A/N: Please read and review I enjoy reading the reviews.
Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from the Naruto franchise.
Orochimaru's Wood Style Lab: Naruto
Naruto stared at his sensei in the redness of his mindscape with his new eyes. As a result of his most recent actions Naruto could tell that Madara Uchiha was very proud something the man confirmed a second later.
"You now have one of the most powerful eyes in the existence of the Uchiha clan we can now begin the Sharingan training."
"Sensei ever since I implanted the eyes my stamina has been way down, the eyes are consuming a great deal more of my chakra than I had anticipated."
Madara nodded to the boy and gave Naruto a very analytical answer. "You aren't an Uchiha by blood so you lack the capability to turn the Sharingan off it consume a great deal of chakra, and the Mangekyou Sharingan will consume an even greater amount of chakra so if you use a great deal of chakra consuming techniques you will exhaust yourself."
Naruto nodded. The situation he found himself in did make a great deal of sense. Kakashi had a transplanted Sharingan in his left eye and he kept it covered the majority of the time to avoid chakra exhaustion. Naruto realized that since he had been brazen enough to swap out both of his eyes for the Sharingan his stamina would suffer even greater than Kakashi's had. Naruto figured he did have one advantage going for him in the fact that he had naturally high chakra reserves by virtue of being an Uzumaki.
"So what comes first sensei?" Naruto asked.
"First I teach you how to activate the Mangekyou Sharingan. Remember if the intelligence my former pupil gave me about Shishui before I was sealed into you was accurate than his eyes have the ability to use the most powerful Genjutsu ever, the Kotoamatsukami its fabled power gives the user the ability to rewrite a person's past experience allowing you to manipulate them by making them believe they are doing it of their own free will. It is a Genjutsu of the highest caliber."
Naruto nodded, the eyes would be very useful to his cause. He could already imagine all the ways he could use it to destroy the Leaf village.
"Naruto be very conservative in using that jutsu it takes a decade to recharge its power." Madara added as, what Naruto thought was, an afterthought.
"Is there a way I can recharge it quicker?" Naruto asked his teacher.
Madara nodded and Naruto moved a step toward his teacher eagerly but when Madara didn't speak Naruto stood in front of the grayed older man expectantly.
"So how?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"We need THAT man's DNA." Madara spit out as if the words where venom.
Leaf Village: Kurenai
Kurenai walked solemnly through the streets of the Leaf village, or what was left of it. The village had been left in ruins after the destruction caused by the Nine Tailed Demon Fox's attack.
The Hyuga clan was all but destroyed when the branch houses decided to take advantage of the situation and rise up to attack the main house during the rampage. She had lost her surrogate little sister in that conflicted. She still cried most nights about it.
In addition to the destruction across the village several members of the Uchiha clan had been assassinated on the clans own compound while the other Uchiha clan members had been mysteriously taken out of the fight all together as the result of some bizarre partying they were doing. Kurenai found the entire thing suspicious. The only Uchiha that had come to defend the village was Itachi. Although it was the combined efforts of the Third Hokage and the Uchiha ANBU commander that sealed the Nine Tailed Fox into its new host.
Which meant that the old host was dead, that was a thought that almost always brought her to tears no matter where she was. She made her way toward the memorial stone in the village were several new names had recently been added. It had been rough lately for the village following the wake of the Nine Tail's attack and the Hyuga clan civil conflict, Itachi had declared martial law across the village. The ANBU commander was showing that he was quite capable of running the Leaf village. Construction was beginning on the outer walls to repair the damage done to the village's defense grid there, but the destruction that occurred inside the village would have to wait while the military buildings were being repaired.
She came into the clearing to find Asuma Sarutobi standing at the memorial stone with his head bowed and his hands in his pockets. She was just about to turn around and walk away from the clearing to let her fellow jonin teacher have a moment of silence to mourn when he called out to her.
"You've come to mourn too Kurenai?" Asuma asked in his gruff voice, the result of years of smoking no doubt, as he stepped slightly to one side which she took as an indication that she should join him.
"Yes I have two of my former teammates died during the attack." Kurenai found herself saying as she stepped up beside the jonin to stand in front of the stone.
Hinata Hyuga.
Naruto Uzumaki.
They were just two of the many names that had been added over the last few days and the body count had still not been completed. An untold number of civilians may have perished during the rampage but there was one name inscribed on the stone that she was sure Asuma was staring at.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage had perished when he ended the Nine Tail's assault by sealing it into a new Jinchuriki, his own grandson. The Third Hokage had saved the village when he sealed the Fox, but the damage to the village was done.
"He was a good man, he saved us all." Kurenai said quietly to Asuma.
"Thanks, I know he gave his life to protect the Leaf, just as every Hokage before him had done before him. When he passed the Hokage title to Minato I thought that he would avoid giving his life for the village and would just get to be a father to me, and grandfather to Konohamaru now Konohamaru has to carry the curse Naruto used to."
Kurenai swallowed hard the mention of Naruto and felt her vision go blurry. "He was different than most people thought he was. Naruto may have come across as cold and distant, but he had a good heart."
"You were really close to him weren't you?" Asuma asked quietly.
"I was, sorry I need to go." Kurenai said turning away from Asuma as she felt warm tears spilling from her eyes as she walked home.
With Naruto
Naruto stepped outside of the small hideout and watched silently his new eyes following every movement that Guren made as she went about practicing her Crystal Style techniques. Naruto observed her, she had a decent level of speed, better than most of the ANBU Naruto had spent time with and her crystal jutsu was very formidable. He quickly realized that it was a kekkei genkai because no matter how much he looked at it with the Sharingan he wasn't able to duplicate it. He realized that the Crystal Style was even more powerful than his initial assessment when she launched a false attack at Kabuto and him when they came to the lab the other day.
Naruto slowly turned on his heels and was about to enter the lab again when he heard Guren call out to him.
"Hey where are you going?"
Naruto stopped moving but didn't turn. He waited a period of three seconds and still felt Guren standing behind him so he decided to answer. "I came out for some fresh air, I need to return to my lab work."
"Wait, I mean do you have to get back to it right now? Perhaps we could spar?"
That intrigued Naruto, the only time anyone had ever offered to spar with him was, well never. Most people wouldn't even want to train with him and the only times he had actually sparred with other people was when he was on the genin team. Naruto figured she was probably lonely spending all her time up here guarding Orochimaru's research. Naruto shrugged his shoulders and turned to face her.
"Take it easy darling these eyes are new." Naruto said as he turned to face Guren.
"What! The Sharingan when did you get that?"
With that Naruto activated the ultimate jutsu of the Mangekyou Sharingan while his left eye whirled into a four pronged disk.
Kotoamatsukami
Naruto quickly entered her mind and found something that was awe inspiring the girl had a fierce loyalty to Orochimaru. It would be more accurate to say that she 'did' have a fierce loyalty to Orochimaru. Naruto found that since the woman already had the characteristic of being fiercely loyal it was easy to just shift where that loyalty lie. She was his now.
Naruto spread his arms out and beckoned to Guren. "Come here Guren."
The woman blinked for a second before she walked steadily to Naruto. She came to stand in front of him and then she bowed before him in the manner of a person addressing a superior. Naruto let a smile cross his face, he had just found his first true ally. Someone who was loyal to him and only him.
"I'm glad you are with me Guren, I have a task for you I need your help with the infusion."
"What infusion Naruto?" Guren asked respectfully as she came even closer to the young Sharingan user.
"The infusion of the first Hokage's cells into my body."
"I understand I will do all I can to help you."
Naruto smiled but said nothing as he turned and walked back into Orochimaru's lab. He heard light footballs behind him that indicated to him that Guren was following him into the lab. He moved with purpose to the final room, threw open the door, and stepped inside making room for Guren to enter as well.
In the center of the room stood a large cylindrical tank that had various amounts of hoses leading into it. Several smaller lab tables littered the room in various degrees of usefulness, some were damaged beyond repair, some were just simply overturned, but there was one lab table set in the corner of the room very neatly. Papers and research notes adorned the top of the table. Naruto had spent the better part of the day setting up the large tubes that fed into the tank and attaching the liquid chemical agents that were going to infuse the first Hokage's cells into his body. Naruto quickly went about double checking everything that he had set up to make sure the liquid soak would work. It would be quite taxing on his chakra and powers to complete the infusion having Guren and her mighty Crystal Style guarding him during the infusion would be quite helpful.
"Guren I need you to activate the seals at each of the flow points where the tubes connect into the tank, then I need you to watch over and guard me. If anyone comes here I need you to protect me. If Kabuto comes back or anyone else connected to Orochimaru tell them that I am not here."
Guren nodded. "How will I know when to come get you?"
Naruto smiled at the note of concern he heard in her voice, he never knew that the mind controlling jutsu Shishui Uchiha had at his disposal was so potent, if he managed to infuse the DNA of the first Hokage into his body he would be able to use it daily something he highly wished for.
"By my calculations the infusion will take about two days come for me then, drain the tank then open it and pull me out. I may be low on strength then so it is important that you keep me safe."
Guren nodded and stepped forward placing her hand on Naruto's chest. "Good luck I will start the infusion once you are in the tank."
Naruto nodded and stripped down to his undergarments, then entered the tank and closed the glass door while giving Guren a thumbs up to begin the procedure. Guren leapt to the celling out of Naruto's view and Naruto observed one by one each of the hoses leading into the tanks start to funnel greenish fluid into the tank Naruto was in. The young man reached out and took the mask he prepared to allow him to breath and fixed it over his face while attaching a long hose that ran to the exterior of the tank onto it. He then closed his eyes and immediately felt relief from his taxed chakra network. The fluid quickly filled the tank and Naruto felt his skin starting to absorb it so he closed his eyes and allowed his body to become buoyant in the fluid.
With Kurenai
Kurenai entered her home while carrying a large bag of groceries in her left arm. It had been a few days since she first saw Asuma at the memorial stone the two had met there every day since to share in quiet companionship and to mourn the loss they both felt.
Asuma had told her about how he was now taking care of his nephew Konohamaru and helping him adjust to the Nine Tail's chakra. Kurenai had gone into great detail about the loss she felt from Hinata and how it had shattered her confidence as a teacher.
It was then that Asuma told her about the report he heard from the Hyuga clan, a member of the ANBU black ops had given Neji Hyuga a scroll that had the key to unlocking the main branch's cursed seal. Neji then used the scroll to unseal the entirety of the branch houses who then launched a massive attack on the main family which nearly caused the annihilation of the clan. Hinata her prized student had died in that struggle.
Then there was the fact that nobody was able to locate Naruto's body or even deduce how the Nine Tails had gotten out of the seal the fourth Hokage placed on the boy. Jiraiya had even personally searched for the body but to no avail.
She went about putting her groceries away while she thought more about what was happening in the village. Itachi was acting as temporary Hokage ever since he declared martial law and had the Uchiha police force and the ANBU black ops on high alert in the village twenty four seven, but the village couldn't maintain at the rate Itachi currently had it going something had to give. If the rumors were true though Jiraiya of the Sannin was searching out the woman who would be the fifth Hokage, she just hoped he would hurry.
With Naruto: Two Days Later
The green liquid oozed away from Naruto as it drained through the floor soon he fell onto the floor once the viscous liquid left the tank he no longer was stayed suspended in the tank so he slumped to the floor. Once the tank was completely empty Naruto heard the glass door open and he soon felt two small, but very strong hands grip his shoulders and lift him up off the floor. He felt his body being moved through the lab and he came to be laid in a bed. In the next second he felt someone sit down on the edge of the bed and a hand ran along his forehead.
"Naruto you're burning up." He heard Guren's concerned voice say.
Naruto let out a pained groan as he realized that yes his body was in a great deal of pain. He was very cold which typically meant he was running a fever and his head was pounding. He took in a deep breath and opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and he felt a surge of pain through his head and the headache intensified. He snapped his eyes shut and felt Guren's other hand weave into his hand her fingers slipped between his fingers.
Naruto knew she was trying to make him feel better but he found the contact to be unsettling. Most people are comforted by the physical touch of another, and that is something they learn as a child with the touch of their parent soothing them and it is a behavior that is often replicated multiple times though life, but Naruto never had anyone that cared for him in such a way so he lacked the instinct to be comforted by such a touch. Naruto opted to shake his hand free of Guren's and he lightly pressed his hand against her side indicating she should go. He felt Guren comply without resistance and the weight on the edge of the bed left. Apparently Guren had not gone far because in the next second Naruto felt a blanket fall across his body and a pair of hands smooth it over him before once again retreating to the side of the room.
"Guren there is a metal container in the lab space within is a vial filled with a clear liquid will you please bring it to me." Naruto rasping out.
Naruto listened to Guren leave the room, once he heard the door shut he laid back in the bed. He noted that speaking made his head hurt and his headache picked up in tempo. Naruto could hear his heart pounding in his head and each pound of his heart sent a shudder of pain through his head. The process by which Orochimaru had to infuse the wood style DNA was very painful no wonder the man considered it a failed experiment he had 0.16 percent chance of success. Actually the fact that Naruto was still alive raised it to a 0.3 percent chance of success. He however didn't know if he was going to survive past the night the pain he was in was incredibly intense it felt like his skin was on fire, his guts were going to rip their way out of his body and his head felt like it was going to explode.
Naruto heard the door open and the painful sound of a metal container settling onto the stone floor. In the next moment he heard the container flip open and the crystal user spoke.
"I have the vial."
Naruto turned his head toward the sound of Guren's voice and spoke to her.
"Bring me the vial make sure it is the clear liquid." Naruto said as he extended his hand toward the blue haired woman. He felt the steady weight of the vial enter it and he ran his hand along it until he found the lid. Once he found the lid he popped it open and brought it to his lips savoring the taste of the sour liquid that confirmed that it was the pain killer he had created by accident long ago. A few seconds after consuming the liquid Naruto felt the pain killer taking effect and he settled back into the bed. He let out a content sigh and laid back on the bed closing his eyes.
Naruto awoke from a fever dream with a start when he heard what sounded like arguing coming from the other room. He tested his body and found that it responded to him without difficulty. The pain was mostly gone from his body so he swung himself off the bed and walked to the metal box Guren left on the floor and he went through it grabbing a long sleeve grey shirt and a pair of black pants and pulled them on. He then pulled on a long black cloak and raised the hood on it. He looked briefly at the Leaf village headband sitting in his container reached down feeling the cool metal on his fingers and he pocked the headband.
Naruto heard a loud bang from another room in the lab, he reacted in an instant standing and rushing out of the room making sure that his hood stayed up covering his head as he weaved through the hallway. Naruto quickly came to the epicenter of the disturbance and found Kabuto in a heated argument with Guren, there was a long pink crystal sticking out of the wall that Naruto figured was responsible for the thud he heard.
"Kabuto what's going on here?" Naruto asked his voice calm and collected
"Lord Orochimaru had a mission for Guren here and she is refusing to corporate." Kabuto said his voice harsh and angry.
"Is it something Orochimaru wanted or something that Sasori wanted? I know you play both sides of everything Kabuto!"
"What is the mission Kabuto? I could stand to gain a little favor with Orochimaru." Naruto asked expectantly when he noticed a small boy enter into the room.
The young boy who Naruto guessed was anywhere between the age of nine and twelve had magenta eyes and long pale-green hair. His outfit consisted of a kimono with a jade-green inside and a grey outside along with cadet-blue pants with bandages down to his ankles.
"Who's the kid?" Naruto asked to nobody in particular.
"His name is Yukimaru and he is a very special boy." Kabuto told Naruto, a menacing grin on his face.
"I see so what's the mission you want Guren to take?"
"Well I don't see any harm in you knowing, The Three Tailed Turtle is in a lake a few miles from here and this boy has a unique ability to control the Turtle."
"So Orochimaru wants to turn him into a Jinchuriki." Naruto finished the statement and looked the boy over.
"Guren and I will handle it, go home Kabuto." Naruto said as he took a step forward and extended a hand to the boy.
"Very well if that's what you want bring him to the Tenchi Bridge once you have completed the task see ya later." Kabuto said turned around and walked out of the lab throwing a backhanded wave to the room as he closed the door.
"Guren get your things and get ready to leave the lab permanently we leave tonight." Naruto said as he moved to the small living area the lab possessed and sat down in a chair pulling out one of the ration bars he had left and making a meal out of it.
A few minutes later Guren came with the boy in tow and lit a fire in the hearth that took up the majority of one wall Naruto laid back in his chair for a moment and closed his eyes, slowly entering his mindscape.
With Kurenai
"I Tsunade swear on my honor as a member of the Senju clan who founded this village that I will lead and protect the Village Hidden in the Leafs as the fifth Hokage!"
The crowd went into an uproar at that. Kurenai figured a member of the clan that founded the village was what the people of the village needed in order to lift their spirts and help them get over the death of the Third Hokage, the destruction of the Hyuga clan, and the attack of the Nine Tailed Fox. She didn't celebrate in the cheer though instead she turned and began to walk home.
Lately she hadn't been in the mood for joy or celebration the events of the past few weeks had been hard on her losing her lover, and best friend in Naruto, and losing her prized student and surrogate sister to the Hyuga clan destruction still left gaping emotional wounds that had yet to heal.
She suddenly saw a glimpse of someone walking across the village that peaked her interest. Clad in his ANBU armor with is red bloodline eyes scanning over the crowd Kurenai watched Itachi Uchiha walk toward her on the streets of the Leaf village. He noticed her and greeted her with a nod while coming to a stop in front of her.
"Greetings Kurenai how have you been?" Itachi asked his voice clam although his eyes still continued to scan the area.
"I'm doing okay all things considered it is pretty hard to accept that two of my students are just dead."
Itachi nodded and looked at her for a moment. "I know, Naruto was a promising agent in the ANBU black ops. His loss was tragic to me as well."
Kurenai sucked on her lips and fiddled with what she wanted to say next. "You've done an excellent job keeping the village safe after the Nine Tails attack."
Itachi had always been a hard one to read but Kurenai could of sworn she saw what looked like pride flash in the mans red eyes before he spoke again. "Thank you Kurenai, but I was merely fulfilling my duties as the ANBU commander."
"Still you did an amazing job Itachi and now that we have a new Hokage you can take a break."
"I doubt it, some of our spies have brought word that the Rock village is mobilizing. We could be at war soon."
Kurenai gulped, that was something she didn't want to live through the Third Shinobi World War had been bad enough and she didn't partake much in the fighting in that war. She figured a war with another of the major powers in the elemental nations would be devastating, and with the destruction that had already taken place she didn't like the odds her village faced.
"I don't mean to sound rude or inconsiderate but I am currently on a time sensitive task I only have three days of leave before I must return to my post as ANBU commander so I need to get out of the village."
That fact struck Kurenai, Itachi, the man that was holding the village together, the man that had aided and nearly single handedly stopped the rampage of the Nine Tailed Fox was leaving.
"What, why are you leaving Itachi?" Kurenai heard her mouth asking before it consulted with her brain.
Itachi gave her a stern look and spoke in a low deadly voice. "I got a lead on where Sasuke might be."
With Naruto
Naruto's eyes flashed open and he stood up while tossing his old Leaf headband into the fire and watched tendrils of fire curl up around it destroying the cloth and slowly working over the metal blackening it.
"Guren are you ready to go?" Naruto called out and he heard the shuffling of feet and the woman appeared to his left with what looked like a piece of bread in her hands.
Guren finished chewing and swallowed before she met Naruto's eyes and nodded. "I'm ready to go."
Naruto nodded to her. "Go wait for me out front of the lab I have something to do first."
"What do you need to do?"
"I need to take care of a little problem."
Naruto said as he watched Guren leave the room before he approached the remaining figure in the room. Naruto came to stand over Yukimaru and found the boy was sprawled out in the chair fast asleep. Naruto figured it was easier this way and drew his kukri knife. He brought it down on the boy in the next breath and then wiped the blade off on the kid's shirt. With his task done he slid the knife back into the holster adoring the small of his back and walked outside to meet Guren.
He found the crystal user waiting for him tapping her foot impatiently. Her eyes flickered to Naruto and she let out an exasperated sigh while leveling a glare at Naruto. "What took you so long?"
"I had to take care of the kid." Naruto said and he watched Guren's eyes widen before they narrowed and she nodded her head to him.
"Too bad he was a nice kid." Guren said.
"And he got exactly what nice gets you only the strong smart and ruthless survive." Naruto told Guren as he began to walk in the direction that Kabuto had told him the Three Tails was.
As Naruto quickly found out Guren was not a silent travel companion. Years of living alone with the occasional visit from Kabuto mixed in seemed to have left the crystal user more open to the idea of companionship, and with the powerful visual jutsu he placed her under had made her very trusting and compliant toward Naruto.
Guren broke the silence quickly as the two set out toward the lake. "So what happened that made you leave the Leaf village?"
"Why so curious Guren?"
"Well Naruto we haven't known each other for very long but I feel attached to you in a way that I can't quite describe."
Naruto was impressed Shishui Uchiha's eyes were amazingly powerful he felt he still didn't understand the full depth of its power. With a jutsu like that as his disposal he was shocked Shishui didn't take over the entire village, but if Madara was correct and the jutsu could only be used once every decade or so it stood to reason that Shishui was saving such a potent jutsu for a time of dire need. If the infusion of the first Hokage's DNA was complete though Naruto would be able to, at least according to Madara, use the jutsu far more often.
Naruto decided that since she was under his genjutsu control he could trust her with limited knowledge. "I hate that village it ostracized me my entire life treating me like dirt they got what they deserve."
Guren nodded. "I see that makes sense I suppose I hated where I was before I found my way to Lord Orochimaru and then to you. Everyone I have ever met has treated me like a prized possession because of my unique Crystal Style."
"It appears to be quite powerful Guren I don't blame people for wanting to obtain such a powerful jutsu but I think our partnership would work out better so what do you say? I'll protect you and you protect me?" Naruto asked casually already know what Guren would say because of the jutsu he used earlier but he still wanted to establish that they would be sticking together for a while.
Naruto caught Guren smile in his peripheral vision. "I think I would like that Naruto, don't worry I haven't met the opponent yet who can stop my Crystal Style."
"That may be so Guren and it does appear to be formidable, but based on the knowledge I have of Tailed Beasts we can't expect anything to be a sure victory. They are comprised of sentient masses of chakra that wield great destructive power furthermore the Tailed Beasts cannot really be killed so the fight will only finish once we have suppressed it."
Guren seemed to think on that for a while and it was several minutes later before she finally responded. "You have the Sharingan though cant that suppress a tailed beast?"
Naruto had to give it to the woman she was sharp. "I do possess the Sharingan but I recently acquired it so I am not very proficient with its use because I haven't trained it. Furthermore while the visual abilities of the Sharingan are great the only known Sharingan that was able to control a Tailed Beast was Madara Uchiha's."
"Ohh I didn't know that, I just always heard stories growing up about how the Sharingan was the ultimate jutsu." Guren stated as she moved next to Naruto staring over at the younger man intently as they walked.
In truth after seeing Guren's Crystal Style Naruto wasn't too concerned about having enough fighting power to go toe to toe with the Three Tails, his greatest concern was if they would have a way to suppress it and keep it under their control. Madara had explained to Naruto how he entered into a summoning contract with the Nine Tails. Knowing how something works was useful, but actually performing the jutsu presented an entirely new level of challenges. There wasn't anything else Naruto could do but to make an effort so he kept walking alongside his crystal using ally toward the lake where the Three Tails was supposed to be.
Leaf Village: Kurenai
Kurenai opened her closet and pulled out the flak jacket she had been given upon her graduation to the rank of chunin that had spent the last few years sitting around just collecting dust. She gave the garment a quick once over making sure that it had not deteriorated or become damaged in some way during the time it had been sitting dormant in her closet. She laid it down onto her bed smoothing the edges into a crisp crease before she turned and withdrew a long sleeve navy blue shirt that had an orange spiral stitched into the shoulder and placed it next to the flak jacket she had just removed, once that task was complete she pulled the final article of clothing she would need, a pair of navy blue pants. Kurenai hadn't worn the uniform in quite some time but she quickly put it back, the task as second nature as any other day of getting dressed but Kurenai knew that it wasn't just any other day. The Hidden Rock Village was closing in on several Leaf village outposts and were rapidly approaching the Land of Fire.
The Leaf village was about to go to war.
Kurenai felt a shudder run through her body at that idea. Living with the village on high alert status the past few days was rather unsettling with everyday tasks being made far more difficult because of the military presence on every single street in the village. Now it was looking like that kind of mentality in the village was going to continue, and with a war Kurenai supposed you could add the constant threat of violence onto the state of over anxiousness which just proved to Kurenai that a life under siege was hard.
Kurenai looked her outfit over in her full body mirror making sure that her outfit was in place before she left her house. Kurenai walked down the streets and saw the evidence of reconstruction that was taking place all throughout the village. Kurenai supposed when you had shinobi helping to carry raw materials and put up buildings that rebuilding went far quicker. It was good that the village was regaining its infrastructure back at such a rapid pace they would probably need it in the days to come. The hospital and the academy had suffered very little damage by virtue of their location but just because a mindless beast like the Nine Tails didn't direct an attack on the two buildings wouldn't stop an invading force from attacking important buildings. Kurenai took a deep breath and continued down the street toward the ANBU black ops central headquarters.
She entered into the build and found herself in near darkness despite the bright sun that was shining out in the village. Only a few candles lit the large room which inside contained the majority of the Leaf village's jonin. Kurenai shuffled into the room and made her way to her assigned area. The Hokage appeared a moment later to brief them on the situation and give the village jonin the plan for attack in regards to the coming war with the Hidden Rock village.
Three Tail's Lake: With Naruto
Naruto watched as the water level slowly began to rise and massive amounts of dark chakra bubbled up to the surface as a head poked out. The rest of the Tailed Beast's body came above the surface soon afterwards. Naruto felt the same type of dark and malicious chakra he felt the night he left the Leaf village, only not as vast as the chakra he felt the night he fled the village. The giant turtle form that was the Three Tailed Beast come completely above the water and loomed over Naruto and Guren.
"Wow it's big." Guren said in an absent tone of voice before the thing lurched forward toward them.
Naruto quickly shoved Guren to one side as the giant tail of the Turtle landed in the spot she had previously occupied. It was then that Naruto spun and made eye contact with the beast and unleashed the visual jutsu Madara had taught him.
Genjutsu: Sharingan
A three tomoe Sharingan appeared in the Turtle's eye and for a moment the Tailed Beast stopped its motion and hostility. Naruto felt his chakra and will power flowing into the Three Tails. For a moment Naruto thought that he had won and had gained control of the Three Tails, but he suddenly felt his power slipping. Naruto tried to reassert his strength over the Three Tails but the Turtle's chakra and power were too vast. The Sharingan faded from the eye of the Turtle and the Tailed Beast was able to move forward and continue his rampage.
Once the monster began to move Naruto heard Guren call out so Naruto took a glance over to the blue haired woman and saw her slam her palm down atop the water's surface.
"Crystal Style: Divine Pathway Jutsu"
Just then large spikes of crystal moved outward from her palm rapidly increasing in size and in diameter as it extended across the lake and to the Three Tails. The spikes were large and dense enough that it lifted the Three Tails up into the air making it appear as if Guren had 'beached' the monster.
Naruto, taking the opportunity to regroup, jumped over to where Guren was crouched over atop the lake. The waters had become more violent making Naruto constantly adjust his balance on the water and the flow of his chakra through his feet.
The shinobi stood bobbing up and down atop the water and watched on as Guren's crystals that suspended the Turtle in the air began to break. Naruto upon seeing this lowered his right hand and began to focus his wind chakra to his palm. Soon a swirling ball of wind with four white blades rotating on the edges of the sphere. Naruto then pulled his arm back and threw the sphere of wind at the Three Tails just as the last of Guren's pink crystal spikes shattered allowing the Turtle to fall back to the lake.
Wind Style: Rasengan
The wind sphere crashed into the Three Tails and let out a small explosion of wind blades that cut into the Turtle the monster let out a roar at the contact but was forced back a few steps by the blast before it seemed to gather its bearings and surge forward once again with speed belaying its massive size. Naruto began to run across the water when he shouted out a plan to Guren.
"Guren I'll distract it use your Crystal Style to contain the beast!"
Naruto saw Guren nod and he sped up his movements across the water with the Three Tails in hot pursuit. Apparently his wind style attack had captured the attention of the Tailed Beast, but luckily all the speed training Madara had given Naruto paid off because Naruto had the Three Tails outclassed in the speed department, but Naruto knew that the Turtle had far greater power and was better at taking damage than Naruto was at dishing it out. Naruto began to weave hand signs.
Rat-Ox-Dog-Horse- Monkey-Boar-Tiger
Fire Style: Majestic Demolisher
Naruto turned and blew the flames at the Three Tails while pumping as much chakra into the technique as possible. As Naruto blew the fire at the Turtle he dropped his hands and opened his right hand gathering his wind chakra into another rotation. It was then the Tailed Beast trumped his Fire Style attack and fired a two giant blasts of water at Naruto one of the balls of water tore through Naruto's fire andboth bolts of water closed in on Naruto. Thinking quickly Naruto stopped channeling chakra through his feet and plunged into the water the bolts of water passing over his head. Once Naruto felt the water attack pass over his head Naruto leapt out of the water and hurled his jutsu at the Three Tails again.
Wind Style: Rasengan
Once again the wind created a miniature typhoon of wind blades that forced the Turtle to stumble for a moment, but as Naruto had planned it only took a moment because after it stumbled Guren's voice called out as she unleashed her jutsu.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Wall Eighth Formation. Take that you damn Turtle"
Naruto watched in awe as giant pink crystals reached up from beneath the choppy waves of the lake. Guren's jutsu moved quicker than the Three Tails could react, encasing it completely within the crystals. Naruto stared at the pink dome on the lake and the Tailed Beast locked within. He didn't realize until that moment how powerful Guren's ninjutsu was. Naruto recovered from his shock in less than half a second and pushed as much chakra through his eyes as possible morphing them into a four pointed shuriken design and made eye contact with the Three Tails again just as the first few cracks appeared across the smooth pink crystalline surface of Guren's technique.
Genjutsu: Sharingan
This time the Sharingan that appeared in the Three Tail's eye wasn't the three tomoe red eye but instead the four pointed pinwheel of Naruto's Mangekyou Sharingan appeared and Naruto felt the wild nature of the Three Tail's clam he had completed the contract the Three Tails was at his beck and call. Naruto watched as the large crystal prison that had formed in the center of the lake began to sink below the water's surface with the massive Tailed Beast within. Naruto allowed a small smile to grace his lips before he felt his balance falter and he fell to his knees. He was dangerously low on chakra. The five jutsu he used had tired him, but the after effects and exhaustion of using Kotoamatsukami on Guren all those days ago plus the increasing strain he found his body under from trying to integrate Hashirama Senju's abilities into his own had exhausted him. As he was about to resign to chakra exhaustion and fall beneath the water he felt a pair of hands grab ahold of his and lift him slinging his arm over someone's shoulder. Naruto felt Guren underneath him, she was a slender woman very petite but her body was strong and he felt Guren leading him off the water his feet dragging. Naruto closed his eyes, feeling the relief on his chakra network, and tried to get his muscles to respond to him. Naruto then noted a dull throb of pain that was covering a large portion of his body. Naruto reached down to remove the glove covering his left hand, and ran his bare hand across his body noting the enflamed rash that ran along his body. That was concerning.
"I'll take you back to the lab you can rest there." Guren said as the woman started to move him off the lake.
"No not that lab. Land of Water, the Hidden Mist Village." Naruto said as he deduced his condition.
"Okay where at in the Mist?" Guren asked and Naruto detected a note of uncertainty in her voice.
"On the outskirts, there is a secret hideout I will direct you to it once we are in the country." Naruto said as he let out a sigh hating the fact that the experiments he performed on himself had weakened his stamina to such an extent.
"Guren, when we get there I need you to find a medical specialist that isn't Kabuto. My body is at war with itself and is causing an immune response within my body if I don't get it treated it could kill me."
"Don't worry Naruto I won't let you die." Guren said with resolve in her voice as Naruto felt his body shift and Naruto, with Guren's help, started to make their way to the Village Hidden in the Mist.