Chapter 7

The lightning flashed in Hinata's eyes as she watched the two battle. No one was landing blows, as Yoru knew every move that Sasuke was going to make before he made it, and then Sasuke was just as fast as Yoru when it came to parrying his attacks.

She felt helpless in the midst of the sparks and rain. No interfering. She had 'told' them that she wouldn't. But she would have to if things got too bad.

Sasuke ducked under Yoru's blade, and then brought a leg under to trip him. Yoru jumped it, and decided to fall back for a moment. He stepped away, dropping into a defensive stance.

Sasuke growled, following suit. It turned into a glare match, until Yoru was fed up with the waiting and charged, catching the raven off guard.

Sasuke stumbled back, clutching his shoulder. 'Damnit…' he growled, baring teeth at the man.

He lifted his sword and returned with a vengeance, with more power, slashing angrily through the air, so fast that you could have heard the wind whistle against the blade, had it not been raining.

Yoru still dodged ever blow, sliding easily around, and snaking his own sword under Sasuke's.

After a moment of the sparring, Sasuke let his guard down once again, and he stared to the side. His sword had been dislodged from his fingers, and was now stuck in a nearby tree.

He murmured under his breath, still having to avoid Yoru's relentless attacks. Without his sword, Yoru was getting in more hits than misses, putting him in the definite lead.

Hinata thought for a moment, then dashed over to the sword, pulling hard on the handle. It took a precious minute, but with some work, it slid out of the bark. She looked around for the two, and saw they were now just a few trees away from her.

'Yoru!!' She yelled, tossing the sword to Sasuke. Yoru had turned just long enough for Sasuke to gain a quick upper hand.

Yoru shot a malicious glare at her, but had to turn his attention to his own fight, as his opponent had finally landed a hit to his left arm.

Suddenly, Yoru paused, after catching Sasuke's sword on his own. He looked up. A single crow was making its way overhead. I'm sorry to cut our battle so short, but I have business to attend to.' He smirked, pushing the sword away, and leaping off into the trees.

'Get back here damnit!!' Sasuke went to take after him, but found himself wrapped in a pair of arms. 'Hinata let me go!' He growled, trying to pry her arms from his waist.

'No! Let me see those cuts!' She demanded. Grudgingly, he allowed himself to be quickly checked over.

'Be careful…' Hinata said, letting him get up from the branch they had stopped on. He turned away, after grunting a quick acknowledgement. She took his hand and pulled him back around to face her.

'I mean it.' She leaned up, and kissed him softly on the cheek, and Sasuke felt his face go red. Jerking his hand out of hers, he jumped away, leaving Hinata a bit hot-faced and flustered. She quickly followed, wondering what was going on now in Konoha.

--

'Tsunade, the Village Hidden in the Leaves 5th Hokage…You appear to be a little worn down…?' Yoru stopped in front of the woman, signaling the others to stop their attack, and go elsewhere.

'Who the hell are you?' Tsunade hissed.

Naruto dashed up beside her, and joined her gaze.

'Yoru Hane, the one who will trigger your demise.' Yoru said, rather casually, for challenging a Hokage.

'Tch, yeah right Yoru. Like hell when I'm around.' Naruto chimed, angrily.

'Ah…the nine-tailed fox child…I've actually been wanting to talk to you.' Yoru said, ignoring the threat.

'Kid my ass! I'm the next Hokage!' Naruto had finally had it with Yoru's smooth attitude, and charged at him. Yoru quickly side-stepped the blow, only to be met on the turn-around by a fist to the face.

He regained his balance once more, and easily made his way into his new opponent's defenses. Naruto stumbled back, leaving Yoru a clear opening to get to Tsunade.

She growled, grabbing his wrist, and sending chakra through it.

'Gah!' He dropped his sword, and yanked his wrist away from the Sanin and Hokage. She smirked, and sent him flying through the air with a punch to his abdomen. She heard a rib crack and watched him crash into a building.

'Hmm…wonderful.' She remarked, straitening her posture. The building crumbled into a pile of rubble around Yoru. 'Although I think I overdid it a little…' She sighed. 'Naruto?'

She turned away from the building to see Naruto staring at her.

'What? Have you not seen that happen before?' She asked, and he shook his head in disbelief, and as his answer. She laughed.

'Don't think you can get rid of the hawk so easily.' Yoru was climbing from the rubble, cut and bruised, and with a few cracked ribs.

'Damn you…' Tsunade cursed. She was beginning to run short on chakra. It wouldn't be long before she was completely worn out, and exhausted of her power.

'Naruto, if we hope to win, we need to double-team him. Catch him off guard and put him in a tight spot, then eliminate the bastard. I'm assuming that he's the leader of this entire operation, considering that he's daring to challenge me.' Tsunade whispered to Naruto.

He nodded, and took up his fighting stance.

'You're right about one thing, Tsunade; I am indeed the leader of this army. But also Orochimaru's final replacement, seeing as Kabuto has been 'taken care of' by a few rogue ninja.' He smirked.

Tsunade scowled at him.

'Come on Naruto.' She said.

Naruto dashed at Yoru once more, a kunai in each hand, and the match began.

--

Sasuke was searching frantically through out the entire village to find Yoru. He couldn't find him anywhere. Hinata was tagging behind him, keeping an eye out with her Byakugan.

'See him?' Sasuke asked her.

'No. I do see Tsunade-sama and… Naruto-kun?!' They stopped.

'What? I thought he was in a come at the hospital! Are you sure?'

'Yes… It's him…He's fighting something, I can't see any chakra signature though…'

'How can…No chakra? What is going on?' Sasuke took off again, and Hinata squeaked, then followed.

--

Naruto stumbled back, and Yoru then sent him flying, with a kick to the chest, and he landed in a crumpled heap on the concrete. Slowly, his form disappeared, leaving Tsunade alone to fight Yoru.

'Damnit.' She cursed

'So the boy was only a copy…? Oh well, I deal with his real self later. You are my only target.' Yoru dashed at her, leaving barely any time for her to be ready, and she felt her arm sting. Angrily, she lashed out with a kunai, then kicked him backwards.

As she steadied herself, she looked at her arm. The cut was along the entire length of her arm, but shallow. While Yoru was recovering, she quickly patched the skin, and prepared for another attack. When Yoru lunged at her this time, she was ready to counter his moves, and even land a few attacks of her own.

'Shit, you have way to much on your old mind…' Yoru growled, stepping back.

'…Old…? I'll show your ass old!' (Oooh…wrong thing to say Yoru…wrong thing to say…)

He didn't have a second to think, as Tsunade charged, pissed off, at him. A few painful moments later, he found himself in a heap on the wet ground.

'Ow…?' He muttered, getting up.

'Don't you know when the hell to give up?'

'Clearly not.' He picked his sword up off the ground and lashed out. Tsunade countered the blow with her kunai.

'Behind you, Tsunade.' She jerked around and gasped. Yoru's sword pierced her chest, and she coughed.

'A shadow…clone?' She closed her eyes.

'You're not very observant…' He smiled at her.

'Damn…damnit…'

--

By the time Sasuke and Hinata had reached the scene, it was too late. Tsunade was lying on the ground, in a pool of her own blood, gasping for breath.

'Tsunade!' They jumped over, and Hinata began to try to heal the wounds, but Tsunade waved her hands away.

'Sasuke…find, in the… office…the drawer on the bottom left…give it to Naruto…okay?' She gasped.

Sasuke nodded, tears in the corners of his eyes.

'I can't cheat death…I know my time is today…the grim reaper…wants me today…I can't change that…so I go knowing I go protecting the…village I love…' Tsunade smiled weakly.

'No, Tsunade! Don't go yet, please, the village just lost the 3rd, not you too!' Sasuke said. Over the past few years, she had become like a grandmother to him.

'Tsunade…' He sobbed. She let out her last breath of air and he let the tears flow.

'DAMNIT YORU!' He screamed.

Hinata took him in her arms, holding him close to her warm body, crying with him.

"Hinata, I will leave you for now, but I will return for you, as you are to be my bride…" She heard Yoru's voice inside of her mind.

"NO! Leave me! I will not marry you." She snapped back, and she felt his presence retreat from her mind.

The rain was beginning to clear away, leaving the sky bright. It clearly didn't know that Konoha had just lost its 5th Hokage.

AN-OMG!! I killed to Hokage!! I am soooo evil!! cries

Yeah, I'm sorry, I had to do it… Trust me, I had another Mini-Argument with myself over it, and finally I decided it was for the best…kinda…oy...

At aaaaaaany rate…This story has reached 1000 hits!! WOOT!! And thank you very much for the reviews everyone, I'm really glad you're enjoying it!

Till next update!

TTA