Naruto: Rise of the Espers

by Nataku's Wrath

An unholy and unstoppable army, led by a creature stronger than the Kyuubi, rises from beyond the Elemental Nations. Naruto must embark alone to find the power to hold back the forces of darkness. Naruto X Final Fantasy. Pairings undecided

7. Chapter 7

Naruto: Rise of the Espers

Chapter 7

"Tests and Tricks"

Konoha

Ichiraku's Ramen Stand

Naruto finished his fifteenth bowl of ramen, leaven back in his stool, and let out a sigh of pure satisfaction. "Six years and it's still the best; makes those noodles we had in Figaro taste like they were made out of mud. Thanks a lot Ayame-chan, Teuchi-san!"

"You're very welcome Naruto-kun," Ayame smiled.

"We're just glad you're back home," Teuchi added from the back.

"Me too; I'd still be in prison if you hadn't come back," Jiraiya said and stood up. "But if you'll all please excuse me, I have some very important business to take care of."

"How can you have business?" Naruto asked. "You've only been out of jail for two hours."

"It's been six years since I've slept on anything remotely resembling a bed, gaki," Jiraiya explained. "Now that I've got some good food in my belly, I'm going to find the biggest, comfiest, and most luxurious bed in Konoha and then I'm going to find someone to share it with me."

Kyuubi let out a loud laugh. "That's the spirit!" she cackled, while Naruto rolled his eyes and Ayame blushed. "You may want to include your first shower in six years before you get ahead of yourself, Ero-Sennin. You're pretty ripe."

"A change of clothes would be a good idea as well," Ayame added. "Prison rags aren't in style this time of year."

"Aw, my dearest Ayame, not you too," Jiraiya mock-protested and pretended to swoon in heartbreak. He caught himself on the counter and comically gave the front of his ragged shirt a sniff. "Whew, I hate to say it, but I think you're right. Maybe a trip to the Hot Springs is what I really need."

"Just keep your eyes and the rest of you on the men's side, pervert," Naruto growled.

"No promises," Jiraiya said over his shoulder and walked away.

"Think we should warn Baa-chan that the great white pervert is on the loose again?" Naruto asked Kyuubi. The Biju shook her head, her blood red hair cascading down her shoulders.

"I think even a self-proclaimed "Super Pervert" deserves a free pass occasionally. Forget about him; you need to get up and show me more of this village. We need to find a place to stay still land the last time I was here, well, you don't get to see the sights when you're razing the place to the ground."

"Huh?" said Ayame. "What are you talking about?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing, Ayame-chan," Naruto said quickly and shot a quick glare at Kyuubi. None the less, he stood up and pulled out his wallet. His old Gama-chan frog wallet was long gone; Ifrit thought it was too childish for a teenage boy, especially his Avatar, and promptly burned it down to a single ash. Naruto's new wallet was a bag made from Dragonhide and reached inside. A look of horror stretched across his face.

Where'd all my money go? he wondered and turned the bag inside out, spilling its contents on the counter. Fifty pieces of Gil—barely enough to buy a single Potion in Lindblum—clattered upon the counter, followed by ten Ryu and a piece of folded white paper.

"What the hell is this?" he asked and unfolded the piece of paper. It read:

Gaki,

I have an airtight lead on a Chocobo at the Gold Saucer. My guy says he's never seen a Pink Chocobo move that fast; it even beat the famous Black Chocobo Teioh in an unofficial practice race! Unfortunately, I came up a little short so I borrowed some cash from you for funds. I'll split the winnings with you 75-25, cuz let's face it, I'm doing all the leg work here and you really need to learn that you have to pull your own weight in a financial enterprise like this. Besides, I'm never wrong when it comes to gambling and you could consider this a free lesson.

Gilgamesh

Esper of the Four Winds, Master Swordsman, Interdimensional Playboy

PS: I owe the Tonberry King 100,000 Gil, so if you see any of those knife wielding little toads ask, you haven't seen or heard from me since we completed your training. They're so impatient when it comes to I.O.U.'s.

G

"That slimy, no good, cheap, double crossing, Ero-Esper!" Naruto shouted and slammed down the note. Kyuubi picked it up, read it, and laughed lightly.

"Should've seen that coming," she smirked. "Think he'll win?"

"It doesn't matter. If he wins, he'll just blow the cash on another race or on those games in Wonder Square. And it's not like I'll see a dime if he loses. Hell, he'll probably find some way to blame me for losing somehow; like my negative waves funked up his mojo or something."

In Another Dimension-

A figure dressed in red sat at a bar and sneezed. He looked up at the television screen and watched the large Chocobos racing on a winding track complete with constantly changing holograms. In the lead was a large black Chocobo; in last place was a slim pink.

"This has to be Naruto's fault," groaned Gilgamesh and tossed his betting ticket onto the ground. "Gaki's sending out those negative waves again."

Back In Konoha-

"Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?" Ayame asked and gestured to the mess on the counter.

"Um, sort of," Naruto said sheepishly. "You see, one of my former senseis decided to "borrow" all my money without asking, or even telling me about it. You guys don't take Gil here, do you?"

"What's Gil?"

"That's what I thought you'd say," Naruto muttered with an exasperated high. "I'm really sorry, Ayame-chan, but I only have about ten Ryu. Do you think I could pay you back once Obaa-chan starts giving me missions again?"

Ayame smiled brightly. "Of course you can, Naruto-kun. I trust you and it'd just be mean if I made my favorite customer wash dishes all night on his first day back."

"Thanks Ayame-chan, I owe you one!"

"Shh! Will you keep it down? Dad will kill me if he found out. Now get out here and I'll see you later."

"Oh, sorry," whispered Naruto before he carefully stepped away from the counter and escaped down the street with Kyuubi. The pair ran down the street, startling shoppers, civilians, and shinobi alike. They ran nonstop until they reached the Shinobi Academy.

"Heh, place hasn't changed at all," Naruto said as he came to a stop and stared up at the building.

"Place needs some serious re-structuring," Kyuubi said. "I still can't believe how easy your graduation exam was."

"Hey! I failed that exam three times!"

"That's only because your chakra control was beyond terrible. But how could they possibly think that being able to do a Bushin, Kawarimi, and Henge qualifies a student to be a Shinobi? Only the kids that had extra training from their clans were even remotely close to a Genin level."

"Thanks a lot Kyu-chan; you're a real boost to my self-esteem."

"Face it gaki, until you learned Kage Bushin, you weren't much of a Shinobi, other than your ridiculous stamina and chakra stores, of course."

"I know, but it's not like I had a lot of help or teaching besides Iruka-sensei helping me when he could."

"No excuses," Kyuubi smiled. "Now, what's next on the Konoha Grand Tour?"

"Well, you've been to the Hokage Tower and Monument, and Ichiraku's was the most important place to go, so I guess we should—"

"NARUTO!"

"—get yelled at by a blonde banshee and the rest of my old teammates," Naruto finished sarcastically as the rest of the Rookie Eleven—minus Sasuke (of course), Sakura, and Hinata—ran towards him.

Ino led the way. She had grown much taller than Naruto remembered and had filled out. She was no longer too skinny from dieting constantly; her body was slender and toned with muscle. She wore a short purple skirt with a long slit in the front, exposing her shorts beneath, and a small purple top that exposed her midriff and arms.

Shikamaru had changed the least. He still wore his hair back like a pineapple and wore his Chunin vest over his normal clothes. A half burned cigarette, a bad habit picked up by his old Sensei, Asuma, hung loosely from his lips.

Choji had grown at least six inches, giving him a greater stature to go with his weight. His former fat rolls had been replaced by slabs of muscle. He wore his family's red plate armor across his chest and shoulders, his hair was tied down his back in great spikes. He still had a bag of potato chips in hand.

Neji had abandoned his large headpiece with ear flaps that Naruto remembered. He let his long hair fall down his face and covered his Cursed Bird Seal with his hitai-ite. He wore a white shirt with extra long sleeves that covered all but his fingertips and dark shinobi pants.

Tenten's hair remained in the "panda" buns Temari had teased her for at the Chunin Exams. She wore loose fitting red Shinobi pants that ended at her ankles and a white Chinese style top with red clasps and flowing sleeves. A massive scroll was tucked into a pouch behind her back.

Lee remained a tall and skinny individual, his great strength and speed hidden beneath his slight frame. He still wore the orange leg warmers and green spandex clothing that made Naruto slightly uncomfortable to look at him, but at least he wore a shinobi vest over top of it now.

Looking at Kiba, Naruto decided that the Inuzuka must have been trying for the bad boy look and failed. He was dressed in black pants and a black leather jacket with too many zippers on it. He stood with his hands in his pockets, trying too hard to look like he really didn't care what was going on. Akumaru no longer rode on top of the boy's head; the dog was easily the size of a large wolf now, but remained the sweet puppy that Naruto remembered.

Shino was covered from head to toe in a large, hooded grey jacket with sleeves that covered his hands. He stood in the back with his arms crossed over his chest and nodded to Naruto from behind his dark sunglasses.

"Uh, hey guys," Naruto smiled as the group skidded to a halt.

"Hey guys? That's all you've got to say after six years? I can't believe it, you're still the biggest baka!" Ino yelled. Her voice reached ear-splitting levels until a giant hand covered and wrapped around her entire head, muffling the noise.

"Thanks Choji," Naruto smiled.

"Don't thank me yet," Choji winced as Ino bit down on the tender inside of one of his oversized fingers. "She hates it when I do this. You ready yet, Shikamaru?"

"This is such a troublesome pain in the ass," Shikamaru groaned, but he quickly flashed through a series of hand seals. Shikamaru's shadow lengthened and climbed up Ino's legs and in between Choji's fingers. A second later, Ino stopped struggling. Choji slowly let go and his hand returned to its normal size. Ino's mouth was covered with a hand made from shadow connected to Shikamaru's. She glared daggers at Shikamaru and Choji; Choji flinched slightly, but the lazy Nara just shrugged in response.

"That's a nice trick," Kyuubi complimented. She shook her head slightly; Ino's piercing shriek was painful to her sensitive senses.

"We came up with that a few years ago," Shikamaru explained, "sometimes have to hold her for a while. It's troublesome, but increases my chakra stores."

"Same ol' Shikamaru," chuckled Naruto.

"Not all of us can disappear for six years and suddenly return with new clothes, new weapons, and a pretty but probably troublesome woman with him," Shikamaru smirked back. "Not to mention getting arrested and ordered for execution within minutes of your return. So, as Ino was going to eventually ask: what the hell is going on?"

"Aren't you going to let her go?"

"Not yet."

"Shouldn't we get Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan first? They will want to hear this too."

"Sakura-san has duty at the hospital and Hinata is none of your concern. Just begin your explanation, Genin," Neji scowled at Naruto. Naruto answered his glare with one of his own, a fiery stare imitated from Ifrit, but ruined it by smiling.

"Alright, but you guys might as well get comfortable; even the short version takes awhile to tell."

-X-

The young shinobi listened quietly as Naruto and Kyuubi summarized their last six years. Naruto was careful not to mention any detail about The Nether, his Esper Senseis, and the other worlds he had visited; he never even mentioned anyone's powers or anything that had to do with his training—beyond saying that he spent the majority of the time training under different masters. Kyuubi kept up her act as Asher Nariko, Hunter-Nin for Hire, the entire time, using the story of meeting up with Naruto on the road and helping him train and get back to the village.

"And then my Kage Bushin popped and we got the drop on Danzo-teme and the others," Naruto concluded.

The other Rookies stood stumped for a moment, slowly working Naruto's story over in their minds.

"That was, without a doubt, the most ass-backwards plan I have ever heard," Tenten finally said, "and I work with Lee!"

"Hey! My plans are all well thought out and completely youthful in design."

"Name one that worked," Neji deadpanned.

"There was that time…"

"That didn't involve you consuming alcoholic Bonbons and using crazy purple-baboon Taijutsu while only wearing a pair of frilly pink underwear," Tenten added. Lee thought for a second, opened his mouth in protest, closed it, and hung his head in shame. Naruto and Kyuubi looked at Choji and Shikamaru, who both said: "Don't ask."

"Anyway, scary mental images aside, it's good to have you home, Naruto," Ino said (Shikamaru ran out of chakra and released her halfway through Naruto's story; she bopped Shikamaru on the head hard, but didn't interrupt Naruto). "So, what's up with the Kyuubi No Yoko?"

"Huh, what do you mean?" Naruto stammered nervously.

"Most of us were at the Council meeting and have at least an idea, so tell us what's going on."

"Um, what's going on…um…is that a new top, Ino? The purple really brings out the color of your hair."

"Thank you," Ino blushed. "Now quit stalling and spill!"

"Kuso, alright!" You guys all remember how I died and Kyuubi-chan brought me back, right?"

"Wait, Kyuubi is a girl?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah, didn't someone say that earlier? Anyway, after I came back and left on my training trip, I found out that she had forced to attack Konoha, she was being controlled. So, Kyuubi-chan and I came to an agreement: she helps me train and, after everything is finished, I'll set her free. In the meantime, she's enjoying at least some partial freedom from the seal, though her soul and most of her power is still bound and imprisoned by it."

The Rookies stared at Naruto, their jaws slack in shock, disbelief, and sheer terror. "You can't do that!" shrieked Ino. Her voice returned to banshee-like heights as her father's concerns and fears suddenly became her own. "She's a monster, a demon! She'll destroy everything!"

Naruto flinched slightly and gave Kyuubi a quick glance; she'd stiffened from Ino's insults and allegations. Her own guilt about being controlled by Uchiha Madara's Sharingan and for the burden placed on Naruto because of it was written all over her face. Naruto took a cautious step towards Kyuubi so half his body was between the fox and the others, just in case.

"She isn't like that, Ino," Naruto growled at the blonde. "What happened wasn't her fault; it would be the same as if someone from your clan mind-swapped with someone else and made them commit horrible murders. She wasn't in control of her actions and suffered unspeakable darkness because of it. And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insult those dear to me."

"But Naruto, you of all people should and deserve to hate—" Kiba stared to say.

"Hate what?" Naruto interrupted, baring his teeth at the Inuzuka in a snarl. "Hate Kyuubi-chan for being controlled and forced to attack Konoha? Hate the Yondaime for sealing her into me and basically saving everyone in the village's life, including all of yours? That would be easiest, wouldn't it? But I can't. I can't hate Kyu-chan or the Yondaime—well, at least I stopped hating that S.O.B. a while ago. Everyone's choices were taken away: Kyu-chan was being controlled, the Yondaime had to do what he did to save the village, and I never had a choice at all. We have to deal with the cards we're dealt in life and make the best of them."

"Fate decreed your life to be such and nothing will change that," Neji said seriously. "You will always suffer such tragedies because that is your Fate."

Naruto looked at Neji with a cold stare. "I thought I beat the giant Fate stick that was stuck up your ass out of you back at the Chunin Exams."

Neji's Byakugan flared and he stepped into Naruto's personal space. "You have a big mouth, Genin. You should be more cautious when using it towards your betters."

"When I find someone better, I just might do that," Naruto replied, refusing to back down from Neji's Byakugan; Ifrit-sensei had been much scarier when had been angry and his glare could literally set things on fire.

"I'll be sure to say hello to Hinata for you," Neji smirked before walking away.

"Where does that jerk get off talking to me like that?" Naruto asked the others after Neji was gone.

"Neji's been kinda full of himself ever since he made Jonin," Tenten explained.

"Neji's a Jonin!"

"Yeah, he got promoted about a year ago."

"Figures, especially with Hiashi's dealings with Danzo and the council," Kyuubi muttered under her breath. Meanwhile, Naruto was in a daze.

"I can't believe Neji made Jonin. Who else got promoted since I've been gone?"

"Well, we all made Chunin about four years ago," Ino said happily, "but Lee, Sakura, and Shino made Tokubetsu Jonin too."

"Tokubetsu Jonin…" Naruto paled.

"That's right," Lee said with a bright "Nice Guy" smile. "My Taijutsu is second only to Gai-sensei's and my weapon skills have vastly improved as well."

"Still not as good as me," Tenten added with a proud grin.

"My clan techniques have become very useful in personnel retrieval and interrogation," Shino said, speaking for the first time.

"And Sakura has been Tsunade-sama's apprentice ever since you disappeared," Ino said. They say she's almost like a Tsunade clone in medical skill and super strength!"

"Looks too," Kiba added before Ino and Tenten punched him out for being a pervert.

"So I'm the only Genin left, huh?" Naruto asked sadly.

"Nah, Hinata still is," Kiba said loudly as he picked himself up. "She's barely a shinobi at all anymore."

"Shut up, dog breath!" Ino roared and punched him again. "We aren't supposed to talk about that!"

"Talk about what?" Naruto asked. "Did something happen to Hinata? Is that what Neji-teme was talking about?" His eyes narrowed and flashed briefly to crimson as he remember the letters he found in Danzo's office about the Hyuuga's. The smallest amount guys of killing intent swelled off his body, but even that was enough to scare Ino and the others. "What happened to Hinata?"

"I'm sorry Naruto, but when she heard you were back, Hinata came to us and made us swear not to tell you anything. You'll have to talk to her tomorrow."

Naruto stared into Ino's eyes, but quickly saw she was telling the truth. He quickly looked at the others and saw the same. "Fine," he said, "but if I don't get to see her after my exams tomorrow, I'm coming looking for you guys. C'mon, Kyu-chan, it's getting late."

And with a nod to the group, Naruto vanished in a burst of sharp wind. Kyuubi gave the group a shrugging smile, showing just a fraction of fang, before disappearing in her own shunshin of bright flame. The remaining Rookies stood still for a moment, mixed with their guilt over Hinata and the shock of Naruto's reaction and sudden departure.

"He called her Kyu-chan, didn't he? I thought her name was Nariko," Ino said, breaking the silence as usual. "You don't think she was…"

"Yep," said Shikamaru.

"I believe so."

"Without a doubt."

"But the seal…" Ino protested.

"Naruto mentioned the Kyuubi No Yoko receiving partial freedom," Shino said.

"Yep."

"Most youthfully he did."

"Munch, yeah, munch."

"And I called her a… I am so dead," trembled Ino.

"Pretty much."

"You're boned."

"Doomed."

"DOOOOOOOOOMMMMMED!" howled Kiba.

-X-

The Next Morning-

Naruto stood in the same ring he fought Kiba in during the Chunin Exam Preliminaries, dressed in his armor, mask, and cloak. The ring had long been restored since Naruto had last been there and the golden statue of the Ram Seal liked pristine as ever. For the moment, Naruto was alone in the ring, save for the referee in the ANBU uniform and Neko mask.

Tsunade, Shizune (Tsunade wanted Shizune to remain in bed, but she refused to miss Naruto's tests), and Kyuubi stood in the Hokage's box while the Rookies, their Jonin senseis—minus the ever tardy Kakashi—, and several Chunin and Jonin not on duty waited in the catwalks. After looking around to make sure everyone who needed to be was present, Tsunade stepped forward.

"We're here to test Uzumaki Naruto's skills on return of his six year training trip. Myself, Shizune, and all Jonin sensei present shall be the judges and shall decide Naruto's rank if need be. This exam falls under the same rules as the Chunin Exams, save for two things: combatants may only use techniques that fall within that test's structure—Taijutsu and Taijutsu related jutsu only for Taijutsu test, Ninjutsu and Ninjutsu related Taijutsu for the Ninjutsu test, etc—and no killing will be permitted! We are all Konoha shinobi here and will act accordingly."

"Yeah, yeah, let's get to it already Baa-chan," Naruto called up to the box. "I don't have all day. Who's first: Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, or Gai-sensei?"

"You think you're going to fight elite Jonin?" Tsunade laughed. "Oh, don't we think very highly of yourself? I don't care what kind of training you did over the last six years, you're not up to be evaluated against Jonin. Your opponents will be much more familiar."

"So, I'm fighting Chunin then? Then bring 'em on already!" Naruto yelled. "I'll show you just how good I've gotten!"

"Then we'll start with Kenjutsu and Weapons," Tsunade said and nodded to the catwalk. Naruto watched as Tenten stepped through the crowd and leapt down to the arena floor.

"I should have guessed I'd have to fight you," Naruto smirked at Tenten. "You are Konoha's Weapon Mistress after all. Shame I can't use any of my Futon jutsu like Temari did."

Tenten grit her teeth; the memory of her embarrassing defeat at the fan of the Suna kunoichi was still a sore subject for her. "You'll pay for that Naruto," she growled and twirled a kunai around her finger.

"Whatever you say Ten-chan," Naruto smirked again and drew his Mage Mashers. "Whenever you're ready, Referee-san."

The Neko ANBU stepped forward and looked at both opponents. "This is a Kenjutsu and weapons match only. Remember what Hokage-sama said: no lethal techniques. HAJIME!"

Tenten sprang at Naruto with her Kunai, looking to end the match quickly. She swiped at Naruto's chest, but the blonde deflected the blow with one dagger and swung a counter at her head with his opposite hand. Tenten leapt back to avoid the counter and glared at Naruto.

A single bun of hair slowly drifted to the floor between them. A hush fell over the audience as they watched Tenten carefully touch her cut hair, her eyes never leaving Naruto's.

"You're dead!" she yelled and sliced through her remaining bun with her kunai before throwing it at Naruto. Naruto twisted out of the way, taking his eyes off the enraged kunoichi for just a second.

"Sōshōryū!" Tenten screamed as she unfurled her two trademark scrolls. Hundreds of kunai, shuriken, ninjatos, katanas, maces, and even arrows unsealed and shot at Naruto. Naruto leapt out of the way, but Tenten curved the weapons to follow, chakra wires attached to her fingers.

OK, so maybe I shouldn't have cut her hair, Naruto thought as he dodged another wave of weapons. I thought Tenten didn't care about that girly stuff.

You'll never understand women, gaki, Kyuubi said through their mental link. Hearing her voice in his head unexpectedly startled Naruto and he skidded to a halt.

Ah! Don't do that, Kyu-chan! You know I hate it when you chime in on my personal thoughts, he hissed back.

But it's so much fun Naruto-kun; especially all those perverted thoughts you think you're keeping to yourself.

Naruto turned bright red and glared up at the Hokage Box. Kyuubi just smiled at him and pointed to his right. Naruto suddenly remembered where he was and what he was doing. He dropped flat against the floor, just as a horde of Tenten's weapons shot past!

"You did that on purpose!" Naruto shouted as he stood.

"Of course I did," Tenten answered. "I'm going to hack at your head and see how you like it!"

"I wasn't talking to…oh, never mind!" Naruto yelled and slammed his two Mage Mashers together. The handles fused and lengthened while the blades grew large and more jagged. Naruto spun the Ogre over his head and crouched down into a new stance. He held the Ogre with one hand behind him, his other hand remained out in front of him, and all his weight was balanced on the balls of his feet. "No more running."

Tenten stared at the polearm with wide eyes; she had never seen a weapon transform like that. She had heard tales, legends, of weapons that could do magnificent things, but never thought Naruto of all people would wield one. Shaking off her admiration, Tenten's fingertips danced in the air, commanding her weapons to surround Naruto. With a single gesture, all of Tenten's weapons darted towards Naruto from every angle!

Naruto swung the Ogre forward and spun the polearm in a rapid circle. The weapons and Naruto became a blur of movement; for a moment, only the sound of clanging metal could be heard. Naruto finally stopped spinning and hundreds of weapons clattered onto the ground.

Heh, no problem, thought Tenten and she twitched her left pinkie, commanding a katana to rise up and strike Naruto from behind. But nothing happened. Tenten quickly tried her other fingers, but not one of her weapons would respond.

He cut the chakra wires! Tenten realized. I never even felt the cuts!

"You'll have to do better than that, Ten-chan," Naruto called from across the ring. "I saw these attacks before; don't you have anything new to try?"

"Oh, I'll show you something no one's ever seen before," Tenten smiled back dangerously. She unbuttoned her shirt and set the garment down gently. Clad in only a small black tank top, Tenten pulled out a kunai and pricked the tip of her finger. She dripped a single drop onto the inside of her shirt and an intricate black seal appeared. She dropped another drop onto the seal and the handle of a sword appeared inside the seal.

Tenten reached down, grasped the handle of the sword, and pulled it out of the seal. The sword was long enough to wield with two hands, but light enough for one. Its intricately crafted hilt was made out of gold and spotted with emeralds and rubies. The blade was slender and straight with a razor edge on both sides. The end was flat, not pointed like a normal sword, and appeared razor sharp as well. Tenten whirled the sword above her head before assuming a graceful fighting stance in front of Naruto.

"That's an interesting sword," Naruto admitted. "I've never seen a triple edged blade before."

"No one ever has. Murasaki was left to me by my parents; it's the only thing I have from them after the Kyuubi attacked and destroyed everything else," Tenten said with a fierce glare towards the Hokage Box. Kyuubi felt a pang of guilt in her chest, but quickly buried the emotion as Naruto unlocked the Ogre and sheathed the two Mage Masher daggers.

"Since you've shown me such respect, allow me to do the same," Naruto smiled and reached for the sword across his back. He removed the sheathed sword and held it in front of him. "Whisper, Chirijiraden."

White light shined off the Chirijiraden's blade, the magicite in the steel shimmered in the light. The light traveled down the blade from its curved tip and up Naruto's arm. Naruto took a deep breath as Chirijiraden's familiar power flowed into him.

Across the ring, Tenten stared at the blade with stars in her eyes. She had never seen a more beautiful instrument of death. She was mesmerized by the sword's shimmering and wanted to touch it more than anything in the world.

"Your sword…it's beautiful," she managed to whisper through her adoration.

"Thank you, perhaps later Chirijiraden will allow you to make a closer inspection. But for now, we have a match to finish," Naruto smiled and slipped into his stance.

"Let's!" Tenten grinned. The two leapt forward and flashed past each other, their respective swords ringing as they past. Three times they darted at each other, attacking and parrying simultaneously, until they stopped and stared across the ring at each other. Tenten panted heavily, her body sweaty and exhausted; no one had ever matched her in Kenjutsu for so long before. She was dirty and her tank top had a small rip across her belly.

Naruto looked as pristine as ever. His clothes were untouched and he wasn't breathing hard at all. Tenten growled in frustration.

"No one has ever matched me in Kenjutsu like this Naruto. But, as much fun as its been, this match is over!"

Tenten leapt high into the air and pointed her sword down at Naruto. "Ikorose, Murasaki!" The sword glowed with deep purple chakra. The chakra continued to rise as Tenten hung in midair. Naruto held Chirijiraden in front of him, never taking his eyes off the glowing sword above. With a heavy burst of purple chakra, Tenten's sword shot forward, its blade lengthening as fast as lightning. Naruto dodged to the side and raised his sword to counterattack, but Tenten suddenly vanished! Naruto searched the air and walls of the arena, but couldn't see any trace of the kunoichi.

Where'd you go? he wondered and searched for a trace of Tenten. But even her chakra had vanished!

"Ok, this is different," Naruto muttered and slowly took a step backward. Suddenly, a pulse of chakra flooded his senses and he spun, just in time to deflect Tenten's sword as it shot at him from ground level. The glowing blade rocketed past Naruto and stabbed into the wall beyond.

"Your technique is good, very good," Naruto smiled at Tenten as her swords glow faded and shrunk back to its original length, "but there is no style in all the Elemental Countries stronger than the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū. Let me show you—Octaslash!"

Naruto turned his blade over, leapt forward in a blur of speed, and slash at Tenten eight times with the dull side of Chirijiraden, each so fast they seemed to strike at the exact same time. Tenten had no chance to defend and let out a cry of pain as all eight strikes fell. She fell through the air and crashed onto the ground, unconscious.

"Tenten is no longer able to continue. Winner by knockout: Naruto," Neko announced. Immediately, a field medic rushed to Tenten's side and quickly examined her. Her arms, chest, sides, legs, and somehow her back were all covered in deep bruises from Naruto's attack.

"She'll be sore for a few days, but the dem—Naruto did no lasting damage," the medic reported and used a healing jutsu over Tenten's body. The bruises faded and Tenten breathed easier as she was carried off on a stretcher.

"Wait!" Naruto shouted and ran towards the stretcher. He bent and scooped Murasaki off the ground. He gently laid the unique sword on the stretcher beside Tenten and smiled as her slender hand unconsciously wrapped around the handle. Naruto nodded to the stretcher bearers and returned to the ring.

"What do you have next, Baa-chan?" he called up.

"Taijutsu," Tsunade smirked.

Wait a minute! She isn't going to make me fight Bushy-Brows, is she? Naruto thought in a panic. I don't know if I can take that kind of punishment, Naruto worried.

From what I saw in your memories, you'd need a full transformation to go toe-to-toe with Lee in a taijutsu only match, Kyuubi echoed in Naruto's thoughts. And that's only if he hasn't improved on opening his gates.

Naruto waited for a moment in suspenseful agony until Choji, not Lee, stepped off the catwalk and towards the ring. Naruto let out a sigh of relief.

"How's it going, muscle man?" he asked, using Choji's nickname from their Academy days.

"Same old, same old," Choji smiled in between bites of spare rib. He finished the last bite off the bone and casually tossed it back toward the catwalk. Akumaru caught it in a flash.

"I have to admit, I was expecting to have to fight Bushy-Brows," Naruto admitted to Choji.

"HA!" the big-boned teen barked. "Even if you trained in nothing but taijutsu for the last six years, Lee would still damn near kill you!"

"Yosh! I would do no such thing!" Lee shouted from the catwalk. "I would fight an honorable match!"

"Honorable or not, you'd still destroy the arena again," Shikamaru pointed out lazily.

Meanwhile, back in the ring, Naruto removed his sword and daggers. He tossed them upwards towards the Hokage Box. Kyuubi caught them both easily.

"As it is, I still don't like your chances," Choji stated and stretched his arms and legs. "I've been trained in my family's arts since you've left. There is no technique that I haven't mastered."

"Taijutsu: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Akimichi Choji. HAJIME!" Neko yelled.

Choji immediately lunged at Naruto, looking to use his superior size and strength. He grabbed hold of Naruto's cloak and pulled him close. Naruto slammed his fists down on Choji's wrists to break the hold. Choji countered with a powerful palm thrust and caught Naruto in the chest. The blow sent Naruto skidding backwards. Choji shook his hand to remove the sting.

Feels like I just hit a piece of solid rock! What's Naruto wearing under that cloak of his, armor? he wondered.

"Wow, Choji," Naruto smiled as he dusted himself off. "You've gotten a lot stronger in six years."

"What did you expect, that'd I sit around and eat potato chips all day while Shikamaru napped and Ino screamed at us?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Choji's face flushed red at Naruto's remark. "I don't care what kind of armor you're wearing; you're gonna pay for that! Bubun Baika no Jutsu!"

Choji's hands and arms suddenly tripled in size and mass. He reached back and shot his right fist at Naruto, the arm stretching as it covered the distance between them. Naruto dodged to the left, only to see Choji's left fist hooking in to counter. Naruto twisted, but Choji's giant fist seemed to be everywhere and clipped his side. The glancing blow was still enough to knock Naruto onto the ground.

Choji pressed his advantage and raised his right hand high into the air. His palm thinned and flattened out like an enormous paddle. He slammed it down onto Naruto, covering half the ring. The spectators in the catwalks and Hokage Box winced at the impact and the cloud of dust that rose into the air. Choji shrank his hand back down to normal size and put his fists confidently on his hips.

As the dust cloud settled, Naruto laid face down in the center of the hand-shaped crater. His body was covered in dust and bits of rubble, but he wasn't moving at all.

"Way to go, Choji!" Ino yelled from the catwalk. "You were supposed to test him, not squash him like a bug!

Behind her, Shino's hive buzzed angrily at the reference.

"I—I didn't mean to kill him, Hokage-sama. Honestly," Choji stammered towards the Hokage Box.

"I wouldn't apologize to Baa-Chan yet, Choji," Naruto said as he slowly picked himself up and brushed the rubble off his cloak. "That may have knocked the wind out of me for a second, but I'm far from being done!"

Choji let out a sigh of relief and resumed his fighting stance. "I should have known that wouldn't be enough to beat you. It's a good thing I had an extra big breakfast this morning."

Choji's almost as strong as I am without transforming: matching him blow for blow is just gonna drag this out and get one of us hurt. Naruto thought and cracked his neck from side to side. Any ideas Kyu-chan?

Why are you asking me? This is supposed to be your test, not mine, Kyuubi projected back. Naruto snuck a quick glace towards the box and saw said fox with a proud smirk on her face.

Fine, be like that! Naruto shot back with the image of a chibi version of himself sticking his tongue out at the biju. OK, matching Choji's strength is going to get us both hurt, so I guess I'll just have to turn it against him!

"One second, muscle man. Change of tactics," Naruto said and took off his cloak and hood. He slid off his gi top and the mesh armor beneath it and, finally, removed his Dragon hide greaves, sandals, and gloves as well. Barefoot, empty handed, and bare chested, Naruto slipped into a new fighting stance.

Naruto stood with his feet together and hands at his side. He took a deep breath, raising his arms in a wide circle, expanding his chest, back, and abdominal muscles in the process. As he brought his arms down, his left foot slid outward and backward. Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet and held his hands loosely in front of him, leading with his right, his thumbs and pinky fingers held out like a 'Y' while his middle three fingers curled in a loose fist.

Up in the catwalk, the females felt a rush of heat flush their cheeks at the sight of Naruto's defined body. Even in the Hokage Box, Tsunade, Shizune, and Kyuubi were not immune from the sight.

"Round two," Naruto grinned and beckoned for Choji to begin. The Akimichi heir returned the grin and ran at Naruto.

"Bubun Baika No Jutsu!" Choji roared and his arms grew in size again. He threw a gigantic fist at Naruto, but Naruto slipped the blow and countered with a single strike to Choji's shoulder. Choji grunted in pain as his entire arm went completely numb.

"What the hell was that?" Choji yelled as he struggled to lift his arm. "How did you learn Juken?"

"It's not Juken; I can't see chakra points. But Shiva-hime did teach me her Taijutsu style and how to freeze all the nerve clusters on the body. No force on the planet can move that arm for the next hour," Naruto grinned.

"Nice trick," Choji seethed, "but I have a few more too. Baika no Jutsu!" Choji's entire body swelled and grew into a gigantic human ball. "Nikudan Sensha!" Choji yelled and rolled toward Naruto at high speed.

Naruto leapt over Choji and kicked out with his right leg, adding to the human ball's momentum. Choji barreled past, but quickly turned around for another run at Naruto. Naruto ran to meet him and jumped over Choji again. Instead of kicking Choji, Naruto landed on top of the rotating ball of an Akimichi and ran in place to keep his balance. It was a hysterical sight, Naruto riding on top of the famous Nikudan Sensha, and the crowd of spectators and Shinobi roared in laughter.

Choji was the only person that didn't find it funny. He spun harder and faster to buck Naruto off. He raced toward the wall and braked suddenly, but Naruto managed to stay on. Choji finally ground his own body against one of the ring walls and knocked Naruto off his back. Naruto sailed through the air for a moment, flipped, and landed on his feet. He resumed his stance and watched as Choji stopped spinning and shrunk back to normal.

"Finally, I was waiting for you to wear yourself out," Naruto called out. "The Nikudan Sensha is a great assault attack, but I figured all that spinning had to be brutal on your senses after a little while."

"You got that right," Choji stammered. He stumbled forward like a drunk, tripping over his own feet as he tried to regain his equilibrium. "I can still beat you though!"

"Sorry, muscle man, but you're all finished. Blitz!"

Naruto dashed forward, slipped under Choji's off balance punch, and slammed his palm into Choji's belly. Spittle dripped from Choji's mouth as the air rushed from his lungs. Naruto's hands and legs became a blur as he struck Choji in a machine-gun like burst, hitting every nerve cluster on the Akimichi's body, arms, and legs. Naruto finished the assault with a straight punch to Choji's solar plexus, knocking the boy head over heels onto the ground.

Naruto stood over Choji, his fist still shaking from the last blow. Slowly, Naruto relaxed and smiled.

"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto!" the referee announced.

The medics ran out and quickly attending Choji, releasing his frozen nerves. They helped the Akimichi heir to his feet, carefully as Choji was still slightly disoriented, and helped him back towards the catwalks.

"You ok?" Naruto asked as they walked past.

"Soon as I get some BBQ chips," Choji grinned and gave Naruto a shaky thumbs-up. Naruto patted his friend on the back before walking back to the center of the ring.

"How about Ninjutsu next, Baa-chan? I'm all warmed up now," Naruto called up to the Hokage Box.

"I wouldn't get too cocky, Naruto," Tsunade warned. "The tests are just going to get harder from here on out."

"Are you kidding? Ninjutsu was always my strongest field; there's no way anyone can beat me in that now!"

"Wanna bet?" snarled Kiba as he leapt down from the catwalk, Akumaru at his side. The pair landed on all fours, their fangs bared.

"So it's a rematch, huh?" Naruto smirked as he put his cloak and armor back on.

"We've been waiting for this for a long time," Kiba smiled. "Now I can finally prove that your win in the Exams was nothing but a pathetic fluke."

Naruto laughed. "You know what Kiba, you're right. What happened last time was a fluke—"

"HA! I knew it!"

"I'll beat you both much easier this time," Naruto concluded. Kiba's and Akumaru's hair stood on end and their teeth flashed in anger. Kiba's claws lengthened and Akumaru's fur slowly turned from white, to pink, and to blood red.

"Ninjutsu match: Uzumaki Naruto VS. Inuzuka Kiba. HAJIME!" the Neko referee shouted and leapt out of the way as Kiba flashed through hand seals.

"Juujin Bushin!" Kiba shouted and Akumaru transformed into a perfect copy of Kiba.

"Shikyaku No Jutsu!" Kiba and Akumaru's bodies grew in size as feral muscle sprouted, their nails grew into curved claws, their teeth fangs, and their hair grew coarse and longer like fur. The pair crouched on all fours like an animal and flexed their clawed fingers.

"Huh? This is pretty familiar," Naruto smirked with his arms folded across his chest. "Guess I should even the odds: Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" A perfect doppelganger of Naruto appeared in a cloud of smoke beside him.

"Don't count on it Naruto," Kiba sneered. "Haven't you figured it out yet; a lot's changed in six years. Katon: Gatsuuga!"

Fire burst around Kiba and Akumaru's body, simmering with heat, but not burning them. Kiba and Akumaru ran at Naruto and leapt into a ferocious spin, fire twisting around them in curved columns. Naruto and his Kage Bushin jumped away, feeling the heat from the frothy flames as Kiba and Akumaru darted past. Before Naruto could counterattack, the Inuzuka pair had already come around for another pass. Kiba and Akumaru sped around Naruto and his clone, creating a fiery sphere around them. The heat increased until it became hard to breath. Naruto pulled up his mask up to help him breath.

I guess old dogs can learn new tricks, Naruto thought as he dodged another pass. Adding fire to this really makes it better; I definitely picked the wrong day not to wear my Fire Ring. I can't jump out of this dome without getting torched and it's only a matter of time before one of them gets lucky and clips me or my clone.

A loud pop confirmed the lucky shot as his Kage Bushin dispelled. Naruto shook his head and took one last deep breath before crouching down. Naruto's hands clenched into tight fists as magical energy swelled around his body.

"Quake!" Naruto shouted and slammed his right foot down. The ground buckled and a wave of broken earth spread out in all directions. The wave was too fast and tripped both Kiba and Akumaru. The two partners careened out of control and crashed into the floor, the fires dissipating.

"You're right Kiba," Naruto said as he walked towards the downed pair. "A lot has changed in six years. For example, do you know that magic exists?"

"So you learned a Doton jutsu? No big deal. Me and Akumaru can still light you up!" Kiba boasted. "Jinjuu Konbi Henge: Sotoro!"

A cloud of smoke burst around Kiba and Akumaru and a massive, two-headed wolf took their place. The beast stared down at Naruto with two sets of beady red eyes and fang filled mouths. The left wolf head growled savagely at Naruto while the right let out a blood-curdling howl!

"Well that's different," whispered Naruto, slightly impressed by the Inuzukas' transformation. "Wanna doggy treat?"

"Real cute, Naruto," the wolf snarled at Naruto. "Katon: Garoga!"

The wolf leapt into a massive spiraling inferno and charged at Naruto, faster than before. Naruto rolled to the left, just barely dodging the flaming drill-like attack. The wolf screeched to a halt and a strange looking smirk crossed its lupine features. Naruto glared back before looking at the healing burns and scratches on his arm.

"Like that? The Garoga is so fast that even if we miss you directly, the hot air will still cut and burn you," the wolf taunted. Naruto brushed a fleck of ash off his arm and resumed his stance.

Trying to match Kiba head on against that attack won't work, Naruto thought, that fire drill will just plow through another jutsu or even magic. I'll have to hit him another way…

Naruto smirked with an idea and channeled just the slightest bit of wind chakra into his hands.

"This time, we won't miss!" the wolf howled and spun into another fiery Garoga! Naruto stood still and waited until he could feel the heat and stink of the twin heads' breath.

"Aero!" Naruto shouted and shoved his hands at the spiraling wolf. A coil of concentrated wind sprang up beneath the charging wolf and shot it skyward. The wolf crashed into the ceiling and plummeted back to the ground. It landed hard and the transformation broke, reveling an unconscious Kiba and Akumaru at the bottom of a crater.

"Winner by knockout: Uzumaki Naruto!" Neko announced. Up in the Hokage Box and catwalks, the spectators, minus Kyuubi, were all shocked that an apparent Futon technique beat a Katon technique.

Naruto walked down to the small crater and gently helped the groggy Kiba to his feet. "How's the headache?"

"Ugh, what the hell did you hit me with?"

"Just a small, localized tornado, no big deal," replied Naruto. "That Garoga is pretty impressive frontal assault; would have drilled straight through most of my attacks. Had to hit you indirectly. But, hey, at least I didn't fart on you this time."

"You're just lucky Akumaru and I trained our tails off on Garoga. Used to spin too fast to track a target visually. Akumaru used to have to mark the target with urine so we could track it by scent."

"Thank Kami for small favors," Naruto muttered as the medical-nins walked Kiba out of the ring. His older sister, Hana, appeared with her trio of dogs and, together, helped Akumaru away too.

"Three down, one to go, Baa-chan. Who do you have for Genjutsu?"

"Why don't you take a rest first?" Tsunade asked. "You've fought three times already and you're going to need a lot of energy for your next opponent."

"I've barely broken a sweat," Naruto laughed. "Although I am starting to get hungry. Let's get this started; who is my last opponent?"

"I am," Sakura said as she walked out from behind the others on the catwalk. She shunshined to the ring floor in a shower of pink flower petals, scowl on her face.

-X-

Six Years ago-Four Days After Naruto's Disappearance…

Sakura sat in a chair just outside the Hokage's Office. She fidgeted in the chair and tried to press out an imaginary wrinkle on her skirt. She was wearing her nicest skirt and top, her hair tied up in an elegant bun.

"Becoming the Hokage's apprentice is a spectacular honor," Sakura's mother said that morning as Sakura got ready. "Don't you dare be late. Make sure your dressed nicely. Always address the Hokage as Tsunade-sama. Do everything the Hokage asks of you; but don't let her take advantage of you. If she ever gets out of line or treats you like her personal servant, you just tell me and I'll make sure the council straightens her out."

The Hokage's new receptionist—Sakura wondered where Shizune was—called Sakura's name and told her that the Hokage would see her now. Sakura stood, brushed out the nonexistent wrinkles on her skirt, and walked into the Hokage's office. Tsunade was sitting behind her desk. A mountain of paperwork had been pushed to one side of the desk, the rest was occupied by empty sake bottles, a half drank bottle, Sakura's Shinobi file, and Naruto's file.

"Good morning, Tsuande-sama. Haruno Sakura reporting for apprenticeship," Sakura said with a smile. When Tsunade didn't look up from the files, Sakura cleared her throat and repeated herself. When Tsunade ignored her again, a small vein in Sakura's forehead began to pulse. When Tsunade ignored her for a third time, the vein grew in size and threatened to burst as Sakura tried to control her temper. Meanwhile, Tsunade sipped her sake peacefully and finished reading.

"Good morning, Tsu…" Sakura seethed for the fourth time.

Tsunade's sake bottle flipped through the air and crashed into Sakura's forehead, knocking her out.

Some time later…

Sakura sat up off the ground, dizzy and suffering from a terrible headache. She looked around and recognized the floor and walls of the Hokage office and slowly picked herself up off the ground.

"I'm glad to see that sake bottle to the skull didn't do any permanent damage. The giant forehead of yours really comes in handy sometimes."

Sakura turned towards the voice and saw Tsunade sitting at her desk, still reading files as if nothing had happened, with a fresh bottle of sake.

"Tsunade-sama, why did…"

"Sit." Tsunade interrupted and pointed a single finger towards an empty chair. Sakura looked at Tsunade strangely than sat down in the chair. She fiddled with the fringe of her skirt again nervously.

"Do you know why you are here, Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm here because you selected me as your new apprentice," Sakura answered immediately.

"And why would I do that? Both Yamanaka Ino and Hyuuga Hinata show much more natural promise as field medics while you are perhaps the weakest Genin to have ever exited the academy."

"That's not true!" Sakura protested.

"Isn't it? I've been going over your dossier all morning. You've taken part in around twenty missions of varying rank so far and in each and every one you did almost nothing more than take up space. Your involvement in D-Ranked missions are nearly negligent, during your mission to Nami no Kuni you did nothing but babysit Tazuna and cry over the Uchiha's supposed corpse, and during the Chunin exams you were barely able to defend yourself and fought to a draw against Ino. Yeah, that sounds like apprentice material to me; just brimming with achievement."

Sakura found herself paying extremely close attention to the pattern on the carpeted floor.

"It was your mother's request to Danzo, probably spreading her legs for the teme too, that got your appointment, Sakura, along with Shizune being held hostage by Danzo," Tsunade reveled and grinned evilly at Sakura's shocked expression. "You didn't know that, did you? I wonder which part: the fact that my apprentice, my own niece, is being held and probably tortured to keep me in line until the Council can doctor up some loophole to have the daimyo replace me as Hokage; or that your mother is a bigger whore than every single woman in Icha Icha combined?"

Sakura had no reply; her mouth was dry, her throat tight, and her stomach a giant knot. She finally managed to whisper: "I had no idea."

"And why would you?" Tsunade raged, her temper finally getting the best of her. "Why would you know about anything that didn't revolve around you? You're nothing but a self-centered, little leech, Sakura."

Sakura trembled and shook in her seat. Tears welled up in her eyes and split down her cheeks. Tsunade's words sank in and Sakura felt her entire world splinter, shatter, and finally completely fall apart.

"I—I really am worthless, aren't I?" she wailed. "I never really did anything myself; Sasuke-kun and Naruto-baka were always dragging me along and saving me. I couldn't even protect them during the Chunin Exams—Ino-pig's team and Lee had to save me!"

Tsunade did her best to keep her angry poker face. Things were going exactly as planned.

"You know, come to think of it, I can't think of a single reason why I should teach you and not just arrange for a training "accident" in your near future."

Sakura whispered a reply, but her head was hung to low and her voice so quiet, Tsunade couldn't hear her.

"What did you say?" Tsunade demanded. "Answer me like a woman, not a weak little bitch!"

"They left me," Sakura repeated, the storm of sadness becoming a flash flood of anger. She looked at Tsunade with blazing fire raging behind her tears. "Sasuke-kun, Naruto-baka, even Ino-Pig; they've all gotten so much stronger and I'm…I'm still the same weak, know-it-all bitch I was at the academy. I'm sorry about Shizune-san and I'm sorry my mother got me this appointment by fucking around rather than my own skills. But I'm done being weak. I WON'T BE LEFT BEHIND ANYMORE! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ACADEMY, I WILL BE STRONGER THAN SASUKE-KUN AND NARUTO-BAKA! I'LL BRING MY TEAM BACK TOGETHER EVEN IF I HAVE TO DRAG THEM KICKING AND SCREAMING THE WHOLE WAY!"

"I'm slightly taken back. My plan all along was to break you down, make you see the truth. I never thought you'd actually respond with the one reply that would keep me from dropkicking you across Konoha," Tsunade smirked, remembering her own days as a Genin with Orochimaru and Jiraiya. There were too many similarities between her old team and the former Team Seven for Tsunade to ignore.

"Does that mean you'll accept me as your apprentice?" Sakura asked.

"Did you mean what you said? Because, once we start, there is no going back. You will be perfect in every way. I will push you until you break and then I will push you even more. You will be perfect, even better than me. If you're not, I will crush you beneath my heel and toast your demise. Understand?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. I won't fail you. I'm not afraid."

Tsunade smiled. "You will be. Come back tomorrow and we'll see how strong your will of fire truly burns."

-X-

Present Day

"What's the matter, Naruto-baka? No doubt the years have changed me, but don't you recognize me?" Sakura asked. Naruto nodded, still slightly taken back by Sakura's sudden appearance. Her hair was long again, pulled into pigtails like her master, and she was taller, nearly as tall as Naruto was. Her body was much more mature and lean with muscle; she wasn't as endowed as her master, but then again, no one could compete with Tsunade there. Sakura was dressed in a bright red top that left her arms bare and had the Haruno family circle on the back. Her legs were clad in a matching red mini-skirt with black shorts beneath. A bright pink obi, decorated with cherry blossoms, was tied around her waist and a pair of black gloves protected her hands. Two push daggers were sheathed alongside her medical and shuriken pouches.

Naruto noticed the musculature of Sakura's exposed arms and legs and assumed the girl had learned Tsunade's legendary gargantuan strength as well.

I'll have to keep an eye out her that, he noted. "Um, as nice as it is to see you again Sakura, will someone tell me why I'm fighting a medic-nin in a Genjutsu test?" Naruto called out.

"Sakura has always been a natural Genjutsu type," Tsunade explained from the Hokage Box. "Kakashi just never bothered to teach her anything."

"With my perfect chakra control, not only did I study Tsunade-sama's taijutsu and medical skills, but I've learned much with Kurenai-sensei as well," Sakura boasted, her face grim and her eyes looked on Naruto.

Payback time for leaving me behind. Shannaro!"

"Genjutsu exam: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Haruno Sakura. Hajime!" Neko shouted and vanished from sight, taking a farther distance away so not to get swept up in any attacks.

Neither combatant moved; they just stared at each other. Moments passed with no action and, up in the catwalks, the spectators grew antsy.

"C'mon, get going!" Kiba yelled. "Run, talk, perform a jutsu, someone throw a pie for Kami's sake!"

"The baka has a point," Naruto muttered. "We can't stall forever; we might as well get this little reunion underway."

"Reunion? This is no reunion," Sakura growled. Killer intent and chakra spilled off the pinkette in waves; it was so menacing that Kyuubi even raised an eyebrow.

"What's her deal?" she whispered to Tsunade. "She and Naruto were always friends, weren't they?"

"In the last six years, Sakura has trained to the breaking point every day. She persisted through everything I put her through; even when I was being particularly cruel, she never complained or quit once," Tsunade explained. "She hates Naruto for leaving her, even if it wasn't his choice. She wishes to surpass him in all ways, Sasuke too. She would even destroy Naruto if he were to get in her way to bringing Sasuke back."

"Girl's got purpose. Misguided, but willful none the less," Kyuubi complimented. "She's more like Naruto that she thinks."

"Her will of fire isn't like Naruto's though. It's dark and driven purely by anger. She felt heartbroken when Sasuke left without her, but only felt rage when Naruto disappeared. Naruto was her rock, she thought he would never leave her behind, that his promise to bring Sasuke back bound him to her. This is Naruto's true test; Sakura has become the strongest of their generation and she won't hold back. She hates Naruto too much."

"Good."

"What do you mean, good?"

"Let's just say the feeling is mutual."

-X-

"So that's your intention, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, his emphasis on the honorific dripped with sarcasm. He flared his chakra just enough to match Sakura's. "That's fine by me."

"Take this: Ankoku-gai ryoko-sha no jutsu!" Sakura yelled and the arena burst into flames.

All the spectators on the catwalks and in the Hokage Box screamed in horrific pain as they were consumed by fire; Tsunade called out for Naruto just before her tongue burst in her mouth and she turned to ash. The floor shook and split apart, geysers of flame and molten rock burst around Naruto, the walls and ceiling cracked and boiling blood poured out of the fissures.

"Enjoy your stay in the underworld," Sakura smiled before she stepped into the growing lake of boiling blood. She screamed as body burned and melted away to nothing.

Naruto stood amidst the fires and blood, unfazed. "Not bad for a first try, the blood probably would've made Konohamaru shit himself," Naruto said. "I'll give you points for the excessive gore, but all that fire just reminds me of Ifrit-sensei's place." He made a handseal and shouted: "Kai!"

A pulse of Naruto's chakra spread across the area, wiping away Sakura's Genjutsu and restoring things back to normal. He turned and saw Sakura creeping up behind him, fist raised to punch him into next week.

"Aw, did I break your precious Genjutsu before you could sneak up on me?" Naruto mocked and leapt away.

"I should've known a demon like you would've felt at home in Hell," Sakura growled back. Sakura flashed through another trio of handsigns before stopping on Ram. "Sakura no Dengeki!"

A fierce wind swept across the ring as Sakura began to glow bright pink. The wind increased and Sakura's body, hair, and cloths began to break away in little pieces of pink light until not a trace of her remained, only a cloud of pink cherry blossom-like pieces whirling around Naruto. The cloud filled the entire ring, the blossoms flying randomly at first, but suddenly Naruto felt a sting cut into his left arm. The cut was shallow, but Naruto felt his fingertips go numb. He clutched the wound and pulled his cloak tighter around him.

"That won't help you," Sakura's voice giggled through the air. Sakura's head and bare torso appeared as a group of petals condensed in front of Naruto. "I've already severed your median nerve. Your arm is all but worthless until your demon heals you. But by then it will be too late."

Sakura's head and naked torso dissolved again. The blossoms whirled around Naruto and he felt more cuts against his body, limbs, and face. Fortunately, his armor and cloak repelled the worst of the attacks, but Naruto still bled from dozens of cuts and scratches.

"Zabuza had it wrong," Sakura's voice whispered through the wind. "There are so many points on the body that kill swiftly and silently. He never mentioned the thoracic aorta, fourth lumbar down the spine. It's a real gusher. The wrist arteries are steady bleeders, but they take too long for me."

Naruto felt a cut correspond with Sakura's words and was again glad for his dragon scale armor and mail.

"Cutting isn't really my style; it makes things too messy," Sakura said as the blossoms gathered together again. This time, instead of condensing into Sakura's head and chest, the blossoms became a giant hand.

"My favorite remains good ol' blunt force trauma. Shannaro!" Sakura's voice roared as the hand became a fist and rushed at Naruto. The fist hit Naruto in the chest and shot him across the ring. Naruto hit the ground, skipped like a stone, and crashed into the opposite wall. The fist of glittering blossoms followed and smashed into Naruto again. It reared back again and again until it drove Naruto halfway through the wall!

The fist finally stopped pounding Naruto after the tenth blow. Naruto fell out of the crater in the wall, what little of his face that was exposed by the mask was a mass of bloody bruises. The fist flickered and the blossoms became the naked Sakura again, not just her head and torso, but all her limbs as well. As she walked towards Naruto's broken body, light shimmered off the dancing blossoms, concealing Sakura's privates and giving her an even more beautiful appearance. She watched as Naruto slowly pulled himself off the ground, spat a glob of blood off to the side, and popped his shoulders back into alignment. His exposed face and arms were bloody from a dozen cuts and abrasions, all rapidly healing and fading away. Sakura knew that all the internal wounds she had caused were healing as well.

Not that I care, she thought. Just means I get to do it again!

"You really are Baa-chan's student," Naruto said as he dusted himself off. "I don't know who hits harder: you, Baa-chan, or Titan-Sensei?"

"You should give up now, Naruto-baka," Sakura said, "or I'm going to stop holding back!"

"You do whatever you want, Haruno," Naruto said, his tone dark and serious. "This was at most a good trick, but it's already gotten old. Next time, you should try a technique that is a little less obvious, although I guess that if I had a forehead that could be seen from outer space I wouldn't bother being subtle either."

A tic mark appeared on Sakura's glowing forehead. "I'm going to kill you, baka!" she roared and shattered into a thousand shards of light. All the shards condensed back into a massive fist, twice as large as before, and streaked towards Naruto. Naruto twisted out of the way and dodged the giant fist. The fist came at Naruto again, faster and wilder, but Naruto dodged again and again. Finally, the fist floated high into the air and crashed down like a giant, pink hammer.

Naruto jumped away as the fist shattered the floor tiles. "My turn," Naruto smirked and closed his eyes in concentration. "Confu!" Golden twinkles of light appeared in the air and fluttered down to the ground like pixie dust, covering each and every glowing blossom.

Naruto jumped to the far side of the ring and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched as the fist of petals swirled and smashed randomly into the ring, the walls, and even the ceiling. And not one of the attacks was anywhere near Naruto!

"What the hell is going on?" Tsunade asked the smirking Kyuubi. "Sakura's gone wild!"

"Nah, she's just confused," Kyuubi replied, "probably a little berserk too, but that's from her own anger getting the better of her. Naruto just used a little spell on her, that's all."

Across the ring, the spectators in the catwalks came to their own conclusions.

"It's like watching a pink Lee on an alcoholic rampage," muttered Tenten as Sakura pounded the same spot three times in a row.

"Just what we need, another troublesome woman on a rampage," sighed Shikamaru.

"Yeah, well, Forehead is rampaging this way!" Ino yelled.

"Hit the deck!" shouted Lee as the pink fist smashed into the catwalk. The spectators scattered as the catwalk snapped in half and crumbled to the ground.

"Should I summon ANBU, Hokage-sama?" Neko asked after shunshining into the Hokage Box. "Sakura could destroy the entire building at this rate."

"That won't be necessary," Kyuubi said calmly. "She'll knock herself out soon." Neko and Tsunade looked at Kyuubi suspiciously, but quickly turned their attention back to the fight.

The petals began to flicker, dim, and then burn brighter as Sakura tore apart the ring. The petals scattered, condensed, and shifted rapidly, transforming from a fist to a wave of razor sharp shards to an arm or leg. Sakura's face emerged from the petals, a mask of anger and mad longing, and snapped at Naruto like an animal trying to bite its tormentor.

Sakura raced towards Naruto, hacking at the ground along the way. The petals became a giant fist and smashed into the ground in front of Naruto before it whirled in a tight circle and smashed into itself!

The petals scattered upon impact and fluttered, scattered, to the floor. With a pink glow, the petals vanished and Sakura, the real, fully dressed Sakura, appeared on the floor, out cold, a victim of her own superpowered punch.

Neko returned to the ring, checked Sakura's pulse, and said: "Winner by knockout, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto grinned as Kyuubi, Shizune, and the Rookies, minus Neji and Sakura (for obvious reasons) applauded loudly. Even Tsunade and the gathered Jounin had to nod their approval and clapped lightly; Kakashi even looked up from his book for a brief moment.

Meanwhile, Sakura stirred and slowly picked herself up off the ground, holding her limp right arm close to her body. She glared at Naruto and growled: "What did you do to me?"

"Just a little spell," Naruto smirked.

"You never dispelled my Genjutsu; how did you see through it?"

"It was a pure sensory Genjutsu; you were there the whole time, the petals just obscured your movements and scent. It was you punching and cutting me with your daggers, not the petals. It was a lot harder to detect you when you were using your push daggers, for a second I actually believed those petals were the ones slicing me up. If you hadn't been so proud and quick to want to bash my brains it, it would've been harder to figure out."

Sakura glared and glowered at Naruto, but didn't say anything.

"It was nice seeing you get a taste of your own medicine though," Naruto said with a small, mocking smile. "Getting punched in the head like that sucks, huh? Try getting hit like that every day for years and see how it feels. Maybe you should have gone around hitting Sasuke on the head instead; teme probably would've liked you more if he knew how strong you were."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again and stormed out of the ring, sulking off to heal herself.

She may not be weak anymore, but she's still a bitch, Naruto thought.

Kyuubi, Shizune, and the remaining Rookies surrounded Naruto, smiling and laughing.

"Not bad," Kyuubi smiled and sent For a human to Naruto through their link.

You're just bored cuz you didn't get to play at all, Naruto thought back.

Too true. It's been such a long time since I got to, mmm, play, Kyuubi flirted back. Naruto quickly hid his blush as the others began clapping him on the back and congratulating him.

"You've become much stronger, Naruto," Shikamaru said. "It's nice to see you've stopped running around like an idiot in a fight and yelling all the time."

"And it's nice to see you're still lazy as hell, pineapple-head," Naruto returned with a grin.

"Yosh! You must spar with me so I may experience firsthand your new Taijutsu techniques!" Lee requested at full volume.

"No way, Naruto promised to show me his sword!" yelled Tenten.

"All of you be quiet!" Shizune yelled over everyone. "Naruto's not going anywhere until he's been healed and Tsunade-sama gives him his evaluation. Now get over here Naruto-kun so I can make sure you're not too badly hurt."

"Aw, c'mon Zune-chan, you know I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Don't argue with your doctor, Naruto," Shizune scowlded and gave him her fiercest "Doctor-knows-best-now-move-it-before-I-maim-you-in-one-of-the-countless-ways-only-doctors-know-about" look. Naruto paled and sighed, but let Shizune check over his already healing wounds.

Meanwhile, Tsunade stood in a small huddle with the rest of the Jonin, discussing Naruto's performance. After a few minutes, the meeting ended and the group approached Naruto just as Shizune finished her examination.

"Bravo, gaki," Tsunade smiled like a proud parent. "Seems you were able to learn a thing or two during your six year vacation. Based on the skills demonstrated and those not seen here," Tsunade added with a wink, "you are hereby promoted to the rank of Special Jonin."

Naruto's smiled threatened to spilt his face in two. "That's because they wouldn't let you call me a Kage."

"Don't get fresh, gaki, I can still pound you into toothpaste if I wanted," Tsunade scowled. "I am also reinstating Team 7 as an active Four-Man Squad under Kakashi."

"Wait, who's gonna be our fourth man?" Naruto wondered.

"I am. And if you ever refer to me as a man again, I'll feed you to the squirrels," Kyuubi said in a scary, sweet voice and flicked Naruto on the nose. Everyone laughed, not realizing the fact that Kyuubi had A) made that threat before and B) could really do it if she wanted to.

Soon, everyone began to file out of the ring. Lee and Shikamaru helped the still sore Tenten and Choji home while Kiba's sister and her trio of dogs helped Akumaru and him home. Shino headed home by himself and the Jonin all shunshined away to do whatever they do, leaving Naruto, Ino, Shizune, Tsunade, and Kyuubi in the ring.

"Umm, Asher-san?" Ino said, fidgeting and playing with the hem of her skirt, looking everywhere but at Kyuubi.

"Yes?"

"You're…You're really the Kyuubi-No-Yoko, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Kyuubi answered with a straight and serious face. Ino turned as pale as her hair and fell to the ground.

"Please, please, please don't kill me!" she wailed and kowtowed before the tailed beast. "I didn't mean what I said yesterday afternoon, if I knew you were the Kyuubi I never would have said you were a monster or anything!"

Kyuubi bristled slightly. "You mean you never would have called me a monster to my face?"

"No! That's not what I meant!" Ino cried. "I—my father told me about what happened six years ago when he entered Naruto's mind. He told me how you attacked him and cast him out of Naruto effortlessly. I guess, I guess I was scared."

"It is wise to fear things beyond your station in life," Kyuubi said and lightly pressed a claw against Ino's cheek. "And if you must know, your father attacked me first out of fear. In his defense, I really wasn't myself at the time," Kyuubi mentioned, remembering her rage under Uchiha Madara's control. "I—I understand your actions, child. I have done horrible things to this village and deserve much of your hatred. I seek to make amends to Naruto for the endless grief I've caused him and will atone for the damage I've caused to Konoha. If you wish, I am willing to forget about what happened yesterday and start over."

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Ino shouted jubilantly. "I would love that! Where are you guys staying? Has Naruto shown you all the shops in Konoha? Oh, Kami, of course he hasn't. I so need to take you shopping!"

"You better be careful, Kyu-chan. Ino is a SSS-Ranked shopper," Tsunade chuckled. "She'll put you in a new wardrobe in under an hour."

"I'm sure I could show her a thing or two," Kyuubi grinned. "After all, I did put quite a dent in Lindblum's Business District, except for eating one of those damn pickles."

The group headed out of the arena and walked towards downtown Konoha, Naruto's growling stomach leading the way to Ichiraku's. They were nearly there when Asuma and Kurenai appeared in front of them with an entire squad of ANBU beside them. The ANBU quickly took up defensive positions around Tsunade.

"What's going on?" Tsunade demanded.

"Tsunade-sama! There's a mob marching toward the Hokage Tower," Asuma said. "They are demanding that Naruto and Kyuubi be turned over to them for immediate execution!"

"The Civilian Council is also demanding the release of Homura, Koharu, and Hiashi as well," reported Kurenai.

"Bastards have gone too far this time," Tsunade growled behind grit teeth. "I think it's high time they remembered just who the Hokage is around here."

"Hold on, Baa-chan. I've got a idea," Naruto smiled. Tsunade's breath stopped in her throat when she looked at Naruto. His grin was wide and full, his teeth slightly fanged, but it never reached his eyes. Those icy blue eyes burned with a mad fire that promised a level of torment that no one had ever seen before.

"What do you have in mind?" Shizune asked, also taken back by Naruto's look.

"You'll see," Naruto said and shunshined to the Hokage Tower, Kyuubi in tow. The others looked at each other in panic and disappeared after him.

Naruto arrived on the Tower roof just as the mob reached the base of the tower. It was a huge mob, a full riot of civilians with many shinobi mixed in throughout. Naruto recognized Haruno Misaki, Sakura's mother, at the head of the mob and saw every other member of the Civilian Council marching towards the Tower.

"GIVE US THE DEMON BOY!" the mob roared. "KILL IT! JUSTICE FOR OUR FAMILIES! REVENGE FOR THE YONDAIME! DEATH TO THE DEMON AND HIS WHORE!"

"What are you going to do, gaki," Tsunade asked as the rest of the group shunshined onto the roof behind Naruto and Kyuubi.

"They want my head, I'm going to give them their chance," Naruto replied. "Are you ready Kyu-chan?"

Kyuubi answered with a fangy smile and the flexing of her claws. She burst into a column of fire and returned to the seal. Naruto felt his muscles swell with the power surge and gave the others a quick smile.

"You all may want to stand back," Naruto said and jumped off the roof. He flipped twice and landed directly in front of the mob. Those at the front of the mob jumped back; suddenly being in front of the object of their hatred filled them with fear. They pressed into each other and gave Naruto nearly ten yards of space.

"Well, here I am," Naruto said simply. He pulled down his mask, opened his hands, and stepped towards the mob, gesturing that he held no weapons. The mob shrank back even farther with every step Naruto took towards them. "What's the matter? What happened to 'KILL IT?' and 'DEATH TO THE DEMON AND HIS WHORE?' Hmm? What happened to all that bravado and bloodthirstiness? All I see now are a bunch of whiny pussies blinded by hate and petty jealousy."

"How dare you speak to us like that, demon?" Haruno Misaki yelled. "Demon's like you should be licking our boot heels in thanks for us allowing you to exist at all! You are our tool, our sacrifice to use as we see fit."

"You make it sound like I signed up for this," Naruto growled and punched the seal on his stomach. "For years I cursed what I am; but six years ago I realized that I'm better off being a jinchūriki. It could be much worse, I could be like one of you."

"Enough! Surround him, there's only one of him! Even with his unholy powers, he's no match for all of us!" a Chunin shouted from within the crowd.

"Go for it!" Naruto laughed. "Here's a newsflash idiots: not even the Yondaime could stop Kyuubi! What chance in hell do you think you weaklings have?"

The crowd shifted nervously, Naruto's words echoing in their heads. Many glanced towards the Hokage Monument and gazed at the head of their greatest hero.

"But you aren't worth it," Naruto smirked. "I don't waste my energy or power on petty weaklings. So here's your one chance: pack your shit, go home, and don't ever pull this crap again."

The crowd milled nervously; several people in the back started to sneak away when Misaki yelled out.

"Lies! All demon lies! If he was so powerful, why did he fail to bring back Uchiha Sasuke? Why did he run from our hunter-nin for six years? Why did he need the Hokage's help to overthrow the Council? He needs to be destroyed!" she roared and threw a kunai at Naruto. The blade nicked his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, but Naruto didn't move. The wound healed almost instantly, thanks to Kyuubi's presence in the seal. The rapid healing was quickly spotted by Misaki and she was eager to point it out.

"Look how the demon defends it! It mocks us by healing just as it mocks us by resembling the Yondaime! The demon must be brought back under our control, not that Hokage cow! We're the ones whose lives it destroyed, not hers!"

Up on the roof, it took all Jiraiya, Shizune, and Ino had to hold Tsunade back from smashing Misaki into paste.

"Let me go! I'll show that flat whore who is the boss around here!" she snarled.

"Naruto said to stay back, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune replied.

"Listen to us, Tsunade!" Jiraiya pleaded. "Look down at Naruto, can't you feel the chakra pouring off him!"

Tsunade stopped struggling and looked down at Naruto. Red chakra poured off the teen in smoky waves, gliding across the ground and filling the space between him and the mob.

"Fools," he snarled. His fingers became claws and his teeth grew into fangs. Naruto's eyes turned red and his pupils slits. "You brought this on yourselves."

Naruto slammed his palms together and bowed his head. "Echoing Thunder; Pierce the Skies—Ramuh!"

Naruto's chakra rocketed into the sky above him and sliced into the clouds. The clouds turned black and thunder rumbled overhead. Rain burst from what had been clear skies only a moment ago. Lighting danced between the clouds, gathering into the largest one. The cloud hovered high above Naruto, growing larger and larger, its black mass cackling with lightning. With a boom of thunder so loud it rattled windows on the far side of Konoha, a massive bolt of white lightning crashed onto Naruto!

The blast was blinding and those at the front of the mob screamed in pain and clutched their eyes. Even up on the roof of the Tower, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shizune, and Ino had to turn away from the blast.

The light faded and Naruto emerged, uninjured by the lightning, but changed. He was dressed in a white pair of baggy pants and an open white vest. His feet were bare and a group of gold bracelets dangled from his wrists. His hair was lighter in color, almost white instead of sunny blonde, and longer, straighter. Naruto's eyes were the shadowy blue of the sky just after a storm.

"You should be grateful I chose Ramuh-jiji's avatar and not Ifrit-sensei's," Naruto said. His voice was much deeper and wiser sounding than before, like distant thunder. "Judgment Staff!"

A thin bolt of lightning crashed into Naruto's outstretched hand and transformed into a large, crooked staff with an ornately shaped head. A red jewel sat in the center of the staff's head like an eye, glowing with power.

"Be fortunate that you are not being judged this day; that this is the extent of my leniency," Naruto boomed and slammed the butt of the staff onto the ground. Lightning danced across the ground, splintering out in an electrified spider web until it enclosed the entire mob. The lightning touched every member of the mob, dancing into their feet and traveling into their brains. The effects were instantaneous.

The mob let out a collective moan of bliss. Hands dove beneath belts and pants and up skirts as each and every person touched by lightning fell to the ground. They gyrated and moaned and finally seized in ecstasy before passing out from the pleasure. The smell of sex in the air was thick and heavy.

Naruto clapped the butt of his staff on the ground again and a new lightning bolt crashed down on him. When it dissipated, he was restored back to normal. Kyuubi reappeared next to him in a burst of bright flame and did not look pleased.

"What did I say about you using perverted attacks?" she growled and slapped Naruto across the back of his head.

"Aw, c'mon, Kyu-chan. You gotta admit, it worked great and killing all of them would have been a big pain in the ass."

"I suppose it was somewhat amusing," Kyuubi smiled and suddenly swooned as the scent of sex assaulted her sharp senses. "Ooh-mmm, is it hot out here? Naruto-kun, let's go cool off," she winked and crooked a finger at Naruto. Naruto blushed brightly and pulled up his mask as Tsunade, Shizune, and Ino leapt off the Tower roof and landed beside him.

"What the hell did you do, gaki?" Tsunade asked angrily.

"What was that lightning?" Shizune wondered.

"What's that smell?" Ino asked, glassy eyed and flustered.

"I used a little trick I learned from Ramuh-jiji to overload the pleasure centers in everyone's brain. They just had the greatest sexual experience of their lives and should wake up in about an hour, wanting a cigarette and feeling much better about life in general," Naruto replied.

"Ramuh, the mythical Esper of wisdom and lightning, taught you that?" Tsunade looked skeptical.

"Well, not exactly," Naruto grinned.

"The real attack is called Gyoretsu boruto and its designed to destroy or alter the targets nervous and sensory systems," Kyuubi explained. "Like your famous Ranshinsho, it alters what the target feels, sees, and does. Since everything people experience is merely an electrical signal interpreted by the brain, the attack is one hundred percent genuine to the target."

"Basically, I can make your heart stop or make you see nothing but blue kaiju with the same attack," Naruto grinned proudly.

"Or turn it into the single greatest perverted jutsu I've ever seen," Tsunade muttered. "Jiraiya would be so proud."

"Perverted or not, that was pretty awesome," Ino laughed. "You definitely showed them."

"Eh, they'll be back to bitching about me within a day or two; they just don't realize how easy it would be to sink to their level and do something permanent," Naruto said gravely.

"But that's not who you are," Shizune said and placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You're a good young man, Naruto-kun. Don't ever forget that."

"Thanks Zune-chan."

"Alright, now that that is all over, will someone please get this filth off my front doorstep," Tsunade said and snapped her fingers. ANBU appeared and looked around at the downed mob.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Clean up this mess," Tsunade ordered and curled her lips in disgust at the sight of the pleasantly smiling Misaki. "You might want to use gloves; I don't want any of you catching something." The ANBU set to the task without complaint, although one in a Seal mask gave Tsunade a sour look when he had to pick up a heavyset merchant with stained pants.

Meanwhile, Ino said her goodbyes and set a girl's day date with Kyuubi to go shopping. Tsunade and Shizune returned to Tsunade's office, Tsunade already complaining about having to catch up on paperwork and damning Naruto for throwing all of Konoha into an uproar in only a single day.

Naruto and Kyuubi walked through the placated mob, happily stepping on those in their path. No one stirred, not even when Kyuubi dug her heel into the groin of a particularly disgusting looking civilian; the man just moaned and smiled lecherously in his sleep.

"I think you did too good a job, Naruto," Kyuubi said. "It's one thing to disable them, but this is a little much. You didn't have to give them pure pleasure you know. You could have made them all shit themselves or something equally embarrassing."

"They'd be angrier if I did that," Naruto reasoned. "You know how these people are, Kyu-chan. All they see is themselves. They are blinded by money or their own buried pain; they don't want to see anything else because it would hurt too much to change now."

"One day, they'll see us and the truth. And maybe, just maybe, if they do it soon enough, I won't eat them," Kyuubi said with a toothy smile.

"C'mon Kyu-chan, you shouldn't joke about stuff like that. You know fatty foods give you indigestion."

Naruto and Kyuubi continued to laugh as they walked down the streets of Konoha, not paying more than a passing glance as to where they were or where they were going. Dusk began to settle as the sun slowly dipped behind the Hokage Monument and the pair slowly headed towards Training Ground 44 and the camp they had set up the night before in the "Forest of Death."

The pair reached the entrance to the Training Grounds when Kyuubi paused. She sniffed the air and turned around. Naruto took notice and his hands instinctively fell towards his daggers. He looked over his shoulder and stared, his right hand fell limp to his side, and his left pulled down his mask.

"Hello, Hinata-chan," he smiled softly.

"Hello, Nar-Naruto-kun."

-X-

Technique List

Sōshōryū—Twin Rising Dragons!

Ikorose, Murasaki!—Shoot to Kill, Violet!—Tenten's sword glows purple and lengthens with lightning speed, piercing through the target.

Octaslash—a swift sequence of sword slashes, though not always comprised of eight hits. Made famous by Sephiroth.

Bubun Baika no Jutsu!—Partial Multi-Size Technique!

Baika no Jutsu!—Multi-Size Technique!

Nikudan Sensha!—Human Bullet Tank!

Juujin Bushin!—Beast Human Clone!

Shikyaku no Jutsu!—Four Legs Technique

Katon:Gatsuuga!—Fire Style: Fang over Fang

Quake—Earth Elemental Magic

Jinjuu Konbi Henge: Sotoro!—Human Beast Combination Transformation: Double Headed Wolf

Katon: Garoga!—Fire Style: Fang Wolf Fang!

Aero—Wind Elemental Magic

Ankoku-gai ryoko-sha no jutsu!—Underworld Traveler Technique!—Genjutsu were the environment is transformed into Hell, complete with hellfire and all the accompanying horrors.

Sakura no Dengeki!—Cherry Blossom Blitz!—Sakura bursts into a cloud of cherry blossom petals and assaults her opponent using the blossoms as cover.

Confu!—status effect spell, target becomes confused and is unable to distinguish friend from foe and often will target oneself by mistake.

Gyoretsu boruto—Matrix Bolt—lightning that travels into target's brain and overloads the nervous system. Naruto can target any part of the brain, making the target experience, feel, see, do, etc whatever he chooses. Since all anyone experiences is an electrical signal interpreted by the brain, the attack is one hundred percent genuine.

Ranshinsho—Nervous system rupture

Author's Note:

Well, it's been a long time since I worked on Espers, but I think the wait was worth it. I hope you all liked Naruto's tests. I know it's something that is done in like 99% of all fics at one point or another, but I really didn't know how else to A) showcase Naruto's new skills and B) show how the rest of the Rookies had progressed in six years. I hope you all enjoyed the fights with Kiba, Choji, and Tenten. I particularly liked the additions to Kiba's attacks—a fiery Garoga is just too cool—and bonus points for whoever can guess where I got Tenten's new sword from.

Sakura. Well, I'm not going to say anything about her yet. I kind of want to see your reactions to her first before I reveal what I have in mind.

And I'm not going to lie, I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Naruto confronted the mob of villagers. I got the idea from a New X-Men comic when Emma Frost gave a group of protestors and reporters telepathically induced orgasms. And it's not a proper Naruto fic without at least one perverted jutsu!

Let me know what your thoughts are on the new chapter and hit me up with any ideas of things I should try or things you'd like to see/things I can do better.

Next time on Naruto: Rise of the Espers…

"Hinata's Pain; Danzo's Rage!"