Chapter 7: The Return of the King

So Baraka jumped into the portal and ended up back in the flesh pits where he saw Shang Tsung and Eggman waiting. On the table nearby were the starting parts of a robot the two were working on.

"That certainly didn't take long." Said Eggman.

"What happened to you?" asked Shang Tsung to Baraka noticing his bloody appearance.

"Problems arose." Replied Baraka.

"Did you get what we needed?" asked Eggman. Baraka came over to the table.

"The hedgehog's spit." He said laying the cigarette out." The Fox's blood." He said wiping it." And a bear's."

"What bear?" asked Eggman.

"The Fox was helped by a bear that had explosive strength." Said Baraka." I figured his blood was as better than someone else's." Eggman looked as if he was about to reply but then Shang Tsung spoke up.

"That's fine Baraka." He said. Then he turned to Eggman." Doctor." He said." Do you have enough to create an artificial soldier?"

"Yes." Replied Eggman with a smile.

Meanwhile at that time Shao Khan's Special Forces had arrived in the universe of the ninja.

The five came out of the portal and stood in a vast open field.

"We have arrived." Said Ermac. The five of them stood together and looked around, taking in their surroundings. Reptile enjoyed it most of all. Despite being a fearsome warrior and enforcer of Shao Khan what Reptile loved most of all was nature. And in this world lush, green open fields he felt right at home.

"This is a lovely place." He saif.

"Did you come here to sight-see or fight?!" Sub-Zero spoke.

"You enjoy the fight." Said Reptile pointing to him." I'll enjoy the scenery."

Ermac turning back to them." Let's stay focused on our goal at hand." Then other five all stood around him.

Scorpion's sudden call got all their attentions. They all turned and looked over at him." Over there." He said as he pointed off to their left, everyone looked over to see a lone figure standing on the opposite side of the field from them. And he was making his way towards them.

The five looked to each other confused.

" What do you make of that?" asked Sub-Zero.

"I'd say our invasion starts now." Said Scorpion. He made a motion to go forward and attack but was stopped by Ermac. He saw no need to attack one lone man when a whole village was their target.

The stranger stopped in the field only a few feet away from them.

"Who are you?!" called Ermac to him.

"I am a stranger on my way home." He replied.

"Would that home be the leaf village?" questioned Sub-Zero with a snicker.

"It is."

"Then you'd best find a new home." Scorpion said. The stranger was silent. "We have a mission." He continued." To capture or destroy the Leaf Village. And we'll destroy any in our way."

"I cannot allow that." Said the stranger.

"Should you stand in our way stranger we have no choice but to put you down." Spoke Ermac. But he was a man of honor and would not fight five on one, there's no sport in it. Instead he would fight man to man in hand to hand combat." Come forth then and fight us if you will."

Meanwhile back at the leaf village. Everyone had healed from the minor wounds they had from the earlier battle.

"Well Hinata." Said Ino." I'd say this has been an interesting month for you."

"W-what do you mean?" asked Hinata.

"In one month you start dating a brute." Said Ino turning to her.

"Not this again." Commented Tenten.

"And help fend off an army of invaders." finished Ino." I tell you things are looking up for you."

"Oh thank you." Said Hianta.

"That was sarcastic." Said Ino, cocking her head down at Hianta." Of all the things you've done dating that barbarian is the thing I detest most." Hinata shrunk down slightly as Ino talked to her.

"Oh don't get on her case." Said Tenten stepping in." You can't decide what she does no matter how much you disagree with it."

"Are you saying you agree with her choice in men?" asked Ino." They've nothing in common."

"Neji and I have few things in common." Retorted Tenten." Or you and Shikamaru for that matter." Ino became baffled for a moment and knew not how to reply.

"Well let me ask this." Said Ino looking past Tenten to Hinata." What do you see in him?"

"Well I-" began Hinata. Then she looked up to see Ino and Tenten looking at her." I know he might seem brutish and angry but inside he has a soft side." Tenten looked to Ino with a triumphant smile but then Ino shot up again.

"Let me ask this." Said Ino." Do you still feel for Naruto?" Hinata became red in the face and began to stammer before an answer to come out." SEE!" said Ino pointing." SEE, I MAKE MY POINT!"

"You've proven nothing." Said Tenten. As the other two began to argue more Hinata sat back with her face red.

Meanwhile with the boys.

"Well that fight was refreshing." Said Kiba.

"Refreshing wouldn't be the word I'd use." Said Shikamaru." Strange is more like it."

"Indeed." Said Neji." Strange indeed."

"They were strange." Said Choji." Where do you think they came from, I've never seen fighters like them before."

"Perhaps they were some of Orochimaru's experiments." Suggested Neji.

"No." said Shikamaru." He hates the Akatski. These guys were something different." Neji nodded in agreement.

"If that was the Akatski." Added Kiba." Then where were the others, there are still three or four others out there." He waited for Neji or Shikamaru's answers.

"I can't say for sure." Said Shikamaru.

"Perhaps that was a scouting party." Spoke up Neji.

"A what?" asked Choji as he Shikamaru, and Kiba all looked to Neji.

"A scouting party." Said Neji again." A force sent to gather information about the area in order for a larger and stronger force to attack."

"So what you're saying." Said Choji." Is that possibly a more powerful force than those guys are coming?"

"It is possible." Said Neji with a nod.

"Now that you mention it." Said Shikamaru leaning forward and resting his head in his hand." That could be very plausible. And it just makes things more troublesome for us."

"Great." Said Kiba with a smile." Let 'em come I'll swat 'em away like a bunch of fly's."

"Be careful what you wish for." Said Neji.

"That last party wasn't anything we couldn't handle." Said Kiba." Not when the four of us fight together."

"I have to agree with him there." Said Choji. Neji said nothing.

Just then the group heard the pitter-patter of footsteps coming to them. Everyone turned around and saw Sakura coming at them.

She ran over to the group and stood before them. Then she stopped to catch her breath.

"Sakura." Said Choji as she stood before them." What's happened?"

"You guys didn't hear?" she asked standing before them.

"Hear what?" asked Shikamaru.

"Word is that Naruto is back." Told Sakura. The four boys quickly shot up.

"Where?" asked Neji stepping up towards here." When?"

"How far from here?" asked Shikamaru as he jumped up and stood before Sakura.

"Just on the border of the village." She said pointing in the direction.

"So he could really be back?" said Kiba.

"Well if he's out there." Said Shikamaru." What are we to do?" He turned back to his three friends and they all smirked at each other.

"What are we waiting for?" said Choji with a laugh." Let's go get him."

"I'd say we owe him enough to at least go see him." Said Neji. Then he smiled and ran off. Kiba looked to Shikamaru.

"YES!" he bellowed then with a laugh he and Shikamaru took off.

"Wait!" called Sakura in their leaving, but the boys didn't stop they kept going.

They kept running and running through the village not bothering to stop, side-stepping past the citizens of the village.

At one point they passed by Hinata and Ino, nearly knocking them over. Kiba stopped short just before knocking Hinata over.

"K-kiba." She said." Where are you going?" Kiba looked up and saw Neji, Shikamaru, and Choji and stopped several feet before him and were watching him.

"I'm going to see Naruto." Told Kiba. The sudden sound of his name brought warm feelings back to Hinata's heart.

"That's absurd." Said Ino." He's not out there, I heard he was in the sand village." Kiba grunted at Ino and turned back to Hinata.

"Hey Kiba." Called Choji." Let's get going."

"I'll be back later alright." He said, then he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Come on man let's go." Said Shikamaru causing Kiba to move faster. Then he jumped around her and joined back up with his friends, and the four took off.

So Neji, Choji, Kiba, and Shikamaru all ran off to go meet with Naruto. Whether he was truly there or not they didn't know but it was worth it to go and found out.

As they ran they felt a sudden light return to them. As if they were little kids, like their old selves ran right beside them.

Meanwhile with back in the field.

Ermac and prepared to fight the stranger and had already prepared his fighting stance however the stranger had not entered his.

"I do not wish to fight you." He said with his hands up.

"Then stand aside." Warned Ermac." And now harm will come to you."

"I cannot do that and allow you to go forward to destroy my home."

The back and forth talking was getting tedious and now Scorpion was annoyed. He reached back for his sword and vanished.

He reappeared next to the stranger and prepared to slash him. But the stranger in the blink of an eye disappeared and reappeared several feet away, forcing Scorpion to drive his sword into the ground.

"No!" commanded Ermac." Stay out of this. This is our fight."

"We have no time for games. "Scorpion grunted.

"In that case." Said Sub-Zero. He disappeared into cold air and then reappeared on the other side of the stranger." What do you say Shira-Ryu?" he asked to Scorpion." Shall we make this a game?" Scorpion looked to him confused." Which one of us can kill him faster." He let out a dark chuckle. Sub-Zero and Scorpion prepared to rush him on both sides.

"BE GONE, LIN KUEI DOG!" Scorpion roared at him.

"I'll give you guys a chance." The stranger pleaded." Leave this place in peace or I'll have no choice but to destroy you."

"You hear that Shira-Ryu?" asked Sub-Zero." He thinks he's going to destroy us, what a funny thing to say."

"Last chance. You can still walk away unharmed."

"You're the one who's go to get hurt boy." Said Scorpion then he charged him wielding his swords. While Sub-Zero jumped forward with nothing but his bare hands.

"Bye Bye." He laughed.

Just then four new figures came onto the scene.

Out of the woods jumped Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba jumped out and elbowed Sub-Zero in the face while Akamaru jumped on the stranger. Sub-Zero fell to the ground dropping his ax as Kiba wrapped his arms around his head.

"What the-" Said Scorpion then he moved forward to attack. But then Choji appeared before him and punched him. Scorpion raised his arms and blocked but with all Choji's power he sent Scorpion sliding back.

Sub-Zero kept trying to free himself from Kiba but found it hard as Kiba would only tighten his grip on Sub-Zero's neck.

"What's going on?" asked Hydroa confused as he Reptile and Ermac watched on." Who are these people?" The four boys turned to see Akamaru ontop of the stranger licking at him.

"Alright boy alright." He chuckled as he made his way to his feet. Then four leaf ninja looked over to see the stranger. But he was now stranger but an old friend only taller and more defined.

"Naruto." Said Shikamaru as he and Neji approached him." It's really you." Then at that moment Choji walked over, Kiba released Sub-Zero and walked over as well.

"You're all here." Said Naruto joyfully." We're together again." He added as he reached out and touched Choji and Neji's shoulders. Akamaru jumped up and licked Naruto's face so he leaned down and pet the giant dog. As the boys laughed and talked among themselves Scorpion pulled his head from the dirt.

In a great fit of anger he looked up at the boys. Then he rose to one knee and prepared to charge.

"Scorpion stop!" Ordered a voice. He turned around to see his four allies behind ihm.

"Don't be a fool." Said Reptile." You wouldn't stand a chance alone." Scorpion grumbled to himself as he rose to his feet." Look at them." Said Reptile." Those boys fit the descriptions of the warriors Baraka fought." Despite every instinct telling him to attack Scorpion stayed where he was. Sub-Zero picked himself up as well and rejoined them.

Any anger or malice in him rage into delight."THE boy and his dog." He said looking over Kiba.

"If they're as strong as we believe we'll have to take them head on, one at a time." Said Ermac.

It was at this moment that Naruto and his ninja became aware of the growing danger and they turned and acknowledged the aggressors.

"So who are these guys?" asked Neji as he looked over at the five strangers." Do you know anything about them?"

"No." said Naruto." I saw them arrive here, but whatever they want I can tell you it's not good."

"Must be the squad to come after the scout squad." Commented Shikamaru.

"What'll we do then?" asked Choji.

"They won't be persuaded to leave quietly." Said Naruto." So fighting seems like the option."

"You lead." Said Shikamaru as he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder." We'll follow." Neji looked around and counted their numbers.

"There's five of them and five of us." He said allowed." One for each." Five on Five, one for each the Outworld attackers thought the same thing.

"It's a good thing you boys showed up when you did." Added Naruto." If you hadn't I might have had to fight them all by myself."

"To each his own." Added Choji.

"Hey!" Shouted Shikamaru to the brothers." Who are you guys and what do you want here."

"We're a traveling group." Responded Ermac." And we've come here to harness the recourses of your world."

"That means you're here to invade." Said Naruto.

"Precisely." Responded Ermac." The Emperor has tasked us with this important task."

"The second invasion force indeed." Said Neji.

"The Emperor? "Choji said confused.

"It's ok." Said Kiba added to Neji's statement." We dealt with another invasion group only a day ago and they were many more in numbers."

"Numbers will mean little in this case boy." Said Reptile." As you will see we are much stronger than the previous group."

"So you're affiliated with that group." Said Shikamaru.

"Yes." Replied Sub-Zero." But that's neither here or there. I must say for a group of children you're all very observant."

"What'd you say!?" asked Kiba.

"You should get out of our way." Said Scorpion." Unless you want to die like the rest of this world."

"We won't let that happen!" Said Neji.

"Then you'll all DIE!" said Ermac.

"Bring it on!" Said Kiba.

Then the warriors flung themselves at each other. In the blink of an eye they all charged and moved off to an area to fight. Ermac eyed Naruto the whole time and intended to fight him. However in all the confusion everyone jumped into a frenzy and Naruto was taken by another opponent. He had planned to follow after him but was stopped as another enemy stood before him.

Then the five heroes starred down their five enemies.

The fights were Naruto vs. Hydro

Neji vs. Scorpion

Sub-Zero vs. Kiba

Reptile vs. Choji and

Ermac vs. Shikamaru.