(And here's the latest installment.)
Naruto finally brought Hinata up to the stands where the others were waiting and when they reached them he sat Hinata down on her feet. The spy girls rushed to them congratulating them, "Guys you were amazing!" Sam cheered.
"Yeah totally rad!" Clover added.
"Naruto you were stupendous and Hinata you did great!" Alex finished.
"Thanks girls. That's just how we hoped we'd do." Naruto said smiling until he found himself engulfed into a kissing frenzy by the spy girls as Hinata watched and giggled.
Shikamaru and Shino watched with Shikamaru mumbling about it being troublesome having girls pile on you like that while Shino had nothing to say. The Suna sibs just watched keeping to themselves while Gaara was waiting for his match. However Sasuke was still nowhere to be seen, "Will Sasuke and Gaara please come down here?" Genma called until a Konoha Jonin appears at his side, whispers something to him and vanishes. "Due to conditions Sasuke's and Gaara's match will be postponed until further notice, until then the match ups will continue following the next match."
"Postponed?" Sam asked.
"Hmm." Naruto knew something was up.
"But hold on that means it'll be almost time for me to fight!" Shikamaru gasped.
"And that's a problem?" Clover asked the lazy Nara.
"I was hoping I could kick back a little longer before my match." Shikamaru answered which made Clover sigh never seeing a lazier guy like him in her life.
"Now will Shino Aburame and Kankuro please come down?" Genma called.
Kankuro looked nervous as he looked at his instructor Baki who nodded, "I forfeit the match." Kankuro called.
"Well then since Kankuro forfeits the match goes to Shino Aburame." Genma called.
"Oh for crying out loud!" Shikamaru complained.
"This doesn't make any sense." Alex said to her friends.
"Yeah one of the Suna ninja dropping out because Sasuke's match was postponed doesn't make sense." Sam agreed.
"I know something must be up." Naruto believed.
"Since the third match has been decided will our next competitors Shikamaru Nara and Temari please come down?" Genma called.
'I should drop out too, there's no way I can go through with this.' Shikamaru thought.
Naruto sensing what Shikamaru was planning couldn't let it happen, 'Sorry to do this to you Shikamaru, but some things have to be done.' he thought before kicking Shikamaru off the railing and into the stadium.
"Naruto?" the girls gasped.
"I had to do it." Naruto said with a chuckle.
Shikamaru who was lying on the stadium ground stared up at Naruto with a frown, "Naruto, I'm gonna get you for this!" Shikamaru cursed to himself. Shikamaru sighed and took his position on the field with Temari.
"If both competitors are ready you may begin!" Genma called.
So the match got underway and throughout it Shikamaru had been trying to avoid Temari's wind abilities while getting enough concentration to catch her with his Shadow Possession Jutsu. As Naruto and the others watched the girls were impressed at Shikamaru's intellect and tactical planning. Suddenly Shikamaru managed to catch Temari's shadow with his jutsu and they awaited his next move. Shikamaru raised his arm making Temari do the same, "I forfeit the match." Shikamaru called and everyone was outraged.
Genma hearing that knowing he meant it called the match, "Due by forfeiting this match goes to Temari!"
"What?" the girls gasped.
Ino who was still sitting next to Sakura sighed, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Well that's who he is." Chouji reminded her.
"Well still no sign of Sasuke, if he gets ousted from the match Sammie it'll be us fighting next." Clover said.
"Hold on look." Sam motioned to the arena.
Suddenly around the field a breeze blew and in a swirl of leaves stood two people back to back, one was Kakashi, and the other was Sasuke wearing a black shirt with his family emblem on back, black shorts, and the bangs in his hair grew past his chin. Sasuke looked up at Genma, "Sasuke Uchiha ready for anything."
"Sasuke!" Sakura cheered seeing her teammate. Up in the stands Mikoto and Trish smiled seeing him make it just in time before he was officially ousted. The crowds started cheering while up with Sakura, Ino, and Chouji, Guy and Lee on a crutch finally made it to the stands. Lee was finally admitted out of the hospital but had to use a crutch to walk, "Guy-sensei, Lee." Sakura gasped.
"Hey Sakura sorry we're late, what'd we miss?" Guy asked.
"Well Sasuke's about to fight Gaara, while you just missed Naruto beating Hinata in the opening match." Chouji explained.
Lee was deep in thought about the next match to occur, 'Sasuke's fighting that sand ninja Gaara, whom I was powerless against.' He thought in worry for Sasuke.
Naruto made his way to the arena to see his sensei and fellow teammate, "It's about time you showed up. I didn't think you'd have the guts to show yourself." Naruto said.
"So what about you, did you win your match?" Sasuke asked hopefully.
"Yup, Hinata lost but it was a great match." Naruto replied.
Sasuke smirked, "Well don't get too comfortable, the real fights haven't started yet." He said causing Naruto to smirk.
"I sure hope we're not too late." Kakashi said sheepishly.
"Well we had to extend Sasuke's battle twice, so no he's not out." Genma replied.
"Oh good then there's no problem." Kakashi said.
Gaara who was up in the stands glared down at Sasuke before appearing onto the field in a Shunshin of sand. "Let's go Shikamaru." Naruto said as he and the lazy ninja headed back to the competitors stand.
They returned to the stands where everyone else was, "Sasuke finally showed up." Sam said.
"Guess our match isn't next." Clover added.
"Come on, we better go to Kakashi sensei and the others, I got a feeling Gaara is the trigger to this invasion." Naruto said as they hurried to the audience stands.
Soon Genma called the match and Sasuke went at it in blinding speed able to get past Gaara's sand shields along with using Taijutsu moves Lee knew. Naruto, the girls, Hinata, Kushina, Jerry, Jiraiya, and Connor arrived as they gasped upon seeing Gaara encase himself in a sphere of sand.
"What's he doing?" Ino gasped.
"No idea." Chouji answered.
"I don't like this Connor." Naruto said to his demon.
"Neither do I, Shukaku's essence is growing inside that sphere." Connor said feeling it in his blood.
"Guy-sensei look at Sasuke!" Lee called as they saw Sasuke perform a few hand seals and struck his hand on the ground where he appeared to be charging up some static electrical force.
This sight got Mikoto and Trish surprised while Rin was in shock seeing this and hurried to find Kakashi, "Kakashi you didn't." Guy replied in shock along with Kushina, and Jiraiya being in shock as well.
"I'd do anything to help my student win." Kakashi replied.
"Kakashi sensei, what is Sasuke using?" Sakura asked.
"The Chidori," Kakashi answered, "A technique I made on my own years ago which lead to creating my trademark Raikiri technique." He explained.
"And you taught that move to Sasuke?" Kushina asked.
"It may be the only move able to get him around Gaara's shield." Kakashi says.
"Kakashi!" Rin shouted as she reached them and started beating the heck out of her former teammate, "ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING?! ARE YOU TRYING TO LOSE ANOTHER UCHIHA BY TEACHING THE VILLAGES LAST ONE A TECHNIQUE LIKE THAT?!"
"Ow Rin, hey!" Kakashi groaned as he put up with her beatings.
Sasuke with his Chidori charged rushed to the sand sphere tearing up the ground with his move before thrusting his fist forward, "CHIDORI!" he shouted punching into the sphere.
"No!" Temari gasped.
"He didn't!" Kankuro gasped.
"He-he broke Gaara's sand sphere." Baki was equally shocked.
Suddenly everyone heard a scream coming form inside the sphere, "MY BLOOD!" Gaara's voice was heard.
Suddenly a cloaked Anbu called, "Nehan Shouja no Jutsu!" feathers began flying all around causing people to fall asleep while most Jonin, Naruto, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, the spies, Kushina, Connor, Mikoto, and Trisha use the release sign to not be affected by it. Baki threw a smoke bomb onto the field shrouding it, "Kankuro, Temari go!" Baki commanded.
The two Suna genin jumped to the field and grabbed their little brother and fled the scene. Back at the stands, Naruto and the others looked all around at what just happened,
"We're under attack." Kushina gasped.
"So Kin was telling the truth." Connor said squinting his eyes.
"Girls, hope you're ready for your first war." Naruto said turning to the girls who looked determined to fight.
"I'll go wake Jerry." Kushina said rushing to Jerry to use the release technique on him.
Naruto looked onto the arena and saw Sasuke and Gaara were missing, "Wait a minute hold it. Where are Sasuke and Gaara?" Naruto asked.
"They're gone!" Sakura gasped in shock.
"Sasuke must've gone after Gaara." Sam theorized.
"I'm going after him!" Naruto stood up.
"I'm coming with," Connor added, "If your going up against Shukaku's vessel you'll need me."
"All right then, girls you stay here with sensei and the others and defend the village." Naruto turned to the others as he, Connor, and Fido rushed off to track Gaara and his sibs.
While with the Uchiha, he was jumping through the forest trying to catch up with Gaara and his siblings, 'You're not getting away that easy!' he thought.
Meanwhile with Naruto and Connor they were being led by Fido using his nose to sniff Sasuke out, "Can't be too far ahead now," Naruto said seeing Fido moving forward. Soon they arrived and saw the Suna sibs, with Gaara looking like he was in a miniature Shukaku form, while Sasuke was lying on a branch looking weakened, "Sasuke!"
"He was hardly worth the fight." Gaara replied coldly.
"Connor, Fido, protect Sasuke. I got to deal with this guy!" Naruto said as he took a stand and drew his blade.
So the two led Sasuke to a nearby tree to lay him down, while Kankuro and Temari stood back not wanting to get past Gaara and his half demonic form, "Let's fight Uzumaki Naruto!" Gaara beckons him.
"You asked for it!" Naruto says as he launches at Gaara going at him head on with his Fang Blade.
However Gaara used his claw to block the incoming assault, but when he looked he saw Naruto pull out his tornado in a can of mousse and unleashed it on Gaara sucking him into the tornado and dropped him on a tree branch, "What kind of tool is that?" Temari asked seeing Naruto's gadget.
"Hair mousse?" Kankuro saw the design.
Suddenly Gaara's upper body was being consumed by sand transforming him into what looked like a human Raccoon Dog, 'Be careful Naruto, he's letting more of Shukaku's influence out more and more.' Connor thought to Naruto.
"Suna Shuriken!" Shukaku Gaara sent huge shuriken made of sand right at Naruto.
Naruto using his spy evasive maneuvers dodged the sand shuriken and used his sword to deflect them, 'I can't keep defending myself. I have to take it to the offense.' He thought before sheathing his sword.
Shukaku Gaara saw this and spoke, "Have you finally come to your senses and surrender?"
"Actually I was thinking of doing this the old fashion way," Naruto said summoning his clones, "All right boys, let's get him!" The clones went at it against Gaara using their Fuuton Jutsu to knock him around tree to tree while avoiding his extending sand claws. As the other two Suna ninja watched the fight intensify they were getting worried that Gaara was looking TO'D to the max, "Fido launch missile at 1:00." Naruto ordered.
Fido fired a missile at the bottom of Gaara's Shukaku tail which exploded on contact,
"Good shot boy." Connor said, until he and Naruto saw some of the sand on Gaara's body crumbled but still wasn't enough.
"Oh man!" Naruto groaned.
"I shall not be defeated!" Gaara cried as he conjured sand everywhere that started piling onto him giving him a new form.
Meanwhile prior to what was happening with Naruto, in the village citizens were being evacuated to safer locations as Oto and Suna ninja were causing chaos. But fighting back against them was some of the Anbu, Jonin, along with the girls and other Konoha ninja,
"Come on this way," Sakura said leading some of the elders into a safer location but saw an Oto ninja ready to attack, "Oh now you don't!" Sakura called forming hand signs and put her arm on the ground as the earth property covered it, "Time for an earth knuckle sandwich!" she called giving the ninja an uppercut in the jaw sending him crashing into a push cart.
"Sakura behind you!" Ino called.
Sakura spun seeing three more Sound ninja try to attack her until Clover attacked them, "Katon; Fireball Jutsu!" she called launching her Jutsu at them throwing them off their aim.
"My turn!" Alex called forming hand signs, "Raiton; Lightning cuff Jutsu!" she called launching cuffs made from her lightning chakra at the three ninja which bounced their legs and arms which not only restrained them, but also shocked them into paralysis as well.
"Ok girls, let's show these guys what we kunoichi spies are all about." Sam said as all six of them were ready to fight.
"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her bloodline and used her gentle fist art on two that tried to jump her and saw she was surrounded by more but she wasn't afraid of them, "Rotation!" she called using the Main house's secret technique to knock them all away.
"Good one Hinata!" Ino called as she saw two Suna ninja were ganging up on a down shinobi, "I got this one!" Ino called using her family jutsu and took possession of one of the Suna ninja and made him fight the other one.
Sam, Clover, and Alex then started using their ninja weapons against some more incoming Sound ninja, "You know for our first war this isn't so bad." Alex said.
"Well it's about to get worse." Sam said as more Oto reinforcements arrived.
"Don't be intimidated! Remember what we've learned during all our training," Sakura reminded them, "Now let's fight!" she called as they fought hand to hand against the Sound ninja using all of the martial arts moves they learned from their training.
Unknown to them watching from the side were a few Daimyo's being escorted to safety but saw just how strong and skilled the six kunoichi's and looked impressed. In a matter of minutes the six had taken care of the Sound ninja around them and thought they saw the worse, but they were wrong. Suddenly the earth rumbled, "Earthquake?" Clover asked until they looked out into the forest area seeing in the distance a giant raccoon dog.
"That's no earthquake." Sakura said.
"What is that thing?" Ino asked while backing away.
"Whatever it is, it looks mean." Alex said in worry.
Back with Naruto he looked up at the giant Shukaku, "I really haven't had much training fighting giants." Naruto says a little freaked. Kankuro and Temari quickly made a run for it in fear.
Naruto stood his ground with Fido and Connor staring up at the giant creature, "Now Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara's voice came from Shukaku, "I shall show you true power!" he shouted as he emerged from the forehead of the Shukaku and formed a hand sign, while muttering something and fell asleep.
"Oh no." Connor gasped seeing that.
"Oh no what?" Fido asked.
"Because Gaara's fallen asleep Shukaku can now take control!" Connor gasped as Shukaku looked up.
"Oh yeah I'm free, time for some fun!" he called as he launched sand bombs all around the area and was crushing the forest.
"I better summon the chief for this!" Naruto said ready to nip some blood but was stopped by Connor.
"Wait, let me handle this." Connor said.
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked.
Connor threw off his jacket, "It's time to make up for the troubles I've done this village." He said as he managed to get behind Shukaku without being seen, 'Ok Shukaku time for a reunion.' He concentrated his chakra.
Shukaku was still going through the forest on his way to Konoha, until he felt a presence and familiar growling. He looked back to see Kurama standing behind him glaring daggers, "I thought that sounded like you Kurama, you wanna smash something go right ahead. But I got dibs on the village." He said ready to continue toward the village until Kurama jumped ahead and blocked him.
"NO!" Kyubi roared, "Harm Konoha and I will break you in half!"
"What, this ain't like you Kurama where's that rampage and destructive demon that attacks for no reason?" Shukaku asked.
"Things aren't the way they were before, Shukaku. I am a guardian of the Land of Fire, and you are my opponent!" Kurama called as he attacked Shukaku with his jaws, while the raccoon dog demon was swiping at him with his claws.
Sasuke who had woken up was watching the battle between the demons and thought, 'What kind of battle is this turning into?'
"Kyubi Fire inferno!" Kyubi called sending fireballs from the tips of his tails at Shukaku.
Shukaku took the blows but recovered from them, "What was that, are you getting softer, Kurama?"
Kyubi thought, 'I can't tell him I'm only up to two tails worth of my power,' He answered, "I'm just holding back, it's pointless to use all of my power against a one tail."
Shukaku frowned, "Oh now you're getting personal!"
Naruto watched as the two demons fought but knew he had to help so he jumped up the tree branches and landed on Kyubi's back, "Naruto?" Kurama asked.
"There has to be something we can both do together." Naruto said.
"You can put Shukaku out by waking Gaara up," Kyubi explained, "I'll hold him still so you can get a shot," Kyubi launched at Shukaku using his fangs and claws to hold him in place, "Now Naruto!" Kyubi said with a full mouth.
Naruto ran across Kyubi's head and jumped onto Shukaku running right for Gaara still asleep in the Shukaku's forehead. Sand started coming from him keeping Naruto from reaching Gaara, but the blonde ninja used Kyubi's chakra to destroy the incoming sand. Finally Naruto reached the sand Jinchuriki and throws his arm back, "Hey wake up!" Naruto slugged Gaara causing him to groan.
"No I wanted to stay out!" Shukaku whined as he vanished back into Gaara.
Gaara's eyes opened, "You disrupted the Jutsu!" he shouted until he saw Naruto glowing with Kyubi's chakra.
"And you're next!" Naruto screamed as he threw a Kyubi enhanced punch to slug Gaara's head.
The impact caused Shukaku to crumble into sand and Gaara and Naruto fell to the earth with Gaara crashing, but Naruto managed to grab hold of a tree branch and swung down safely to the ground, "He did it." Kurama smiled as he shrank down back to Connor.
Gaara lied on the ground covered in bruises, cuts, and some of his blood, 'How could I have lost?' he thought until he saw Naruto approaching him with a frown, "No, stay away!" Gaara panicked.
Naruto stopped a few feet away from him, "You know something Gaara, you and I have a lot in common," Naruto began, "I know what it's like, being hated, treated harshly, wishing you could just die. But I never accepted what others thought about me, because I found friends, and lovers. Their love and kindness fueled me, and kept me going for so many years."
'Love, is this what separates us?' Gaara pondered.
"But it doesn't have to be like this for you, Gaara." He continued.
"It doesn't?" he asked in confusion.
He approached Gaara more and stuck his hand out, "I would like you to be my friend." He offered.
Connor and Fido who was carrying Sasuke on his back approached hearing what Naruto said, "Friend?" Gaara asked and for the first time a tear of happiness fell out of his eye, "I'd like that Uzumaki Naruto." He took his hand and was helped to his feet.
"Please just call me Naruto." Naruto replied as he pounded Gaara's fist with his own, though Gaara seemed unfamiliar with this form of expression but smiled.
Kankuro and Temari land behind Gaara ready to fight, until Gaara held out his arms. "No, Kankuro, Temari, we're done here. Let's just go." Gaara ordered.
The two shinobi were surprised but listened and helped Gaara off. Naruto smiled seeing he just changed a life for the better. Suddenly he realized something, "We got to get back to the arena."
"I know, Fido can you take Sasuke to safety?" Connor asked.
"I will." Fido said taking off while carrying Sasuke.
The blonde and human demon hurried back to the village and returned to the arena where the Oto and Suna ninja were still fighting the Konoha ninja. Naruto spotted Kushina and Jiraiya fighting off some Oto ninja, while Jerry was using WOOHP gadgets to drive off some Suna ninja, until the duo landed by them, "Everything all right?" Naruto asked.
"Well we're doing what we can, but these guys won't give up." Jiraiya said.
"Where's the Sandaime?" Connor asked.
"Up there fighting Orochimaru." Kushina motioned above the stadium roof where a violet barrier was set up with four ninjas on a corner.
"We got to get in there, he may need our help." Naruto said.
"Naruto that barrier is near impenetrable." Jiraiya explained.
"Don't worry Ero-sennin. I got something that could help." Naruto said reaching into his jacket and pulled out a loudspeaker that looked decked out with electronics.
"Naruto that gadget hasn't been properly tested." Jerry tried to reason with him.
"We're in the middle of a war, Jerry. We have to risk it." Naruto said as he hurried up to the barrier with Connor, Jiraiya, and Kushina following him.
They finally reached the roof and Naruto pulled it out, "Time to break me a barrier with the Loudspeaker Barrier Breaker. TESTING!" he called into the device and it emitted a huge feedback that shattered the barrier.
Inside the barrier Orochimaru who was fighting with the Sandaime saw the barrier shatter, "What, the barrier!"
"But how?" Sarutobi asked.
"Sensei!" Jiraiya called as he, Kushina, Connor, and Naruto land beside him.
"Jiraiya perfect timing." Sandaime said.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru looked at one another, "Well-well, long time no see Jiraiya." Orochimaru snickered.
"Long indeed," Jiraiya smirked, "You haven't changed a bit."
"All right time for a little game of whack the snake." Connor said until Sarutobi blocked him.
"Don't go straight for him, he's not the only one we have to worry about." Sarutobi explained as two more figures emerged from the side, both men one with long black hair wearing red armor, and one with white hair wearing blue armor.
Naruto stood in pure shock, "No way, Jiji isn't that?"
"Yes Naruto Senju Hashirama the Shodaime Hokage, and Senju Tobirama the Nidaime Hokage." The old man said with sadness.
"Sarutobi don't tell me Orochimaru…" Kushina gasped.
"Yes, he used the forbidden reanimation Jutsu." The Sandaime explained.
Kushina looked around seeing Minato was not among them which made her a little relaxed not wanting to see her husband brought back to life through that kind of Jutsu, and knew Naruto wouldn't want to see his birth father like that as well. Kushina then looked to Orochimaru and then to Sarutobi, "Sarutobi, me and Connor will deal with the Hokage's."
"Kushina?" Sarutobi and Jiraiya gasped.
"Don't worry I got a plan," Kushina smirked. "Let's go Connor!" she took off.
"Right!" Connor followed her.
The good guys watched as Kushina and Connor dodged their ways around the past two Hokage's distracting them as Kushina pulled out some sealing tags, "I'm sorry to do this to you both, but you deserved to rest in peace!"
Connor got the two Hokage's close to each other as Kushina used her chakra chains to bind them and slammed the tags on their chests, and formed the release sign, "Kai!" she called as the tags activated.
"What what're you doing?" Orochimaru called.
"Setting them free!" Kushina answered as the two Hokage's bodies were turning to ash as they looked over at Sarutobi.
"Forgive us Sarutobi." Hashirama said before he and his brother's bodies crumbled to dust revealing the bodies of Zaku and a random Oto ninja.
"That's Zaku." Naruto gasped.
Sarutobi looked in shock and anger towards his ex-student, "Orochimaru you used your own ninja as a sacrifice?"
"Oh come now Sarutobi-sensei ninja are easily disposable and replaced." Orochimaru smirked.
Sarutobi's eyes tightened, "You are a fool! A leader is meant to guide his ninja, not dispose of them as mere puppets. Clearly you never learned anything while you were one of us."
"I got him sensei!" Jiraiya called as he fought Orochimaru head on.
"I got one last trick for him," Kushina smirked looking at Connor, "Connor help Jiraiya."
"Hai!" Connor said coming to Jiraiya's aid as the two fought the snake Sannin with all their might, until he was getting weaker form over use of chakra as Kushina caught him with her chakra chains and Naruto used his own to help.
"Let go of me!" Orochimaru struggled to break free as Kushina approached him.
"Orochimaru, you made a big mistake when you tried invading the village that was once your home." She began.
"Oh so what're you going to do about it pretty Kushina, kill me?" Orochimaru asked amused.
"No, I got something much better than death." She smirked pulling out two metal bracers with the kanji for seal on them.
"What're you doing?" Orochimaru asked curiously.
"A little something I developed through the use of sealing jutsu and technology. The two go well together. Especially since those of the Uzumaki clan are specialists in sealing jutsu." She said throwing the bracers at Orochimaru's arms that snap onto them and glowed.
Then the kanji on the bracers glowed and the bracers detached revealing the kanji that were on them became tattoos on his skin. Orochimaru was wailing in pain and screaming as his hands and arms started turning dark, "What is happening to me?" he screamed.
"Those bracers I slapped on you left sealing marks that are draining all the life energy in your arms. Now you won't be able to use jutsu." Kushina answered.
Orochimaru growled as the chains coiling him wore off, "This isn't the end of it! I will find a way out of this, and when I do you will fall! Sound Four we're leaving!" Orochimaru called as the four Shinobi snatched Orochimaru and make their get away.
"It's over." Sarutobi sighed.
"Yeah." Jiraiya replied.
As the Sandaime tried to walk he lost balance and Naruto and Connor caught him and supported him up, "You ok Jiji?" Naruto asked.
"Yes just tired." The old man chuckled.
Soon the Jonin, Chunin, Proctors, Jerry, and the girls gathered on the roof, "Kushina is everything all right, what happened?" Kakashi asked.
"Everything's all right guys. Orochimaru got away, but we managed to make sure he'd never use Jutsu again." Naruto answered.
"You'll have to get sensei to the hospital where he can rest. He's been through enough to stop his heart." Jiraiya said about the Sandaime.
So two of the Anbu took the Sandaime straight to the hospital and Naruto soon found himself cuddled in the arms of his six ladies, "Oh Naruto we were so worried about you." Hinata cried.
"Don't ever scare us like that again!" Sakura added while squeezing him.
"Sakura's right, what if something happened to you out there?" Ino added.
"I'm fine really I am!" Naruto said as he tried not to lose his composure form the nonstop cuddling and squeezing.
Soon they eased up and looked at him, "You look like you've been through a lot." Sam said noticing the cuts and bruises on his body."
"I've felt worse." Naruto replied.
"Well at least we're all ok, that's what matters." Alex smiled.
"Totally." Clover added.
Naruto smiled but turned to look at the village that was just about in ruins from all the fighting done by the ninja, "Our home." Naruto gasped.
"This is truly a devastating sight." Jerry sighed looking at it.
The next morning at the lair Naruto who had a few bandages wrapped around his chest, he dawned a black robe and slips into his sandals and walked into the living room seeing Kushina, Jerry, Connor, and the girls wearing black robes as well. They were all heading to the administration building for a funeral of the falling Konoha shinobi.
They soon met up with Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Sasuke, Mikoto, and Trish. When they arrived on the building, everybody was present as Sarutobi and his teammates gave their eulogy, while the ninja started paying their respects. As it began raining Alex spoke up, "Why did these good people have to die?" Alex started choking back some tears.
"They died because they were protecting what they held dear," Kushina answered, "Their village, their loved ones, their family, friends, everything." This got Sasuke looking at his mother and girl happily that they were still alive and with him after the war, and that's all he could have asked for.
"Yes, and now they can be at peace knowing they succeeded their mission in keeping the village safe." Connor added.
"And that we're alive to honor them for their honorable acts." Jerry finished.
"And their sacrifices have not been in vain, because they left us with something very important. The Will of Fire." Kakashi answered.
The girls smiled understanding it now and saw the sun started peaking out from the clouds that shined down on them. Soon everyone was heading home and such; they were still down about the ninja's death but felt better that they paid their respects to them. Naruto was walking with his group, "So this was our first ninja war." Clover said still shaken up from the events yesterday.
"Guarantee there will be more to come in the future." Naruto said.
"But don't worry, what happened yesterday will only make you all stronger and better prepared for when next time comes." Kushina added.
"Kushina is right. You all must train harder than ever before." Connor added.
"And we will, right girls?" Naruto asked turning to the girls who smiled and gave a thumb up.
"Naruto." Sasuke said approaching him with his mother and Trish.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"I've never really been good at saying this, but thank you for helping me." Sasuke said.
Naruto smiled, "Don't worry about it, because next time you won't need my help."
"You got that right." Sasuke smirked.
Naruto smirked back, "But it never hurts to stick around and be there just in case I mean that's what friends do right?"
"Yeah, friends?" Sasuke asked extending his hand.
"Friends." Naruto said as he shook his teammates hand.
Kushina and Mikoto smiled feeling happy to see their sons getting along so well. Unaware to them Max was watching from a tree smiling at this, 'Finally they all came together and protected what they held dear, and in the end they were victorious,' he thought as he looked at the genin, 'Good job everyone.'
Meanwhile far from the village on top of a hill, stood two figures dressed in black cloaks with red clouds decorated on them, with bamboo hats on their heads, while one carried something wrapped in bandages on his back. The two look out into the village and see the damage that was done, "Well there it is." One began.
"It's survived but barely." The shorter one replied.
"Yes too bad, well you'll have your chance to see just how much worse it is from the inside, after all we're on a mission remember or have you forgotten?" the taller one asked.
The other lifted up his face revealing a Sharingan eye and replied, "No, I have not forgotten. And I look forward to seeing just how much has changed."
(And there's the chapter guys.)