Naruto Makaze: Birth of a Legend

Exams and Invasion Arc

Chapter 7: A Power Revealed! Cursed Seal versus Sealed Curse!

Hinata did not know when Naruto found them, or when he arrived at their campsite, but when she awoke the next day, he slept in a tree branch above her sleeping bag. But now the boy was awake and scouting the area while Shino and Hinata ate a small breakfast.

"He has the Heaven Scroll." Shino said to Hinata. "We are to head for the tower."

"H-hai." Hinata replied quietly.

"About what we saw yesterday," Shino said. "I don't think that we should think much of it. My analysis of Naruto tells me that he tends to flirt a lot. The redhead girl was probably being pursued and he was acting for the sake of her life. That would explain the rise of chakra we felt after we left."

Hinata nodded, still remembering Naruto kissing the redhead girll. She swore she saw him hold her down with Iron Sand, but did not have enough courage to confront of her blond crush. The boy who she met in the woods years ago who was training to become the next Hokage. They were the same age, yet he had the strength and courage to enter the academy with her cousin, Neji. He did not care for what people thought of him. He would become great and never go back on his words. That was what he was saying to himself in the woods. And she had yet to forget it till this day.

"We're clear." Naruto said from behind Hinata, frightening the poor girl. "Sorry about that Hinata-chan. I tend to forget to make myself known to my teammates."

"N-no p-problem. I sh-should be m-more alert." Hinata replied.

"Actually, I was trained to sneak around. It was my fault for sneaking up on you." Naruto said. "Shino, I need you and Hinata-chan to go to the tower without me."

"What?" Shino asked.

"I have something to do." Naruto answered. "I don't want you two to be hurt and where I'm going, you will be."

"We are a team. We will follow you." Shino said.

Naruto stared at the bug-user before nodding. It was a rare and awkward thing to hear Shino the team player. He was usually the logical one and reminded Hinata of her limits while Naruto told the girl to push herself. For the few days he was here, this was how Hinata's training went. Shino told her when to stop and Naruto told her to continue. Oddly enough, she rarely listened to Shino.

"Fine. Come with me. But do not get spotted." Naruto said. "I have a really bad feeling and if I don't find him soon-"

"If you are referring to Gaara," Shino interrupted. "We have already past him. He killed a Rain team right in front of us."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "When I was busy with Tayuya?" Shino nodded. "I thought so. We should hurry. Gaara will pick up on my scent and follow me."

"Your scent?" Shino questioned.

"Let's just move." Naruto said.

XXX

This was bad. No, this was beyond bad. Kiba and Sasuke were both down and out from their recent battle with Orochimaru and she was left guarding them. She. Sakura Haruno. The pretty-girl of the group. The girl that attempted to gain Sasuke's attention instead of training seriously. She was the one that was supposed to protect them. From what or who, she did not know, but she felt that they were close.

And then they came. The Sound Team from earlier. Knowing that it was now do or die, Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes and rose to her feet. If she should die today, then she would not die hiding. She would die fighting. Like a shinobi should.

XXX

Naruto, Hinata, and Shino hopped through the trees, Naruto leading. His eyes were focused ahead of him, not really paying attention to his two teammates. There were two things bothering Naruto; Gaara and Orochimaru. While he knew that he and Gaara would eventually fight, Orochimaru left him confused. While the Sound Five seemed to have some way of finding Naruto both times while he has yet to find one of them. His resolution was to find any team from Sound and force them to talk.

The sound of a scream caused Naruto to immediately change directions. He knew that voice.

"Sakura!" Hinata said.

Naruto put extra chakra in his jumps, leaving his team behind.

"You put up quite the fight." Naruto heard. He was now able to see a beaten Sakura on the ground. "Kin, finish her."

"With pleasure." Kin said as she grabbed senbon needles from her pouch. "Told you that you weren't going to live."

"I doubt that." Sakura turned her head to see Naruto standing on a tree branch. The boy jumped into the air and landed in front of her. "I'll give you just one chance to do two things. Leave Sakura alone and tell me where Oro-teme is."

"You're that kid." Dosu said. "Makaze no Naruto. The overrated man that somehow killed Zabuza."

"I didn't kill him or his apprentice. I killed Gato." Naruto replied.

"Heh, you don't look like much." Zaku said. "In fact, I can take you out now."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Then what are we doing talking?"

Zaku held a palm towards Naruto.

"Take this!" Zaku shouted, an air tunnel coming straight for Naruto.

'Wind? Seriously?' Naruto thought as he dodged the attack. 'It's not everyday I get to fight someone with my affinity.'

'Be lucky that you're alive to fight.' the fox barked.

"Whatever." Naruto muttered before Zaku came rushing towards him. "Oh come on."

Sakura watched as Naruto simply punched Zaku in the stomach before another punch in the boy's face that sent him flying backwards. Naruto reached for the scroll on his back and sat it down. He opened it and took his left glove off before placing his left hand on a seal. Lightning was seen and heard before disappearing. Naruto put his glove back on and stood up straight, his scroll closing on instincts.

"So," Dosu said. "You can seal lightning. Do you honestly think that that's going to help you defeat us?"

"Of course." Naruto said grinning beneath his mask.

"Kin, why don't you show him exactly who he's messing with." Dosu said.

"With pleasure." Kin said tossing two needles towards Naruto. Naruto stood still as the two needles neared his face before colliding, he instantly began wobbling around, holding his ears. "Looks like you can't even take that weak attack."

'My ears!' Naruto thought. 'I knew your stupid enhancements were pointless!'

'Quit whining and defend yourself!' Kyubi ordered.

Naruto attempted to look at Kin, only to see three of her standing in front of him.

"Tayuya was pretty pissed at you." Kin said with a smirk. "Says that because you ran off, she was attacked by Itachi. If I were you, I'd die now to spare yourself from the pain she's going to put you through."
Despite his dizziness, Naruto still chuckled.

"Tayuya-chan and I had a small battle yesterday. I don't think she'll be trying anything for a while." Naruto said as he finally had a lock on Kin. "And I'm guessing neither are you!"

With that said, Naruto's tongue shot directly for the Sound kunoichi, who dodged quickly. Dosu was about to move before Naruto's tongue changed directions and slapped the boy off of his feet before retracting into Naruto's mouth.

'As disgusting as it is,' Sakura thought. 'A move like that is very handy.'

Naruto did not pause as he ran for Kin. He had to keep her from ringing those bells again. Due to his eyes narrowing on Kin's movements, he hardly saw Zaku rising and blasting another tunnel of wind towards him. Naruto caught on to it and jumped, though his foot was hit and he flipped violently before falling onto the ground. Naruto saw several senbon needles raining down on him and rolled out of the way.

'He can't take them all by himself.' Sakura thought. 'I wish… I wish I could help.'

"Time to put an end to this." Naruto said removing both gloves. Sakura felt the wave of familiar chakra coming off of the boy. "Alright you three, it's your move."

"Cocky, aren't we?" Zaku asked. "How do you want to finish this, Dosu?"

"He's apparently going to use that lightning. I say, take him out fast before he can get an aim on us." Dosu said.

"Right!" Zaku said as he and Dosu ran for Naruto.

'What are you doing Kit? You're refusing my chakra!' the Kyubi shouted.

'I'll beat them on my own. Watch.' Naruto responded.

Naruto waved his right hand in front of him, a wall of Iron Sand forming almost in an instant. The two Sound Nins separated, going around the wall. Naruto saw this caused the black sand to form a protective dome around him.

"Coward…" Kin muttered before Naruto's tongue shot from the dome, heading directly for Zaku.

Zaku dodged the organ as it retracted.

"How can he see inside of that thing?" Zaku asked.

"I don't know." Dosu said revealing his Melody Arm. "But I doubt it is sound proof."

Dosu came towards the dome, prepared to unleash a barrage of sound waves on it before a pair of hands grabbed Dosu's legs from underground, Dosu tripping and falling on the ground before a clone of Naruto dug its way up.

"One down." the clone said before the sand around the real Naruto shot for Zaku. "And here goes the second."

Kin tossed several of senbon needles at Naruto's clone, which dodged. Kin smirked and the real Naruto saw the thing lines of wire.

'Crap…' Naruto thought as the sound of high-pitched bells rang his ears.

Zaku saw the sand that was coming for him fall lifelessly on the ground. The real Naruto now held his head in agony as his clone did the same. Dosu took this chance to land a blow on the real Naruto, more sound waves bouncing off of Naruto's eardrums.

"You're no threat to us." Dosu said. "You're no help to Orochimaru either."

Sakura's eyes widened. 'Naruto is helping Orochimaru?'

'No!' Inner Sakura screamed as she cried anime tears of the thought of her second crush being evil.

Naruto stood up slowly as the Iron Sand came towards him.

"So all of you can use sound waves. That sucks." Naruto said as he was covered in the black sand before it seemingly retracted into the seal on his right hand. "Now. That's much better."

"Kin, do it again." Zaku said. "I want him to be still when I blast him until the afterlife."

"My pleasure." Kin said before ringing the bells again. While his clone seemed to be in pain, Naruto stood unfazed, his eyes directly on Kin. "What?"

"My guess is that you're questioning on why that didn't work. Am I right?" Naruto said a bit louder than he was normally speaking. "I have sand in my ears. I can't hear a thing."

'Interesting.' Shino thought as he and Hinata watched the fight.

"Now," Naruto said. "Let's see what's faster. Your Sound techniques or my Swift Release."

Dosu frowned. He had never heard of such a thing.

"I'm sick of you!" Zaku shouted before moving towards Naruto faster than Sakura's eyes could track.

'The Speed of Sound! Naruto's dead!' Sakura thought.

Zaku appeared where Naruto was before Naruto shimmered out of existence.

"Im-Impossible!" Kin said. "No one can move faster than the speed of sound!"

"I have no clue on what you just said," Naruto said, now behind Kin. "But I'm sure you're thoroughly shocked."

Sakura watched as Kin swung to hit Naruto, only for him to vanish again. The boy reappeared in-between Zaku and Dosu, facing Zaku. Sakura watched Naruto impishly stick his tongue out, taunting Zaku, who blasted a powerful beam of sound waves and wind towards Naruto, who vanished again. The attack landed on Dosu and the boy flew several of feet backwards.

"Ah dammit." Zaku said before he felt sand wrapping around him.

"By the way," Naruto said. "You missed."

Zaku was tossed towards Kin. The two collided and rolled on the ground for a while.

"You are a traitor to Orochimaru-sama." Dosu said. "You're here to aid him, yet, you attack his own men."

Naruto tilted his head to the side, black sand pouring from his ear.

"You're going to have to say that again." Naruto said.

"You're a traitor to -"

"I am loyal to no one." Naruto said. "Now, tell me where Orochimaru is or else."

"Or else what?" Dosu asked.

Naruto's eyes flashed red. "You don't want to know."

Shino and Hinata stood in their hidden spots, awaiting the opportune moment to help their teammate, if needed.

"He was working with Orochimaru this entire time." Shino muttered.

"N-no. N-naruto-kun would n-never do that." Hinata replied.

"Hinata," Shino said. "Your crush on the boy is simply diverting you from facts. He never denied working with Orochimaru and he knows that he is here. My guess is that this Tayuya was the girl we saw yesterday. Something must be wrong with their plans."

Despite speaking in a low tone, Naruto heard both of his teammates. He then turned his attention to a few bushes where he could sense three more presences. One of the three was Ino Yamanaka as only she smelled like flowers all the time.

"I'll give you one last time." Naruto said to Dosu.

"I'm not giving any information that would compromise our mission." Dosu said. "Zaku. Kin. Let's go."

Naruto caught Kin using the Speed of Sound technique. Knowing that continuing the use of the Swift Release would only force him to draw upon the fox's chakra, he only shielded himself from the blow that he had seen coming.

'Use my chakra and end this!' the Nine-tailed fox shouted.

Naruto was going to reply, but he soon caught Zaku on the move. Using Kin's body as a battering ram, Naruto swung the girl at her teammate, who only caught her and set her aside.

"Time to use the Phantom Barrage." Naruto muttered to himself.

Dosu ran for Naruto, his Melody Arm cocked back. Naruto waited for the right moment before vanishing.

"Where'd he-"

Before Kin could finish, she saw Dosu get knocked into air by an unseen force. Dosu's body was knocked around in the middle of the air before the blond jinchuriki appeared above Dosu and gripped Dosu's waist, flipping the Sound Nin and throwing him towards the ground. Zaku, thinking quickly, fired a blast towards the ground, creating a mound of soften dirt where Dosu was heading. Seeing this, Naruto fired his tongue towards Dosu and grabbed Dosu's legs, before slamming him into the ground next to the pile.

Naruto landed, smirking beneath his mask.

"You honestly thought that I would allow you to soften his fall? Yeah right." Naruto said.

'This guy is amazing.' Sakura thought.

'Cha!' Inner Sakura added with a punch into the air.

"How did he do that?" Choji asked Shikamaru and Ino.

"I don't know. Forehead said that he was strong, possibly stronger than Sasuke-kun, but I never thought that he would be that strong." Ino replied.

'Kit, you may fool them, but you can't fool me. You need my chakra.' the fox told its tenant.

'Give me some time Kyu-jii. I can bluff just a little bit longer.' Naruto responded.

Dosu regrouped with Zaku and Kin.

"I don't know how long he can do that." Dosu said. "My guess is that if we don't finish him now, he will eventually get the upper hand."

"Right." Kin and Zaku said in unison.

Naruto eyed the three Sound ninja. Each one of them would probably be easier if he singled them out, but to do that, he would have to use a Shadow or Sand Clone and that was chakra that he had to save. Plus, the chances that one of his clones could be dispelled and Sakura would be left unguarded.

Then he felt a surge of foul chakra coming from behind him.

'Sasuke?' Naruto thought as he eyed the Uchiha who now sported black marks on the left side of his body. 'Oh great. Oro-teme got to him too!'

"…" Sasuke looked at his hands before turning towards Sakura. "Sakura… Which one of these losers did that to you?"

Sakura sat on her knees, too afraid to say anything. The chakra coming from Sasuke now was completely frightening. It felt just as bad as the chakra she felt from Naruto when he fought against Gato in Wave.

'He bears a Curse Mark?' Dosu thought. 'Why would Orochimaru-sama want us to kill the Uchiha if he was going to give him a Curse Mark? Unless…'

"I did it to her." Zaku said stepping forward.

Sasuke glared at Zaku, two tomoe occupying the last Uchiha's Sharingan.

'There's no hope in us defeating both of them.' Dosu thought. 'Now's the time for a tactical retreat.'

"Zaku, wait. Before-"

"Oh, I can handle him Dosu." Zaku said holding his arms forward towards Sasuke. "Let's see how tough you are!"

Sakura saw the tunnel of sound waves and wind fire straight for her and Sasuke. She felt a pair of arms around her before she was placed at a different location. Her eyes went up to see Naruto standing with his arms crossed.

"Th-thanks, Naruto." Sakura said.

"Hn." Naruto replied.

Sasuke was now behind Zaku, a sinister smile on his face.

"You missed…" Sasuke said grabbing Zaku's arms and placing a foot on the boy's back, pulling.

"Sasuke, that's enough." Naruto said, hearing the popping and straining of Zaku's joints.

"It's over whenever I say it is!" Sasuke snapped back.

"Damn teme…" Naruto muttered as he closed his eyes. "Sorry Kyu-jii, looks like I couldn't handle it." Sakura felt the wave of chakra coming from Naruto, a red outline of chakra now around him. His mask fell to the ground, revealing the feral whiskers beneath each red eye. "But I won't lose."

Sasuke threw Zaku aside. "I've always wanted to finally fight you on equal terms. You and I… We're quite alike. You are a mercenary. I am an avenger. We both need power to survive."

"Are you going to talk me to death or are you going to do something?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke chuckled darkly. "You're such a dobe. Don't you see it? Don't you see the power he has granted me? I'm no longer held back by my teammates. I have the power I deserve!"

Naruto saw the dark violet chakra swirling around Sasuke, but did not care too much about it.

"Well then." Sasuke said before coming towards Naruto.

"Oh man! Sasuke-kun is going to fight Naruto!" Ino said. "Go Sasuke!"

"I'm pretty sure that this is not part of his mission." Shino said to Hinata.

Naruto waited for the last moment before dodging. He was surprised to see the Uchiha hot on his heels.

'Man, what's with this guy all of a sudden?' Naruto thought.

'It's the will of the Curse Mark.' the Kyubi explained. 'Just as my will and power is obtainable through your desire, his desire is power. That chakra came with a price.'

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Naruto saw the fireballs coming for him before realizing that they were to conceal shuriken.

"Iron Sand: Iron Dome!" Naruto called. The black dome protected him from the attack. "Iron Sand: Iron Bullet Jutsu!"

Several darts made of the black sand shot for Sasuke, who dodged the attack effortlessly thanks to the Sharingan. The wall of Iron Sand descended and Naruto shot his extended tongue for Sasuke. Sasuke flipped over the attack and came for Naruto, who was currently withdrawing his organ.

'Time for Swift Release.' Naruto thought.

Sasuke came with a blow with a sharpened kunai. The blade went directly through Naruto as if the boy was made of the wind itself before Naruto's tongue was able to wrap around Sasuke's neck. Naruto whipped Sasuke into a nearby tree.

"H-how did he do that?" Choji asked.

"I don't know." Shikamaru said. "Man this is such a drag. Sasuke hasn't a chance with this guy."

Ino promptly knocked her teammate on the head.

"Quiet! Sasuke-kun isn't defeated yet!" Ino shouted.

Naruto watched the hand seals and saw Sasuke inhale before exhaling a large fireball at him, one about the size of a standard Itachi fireball. Naruto dodged the attack with minimal damage, taking a small burn on his right arm. Seeing the Uchiha, Naruto ran head on.

'I can see his every move.' Sasuke thought.

Naruto swung a punch, which Sasuke caught in his hand. Sasuke landed a punch on Naruto before sweeping the blond off of his feet. This small victory was short-lived as Naruto used his left leg to kick Sasuke in the back of his knee, causing the Uchiha's knee to buckle. Naruto quickly got up and came with a powerful punch, though Sasuke ducked under it in time.

Sasuke flipped away from Naruto and unleashed several kunai towards his opponent. Naruto countered this with shuriken of his own before holding his left hand towards Sasuke. Naruto's glove disintegrated into thousands of strips of paper that came for the Uchiha. Sasuke stood still and began dodging the strips.

"Amazing." Ino said.

'No doubt that Sharingan is the reason he can do that.' Shikamaru thought.

The slips of paper reformed Naruto's glove and the blond glared at his opponent.

"Give it up Sasuke. You can't win." Naruto said.

Sasuke smirked. "I'm not the one tired."

"I'm-"

Naruto was unable to finish his sentence as Sasuke came for him. Naruto was able to block Sasuke's punch with his corresponding palm and the following spinning kick with is forearm. Naruto jumped after the sweep, already falling for the tactic once.

Naruto retrieved a kunai just in time to block Sasuke's strike with a knife in his hand. The two glared at one another, red meeting red, before hopping backwards, putting space between themselves.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

"Lightning Sealing Method: Byakurai!"

The two attacks met in the center and seemed equally powered before Naruto gave one final push, his lightning based attack slicing through Sasuke's fire. With a grunt, Sasuke put more power into the attack, though he knew he could not last much longer. Naruto gave another thrust that created an explosion.

Sakura covered her face from the debris. When she removed her arm, she saw that both Naruto and Sasuke had been knocked backwards. The blond began to stir before slowly rising to his feet. Like before, Sakura saw the bloodied hand of Naruto. It was the side-effect from overusing his treasured jutsu.

"You were pretty strong." Naruto said. "It's time to end this."

"Wait!" Sakura called out. "Y-you can't kill him! I won't let you!"

"It's not really up to you, is it?" Naruto replied, a ball of lightning forming in his palm. "I promised someone that I would look after you, but you're becoming a pain in the ass." Sakura quickly came and covered Sasuke's body. "Oh come on."

"I won't let you kill him. Please. Just take our scroll and leave." Sakura cried.

Seeing Sakura lie protectively over Sasuke, Naruto ended the technique before placing his hand on the ground.

"Uzumaki Grave Seal!" Naruto called.

The "chains" made from the attack shot directly for Sasuke and covered the boy in a chain-pattern seal until the Curse Mark retreated. Naruto stood up straight and turned around.

"When he wakes up," Naruto said to Sakura. "Tell him to thank you for his life. Otherwise, I would've finished him."

"Th-thank you, Naruto." Sakura cried.

"Hinata. Shino. Let's go." Naruto said before leaping off.

While Hinata followed Naruto almost instatenously, Shino checked to see Sakura's predicament before following his teammates.

"So you're working for Orochimaru, huh?" Shino asked.

"No." Naruto said plainly. Due to his mask being discarded, his voice did not have the slightly muffled tone it always had and his anger could be heard clearly. "My mission is from the Hokage. It is to stop Gaara from rampaging through the village."

"That's not what it sounds like." Shino said.

In an instant, Naruto had stopped and glared at Shino.

"Orochimaru asked me to fight Gaara. The Hokage has asked me to protect the village from Gaara. Is it starting to make sense to you now Shino?" Naruto asked angrily. "My mission is to make sure that you don't die and that Hinata-chan proves her clan wrong!"

To say that Shino and Hinata were thoroughly shocked at his declaration was putting it mildly. Naruto sighed heavily, his blue eyes now fully restored and his whiskers now just three marks on each cheek.

"Orochimaru has something big in store and I have to stop him." Naruto said in a calmer voice. "That's why I'm here."

"Then we should hurry to the tower then." Shino said.

"Right." Naruto said. "Are you ready Hinata-chan?"

"H-hai." the girl said quietly before the three took off.

XXX