A/N-
-get ready for a VERY long chapter
-Still looking for someone willing to Beta my chapters. Someone with some knowledge of Japanese to help me with Jutu names is a plus.

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Chapter 9

Rise, the Dreaming Down

Naruto stared at his plate of tasteless, stringy, oozing, inedible vegetables that his mother had cooked for his lunch. It wasn't only the food that made him lose his appetite it was that in one hour he would begin the Jounin exam. To help him out yesterday his mother requested that Gai, Kakashi and one of her own friends come to spar with Naruto. He held his own against Gai and Kakashi, although he did lose, and was able to press his mother's friend into giving up, which bolstered his confidence a great deal. Today was a different day however and he was shaking with anticipation, he couldn't eat.

"Naruto." His mother spoke and he looked up at her. "It's ok to be nervous and scared. It is going to be long and hard." He just blinked. "Naruto?"

"I heard you, I'm just trying to figure out why you think I'm nervous and scared. I'm looking forward to it! I'm going to mow through those tests just you watch! I will be done in a couple hours!" He grinned and put his arms behind his head. Kushina had to grind her teeth from leaping over to throttle the cocky boy.

"If you can finish the exam in a couple hours then it should only take a couple of minutes to eat your food. I cooked it myself, now dig in." She snapped. Naruto looked down at the plate with a certain amount of apprehension. A bead of sweat dropped down his head. He looked up to see his mother cross the table eyes narrowed and locked on his. She stared. He looked down at the plate again, his hand holding the silver-ware quivered. He looked up to his mother again. Her lips pursed and she leaned slightly forward. Eyes back to the plate he chokingly stabbed some strange white thing that reeked of good health. He was sweating profusely now his eyes darting between the strange food and his mother. Strange food-mother, Strange-food-a snarling mother. Strange-food-a mother crawling over the kitchen table towards his eyes blazing. That broke him and he quickly popped the food in his mouth and forced the foul concoction down his throat. His mother smiled immediately and went back to her seat.

"Good boy."

"I'm not a dog."

"Of course your not." Naruto ground his teeth and huffed. He slide his plate forward and stood ignoring the evil glint in her eyes, he gave her, her fun already.

"I have to get ready, they said something about an oath taking before the written test." He was lying Kushina knew, he was going to stop off and get some Ramen from that accursed stand he sneaks off to. 'Oh well' She thought. 'I guess some food in his belly is better than none.'

"Well if you're going to get ready then I have something for you. She walked over to a closet and pulled out a large pack wrapped in a bow. Naruto looked at it curiously. "I got this for you the other day. I made some changes to it. I-I really hope you like it."

Naruto was intrigued now; this was a nervous side of his mother he hadn't seen yet. He took the package and sat down and tore the paper off. He always loved presents since he never had any growing up. Each one seemed doubly special to him. With the paper off he pulled open the box. And pushed aside the thin wrapping paper and stared. Slowly he pulled out the coat and stood up looking it over. Under the coat were some new pants with shin guards and some boots. The new outfit was. Awesome.

"Mom…" A tear fell down on cheek as she smiled at his mother. "This is, the second best present I've ever gotten." Kushina shifted nervously and gave a tremulous smile.

"What was the first?"

"You." Kushina gasped, before she knew what happened she had darted across the room and had Naruto in a crushing embrace.

"M-Mom!" He gasped out. "B-b-b-reath! Help!" Kushina reluctantly let go of her son and gave him a soft lingering kiss on the cheek.

"I love you Naruto. Those words were the best present you could ever give me as well." She smiled at him eyes shinning.

"I love you to, and thanks again for the outfit, it looks cool."

"Your welcome." She ruffled his hair. "Now go get ready, and have the women drooling over you." Naruto grinned and darted up to his room with the new ensemble. "And Naruto!"

"Yeah?" He called down from his room.

"If you let any of those drooling girls touch you, there will be hell to pay." There was no reply from the room and she chuckled. Sighing she headed up to her room as well to get into her own clothes, he didn't know it but she had been asked to be part of his test and she had agreed.

Naruto checked himself out in the mirror and was ecstatic over his new look. His old orange and black zip-up was gone. He now had on a heavy white tee-shirt with a golden symbol of the leaf in the front. Actually he had five one for each day. Over that was a black long sleeve overcoat that went halfway down his thighs. At the bottom of the coat was a sea of golden flames trying to reach up like grasping hands. The color of the coat was wide and flipped up around his neck there were think metal links imbedded in the collar that extended around to his shoulder-blades and upper spine. This gave him a little protection against a neck strike or a knife from behind without making the coat too heavy. On the back threaded in gold was a picture of a dawning sun overlooking a small silver fox. On the cuffs were some more dancing gold flames. His Forehead protector was now black, black cloth and black metal, the leaf symbol was also edged in gold. The pattern of black continued to his pants and boots. The shinobi boots had the usual soft sole and toe to keep down noise and they were laced high to his half. A small silver emblem of the fox was on each side. And the shin guards followed a similar pattern that his forehead protector and gloves had, black with gold etching. He had is hair in the usual spiky look. He looked like the Yodaime only 10 times cooler in his opinion. Grinning at the new look he pulled on his father's old gloves and gathered up his tools and pouches strapping them on and tucking some kunai in the new hidden sleeves that the new outfit had.

"Wow Hinata and Sakura are gonna love this!" He said out-load. He only had twenty minutes to get to the test facility. He ran down stairs to show his mother, only to find she was no longer in the house. She left a note however apologizing that she would be unable to speak or see him again till the test was complete as she could not aid him in any way. He frowned a bit. He was hoping she would be able to at least see him off, but figured that things couldn't always go his way. Taking a deep breath and headed out of his home towards the Academy.

Naruto was walking through the streets and was doing his best to ignore the gasps of surprise from many of the populous. He could hear people whispered that the Yodaime had returned from the grave. Other noticed Naruto and the populous was fast realizing that Naruto looked too much like the 4th to be ignored. The heir had shown himself at-last and the words raced ahead of him though the streets. He grinned at the acknowledgment.

Sakura and Ino were walking out of the Hokage tower going over some medical reports from the hospital when they noticed the people running all over the excited chatter. They looked at each other and shrugged moving over to some of the citizens.

"Excuse me." Sakura asked. One of the men stopped for her. "What is all the excitement about?"

The man's chatter washed over them in gabbled excitement. "It's the 4th! His heir has come to leave us to salvation! He looks like dawn coming over a mountain! He's amazing!" The man ran off to spread the word some more, people seemed to be talking and shouting all over. It would be close to a riot soon. Sakura and Ino looked at each and glared.

"Naruto!" They said in unison and not in a kindly way. They leapt off to seek him out. They saw many chunnin guards trying to calm the populous and explain the situation of who the 4th son is before things got out of control and too many tall tales spread. It didn't take long for the pair to find the boy at his favorite Ramen stand. Across the street about twenty villagers had gathered muttering to each other, looking over in wonder and hope. 'Jeeze' Sakura thought. 'You would think the village is dying or something' Sakura thought at the reactions of the people. Things were very very good so why all this doom and gloom and hope thoughts the people were having.

Naruto had just finished his meal and thanked the old man, who gave it to him for free. He got up and turned to leave when he saw Sakura and Ino jumping down. They both opened their mouths to say something but no words came out as they saw his new outfit and their jaws went slack. 'Is this the same Naruto?' Ino thought? 'Man he is hot!' Sakura was having similar thoughts only going much farther causing her to blush a little.

"Hey Sakura, Ino! How do you like my new outfit? Cool huh!" The girls nodded numbly. "Well I have to go the exam starts soon! I will talk to you afterwards! Bye!" and he leapt to the roofs and took off at high speed.

"He's mine." Ino spoke up first.

"Like hell you hate him! I'm his team-mate he is mine!"

"You like Sasuke!"

"He isn't here and so do you!"

"Actually." A hard and angry voice broke into their squabbling. They looked over to see a furious Hinata and gulped. "He is mine and will forever be mine, if either of you two tarts even tries to go beyond friendship, your career as medics will fast come to a halt." Hinata started to walk away then turned around and gave the two a hurt look. "You were both supposed to be my friends." And she body flickered off.

Sakura and Ino looked at each other in shame.

"Wow we really screwed up there." Ino said sheepishly. Sakura nodded.

"Yeah…"

-

Naruto arrived at the academy. Some of the students were pointing out his outfit as he walked through the halls, it really gave him a lot of confidence and a bounce to his step. He arrived at the academy door to see Tsunade waiting for him.

"Good you're a few minutes early" she said.

"Hokage-sama." He said respectfully with a bow. Tsunade raised her brow at what was probably one of the few formal greetings he had ever given her.

"Naruto. I have to explain some things to you. The exam is in two parts. The first part is the written test and the second part is the practical. The written test will be two hours long and will cover an extensive about of shinobi knowledge that every jounin needs to know as they often partake in solo missions. This isn't like the chunnin exam. You must answer these and pass with a 90 or better. You can not cheat or you will be disqualified. It does not mean don't get caught cheating, it means flat out, Don't Cheat." Naruto nodded in understanding.

"The practical exam begins if you pass the written test. We will have the grades within fifteen minutes for you so that gives you enough time to take a break and get something to drink or a snack. If you pass then you will be contacted by a member of ANBU to come to my office immediately. The purpose of this test is to run a simulation of a real S class mission. From the point of orders to appear to receiving the mission, carrying it out successfully and coming home. This is a pass fail, if you do not succeed in the mission you will be forbidden from taking another exam for one year. Understood?" Naruto nodded confidently.

"Naruto I want you to understand something. This will be a real S-class mission you will be going on. You really do have a chance to die. Although we set up the mission those whom you will be up against will not go kind on you. Some of them WILL try to kill you. People you might have known or see in the halls will try to KILL you. Do you fully grasp how serious the situation is?" Naruto gulped. He hadn't really planned on this, but there is no going back now.

"I understand baa-chan. But one question. That means I must try to kill them to, doesn't that make it harder of the village if they lose more than one shinobi just for a test?" He asked.

"It might seem that way, but no. There has never been a tester death in eight years of this exam. There have however been six petitioner deaths. Don't take this lightly Naruto please." Naruto put a hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me baa-chan. I won't let you down." He gave his trademark grin then walked into the room standing proud.

"Oh Naruto one last thing." He turned before closing the door. "Love the outfit." She winked at him causing him to blush and shut the door.

He looked around the room. It was start white. White every where. Floor walls, ceiling, desk, the instructors desk, his cloths, his hair, his mask. It was very disturbing. He walked further into the room towards the single desk with a thick packet and pencil. He looked and bowed to the ANBU masked instructor. Naruto could tell it was a woman, using his knowledge taught by Jiriya, he could tell she wore a 34C cup had a five foot reach with a swing before taking a second step, had enough ability to do several flips and block high with both her arms and legs due to the loose nature of her clothing to allow her more flexible movement. Her longer slender neck would allow her to twist her neck more and probably her torso giving her a faster range to inspect a surrounding. He looked for a hint of hair, but didn't see any. However from his memorization of the various kunoichi in the village he knew it could only be one person that he knew. He came up from the bow

"Anko-sama" I am ready.

"How the HELL did you know who I was?!" She ripped off the mask.

"Your breasts are some of the finest in the village. It is hard not to know them on sight!"

"Why you little!" She took out a kunai but stopped in mid throw and looked down at her chest. "Do you really think they are that nice?" She suddenly asked. Naruto nodded vigorously.

"Oh yes they are close to perfect!" She beamed and put the mask back on. "Oh you will do nicely." She sat back down. "Ok from this moment on NO speaking. No questions not even a bathroom break. You have two hours to complete the packet in front of you. That leaves an average of 2 minutes per question. This isn't multiple choice, you will have to write out each answer. You can begin…now!" She started the timer and sat down looking intently at the blond.

Naruto calmly picking up one of his five pencils and opened the packet to his first question and blinked at the difficulty. 'List three possible C class Jutsu that would be effective against a Doton Earth wall when a Suiton: Water dragon is coming in from above at 30/km+ per hour. List why that jutsu would be effective note blood-line or personal creative jutsu will not be accepted. Standard Jutsu that any average chunnin would know is the only option.' How the hell was he supposed to know this? The question depends on knowledge of Jutsu that…wait, Jutsu that he doesn't know. But he had seen something similar done by Kakashi and understood the point of the questions. He had worked in enough teams to see many different jutsu and if he knew them and could come up with a way to use them then he could also know how to counter them. He grinned and dove deep into the test.

-

Tsunade sipped her coffee while watching Naruto scribble furiously on his test. He was struggling and falling behind on the test. If he didn't find a way to catch up he would miss key questions at the end that would fail him. She sighed and looked up to her visitor.

"He figured out his instructor was Anko within five seconds of just looking at her." Tsunade said

Kushina looked startled. "Wasn't she in full ANBU dress?" Tsunade noted. "Then how?"

The Hokage smirked.

"Jiriya's influence. He knew Anko's measurements, most pertinent was her breast size." The older woman snarled in annoyance.

"Why that little shit! When we are done with this I will lay into him so hard he won't even touch a woman for a year!"

Tsunade started to laugh. "What did you expect? He wandered around for three years with Jiriya! That fool was as perverted as a guy could get! Something is bound to have rubbed off on the boy."

"I don't have to like it or let him ogle every kunoichi he knows."

"Ah leave off it Kushina. The boy was trained to size up his opponents possible skills by looking at women, It's the way he knows." Kushina huffed and promised to have a word with the boy anyways.

"How is he doing?" She asked. Tsunade looked worried.

"Not too good. He seems to know the answers but is writing too slow. If he doesn't catch up within the next hour he will fail."

Kushina chewed on her finger nails. "Crap we never took into account that his writing speed would hurt him. His hand writing is piss poor!" the fifth just shrugged.

"Call it an unexpected circumstance that he needs to overcome and improve instantly." She replied. She poured the worried mother a drink of Sake and they watched the boy through the crystal.

-

Naruto was sweating. The questions were tough and he was a slow writer. He knew his short-hand wasn't allowed since they wouldn't be able to read it. Its like he needed four hands to get it done. Wait. He stopped his writing and looked up. They said he couldn't cheat, this wouldn't be cheating. After all if he had a mutation that grew a third arm could that be considered cheating if he used it to write? Grinning he threw his hands together and wordlessly created a shadow clone to help him catch up on the test.

Anko leapt up from her seat. "Uzimaki! Your failure to follow the rules of the test has disqualified you. You have failed, dispel the clone and leave the room!"

Naruto ignored her and continued to work on the test at a furious rate. He was doing one page and the other clone picked up a pencil and was crunched beside him working on the other. Anko continued to screw at him that he had failed, but he didn't care or believe her. He would finish this test. When Anko dispelled the clone, he would create another one, when she dispelled that he made 2 and had one block any further attacks she made. All them didn't make one whisper and break the rule of speaking.

-

Tsunade stood up at the scene in the ball. "That fool boy! What is he thinking! He just disqualified himself!" She snarled into the air. Kushina leapt to her son's defense.

"What do you mean disqualified! What did he do wrong?" Tsunade looked at her like she was crazy.

"He used a jutsu to cheat! It is forbidden to use Jutsu during the test!"

"Bull shit! That isn't cheating Tsunade and you know it! He isn't gaining any outside knowledge from it. The clone is HIM with all his knowledge, and his skills consider it a damn writing tool. And you never said that no jutsu was allowed, just that he couldn't cheat!"

"It's the same damn thing Kushina!"

"It is not! The boy hasn't broken any of your rules. He is a slow writer so he used his skills and knowledge to improve on that weakness and overcame it! That's the point of a shinobi and look! He is still doing the test despite Anko telling him to stop. He is plowing through and catching up on the questions. Now get down there, shut the women up and let him use the fucking clone to finish the test." Kushina glared at her old friend. Finally Tsunade relented with a scowl and left the room.

-

Anko was still yelling at him to stop the test when the fifth walked into the room and stepped over to ANKO and spoke in her ear then walked out. Anko flopped into the chair and crossed her arms glaring at the innovative young man.

Naruto figured that since Tsunade hadn't hauled him out and Anko finally shut up that he just fine doing the test with a clone, so made three more to Anko's extreme frustration and plowed into the test. Fifteen minutes later he was done with the test and each clone was going over the answers repeatedly to make sure that they were correct or added any last minute adjustments. None of them uttered a peep and putting the book pamphlet, that had most of the pages torn out, back together he handed in the test.

Anko snatched the papers out of his hand and said through gritted teeth. "You are dismissed." Just to be a brat Naruto leered and her chest and gave her a wink and licked his lips. He didn't see the white clad figure seemingly detach itself from the wall and hold Anko back from planting a knife in the boy's back.

He spent his fifteen minutes going to the bathroom a giving a note to a banker. Naruto didn't tell anyone, but it was his last will and testament, should anything happen to him on the mission. Hinata soon came to him looking Nervous. "Naruto-kun." He gave a relieved smile, he thought he wouldn't get to see her today.

"Oh Hinata! Thank god you're here." He took her hand causing her to blush like always. She looked so pretty with that pale skin and rosy cheeks.

"Thank you Naruto-kun. The Hokage-sama requests your presence immediately though." She said.

Naruto almost leapt up for joy. He passed! He grabbed Hinata and pulled her into a small alcove from the prying eves of others.

"Naruto-kun!" She said quietly looking around afraid to get caught.

"Shhhh." He placed a finger on her lips. "I won't get to see you till tomorrow some time and I may get hurt. So before I go, I just wanted to give you something to remember me by." He placed the finger under her chin and tilted her head up. She closed her eyes and melted into him as their lips connected and he held her close. Slowly with lingered lips he broke the kiss and placed his forehead against hers, their noses touched and he looked into her eyes. When he spoke it was a soft but passionate whisper.

"Hinata. I haven't said this before, but I love you." Her eyes widened and her heart started to race, he could feel it hammer against his skin. "You were my first real friend, even if we never really spoke or bonded. You have always watched me through the years. I love you so much and I promise you no matter what I will be back...so we can watch each other for the remaining."

Hinata threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down for an intense kiss, their tongues dances, their bodies molded and their breath sighed into the other. Reluctantly Naruto unwound the clinging Hinata from his neck to see her crying.

"Hinata? Whats wrong?" He asked wiping the tears away with his thumb.

"You said you loved me. It made me so happy, but now you're going on a dangerous mission and you might not return…" She started to cry again. Naruto pursed his lips and tilted her head up to his again.

"Hinata, I will return. I can't promise I won't by hurt or injured, but I will be back. You have always had faith in me, keep it please. What is my Nindo?" Hinata smiled brightly suddenly bolstered.

"You never go back on your word. That's your nindo, your ninja way." She remembered the first time she had really believed this at the chunnin exams all those years ago and said it herself to her cousin. Naruto nodded at her.

"Right. I have to go now. Please stay safe and have faith in me. I love you." He gave her another soft kiss and started to walk away. He was at the end of the corridor when Hinata screamed out his name.

"NARUTO!" He turned back with a loving smile and her breath caught, she had to say it thought. "I love you too! Come back to me!" He looked at her for a moment then took out a kunai and cut his hand holding it in a first in front of him. The blood dripped on the floor as he spoke.

"Nothing shall stop me." He gave a final squeeze of his fist and left her sight. She could only stare at the blood on the floor for several minutes, fear and worry gripping her heart.

-

Naruto arrived at the Hokage's office. He walked into without knocking giving a lazy wave and flopping down in a chair. "You wanted to see me Baa-chan?" He tilted his head to the side as a cup flew at him.

"Knock brat and don't call me that absurd name!" He grinned and winked at her earning him an irritated huff.

"So what's up?"

"I have a mission for you."

"Oh? That damn cat get loose again?"

"Shut up, this is an S-class not a D-class."

"Pfft! You never had to chase that damn cat!" Tsunade couldn't help but smile. The role-playing was fun.

"This is serious. Naruto." She closed her eyes regretting this, but He just might be the only one for this mission. She was taking a huge chance.

"Naruto I am placing a stop on the exam for now." She said at last.

"WHAT?! But didn't I pass the exam?"

"Yes and it is for that reason that I am stopping the exam." She explained

"I don't understand." He was furious.

"Calm down reason Naruto is that your answers and knowledge is so innovative that instead of a fake mission we are giving you a real Mission."

"Huh?" She sighed and explained further,

"There was a vital mission that I almost had to pass up. We did not have enough people or a single person with the skills needed to pull the mission off. Your answers were brought to my attention and they meant that you and only you can do this mission right now." She set her lips into a grim line. "This would normally be an A class mission for a team, but solo this is an S-class. I am sorry to do this Naruto, but Anko and Sakura are still injured so they can't go with you and all other free jounin are either with their gennin team or out on solo missions as well. Anyone else we send along would be a liability and reduce your chance of success knowing your pension for protecting people."

"Wow this will make things easier I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"Well a lot of my jutsu does some serious damage so I was hesitant about using it against friends." Tsunade nodded in agreement.

"Good then here is your mission. Come over here." She led him over to the table with the map of the fire country on it. Clearing off some papers she took a piece of red wax used as a marker and drew a circle on the glass. "There is a base of Sound shinobi infiltrators there. Remnants from Orochimaru's failing village." She turned away and drew out a folder and handed it to Naruto. He flipped it open and took a look. 'Wow' he thought 'this is very detailed.' Tsunade continued.

"The leader of the camp is a long missing nin presumed dead. This man was a chunnin who sold village secrets back during the war with the Earth Country that cost us several fatalities. Your object is to capture the entire camp of followers and escort them back to the city."

Naruto gawked at her. "WHAT?! How the hell can I do that as one man?!"

"Just kidding!" She grinned and tilted her head to the side as Naruto threw a book at her.

"Don't do that too me baa-chan! I just about dropped dead right here!"

"Hehehe." She snickered. "Actually you are to infiltrate the camp and capture one target. "Uhh baa-chan…wouldn't it be easier to kill him?" he looked at her questioningly.

"Yes, but he must stand trial and he holds valuable information we need. Naruto. This man gave away the positions of several gennin teams to the earth country. His actions resulted in my little brother's death and Kakashi's father as well. They were just kids Naruto on a C rank mission and because of him the Stone nins killed many of those kids."

Naruto felt any hesitation he might have had vanish. "Baa'chan…he is as good as captured."

Tsunade thanked him and handed him the folder.

"You will leave as soon as possible. You don't have much time. Shizune will meet you at the gate with supplies and medicine should you need it. Id like to give you some time to prepare yourself better, but time is critical that you make it before they leave the Fire country. One of our advanced scouts will meet you at the Shinar Bridge three days from now to report their further movements. Don't be late Naruto he will only wait for one hour at noon. Any questions?"

"If I have to kill others to get to him?"

"You do what you need to in order to complete the mission." Naruto nodded and climbed out the window.

"And Naruto. Be careful, this is far more dangerous than the exam we had planned for you." The boy nodded and jumped away. Tsunade flopped back into her chair and closed her eyes. 'Oh lord what have I done?' She thought. 'Please forgive me and come back safe Naruto."

Eight Hours later Naruto was camped in the woods a little ways off the trail looking up at the stars. He had never really been this alone before. He always had at least one other person with him. He felt calm, but anxious as well. It was doubly dangerous with Akatsuki out there, but as far as the village knew Shizune told him, he was taking his test in the opposite direction, only Tsunade he and Shizune knew where he was and where he was going.

He got up and went though his pack for the mission folder to study before he went to sleep. He found the origami rose that was given to him by the woman that day the other week. He smiled and made a note to give it to Hinata when he got back. He pulled out the folder and studied it.

"Hmmm. Fifteen enemies. Two specialize in Genjutsu, a pair of sisters that use sound to fuel their illusion..." he was muttering absently memorizing the date. "Huh, that's why Shizune gave me those pills. To negate their genjutsu." He flipped through to the next man. "Hmm. Unknown entity, jeeze look at the height and weight. He is gonna be a problem. Gonna take more than one rasengan to take that guy down."

He flipped to the page for his target. "Kishimoto Hiroki, confirmed jounin status of sound village, former chunnin of leaf, declared missing nin." Naruto looked at the list of the crimes and whistled. "You are a bad boy Hiroki. Let's see what you can do." He read flipped to the next page. Taijutsu level- Low, genjutsu, non existence. Ninjutsu level average. "Huh how did you get to be a jounin if these things are true?" The next paragraph down explained that. "Oh your one of the snakes little drug buddies. Well don't worry murderer, I will clean you out nice and good." He put the file away and lay on his nap sack to sleep.

He had been on the road for three days and was due at the bridge in two minutes. He had actually been at the bridge and hour early and caught site of the scout. Naruto decided to hide and watch for a bit to see if anything happened. Finally when time was almost up He made a shadow clone and sent it off to talk to the scout. They talked for several minutes; the scout showed Naruto a spot on a map and jumped away. The clone moved into the forest and dispel itself, sending its knowledge to Naruto. He pulled out his map and marked the new place. If their direction of travel proved constant then he should be able to intercept them at a mound that he saw on the map. The platoon would probably camp there for defense. If he could get there before them and plant the right traps, then killing the guy would be easier. Focusing chakra to his feet he used the air walk knowledge to give him a huge burst of speed and headed off west.

-

--

-

The dark haired Kunoichi was in a foul mood. Her Sasuke had vanished to go into solitude to get over some thing that he wouldn't explain. And Madara had taken over her orders and sent her out on a scouting mission into Fire Country. Worse yet he had stuck her with the disgustingly disfigured Kisame. Just looking at that face made her want to gag. The bastard rarely even spoke to her and ignored her when she tried to talk to him. Yes she was in a foul mood when she felt something far to the east.

"Hold it Kisame." She said. "I feel something." The master swordsman stopped and looked back at her for once in their two day journey.

"What's up?" he said.

"I am picking up multiple chakra signatures. About sixteen of them a day east of us. All of them are crap, but one. It's amazingly strong. It has as much Chakra as you to Kisame-sama."

"Hmmm. Might be worth checking out. Let's go. Maybe we can find some fun."

"Or an ass kicking." She retorted. He laughed and changed their path to intercept the group.

-

--

-

Naruto watched from afar with his scope as the enemy nins set up camp. He had been able to get to the mound a couple hours before the group. Using almost all his tools, wire and razor-wire he set up several clever traps meant to kill or delay anyone caught in them. His plan was simple. He needed to make his strike fast and perfect. To do that he would need to remove almost all interference from his path to Hiroki. He thought it out several times over the day and this was the best he could come up with.

He watched as the set up their guard rotation and went to sleep. Marking the guards that would move along his entrance and escape route he moved through the tree tops sticking to the shadows. He wasn't wearing his white shirt but a black one now and he had unfolded the cloth of his head-guard into a bandana and concealed his bright hair. Taking some dirt and running it on his face, he would be hard to spot in the dark as the metal he had on him was non-reflective.

He had a good spot under some dirt in the bushes and waited. About ten minutes later he saw the two man patrol jumping lightly through the shadows. He almost missed them they were so good, but a change in the breeze marked them above him. 'shit' he thought. He had counted on them moving past him not over them. Quickly improvising he pulled out a small bell and tossed it across the worn path into the bushes across from him. His plan worked and they stopped. He could make out them nodding to one another and one jumped to the ground next to his bush while the other took out several kunai and jumped at the stop in the bushes knives blazing. Naruto acted at once. While the second nin was in the middle of his jump down Naruto lunged out of the bush twisting in the air. As he came around on the surprised nin who was by his bush he snapped out his leg catching the man with a devastating kick to the temple. As he landed he surged chakra to his feet and ran to the spot where the last enemy was just now landing, turning to meet the attacker, his kunai out and swinging around to meet Naruto's charge. Taking a page from Hinata's book he quickly fell into a slide and kicked the man hard in the knee forcing it back with a sickening snap. As the man grunted and collapsed Naruto's hand came around forming a Rasengan in an eye blink and pushing it into the guard's chest. The mans eyes popped wide, but couldn't scream as the wind rushed out of him and he flew back slamming into a tree. Naruto quickly looked back to see if the first enemy nin was moving, but thankfully the man was still out.

He took out two sheets of paper and placed them on both of the patrol's foreheads forcing them into a sleep that would last two hours. So far so good. Little sound was made and he was on schedule. Checking his disguise and possessions quickly he made his way to a tree overlooking the camp. All seemed in order. Dipping into his pouch he took the pill that Shizune gave him that would negate the sound genjutsu should it be used on him. Then he waited. Soon about 10 clones' henged as a platoon of Leaf ANBU would attack from the other side of the camp pulling most of the nin away from his path towards the target. Using a burst of speed he would come in with a twice cored Rasengan to take the guy out then grab him and leave in the midst of the chaos over the phantom attackers outside the camp. His Traps that he set up on that side and over his escape route should give him about an hour of breathing room to get a head start back to the village. If the platoon was smart they wouldn't follow him for more than a day as they would probably never make it out of the country then. It was about time.

He readied himself for the attack as an extra clone dispelled itself to let Naruto know they were in position. Without warning A large purple shimmering affected the area on the other side of the base and he instantly felt all his clones dispel. "A Barrier?!' he though. 'oh fuck, the report didn't say they used a barrier!' His plans quickly started to unravel as the entire camp went on alert and 10 enemies woke up and prepared themselves for attack moving into a diamond formation around Hiroki. 'it was too late now, he would have to find a way through the barrier and get to Hiroki though his guards. He thought back to the books he read on barriers. 'barriers require equal points and equal chakra usage spread along those points. The easier and most common barrier a shinobi will encounter is a four point barrier. To break the barrier a squad would need to consist of five attackers for each point, focusing their efforts at the space between each focus point. A hole will open at the foci and an attacker must strike. If one point falls the others will no long be able to maintain the barrier and it will collapse.'

Baa-chan was right, he would be the only person capable of this job, any other team sent out would have failed right then. He hated to do this, but threw his hands together and made about forty clones. Each knowing the plan in his mind they formed four 6 man teams and headed out. 'If they have a four point barrier erected then the scout gave me bad information. There are at least twenty of the enemy to take care of with the other three patrols returning. He could see then set up guards and looking for their attackers. Now when he wanted them all together Hiroki sent out four of him men to see who was trying to break the barrier. When Naruto collapsed it that would be seven men outside the area of his attack. He would have liked to used a Futon-Rasen-Shurkin, but that would kill his target that needed to be taken alive. Again the extra clone sent with the groups dispelled themselves when they were in position.

Naruto locked eyes on the one of the foci nin closest to him. Out of the night came the shouts of his jutsu. "Futon: Gail-storm hurricane! Katon: Dragon's tongue!" The wind and fire Jutsu collided with the barrier. As the two techniques mixed four larges tornadoes of fire bombarded the barrier from four different angels. The enemy camp gaped in awe at the precision attack. Naruto and two of his clones each formed a twice cored Rasengan and took aim at the foci. The reading was correct. He saw a small opening of the barrier at the foci as they redirected most of their chakra into keeping it up at the attack points. With a burst of Chakra, from all three Naruto's, The bullet Rasengans shot off through the hole and collided with the foci. Two of them took the masked man in the chest and the third tore his arm off sending it spinning away. When the Rasengans detonated there wasn't much left of the man, Naruto felt sick at the bloody kill he performed, but quickly pushed the thought down. He watched as the barrier seemed to shatter like glass just as the four attacks dissipated and the clones dispelled from chakra completion.

Instantly Naruto made his move. He and the fifteen clones he had left jumped into the air. At the peek of their jumped they air walked into another jump and another after that till they were high above the confused camp. 'Sorry mom, but this kid can fly.' The clones and he dove down to the center where Hiroki was directing his platoon to spread out, but it was too late. As he closed on the ground ten of his clones cried out at once. "Katon: Dragons tongue!" and breathed streams of fire in a circle burning about five of the enemy and separating the rest from the target. When the clones landed they were outside the circle and used the jutsu again to push the defense farther away and create confusion. Naruto landed with a kick to the shoulder of Hiroki. 'oh my god' thought Naruto. 'it's like kicking a rock'. Still the force of the kick sent the man to his knees, but it didn't take long to recover. Immediately he engaged Naruto with taijutsu. His body suddenly seemed to be covered with rock. 'So a Dotun eh? I can get through that.' Naruto fought franticly, aware that he didn't have much time. His clones would soon be killed or run out of chakra and vanish and then the camp would be all over him. His eight moons path of taijutsu confused the snarling Hiroki, and Instead of biding his time and defending till his men could aid him he went for the kill himself which was a mistake.

Naruto faked slipping and Hiroki sensing an opening came in with a powerful double overhand chop. Naruto however was prepared. HE fell into the splits and lay on the ground as the punch passed over him, throwing the traitor off balance. Sweeping his legs quickly back into position Naruto pushed off the ground and back flipped coming up with an open palmed uppercut to the stone covered chest. The palm however had the twice-cored rasengan shining within it. Hiroki screamed as the sphere tore through his Doton defense and the core impacted against his sternum. The violent force of the powerful core hurtled the man some thirty feet into the air twirling him around like a rag doll. Naruto quickly made four clones. The four jumped high into the air and caught the falling nin. Using their chakra they air jumped farther into the air and away from the camp and running hard away. Naruto ran on full speed while two of the clones carried the unconscious Hiroki and the last covered their tracks.

When the clones at the camp dispelled and the smoke and the fires were taken care of with some Suiton jutsu the found their leader missing and none could tell where he went. They assumed that he had ran away to leave them to die. Not wanting to deal with any more attacks they left the camp and gathered their supplies headed back towards rice country. The plan worked better than the first one Naruto came up with. He was scot free, or so he thought.

-

--

-

Karin and Kisame arrived at the battle sight two hours after Naruto performed his brilliance.

"Well shit! We missed all the fun!" The sword man remarked taking a look around the devastated camp.

"That's fine with me the every grumpy Karin replied."

"Oh stop being such a pussy Karin. After all I think I know who we are after!"

"And how would you know that?"

"Because obvious a leaf ninja attacked this camp, these are sound nin head-hands on these cooked bastards other here. And the only leaf nin that has close to my amount of chakra is the nine-tails brat. 2 plus 2 equals 4 woman."

"Hmmm" Karin said. He is only a couple hours Northeast of us. He seems alone, but there is a feint trace of one other with him. it's low so it's probably someone he captured. He will be burdened and hopefully hurt."

"Heh! Just him eh? The kids gotten pretty strong, there were at least fifteen guys in the camp. Yeah it's decided. Our orders are to try and take him if the opportunity presents itself and alone out here days from reinforcements is the best opportunity we may ever have. Let's move."

The two headed after the nine-tails container.

-

--

-

Naruto was sitting at his fire eating some rations. He was silently patting himself on the back. His first solo mission and an 'S' Class at that. He did it. Against all odds he broke though a barrier and held off held off a platoon of trained nin to capture his target. He defeated a Jounin all by himself. He looked over to the man who had one of the sleeping seals on him. "Yeah! You suck! I rock!" he laughed. He took out his pack and rummaged through it taking out a pad a paper and a pen. He figured he would start on his report now so it would be ready when he got back home. The first place he planned on going was to see Hinata. He told her he would be about a day, but that was before the mission change way out here near the border of rice country.

It took him about two hours but he tucked away the pad, satisfied till he could type it up at the office. He checked his perimeter traps once more and the prisoner and headed to his bedroll for a good sleep.

"Well, well, well." A voice called out from the trees stopping Naruto in his tracks. See Karin I was right! It's the nine-tails kid!" Slowly Naruto turned around and his eyes widened. He stared at the red clouds, his eyes roaming over the large sword till they rested on the distorted half shark face of a man from his nightmares.

"Kisame..." He whispered.

"See that Karin! He remembers me! What do you say kid, why don't you come quietly and it won't be that painful? It isn't so bad having a bijuu sucked out of you, like going to sleep. However I certainly won't mind if you put up a fight. I'll happily shave a few tails off of you!"

"You are so uncool Kisame" Naruto looked over to the man's partner. It was a fairly cute woman with glasses and dark hair. She had a frown on her face as she looked at Naruto, but it upturned at the edges. "So your, Naruto, Sasuke's old team-mate," She stated.

That clicked for Naruto who was no longer interested in running. "What do you know about Sasuke?" He yelled out.

Kisame looked over at Karin and grinned. "Thanks Karin, I think you just provided me with a little bit of fun. Let me give you the low-down on the nine-tails kid there. He has this crazy idea in his mind that your dear Sasuke is still his friend and he insists on bringing the punk back to Konoha so that can be old chums again." Kisame looked back at Naruto and his toothy smile widened. "Give it up kid. Sasuke killed Itachi and you know the first thing he did after that? Took Itachi's place in our organization. Yup!" He laughed seeing the incredulous look on Naruto's face. "Your friend is one of us that will be snatching your pathetic little life right out of you. HA!"

"I do have to admit though Kisame. He is pretty cute and kinda cool. Not as cool as Sasuke of course, but still kinda cool." Karin said.

"You and your cool bullshit. Stay out of this Karin, this guy was originally mine and Itachi's target. I want to go at this alone." Kisame took off his sword as the bandages unraveled revealing the monstrous purple scales. Naruto gritted his teeth and though furiously. 'This isn't good at all.' In the blink of an eye the action started. Kisame jumped from the treetops bringing his sword around his a swing. Naruto Back flipped through the air and created five clones. Two of them formed some seals as they landed. "Katon: Dragon's Tongue!" and two streams of fire shot out at the powerful Akatsuki. Kisame Brought is sword up to block and Naruto watched helplessly as it just ate the fire. His other two clones came in from the side, Rasengans ready, but the swordsman saw them coming. He stabbed out faster that Naruto would have thought possible at one taking it in the head and He back kicked the other sending it flying through the air where if vanished in a puff of smoke.

Naruto didn't waste any time. Forming ten more clones They jumped into the air and formed the Twice-cored Rasengan. Aiming at the bored looking fish man they fired them off at High speed. Kisame looked startled, but reacted quickly. He held his sword vertically and stood sideways behind it. The balls of pure chakra didn't even make contact with the sword as it ate every bit of the spheres with ease. He didn't notice the sixth clone at his side firing another Rasen-bullet however and got clipped in the shoulder. It flung him through the air twirling like a top. Somehow during the wild spin he flung his sword at the main host of Naruto and his clones who were preparing another round of Rasen-bullets. Naruto and his clones scattered losing concentration on the techniques. One clone got clipped and popped and the sword tore through a tree.

Kisame landed on his feet holding his injured shoulder. He formed some seals and his stomach inflated. All of a sudden he vomited a small lake worth of water from his mouth. One of Naruto's clones quickly snatched up the prisoner and ran off to someplace safe. The other clones got caught up in the waves and they too were dispelled. Naruto felt himself tumbling along with the onslaught of water, bashing against trees till one pinned him and the Lake was formed. He made yet more clones and sent them to the bottom to guard from any underwater attacks. He swam to the surface and crawled onto the water panting and holding his injured rib.

'This isn't good.' He thought. My strongest attacks are just wasted on him because of that damn sword.' He also knew that separating Kisame from the sword wouldn't do any good because he could call the damned thing back whenever he wanted. He looked around the lake. It was hard to see anything in the black water of the nighttime. He could see Karin standing on tree branch still idly looking at her nails with a bored expression on her face. He stood still waiting for the attack, and indeed it came.

Rising from the water four large Water dragons each twice the size of anything Kakashi had made rocketed towards Naruto twisting and sinuous their mouths gaping. Naruto jumped into the air, but it did no good he jumped too soon and they homed in on him.

"HA! Nice try kid, weak showing, but at least you managed to hit me! See you in the after-life!"

His laughter stopped when he saw Naruto stepping and jumping in the air. The Dragons were too close and couldn't adjust and they crashed into each other creating a tsunami that swept Karin, cursing from her branch into the water. Naruto landed on top of the water and faced a stunned Kisame. "What the hell was that? That was pretty nice I will admit, I have never heard of anyone walking on air before. Maybe this will be better than I thought!" he grinned that malicious grin of his. He breathed in and spat out a high velocity water bullet at Naruto. Naruto Charged in and pulled out his two chakra knives, His eyes a chilling red, his face becoming more fox-like as he drew on the Kyuubi chakra. He wove between the water bullets with great speed and the two chakra powerhouses came together with a clash of force that sent a large wave of water hurtling outward. Karin was trying to ring out her clothes and didn't see it coming till it slammed into her sending her back underwater.

Meanwhile Naruto and Kisame where ducking and weaving trying to land a hit on the other. Naruto didn't block the sword with his knives know it would just suck up the chakra and shatter the blades, so focused on his taijutsu and dodged as best he could. Kisame sword his great sword around and Naruto saw his chance, quickly tucking his blade into his armguard he jumped and formed a regular rasengan in his hand. As the sword came around he snapped a kick at Kisame's face which the sword-man just tilted his head to avoid, but as he did that he lost sight of the other foot which stopped his swing cold. Naruto hooked his legs around the arm and rotated under it, in the same move that he used in the spar against Hinata. As he came underneath and upside down he pulled with his legs throwing the man off balance and shoved the Rasengan into his stomach.

Kisame screamed from the pain and was launched through the air. Unfortunately Naruto didn't let go of Kisame's arm and was dragged along with them and they both went tumbling along the water till Naruto hit a tree and sunk below the surface, dazed from the impact. Slowly he came to his senses and climbed on top of the water panting, bleeding and badly hurt. 'Did I get him?' he thought, looking around wildly. Suddenly his necklace grew warm against his skin and he felt the Kyuubi chakra he had been using pushed away, leaving him dizzy in the sudden loss of power. 'What the hell?' He thought. He didn't have time to wonder about that though as Kisame showed himself roaring in anger.

"You son of a bitch! That really fucking hurt. Ok kid the gloves are off, I've had enough fun." The man dropped below the water dodging the shurkins that Naruto threw. Naruto jumped back as a water dragon appeared, then another and another and yet another. Before Naruto knew it there were twelve dragons heading towards him. He quickly made around a hundred clones to buffet himself from the impact. The dragons hit the wall of clones that pushed out with their chakra at the same instant. The wind blade cut the water dragons in two dispelling the jutsu, but the move wore Naruto out and the surge of the remaining water destroyed all his clones. He could barely stand on the water and he knelt trying to gather his breath. 'I've got to get away somehow.' This guy is too much. He heard the quick steps on the water and looked out the corner of his eye. Kisame was there. Much too close! The sword came in! He couldn't dodge it!

Kisame grinned as his sword hit Naruto square in the side, the blood splattered out and the blond went flying through the air half torn in two. Kisame started to laugh and stopped as a puff of smoke revealed a replacement. The Master Swordsman narrowed his eyes and looked around.

"Hey Kisame, I got something to tell you." Kisame turned quickly and looked up to see a Naruto standing up on a branch, battered but standing pretty much just fine.

"Wow kid you're a lot tougher than I thought! I haven't had this good a fight in since that Gai character."

"Kisame," Naruto spoke quietly.

"What?"

"You lost."

\Suddenly Kisame was spun through the water. A huge whirlpool at gathered under him. 'What the hell?' the half shark thought as he spun around faster and faster. He tried to form some seals, but the buffet of water didn't let him. The whirlpool sucked a huge whole to the bottom of the forest that the lake had covered and Kisame got closer and closer to the bottom. At the bottom the clones that Naruto made at the started of the fight were holding their twice-cored rasengan in a circle creating the distortion and pulling him towards the center. He lost control of his sword and one of the clones who was free reached out and grabbed the Akatsuki pinning him down as he struggled in vain to free himself. High above a refreshed Naruto, due to a soldier pill leapt, into the air with two clones with him They put their hands together and in moments the Futon-Rasen-Shurkin erupted into lethal existence. Naruto screamed out as he fell back down to the ground.

"YOU'RE FUCKED!" he screamed as loud as he could and fired off the Jutsu. Time slowed down for Kisame, he could see the end coming. 'What is that' he thought as it got closer. 'Itachi, my only friend, I'll see you soon in hell.' The Jutsu struck.

-

Karin was nursing a wounded pride, but looked on the battle of monsters in awe. They kept pounding away at each other. Those dragons would have finished him off, but the blond created more clones than she had ever seen before and with masterful control of Wind nature that she herself used destroyed the attack. Now she looked on in horror as she saw the scariest damn technique she had ever seen. When it hit She was rocked backwards and slammed into a tree. She couldn't move, she was pinned from gale force winds and the violent surges of buffeting her. Finally after what seemed forever the wind and water died down, slowly dissipating into the earth. She stuggled to her feet and looked at the epicenter of the titanic battle. There was a crater hundreds of feet wide and hundreds of feet deep.

"Oh wow! Sasuke I am sorry but your friend Naruto is way cooler than you!" She walked towards the hole and looked down. She could See Kisame laying at the bottom torn to shreds and dead as a man or half beast could be. "I told you if we came here we were looking for an ass-kicking you deformed idiot, but no. Now look at you. Another of the so called great Akatsuki is down for the count." She smirked. She heard a groan from the side and looked over to see the Naruto kid lying on the ground struggling to his knees cuts everyone and blood dripping to the muddy ground. Karin walked over to him calmly. She placed a foot on his side and kicked him over. The exhausted, but cute guy offered no resistance, he gritted his teeth and tried to struggle against her.

'Damnit!' Naruto thought. 'I forgot all about her. Kyuubi!' he called though his mind. 'I need you damnit!' There was no answer, he couldn't even touch the chakra. He could feel, it but couldn't connect with it for some reason, it kept getting pushed away.

"Too bad Naruto." Karin said. "I could really have gone for a guy like you. I'm sure Sasuke will be glad to see you…NOT!" She giggled. She raised her hand and the wind chakra formed around in a type of blade. "Don't worry it wont kill you, I am just going to sever your spine. I'm told they need you guys alive." She brought her blade down.

-

--

-

Two days ago Kushina had barged into Tsunade's office in an impressive fury. "What the hell did you do?!" Tears streaming from her eyes as she got into Tsunade's face, who looked away. "Don't you look away from me! Look me in the eyes."

Tsunade looked gravely back to the distraught mother. "It had to be done." She said,

"Don't give me that! You sent him on a real mission ALONE!" She collapsed, shaking in fear. "He isn't ready! That's what the test was supposed to be for! To give him some idea what it would be like out there! Not just release him into danger with no experience at all!"

"He was the only one suited for the task!" Tsunade snapped back. "The window was closing and we didn't have the man power available and he was the only one with the skills who had a good chance of succeeding! I exhausted all other options, but the fact of the matter is I needed him and I used a valuable and powerful resource."

"He's not a resource!" Kushina snarled, her vigor renewed.

"Yes he is! The mission is similar to the exam we had set up, but they have no knowledge of his coming or his abilities, so he has a huge advantage. Have faith in him! He will make it thought.

And that is how it turned out. For two days Kushina hovered around the office, annoying everyone greatly, and waiting for some news of Naruto to arrive. She had a terrible feeling and although Tsunade wouldn't say anything, she had a bad feeling as well. Kushina was sitting quietly on the couch while she reviewed the days end reports. It was late at night and Naruto should have completed the mission if the scout's reports and time table had been correct. A chunnin platoon was dispatched early this morning to intercept Naruto and provide aid in escorting the prisoner back or medical attention if it went sour.

She was just tucking the final report into a folder on their desk when she heard a sharp crack. Both she and Kushina looked over to a table against the wall. There sitting for them both to see a Picture of Naruto in his comical blue teddy-bare shirt had cracked down the middle. Tsunade felt her heart stop and Kushina fell to her knees, her hands on her mouth staring at the omen with wide eyes. She started to shake her head in denial.

"No, no, no, no." she muttered over and over.

-

--

-

Karin swung her wind blade and there was a small squirt of blood and Naruto screamed in agony. His hands beat at the ground as his legs twitched awkwardly. 'Oh my god.' He thought. 'I can't feel my legs.' He kept trying to kick and thought it would work, but he felt nothing they wouldn't work. He couldn't believe it. He was seriously fucked. She was going to take him back and he would die. All his fathers and mothers dreams and sacrifices would be in vain. Akatsuki would win. How could it come to this? He stopped screaming and fought down the pain. He opened his eyes to see Karin adjusting her bra under the black robe. The moonlight was highlighting her callous yet childish features. She looked down and met his eyes.

"There that wasn't so bad was it? Sorry about this, but Sasuke follows them and I follow Sasuke, so you know."

"You bitch. Sasuke would never do this!" Naruto screamed. Karin sighed as she looked down at the paralyzed kid.

"Kisame was right, you just don't know Sasuke like the rest of us do. Oh well lets get started, we have a long way to go and Madara will be happy to see you." She reached down and grabbed his hair.

"Madara?! So he's the leader of Akatsuki!" Naruto exclaimed. Karin winced at this.

"Shit. Me and my big mouth. Oh well it's not like your gonna be able to tell any body."

"I wouldn't say that just yet Karin." A new voice rang out in the still night air. The voice was perfectly harmonic to Naruto's ears. It froze Karin in her tracks with eyes full of fear, that was all Naruto needed to see for feel a glimmer of hope. He battered at Karin's hand, forcing her to let go of his air. H twisted his crippled body around as best he could to see what was probably one of the most beautiful women on the planet barring Karin's way. She had long jet black hair the was set into eight very intricate braids that fell down to attack to a white Kimono with eight split ends, each braid threaded into the cloth. Naruto could only stare.

"38C." He muttered. The two women ignored him. Karin backed up a step and readied her chakra blade.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She asked the shaking in her voice apparent.

"I could ask the same of you Karin. I told you I was coming here to unite with the nine-tails. You should have known I might have been around somewhere. You really didn't think I would let this little gem of power escape my eyes for long did you?" The raven haired women said. Karin gulped and backed up another step.

"How did you mask your presence?" Karin asked. "I should have detected you!"

"I suppressed my chakra and hid by the man that Naruto was carrying back to the village. I was close enough to him that you felt it to be one source. Plus the nine-tails here and that blue skinned monster were throwing off so much chakra in that impressive skirmish that I figured you wouldn't notice anything odd." She replied.

Karin backed up another step. "Fine have the container. He is all yours."

The woman clucked and shook her head. "Oh no that wouldn't do at all. You see, I still need my …bounty, from last time." Her eyes glittered with malice and a promising smile that Naruto shivered at. Karin's eyes grew wide and he leapt away to escape into the forest. The dark haired woman made a quick seal and a multitude of mud ropes lashed through the air catching the Kunoichi and dragging her back down holding her to the ground. Karin screamed and thrashed on the ground, Pulses of Air chakra kept cutting the ropes, only to get replaced again and again. Slowly the braided woman walked by Naruto and knelt down next to him. "Be calm young one. I will be back to help you. Do not fear, this is something I must address before I can aid you." She whispered to him, not taking her eyes off Karin. Then standing She walked away to the into the forest, the mud vines dragging a screaming Karin behind her. Naruto watched as they tore off her clothing, leaving her bare and nude spread eagle and still struggling away into the Darkness.

Naruto had to listen for long minutes, as the cries and please of the kunoichi into the night air. Normally he would rage against what might be happening out there in the darkness, but considering his current condition, for once he couldn't come up with much sympathy for the wind user. Thankfully after ten minutes or so it all stopped and the women returned, with a grim but pleased look on her face. She approached Naruto and knelt down and picked him up.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked in a pained voice.

"My name is Na'omi." She said simply and compassionately.

"What did you do to her?"

"She and her cold friend Sasuke attacked me once before trying to take me to be drained. I escaped, but promised that I would take my bounty on her for the attack and pain she caused. I couldn't stay and do that at the time as Sasuke would interfere, so I used I used this opportunity to get my little revenge. Don't worry." She said after seeing the look on Naruto's face. "She isn't dead, although she should be after what she did to you. I spared her life, but gave her something to think about should she ever see me again. I don't think she will cause much more trouble." Naruto nodded and looked at the woman again.

"You said they wanted to drain you? Are you..?"
"A Jinkuurki? Yes. I carry the Yamoto No Orochi inside me, the eight tails." Naruto's eyes widened at that. The eight tails, the only other beast to rival the kyuubi, the tailed only beast of mythology that supposedly battled the Nine-tails for over a weak before having to flee.

"How did you know where I was?" he asked as she carried him along. To where he didn't know.

"I have been watching you for some time trying to decide if you would accept my aid. You must understand Naruto, our bijuu's are mortal rivals. I was not sure if your thoughts followed along the lines of your tailed demon. I had to be sure."

"Did you see the battle?"

"Yes. Very impressive, you are very strong." He gritted his teeth in anger.

"Then why didn't you help sooner! Why did you let her do this to me?" he snapped out.

"Because I would only come when there was no other option for you. Your nature is much like mine in that sense. We need to stand on our own feet, not be protected all the time. I was about so come when I thought she was going to kill you, but when she said her plans I stopped to give you the chance to get out of it yourself."

"Well that's all well and good, but it doesn't change the fact that from now on I wont be able to fight! I'm paralyzed!"

"Oh don't worry about that little thing." She responded calmly. "I can partially heal that and your bijuu can do the rest. You will be up on those handsome legs in minutes."

"You can? It can?" Naruto asked in astonishment. The woman laughed at him.

"Of course! You don't seem to know much about our abilities for holding the king inside of you."

"I don't like to talk to it much."
"Whatever for?"

"I was captured and sealed in me during a battle. Many people died so I hate the thing. My father died to stop it. Why would I want to get to know it?"

"Don't hate them Naruto, pity them." He stared at her at this comment. "The bijuu's have no choice in how they act and what they are. They are born from man's will and exist for their purpose. They are more an elemental force with a will behind them. They can't change or think outside of the emotions that birthed them. Could you hate a hurricane that blew a house down and killed the family inside?"

"No." he said instinctively.

"Then don't hate the bijuu. Learn from them and use them and wish for their non-existence, but don't ignore them when they are part of human nature." They finally arrived and Naruto saw that she had taken him some ways away where his prison was on the ground still sleeping with the sleep seal on his forehead. He looked back at Na'omi.

"What do you mean they are a part of human Nature?" Na'omi didn't answer right away. She first started a fire close to Naruto to warm them up. He was very wet and cold he realized, so welcomed the fire.

She finally say down across from him and carefully arranged her hair and kimono, that hadn't a spot of dirt on it for some reason.

"It is simple Naruto." She said in that melody of a voice. "Each bijuu seems to have a certain instinctive drive. Yours for example is to destroy and kill. So that is malice. Mine is to gain more power and status, so it is ambition. The one-tail is insanity. I don't know about all of them, but you should get the picture. Ages ago beyond our recorded history during the worst of barbarism the beasts were said to have been born. Whole nations of souls and chakra were consumed at the instant of their birth, the last driving will of those souls became the will of the bijuu's. Most demons are born in similar ways, so it was no different for the tailed beasts. For my Bijuu, I learned from it that it was born in a city called So'Chi. It was a smithing city that made great weapons and armor. However there was another city to the east of them that was considered the best in the world. They took the best contracts, the strongest armies and Shoguns came to them, so So'Chi grew envious and watched the city's great wealth and status. In time this grew and grew, but So'Chi could not act due to the rival city's power, so their envy festered till they began to take subvert action, trying to sabotage their mining. They eventually succeeded and their rivals status fell more and more under the secret attacks and So' Chi's wealth and influence grew. But this was not enough for them, they turned their eyes to the various shogun's military might and wanted that as well. The Shoguns' however proved uninfluencable as their malice and atrocities against the common people grew worse and worse. To make a long story short The naked ambition of the entire city grew so great that people started to die some unknown reasons. First a couple, and then more. And with each death people grabbed for more wealth and more status and more power. More died and their feeling and actions increased until one night The remaining smiths of the So'Chi got together and forged a great sword called the Kusanagi and poured all their knowledge and power and feelings of ambition into the weapon, hoping to save themselves. However after it was forged, the blade broke into three pieces and in a sudden rush all that chakra and power poured forth killing the entire city and those souls and power and will, created the Yamoto No Orochi, the eight tailed beast." Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of her. The story was captivating. She turned those pools of liquid night to his eyes as she finished.

"I am sure the Kyuubi has a very similar story and would gladly tell you if you were to ask, but that if for another time. Let us now turn our attention towards healing you." Naruto shook his head dispelling the hypnotic trance her voice seemed to instill. He nodded vigorously at this.

"Oh yes! I would really like to stand again. I'm crippled for less that an hour and it feels like a lifetime."

"Very well then, listen carefully. One of my bijuu's powers is the healing of others. However when I call on that chakra, the Kyuubi will become greatly enraged when it feels the eight-tail's chakra. You must fight with every spark of will now to let it free. I will only be a few moments and I will be done. Can you do that?"

"I can try, although I probably wouldn't pose must a threat to you when I can't walk and you have the eight tails within you."

"You would be surprised Naruto. Prepare yourself then." She stood up and walked over to him. Carefully she removed his new, but dirty and torn coat. And black undershirt. "Hmm very nice." She said running her hands long his naked torso, a teasing glint in her soulful eyes. Naruto blushed more that he ever had before.

"Hey! I have a girl-friend!"

"Hmmm," Na'omi just shrugged and turned him on his belly. She placed one of her stripes of cloth at the back of her kimono and brain on his lower back, where the cut could be seen that severed his spinal cord. "Brace yourself young one." Naruto put a piece of bark in his teeth to bite down on. She made a long series of seals then softly uttered a phrase he couldn't understand and he felt a tingling sensation in his back. He barely had a second to think about this before he felt the Kyuubi roar insanely in his mind and batter at the seal, sending wave after wave of red chakra to try and take Naruto over to confront his nemesis. Naruto was soon sweating in the struggle to keep it at bay, but thankfully it seemed the necklace he worse have him the support he needed. He felt it grow warmer than it already was and shield the kyuubi in its cage, pushing the chakra back. Naruto soon passed out as Na'omi finished and covered him with his coat. He heard her mutter. "very nice" one more time as he fell away into Darkness.

-

Naruto felt awareness slowly come back to him. A bright light pierced his eye lids and be blinked rapidly to adjust to the daylight. He gave a huge yawn and sat up, his coat falling beside him. Looking around he saw Na'omi, his savior eating some rabbit that was roasting over the fire. She looked over at him.

"Good morning. Gracious do you sleep a long time! It's almost 3 in the afternoon." Naruto blushed and grinned sheepishly. "You are very cute when you blush though." The blush deepened and get gave ringing laugh. Naruto looked down at his legs and tried to flex them to find that they worked just fine. He breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I don't know how to thank you for healing me. Its like I got my life back."

"Don't worry about that it was really a small thing. I need you more than you need me. You have a village to support your, I do not."

"Why not?" Naruto asked but had a feeling he knew the answer. Na'omi just shrugged though.

"I'm not very sociable; when I retired years and years ago I just left."

"Years? You can be much older than me!" She gave a charming laugh and looked at him with that spark in her eye he saw last night.

"You are a charmer, but I am over one hundred years old. The power of the seven, eight and nine tails is such that they greatly extend our life-span. We of course can and will die…just not for awhile."

"Wow! You look great for an old bag!" Na'omi just paused and looked at him with a deadpan face a vein in her temple popping and Naruto blanched at his big mouth.

"I take back the charming part. You can be absolutely revolting." She huffed out and resumed her eating.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean it that way." She ignored him. He decided to check out the prisoner. The seal was weakened, but he applied some chakra to it to strengthen it. He sat by the fire and snatched the other rabbit and devoured it almost whole.

"My god!" Na'omi remarked. "Did you chew that or just inhale it?" he grinned and laughed, he was used to people saying similar things about his eating habits.

"We need to get back to the village. I am sure you did something nasty to Karin, but I am sure the leader of Akatsuki knows that Kisame is dead and where he died. We need to get out of here quickly. Na'omi agreed and they stood up, stretching their limbs. Naruto couldn't help but watch as a long shapely limb came out from the kimono. It was very pale and smooth. And he couldn't take his eyes off of it.

Naomi saw him looking at her leg and turned it just so he could see more and smiled that secret smile. Slowly she undid the sash at her waist the spread open the silk to show a different type of silk underneath. She shrugged out of her cloths and walked languidly towards the teen, running her hands up and down her nude body.

"Naruto." She whispered lustfully as she got close to him. His mouth was cry, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He had never seen a nude woman before and she was breath-taking. She reached out for him and started to remove his coat.

"I-I can't" he rasped out. His body both hot and flushed. "Hinata-chan-"

"Shhhhhh." Na'omi said. "Sometimes people need someone for one moment who truly understands them. I am sure you love this Hinata very much and you will have a wonderful life together. But right now Naruto, we are the same, different parts to a hole." Her voice was very low and she continued to remove his cloths. He came to his senses and pulled away from her, breathing hard.

"Stop! I'm no pervert! I cant do this! I love Hinata, I barely know you!" Na'omi started at the both for a moment and with a regretful sigh pulled her cloths back on.

"Suit yourself." She said in a chipped tone. "Fits man I've offered myself to in twenty years and you reject me for a little girl! Hmpf!" Naruto took a moment to collect himself after that passionate experience. He watched her receding back as she heading in the direction of the Village. Wanting to kick himself for having a girl-friend for the first time he created two clones to carry the prisoner and followed after her.

"Home Sweet Home." He muttered

End Chapter 9

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-Next chapter – Naruto and Na'omi return the village. He receives his jounin vest, and must interceded between Na'omi and Hinata who almost come to blows over the blond

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A/N

-Wow this was won hell of a long chapter. It took me the entire day almost non-stop to write it, but I didn't want any cliff-hangers. I wanted the whole jounin exam in one shot.

-NO Na'omi did NOT do what most people with think she did to Karin. Those details will be revealed in a later chapter.

-A lot of people may think the NaruxKisame fight was too short, but you have to think of something. Those two were chakra powerhouses. Their moves are very strong. Regardless of who they are too many hits from their jutsu would wind anyone down. It was meant to be fast and Brutal. Neither are technical fighters like Shikamaru or Jiriya or Pain. They Pounding to the ground so something like that wouldn't last long, plus Naruto just stormed a camp so was low on chakra as well as the proximity of the second necklace pushing away his Kyuubi power.

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