Fujin's Wind

by Foxcomm

Another trial story. Naruto kept looking after reading the Kage Bunshin and found a scroll that is known to kill those that try to read it. But with the Kyuubi, he survives and gained the knowledge of three generations of Wind users. Dark er Naruto.

2. Chapter 2

."Why are you even here," a Konoha jonin sensei demanded of him. "You are more than strong enough to be a chunin, why even participate!?"

Fujin laughed at the man openly. "I am here because, just like you are for a mission, I was ordered to. I would have been perfectly fine staying there or going to battle. But the Mizukage ordered me here. And when he explained why, I found I liked it. I am here to crush the enemy. And not just any enemy, their morale and, more importantly, their future." He raised a hand and snapped his fist shut, as if crushing something. "Haku, Vixen, and I will no doubt become a chunin from this. But our real mission is to cause as much damage as possible, showing the world the new player on the center stage. Kiri is strong again. The Seven Swordsmen are being reformed. And with the Mizukage leading us, welcoming those with Kekkei Genkai, soon, oh so soon, Konoha will be trying to keep up with our strength. For too long, it has been Konoha that has had all the power! Now, here on this wretched patch of earth, the balance of power will shift and Kiri will take its rightful place! If I were you, I would keep my team from taking it so they don't become a casualty."

"You can't do that," he stated. "You can't come here just to eliminate genin teams using the exams as cover!"

Again, Fujin laughed, insulting his intelligence. "Villages have been doing it for years! Even Konoha! Kiri is just willing to admit it. Seeing this village, I see it is stagnant. But nothing a good battle wouldn't clear up. But you know, I had almost turned down this mission. Because of a ninja here I fought once and lost to."

A look of relief covered the faces of everyone watching the exchange. Except for a certain snake mistress. "And who is that?"

Fujin looked at Anko, not even trying to keep the mirth from his eyes. "A single ANBU by the code name, Kitsune. So, imagine my surprise when I found out he was not only not here, he left the village completely!" He enjoyed the shocked and scared looks he got. "Once this is done, I am to personally take the mission to retrieve him and get him to join the Hidden Mist village. We would love to have the famed Immortal Jinchuuriki of the Leaf." Fujin added the finale touch, the dark sinister laugh the villain always gives. "The strongest ninja of the Hidden Leaf, the only one that could stop me, gone, vanished into the winds he controls. And now, Iwa, Kumo, Kiri, and Suna are looking to see what makes a dynasty fall." In a flash, Fujin unsealed his spear and slashed a tree with it. A moment later, it fell, a symbol of what Fujin had been telling them. "Oh, it feels good to play with the Dark Side for once."

He jumped off to the rooftops and was joined by Anko a few moments later. "Was that necessary?"

"No, but it was fun."

"You know people are shitting their pants down there."

"I could smell it," Fujin replied. "How have you been Anko-chan?"

"Good, gaki. Why though?"

"I want them to regret," Fujin replied. "My power, my strength, all that I am, all that made two countries recover from the brink, was theirs. All I wanted was to be left alone in the end. Hell, I settled for no getting anyone else killed while they tried to do it to me. And they couldn't even do that. ROOT, four of them. I even knew one as an ANBU. Four ninja, good ones at that, dead. And Konoha is going to need them very soon."

"Why," she asked, concerned.

"Like I said down there," he motioned with his spear, "Kiri is going to become the one that everyone comes to. I will see to it." He rotated his neck, popping the bones there a few times. "Hey, Wolf, how you been?"

The wolf masked ANBU appeared. "Good runt. Never did get to thank you for that scroll."

"You earned it for the hell he put you through. Mount his head on your wall?"

"No, that would be a bit too much for normal people. I called in a favor from a ninja in Suna and he used one of their forbidden jutsus on it. The one where they turn a person into a puppet. I put it in my trophy room and said it was from a dual with a Sand Puppeteer that I won."

Fujin laughed, "No one would question that. Though they might at how much it looks like Aoi."

Ibiki grinned under his mask. "I only show it to our friends and they all laugh it off."

"Gee, can't imagine why," Fujin replied before laughing. "When the world isn't watching me to see who I will kill next, we should get together sometime, have a few drinks, make a few laughs. Maybe a bar fight sometime tonight or tomorrow. Maybe when the exam is done."

"That sounds fun," Anko replied. "Can't wait. You know, we are your proctors in the exam. I think the Hokage was going to have you handle the third exam."

"Nah," Fujin replied. "The first of the gaki to disrespect me would have died."

"No doubt," both agreed. Anko walked over to him, pulled the plate over his mouth off for a moment, and gave him a kiss before replacing it. "Take care gaki, see you soon." She turned and jumped off.

When Fujin looked over at Ibiki, he said, "Don't know why you are looking at me. I'm not giving you a kiss."

Naruto grinned before saying, "Tell the guys I said 'You all suck big, hairy donkey dick'."

"Tell them, 'What's up', got it. You know, no one ever said you had to be sane to be ANBU, is that why we are like this?"

"Probably," Naruto replied before jumping off.

—oo000oo—

Fujin looked at the real 301 door and rubbed his chin through his mask. "What are you thinking about," Vixen asked him.

"Well, they put a genjutsu on the door downstairs. Maybe we should put one on the door here?"

Haku thought about it. "How strong?"

"I think mid B," Fujin replied. "Strong enough to keep the weaklings away, not high enough to completely hide its presence and be too difficult to remove."

"...Natural selection at its finest," Vixen said as a team walked by into the room. She made several hand signs and the room numbers reversed order.

"You are amazing," Fujin said, running a hand along her faceplate, over her lips. They went inside and saw a few teams there already. Naruto looked at them. A few sand, a grass team, a couple of leaf... He was surprised to see Sai and Sakura with some blue haired boy. Shaking his head, he looked and saw three from Kiri for a total of ten teams. When they heard that the Mizukage's Hands were taking it as well, all three teams about snapped to attention. They refused to look bad in front of them. Who would as to show your ass to them meant you showed it to the Mizukage.

"I have information on every team," a silver haired genin bragged to Sai. "Just give me anything and I can tell you."

"Gaara of the Sand and Rock Lee," Shin replied.

"Too easy. Rock Lee is a genin a year ahead of you three. His stats aren't impressive until you get to his taijutsu. I know of jonin that are weaker in that field. As for Gaara, he's mostly unknown except that he has never been hurt."

Fujin nodded to them and headed over.

"What about the Shield," Sakura asked

"You mean Haku the Shield," Kabuto asked. "Ah, getting to the big players." He popped his fingers and pulled a card out. He placed it on the floor, charged it with chakra to reveal its contents and went to pick it up.

"Allow me," Fujin said, his foot landing on the card and pulling it over to him. He picked it up and said, "Hey, Haku, he got your good side for this." Fujin showed it to him. Kabuto didn't know what to say so he didn't reply. "Ahem," Naruto said, clearing his throat. "Last name unknown. Title, Mizukage's Shield. Mission numbers, unknown, believed in ANBU range. A lot of unknown you got there. That is very bad for a spy."

"I am a medic," Kabuto countered.

"Ah." Fujin continued reading. "Age, believed to be around fourteen. Off by a year, Haku is thirteen. Teammates are Fujin and Vixen, real names unknown. Appearances for all three, unknown. Rank, genin. Actual rank, elite jonin. Warning, flee on sight." Naruto chuckled. "Think that is good enough, Haku?"

"They might have a chance to get away then."

Fujin turned back to Kabuto and returned the card. "What about Vixen?" He nodded and after charging the card, gave it to him. "Unknown...unknown... Actual rank, jonin. Flee on sight. How about me?" Kabuto gave him the card with his own information on it. "This ought to be good. Ahem. Hmm, it doesn't say flee on sight." He looked up at Kabuto. "It says kiss your ass goodbye because if target sees you in combat area, you are dead. I am honored that people think of me that way. Can't imagine why though? Hmm. Known for killing Iwa ANBU team. The destruction of the bordering Kumo fort on Water territory. That was self defense. Anyway. Believed to have had a hand in the assault of the leader of the Land of Snow. Believed!? I'm insulted. Yada, yada, yada, hundreds dead, blah blah." So he added that part for kicks. "Skills, lets see how good you really are as a spy. Known kill range, thirty meters." He shook his head, disappointed. "Possible holder of kekkei genkai similar to the Byakugan. Wow, for the first time, he got something right. I'm impressed. When did I leave someone alive that saw it?"

Vixen giggled. "Stop the intimidation tactics."

"But I like making genin almost wet themselves." He turned back to Kabuto and growled. "Talk, who did I leave alive and where is he?"

"He...he...he..." Kabuto actually felt like he was choking under his gaze.

The door opened and a Sound team walked in, gaining the notice of Naruto, Hinata, and Haku. "Who was the asshole that put the genjutsu on the door," the spiky haired one shouted.

Fujin popped his knuckles and walked over. "You got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do," the Sound ninja replied.

"Well then, before we throw down, how about names? You know, just to be polite."

"I'm Zaku." He poked Naruto in the chest, "Who are you!?"

"And I am Fujin the Blade." Zaku turned very pale. "Oh, you've heard of me." He grabbed Zaku's finger between his thumb and forefinger and raised his pinky. "So you know what will happen when I flex my finger?"

Visions of his death flashed though Zaku's mind. "Y, you wouldn't dare. We aren't allowed to fight yet!"

"Who will stop me," Naruto said in a low voice. "Because if I do it, you will only be a smear..."

"...Kami, I don't want to die, I don't want to die..." Zaku just looked in Fujin's cold, dead eyes and turned into a babbling idiot.

"What is he going to do to him," Sakura asked.

Haku looked at her and she could see the smirk in his eyes. "Nothing. Fujin knows what his reputation is. He can think of hundreds of ways to kill you but that right there is not one of them. That is a move from Kung Fu Panda." He said it loud enough to be heard by everyone.

Zaku stopped begging for his life and forced the finger to flex. Nothing happened. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Everyone in the room laughed at him while he went for a weapon. The next instant, Zaku was pressed against the wall, a foot in the air, held by his throat, and what looked like a drill made out of air poised over his eye, ready to kill him.

"This time I'm not bluffing," Fujin said, his fun done with. He moved his raised arm forward and to the right a little and Zaku felt the tip cut his eyebrow. Naruto reared the arm back and was about to shove it through his head.

"You, stop!" Ibiki appeared and shouted at him. "At no time during this exam my you fight another genin without permission. Even then, there will be no killing!"

"He called my mother a bitch," Naruto replied. "My father may have been a famous cliff diver and my mother a famous cliff but she was by no means a bitch." He inched it just a bit closure.

"I got it, I got it! I apologize!"

Naruto dropped him. "Good." He walked back to Haku and Hinata. "Miss me?"

"We are probably the only ones," Hinata stated. She glanced down at the crouching Kabuto. "Boo." They jumped at that. "Oh look, master Fujin, they are scared of us," she said, running a hand over his right breastplate. Both Shin and Sai dropped their jaws at that.

Shin looked down at her figure and then back up. "Fair is fair, ma'am. If I destroy a fort and kill a brigade, can I play too?" Sai covered his eyes at how much of a pig his brother was being. Before Sakura slammed a fist down on his head.

"You sexist pig! You don't even know what she looks like!"

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Shin said with a grin. "And this beholder sees a figure that is killer on a woman that is!"

Sakura hit him again. "So she is a woman and I am a scrawny brat!?

"I guess you have a fan club even here, Vixen," Naruto told her. "Want me to deal with this one before others start?"

"Please don't, Fujin-kun. I would hate to see him killed just for looking at me."

Shin, Sai, and Sakura looked at Fujin and then her. "Are you bluffing?"

"Oh no," Hinata said. "Once, a visiting chunin decided that if he made the Handmaiden his wife, his village would have a better treaty with Kiri. A law there must have been that if a woman has a man's child, she must marry him. Luckily that isn't how it is at home. Anyway, after Fujin killed him for trying to take me away, he became very protective of me. A visiting Iwa ninja did just look at me and master Fujin attacked him."

"He had been watching you for five minutes," Naruto defended himself. "You are mine, Vixen, no one else's."

"Your speaking like you own her," Sai stated.

"He does for as long as he wants me and I him," Hinata replied.

Ibiki watched it, shook his head, and shushined out of the room. There were still a few hours left.

—oo000oo—

Naruto took a watch from his armor and checked the time. "Another five minutes and we can start."

"But there is no one here, just about," a female sand, Gaara's sister Temari, stated. "Where is everyone?" Naruto shrugged, guessing that with how many threats to kill people were flying from him, they forgot about the door. Zaku was still shaking. Only twelve teams were here now. Luckily, the new comers realized just what this meant. With everyone else heading to the wrong room, there were less people to fight.

"...Vixen, that was a B rank, right?"

"Well, maybe..." She had that glint in her eyes that made Naruto question if she did in fact use one weak enough. A few minutes later, there was an explosion of smoke at the front of the room.

"Alright, listen up you bastards! I am... in the wrong room?"

"No, this is room 301," Sai stated. "Someone put a genjutsu on the door." He looked at Fujin.

"What, I'm innocent...for once."

"I call bull shit," Shin shouted.

Naruto looked at Ibiki. "Should we even bother with this portion of the exam?"

"...No, I would have gotten rid of over half the teams anyway. Stay here in this class." He turned to one of the chunin in the room. "Go inform the Jonin sensei of the teams not in this room to pick up them up." He turned back to those in the room. "Who did it?"

They all pointed to Naruto. "It wasn't me!"

"Yeah right! Why wouldn't it have been you," Sakura asked.

"Because I would have made sure no one else got in!" Naruto looked at those in here and knew that some of those that got through would be worth fighting. He moistened his lips. "But I can't complain. The Killing Intent I feel from those here is giving me shivers of excitement."

"I had heard that there was a Uchiha in the ninja corps," a grass ninja stated. "Why is he not taking the exam."

"Because of a baka that," Sakura started to shout.

"That outranked both you and him," Sai finished. "You disobeyed orders, disrespected him, and endangered the mission. Feel grateful you are not in the same jail cell."

"She would enjoy it," Shin stated. "Sakura, you can be okay but when it comes to Sasuke, you are a whiny bitch."

"I hate the both of you!"

"Who did he disobey," the grass ninja asked.

"A former ninja of Konoha, ANBU Kitsune."

At a nod, Haku started talking. "Kitsune? He gets around."

"You know him, sir," one of the Mist genin asked.

"Yes, he beat Fujin in a one on one fight." That made them pale. "Luckily, we are looking for him to join Kiri."

A grass kunoichi that had been listening could no longer keep her curiosity. "Wasn't he Kitsune the Immortal?"

"That was why I couldn't kill him," Naruto replied. "Everything I did healed as we fought. Talk about a pain in the ass."

"So how did you survive?"

"I blew us apart. Literally, a wad of explosive notes. And who, pray tell, are you?"

"Kira."

"Well, Kira of Kusa, what do you really want?"

"I had heard you had a kekkei genkai and was hoping I could find out details."

"Do it like the rest of my opponents, fight me and take your chances." Kira looked in his one blue and one red eyes and saw something she knew. The cold, calculated look of a man that was wondering just which way he would kill you, no doubts about it being any other way.

"Maybe I will, mister 'The Blade'. But not now." She turned and walked away. 'I came for the Sharigan but I wonder if I can get him as well.' "Too bad about the last Uchiha, being arrested. I would have very much liked to meet him."

Naruto watched her leave and wondered about her. There are many things a person can hide. Their looks, there age, alliance, so much it is surreal. But the one thing a person cannot hide in the end is how good they are. And something about her made him think she, like Haku, Hinata, and him, was better than this exam needed. It made his pulse quicken. Everyone looked at the door when a lot of shouting came from the hall. "I guess they don't like what was done."

"Makes it easier for the rest of us, master," Hinata said as leaned against the wall. She scanned the room and saw her cousin. There were times when she would have been afraid of him or of him finding out who she was. But those times were gone and she was now far more than she had been. He must have felt her gaze on him because he turned around and looked at her. "Personally, I am happy with the group that made it through. Please, if the chance arrives, may I have the Hyuuga to play with?" Mostly because Naruto would kill him, he was still family. Mostly.

"Should I be jealous, my hime?"

"Well, you always get me the best gifts when you are," Hinata said in a teasing voice. She never thought that when Naruto had that nightmare and she rushed in to help him, that that would be what get him to care for her. He held her for an hour as he remembered being stabbed several times when he let his guard down once as Kitsune. For three hours, they tortured him until they forced the Kyuubi free. Hinata at first thought it was the Kyuubi that was the nightmare. But Naruto told her it wasn't. It was the torture, that even as they beat him, he would heal so they could continue. He welcomed the Kyuubi when he came.

"Alright then, if we get the chance, I will give the Hyuuga to you wrapped with a bow."

"I think he can take you," a brave voice said. They all looked at the speaker, a ninja in green spandex, a bowl cut hair cut, and these fuzzy eyebrows. "I believe with my whole that I, if given the chance, can beat you, friend. And if he can beat me, he can fight you and win."

"Hmm," Naruto looked him up and down before waving a hand at him. The wind that was kicked up should have knocked him into the wall. It only pulled at his hair. "Holy shit... Gai? You are the student of Maito Gai, aren't you?"

"Yosh, I am proud that a opponent such as yourself knows my sensei! His flames of... cough, cough!"

Naruto let the air return to the spot. "Please don't go say 'flames' and 'youth' in the same sentence. I can't take it right now. Yes, I know of your sensei. It was an experience...I dare not repeat. But I respect his skills more than I fear that genjutsu he has with his sensei. How on earth he created that sunset is still beyond me." Neji and Tenten agreed with him. "But, regardless, your sensei is very 'youthful' and strong. I pray that we get the chance to spar, student of the Azure Beast. I would like to see if he has gotten to the next phase of your training yet."

"What is he talking about, Lee," Tenten asked. "You have been getting the same training as us, haven't you?"

Naruto grinned under his mask and faceplate. "Then I take it you have not sparred with them for some time. Which means to me a different person will win. The Hyuuga is still the capture of my Vixen's notice. But it is you I wish to fight now. And to think," he said, looking back at his team. "I thought this would be a waist of time."

"What has he trained you in, Lee," Neji asked.

"He has trained me to win," Lee replied. "I am surprised but then, you said you respected his skill."

"If you have it as well, I will respect you as well."

A Mist ninja looked between the two and almost cried. "We are so going to get the hell beaten out of us."

"Maybe we will get lucky and fight one of the weaker teams," he teammate replied.

"How about the Sound ninja," the third one whispered. "They are still jumpy from Master Blade."

—oo000oo—

Kiba ran after Akamaru. "Get back here! I don't care that you smell a strange cat! We are after Tora, you know that!" Akamaru went through a bush, vanished, and a few moments later, came running out of it, yipping in fear. He jumped up and into Kiba's coat. "What is it, boy?" The pup groaned at him.

—oo000oo—

Akamaru was following the scent of Tora to the source. He knew this part very well. But then, something strange happened. A scent of a different type of cat joined the first. And it was one he never smelled before. He had to investigate it. He started running and the scents grew stronger. He ran through a bush and froze. There was Tora, asleep, on a giant black cat. Which just opened its eyes and looked at him. For a moment, no one moved then the cat yawned, revealing fangs longer than Akamaru's head was thick. He turned tail and ran.

—oo000oo—

"A cat that big doesn't exist," Kiba replied. "I'll show you."

"You shouldn't, Kiba-kun," Hyuuga Navi replied. She was from the branch house and had replaced She, unlike Lady Hinata before her, was sure of herself. So much so that at times, she didn't listen to others.

"I'm sure it is nothing," Kiba replied. He walked forward and froze on the other side of the bush. "Guys," he whispered, "help."

"What's wrong," Shino asked, only to be shushed by Kiba.

Frowning, Nami activated her Byakugan. "Great Kami that is a big ass cat."

"I think he can hear you," Kiba growled lightly.

"That," Shino said above them, "is a black panther. From the collar, it might be a pet."

"I can handle a pet, that is not a pet," Kiba replied.

"You are right," Drizzt said from where he was sleeping against a tree. "That is Guewnyvar, my partner. She does not like being called a pet."

Behind them, Kurenai walked up. "What is going on, have you found...Tora. Don't make any sudden move," she warned them when she saw the panther.

"Just take the cat," Drizzt said, bored.

"...Who are you?"

"Do'Urden Drizzt, I am tired of explaining that."

"The weapons master of Kiri," Kurenai asked.

"The same. Guewnyvar?" The panther lifted her head and looked at him. "Want to play with the genin?" All three started to sweat. Then shake when the cat nodded. Drizzt growled and Tora stretched, stood up, walked over to him, and sat down on his lap. "You were after a cat, no?"

"Not the one you want us to catch," Kiba stated. "The one in your lap."

"Can't have him."

"Why not," Kurenai asked. "You are keeping us from our mission."

"Not intentionally, I swear. It is actually that Guewnyvar is fond of this cat."

"That isn't a cat, that is a demon in disguise," Kiba growled, still mad about the last time they caught it. He still had those scratches.

"Guewnyvar, they want to take your friend away," Drizzt said, mischief dancing in his eyes. Guewnyvar looked at the closest one, Kiba and Akamaru and began to growl. "She won't hurt you, I promise. But she might lay on you if you don't run." Guewnyvar took a step and Kiba started running. She looked at the next person, Navi, and padded over to her. The Hyuuga was so still, you could think she was a statue. Guewnyvar watched her for a moment before Navi slowly reach a hand out and scratched her head. She gave a low growl of contentment before she nudged Navi with her head, tripping her, and laying on the ground, curling up around her, and laying her head on Navi's lap. "I guess she likes you," Drizzt stated.

"We need to return that cat to his owner," Shino told him.

"Well, I guess I can convince her to let her friend go. But most likely I will have to carry Tora to the tower. If your friend ever stops running."

—oo000oo—

Anko burst through the window, unfurled her banner and shouted, "Listen up, no time to... Holy shit, you really went all out, Ibiki! Twelve teams, I didn't know you had it in you still."

"What can I say, I didn't do it."

"Then where is everyone!?"

"Someone put a powerful genjutsu on the doors to switch the order around," Ibiki said, looking at the all too innocent looking Vixen. "No one else is here because they couldn't detect the genjutsu."

She looked around, saw only a few weak teams and let out a low whistle. "And to think, I am going to cut them in half at least. Well, since someone here among you decided to cheat... And there is nothing wrong with that. We are ninja after all. We shall continue this exam else where."

"Where at," Naruto asked.

"My favorite playing field: The Forest of Death." She grinned and so did Naruto, he loved that forest. It was, in his opinion, the purest part of Konoha anymore. It was exactly what is showed, a forest where everything was life and death. No politics, no one trying to back stab one another, it was as it should be. It was honest and didn't hate for no reason.

—oo000oo—

"Can't wait," Hinata stated, looking in there.

"This is simple, it will be a battle royal. No holds barred. Your objective, get one of these scrolls, a Heaven and Earth scroll. Once you obtain these, you are to head to the tower in the center. By the way, you are in here for five days, whether or not you get the scrolls."

"And who has them," Sakura asked.

"Why, each team will have either one or the other," Anko stated.

"Wait, we are going in there and one of us will be unlucky enough as to have to fight them!?" The Mist ninja pointed to Naruto, Hinata, and Haku.

"Well, yes," Anko replied. "Don't tell me you are afraid to fight them."

"Only as much as everyone else in Kiri is," he stated. "The Blade has worked harder than anyone to bring stability to our country. But to first get the recognition he needed, the respect and the fear, he beat a man to death with his own arm. We saw it. He has force changed down our throats and we are better for it. Not to mention a few things he has done in the last three months."

"Ma'am," Naruto said, catching their attention. "Can we continue? I am eager to get started."

"Really, then pass these out," she gave him several forms. "Sign them and you can continue."

Naruto took them and read the first. "Hmm. A waiver for if we die."

"That's right. If you die and don't sign it, I'm responcible and we don't want that, right?"

"Nope," Haku replied. He grinned under his mask as he looked her up and down. 'Hot damn... I'm doing it again! I swear I should kill Naruto for this!' He signed his and took Hinata's.

"Turn them in behind the curtain and get your scroll."

Naruto, Haku, and Hinata walked passed her, two of them slipping their hands into her coat unseen. Inside, they turned in the paper and looked at the map. "Nice detail," Hinata stated. At a slight nod from Naruto, she took the scroll. "Excuse me, boys, can you help me? I was going to put this inside my breastplate but the straps are being stubborn," she said, a little seductively.

Not thinking with the right head, they said they would. "Holy shit," one muttered when they got it off. "She wasn't wearing anything under that sneaking suit."

"Nice figure for a teenager." They took their seats and the Hands left, the map tucked inside Haku's armor with none the wiser.

—oo000oo—

Naruto was using his Demon Eye to watch for other teams along with Hinata. "Okay, so what is all in our possessions?"

"A detailed map of the forest, two Earth scrolls, and one Heaven along with our gear," Hinata told him. "What are your orders?"

"We can either add to them or head to the tower," Haku stated.

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "We will find one of the Kiri genin teams and give it to them if they have Heaven. Besides, I did promise I would give you the Hyuuga with a bow wrapped around him," Naruto said, his hand going over her faceplate. While wearing their armor, they could not show anymore affection than that. They started running after that.

—oo000oo—

Blood rained down around Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. Temari picked up the dropped scroll and they were about to leave but were stopped by clapping. "Bravo, bravo," Naruto said as he clapped from a branch above them. "I must admit, that was beautiful as it was brutal. You have a real gift for slaughter."

"You are that ninja from Kiri, the one that wouldn't shut up," Gaara stated. "Mother would very much like your blood."

"I imagine your 'mother' would," Haku stated from a different branch.

"But the only one allowed his blood is me," Hinata told them. "Fujin, is he one as well?"

"Yes, I can smell it mixed in with the blood. He is a jinchuuriki."

"What do you want," Temari asked.

"Nothing, we were passing through," Haku replied. As one, all three of them started tree jumping again. "So, we will be facing a jinchuuriki later."

"Looks like. Should be fun," Hinata said. "Naruto, will there be any teams we hold back on?"

"Well..." in mid jump, he made a wind blast, stopping them and landing them on another tree. Daitoppa hit where they would have been moments later. "If there are, it won't be our attacker right now. Come on out so we can play."

"Ku ku ku," a familiar voice said. "Well, isn't that interesting. How did you know that attack was coming?"

"I am a wind element, I could sense it, Kira of Kusa, if that is your name."

She dropped down onto a branch across from them. "Ku ku, so you knew. What gave it away?"

"We can just tell you are too good," Hinata told her. "So, who would like first dips at her?"

"...I will," Haku told them. He stepped to the end of the branch. "This forest is humid, no?"

"What does that have to do with anything," Kira asked.

"Just that for it to be humid, there must be water somewhere." He looked down, first to the left and to the right. "Ah, there it is. Perfect. Well, lets get started. Out of curiosity, what scroll do you have?"

"Heaven, want it?"

"Might as well, we already have three." Haku lept to several branches away and started throwing shenbons. They all watched in disbelief as Kira twisted at an impossible angle to escape injury.

"You will have to do better than that," Kira taunted. Both Naruto and Hinata would have been hard pressed to dodge those attacks.

"Then I will. Demonic Ice Mirrors!" A sphere made of ice formed in the air around Kira. Haku jumped into one and began his assualt.

"Vixen, activate your eyes," Naruto ordered. He didn't like this. He activated his Demon Eye and cursed. The chakra in the mirrors and Haku jumping around so fast, leaving phantoms in his heat vision, made it so he couldn't see inside.

"Haku is barely hitting him," Hinata said in disbelief.

"Shit," Naruto said before jumping down there. "Haku, fall back, this person is a jonin in disguise!"

"Ruin my surprise," the imposter muttered. "Summoning no Jutsu!" A giant snake appeared in a blast of smoke and shattered the mirrors, throwing Haku and Naruto into different trees.

"That...was unexpected," Haku said with a groan.

"So, you control ice and you have that eye kekkei genkai. What about you, girl? What makes you so special?"

Hinata jumped down and blocked 'Kira' from Naruto. "Get out of the way," Naruto said as he got to his feet. "Get out of the way, Hinata!"

"Hinata," Kira questioned. "...That was the name of the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi. And your eyes..." She smiled. "You are Hyuuga Hinata, aren't you? That would make you...I don't know. Can't recall anyone with a red eye besides the Yuuhi... Doesn't matter. I think I will mark all of you. Bind them," she ordered the snake. It dove at Haku who sighed in relief. He knew he could handle a summon. As it lunged, he jumped into its mouth and was swallowed. "I said bind them, no eat them!"

"Don't worry, Haku will be fine," Naruto said, finally back on his feet. His ankle had been broken. As he started a few handsigns, the snake started heaving about. "Wind Clone no Jutsu!" Several Naruto clones appeared and started jumping forward. "Vixen, fire!"

"H-Hai!" She raised her hand to her mouth and shot a fire ball from it at one of the clones. Naruto grabbed her and jumped down and behind the tree. The clone was hit as it converged with the others on Kira. The fire fed on the wind and the lot of them exploded, destroying a few trees as well. The snake slammed into a tree and and fell away, a red sphere with dozens of bladed edges sticking out out it embedded into the tree. It was frozen blood.

"...Did it work, Vixen," Naruto asked her.

"No," Kira's voice said above them. "But damn, it almost did." They looked up and saw him crouching on a branch, his face badly burned. It was peeling off around the eye... Naruto was able to make a face out under it around the eye. And it was one he recognized. The most unique eye he had ever seen, the one they made you memorize along with the face when you join ANBU. Orochimaru.

"What are you here for, Orochimaru? Trying to destroy the Leaf?"

"Eventually. What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing." Hinata looked at him in shock while Orochimaru looked at him intrigued. "Don't give me that, Vixen. What they did to me, what they did to you, I won't stop any enemy of their's."

"But my family is here. They may hate me but I still care for them."

"We will do nothing."

"I will not!"

"Then I shall do something," Orochimaru said, stretching his neck out.

"NO!" He jumped in the way and slammed his forearm into his opened mouth. Followed but a throw from his spear. It hit his right shoulder and there was a blast of lightning. Orochimaru roared in pain while his arm fell to the forest floor and the spear back into Naruto's hand. "She is mine," Naruto snarled at him. His right arm, the one he hit Orochimaru with, was hurting real bad so he glanced at it. Two puncture marks were in the armor while the flesh at the elbow and upper arm began to show the veins in it. "Poison."

"Grrr. That shouldn't be happening. I gave you my Curse Mark. Nothing can fight it like you are." Naruto knew he barely was and it was hurting him to. He could taste blood in his mouth. He began doing handsigns that Hinata recognized and she closed her mouth and held her breath. Naruto took a deep breath and let it out as a noxious, sickly green fog. It spread out quickly and the plants it touched began to wilt and die. Orochimaru made the mistake of breathing it in and his one arm covered his mouth as he began to throw up a lot of blood. "I will get you for this, boy!" He turned and fled.

Naruto stopped the jutsu and watched for him a few moments more. "I think...we should head to the...tower..." He looked down and saw his arm now had what looked like fox tails on it. "And I am going to need help." He stopped channeling chakra and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

—oo000oo—

Naruto woke up in a battlefield. The trace of blood and decay was being carried on the heavy winds. In the center, in pillars made of blades, stood the prison of the Kyuubi. "You been doing some interesting shit, Fujin."

"What happened? Why isn't my healing working?"

"It is, just this is hurting you faster than you can heal."

"...Didn't think anything can do that. What needs done then and what will happen otherwise?"

"It will kill you, otherwise. As for what can be done to keep us alive, I just need the usual permission."

"You have our oath. You do whatever you need to do to keep us alive. I will keep our bond open so you can watch the world around us and will continue to do what I can to keep us from dying."

"That's just what I wanted to hear. Among the dead, there is part of the soul of the one that did this to you. Feed him to me and I will gain control of the curse mark."

"And thus, I will gain control of it." Naruto turned around and sat down in the lotus position. The wind here represented his bond with it and also the energies of his body. As he meditated, his awareness around him grew. He could 'see' just how far the cage stretched in all directions now, instead of it just going on without end. He could 'feel' the few scattered, broken trees as the leaves and branches were pulled. And he could 'hear' the shuffling of feet as a person walked around. "Gotcha." He jumped to his feet and started running. He had made his first meeting with the Kyuubi when he was still in training. And they came to this agreement. Naruto fought now because he had nothing left to loose, that made him very dangerous. Kyuubi was in a similar state. A;; they had was each other, like it or not. So Kyuubi agreed that as long as Naruto decided to come back alive from those missions, he would heal him. Wasn't always easy but it made Naruto his little pet project, his experiment. Just what could he do to improve the gaki? He found quickly that healing the worst damage, like the shattered bones of his hands or his missing eye, was best healed by replacing it with demon counterparts. At the rate the boy fought, he might just end up a humanoid demon one day.

Naruto spotted the shadow of Orochimaru and tackled him. "Welcome to my fucked up mind. And know you are going to soon join the dead." The shadow, not having the full intelligence of the original, only grew agitated, then fearful as Naruto bound him and took him over to the Kyuubi. He tried to stand his ground but this was Naruto's mind, not his so he was powerless to stop it. Naruto picked the snake up and threw him threw the blades, into the cage. And watched as it was torn apart.

—oo000oo—

Naruto opened his eyes to see someone he didn't know reaching for his mask. He sprung, his Demon Eye activating, grabbing the person's arm, dislocating it, lifting a leg over the arm, slamming it down on theirchest, throwing them to the floor, and wrapping the leg around their neck. "He's reacting to the seal," he heard someone shout. "Get him off her!"

Several other grabbed Naruto and began to pull him off. Naruto released his feet from the person he was choking, pressed them to the floor, and channeled chakra to the floor. He twisted his body, reached an arm between someones legs, grab someone else's, and straightened, throwing both of them to the floor. 'Hasty analysis. Seven enemies. One incapacitated, six disorganized. Eliminate.'

Naruto slapped his his free hand to the floor and used it as a pivot point. He twisted around again and clasped his feet around the neck of a person. He was about to snap it when he heard a voice above the others shouting. "Fujin, they aren't trying to hurt you," came from Hinata. Naruto froze, one hand on the floor, his feet and other hand on the throats of his restrainers.

He looked around and remembered where he was again. "What happened after I passed out?"

"We took you to the tower," Haku said while he was checking the person that first touched him. "You okay?"

"I feel fine. You should've known better than to have anyone touch me in my sleep."

"We needed to know if you were okay."

"...Vixen?"

"Here," she said. He looked over at her and found her armor was warm from where a person had restrained her. He looked and saw similar on Haku.

"They tried to hold you back so they could find out my identity?" He subconsciously squeezed the two throats.

"I wasn't like that," one of them wheezed.

"Silence. Vixen?"

She was silent for a moment, making sure she chose her words carefully. "When you attacked that woman, two of them grabbed us and pulled us out of the way."

Naruto watched her for a moment longer. "Slowly, begin to let go and I will do the same." When finally, he was free again. He backed up to a wall and pulled his glove off. His normal vision showed him a seal of several spiraling fox tails. His demon eye showed him something red from the Kyuubi's chakra. "I am fine, I only attacked you because you woke me up wrong."

"That was reflex," one asked in disbelief.

"Imagine falling unconscious just after being attacked, and then wake up to people grabbing you and shouting. You saying you wouldn't do the same? Now, who are you?"

"Most of us are medics," a woman said to him. From the way she was rubbing her neck, she was the one that reached for his mask. "Kakashi was going to put a seal on you to close off the other seal."

Naruto looked around and saw the silver hair jonin. "And you were going for my mask, why?"

"I needed to so I could..."

"Bull shit. It is on my arm. Why were you going for my mask."

"...Because I think I know who you are," Kakashi answered for her. "There is a ninja that lived here with blue eyes and blood hair that I owe."

"Well, as you can see, I have one blue eye and..." He pulled the top of his eye hole out, reached though it, and grabbed a lock of hair. It was silver. "And I am no blond." He stuffed it back in. He never went on a mission looking like he really does. Silver hair dye, wax scar in a crescent around his left eye. And a burn scar on the right cheek shaped like a red hot kunai pressed against it was this disguise. "Satisfied?"

"In truth, no. But I doubt I will get more. Now about that seal..."

"You have already proven you have ulterior motives. You are not drawing a seal on anypart of me."

"Fujin, please you might be in danger," Hinata pleaded.

"Vixen, I am fine. We know about this seal." The emphasis on the we made Haku nod.

"He will be fine then. I apologize for bothering you," he told them.

"But..." one of the medics said.

"Leave. Now." Naruto left no room for argument in it. When they left, he looked at the room itself. Only one entrance, no windows. There was a vent. "Seal the openings, Haku." Ice covered it and the door. "Silencing seals." Him and Hinata drew them on the walls. "Now, we can talk." SMACK!

"Why the hell won't you let the medics help," Hinata demanded.

Naruto glanced around the room one last time. "Just a moment." He walked over to the wall, ran a hand over it, and bumped something. "I did hear something. Kai." He released the genjutsu and found a spy video camera. "Hello," he said to whoever was watching on the other end before crushing it.

He pulled his hood and mask off and took a deep breath. "Sorry about that, my hime. I didn't seal it off because the fox took control of it and handed it to me." He walked over to her, pulled her's off, and looked at her face. She looked hurt, she had though she was going to loose him. "Don't be mad, my hime."

"..."she let him pull her into a hug and eventually she returned it. "I hate it when you do that."

"What?"

"Make it so I can't be mad at you." She pulled back. "But what about Orochimaru and Konoha."

"...Fine, if just for you. We will tell the Old Man. If we are here, we will help as well. Otherwise, unless we are ordered here to help, we won't, good enough?"

"It is. I just can't stand that we could have done something if we could."

"You are too kind for your own good, my hime. But I love you for it." Haku watched them kiss a few seconds before he undid the ice covering the vent and closed off a section of the room with his ice. He drew a seal on it and walked through the ice to the other side. His hand reached back over and hung something on it. "Be back at this time. Six hours from now," Hinata read.

Naruto arched an eyebrow at that. "Thanks Haku." He swepted her up in his arms, making her go 'eep'. "Eep?"

"This big brute is about to have his wicked way with me," she teased.

"Damn straight, my hime. I haven't had a make out session with you in over twenty four hours. A man's will can only last so long against something he needs almost like air. And we have five days to catch up with."

—oo000oo—

Naruto stood in line with his team as the Hokage gave his speech. He hadn't been surprised when Naruto told him that him Orochimaru was in the forest. Nor what he planned. A screech appeared and names started shuffling through it. "Hyuuga Neji versus Vixen. If your name wasn't called, please head up to the balcony."

Naruto grinned under his mask as did Hinata. He ran his fingers over her faceplate. "Don't hurt him too much."

"Of course not, have to have something to play with once I am done." She walked to the center of the arena across from Neji and waited.

"Surrender now, fate has decreed that you lose today."

"Nope," Hinata replied. She reached for button on the armor of her forearm and pressed it. A song started playing from the speaker on it. "Hope you don't mind, I really like this song." It was Caramelldansen. She started moving left and right to the tune. "I'm ready when you are."

Neji and a few others had dropped their jaws at that. Kakashi even wondered if she knew she was down there to fight, not dance. "Are you serious," Neji asked.

"It won't make a difference," Hinata said off hand. "I could probably read while fighting you." That did it, Neji charged at her. And as he was about to reached her, Hinata danced out of the way and kneed him in the gut. It didn't end there. She spun next, kicking him three times, leaving him on the floor. Followed by a back flip, landing with her boots on his back. "Hey, Fujin-kun! After this, can we go for pizza!?"

"Don't think there is a pizza parlor in Konoha," he replied. He was smiling so hard it hurt. This was too good in his opinion. She was driving Neji into a blind rage.

"You will be to busy recovering," Neji shouted as he twisted. Hinata was thrown off but landed on her hands and cartwheeled back to her feet.

She put a finger to her lips and said, "Oh phooey. Looks like he doesn't like me." Inner Hinata was going, 'GROSS! Don't even want to go there!' "Oh well. Let's continue to play." She pressed skip a few times and came across this real happy go lucky tune. "Its called 'Descendant of Shinobi'. Nice no? Ever played Final Fantasy?" She did a few hand signs and was covered in light. Naruto had gotten her to fight as a dance as a base for this. It would require her to flexible. The light dropped and Vixen the Handmaiden no longer stood there. It was a sixteen years old wearing a jean jacket, a shirt with flowers on it, hot pants, and a giant four point shuriken. This was one of the Forbidden techniques of Kiri. It was what others had based their henge on but they could only get looks. This was real.

Hinata/Yuffie started the shuriken spinning in her hands and she threw it. Neji ducked and it boomeranged back to her. Chakra gathered around her hand before she caught it. "Bye," she said to him, sounding cheery. "All Creation!" She held her shuriken out in front of her and light began to form around it. She let go and it floated there, spinning. The light grew for a moment before it shot outwards in a beam. It slammed into Neji and threw him into the wall. "Shouldn't have touched my materia." When she saw him getting up, she rubbed her chin and grinned. She threw down a smoke bomb and blocked the sight of everyone but Naruto. When it cleared, there were two Neji down there.

"What do you think you are doing," they both said. "Stop that!" Hinata smirked while Neji twitched in anger. "You think just because you could changed into me you can win?"

Hinata/Neji laughed at him. "Fate decreed I would win, not you. The moment you became my opponent, your destiny was sealed. No...it was sealed long ago. With...the visit of the ninja from Kumo."

"How do you know that!?" He entered his juken stance and Hinata mirrored him. She even activated her Byakugan the same way as him.

"I know because when I did this jutsu, I became you. All of your jutsu, all of your knowledge, while I am like this and close to you, is mine."

Neji growled and they both said, "You are in my field of divination: Sixty Four Palms!" The two hit each others hands every time.

Hinata flipped backwards and yawned. "It's boring being you. I know just the person! You know, Water is the only country that gets imports from across the ocean." Hinata changed the song to something else, more opera like. With another smoke bomb, she changed.

"...Who or what are you?"

The figure that stood there now was shaped like a human and wore black robes. He had a crown of horns on his head, his skin was black, and had red tattoos on his face. "I am Darth Maul." She pulled this rod from her robes and two beams of light came from the end of it. She spun the lightsaber around a few times, digging into the floor with it. Fictional characters were both easier and harder than real people. Because there was no personality to go with it. At the same time, to do the skills, you must have a very clear picture of what they can do. Naruto smirked, Hinata had become a Star Wars junky, she loved to do this form.

Neji looked at the melted floor where the blades touched and then back to Hinata. "Shit." Hinata lunged forward, spinning the red blade around her. He jumped out of the way and watched it carve a slice into the wall. "What did I get myself into?"

"...Can I get one of those," Hayate asked her, making her chuckle. She went on the offensive and Neji could do nothing but jump back and away.

"What kind of ability is that," Lee asked Gai.

"...I have no idea."

"It is a true Henge," Naruto told them. "Vixen is whoever she wants to be. This is why she is so dangerous."

Neji ducked too late and the Hinata went of the kill. But stopped it from killing him an instant beforehand. "I win," she stated. She stepped away and the henge dropped. "Do you give up or are you thirsty for more?"

Gekkou coughed, "No need. You are obviously the winner."

She hopped up and down a few times before going to over to Naruto. "Remember, a ribbon."

"If you insist." Naruto pulled a ribbon from his pocket and jumped down there. "Are you going to go peacefully?"

"...What are you doing," Neji asked.

"Vixen said she wanted you and I said I would get you for her with a bow on. So, just surrender to it so this will be painless to everyone."

"Not on your life!"

"Fine. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A dozen clones appeared. "Hold him down," Naruto ordered.

"NOOOO!"

—oo000oo—

Sai and Shin couldn't stop laughing. Neji had his hair tying in a bow like a three year old girl. And sense he didn't make it painless, Naruto had secured his arms behind him so he couldn't take it off. Oddly enough, no one could find it in them to try to disqualify him.

Naruto relaxed and only paid attention for his name or Haku's. But when Haku's name was called with another Mist, the other forfeit. So he waited...and waited...and waited. "Naruto," Hinata said, touching his arm. He snapped his head over to her.

"I'm awake, what is it?"

"Your turn."

"My name wasn't called."

"You are the last one."

"Oh..." He looked down and smirked. Sabaku no Gaara was there, waiting. "Oh..." He jumped down and stretched.

Above them, Kakashi walked over to the Hokage. "Are you sure we should let him continue? He was inflicted with the seal."

"Which didn't even have him down for a half hour. Plus, it is not up to me in the first place. It is his jonin sensei that decides what he does."

"And Fujin out ranks him," Kakashi muttered. "Can't we do anything?"

"Nope."

Naruto popped his knuckles as he waited for the proctor to say go. He took out his spear and got ready. "...Would it even matter for me to say the match goes to either, death, knockout, or surrender?"

"No, it wouldn't. Most likely, it will be death," Naruto told him.

"Reminder, once I call it, the match is over. Begin."

A lance of sand shot out at Naruto. At the same time, Naruto threw his spear. When it was about to hit him, a wall of sand came up. A flash of lightning followed by a thunk and everyone saw it quivering against the far wall. While Naruto jumped to the side as the tendril slammed into the tile, breaking it. He made five hand signs and his wind barrier appeared around him. It was his signature move but the only one that knew that was dead. But a smart man might figure it out. A smart man might see the connection. And that smart man might just see why he hates Konoha so much.

Another tendril came at him, hit the barrier, and turn the room into a sand storm. "WHAT IS GOING ON," Shin shouted over the wind.

"FUJIN MUST HAVE CREATED A WIND BARRIER OF SOME SORT," Sai returned. "THAT SAND HIT IT AND THIS HAPPENED!"

"...HOKAGE-SAMA," Kakashi shouted. "I THOUGHT THE ONLY PERSON THAT COULD CONTROL WIND TO THAT DEGREE WAS NARUTO!?"

"WHAT OF IT?"

"I'VE BEEN WONDERING IF THAT WAS NARUTO, SIR. BUT IF IT IS, WHY WOULD HE HATE KONOHA SO MUCH!? HE LOVED THIS VILLAGE!"

The Hokage did something right then he couldn't help. He laughed at how absurd that statement was. "NARUTO COULD HAVE BEEN FROM IWA WITH HOW MUCH HE HATED KONOHA BEFORE HE LEFT. WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST IRONIC THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED." The wind and sand died down again. Naruto had just hit Gaara so hard in the face that he hit the wall. "This man here isn't Naruto, I have seen his face. It is so twisted in anger except when he looks upon his friends. Especially the Handmaiden."

"If we ever have to fight him, she could be a weakness we can take advantage of."

"How? When she could become the same person she is fighting and use their own knowledge against them. Bet you wish you had your Sharigan activated for that one."

"I do. And since she covered it with smoke bombs afterwards, I could learn nothing. How did they know?"

"Momichi Zabuza is the Mizukage," Sarutobi told him.

"Oh shit."

Down below, Naruto had picked his spear back up. "I know you are capable of better, Gaara. You killed three men with a flick of your wrist in the forest. Stop. Holding. Back."

Gaara shook his head and scowled at him. "Yes mother, I will feed you his blood." He brought his hands together and his sand gathered around him in a sphere.

"No, Gaara, not now," Temari shouted.

"You don't think he is going to..." Kankuro asked.

Naruto made three hand signs and his wind drill appeared around his hand. He ran up and hit it against the sphere, drilling into it. "You may think you are the ultimate shield, but I am the ultimate blade. And I will break it and you!" A claw of sand wrapped around his arm pass the drill, stopping it.

"You wanted me to stop holding back," came a twisted voice that once sounded much different. "Fine." The sand fell away, showing Gaara now had a claw and tails with the right side of his face becoming that of a monster. He threw Naruto into the far wall, hard enough to break it.

"Yes... This is what I wanted," they heard Naruto say. He walked back into view. "You have released your demon, now its time to release mine."

"Jinchuuriki," Kakashi shouted, realizing just what was going on. Naruto activated his Demon Eye and black tails spread from it over his face. There was an explosion of chakra while Naruto's skin turned ashen. A chakra cloak settled over him in the shape of some sort of animal with three tails. "I don't recognize that chakra... Kami, last I heard, Kiri had the Three Tails."

Naruto lunged at Gaara, who had decided to fully change. They went through a wall and were rolling around, trying to claw one another's throat out. "Evacuate the building of all non essential personel," Sarutobi ordered.

"Wow, never seen Fujin do that before," Haku stated.

"That is new," Hinata replied. "Guess this means he is even more dangerous."

"You mean, he did all those things without relying on his demon," Kakashi asked her.

"Yes. He must have wanted to test it out here. Haku, do you get the feeling though he hasn't gone full out yet?"

"Yeah."

"...He is going to level Konoha," Kakashi muttered before he went running. He found them still locked in combat, trying to reach the other through their cloaks. Naruto grabbed his tail and wrapped it around his neck and began to choke him with it. The tail then merged with the rest of the body and reformed. It wrapped around Naruto's waist and threw him back the way they came. Naruto dug his claws into the floor, stopping himself. He then raised a fist, pulled it back, and threw it. The claw stretched, stabbed into Gaara, and pulled him back. While the other grabbed his spear again. Back in the arena, they began to circle each other.

"So, you are a monster as well?"

"Not quite. I hold one, we came to terms, but I am not a monster... Well, physically. I'm sure many, many, people would think otherwise. Isn't it strange, two jinchuuriki here at the same time as Orochimaru. If we had fought during the finals instead of now, the damage would have been much worst." He stabbed with his spear, hitting Gaara's arm and blowing a chuck of sand off. He then spun around, hitting the end of it against his head, and then slamming the butt against his stomach. Gaara kept the presence of mind to jumped back to avoid the next attack. Naruto spun again, bring the blade down in a angled slash. Gaara then jumped forward again, trying to catch him unprepared. But Naruto's tails grabbed his arms and tail. Naruto tripped him, raised his spear, and stabbed down again. It just touched the sand over his eye when Naruto stopped. Everyone was frozen, even Gaara, waiting to see what Naruto would do.

"Yield," Naruto told him. "I would rather destroy a whole village than kill someone like me. Someone that fought like a demon. Yield, so that one day we can do this again, when you have more experience. Who knows, maybe on that day, we can fully release ourselves."

"...You are looking forward to it?"

"Of course. You know when was the last time I had a workout like this?"

"When you face Kitsune the Immortal?"

"Yup. He was a tough son of a bitch."

After a moment, the sand fell away. "What make you so much stronger than me without giving in to your demon?"

"Experience...and loving those close to me, my friend." His cloak fell away as well. "Well?"

"...I yield. And I look forward to facing you again in combat." Naruto moved back and helped him up. "And when I do, I will kill you."

"Of course, combat to the death is always more fun." Naruto rested his spear on his shoulder and his arms on it. He deactivated his Demon Eye as well as the Demon Seal as he decided to call it. "Hey proctor, what's next?"

—oo000oo—

"No way," Haku muttered when he heard them call their numbers.

"First match, Fujin versus Vixen. Second match, Sai versus Sabaku no Kankuro. Third match, Shin versus Haku. Fourth Match Temari versus Haruno Sakura," Ibiki told them.

"Wow...the last match if the starting one," Shin stated. "Bro, think one of them will forfeit?"

"Nope," Haku told him. "This is no different from home. They spar against each other as they are the only ones that can fight one another on near even footing when going all out. Even I... She was a quiet girl but Fujin needed her stronger, then needed her. I wonder, truly, who would win if Fujin ever desired the Mizukage title."

"And Vixen is as strong as him," Sakura asked.

"Almost. And I am third among us."

"Just how strong are you," Sai asked him. He didn't expect an answer so was shocked when Fujin did.

"We are the Sannin of Water." He turned to Vixen. "Now about that pizza. I will try to find us some. If not, I believe I found a good ramen stand called Ichruka." He put his arm around her waist and they walked out. "Hey, Haku, make sure to catch any details we miss."

"Sure thing, Blade."

It didn't take them long to get back to Konoha. Naruto moved the curtain for Hinata and sat down on the stool beside her. "Excuse me, sir, we would like to rent out the shop for the afternoon."

Teuchi looked at him like he lost his mind. "We don't do that in this king of store."

Naruto laid down a gold coin. "I'm sure you can for us, sir."

"...Ayame, I think I have been inside for too long. A Kiri ninja just laid a gold coin down to rent the store for a while."

Ayame sighed and walked over to him. "Have you been drinking saki... Oh my goodness."

"Is that a yes? Or do I have to take that back," Naruto asked them. He started to reach for it when Ayame rushed to the door and closed it.

"We welcome your service sir," she told him. "What would you like to eat?"

Naruto chuckled and pulled off his mask. "Hey, how you been."

"...Naruto," Teuchi asked in disbelief. "How you been, my boy!?" he reached across the counter and pulled him into a hug.

"I've been good, Tueshi-san." He grunted when Ayame hugged him from behind.

"I can't believe it! Our little Naruto is finally back!"

"Ahem," Hinata said, pulling her mask off.

Ayame looked at her and then back to Naruto. "Finally got yourself a girlfriend, eh? Wait a minute. This is the armor of Fujin the Blade! I've seen him walking around."

"It is," Naruto replied. "Which fits because I am Fujin the Blade. This is Hinata, more commonly known as Vixen the Handmaiden."

Teuchi smirked. "She is beautiful, Naruto. How did you get her as a girlfriend?"

"...That is still complicated."

"How is it complicated," Ayame asked him.

"Because I am viewed as Naruto-kun's slave."

Ayame and Teuchi rounded on Naruto. "Slave!? What the hell were you thinking!?"

"She isn't actually my slave! I only said she was to protect her."

"Oh," they replied. "So, what do you want to eat, Naruto," Teuchi asked.

"Give me three shrimp, three chicken, three beef, a Naruto special, and three miso. What would you like, my hime?"

"Just a shrimp. I miss sea food. And pizza. Oh, Kami, I want a pizza."

Naruto rested his head against hers and gave her a kiss. "Hime, you eat anymore and people will think you are a pizza junky."

"I need my fix," she replied before returning that kiss.

"Hey, this is a restruraunt," Teuchi protested. "You want to do that, get a hotel. I'll be right back with your order."

Ayame sat down next to Naruto. "So, what is it like in Kiri?"

"Now, it is very nice," Naruto told her. "It took a bit of time, and some intimidation, but once that people were willing to let change happen, it went fast and easy. Things there are so much better than before. Plus, everyone there is willing to be nice to me. Only one thing is missing."

"What is that," she asked.

"Icharuka Ramen," Hinata told her. "He has gone to every single ramen stand in Water but he can't find one as good."

"I can't help it if I have high standards... Ayame, how much would it cost me to get you and the old man to move to Kiri?"

"What? Just like that?"

"Just like that. Hey, Teuchi-san, how about you move to Kiri?"

"Why?"

"I miss your cooking! Come on, please!?"

He sighed. "Naruto, that kind of thing isn't cheap."

"I'll pay for it," he reached for his check book.

"Plus the sentimental value... I don't think even Fujin the Blade makes enough to cover that cost." Naruto thought about it for a moment before writing a number down and pushing the check over to him. "I told you... WHOA! Apparently, you do. Ayame, get my reading glasses, I need to know if I am seeing this right."

"Let me see... I will start packing tonight."

Tuechi looked from the check and then to Naruto. "...Where did you get this kind of money?"

"Would you believe that before Gatou passed away, he felt generous and gave it to me?"

"No."

"In that case, after I killed him, I stole everything he was worth. Gatou Shipping is now owned by Kiri. While his personal fortune is owned by me."

"Kami's blue panties!" He looked at the check. "This is a drop in the bucket, isn't it?"

"A small drop. My ramen?"

"Right away, sir!" He put the check in his pocket and got to cooking. "Will it be hard to find a shop?"

Naruto made a kage bunshin and sent it after one of the other Kiri teams. They were heading back so they could get the D ranked mission request turned in for him. "Not anymore. By the end of the month, we will escort you to Kiri and you will have a shop there waiting for its head chef and best waitress."

"This is so bizarre," Ayame stated. "We... Dad, with that kind of money, we could even open up a chain or retire... Not that we would, of course."

"Oh, good. For a second, I thought that you were just going to move to Kiri. Still a good thing but I would still miss my ramen."

"Never," Teuchi replied. "...Hinata, was it? What is a 'pizza'?"

"Heaven," she replied. "Tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, ham, hamburger, bacon bit, black olives, pineapple, just about anything you can imagine cooked on a warm, savory bread pie. I am really getting hungry."

Naruto chuckled. "Hinata's favorite is what is called the 'Hawaiin style' pizza. Pineapple and ham slices with American cheese. Even I love it."

"Sounds like tough compitision," Ayame stated. "Is it big?"

"Yeah, eighteen inches across for a large."

"I meant pizza itself?"

"Across the ocean, where it comes from, it is the Ramen for their country. People eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"We'll treat you to some when we get home," Hinata told them.

—oo000oo—

The leaves crunched under his boots as he walked. He wasn't a ranger, silence wasn't his concern. Fighting was. "We should hurry." He was squat and broad. A red, braided beard hung from his chin to be tucked into his belt.

"Patience my battle hungry friend," a much taller and far more lithe figure told him. "I am sure this is the place we seek."

"My spells are never wrong," another lithe figure replied. "What we search for is here." She brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear, revealing it was pointed.

"Aye," another stocky man stated. "If nothing else, the lass is right about that."

"You speak as if I mess up often," she complained.

"Nah, just often enough to make one wary," he told her.

"Slip, stop," the second speaker told him. "Damson was inexperienced, like we all were at one time."

"Aye...but we never pulled on a rope that turned out to be a ogre dinner bell."

"I slipped! And before you look to my faults, Slip Knotter, look to your own. You are a self proclaimed thief!"

"Fighter thief, lass."

"We are all fighters," the first said. "I just happen to be the only pure."

"Batt, you are a battle rager," the second speaker replied. "That hardly makes you a fighter. More like a force of nature." Batt Rocklin laughed hard at that.

Damson waved a hand in front of her nose. "A smelly one at that."

"Stop complaining," Slip said to her. "Fayell, what does you goddess tell you?"

"That what we seek is ahead of us." He tightened his knuckles around the shaft of a hammer. "I have a feeling though it will lead us to battle first."

They were an odd bunch to look at. Batt was dressed head to toe in spiked, plate armor. He carried an ax and hammer at his waist. His head was shaved and intricate tattoos decorated his scalp. Slip was dressed in leather armor that seemed more like cloth. It also changed color with the foilage and trees. A short sword and dagger hung from his waist. And each finger was a ring.

Damson was the most peculiar. She wore a cloak and bracers. But beyond that, she wore no armor. Her clothes were fine cotton, made to form. Strapped to her back was a sword almost as tall as her. In her hands was a staff that seemed to brim with power. While she herself was beautiful to the extreme. Her face was angular and sharp. Her eyes were the color of fresh green leaves and her hair the color of shadowed snow. And on her shoulder was a small serpent like creature with wings and two legs. On the end of its tail was a scorpion stinger.

The last one was the one that defied logic. Fayell had blond hair the color that most didn't keep pass childhood. His eyes the were sapphire blue. His features were angular and sharp like Damson and with her pointed ears. But where she was little more than five three, he stood head and shoulders taller. His armor was plate mail but made no sound. A cloak with a manta-ray sew on it covered his back, barely hiding the large shield there. His belt held a few emeralds and was made of metal as well. His gauntlets had a ruby over the back of the hand. Behind the shield and sticking over each shoulder was a sword hilt. Below the shield was a quiver. Tied to his waist was the hammer, one so large that one someone of his height with great strength could wield it. In his hand was a bow that should have been impossible for someone of his frail appearance to draw. But it also looked like Fayell wasn't strong enough to move under all that weight, much less how smoothly he did. A creature similar to the one on Damson was on his shoulder. But without the stinger and his scales were the color of mercury.

"Ariel, Goddess of Combat and Dragons, guide us to find your spear." he muttered softly.

—oo000oo—

Author's Notes: I think I have a winner. All the stories so far since the completion of Sound of a Jinchuuriki and Forgotten Few have been things to catch my own interest. And they have, just not enough. I hope this one does.