Well I sped up the release of this chapter by three days because of Thanksgiving, but don't expect me to be able to do things like that often. Also, I decided that if I actually want to finish this story inside 15-16 chapters I would have to have slightly longer chapters. That is not to say that I will force the story to be a specific length, just that that's what I had in mind. Once again remember that I may skip back and forth in time slightly when switching POV's. And now without further ado: Chapter 10-The Spire of Heaven.

I do not own Naruto.

The Spire of Heaven

Danzou set quietly at his desk as he reviewed tasking orders for his troops. He found himself mentally reciting one of several possible speeches for when he would take control of the village away from that fool-minded woman of a Hokage.

Her incompetence in allowing the Kyuubi-brat to escape is just one of many instances where she has jeopardized the military power and stability of Konoha. Compassion and mercy have no place in a Shinobi Government. Fortunately for me MY ANBU will kill the beast, and hopefully that troublesome Kakashi along with it. Now should I use the phrase –It is with great regret- when I inform the citizens that I have been…forced to personally replace the Hokage? I wonder…

"Danzou-sama a messenger hawk has arrived carrying a priority one message from the team you sent out two days ago." said a young Root initiate who appeared at the doorway to Danzou's office.

"Well give it here; I don't have time to waste right now. You haven't opened it I trust?" replied Danzou

"Here Danzou-sama, no, no one has read the message as were your orders." the young boy replied.

"Good…now off you, I have work to do." said Danzou.

The boy bowed and left the room as Danzou broke the wax seal on the scroll and opened it.

Danzou-sama

At the time of my composing this letter we are less than a kilometer from the target. Team 7 is immediately ahead of us. We may have to engage and destroy team in order to engage target. We will bring back the target's head as proof of kill along with any evidence necessary to prove his betrayal. Expect our return in three days

-126

So they found him last night did they? If they manage to destroy Kakashi and that traitor Yamato I may just have to promote them. As for the brat's head…I doubt the villagers would mind symbolic revenge against the demon that killed so many of their family members. Danzou laughed to himself as he continued planning his ascent to Hokage.

Naruto thrust the kunai into his chest and pain overcame him. He collapsed onto his knees as the blood began to trail down body onto the ground. Damn this hurts…but at least it will be over…huh? He stared in disbelief as chakra surged forth from his wound expelling the blade. Tears streamed down his eyes as the blood flow stopped, and his skin and tissue knitted itself back together. Within seconds all signs of the blonde's attempt on his own life were gone.

WHY?! Why can't I just be normal?

"Who attacked us just now boy? You were wounded. LET ME FIGHT."The sound of the Kyuubi's voice echoed inside Naruto's head instantly pulling him into the inner-world

"Kyuubi? How can you pull me inside the inner world?" demanded Naruto.

"The seal is weakening…soon our minds will become one. When you join me, we will be able to see and feel and hear everything as one, but you didn't answer my question- WHO ATTACKED US? I WANT THEIR BLOOD."

"None of you business you damn fox. I took care of him now leave me alone"retorted Naruto with his old characteristic defiance.

"YOU SHOULD EMBRACE MY POWER BOY! I admire your guts kid, but if you defy me for very much longer I will not spare you when I am free."threatened the Kyuubi.

Naruto opened his eyes and stood up. He dusted himself off and noticed the semi-dried blood on his hands. This blood…it isn't mine. Naruto glanced at 142's corpse and shuttered in horror. Get it off…have to get it off… He ran to the nearby creek and began frantically washing his hands and arms.

Naruto sighed as he set up, looked at the claws on the tips of his fingers and noticed his red fox-like eyes in the reflection on the water. I normally transform like this when I'm really angry, but why am I this way now. I look just like the monster I'm becoming. He reached into his holster and drew out another kunai attempting to trim the claws off his fingers. As the blade made contact with the claw, it was the kunai rather than the claw that was sliced cleanly in two as the young Shinobi put pressure on it. Huh? Well that's kinda weird.

The blond threw down the handle of the ruined blade and stood facing towards the west. I can't even kill myself with a kunai anymore. Anything I do like that the Kyuubi's chakra will instantly heal, but I can't let the Kyuubi break free. There's only one place where I destroy us both instantly. I guess I have to go there after all. Funny, I had always wanted to see the Spire of Heaven. Well I gotta go, it's morning now and someone else might be close by.

Naruto leaped forward and sped through the grasslands and thickets faster than he had ever gone before. His own chakra mixed with the Kyuubi's giving him incredible speed and stamina, but his vision blurred with tears.

­"Why should we trust them Sasuke-kun? We don't need their help to find your brother, and there's no way that I'm going anywhere near that THING I sensed…" said Karin as she glared at her two cohorts and then at Team Seven.

"Fine then stay here, no one is forcing you to go." said Sasuke in an indifferent manner as he grabbed the gear off of Jugo's gear and stood up.

"We need to hurry," said Yamato. "I can't sense the Kyuubi's chakra anymore. Naruto seems to be on the move again." Team Seven along with Suigetsu and Sasuke began to head in the direction that Naruto left the camp.

Uhhhh Why me? I can't believe I'm doing this…thought Karin. "Sasuke-kun…wait for me…I'm coming too."

"Hurry up. I want to get this over with." He replied.

"Damn so close…" muttered Suigetsu as he shook his head.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Karin yelled.

"Not now, Karin where is Naruto heading towards?" asked Sasuke as the group began to run down the trail he seemed to have taken.

"West I think…I'm not sure…his chakra has changed again. It's more like it was the first time we ran into him in the woods. It seems more human at any rate, but it's still far more sinister like a little while ago. Just who the hell is this kid?" she replied.

"He's my friend and the kindest blockhead in the whole world, now can you find him or not? We can't let him get away." yelled Sakura as she stared at the red-headed kunoichi running beside her."

"Pssh I could point directly to that freaks chakra if he were standing in the middle of an army of look alikes." replied Karin. "At any rate he's definitely heading west now.

"An Army of look alikes huh? That may be exactly what you have to do. Can you tell the difference between clones and the real thing?" asked Kakashi.

"Normally no I don't think so, but his chakra is so jacked up right now that no two clones would have the same chakra pattern. I wouldn't necessarily be able to tell which one is the original, but I could definitely tell them apart. Then my Sasuke-kun can take care of the rest." said Karin as she glanced over at the Uchiha.

"Well I guess that will have to do." Kakashi sighed as he considered having taken on HEBI as a part of the mission.

"Hey what do you mean "YOUR" Sasuke-kun?! He's a Konoha ninja and he would never hang around hussies like you if it wasn't for his brother." yelled Sakura.

Karin smirked at she looked at Sakura and said nothing.

Wait…just what the hell is going on between you two?" threatened Sakura.

"Both of you shut up you're getting on my nerves" said Sasuke. The two kunoichi gave the boy and dangerous look

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" the two kunoichi said in unison.

West…The Land of Rocks. This is bad, why is Naruto heading in this direction? What could he be thinking, and are we even dealing with Naruto anymore? Yamato probably already knows, but it may be the Kyuubi who is calling the shots now. I have to find a way to prepare Sakura for the possibility of having to kill Naruto. thought Kakashi as he stared off into the distance.

They had been pursuing Naruto for over four hours now, and according to the girl Sasuke was with they were falling further and further behind the boy. Somehow Naruto was traveling faster then they were able to. Is it still Naruto? Minato-sensei please forgive me, but I will do what I must...

"Sasuke, what are you going to do when we find Naruto?" asked Kakashi.

"I already told you when we first met. After I kill my brother, I'm going to restore my clan. What do you care?" replied Sasuke in an annoyed tone.

"Naruto may be a far bigger threat than your brother, but I'm rambling let's just forget it for now and concentrate on finding Naruto. Did Orochimaru happen to teach you any time space jutsu?"

"It's none of your damn business what Sasuke-kun can do you old man!" yelled Karin.

"He wasn't speaking to you, you loud-mouthed bitch!" retorted Suigetsu. "I'm getting tired of running so hurry up and get to the friggin' point." he continued.

"We can't catch Naruto like this. At the rate he's going, he will just keep pulling further ahead of us until we loose him completely. If were going to catch him it will have to be by a different means." explained Kakashi. "I have one technique, but Sasuke is a little more suited for it."

"What could you possibly teach me that I haven't already surpassed? This is a waste of time I should be out looking for my brother instead." muttered Sasuke.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan. There are other ways of getting it than the one your brother described. I can use it now, and I can teach it to you if you agree to rejoin Konoha." replied Kakashi.

"What?! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE, YOU'RE NOT EVEN AN UCHIHA!" yelled Sasuke.

Kakashi stopped running causing the others to do the same. He then pulled his headband up revealing his Sharingan and clasped his hands together building up chakra.

"Mangekyo Sharingan!" Kakashi said as he opened his eye to reveal the transformation.

"Teach me." said a very stunned Sasuke as his eyes widened in shock. "I'm all ears."

"Very well, we'll stop here for now. I think I know where Naruto is headed. Even if he travels as fast as he is now without stopping, and I doubt he will, it will take him six days to get there. By that time we will be able to travel there using a different method." replied Kakashi.

The rest of the group stared at each other and began to make camp out of the way of Kakashi and his reacquired student. Overhead a hawk circled them and flew off towards the east.

162 worked her way to where 126 lay still wrapped up in Yamato's tree unconscious. As an ANBU she had some training as a medical ninja, though nowhere near the level it takes to create the massive strength she had seen present in Sakura.

I won't underestimate her a second time. Goading her to look for an opening was obviously a bad choice, next time I will pay her back for my jaw and me knee. As she thought this a sharp pain shot up her leg. She had been able to heal enough of the damage to regain use, but she feared that it would be quite a while before it fully healed.

She found where 126 was and proceeded to wake him. "Hey what the hell happened? You let that little girl get away and she ruined everything!" said 126.

"Oh it looks to me like Yamato is the one who trashed you pretty good, and…is that Sorenamaru? He killed your summon?! This is a disaster. On top of that 315 is dead and 142 may be overtaken by Kakashi's group before he even runs into the Kyuubi brat." We have to inform Danzou-sama of the situation.

162 began to treat 126's wounds while he summoned two hawks. Danzou-sama is not going to be pleased, especially after the message we sent him last night. thought 162.

"I will send this hawk back to Danzou-sama, we will use the other to track Team Seven so it will be easier to find the kid again." said 126. For hours they tracked their quarry using the birds' intel to keep them within range.

This time revenge is ours.

Author's Notes: Well the chase resumes. Next chapter titled Temptations will come out the week after Thanksgiving (Hopefully).