IMPORTANT: I messed up the last chapter, for more detail read the Author's note at the end.

Naruto was walking through the streets of Konoha after buying his new clothes which he kept in his bag. The shop had overcharged the already expensive clothes but thanks to the mission fee and bonus' he got from the Wave mission he was able to afford them. As he was walking he noticed the Oto genin talking in a nearby alleyway. He was going to ignore them but them but stopped when he heard one of them crying, specifically the girl; Kin Tsuchi. He went back and checked into the alleyway to see that Zaku and Dosu had left and Kin was crying into her hands behind a dumpster. Being the caring person he was he walked, slowly, into the alleyway so as not to make her panic. She looked at him and as soon as she did she glared at him with hate.

"What do you want?" she asked angrily but the tears continued to stream down her face.

"I just wanted to check that you were ok," Naruto replied trying to be friendly. "Do you need any help?"

"Why would I need help from you? You're the cause of my problem."

"Me? What did I do?" he asked confused.

"I was the only one on my team not get into the third exam and because of that my leader is going to kill me," she said. "I have until the end of this month and then I'm going to die."

'Orochimaru is going to use her as one of his sacrifices for his Summoning: Reanimation because of me,' Naruto thought, he suddenly felt extremely guilty.

"I'm sorry," he said simply but he caught her off guard. "If I knew what would have happened to you I would've given up."

"Don't…just don't lie."

"But it's the truth, I…"

"Why?" she asked cutting him off. "Why would you give up your chance of becoming chūnin to save me? We're not from the same village and I don't know you. You have no reason to."

"I've seen people die before," he stated while the faces of his deceased friends flashed through his mind. "I know how it affects their relatives and their friends. You must have someone close to you and if I let you die that person would come after me for revenge but then my village would protect me and then your village would retaliate until finally war breaks out and even more people die. It would become a never ending cycle of hate and I'd do anything to prevent that happening."

Kin was left speechless at his words. She didn't know how he knew something like that but the way he said it made it seem like he'd experienced it already. And when she looked into his eyes she realized that he held the pain of losing people precious to him.

"I guess I'll just leave," she said, her voice filled with sadness. She turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait," Naruto said gently, she turned and looked at him expectantly. "If your leader is going to kill you why not leave Oto?"

"I've got two friends back there and if I leave they'll be devastated. They can't leave either; one of them is devoted to our leader and the other is one of our leader's five elite bodyguards."

'So the only reason she's staying is because of her friends who are both connected to Orochimaru,' Naruto thought, trying to figure out an answer. 'If Orochimaru dies then Kin and her friends will be free but that's easier said than done. I'm gonna have to figure out a way to stop Orochimaru using the Summoning; Reanimation but I only have a month to get strong enough and I'll only have one opportunity.'

"Hey Kin I…" he started before he realized she had left while he was thinking. "I guess I'll just have to get as strong as I can during the month and hope Kami's on my side."

XXX In a hotel XXX

'Mother what should I do?' Gaara asked his, literal, inner demon. He'd been spying on the Uzumaki with an eye made of sand at Shukaku's request and now he was growing concerned for his friend.

"Don't do anything, if Kyūbi thinks she's the strongest than she and her jinchūriki don't need our help," the tailed beast replied.


END

A/N: I'm really sorry this chapter is so short but it was supposed to be at the end of the last chapter but I forgot about it and only realized now. I also forgot to mention that Hinata lost against Kankurō because one of Crow's poison needles hit her in the Byakugan's blind spot.

To make up for my mistakes and my lack of activity recently I'll post the next chapter at the same time as this one.

Also I know I said that I'd kill Sasuke off during the invasion but I'm gonna keep him alive for a bit longer because I've gotten an idea that'll make the story more interesting. Don't worry though I'll make sure to kill him off before the time skip.

And before I forget I should warn all of my readers that I will be using Zangetsu (the sword) and Getsuga Tenshou from Bleach, which I don't own.

Review replies:

iFrix: Naruto will get the toad summoning again but I'm gonna wait until the start of the Search for Tsunade arc.

dbzsotrum9: No, sorry.

ferduran: I would but no one has taken them up.

Thanks to everyone else who reviewed and, at a request, here's the current list for the harem:

Hinata

Sakura

Tayuya

Kin

Guren

Tsunade (I'll make her young again)

Mei Terumī

Female Haku

Temari

Kurotsuchi

Samui

Female Kyūbi

Yugao Uzuki

Yugito Nii + Female Nibi

Shizuka

Konan

Shizune

Ino (Possibly)

Isaribi (Possibly)

I haven't made up my mind on Ino or Isaribi yet so tell me if you want them or not. And for those of you who think this harem is too big then don't read if you don't like.

Next chapter: Time skip of about a month