Here's the next chapter, folks. Please read and review.

"So, Naruto-kun," said the voice from Sasuke's voice. It was a double layered voice, Sasuke's with Orichimaru's sibilant hiss over it. "It appears there is no more Sasuke-kun." He chuckled; enjoying the pain and torment he was causing the leaf jonin.

Naruto cracked his knuckles angrily. "Don't call me that, YOU MISERABLE BASTARD!" he yelled, orange chakra flaring around him.

Orochimaru laughed coldly, then his face immediately darkened. "Brave words for a young brat." He said. Before Naruto even blinked, Orochimaru was flying through the air, foot aimed directly at his chest.

Naruto was knocked several feet backward by the force of the strike. Even as he felt his ribs snap, Kyuubi's chakra began to heal him.

Orochimaru made a few hand seals. "SENEI TAJASHUU!" (Hidden Shadow Many Snakes Hand) he roared, punching the air as snakes flew out from his hand.

"Rasengan no Yaiba!" (Rasengan Blade) Naruto yelled, creating a blade of chakra on his forearm, and severed the snakes' head in one stroke.

Orochimaru yelled, "Kusanagi Tsurugi: Ku no Tachi!" (Kusanagi Sword: Longsword of the Heavens) A snake leapt from his mouth, and from the snake's mouth came a sword, ready to stab Naruto.

Naruto quickly created a clone and transformed himself into a shuriken. The clone threw him over the Snake Sannin's head. When the shuriken landed, Naruto released the transformation and used Rasengan no Yaiba, pointing the blade at Orochimaru's back. The clone disappeared, as it had been stabbed with the Kusanagi sword.

Orochimaru swiftly turned and spin-kicked Naruto backwards.

Naruto made a series of hand seals, and then bit his thumb. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Summoning Technique) he yelled, slamming his hand on the ground. Gamabunta appeared, smoking his pipe almost nonchalantly, and Naruto was standing on his head.

"So you want to play that game, brat?" replied Orochimaru. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he yelled, summoning Manda. He stood on the giant snake's head.

The summons looked at each other, narrowing their eyes.

"Gamabunta."

"Manda."

Gamabunta drew his sword. Manda readied himself to strike, and they rushed at each other. Gamabunta slashed at Manda, but the snake shed his skin and used Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique), appearing under the toad's soft underbelly, striking him.

Gamabunta screamed as blood burst from his stomach. He would have died if not for what happened next. Naruto made a few hand seals. "Konbi Henge!" (Combination Transformation), and he fused together with the toad, creating the Kyuubi no Yoko. Kyuubi's chakra quickly healed Gamabunta. Naruto had only used this form once before, to defeat Gaara of the Sand.

"And I can play that game too!" Orochimaru said as he copied him, fusing with Manda to create a titanic eight-tailed snake.

It has begun, thought Kakashi.

Naruto gathered up chakra in his tails, forming a dark orange Rasengan. "Yoko Rasengan!" (Demon Fox Rasengan) he roared, attacking Orochimaru.

The snake sannin knew he couldn't dodge the attack, but he could block it. "Sanju Rashomon!" (Triple Rashomon) he yelled, summoning three red gates with demonic faces from the ground. The attack plowed into them, destroying both the gates and itself.

Orochimaru countered quickly. "Hebi Soushi no Jutsu!" (Snake Creation Technique) he yelled, creating thousands of snakes, which swarmed Naruto. Even with Kyuubi's chakra constantly healing him, he was being severely wounded.

Come on, kit! yelled Kyuubi, You can do this!

"Naruto-kun!" yelled Sakura. Her voice brought him back to earth. That's right, thought the blond, I can't fail Sakura-chan.

He began harnessing chakra from his tails. They began to fade away and disappear.

His tails are disappearing. This means…Oh, fuck, thought Kakashi.

Naruto charged his dark orange Rasengan again, but this time larger and more powerful. "Yoko Rasengan!" he yelled, plowing into Orochimaru before the snake could summon a Rashomon gate. The chakra exploded, creating a giant crater.

All that was left was Sasuke's burnt and mangled body.

Kyuubi's chakra faded away, and Naruto collapsed. "D-Damn…" he croaked, and then passed out.

Sakura knelt down, examining both shinobi. "How's Naruto?" asked Kakashi. "He's in critical condition. We need to get him back to Konoha hospital right away," she said, looking extremely worried for his health. Her eyes started to fill with tears at thought that he might die.

"Sasuke?" questioned Kakashi, more gently this time. At this a teardrop splashed over from her eyes. "He's…He's…Oh, Kami-sama! I can't say it!"

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder in understanding.

The team went back to Konoha, Sai holding Sasuke, and Sakura bearing Naruto on her back.

"Ino!" yelled Shikamaru. "Sakura's here!"

"I'm coming, Shika-kun!" yelled the blonde kunoichi. The sight she saw never shocked her more in her life. Team 7 looked extremely haggard, Sakura was bearing an unconscious Naruto, and Sai was holding a clearly dead Sasuke.

So that was their mission, Ino mused, to bring back Sasuke. But they sent a whole task force last time. Why did they just send Kakashi's team this time?

Villagers stopped and stared. The entire Rookie Nine and their senseis bore witness to this scene. The team continued to the Konoha hospital.

Why? they thought. How did this happen? Many still admired Sasuke, but most of the younger villagers had gained respect for Naruto, except the council of elders.

"What the hell is …Oh, Kami-sama!" yelled someone. It was Tsunade. She immediately rushed over to the battle weary team.

"Will Naruto-kun be all right?" asked the pink-haired young woman. "Please don't let him die."

"Don't worry, Sakura," said Tsunade. "I'll be damned if I let him die. He's the son I never had."

Naruto, please be all right, Sakura prayed.

Here I shall credit my brutally honest, best-in-the-business editor; my brother, for making this chapter something more than the pure crap it was before.