Team 7 had all passed the first exam and were now waiting on further instruction from their proctor Anko Mitarashi. Naruto thought she was a lunatic as he had affectionately dubbed her "loony chick."
She had finally told them that they would be trying to get a scroll from another team while simultaneously fending off the many traps in the forest.
To Team 7, this would be mostly easy. Unless they encountered Team Gai, they were certain they could wipe the floor with any team. Kurenai's Team was especially pathetic excluding Shino.
Sasuke was also confident that Sakura could defeat any of the other Jounin Sensei. She was the only S-class kunoichi in Konoha. Under her tutelage, he had grown vastly in only 4 months.
All of the teams readied themselves and dashed off into the forest, not knowing that many of them would not return.
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"It's been too long Sakura." Itachi greeted. Sakura smiled. "How've ya been? I heard that Danzou is trying his best to recruit you." She said that with malice laced in her tone.
"Don't be so hard on him Sakura. He only acts for Konoha. Although his roots are rotten, his soil is pure." Sakura scoffed. "Whatever. Anyways, where's Shinichi? I thought we were at this bar for a reunion."
"I'm right here Baka." A distinctively masculine voice teased. Sakura turned around to see Shinichi Hyūga staring her right in the face.
"It's been too long Weasel... Tiger." Shinichi said. Sakura rolled her eyes. "This isn't ANBU anymore. Well, for us it's not. Uchiha over here is ANBU Chief."
"That's what we came to celebrate." Itachi smiled. The three S-class Shinobi sat down and for the first time in years, enjoyed one another.
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Team 7 was now deep into the Forest of Death. So far, no enemies had been found. Naruto was particularly pissed off.
"How the hell can we find a damn scroll if nobody is here?!" He yelled. Hinata sighed and agreed with him. Sasuke told Hinata to scout the area with her Byakugan.
Hinata's eyes saw someone from less than 50 feet away. Their chakra just felt wrong. It was evil, like it hungered for death. Hinata nearly collapsed.
Sasuke was instantly by her side. "What's wrong?" The avenger asked nervously. Naruto could sense a chakra signature and boy was it powerful.
The jinchuuriki silently drew his sword as a giant snake descended upon them. Naruto leapt into action, stabbing the snake in its mouth.
A woman jumped out of the reptile's mouth blowing a strong gust of wind. Naruto could only put his arms up to block the blast. He felt his left wrist break sending him flying back.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan. The woman jumped out as the two engaged in a taijutsu duel. Sasuke threw a kick which was parried and then returned. Sasuke grabbed the Kusa nin's foot and swung her around.
He launched her into the air and dropped a heel to the woman's cranium only for her to turn into mud. The real enemy Kunoichi appeared behind Sasuke and punched him, rocketing him forward.
'My Sssaassuke is very good! Very good indeed. Not to mention the other boy. Let's see how the girl fares.'
The Kusa kunoichi darted for Hinata. Hinata was playing possom, fooling her. Hinata jumped up and threw a flurry of palm strikes and kicks at her who dodged them all but not without difficulty.
Hinata landed a glancing blow, which was enough for her to follow up with a roundhouse kick followed by a right hand. The taijutsu genius finished off with a modified Kaiten, blowing her back.
That gave Naruto enough time to stab the enemy with his Fuuton enhanced Tamashi Kattā katana.
(Soul Cutter Sword) Sasuke followed up by wrapping wire around her and tying her to the tree.
Sasuke whisked through hand signs.
"Fire Release: Singing Dragon!" The fire dragon emaciated her, eating away at her flesh.
Sasuke fell to his knees, having used his most powerful Jutsu. Hinata rushed over to heal him with Naruto holding him still.
A evil chuckle stopped them all in their tracks. The enemy rose from her corpse's mouth. "Good teamwork I suppose. But I hope you didn't think this was even close to being over."
Her face partially revealed a male jawline leading Team 7 to wonder just what the hell they were fighting. His/her neck extended as they bit Sasuke's neck leaving a pulsing red mark.
His/her fingertips were lit with a purple flame slamming their fist into Naruto, knocking him out. Naruto and Sasuke were both down leaving Hinata alone.
Hinata got into a battle stance without hesitation. If she'd be killed, she'd go down swinging. The human conundrum smirked and sank into the ground.
Hinata used all her strength to carry the two into a clearing. She would've began operating on them if she hadn't sensed three chakra signatures.
"Hand over Sasuke!" A bandaged boy commanded. Hinata turned around and prepared herself to defend her nakama with her life.
Hinata readied herself for the upcoming battle. She could feel death coming. Three Oto ninja who Sakura had warned them to be cautious of. Even staring into the eyes of death, she wouldn't give up.
It would be a mockery of everything that Sakura had taught her. To cower in battle was one in the same with downright betraying your nakama. It was disgusting.
Hinata slipped into her Jyuuken stance. She was no Neji, who could likely beat all three at the same time, but she was solid.
Kin attacked first trying to get a feel for Hinata skill. She struck wildly with a right hand but Hinata was prepared. The heiress grabbed Kin's hand and leapt into a roundhouse.
She wasn't done as she hit several knees to the Oto kunoichi's body and then struck her in her intercostals with a Jyuuken strike.
Kin collapsed so Zaku rushed forward and blew pressurized air at Hinata. Hinata felt her strength overflow as she shrugged off the air with Kaiten and punched Zaku with a chakra infused hit.
Zaku instantly felt his jaw snap. Hinata pushed her advantage and tried to kick Dosu in the arm but her eardrums nearly collapsed after a blast of sound knocked her back into a tree.
Dosu laughed. "You may have surprised them but you can't fool me. Deep down... you're afraid. Didn't your little Sensei instill fearlessness into you? Where have all her teachings gone?!"
Hinata got up slowly as she remembered one of Sakura's particularly harsh training sessions.
"Is this all the Hyūga clan has to offer? I'm dissatisfied. Maybe Hanabi should be the clan's heiress. Hiashi wouldn't disprove."
Hinata bit her lip so hard that it drew blood. She wouldn't give up! Hinata charged Sakura with strength she didn't know she had.
Hinata slipped into her Jyuuken stance for what may have been the final time. Zaku laughed maniacally and blew a powerful gust of wind, breaking several bones in Hinata's body.
Hinata crumbled to the forest floor yet again. Would she really die without achieving her dreams? It was indeed sad but such was the life of a Shinobi.
Before Kin could strike her down, an evil chakra filled the air. Naruto's body began to shake erratically. Deep in his psyche , he felt an ominous presence.
Instantly, Naruto was staring up at the humongous Kyuubi No Youko. It's eyes conveyed nothing but hatred and malice.
'This must be... the n- Nine Tailed Fox. Mizuki told ..."
Naruto could only awe at the sheer size of this beast. He couldn't even finish his sentences. This beast was unbelievable, it dwarfed even the Hokage Mountain!
How could the Yondaime possibly fight something like this?
Kyuubi spiked his chakra with rage, almost as if he heard the boy's thoughts. The energy dented the bars of her cage but they instantly healed.
"That puny human enslaved me, but when I get out, I will wreak havoc on the world! I can sense it... you need me don't you boy?" Kyubi chuckled ominously, or as close to a chuckle as a beast like that could muster.
Nature nodded. "Listen Nine Tails! I just wish to protect my friends! Sensei would be devastated if we were to die! She's already been through so much! So please, please help me!" Naruto bowed before the beast, something that was totally uncharacteristic of him. However, he'd do anything to save those he held dear.
Kyuubi growled again. "That Sensei of yours eh? I can feel his chakra dwelling within her... she's a living embodiment of Senju Hashirama... Sakura is definitely the descendant after all..."
Naruto's face took on a confused look. "Sensei? That doesn't matter now! Just please give me the strength!" Naruto wouldn't dare disrespect such a demon, but time was of the essence.
The mighty Kyuubi frowned but did as asked. If his host died... his lifeforce would take years to re-emerge. Never wanting to experience such a thing, he pumped chakra into the boy rapidly. Naruto's eyes glowed an ominous red as one tail swirled behind him. He nodded to Kyuubi and exited his psyche.
Hinata looked at Naruto to see him in a feral stance. One tail of red chakra oscillating demonically behind him. Zaku's face took on a red shade.The boy had pissed himself.
Naruto leapt over Hinata to claw Zaku's chest. Rage at a fever pitch, began to stomp the boy until his ribs crumbled under the pressure. Naruto wasn't satisfied until Zaku was unmoving. He wasn't dead but would never be a Shinobi again. Kin found herself suffering a similar fate.
Naruto punched the girls face until a visible purple spot permeated it. Naruto thrust the girl into the air and brought down a heel to her cranium.
Kin had died instantly.
Naruto crept forward to Dosu. Dosu fell to his knees and begged for mercy. Naruto was about to plunge his claws into the boy's face before he felt Hinata hug him from behind.
He felt a wet spot on his jumpsuit, indicating tears were there.
"P-p-please stop Naruto-kun. I beg of you!" Naruto hugged Hinata with equal force as the the red chakra dissolved.
Dosu tossed them his Earth scroll and scurried off into the Forest, not a care in the world for his allies.
Hinata ended the hug and went to wake Sasuke only to find him already awake.
Sasuke brushed any accumulated dust off of his form. He noticed Zaku trying to crawl away pitifully.
Sasuke silently picked up Naruto's sword. He knew that his road to vengeance started with his first kill.
Deciding to end it mercifully, he simply stuck the blade into Zaku's brain. Kin was met with a similar fate, ensuring her death.
Naruto looked around at the two limp bodies, and felt oddly... normal. It had been his first kill, and yet he felt so... at peace. Naruto couldn't explain it, but he supposed his desire to protect his family would stop at nothing.
'Sensei always said it would become second nature, but i'm not sure killing is what I want to do.' Brushing those thoughts aside, he regrouped with his team.
Sasuke looked at his teammates. He was truly thankful for their protection of him.
"Naruto... Hinata... thank you for protecting me. You two are my first real friends. It's only been 4 months but I would risk my life for you two also." He declared from the bottom of his heart. Emotions weren't really his thing but judging from their smile it had sufficed.
Tears silently rolled down Hinata's eyes. This was the feeling of family that her own blood had never even given her. Wiping her tears away, she pulled the two into a long hug.
After what felt like an eternity of heaven, the trio broke the embrace. Naturally, Naruto broke the silence.
"We survived the forest that has killed so many. Team 7 is definitely the coolest!"
Sasuke smirked. "But I'm definitely the coolest." Naruto grinned. "Care to spar Uchiha?!" Hinata growled lowly. "Boys..."
And that's a wrap for this cheater! Sorry for taking so long between updates, life has been hectic. for the hiatus, I updated several times in one day. hopefully everyone enjoys and i'll see you next update.