Legacy of Heroes

by Cmartin-Panda Productions

Minato Namikaze. Son Goku. These two are known to be heroes of their own realms, but what happens when the eldest son of Goku and his friend Videl encounter the son of Minato in the world of Shinobi with no way home? (AU. Non-canon mostly. Saiyan Videl. Stronger and slightly smarter Naruto. Stronger and useful Sakura. More confident Gohan. M for Adult Content, language and gore.)

36. Chapter 36: No rest for the Weary

Author's Note from Panda: Hey everyone, we're back. We also got over 200 reviews last chapter, so here is an omake to celebrate. Or you can just skip over it if you choose. Do what you want, I'm not your mother.

---

Meanwhile on the set of Legacy of Heroes, everyone was standing around going over the scripts or helping with set design while the two directors sat on their recliners typing away the future scripts. Naruto then burst through the front door and ran to find his friends and co-stars. He ducked past the glorious and handsome directors and leapt over a spaceship prop that two set designers were carrying before he found Gohan, Videl, and Sakura all sitting atop the miniature replica of the Hokage Mountain used for establishing shots of the Leaf, but was now a fun hangout spot for the actors ever since the production team started using CGI.

"Guys, guys!" Naruto cried as he ran up to them clutching his smart phone.

"What's up?" Sakura asked.

"Check this out!" Naruto said as he held up his Samsung Galaxy S5 with the browser tab opened to and Cmartin-Panda Production's page.

"Check it out, we did it!" Naruto cheered.

"Did what? I don't see it." Videl asked.

"Look." Naruto said as he scrolled down the page until he came upon the Legacy of Heroes story. There, right next to it, was 201 reviews.

"Holy shit...I don't believe it!" Videl cheered.

"What's the big deal?" Gohan asked. "I mean sure, over 200 reviews is a lot. But it's not like we hit a thousand. Now that is a milestone."

"That's not the point, Gohan. Don't you get it? We got to 200 reviews before the Star Trek guys did." Naruto said as he scrolled back up to show Naruto and Sakura's Five Year Mission only having 169 reviews. "We beat them!"

"I wonder what our adult selves would think about that? Personally, I don't think I would like being in space." Sakura smirked.

"I was gonna call them to rub it in their faces." Naruto smirked.

"Oh please do! Although, I do like our future daughter." Sakura gushed.

"Yeah, she is cute. I can't believe our writers wanted to kill her off." Videl stated.

"Yeah, really...ooohh...if I wasn't afraid of getting fired I'd clobber their asses." Sakura grumbled.

"I HEARD THAT!" Cmartin shouted from the other room.

"Chris, Chris, calm down." Panda said.

"I am calm. If I wasn't calm, I'd make her a civilian nurse in the next story." Cmartin shrugged.

"Oh please, you'd still let her keep her Mystic Palm Technique. You were about to when we tried that Emergency crossover." Panda pointed out.

"Yeah, I still wanna do that, just gotta rethink it is all."

"There is no conflict, not unless we want to rewrite Naruto and Sakura falling in love...again..." Panda reminded him.

"That's what I'm rethinking."

"But it's so over done..." Panda groaned.

"No not that. I'm thinking about some kind of-"

"Yea so suck it!" They heard Naruto laugh.

"-conflict. I have a few ideas though."

"Hold on, what they are talking about seems more interesting." Panda said as he typed into his laptop about Naruto, Gohan, Videl, and Sakura all sitting around the set for Legacy of Heroes, sending a voicemail to the stars of Five Year Mission.

Naruto hung up his phone and smiled. "Aw, that was great." Naruto sighed.

"Well, yea. I had the same idea you had." Sakura spoke on her phone. "No, I wanna wait a bit longer...well, yeah, if it came to that then I would...alright, see you around and good luck to getting 200...it'll come just be patient...alright, see ya." She then hung up her phone.

"Who was that?" Naruto asked.

"The other me." Sakura said simply.

"Which other you? There are..." Naruto looks down to check his phone. "...Five other yous. Unless we are counting the you from that Time Travel story Samuraipanda85 is posting on his own page. But then we have to count the you from his first story and I'm not holding out on him picking that up again."

"The Star Trek me you dummy..." Sakura deadpanned.

"Does the discontinued Transfer Students count?" Gohan asked.

"Oh right. Did you tell her to suck it too?" Naruto asked.

"No, of course not. We're actually good friends and we talk quite often. Did you know she got pregnant off set by your other you? It really made the story progress when she did."

"Not me...It was on set. Because SOMEONE didn't put his condom on." Videl grumbled before giving Gohan the stink eye.

"They told me not to. They said that Saiyans were too powerful for condoms." Gohan defended.

"It wasn't really a full moon and I'm not really a Saiyan. Just in this story I am."

"But I am." Gohan said.

"So? Your mom even said your dad wore one from time to time."

"That's not the point. The directors told me not to wear one so I didn't."

"Yeah that figures...Once this set is done, I'm suing them."

"Good luck, we can control your thoughts." Panda shouted from his director's chair.

"Only on the set you do! My dad may be a liar and a cheat, but at least he has the best lawyers."

"Oh yeah?" Panda asked as he typed into his laptop. Videl's phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Videl answered.

"Videl...sweetie...its daddy..." Hercule sniffed on the other end.

"Dad...? What's wrong?" Videl asked.

"It's...it's...my fortune. I don't know how or why, but it's gone." Hercule cried. "My accountant just called me and said all my fortune is gone. I'm broke."

"You receive a regular income of several million zenni a month, so I'm not really worried about it."

"And my manager just called me. He said I'm fired. No one will hire me. I have no more income coming in." Hercule cried.

"What? How?!"

"I don't know. I didn't do anything. It just happened." Hercule cried.

"I can keep this up all day!" Panda shouted.

"You motherfucker! I'll kill you!" Videl shouted.

"You really can't do that, Panda." Cmartin said.

"I can do whatever I want! I am a God!" Panda cried as he typed into his laptop, Videl then exploded into smoke and reformed as a man.

"What the Hell?" Videl cried in a deeper voice.

"If they aren't working on the set, then it's infringing upon the canon story written by the original writer. We could face major legal action if you don't stop this."

"Oh please, nobody cares so long as we don't make money off of our stories." Panda said as he turned Videl's skin purple.

"I hate the color yellow." Videl realized. She didn't know why she said it, she just did.

"Just stop...Or else we lose our cast."

"Um, shouldn't we be thanking the fans or something?" Sakura asked. "For the 200 reviews?"

"Yeah, what she said. Just reverse everything."

"Fine. Just so long as they remember who is in charge." Panda said as he wrote Videl back to normal.

'Fucking bastard...' Videl thought angrily.

Panda typed into his laptop.

'He's so clever though.' Videl thought.

"Panda..." Cmartin said, giving him a knowing look. "She's entitled to her own opinions and we gotta move this along."

"You're the one who made her think those thoughts. I'm just responding accordingly." Panda said.

"Um...No, actually. My computer is sleeping right now so..."

"Oh, for the love of God." Gohan said. "Thank you all the support and your continued support. Cmartin and Panda appreciated it so much. And we thank you for your patience in waiting for the latest chapter. So, without further ado...we hope you enjoy chapter 36 of Legacy of Heroes."

"Yup. Your views and reviews keep us employed so please continue supporting us." Sakura smiled.

"Wait, if these stories are nonprofit, then how are we getting paid?" Naruto asked, making all the actors and workers stop dead in their tracks.

"Oh...son of a BITCH!" Videl cried.

"It keeps people who have crappy lives something to look forward to and the boys on my fire department give me a lot of encouragement and love the story. That should be enough." Cmartin stated. "Think of it as helping the common man."

"So, this is charity work? I've got bills to pay!" Sakura cried.

"You've got the hospital, remember?" Gohan pointed out.

"It hardly matters. You're all figments of our collective imaginations anyway." Panda said before the entire world faded away into a blank white void. Leaving only him and Cmartin seated next to each other. "We need to end this, it's getting too meta for my tastes." Panda said.

"Yeah alright."

"Enjoy, everyone." Panda said.

---

Meanwhile, back at forward base, Sakura and Shizune were still hard at work healing the wounded. The surprise attack on their friends was bad enough, but the thought of additional attacks to come was something they couldn't bear to dwell on. Not with everything else they have to tend to.

It was at that moment that Gohan phased into the building, looking upon all of his injured friends and a very mentally distraught Ino.

"Oh god..." Gohan breathed out in horror.

"Gohan...?" He heard Videl gasp out.

"Videl." Gohan said as he rushed to his girlfriend's side.

"Oh, thank the Sage...it's bad here." She said as she pounced him for everything she was worth, to which Gohan embraced her for all he was worth.

"I can see that, what happened?" Gohan asked while Sakura and Shizune attended to Choji. Team Kurenai sat on the sidelines looking like Hell. And Asuma knelt over Ino trying to comfort her.

"As I told you earlier, we were ambushed by Ice's men." Videl reminded him.

"And how is everyone holding up?" Gohan asked.

"We dished out more than we took, but Choji lost his leg." Videl informed.

"Oh my God." Gohan breathed as he took another glance at Choji. His breathing was steadier than it had been before Sakura and Shizune started operating, but it still looked very shallow to Gohan.

"He'll live...but..." Videl said with uncertainty in her tone.

"Videl, don't worry. The Konoha Hospital has ways of replacing a limb. Its very common in the ninja world." Gohan reassured.

"Oh I know. that's not what I'm worried about." Videl said concerningly as she looked over at Ino.

"I wouldn't worry about her." Asuma said from over at Ino's side.

"What's wrong with her?" Gohan asked.

"Shellshock, but remember that PTSD is a mental condition, which Ino's clan specializes in." Asuma reminded them before whispering in Ino's ear. The poor girl listened carefully to her master before her eyes snapped awake and she flashed through a series of hand signs. "Mind Clearing no Jutsu!" Ino cried as the fog behind her eyes began to lift.

"Was that it? Is that what can help her?" Videl asked.

"It already did." Ino answered as she stood back up, like she had just snapped out of a daze.

"Oh good. I was worried." Videl sighed in relief.

"Yeah, sorry about that. My mind would clouded from the trauma. I couldn't remember to use the jutsu. I'm fine now." Ino declared as she clutched her head.

"It's okay, real-Ooof!" Videl grunted as she was talked by Ino.

"Thank you so much for being there for me...It means a lot to me..." Ino said as she hugged Videl.

"You're welcome. I'm just sorry I didn't know about that jutsu of yours. I could have helped you sooner." Videl said as she returned the hug.

"Next time you'll know to remind me..."

Videl raised an eyebrow. "That's it? There's no kind of a secret code or trigger words that will remind your PSTD mind to use that jutsu?"

"No. PTSD is basically the inability to keep the bad and terrifying memories in a box. I can still understand you, I just have my mind racing at the time." Ino explained.

"Oh...wish I had known that sooner."

"It's alright. We can't expect you to know this and you do now. Although I would expect a certain best friend of mine to know this." Ino scoffed.

"Kind of busy here, saving your boyfriend's life." Sakura replied sarcastically,

"Oh shit...That's right..." Ino realized in horror before running to Choji's side.

"Ino, don't worry about it. He's stable. He's just going to be out of the fight for the rest of the mission." Sakura said as she continued to pump mystic palm chakra into his leg, making his skin grow over his wound.

"Oh god...Choji..." Ino breathed out while she nearly pulled at her hair. "When we were ambushed, we got separated. Shikamaru got captured by Ice soldiers and I could've sworn I saw Akatsuki aiding them."

"There were Akatsuki agents aiding them." Asuma confirmed. "If I'm remembering the file correctly. The one we encountered was Deidara. The same one Team Kakashi and Team Gai faced back in their mission to rescue Gaara."

"Shit..." Ino said in despair.

"Great...just what we need." Gohan sighed.

"And you said that Shikamaru was captured too?" Gohan said.

"Yes...where they took him, I don't know. Knowing the Akatsuki, they're gonna try to probe his mind to gather information on us. But I know what Ice and his men are after...you and Videl."

"Never mind us. If they get to Shikamaru, then they'll know the location of this base. And that Naruto is with us. Speaking of, where is he?" Gohan asked.

"Outside on guard duty." Sakura informed.

"Are you sure about that? Cause I can sense him a mile away from this base and running farther away from it still." Gohan stated.

"What..." Sakura growled.

"Don't worry, I'll go grab him. You guys just move this base in case they manage to interrogate Shikamaru like you said." Gohan said before he stood up and ran out the door.

"It might be too late for that." Videl said seriously as she panned her eyes to the window. "I sense a large group nearby."

"No way. Shikamaru is from the Nara clan. My clan has trained his clan and Choji's clan to resist mental interrogations. There is no way he could have given up information that quickly." Ino defended.

"Then maybe they found us by coincidence. In any case, get ready for battle." Kakashi ordered.

"Videl, how many do you sense?" Gai asked.

"40-no...60 at least...and one really strong one." Videl reported.

"She's right...that one guy is very strong. He would give me a run for my money as a Super Saiyan." Gohan said grimly.

"Neji, can you confirm our platoon of attackers is headed our way?" Kakashi radioed.

"Confirmed. A platoon of over 60 troops are heading to your location fast." Neji reported.

"Alright, Team 3, retreat. Disappear into the trees and slip behind the enemy. Be mindful that they have Scouters that can detect your energy, so lower your chakra. We'll head outside to meet the enemy while you four attack them from the rear when the moment presents itself." Kakashi ordered.

"Understood." Neji replied.

"Videl, I want you and Shizune to take the injured somewhere safe." Gohan ordered.

"On it." Videl said as she stood up to help Shizune pack away all the medical supplies.

"I can still fight." Kiba declared, he and the rest of his team stood up to make their point.

"You're benched for now. You three, Asuma, and Ino. The rest of us will cover your escape." Kakashi stated.

"Sakura...Remember our tag team move?" Gohan asked.

"Yea, why?" Sakura asked.

"I think we're gonna need it."

"You're really worried about this one strong guy?" Sakura asked.

"If I had to compare him to someone I fought before, I'd put him up there with Cell's level." Gohan said grimly.

Sakura gulped but remained serious. "Oh goodie... Alright, you just say the word."

"For now just focus on the soldiers." Gohan advised.

"Right." Sakura said as the two of them plus Kakashi and Yamato headed outside to meet the enemy.

"Keep your eyes open and spread out." Gohan advised.

No one needed reminding twice. The four of them dispersed evenly in front of the house. Sakura tightened her black gloves, Kakashi unveiled his Sharingan, and Yamato cracked his neck.

A gust of wind breezed past their feet.

"Here they come." Gohan said just as the soldiers were upon them.

Like a flash flood, aliens of all shapes and sizes wearing identical armor poured out of the forest. Gohan was ready to charge into them, but they did not attack, instead they continued to run around the four of them in order to encircle them.

"Steady..." Gohan said so only they could hear him.

The Ice soldiers ran around the house until they had the building completely surrounded. Gohan and the others held their ground as the soldiers just stood there and did nothing.

Sakura's eyes scanned the crowd. None of the alien soldiers looked nervous. A few of them were giving her dirty looks, but the rest remained stoic. She was about to speak up when a figure broke through the crowd. He was Gohan's height, wearing black metal armor and wearing a glass visor mask. He stood perfectly upright, not slouched or cocky, like a perfect soldier. Red lights danced across his visor as he scanned the four warriors.

"Surrender now." The man spoke in a robotic voice. "This is your only warning."

"What do you want." Gohan demanded.

"Your surrender and cooperation." The man spoke. "Lord Ice demands it."

"Not happening. Where is our friend?" Gohan growled.

"Take them." The masked man spoke. As one, his army charged at the house.

'Sakura...power up to maximum.' Gohan thought to her as he transformed into Super Saiyan, blowing back the soldiers that were charging them and making their scouters explode.

It was then that Sakura turned completely red, like she was a woman possessed by rage.

"Impressive display of power...but a display nonetheless." The man spoke.

"Open fire!" A squad commander shouted. At once, over a dozen Ki blasters were fired at the two warriors.

Gohan deflected each and every blast that came towards them with lightning fast reflexes, not one shot making their mark.

As soon as he struck away the last two, a final beam came directly at him from the front and hit its mark. Gohan was sent flying off his feet like he had just been sucker punched in the chest and skidded to a halt flat on his back.

The mask man just stood up emotionlessly with his arm raised.

"Target stronger than anticipated, adjusting power output accordingly."

"CHA!" Sakura shouted before delivering a chakra enhanced lunch to the man's head, only for it to do nothing. "W-what...?" She looked down and saw that he had caught the punch mere centimeters from his glass visor. This guy was as strong as Gohan!

"Pathetic." The Man said before batting Sakura away like she was a house fly.

"Sakura! Are you okay?!" Kakashi called out.

"I'm fine!" Sakura coughed out.

"Alright, both of you stay back." Kakashi ordered as he clapped his hands together into a tiger seal. "Yamato! Maneuver 14!"

Captain Yamato roared as he slammed his palms together in various hand signs. Before the mask man could recognize what either Jounin was doing, two gigantic pillars of wood sprung out of the ground and wrapped themselves around the masked man. He flexed his muscles, cracking the wood, but the living material merely wrapped around itself, strengthening its hold on the man.

As soon as he was good and secured, Kakashi opened his eyes to reveal his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Kakashi focused his vision on the spot where the masked man's head stuck out of the wood bindings and focused his chakra. The air around his head began to ripple before a tear in the very fabric of existence appeared and the masked man's head snapped back as it was being sucked into the mini black hole.

"Is that seriously the best you've got." The Man said before he broke free of his bonds, sending splinters of wood flying in every direction.

Splinters and chips from the wood began to peel off and fly into the hole. All the while the masked man couldn't move his neck muscles from the vacuum suction.

"AAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" He cried as his glass visor began to crack.

"I think it's working!" Yamato cried, hoping that the man's neck would be ripped clean off. Instead, the man charged a ball of Ki in his hand which Gohan sensed.

"Get down!" Gohan cried as he scooped up both Jounin and shielded them with his body while the masked man let his Ki explode. The shock wave sent huge chunks of wooden shrapnel out in every direction. Riddling the house and tearing up the woods surrounding them. Even a few Ice soldiers were caught in the blast. The ones that weren't engaged in combat with the occupants inside the house.

"That should have sucked him apart..." Kakashi said in horror.

"No...all it did was piss him off. But it gives me an idea. How much chakra do you have after that?" Gohan asked.

"2/3rds left. I've never had to maintain that portal for so long." Kakashi said.

Gohan frowned. "I think its best you stay put. This guy is a lot stronger than he lets on."

"We're out of moves anyway." Yamato admitted.

Gohan looked over at Sakura who was busy taking down the lesser soldiers with ease. "I'll handle the big guy. You two should go help either Sakura or the wounded. Just get everyone as far away from here as possible...I have a feeling this is going to get messy."

"On it. Good luck." Kakashi said as he and Yamato turned their backs on the masked man, leaving Gohan along with him.

"So, you plan to fight me alone?" The masked man asked.

"Fight you? No, I'm gonna kill you." Gohan smirked as he flared his aura up.

"I believe you are mistaken." The masked man said before he flash-stepped right next to Gohan. "That is my line." The man vanished and reappeared behind Gohan with a kick to the back of the head, sending the half saiyan flying forward end over end.

Gohan quickly regained control and blasted back towards the masked man, the two of them engaging in a flurry of blows.

"Sweet Sage...I'm glad we let him take the reins." Yamato said as he and Kakashi looked back for a moment.

Gohan then got punched through the third floor of the house before being kick to the ground by the masked man.

"You are strong, but you pale in comparison to me." The masked man said.

"You think so, huh?" Gohan smirked.

"I know so." The masked man said as he aimed a Ki blast at the last place Gohan would expect for close range fighting, his thighs. Gohan flinched in pain, dropping his guard enough to receive another hard punch to the face.

The masked man was suddenly knocked back by a golden glowing kick to the side of his face.

"Don't. Touch. My. Mate." Gohan heard Videl growled as she stood protectively over Gohan while he regained his bearings. The masked man looked up to see Videl standing over his target, glowing gold with rage as her Super Saiyan aura fluctuated wildly.

"Nuisance." The masked man said as he unleashed a Ki blast towards Videl.

Videl deflected it away. Pregnant or not, no one threatened her mate.

The masked man however, was not above hitting a pregnant woman. He flew right behind his Ki blast, obscuring himself from Videl's vision and flew in close enough to land a punch to her chest.

Videl grunted, but held her ground. "Is that the best you've got?"

"Videl! Get back!" Gohan ordered.

Videl tried, but the masked man grabbed ahold of her and wrapped her up in a bear hug, whatever Gohan had planning, Videl would bear the brunt of it too.

"You let her go!" Gohan howled.

"Make me." The masked man dared as he concentrated his Ki into his fingertip and held it next to Videl's neck. Gohan stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his mate being held hostage.

It was then that Videl exploded into smoke like the clone she was, giving Gohan ample opportunity to blindside the man while he was still stunned.

He was sent crashing into the earth while he rolled his body to negate the impact. He righted himself and then fired his Ki beam directly at Gohan's chest. He dodged out the way with just a hair's breadth to spare. The beam slicing through his training outfit as it sailed up into the stratosphere.

"A fascinating trick." The masked man praised. "It will not work again."

'This isn't good...he's surpassed my first form easily. I'm gonna have to use the second level to get an upper hand.' Gohan thought before glaring right at the man. "You want me to show my power? Fine." He said before quickly ascending to the second level.

"I did not ask." The masked man deadpanned. "Still, if you wish to make things serious..." The man's glass visor sparked, but the red lights began to dance along its inside, scanning Gohan. His helmet beeped twice. "Acknowledged. Restriction Level 2 Disengagement: Authorized." The armor around the masked man began to shift around at the joints, steam began to hiss out of the joints like he was some kind of steam locomotive and Gohan sensed an enormous spike in his power level.

'This guy...he just raised his power level back up to my level! What is he?'

"So, you can raise your power to match mine. Is this your limit?" Gohan asked.

"Depends, is that your limit?" The masked man asked.

"You'll just have to find out." Gohan stated

"Same for you, then." He replied.

The two titans of power phased out, completely disappearing from view of any spectators. The ones who were looking for them then heard explosions in the sky above them. The shock waves created from their attacks colliding.

---

With Asuma's group, Ino heard the explosions and stopped to see where they were coming from. She couldn't see anything at first, but when she looked up, she could see the ripples in the clouds from the shockwaves as Gohan and the masked man fought.

"Ino, behind you!" Asuma cried when he noticed the lizard man lunging at Ino.

Ino sensed the man coming for her and he was met with her outstretched fist to his face, knocking him out instantly.

"Behind you again!" Asuma shouted as he stabbed his own attacker to death. Ino then twirled around and used her trench knife in her other hand to slit the mushroom headed alien's throat.

Into then spotted an alien aiming a Ki blaster right at her Sensei's head before firing a Ki blast of her own, burning the man to a crisp.

"Hey sensei! Behind you!" Ino teased. Asuma looked back and saw the alien that almost got the drop on him.

"Huh...roasted dumbass. My favorite." Asuma joked.

"Gangway!" Kiba cried as he strangled a brutish yellow alien as big as a grizzly bear as he ran past Asuma and Ino. Kiba's claws dug into the alien's rubbery flesh, but the monster didn't seem to register the pain. So Kiba had to yank his big stupid head to the side and make him fall over like a bull at the rodeo.

Akamaru then leapt onto the alien's belly and started tearing into his neck while Kiba kept him pinned.

"KIBA! MOVE!" Hinata shouted as she leapt into the air. Kiba knew what his girlfriend was doing and leapt right out of the way. Hinata cocked back her arm and charged her palm to the brim with chakra. "Gentle Fist: Lion's Palm!" Hinata cried as she thrust her arm into the rubber alien's back. The alien cried out as his back muscles rippled like water before the ground beneath him cracked and his head slumped forward.

"Nice one, babe." Kiba smirked.

"I told you I don't like being called that." Hinata blushed.

"But I love to call you that. It makes you blush." Kiba smirked right before he noticed the alien coming after the two of them. "Hold on." Kiba said as he pulled Hinata behind him and then landed a knockout punch right into the soldier's face.

"Awesome, Kiba." Hinata smiled.

"Thanks, babe." Kiba said as he blasted two more aliens with Ki blasts.

"Get the lead out you two!" Asuma called to them.

"Hey! I've been racking up kills!" Kiba shouted as he headbutted a charging skinny alien.

"I don't really care! We gotta get these wounded to safety!" Asuma called.

"We are the wounded." Shino reminded him.

"I know, but do you wanna get caught in the middle of that?" Asuma asked as he pointed up into the sky as the shockwaves started to get closer.

"I mean at this point were just covering Shizune as she flees with Choji." Kiba said while a hundred yards away, some twenty Ice soldiers screamed as Team Gai attacked them from the rear.

---

Up in the sky, neither fighter was gaining an inch. They were perfectly matched in an all-out struggle for dominance. Gohan was powered up as far as he dared to go, but the masked man was matching him blow for blow.

The two stepped back and slammed their Ki blasts together, causing an explosion that sent them both flying back. Gohan began to breath heavily.

"You're...The best workout...I've gotten in years..." Gohan panted.

"I'm flattered that you would call this a workout. Most of my master's enemies would be screaming for me to die already." The masked man said.

"I'm not like that...Ice wouldn't be the first Frost Demon I've run across and neither is someone as strong as you..."

"If you've never come across someone as strong as me, then you truly have no chance against Lord Ice."

"I wouldn't say that. I'm still holding back." Gohan informed.

"I find that curious. Why would you hold back when you are free not to?" The masked man asked.

"Because I figured you out."

"I don't think you have."

"Believe me I have. I know how you Frost Demon henchmen work. You are trying to find every weakness I have and measure my maximum power and report it back to Ice, which he will eventually order you to kill me if I resist or just kill me for shits and giggles." Gohan deduced.

The lights flashed across the masked man's visor. "That is an accurate assumption."

"Typical...Frost Demons are just as predictable here as they are back home."

"You have experience fighting Frost Demons? My master would like to know which of his family members you have fought."

"None of his, I'm sure. But I did fight against one named Freeza."

"My master's aunt?"

"No... You or your master may not know this, but I'm not from this universe. I came here by accident. The one I fought was back in my universe."

"You are from another dimension? Fascinating. Then my master will conquer that universe after this one."

"Doubtful. There are friends of mine there who would beat him. Some even stronger than me."

"What does it matter? They are not here now to save you." The masked man said grimly.

"I don't need saving. Not from the likes of you."

"You talk a lot for a man fighting a stalemate."

Gohan smirked. "Stalemate, huh?"

Just then, a Shadow clone of himself with his sword attacked the masked man, slicing off one of his arms.

Gohan watched as the man's arm fell to the ground and noticed something he didn't expect.

"Wires...? You're an Android?!" Gohan exclaimed.

"Cyborg." The man corrected as he spin-kicked Gohan's clone into smoke and grabbed his sword in midair before charging at the real Gohan.

Gohan channeled a great deal if energy into his left hand and caught the sword with ease, not even breaking his skin. "Just who or what are you." Gohan demanded.

The cyborg swung his legs at Gohan, forcing him to block with his free hand.

"I am a servant of Lord Ice and second-in-command of the Ginyu Force." The man said before he kicked Gohan in the jaw.

Gohan merely shrugged off the kick, now slightly tapping into his reserves. "I meant a name."

"I have no name. But if you must call me something, you can always use what my master calls me." The masked man said as he back flipped away from Gohan.

"And that is?"

"Yu."

"You?" Gohan wondered.

"Yes. Whenever he requests my services he always calls out to me, "Hey, you."" Yu said.

Before Gohan could react, Yu phased away from him at lightning fast speed, leaving the half Saiyan to wonder what exactly happened.

"Wha...did he just tell a joke?" Gohan wondered to himself.

Gohan powered down and looked at where the severed arm was. "He's definitely not completely human...Or whatever he was." He said as he picked up the robotic arm. The forearm then flashed red and spewed steam. Gohan dodged out of the way just in time for the forearm to shoot out like a rocket and follow after Yu.

"Gohan!" He heard Sakura call out to him. He turned around to see Sakura carrying both Kakashi and Yamato to where he was.

"I really need to learn how to fly." Yamato said.

"It's not hard. You just have to have a basic understanding of Ki." Sakura said before she set them down in front of Gohan and then landed herself.

"You guys okay?" Gohan asked.

"We're fine, but what about you?" Sakura asked./

"I've been in worse shape...but that guy. I don't know what he is, but what I do know is that he's some kind of cyborg."

"A cyborg? Is he like one of the Androids you fought back in your dimension?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, however he seems to have the ability to adapt his strength to match my own. What's odd is that I can sense his energy. Normally with the Cyborgs in my dimension I couldn't."

"You can sense his energy; can you track him back to his base?" Kakashi asked.

Gohan closed his eyes to concentrate on the location of the man known as Yu. The 3 tails chakra was making it very difficult, but as he concentrated harder to find the energy he felt, it took him about 3 minutes to get a fix on it.

"10 miles North West of our position...I can't give an exact location because of the 3 Tails, but it's in that general area." Gohan reported just as Videl and the others came to his side.

"Yamato, the map." Kakashi ordered.

Yamato pulled out the map and laid it down on the ground.

"Right over here in this area." Gohan said as he pointed to a location seemingly half a mile away from the lake.

"What is?" Videl asked.

"The guy I just fought. And I'm almost certain that they are holding Shikamaru there. That should explain how they were able to find us." Gohan answered

"No. Shikamaru wouldn't fall victim to a mind probing technique. I've trained him to resist that." Ino said firmly.

"Knowing what I know about them, they didn't use a technique to probe his mind. No...they probably used some kind of device."

Kakashi knelt down and pulled out a few tools from his breast pocket. A compass and a pencil on a string. He measured the string to equal 10 miles and pinned the end of the string to their approximate location. He then marked off a few lines from North North West to North West West.

"In any case, the fields have been leveled. They know where we were, and now we know where they are." Kakashi said.

"Yet we are down a man. Choji is out of the fight and a lot of us are at our limits." Asuma stated.

"True..." Kakashi said before he checked his surroundings. "Where is Team Gai?"

"On their way. I can sense them coming." Videl informed.

"And can anyone sense where Naruto went?" Sakura asked.

"I can't, no." Videl said.

"I can...and you don't wanna know." Gohan said seriously.

Sakura just gave him a look that told him that he'd better spill or else.

"He's heading directly for their base." Gohan informed.

"WHY?" Sakura demanded.

"Probably because Shikamaru was captured." Kiba answered.

"That would be my guess...the fool doesn't know what he's getting to." Gohan cursed.

"Maybe." Shino admitted. "But as always, the safety of his one comrade matters too much over his own."

"And it makes me absolutely livid..." Sakura growled as she clenched her fist tight.

"Get in line." Kakashi growled as he keyed his radio. "Naruto, return to base immediately."

There was no response.

"I swear to God if he has his radio off." Kakashi grumbled. "Naruto, respond."

Still no response, just some crackling.

"Naruto here, kinda busy." Naruto responded before an explosion went off through the radio, followed by its echo 6 miles North West of their position.

"NARUTO! YOU GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE BEFORE I DRAG YOU BACK!" Sakura shouted

"Hold on!" Naruto shouted through the radio as a Ki blast six miles away rocketed up past the trees and into the sky.

Gohan looked over and saw the blast and where it was coming from. "He's too close to their base. If that Yu guy finds him, he's dead."

"Then come with me. I'm gonna go save his dumbass and drag him back here." Sakura declared as she cracked her knuckles.

"Alright." Gohan nodded.

"I'm coming too." Videl said.

"Just keep your radios on. No one goes off on their own." Kakashi ordered, knowing it would be wasted words to try and stop them otherwise.

"I'll make sure of that." Gohan assured.

The three Neo Z Warriors powered up their Ki and shot off like rockets towards their idiot comrade.

"God damn him...always so fucking reckless." Sakura cursed.

"Tell me about it." Gohan said.

---

Naruto meanwhile was busy in the fight of his...mild annoyance.

He had sprinted off alone after sensing Shikamaru's anguish via Kurama's chakra. He just knew that Kakashi or someone would try to stop him from attempting a rescue mission immediately. But Naruto could feel that this was life or death. He wouldn't let Shikamaru die for him, twice.

The plan was simple, slip into the enemy base, rescue Shikamaru, and then bear the scolding and beatings from his girlfriend.

That was the plan, until Naruto ran into one of the Akatsuki bastards that had been hunting him for all these years. And not just any bastard, the long, blond, and flying bastard with those stupid bombs.

"Embrace art, you uncultured hack!" Deidara cackled as he swooped low atop his giant white clay bird as he threw exploding clay pigeons down at Naruto who was currently faking not being able to fly.

Naruto zig zag side stepped out of the way of the barrage of bombs.

'Come on, come on.' Naruto thought to himself as he played up the role of the helpless little Genin Jinchuriki.

"Die!" Deidara cried as he set off the clay bombs he had hidden in the trees, knocking Naruto off balance. The Chunin rolled to his side and tried pathetically to throw a barrage of shuriken at the Akatsuki demolition man.

Deidara simply had his bird barrel roll underneath the scattershot and sent two homing clay cranes to explode like missiles on either side of the Jinchuriki, effectively boxing him in.

"Oh no. Looks like the fox has been cornered." Deidara tsked as his clay traveling bird hovered over Naruto.

"Honestly, I thought Zetsu's reports of you being more powerful than any living Kage were greatly exaggerated, but this is just pathetic." Deidara sneered. "It almost turns this into a mercy killing."

Naruto played up his injuries by trying to prop himself up on his elbows.

"What? Did using the Fox's chakra scare you at what a monster it turned you into? Cause I have to say you were more of a threat when you gave into it. Without it, you're nothing." Deidara smirked as he held up his hand where a tongue lashed out from his upraised palm. It began to regurgitate a lump of clay into another one of his "works of art."

'Fucking finally.' Naruto thought when he noticed the figure speeding towards them from in front of the sun.

"Now hold still while I blow your legs off and drag you back to the boss." Deidara cackled before he was rugby tackled from behind by a human meteor. The two of them sailed off the clay bird and crashed into the ground behind Naruto.

The Chunin waited to hear the sounds of Deidara crying out in agony before he effortlessly stood back up and dusted off his pants. The giant clay bird then crash to the ground like a puppet with its strings snipped.

"Took you long enough." Naruto stated as his Shadow Clone came walking out of the bushes with a hog tied Akatsuki member over his shoulders.

"Hey, it was your plan for me to sneak up behind him and fly at him from the sun. It takes time to find the right angle and you were the one who kept running around in circles." The clone defended.

"Yeah, yeah, now take this guy back to base. Or better yet, fly back to the Leaf and gift him to Ibuki. I'm sure he could get all kinds of Intel on him." Naruto ordered.

"Wait, fly? You can't fly." Deidara stated.

"Do you think I threw my clone at you?" Naruto asked before he punched Deidara's lights out and the self-proclaimed explosive artist went limp.

Naruto paused for a moment when he felt 3 energy signatures near his position and land near him.

"Naruto..." Sakura growled. "Give me one good-wait, is that who I think it is?"

"The Akatsuki bastard who got away when we went to save Gaara? Yes." Naruto proudly declared as his Shadow Clone patted the black clad man like he would a fine elk he had hunted down in the woods.

"I didn't mean to fight him. He just sort of appeared in my way. I was just gonna save Shikamaru and run right back to you guys, I swear."

"Not a wise idea." Gohan stated.

"Maybe, but I could feel that Shikamaru needs my help right now. I couldn't wait for us to gather up a team." Naruto defended.

"Oh, so you'd get yourself killed by what you don't even know is there, or worse yet...get captured and have Kurama ripped from you and then you die and doom us all." Sakura ranted.

"I can only sense 180 enemies in the area. Three are Akatsuki members that aren't even remotely a threat to me anymore and the rest are the same Ice scrubs you guys beat back with ease back at base." Naruto argued.

"There is also a very strong Cyborg that was equal to me in Super Saiyan 2." Gohan warned.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "There is? I thought that was just you going ham on the remaining Ice soldiers attacking the base."

"How could you not sense him? He was easily Gohan's equal." Videl exclaimed.

"He had no ill intentions." Naruto defended.

"Come again?" Sakura asked, sharing the same curious look that Videl and Gohan had on.

"Kurama's chakra...somehow using it has allowed me to start sensing evil intentions from living beings. If someone is thinking evil thoughts, I can tell where they are and generally how powerful..." Naruto explained. "It's like seeing a flame in a dark room in my mind. And I can basically sense everyone in this whole forest...kind of."

"And you didn't tell us all this sooner because?" Sakura inquired.

"I literally just noticed this once all the fighting started. I didn't realize I was sensing people until after I used it to find Asuma." Naruto admitted.

"Okay, so going back to the masked man Yu I was fighting." Gohan spoke up.

"You were fighting me?" Naruto asked.

Gohan dropped his head. "No, Yu is the cyborg guy's name."

"Ah, okay." Naruto shrugged.

"I definitely didn't imagine fighting him. He couldn't have been a Genjutsu, could he?" Gohan continued.

"No he was real." Sakura said. "Kakashi-sensei would have seen through any Genjutsu with his Sharingan."

"Well if he is real than I couldn't sense any negative emotions off of him." Naruto said.

"Oh come on, he tried to kill Gohan and me and everyone else." Videl argued.

"Maybe his heart wasn't in it? Maybe he's just an emotionless killing machine?" Naruto guessed.

"Considering he's a Cyborg, he is probably programmed to obey whatever he's told to do." Gohan deduced. "An Android I knew was the same way."

"I thought Freeza wasn't responsible for the Androids?" Naruto asked. "What is this Frost Demon doing with his own Android?"

"He wasn't, I was referring to Android 16 that was created by Dr. Gero." Gohan clarified.

"The red headed one?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, that's him." Gohan nodded.

"So, what does that tell us about Yu?" Videl asked.

Gohan sighed. "I don't know just yet. It's too soon to say."

"Well as I see it, we've got a more pressing matter." Naruto said as his clone plopped his captured Akatsuki member in front of everyone.

"Are you guys gonna drag me back to base?" Naruto asked.

"That's up to Videl and Sakura. I'm gonna take Deidara back to the Leaf and bring back my team. We're gonna need all the help we can get." Gohan said.

"Sounds good." Naruto said as he handed the man over to Gohan.

Gohan took the man and swung him over his right shoulder. He then placed his left index and middle fingers to this forehead and vanished, reappearing in Tsunade's office.

Naruto and the girls meanwhile stood alone before Naruto and his clone lifted up their ears like a fox would. Naruto held up a finger to his lips while nodding at his clone, who quickly dashed into the bushes and vanished.

'What is it?' Videl asked.

'Patrol of Ice soldiers coming at us.' Naruto replied. 'They haven't spotted us, and my clone will take care of them before they do.'

'But they will know we are coming.' Sakura thought.

'Yeah, so are you helping me rescue Shikamaru and heading back? Cause I'm not going back. It's now or never.' Naruto thought.

Videl and Sakura looked at each other, not needing to read the other's mind.

'Let's do it.' Videl thought. Naruto smirked as the three of them vanished into the trees.

---

Back in the Hokage office, Tsunade had just gotten over the shock of Gohan suddenly appearing inside her office with a tied up long haired blond man in a black trench coat with red clouds.

"Is... that what I think it is?" Tsunade's asked.

"Yes it is...The Akatsuki are confirmed to be working with Ice." Gohan informed grimly.

"And you captured him like you would go out to pick up milk?" Tsunade asked, Gohan hadn't even been gone for half an hour.

"Not quite...When I arrived and assessed the situation, which is pretty grim by the way, we were ambushed by a platoon of Ice soldiers. Including a cyborg that can equal my strength at will."

"Wait, slow down." Tsunade held up her hand. "What about the Three Tails? Or Kabuto?"

"No news yet. Everyone has been too busy fighting off Ice's men. Choji is out of the fight for good. They blew off his leg. Shikamaru was confirmed to be captured by Ice and they more than likely probed his mind using some kind of device."

"Is there such a device back in your universe?" Tsunade asked.

"I don't know. Freeza never mentioned one. But the events in my universe can't be compared to this one anymore. The Frost Demon here obviously has access to much more advanced technology if he can create a Cyborg capable of matching my power as a Super Saiyan 2."

"So we will assume for now that all of Shikamaru's intelligence is compromised. That means the mission's troop strength, who's who in the squad, the location of the base, and the location of the Hidden Leaf village." Tsunade said with deadly seriousness.

"Yes...I think we're safe in assuming that." Gohan nodded.

Tsunade closed her eyes in thought. Gohan could feel the torment radiating off of her as she considered her options.

"Gohan, I have a request for you as head of the Neo Z Fighters."

Gohan nodded, allowing her to continue.

"I request that you leave your Neo Z Fighters here in the Leaf to defend us in case of an attack." Tsunade requested.

Gohan sighed. "In all honesty, I was going to come back here to bring them back with me...but after thinking about it, they wouldn't be much help. They've only been training in 71 times gravity at most. They haven't even learned how to use Ki yet...so I'm going to make a counter proposal." He paused for a second making sure he had the words right. "I want to leave a shadow clone here that will finish their training, while at the same time be able to take as much abuse as I can. What can I do to do that?"

"You want to learn how to create a Blood Clone? The most advanced form of clone based ninjutsu known to the modern ninja world?" Tsunade raised up her eyebrow.

"Will it work?" Gohan asked seriously.

"It will work, I'm just surprised that you assume such a jutsu is a simple thing to master." Tsunade said seriously.

"I'm a quick study as you know."

"Well you won't need to be. It's a simple enough jutsu." Tsunade said, making Gohan deadpan. She stood up from her desk and joined Gohan on the opposite side.

"Okay..." Gohan said, a little confused.

"The most it can last for is 24 hours. I assume you want it to be able to think and act on its own and not just be a corpse substitute." Tsunade warned as she lead Gohan to the center of the office space.

"Yes...but um...what about this guy?" Gohan asked.

"Oh right." Tsunade said as she grabbed the unconscious man and threw him at the feet of her secretary outside of her office.

"Eep!" The girl cried.

"Have the ANBU take him to Ibuki. Take no chances with security." Tsunade ordered before slamming the office door shut.

"Now then. I'm going to make this quick, because time is of the essence." Tsunade said as she sat cross legged opposite of Gohan and gestured for him to sit down next to her.

Gohan nodded and followed suit.

"First and most important thing you need to know about this jutsu is that it is forbidden." Tsunade stated. "You ever tell your wife how you do this jutsu and I will have to arrest you. Only a select few are allowed to teach this jutsu to only a handful." Tsunade warned.

"Right."

"Alright, now the reason it is forbid is mostly all the different ways you could abuse this jutsu. But the real reason is the payment required to cast this ninjutsu."

"Blood?" Gohan guessed.

"Correct. A third of your blood to be exact." Tsunade stated.

"Oh boy...I think I'm gonna need one of those blood pills after this." Gohan sighed.

"Exactly. Those who carelessly used the jutsu in the past ended up slipping themselves into shock. Making them vulnerable to their enemies or to just plain dying all by their lonesome. Some even used up all of their blood and foolishly killed themselves." Tsunade said as she activated her Hundred Hand Seal. Her purple diamond atop her forehead spread across her skin like vines until it wrapped around her limbs like ribbons. Gohan knew that Tsunade was pre-emptively kick starting her body's regenerative powers in order to replace the blood she would lose.

Tsunade then bit her thumb to draw blood and then slowly and deliberately made the necessary hand signs to show Gohan. Once that was complete, all ten of her fingertips were covered in her own blood. Finally, she held out her dominant arm. "Blood Clone Jutsu!" She cried.

Instead of poofing into existence via a cloud of smoke, the blood dripping off Tsunade's fingertips began to float and drift away from her arm. Soon there was a stream of blood flowing from her thumb wound like a morbid garden hose. Gohan watched in awe as the blood twisted and formed into a shape resembling a woman. Until Tsunade cut the blood supply off and the bloody figure faded into a woman with features. Tsunade's features.

"And that is how you do the Blood Clone jutsu." Blood Tsunade said as she opened her eyes.

"Wow...you made it look so simple." Gohan said in awe.

"It is, the trick is to recognize when you have given exactly a third of your body's total amount of blood. Too little and the jutsu might not work at all. Too much and you could kill yourself. Either way, you don't get a second chance with trying this jutsu." Tsunade warned as she stood up to head to her desk. She reached into her drawer and pulled out her secret stash of sake.

"I see..." Gohan mused as he meditated on how Tsunade created that jutsu.

Tsunade poured herself a drink and downed it while Gohan was thinking.

After about 2 minutes, Gohan's eyes snapped open and he bit his thumb, drawing out blood. He reformed the hand signs he saw Tsunade make flawlessly, making Tsunade smirk.

"Blood Clone Jutsu!" He yelled as he slammed his hand down on the floor.

Tsunade's blood clone then smacked his hand off the ground. "Idiot! You hold it up in the air!" Blood Tsunade lectured.

"Oh...sorry..." Gohan said sheepishly before he quickly raised his hand in the air to complete the jutsu.

The blood flowed out of Gohan's thumb and he felt the chilling sensation of so much blood leaving his body. The blood began to swirl around and took on the form of a man Gohan's size.

'Just a little more...' Tsunade thought.

Just as Tsunade was sure the clone was competed, Gohan stopped his blood flow and nearly collapsed from blood loss.

Tsunade rushed to Gohan's side. "You alright, kid?"

"I...I will be..." Gohan panted. He hasn't felt this drained since fighting Cell.

"Here, eat this." Tsunade said as she handed Gohan a blood pill.

Gohan took the pill and immediately ate it. Senzu beans could fix a lot of things, but such a huge loss of blood was not one of them.

"Did it work?" Gohan asked. Only Gohan didn't speak. He looked up and wondered when Tsunade had a mirror installed in her office. And so low to the ground.

"Holy shit...it actually worked..." Gohan said in awe.

"Did it?" Blood Gohan asked before he realized that he just pulled a Naruto.

"Impressive, kid. I had my doubts you'd get it on the first try." Blood Tsunade praised.

"Yeah, I thought you would have to return to the front empty handed." Tsunade said.

"I did say I was a quick study, didn't I?" Blood Gohan said.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky." Tsunade said as she handed her blood clone a drink. "Just get to work and bring Choji back to the hospital immediately."

"On it." Blood Gohan said.

"No, you stay here and finish training the team." Gohan ordered.

"Why do I have to?" Blood Gohan whined.

Gohan raised an eyebrow. 'Since when was I a whiny bitch?' He wondered to himself. "I think you know why."

"I don't think I do. We can both do each other's jobs and I would rather be besides my Videl." Blood Gohan said.

"You have 24 hours as you are. You're also at half of my maximum power. You'll stay here, that's what I created you for and that's why Lady Tsunade taught me this technique." Gohan ordered.

"He has all of your powers." Tsunade corrected.

"Does he? Okay. Well, he still has less time here than I do." Gohan stated.

"True, and while he is much more durable than any Shadow Clone, he is more vulnerable than you are. If he bleeds for instance, losing enough of his limited supply of blood will undo the jutsu. Other than that, he is a perfect copy of you."

"There you go." Gohan smiled.

"But you had better protect Videl and the babies." Blood Gohan stated grimly.

"Oh trust me, I will." Gohan assured.

"You'd better. I'd die before I'd let anything happen to her." Blood Gohan mused.

"I know..." Gohan said before teleporting away.

---

Back with Naruto, Sakura, and Videl; the three of them were perched in a tree spying on the Frost Demon spacecraft.

'It's not your run of the mill Frost Demon ship that's for sure.' Videl thought to them.

'Nope. They've got Shikamaru locked up deep inside the ship. I don't sense any guards lingering near his cell. They're just patrolling the interior and the perimeter.' Naruto thought.

'You'd think with a ship that big we would have found it.' Sakura commented.

'Guess I was right about that cloaking technology.' Videl mused.

'Okay. So, me and Sakura head inside. Videl, you stay out here and keep a lookout. You're our last resort if we have to blast our way out.' Naruto thought.

'And what if Ice is in there? Do you even know your way around that ship?' Videl countered. 'Because this ship looks eerily familiar to one in my universe...'

'Videl, and I hate to be blunt, me and Sakura-chan are better at stealth than you.' Naruto pointed out.

'He's right. If you want to direct us, do it telepathically.' Sakura thought.

'That I can do...because I just realized what this is. It's an Aerie class transport.'

'Fill us in on the way. Shikamaru's life is at stake.' Naruto thought before he and then Sakura flash stepped away.

Videl watched from afar as two guards came to replace the ones standing out front. Just when the four of them weren't looking, two ninjas slipped through the open door.

'We're in.' Naruto thought. 'It's rather boxy. I was expecting more curved hallways.'

'You should be in the main storage area. There should be an elevator directly ahead of you about 30 feet.' Videl advised.

'We see it.' Sakura reported as she and Naruto made their way towards it.

'If I recall it correctly, crew quarters should be on the floor above you. Chances are they changed it to accommodate prisoners.'

'Wrong. I'm sensing Shikamaru in the very back of the ship.' Naruto thought as he and Sakura slipped into the elevator.

'You're already in the back of the ship.' Videl thought.

'The front then. The opposite end from where we are.' Naruto clarified.

'Let's see here...' Videl mused as she recalled a schematic she had in her bedroom. 'That would be the main deflector and astrometrics. It would make sense that he would be in that area.'

'Um, Videl? Please tell me you are remembering the schematics from a Frost Demon ship back in your dimension. And not something from a TV Show.' Sakura thought.

'This isn't a Frost Demon ship and Capsule Corp made a few of these for world travel and underwater exploration.' Videl said.

'Oh good. Cause for a second there, your mind flashed back to this title sequence and I thought...she's basing her knowledge off of a TV show?' Sakura nervously chuckled to herself.

'Well...that is where it originated from but Bulma created some of her own.' Videl admitted.

'God damn it, Videl.' Naruto thought as the elevator doors opened and the shinobi duo had to leapt to either side of the hallway to avoid catching the eye of an incoming patrol.

'Don't give me shit. If I turn out to be right, then you owe me.' Videl grumbled.

'We'll see.' Naruto thought as he and Sakura stayed still in the shadows to let the guards pass them by.

Then something made Videl's blood run cold. She looked around and saw her worst fears confirmed. 'Oh shit...speed it up in there. I just spotted Ice entering the ship. And he is sickeningly powerful.'

'We're halfway to Shikamaru. Try to remember some escape routes we could take.' Naruto thought as he and Sakura sprinted down the hallway.

'Um...there is a maintenance shaft in the deflector controls room just beyond where Shikamaru should be.' Videl thought.

'Anything else?' Sakura thought as she and Naruto ducked into a broom closet while an alien scientist was turning a corner.

'That shaft will lead you back down into the cargo area you got into. But you'll be at the foremost part of the ship and you'll have to work your way back.'

'Okay. Tell us if you think up-wait, Videl?' Naruto thought as he and Sakura cane to the end of a hallway.

'What?'

'We've got a locked door. Shikamaru's cell is right behind it, I'm certain. But how do we open it?'

'Shit...' Videl cursed before she concentrated hard on how to unlock that door without setting of alarms. Luckily, she remembered enough to give them a clear picture.

'This better work.' Sakura thought before she started pulling off the panel to the locked door. Once off, there were a bunch of wires and chips that were connected to the panel. Sakura got right to work rearranging the wires and chips. After a few seconds, the door slid open and no alarms went off.

'Okay, I'm impressed.' Naruto admitted.

'Yeah, what was that you were saying earlier?' Videl asked.

'Tease him about it later, Videl.' Sakura thought as she spotted Shikamaru lying face down in his cell behind classic metal bars. Sakura and Naruto immediately rushed to his cell to make sure he was okay. Naruto reached the cell bars first and immediately bounced back from the overwhelming force of electricity.

"God...you okay?" Sakura whispered.

"WOOOOOH!" Naruto cried as he shot back up. "Yeah, I'm good." He said as his hair stood on end.

"Damn...how are we gonna get by that?" Sakura wondered.

"No idea." Naruto said. "Videl?"

'That I don't know. This is new to me.' Videl said

Naruto looked at Shikamaru and then at the bars. 'Okay, stupid idea, what if I picked up Shikamaru and slipped him out of the bars sideways?'

'With what? He's too far away to reach.' Sakura pointed out.

Naruto then activated his Golden Kyuubi cloak. 'With this.' He held up his two chakra arms.

'Kurama's chakra?' Sakura thought as the gears started turning.

'Chakra is energy and so is the electricity running through the bars...' Videl thought.

'In which case, this is a really bad idea.' Sakura stated.

'Maybe.' Naruto thought as he extended out his chakra hands to grab the bars. Nothing happened.

'Huh...well alright then.' Sakura shrugged.

Naruto extended his chakra hands through the bars and grabbed ahold of Shikamaru's limp body. He lifted him and twisted him to the side.

'This feels really weird.' Naruto thought as he made gestures like he was turning an enormous key. A thought then occurred to Naruto and he imagined his chakra arms as more fluid, the quickly enveloped Shikamaru like a cocoon. He then slowly pulled Shikamaru through the bars, just skimming past the bars. He laid Shikamaru down by Sakura's feet and released his golden chakra.

'God...he's been through hell...' Sakura thought in horror before she checks to make sure he was still alive. 'Got a pulse. He's alive, but barely.'

'Can we move him?' Naruto thought.

'We don't have a choice, just be careful with him.' Sakura warned.

'Alright.' Naruto thought as he hoisted Shikamaru up in a fireman's carry. 'Videl, vents are a no go. We need another way out.'

'Hold on.' Videl thought as she tried to remember another access point. Unfortunately, she came up empty. 'The service shaft was your best bet. The only other way is back where you came from.'

'No way. If that's Ice, then he is coming the exact way we came.' Naruto thought.

'Then you're gonna have to use the service shaft or get caught. I'm sorry, that's the best I can do.'

'Is there really only one hallway in this freaking ship?' Naruto thought.

'It's a narrow ship. What do you want?'

'A way out!'

'Naruto, hush, we'll take the vents.' Sakura scolded.

That was when Videl remembered something critical. 'You idiots! Use Thunder God or Instant Transmission!'

'But that's no fun.' Naruto whined.

'We don't have time for that! I could kick myself for not remembering that.' Sakura exclaimed as he grabbed Naruto's shoulder and put two fingers to her forehead. In an instant, they disappeared just as the door opened and reappeared next to Videl.

"See, now wasn't that easy?" Videl asked.

"Indeed, it was." A voice spoke from behind them. The three shinobi whipped their heads around to see a taller and skinner Freeza floating in the air before them with a smug, satisfied look on his face. "Did you really think I wouldn't recognize the signature of the Yar-drat Instant Transmission Technique?" Ice smirked.

'Shit...' They all cursed at once.

"Now, I know you Elementians are not stupid enough to form a jail break on my ship..." Ice said in a condescending tone.

"Well we just did." Naruto replied.

Ice just blinked. "He does realize he just admitted to being stupid, right?"

"Stupid is what stupid does." Sakura growled.

"Quite...now back to the matter at hand..." Ice smirked.

Videl gulped as she tried to keep her tail still, which Ice Immediately noticed.

"Well, well, well...one of the Saiyan's I was looking for..." Ice said with an air of entertainment in his tone.

'Goddammed tail...' Videl cursed.

"Now, tell me where your parents and the other half Saiyan is and I'll let your friends go." Ice sneered.

"My parents are dead..." Videl said sourly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, my little monkey child. Would you like me to reunite you with them?" Ice asked sweetly.

"No I wouldn't."

"Pity, I'm sure that is a great disappointment to them. But perhaps seeing their grandchildren will suffice." Ice said as he shot an energy beam point blank at Videl's belly. Before the half saiyan could react, Naruto flashed in front of her and grabbed Ice's fingers, deflecting the beam.

"You stay away from my god children..." Naruto growled. He then headbutted Ice and tackled him to ground.

"Both of you, run!" Naruto shouted.

They tried to retreat, but a platoon of Ice's soldiers stood in their way.

"None of you will be leaving alive I'm afraid." Ice smirked.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Videl growled as she reached back and punched Ice right in the face, sending him flying away and completely off guard. Ice then whipped his tail around and slapped Videl's belly. Videl caught it just before it hit and slammed him down into the ground and then kicked him hard in the gut.

"GAAAAH!" Ice cried out before he wrapped his tail around Videl's leg and threw her off her. "I'll admit...you're stronger than the average run of the mill Saiyan."

"You haven't seen anything yet. I'm a lot stronger than I look." Videl said before forming a few hand signs.

"Is that so? Well, color me intrigued." Ice smirked. "Tell you what. I'll give you a sporting chance. But don't expect me to go easy."

"Fire Style: Plasma Torch Jutsu!" Videl cried out before emitting a thin, white stream of super-heated fire.

Ice nimbly dodged the attack and fired one of his own back at her. Videl easily deflected it and shot back a beam of her own. This back and forth went on for a while, while Sakura and Naruto fought off the ever-increasing amount of Ice soldiers.

"Impressive, monkey. I see you weren't lying about your power. But the kid gloves are off, as it were." Ice smirked before he powered up to give himself the advantage.

Videl however, was not impressed. "Is that all you got?"

"Impudent little...mock me, will you?!" Ice growled before charging directly at her. He aimed a punch right at her chest, which she caught. "WHAT?!"

"My turn..." Videl smirked as she powered up to Super Saiyan, knocking Ice back.

"What the-a Super Saiyan?" Ice said in surprise.

"Yea...a Super Saiyan." Videl smirked.

"Well...I must say I wasn't expecting that. But it's not the first time I've seen a Super Saiyan."

"What?" Videl exclaimed in shock.

"First time from a female saiyan though. So, that's interesting." Ice admitted.

"Wait...you..."

"Oh sorry, you want to know about the Super Saiyan I've seen. Or rather, Super Saiyans." Ice said before he brushed himself off.

"You've seen more than one?" Videl asked, completely astonished.

"But of course, I have them under my employment. They serve as my elite warriors." Ice sneered.

When Naruto and Sakura heard that, they were completely stunned. they had no idea how much shit they were in until now.

"And they are all stronger than you, my dear." Ice smirked.

"Not stronger than Gohan." Videl said defiantly.

"Keep clinging to that hope. Right until your last breath." Ice said, his voice like the creeping chill of hypothermia.

Naruto then charged at Ice from behind with his Kyuubi cloak activated.

"Oh please..." Ice sighed before batting him away with his tail.

As soon as he was clear, Sakura came sailing behind him with her Kami mode activated and her chakra enhanced fist on a collision course with Ice's face.

Ice caught her fist and laughed. "And what was that supposed to do?"

"Distract you!" Naruto shouted as he came right underneath Ice's outstretched arm used to block Sakura's attack. Naruto slammed his Kyuubi chakra Rasengan right into Ice's armpit. Sending the alien flying up and away.

Ice stopped midair, seemingly undamaged. "I actually felt that. Seems you were able to take that annoying ache away."

"That attack was supposed to reverberate throughout your body." Naruto said as he and Sakura stood ready.

"Well, then you failed miserably." Ice snickered.

"Were not done here. Videl! For fuck's sakes take Shikamaru to safety!" Naruto barked.

"No one is going anywhere!" Ice barked.

"I wasn't asking you!" Naruto shouted as he extended his arm like Choji's expansion jutsu to grab Ice and grew a dozen chakra arms to bombard him with Rasengan and shove him a hundred yards away.

"Videl! Go!" Naruto urged.

Videl moved to grab Shikamaru, swatting away the soldiers that were trying to capture him back.

"Sakura, you go too." Naruto ordered as he created two Shadow Clones to handle the rest of the grunts.

"No, I'm staying." Sakura said firmly.

"Shikamaru will need a medic. I'm not fighting to win, I'm fighting so that you three can get away." Naruto said as his clones barreled through the Ice grunts.

Sakura grumbled. "You better come back in one piece." She said before flying away.

'I love you.' Naruto thought as he watched Sakura fly away.

'I love you too.' Sakura thought back as she continued to distance herself from the fight.

Ice finally clawed his way out of the rubble looking absolutely fuming.

"You're starting to annoy me, monkey." Ice spat.

"I'm not a Saiyan. I'm home grown Elementian." Naruto corrected.

"Different breed, same dirty species." Ice spat.

"Oh really? Well I took down one of your kind before so you'll just be the second." Naruto smirked.

"If that were the case, you wouldn't have sent your mate running off for her own safety." Ice smirked, making Naruto frown.

"It's not her safety I'm worried about. It's the safety of my comrades." Naruto stated.

"One in the same. You're one if those heroic types that loves to sacrifice himself for his comrades, aren't you?" Ice asked as he and Naruto exchanged jabs.

"So, what if I am?"

"Nothing. I just love killing your types." Ice smirked as his kick swept under Naruto's feet, who hopped out of the way. "They're the most fun to kill."

"If I had a Ryo for every time I've heard that." Naruto scoffed.

'What are you talking about? You've never heard that one.' Kurama thought.

'He doesn't need to know that.' Naruto thought as he took a skull rattling punch from Ice.

"You're just as stubborn as those damn Earthlings." Ice spat. "They may have had their super advanced technology, but they were nothing compared to me."

"So, it was you who wiped out Earth...Just as Baal said." Naruto mused, making Ice pause.

"You know the God of Destruction?" Ice asked.

"Yes, I do. And guess what? He's on our side." Naruto smirked, coming up with an idea.

"H-he is...?" Ice stammered.

"Oh yeah. He would come down in a heartbeat if you harm the Saiyan's here. By that I mean killing them."

"Is that, right? But you said you weren't a Saiyan, right?" Ice stated, regaining his composure.

"Yeah, but he sees us as their family of sorts so...we're under his protection as well. He sees this planet as a sanctuary for the survival of the Saiyan race." Naruto smirked, hoping his trump card would work.

"Interesting..." Ice said before the look of concern on his face melted into a look of evil glee. "So as soon as I'm finished with this miserable planet, Baal will come here to save me the trouble of hunting him down." Ice said before he created a death ball larger than Naruto and hurled it at him. The blond ninja barely had time to dodge.

In an instant, Gohan flashed into the fray and kicked away the death ball, making it rocket into space.

"You will not destroy this planet." Gohan growled as the sky lit up when Ice's death ball exploded.

"And just who might you be to tell me that?" Ice asked as he took to the air, followed cautiously behind by Naruto so that all three of them floated in the air facing one another.

"Gohan Son. The protector of this planet."

"Another one? Wait, you're the one my cyborg fought, right?" Ice asked casually.

"Yes, I am." Gohan answered.

"Finally, someone who could pose an actual challenge." Ice sighed in relief. "I'm been playing patty-cake with this one to pass the time and frankly it's gotten dull."

"Hey, I was going easy on you!" Naruto defended.

'No, you weren't.' Kurama thought.

"But I won't..." Gohan said before transforming into a Super Saiyan 2.

"Oh well well...so you are the other Saiyan. Good. You're definitely stronger than your mate." Ice sneered.

That snapped a nerve in Gohan's mind as he flashed in front of Ice and squeezed his neck. "What did you do to my mate..." Gohan growled.

"Gave her some friendly maternal advice-what the fuck do you think I did to her?" Ice sarcastically replied.

Gohan drove Ice into the ground and blasted him with his Mosenko point blank. The area was filled with blinding light as Naruto has to shield his face from the blast.

The light finally faded and Gohan stood towering over a grinning Frost Demon.

"Please sir, may I have another?" Ice smirked.

"Be careful what you wish for, dildo man." Gohan growled.

A gust of air blew past the two of them.

Ice took a deep breath. "You just had to make it personal, didn't you?"

"Then make me regret it."

Ice then flash stepped behind Gohan and stomped on his ankle, shattering it like twigs.

"AW GAWD!" Gohan cried before Ice then spin kicked him in the ass, sending him skipping across the forest floor.

'What the Hell?! He's so fast!' Gohan thought as he rolled to a stop.

"Are you regretting it now?" Ice asked.

"Gah…ha…" Gohan hissed as he clutched his ankle to try and keep it from moving. He took three quick breaths. "Ha… No, I'm not. If anything, I'm laughing at how much of a joke you are. My mom can hit harder." Gohan smirked before he then flinched when the pain shot up his leg.

"Would you like me to break the other one? You've got two wrists afterwards I do believe." Ice said as he casually walked towards Gohan who subconsciously shuffled back.

"Kiss my half Saiyan ass...Naruto! Now!" Gohan called out.

Faster than either Elementians could blink, Ice looked back and side stepped Naruto as he tried to sneak up behind Ice and pin him in the back with his Rasenshuriken. The ninja flew past the spot Ice was standing in and nearly chopped up Gohan like he was meat in a blender.

"Hey, watch it!" Gohan cried.

Ice smirked before seeing Naruto explode into smoke while the real Naruto came at him from above.

"SHADOW CLONES! MOTHERFUCKER!" Naruto shouted as he thrust his jutsu at Ice's head. The Frost Demon tried to dodge but wound up being too slow.

"AAAAAAAGH!" Ice cried as he flung himself to his left. Letting Naruto slam his jutsu into the ground.

Naruto hastily stood up, fearing that he had missed, only to be revolted by the bloody purple stump that remained of Ice's right arm.

"YOU WRETCH!" Ice shouted in pain.

"What's the matter, Stumpy? Not having fun anymore?" Naruto laughed as he felt the fatigue.

Ice glared at Naruto with absolute hatred. "Just for that...Your death will be as painful and as slow as possible..."

Ice hissed between his teeth. "You know what? I take it back. You're the more challenging one, monkey. You actually managed to wound me. Just for that, I'll kill you last."

"You can try." Naruto smirked as ice soldiers surrounded their master with concern.

"Take me back to the Sensō...Leave my top team here to deal with these fools." Ice ordered.

"Sir? The Ginyu Force is currently tasked with your search mission." One soldier reported.

"Then call two of them back!" Ice ordered.

"Yes sire." Another soldier said.

"What's the matter, Ice? Don't you wanna keep fighting?" Naruto called out.

Ice responded by raising his power level beyond anything Naruto or Gohan had ever experienced. More powerful than ten Perfect Cells.

"Do you?" Ice asked.

The two men were frozen in terror.

"That's what I thought." Ice said as he flew back towards his ship.

"We're screwed..." Gohan said as he powered down.

"What? Are you kidding me right now?" Naruto asked, startled that Gohan would even say such a thing.

"I wish. Just that surge alone puts him ahead of me in Super Saiyan 3."

"What?" Naruto whispered.

"You heard me...He's far stronger than we first thought and he's still hiding a great deal."

"And he just let us go? After I shredded his arm off?" Naruto exclaimed.

"My guess is he wanted to get healed first. But even as he is, he could easily kill us."

"Don't kid yourself. He fought you both and realized that neither of you were worth killing." Kurama spoke through Naruto's mouth. "Not by his hand anyway."

"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better." Gohan said sourly.

"Damn right. It should make you angry, punk. If he wanted to kill you, we'd all be dead. But you two aren't even worth the energy."

Gohan sighed. "We have to stop him, but how?"

Naruto blinked as he regained control of his body. "I have no idea." He said as he helped Gohan stand up.

"Easy...That leg is fucked..." Gohan hissed in pain.

"Yeah, yeah, I got you." Naruto said as he let Gohan lean on him.

"It might be time to use that technique..." Gohan sighed.

"What technique?" Naruto asked.

"One my dad told me about. Fusion."

"Fusion?" Naruto asked.

"It's a technique where two people of similar size and power can combine into one person with insane power." Gohan said.

"Why didn't we do that in the first place?" Naruto asked.

"Because my dad didn't tell me how to do it. We have to get in mental contact with him to learn it. Sakura and Videl as well."

"Wait, when did he tell you about this?" Naruto asked.

"A few days ago. I honestly didn't think we needed it or that anyone wanted to do it. But it seems that now we don't have a choice."

"Wait, if we combine, wouldn't our powers just get stacked on top of one another?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know for certain. My dad is the one who knows for sure." Gohan stated.

"Well then let's get out of here. The sooner we can unfuck this mission the better." Naruto stated seriously.

Naruto took off to the sky while holding an injured Gohan.

---

Miles away, Sakura and Videl were flying through the air with Shikamaru held in between their arms until they each sensed a pulse of chakra.

"It's Neji." Sakura said before she led them to bank down into the tree tops and hovered next to the Hyuga Jounin.

"Sakura, Videl." Neji greeted.

"Hey Neji. How you holding up?" Videl asked before Neji noticed the wounds on her.

"Better than you it seems. Where is Gohan and Naruto?" Neji asked as he inspected Shikamaru.

"Fighting Ice..." Sakura sighed with concern.

"Wait, Gohan is fighting Ice too?" Videl exclaimed.

"I sensed him while we were leaving. Didn't you?" Sakura asked.

"No! Goddammit, why don't you tell me?!"

"I thought you knew!" Sakura defended.

"Ugh! I hate our boyfriends sometimes." Videl groaned.

"Preaching to the choir..." Sakura grumbled.

"If you two are done, we have a new base set up underground I can lead you to." Neji spoke up.

"Huh? Oh, good idea." Videl nodded.

"Good. Please follow me." Neji said as they all leapt from the tree.

"Neji...you're a Jounin right?" Videl asked.

"I am." Neji said as he led them deeper into the forest.

"Does that mean you're going to train your own Genin squad?" Videl asked.

"I don't have to, but the option is available to me." Neji replied.

"Wait, you don't? I thought all Jounin had to train Genin."

"In times of shortage or crisis, yes, but these are not those times. Even then, you will find Jounin who work in specialized divisions, team up exclusively with other Jounin and Chunin, or move on to join ANBU."

"Oh...I didn't know that."

"It is alright. These are things you will learn as you gain experience as a ninja."

"I'd say she's done quite well for only having a few months of training." Sakura said.

"Perhaps, but she's still green. If it were up to me, I'd have her attend the Academy." Neji stated.

"Well thank God you're not my Jounin-sensei." Videl said.

"Kakashi agrees." Neji said simply. "You still have a great deal to learn and going out in the field halfcocked is not the right way to learn. You can get you and your team killed."

"Oh, lighten up. Compared to all of our Jounin and even our Hokage, she's like a god to them." Sakura said.

"Power means nothing if you don't have the mental discipline. Even Naruto knows that." Neji stated.

"You wouldn't be giving him or Gohan this lecture." Videl defended.

"Naruto was given that lecture but he goes his own way and Gohan isn't technically a ninja." Sakura said.

"So why can't I go my way?" Videl asked.

"Naruto has had years of training. You've only had a few months." Neji pointed out.

"Fine, whatever." Videl said before a thought occurred to her. "So, if you're a Jounin, why are you still with your original Genin team?"

"Because it is my choice." Neji said simply.

"That's it?" Videl asked as Neji landed on the barren forest floor.

"Yes." Neji confirmed. He ran his hands over the dirt before lifting up a single strand of ninja wire Videl hadn't noticed, that helped Neji find the wooden handle buried underneath the dirt and opened the hatch.

"Get inside, quickly."

Videl and Sakura jumped down with Shikamaru in tow, Neji bringing up the rear.

The four of them found themselves in pitch blackness. From the sounds of their sandals hitting the floor, Videl could tell they were in a wooden hallway of some sort.

"Can't see a damn thing..." Videl said before she charged a ball of Ki in her hand to light the way.

"It appears they haven't finished setting up the lights on this level." Neji said as he led them down the wooden hallway that reminded Videl of the a haunted mansion. With no windows or decorations of any kind.

They rounded the corner and went down another hallway that slopped down. This repeated twice more before they finally reached a pair of sliding doors that opened up to a 50 by 50 foot square room where everyone of situated.

Kiba and Asuma were stacking unsealed crates into a corner. Shino, Hinata, and Akamaru were resting in a corner with all the different fold out mats. Shizune and Ino were standing by the new First-Aid corner, checking on a little boy that Videl and Sakura didn't recognize while the boy's mother fussed over him at every turn. And in the center of the room was a great roaring fire that breathed out through a chimney in the ceiling above. Around it facing the door was Kakashi and an exhausted looking Yamato. They were chatting with two other men facing away from the door. One had blue skin with white hair and was sweating profusely in the presence of the open flames. The other wore a hood over his and Videl swore she recognized his chakra from somewhere. And did his cloak just move like it has a tail behind it?

"Ahem." Neji coughed, gathering everyone's attention. All eyes turned to the door.

"Forehead, Videl, you're back, and you got Shikamaru." Ino exclaimed in relief.

"Yea, well it wasn't easy." Sakura said as she carefully handed Shikamaru over to her.

"Where is Naruto and Gohan?" Kiba asked.

"In a world of shit." Videl said sourly.

"Yeah but how shitty, specifically?" Kiba asked.

"Ice... They were fighting him to cover our retreat." Sakura said seriously.

"That was a grave mistake on your part." The hooded man said while keeping his gaze fixed on the fire. "If Ice hasn't captured Naruto already, it is because he doesn't realize that Naruto is a jinchuriki and will kill him." The hooded man said, making Sakura's blood boil and sending a chill up Videl's spine.

"Then again, considering our situation, that would be for the best." The man added.

"Excuse you?!" Sakura snapped.

"Wait a minute, I know you." Videl said as she pointed a shaky finger at the man. How could she forget him? The way he tortured her.

"I should hope so, Videl. I'd hate to think I left that little of a fleeting impression on you the last time we met." The man said as he turned towards the girls, the fireplace giving his silhouette a demonic feel to compliment his now mutated facial features. His skin was now bone white and scaly. His pupils were yellow and slitted with purple markings around his eyes. Yet Videl and Sakura couldn't ever forget his face.

"Videl, Sakura..." Kakashi began. "I know how you both feel about Kabuto. But he is our ally now."

---

Author's Note from Panda: Boom! Mic drop!