Doga! (Sword Art: Earth Fang)" shouted Tsuki, as a spire of rock emerged from the tip of her blade.

A flash of chakra could be seen where the two jutsu met. The tunnel lit up as bright as day as the two jutsu pushed for dominance. Tsuki found she could do nothing as the fang her jutsu made cracked from fighting against Kisame's. Tsuki was knocked back down the tunnel by Kisame's jutsu. The impact made her cough up blood. She was knocked unconscious as her head hit a wall in the tunnel. Kisame approached her to make sure she was out before looking for the others. Kisame took note of a bright flash in the tunnels, and headed in the direction of it, believing it to be where another battle was taking place.

Hikari Kantsuu Kousen no Jutsu!" shouted Akari, as she put enough chakra into the tunnel walls to generate light for her jutsu. Rays of light shot out towards Deidara, who found himself at a heavy disadvantage.

"Damn it, I can't keep dodging forever. I'm not cut out for close range combat. Where the Hell are Kisame and Itachi!" thought Deidara, as one of the light rays singed his shoulder.

"Your pathetic. You can't fight in short range combat at all, can you? What a shame," spoke Akari, as she charged at Deidara. She pulled out a dagger hidden within her skirt, and lunged towards Deidara. The former Iwa-nin felt the blade enter his shoulder. Instead of wincing in pain though, he cracked a small grin as he pushed himself off of Akari's weapon.

"What's so funny?" asked Akari.

"You'll see soon enough... Katsu!!" shouted Deidara.

An explosion wracked Akari's body. Deidara had taken the chance to plant an explosive on Akari while she was focused on attacking him. The explosion ended up collapsing part of the tunnel.

"I think I overdid it, hm," spoke Deidara, as he looked for a way around in order to regroup with the other members of his team.

"What the Hell was that?" thought Itachi, as he heard a loud crash. Itachi reached the part of the tunnel collapsed by Deidara's attack.

"Figures... he would forget that this place wasn't made to handle his fighting style..." muttered Itachi. Itachi turned around to look for another way through the tunnel. After walking for several feet, Itachi ducked out of the way of a kunai aimed at his neck.

"You have descent aim for someone working in the dark," spoke Itachi.

"I got lucky. I can barely see you," spoke a voice from behind Itachi. The Uchiha turned around to see who had attacked him. The chakra of the person before him appeared to be irregular, having a venomous, corrupted glow about it.

"What the Hell is with this guy?" thought Itachi.

"See something of interest with those eyes of yours. I hate to be left out of the party. Hijutsu: Kekkei Genkai Heigou! (Secret Technique: Bloodline Limit Absorption)" shouted the person before Itachi.

"What!?" shouted Itachi, knowing there was only one person alive able to perform the jutsu being used. Itachi found himself unable to avoid the venomous chakra wrapping itself around him.

"Who the Hell are you!?" shouted Itachi.

"That is not of your concern. I should tell you one more thing, though. There's another part to this jutsu... Hijutsu: Kekkei Genkai Fuuin! (Secret Technique: Bloodline Limit Seal)" shouted the person. Itachi felt the chakra burning his eyes. His Sharingan was forced away. As the chakra left Itachi, the Uchiha attempted to activate his doujutsu, but found himself unable to do so.

"Impressive, isn't it?" asked the man before Itachi. The being attempted to activate his newly acquired Sharingan, but found himself unable to do so.

"What the... he told me it would work... so why, why won't it!?" shouted the man before Itachi out of frustration.

"Seems you are ill informed of how the Sharingan works. It's not like the other doujutsu. One is not born being able to control it. The other person who uses that jutsu had to awaken his Sharingan just like everyone else," spoke Itachi as he pulled out his katana and charged at the man before him. Itachi charged a heavy amount of chakra into his blade as he swung out.

"Kenjutsu: Kaha! (Sword Art: Fire Wave)" shouted Itachi, as a wave of fire erupted off of his blade. The man before Itachi could only see the glowing blade of Itachi's katana as the fire erupted off of it. The man was caught fully off guard and took the hit directly. The man disappeared into the walls of the cave. Itachi made a set of hand seals, and pointed himself in the direction the man was sent.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Technique)" shouted Itachi, as a large fireball erupted into being before Itachi. The fire ball ripped into the wall of the tunnel, apparently incinerating the man fighting with Itachi before.

"Itachi-san!" shouted Kisame, as he came rushing towards Itachi.

"Kisame? I take it you took care of that kunoichi?" asked Itachi.

"Yeah, she's done for the time being. Stronger than I thought, but still not that tough," replied Kisame, "Have you seen Deidara?"

"I imagine he's on the other side of that," spoke Itachi, as he pointed in the direction of the collapsed portion of the tunnel. Itachi channeled enough chakra into the walls of the tunnel to allow Kisame to see what he was talking about.

"He would do something stupid, wouldn't he?" spoke Kisame.

"Katsu!" shouted a voice from the other side of the blockage. Itachi and Kisame backed off as the passage was blown clear again. The body of a kunoichi was thrown at Itachi and Kisame, knocking the pair down.

"Deidara!!" shouted Kisame and Itachi.

"What? I couldn't find another way around, hm," replied Deidara, "Oh, I see you found her."

Akari's injured body stirred a little, letting everyone know she was alive.

"So, what happened to the other two, hm?" asked Deidara.

"Knocked her out," answered Kisame.

"Cut him down," answered Itachi.

"Hey, Itachi, what happened to your shoulder?" asked Deidara.

"Nothing, really. It'll heal up by the time we find our way out of this mess. On that note, did you two happened to see anyway to progress further?" asked Itachi.

"No. The passage behind me leads to nothing but dead ends and a couple traps, hm. I almost lost my leg to one of them," replied Deidara.

"I didn't see anything," spoke Kisame.

"I see. Did you two see another team in the area?" asked Itachi.

"No," spoke Deidara and Kisame.

"Odd. I was attacked by some shinobi right before you blasted your way here," spoke Itachi.

"Did you? Was that the one you were fighting when I found you?" asked Kisame.

"Yeah. He had an odd jutsu that messed up my Sharingan. I'll have to find a way to break it when we leave here. I'm pretty sure I got the guy, though. He appeared to be severely lacking in any formal training," spoke Itachi.

"I see what you mean... from the charred remains in this wall, hm," spoke Deidara, while looking at the mark in the wall Itachi made with his fireball.

"We should get moving. Let's try to avoid any of the other teams while we're in here," spoke Itachi, as he got up.

"What about her?" asked Kisame.

"Leave her. She's a jonin, she and her team can take care of themselves. If they don't make it out of here, that's their problem," replied Itachi.

"Alright. Looks like there are some more paths up ahead, hm. I'll take point, since you can't use your eyes," spoke Deidara.

"Good idea. We'll keep guard," replied Itachi. Kisame nodded in agreement as the trio walked further down into the tunnel.

Akari stirred as she began to regain consciousness. She shook a little as she felt the pain catching up to her.

"It would seem that I underestimated them a little. There's still plenty of time left in this tournament, though. Hopefully they didn't kill the others; it would be bothersome for me if they were to die, since I can't pass this part of the tournament without them," thought Akari, as she picked herself up.

"It would hinder my plans not to be able to reveal myself in the tournament finals," thought Akari, as a small grin crossed her face. The tunnel surrounding her glowed a strange color as she thought over her plans, while looking for her "teammates."

A/N: I thought of a couple different versions for the layout of Ankoku. My original idea was the have the village buried within the crater of an extinct volcano, but it didn't seem as practical as having the village simply run on a different timetable, so I opted to run with that idea. Those of you familiar with my other stories may recognize the name Ookami, but this Ookami is different from the one in Akatsuki's New Member/Mission. For those who don't know, Ookami, , means wolf. His first name, Seigai, can be spelled as , which means blue. His wife's name, Amika, can be spelled as 雨美花, where means rain, means beauty, and means flower. The name of the Tsuchikage, Toshi Gantarou, can be spelled as 土師 岩太郎 where means earth, means master (it can also mean war), means rock, means thick, and is a kanji associated with the names of sons. His second subordinate, Ake Takeru's (Gobi no Jinchuuriki) name can be spelled as 朱 丈, where means red and means tall. The name Koukei Akari can be spelled as 黄 星, where means yellow and means star. Shirazaki Tsuki can be spelled as 白 月, where means white and means moon. Kurohama Kukai can be spelled as 黒 空, where means black and means sky. The given names of this team are meant to refer to different aspects of the night. Tazaki Fue can be spelled as 田 笛, where means rice fields and means flute. Tazaki Ikuo can be spelled as 田 管, where means pipe. Tazaki Hayashi can be spelled as 田 風, where means wind. Their clan name is in reference to their country, The Land of Rice Fields (Ta no Kuni), while their given names refer to things associated with woodwind instruments, a reference to their previous allegiance with Otogakure. The name of Ankoku's leader, Sen Honou, can be spelled as 戦 炎, where means war and means flame. Incidentally, part of the delay on this chapter is due to my taking my time with coming up with somewhat meaningful names for the characters introduced in this chapter. Thank you for reading, and please remember to review.