Chapter 12: Sasuke's Retrieval
Naruto and Ten-Ten soared from tree top to tree top at a constant speed. They had been traveling for 5 hours total with a 30-minute break thrown in the middle. Most of the journey had been made in very tense silence, Ten-Ten had tried to initiate conversation but Naruto had been too caught up in his thoughts to properly respond. The duo was close to the sixth hour of their journey when they heard a loud boom followed by a slight tremor. The two teens glanced at each other as they made their way to the tree's apex and saw a giant smoke cloud in the relatively close by as a concerned look crossed Ten-Ten's face
"That can't be good, I hope they don't have too much trouble capturing Sasuke." Naruto looked at Ten-Ten before he replied.
"Let's pick up the pace just-in-case."
"Right!" The two speed off to the direction of the dust cloud and when they got there they found a corpse of a sound ninja with orange hair styled into a mohawk inside a big crater. Both Ten-Ten and Naruto let out a grimace knowing that the retrieval team no doubt encountered resistance, off in the distance they spotted Choji slowly limping to a tree with an arrow pointing east, presumably showing where the rest of the team headed. Naruto and Ten-Ten got on either side of Choji as they helped him lay down. Choji looked startled, his eyes were unfocused as he looked at the two and his eyes slowly lit up in recognition.
"He-hey guys." Choji's voice was weak and horse.
"Choji, what happened?" Naruto said to his kind-hearted comrade.
"Shikamaru, Neji, Sakura, K-Kiba and I were sent out to find Sasuke." Choji let out a bloody cough as Naruto and Ten-Ten tried to help him. "He was be-being kept in some weird circular box being es-escorted by four sound n-ninjas." Naruto saw Choji was losing consciousness. "Tell, Shika I did it, I beat him." Choji finally lost his battle with unconsciousness as Ten-Ten let out a startled gasp.
"His heartbeat is slowing down." Naruto let out a curse as he summoned two shadow clones who slowly picked up the injured Choji.
"I'll have my clones take him back to the village, we need to hurry. " Ten-Ten nodded as the two took off following the arrow left behind by the retrieval team. As they traveled Naruto noticed something weird. "There's spider-webs everywhere." Ten-Ten looked back at the blond chuunin with a raised eyebrow.
"So? We must be near a nest."
"The webbings way too big for normal spiders, the only giant spiders that live in Fire country are in the forest of death. Let's just be careful going forward." The two eventually heard another weak voice speak from up ahead.
"It's too late you know, Sasuke is already gone, He belongs to Lord Orochimaru now." The voice laughed as the two leaf ninja rushed forward and came upon a horrifying sight. Neji was propped up against a tree, a massive wound piercing through his shoulder. Laying face up staring at the sky was another sound ninja. This one had six arms and his breathing was barely noticeable.
"It doesn't matter what you say, I believe my comrades will succeed." Ten-Ten brought her hands up to cover her mouth once she saw the condition her teammate was in. Naruto grit his teeth as and he saw the six-armed sound ninja who had been mocking Neji stop breathing.
"So they sent you as back up." Neji coughed up a tremendous amount of blood as Naruto and Ten-Ten tried to stop his bleeding.
"Neji, don't speak, save your strength. " Ten-Ten brought out her medical supplies and began to cover Neji's wound as best as she could with Naruto helping with his very limited first aid knowledge, they were able to clog wound and slow the bleeding.
"I trust you to finish the mission for me, Naruto." Neji's head dipped as he fell into unconsciousness. Ten-Ten began to try and lay him down only for Naruto to stop her suddenly.
"Why did you stop me!" Ten-Ten yelled at the blond.
"We can't move him, look at his shoulder, if we move him now he'll die of blood loss." Ten-Ten looked devastated at being unable to help her teammate. Naruto bit his thumb as he remembered something Jiraiya had told him. "Summoning Jutsu." Ten-Ten looked at Naruto in confusion as a small red toad appeared.
"Yo, what's up Naruto." From the smoke cloud emerged a small red toad.
"Kichi, I need you to deliver an urgent message to the Hokage. We need a medical team to come pick up a gravely wounded comrade." Kichi turned around and his eyes widened as he saw Neji.
"Yikes, Alright I'll be as fast as I can Naruto." Gamakichi gave Naruto a salute
"Thanks, Kichi." Gamakichi left and Naruto created three clones, one began to press Neji's wound to try and slow the blood loss as much as possible. The other two clones jumped into the trees to stand watch so no one could target the downed Neji.
"We need to keep going Ten-Ten, there's nothing more we can do for now." Ten-Ten swallowed hard as she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes.
"Yeah, your right. Let's go." Naruto saw Ten-Ten give a small prayer for Neji before she joined him in the trees and the duo once again followed the trail the rest of the retrieval team left behind.
'Damn it. This isn't good at all, these guys are no joke if they left Neji half dead. Damn these sound ninja!' Naruto felt his anger rise when he and Ten-Ten had to cover their eyes as a flash bang went off in the distance. The two looked at each other before heading in the direction of the flashbang when they started hearing a flute playing shortly followed by sounds of trees being hit. They saw a couple of trees topple over as the two came into a clearing. They saw a red-haired kunoichi wearing the same uniform as the other sound ninjas. Naruto and Ten-Ten were shocked by her appearance as she had unnatural dark skin tone and horns curving around her head. Naruto saw Shikamaru was surrounded by three demonic looking ogres as he desperately ducked and dodged their blows. One was wearing a dark green full-body suit with its hair covering its face fully, it was also wielding a giant studded metal club. Another was wearing only dark pants and had and had a blindfold over his bald, scared head, it had spikes tied around his forearm with two sticking out in front of its fist and one at the elbow. The final one was by far the creepiest as it had maroon pants and had its upper body retrained by bandages with his head looking straight up. Thinking quickly he sped at the red-haired kunoichi as he began to channel earth chakra into his arm turning it black, Naruto managed to punch the red-headed sound kunoichi in the face, her flute flew from her hands into a nearby bush. The sound kunoichi was sent flying into one of her demons and it sent them tumbling away. Naruto looked back at his comrade and shouted.
"Ten-Ten, now!" Ten-Ten took advantage and unleashed a storm of kunai at the two remaining demons, they began to backpedal from the rain of weaponry. Shikamaru took the opening to jump away and stand near his comrades.
"Man, I'm glad you guys are here. This whole mission has become incredibly troublesome."
"MOTHER FUCKER! I'm going to TEAR YOU APART!" The red-haired women got up her three demons falling in line behind her.
"Where's the rest of your team?" Shikamaru looked back at Ten-Ten and took a moment to catch his breath.
"Kiba got separated from us while battling another sound ninja, Sakura went ahead to chase after another sound ninja came to see why the sound team hadn't arrived yet. " Naruto let out a curse knowing whoever Orochimaru would send wouldn't be some weak ninja or even someone at the current level of the sound team.
"Don't IGNORE ME!" The three had to jump back as the ogre with the full-body suit attacked bringing down his massive club down between the trio.
"Naruto!" Said blond looked at Shikamaru. "Go on ahead me and Ten-Ten will deal with her and then head after Kiba! Sakura is by herself she needs the most help. They're headed for the border!" Ten-Ten brought out a staff and whacked the blind-folded ogre away from Shikamaru. Ten-Ten spun around a gave Naruto a determined nod
"Go on, we got this." Naruto nodded back at Ten-Ten before he took off.
"No, you don't you shithead! You aren't getting away from me!" The red-haired kunoichi rushed the blond only to come to a sudden halt.
"Shadow possession success." Naruto took the opportunity and sped off to find his wayward teammates trusting his comrades to come out on top in their confrontations. Naruto pumped chakra through his body as he increased his speed to a blistering level, after several minutes Naruto came to clearing with three people, two were very familiar and one was a complete stranger.
"LEAF HURRICANE!" Naruto watched Lee shout as he delivered a flying spin kick to a white-haired teenager who blocked with his forearm. The white-haired teen was wearing a gray-lavender zip-up shirt and black pants. He was wearing a large purple rope around his waist that Naruto had seen some of the other sound ninja wear. Sakura was standing away from the conflict as the two fighters continued to exchange blows, she looked disheveled and tired. Naruto saw various bones burst from the sound ninja's chest as he stopped a kick from Lee, Lee disengaged quickly. While the white-haired sound ninja was distracted with Lee Naruto saw an opening to strike. Naruto performed a body flicker as he gathered chakra in his palm to perform his most deadly jutsu.
"RASENGAN!" Naruto hit the white-haired ninja in the back launching him into the tree line where his body left a trail of destruction. Lee and Sakura looked on with surprise at seeing the blond ninja come out of nowhere to attack their foe.
"Naruto!" Sakura's voice was full of relief at seeing her teammate show up just in time.
"Greetings friend Naruto! You-"
"More trash coming to try and interfere with Lord Orochimaru's plan." Whatever Lee was going to say was cut-off by the sound ninja coming out of the woods. "It matters not in the end, the ritual is almost complete." Naruto then noticed a cylindrical container with many different seals written over it as it began to release smoke. Naruto's instincts flared and he quickly leaned his head to the left as and he heard something impact the tree's behind him, he saw the sound ninja lower his arm. Lee made his way to stand next to the blond chuunin his eyes trained on their enemy.
"Naruto, our opponent uses his bones as weapons, we must be very careful, he can attack in a multitude of ways." Naruto nodded his focus switching from the container to the present threat.
"Are you ok to be out here Lee?" Naruto asked with concern seeping into his voice.
"Yes! My surgery went off without a hitch." Naruto didn't say anything more as their enemy charged with frightening speed. Naruto saw their opponent reach up to his shoulder where a piece a bone stuck out, with a sickening squelch he pulled out the piece of bone revealing that it resembled a short sword. Sakura who was near the tree line tried to help by throwing a kunai, the sound ninja swiped to the left and easily cut the kunai Sakura had thrown at him in half not even breaking his stride.
'Oh, you got to be kidding me!' Thought Naruto as he watched the bone sword slice through the tempered metal so easily. Lee took the initiative and intercepted the sound ninja with a spin kick that was avoided easily, Lee was about to be stabbed when Naruto struck out with his blackened arm.
"No, you don't!" Naruto forced the sound ninja to block his strike, the force of the blow making the teenager slide back half a foot. Lee jumped over Naruto and brought down an axe kick that was swatted away. Before the blond could go for another strike both Naruto and Lee had to jump away when the white-haired teen grew spikes all over his body. The blond noticed that the sound ninja had weird markings that were spreading slowly covering over half his body. The white-haired teen let out a bloody cough as he hunched over, Lee and Naruto were about to attack while he was vulnerable but were distracted when the top of the cylinder container was blasted off and a winged figure flew out and landed in the midst of the smoke. There was a tense silence where the four occupants of the clearing watched as the wings retreated into the back of the figure and soon after the smoke cleared revealing an obsidian eye.
"Sasuke Uchiha" The sound ninja spoke to the Uchiha as the smoke fully dissipated showing his form. "Lord Orochimaru has been expecting you." Sakura had tears gathering in her eyes and Lee looked on in silence. Naruto grit his teeth at the appearance of his once teammate, he had flame-like markings covering half his face with his left eye having an unnatural black sclera and a yellow iris. Sasuke flexed his hands to test their mobility.
"I feel." Sasuke let out a long shuddering breath. "Incredible." His gaze then turned to Naruto and he let out a scowl. "Naruto" Sasuke's voice carried across the clearing breaking the eerie silence that had engulfed it. "It seems you got promoted, I didn't realize the village was so desperate they would promote you of all people." Sasuke's tone was condescending and scathing.
"Sasuke Uchiha." The sound ninja repeated, his voice slightly harder than before. "Our Lord Orochimaru has been waiting for you." The sound ninja made his way over to recently released leaf ninja who frowned at the new face.
"And who are you?" Sasuke asked with an uninterested tone.
"My name is Kimimaro, leader of the sound five. Now, you must be headed off." Sasuke looked over at Naruto and locked his eyes with his, Steely blue met black and yellow before the raven-haired teen scoffed and turned around as he leaped away. Naruto quickly took off to follow but was stopped by a kick to the face that sent him through a tree by the now named Kimimaro.
"Sasuke wait!" Naruto saw Sakura take off after Sasuke, the blond was unable to stop his once teammate as Kimimaro began his assault once again. Naruto was able to dodge several sword swipes when Kimimaro used a faint to make Naruto step back, Kimimaro stomped on the blonds exposed foot and impaled it the next moment with a bone that quickly grew out of his heel. Kimimaro head-butted the blond who grit his teeth in pain, as the white-haired teen pulled his sword back to stab him, Naruto punched the older teen in the chest with a blackened arm as hard as he could sending the older teen stumbling back and freeing his foot.
" Severe Leaf Hurricane!" Lee, who had been watching on the sidelines, hit Kimimaro in the neck when he saw the older teen stumble back. There was a loud snapping sound as Kimimaro was sent flying again, his neck twisted at an acute angle. Naruto felt small amounts of the nine-tails chakra flow to his foot slowly healing him as he looked at his green-clad comrade as he used the small respite to catch his breath.
"Good hit Lee" Lee let out a solemn nod.
"I do not like sneak attacks but I understand when such things are required of me." Naruto was about to respond saying that they needed to go after Sasuke when monstrous amounts of killing intent flared from Kimimaro's body. The two leaf ninjas jumped back as the white-haired teen slowly stood up and pushed his neck into the right position. Bone spikes extended from his back. Kimimaro's markings extended to cover his body, slowly the expanded as his skin turned darker and tail grew from his backside.
"To think, you would force me to use stage two of my curse mark." Kimimaro started to cough violently before he blurred from sight. Naruto's eyes darted around the clearing when he spotted a shadow over himself, the blond dove as Kimimaro landed as dozens of bone spikes sprouted from the teen who started spinning as he followed Naruto in an intricate dance of death.
'This guy is Insane!' Naruto began to dodge as best he could from the torrent of death that was Kimimaro He saw Lee standing back with a frustrated expression on his face unable to get close without being impaled himself. Naruto jumped away from the spinning sound ninja when he saw a bone extend from the white-haired teen's elbow and Naruto brought up his blackened arm to block. The bone managed to pierce through the blonds forearm and Kimimaro spun once again sending the blond flying. Naruto flipped and landed on his feet and began to channel an immense amount of chakra, moments later the clearing was filled with a hundred copies of the blond. Kimimaro narrowed his eyes as Naruto motioned Lee to jump back.
"This won't work." Kimimaro reached behind him to his back as he began to pull a long segmented bone.
"Is that his spine?" Lee said in shock as both Leaf ninjas looked on with mild disgust. Two clones charged but were instantly destroyed when Kimimaro swung his spine sword. More clones rushed and the result was the same as before. Kimimaro dance, spun, and wove around the army of clones destroying dozens in seconds. Naruto motioned to several of his clones to follow his lead as he began to go through hand seals.
"Water Style: Raging Waves!" Kimimaro was hit by three separate streams of water as two clones came from his left and right going through the same hand seals. "Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Murder!" Lightning tore the ground apart as it traveled along the water as the white-haired teen was unable to react in time, after 10 seconds Kimimaro was smoking when he suddenly spun, swinging his spine sword around as he cleaved countless clones and the tree's in half.
"You're annoying." Kimimaro put his hands on the ground "Dance of the Seedling Fern." All was quiet for a moment before thousands of large bone spikes erupted from the ground, Naruto and Lee jumped away as fast as they could trying to avoid the deadly technique. Naruto saw Lee falter, acting quickly the blond grabbed the arm of the green-clad genin and threw him away, because of his actions a bone spike managed to pierce the blond's side. Naruto grimaced and raised his blackened arm up just in time for Kimimaro's spine sword to wrap around it. The whiskered blond saw his opponent emerge from one of the bigger bone spikes with a drill like bone around his right arm. "This is your end." Naruto was then yanked forward by the white-haired monster.
'Shit!' The whiskered blond quickly used all the chakra he could and formed a Rasengan in his free hand, Kimimaro cocked his arm back before striking with his drill arm, fully intending on piercing through him. The Rasengan smashed into the bone drill as charka flew from the point of contact as the bone drill tried to destabilize the structure of the Rasengan. Naruto saw his jutsu beginning to deform when Lee came out of nowhere kicked Kimimaro's right arm away from the blond, this caused the Rasengan to fully destabilize and the blond quickly shoved the remains of his jutsu into the sound ninja's face just as it exploded. All three ninja were blasted away, Naruto grabbed his side as it began bleeding profusely. He once again felt the nine-tails chakra come up and start healing the wound, his arm was also bleeding badly from the explosion. Naruto looked at Lee and saw he was holding his left leg, the same leg he used to kick the bone away. Naruto grimaced as pain exploded from his own leg. He saw he had a bone spike impaling his left leg. The blond looked over at the sound ninja as he stood back up, his face was a bloody mess with parts of it being missing, blasted away from the explosion, he started to slowly walk over to the two downed Leaf ninja.
"I." Kimimaro began to cough violently. "Will make." Kimimaro then dashed at Naruto. "Lord Orochimaru proud!"
"Naruto!" Lee screamed out as the sound ninja dashed at the chuunin. Naruto quickly gathered the rest of his chakra and slammed his hands on the ground.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!" The earth wall sprung up as Naruto continued to pump chakra into the wall trying to reinforce it as much as possible. Naruto saw the bone drill break through his wall and hit his chest Naruto was pushed back and saw the very tip of the drill had impacted the first Hokage's necklace right over his heart. Naruto Looked up and saw blood dripping from Kimimaro's mouth his chest no longer moving, he stood still and Naruto noticed he had died. The blond fell unto his back breathing heavily as he grabbed the necklace with both hands.
'That's twice now you've saved me.' Naruto slowly got up wincing as his many wounds making things uncomfortable.
"Naruto! I am glad you're alright." The chuunin made his way to the sitting genin.
"How's your leg, Lee?" Said ninja frowned.
"I am afraid it is broken. I heard my leg snap when I kicked away his most un-youthful jutsu." Naruto nodded as he reached into his ninja pouch and ate a soldier pill to help with his diminishing reserves. After a moment to allow the pill to take effect Naruto created two clones and had one of them pick up Lee and the other pick up Kimimaro.
"I'll have my clone help you get back to the village Lee." Lee looked like he wanted to argue but understood that he was out of options with his broken leg.
"Very well, but be careful my friend." The blond faced the green lad genin and gave him a firm nod
"I will." Naruto jumped away from Lee and his clones going the way he had seen Sakura go chasing after Sasuke. Naruto traveled for a good 15 minutes when he finally found his teammates in a clearing. Sasuke was standing in front of Sakura as he held her by the neck. Sakura had a large gash on her cheek and a busted lip, her eyes darted to the blond and Sasuke followed her gaze as he let out a sinister smile. He dropped Sakura as he turned to fully face the blond.
"I almost gave up on waiting for you, Naruto." Sasuke said as he gestured to their pink-haired teammate. "Sakura was helping me test out my new power but unfortunately she was only able to do so much. I'm glad I'll finally be able to test myself against you, Naruto!" The two glared at each other as they began to walk in a circle, eventually, Naruto was standing next to Sakura. He created a clone and had it pick her up to take her away.
"Wait! Naruto you have to help him, he's not himself." Naruto ignored Sakura as his clone took her away.
"What? Not going to listen to your dear Sakura?"
"No, my mission is to bring you back to the village so Sasuke I'm only going to ask once, come back to the village." Sasuke let out a sneer at the blond.
"Go back? GO BACK!? No, they've been holding me back!" Sasuke shouted at the blond "With Orochimaru's teachings I'll finally be able to kill Itachi!"
"You're a fool if you think Orochimaru is going to just give you power for free." Spat back the blond.
"I know that, and I don't care. I'd sell my soul to him if I get to achieve my ambition." Naruto jumped back as Sasuke ran at him. The two began a taijutsu exchange and Naruto ducked under a punch from Sasuke and knee'd him in the chest as a response. The raven-haired teen grabbed onto Naruto by his vest as he twisted and threw him out the clearing. The blond spun in mid-air and saw he was thrown off a cliff leading down to a river. Naruto landed on the water when Sasuke appeared above him, his hands in the tiger.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Sasuke spat out six small fireballs from his mouth. Naruto ran through his own hand seals and cut the flow of chakra from his feet, his body weight making him descend into the water.
'Water Style: Raging waves!' Naruto unleashed his jutsu just as his head submerged propelling himself downward as the fireballs exploded on the surface of the river. Naruto made three clones and had them spread out as he saw Sasuke land above him, pushing chakra into his feet he shot up out of the water and upper-cut his raven-haired foe. Sasuke backflipped and had his Sharingan activated when he landed as his eyes darted below the water's surface. Sasuke jumped back as three jets of water collided where he had been standing on previously. Naruto seeing Sasuke was in the air ran at him and tried to punch him, Sasuke grabbed the outstretched fist and used it to maneuver himself so he could throw a kick at the blonds head. Naruto spun away avoiding the hit as he retaliated with a kick of his own that caught the genin in the face and sent Sasuke crashing into the cliff-side. Sasuke rubbed his chin as the flame like markings began to cover his entire body.
"This is good, Sakura was useless, now I can test myself before heading to Orochimaru, let's go! Naruto!" Sasuke rushed the whiskered blond who was on the defensive, his old teammate attacked with vigor and the blond couldn't find an opening to attack. Thinking quickly Naruto blasted chakra from the bottom of his foot creating a small geyser, the blond used the opening to land a punch to Sasuke's chest before he was hit by a kick to the stomach. The two jumped away from each other as Sasuke threw out several shurikens, Naruto stepped back as he created three clones. Using the smokescreen Naruto pulled out his own shuriken and threw them at Sasuke as he ran through hand signs.
"Ninja Arts: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto's clones batted away the shuriken Sasuke threw as dozens of Naruto's own shuriken burst out of the smoke. Sasuke jumped up to the cliff-side to avid the shuriken when he started going through some familiar seals as he took a deep breath.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke unleashed a massive fireball at the blond and his clones.
'That's a big fireball.' Naruto quickly went through the same hand seals as his clones started going through a different set. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Naruto spat out his own slightly smaller fireball as his clones finished their jutsu. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" The Wind jutsus powered Naruto's fire increasing its size and intensity, the two fireballs clashed and were in a stalemate for a second before Naruto's fireball began to push Sasuke's back. The Raven-haired teen's eyes widened when he noticed his jutsu was losing ground fast, acting quickly he descended down the cliff-side as he felt the heat of the blonds flame above him making him feel uncomfortable at how close the heat felt. Sasuke then threw more shuriken that circled around Naruto and his clones. Naruto's eyes widened when he and his clones were pulled together as steel wire closed around him, his clones were dispelled and Sasuke spun the blond around and smashed him onto the shore. Naruto saw Sasuke put the wire into his mouth as his hands flashed with an unfamiliar jutsu, the blond saw the tiger seal and began going through his only water jutsu thanking whatever deity that was listening that his hands were free to use his jutsu.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke's fire jutsu followed the wire and Naruto could feel the heat already stinging his face. Naruto finished his Jutsu as the flame was three-fourths of the way to him.
"Water Style: Raging Waves!" Naruto started pumping liberal amounts of chakra even as he felt his reserves starting to deplete after so many chakra intensive battles the last two days. The two jutsu created a thick steam that covered the area. Naruto created a single clone and substituted with it as he hid himself in the mist. Naruto could hear a sound he had heard only once before back in Wave country.
Naruto saw Sasuke walk up to his hand encased in lighting as he let loose low chuckle. "At least Kakashi managed to teach me one useful thing. Goodbye, Naruto." Sasuke shoved his lightning covered fist through the blond who let out a silent scream before dispelling. Sasuke's eyes went wide when he saw it was a clone, Naruto seeing his chance, channeled earth chakra into his arm as he came out of the mist and delivered a devastating right hook that sent Sasuke tumbling alongside the river bank before he hit a large boulder. Sasuke got up slowly his eyes burning with anger. When very slowly the two tomoe in the Uchiha's eyes became three.
"Naruto," Sasuke growled out as he ran at the blond, Naruto saw the world shift and everything came back into focus when he was knocked back by Sasuke's fist.
'Genjutsu!' Naruto saw Sasuke rush him again, he once again threw a punch this time Naruto blocked with his forearm, Sasuke reacted by grabbing his arm and pulling the blond forward. While Naruto was off-balance Sasuke struck the chuunin with a knee to the ribs. Naruto felt his ribs fully break, as they had never fully healed from his fight with Kazuma. Sasuke vanished from Naruto's sight as and he was suddenly sent skyward. Naruto felt Sasuke appear behind him as he channeled earth chakra into his leg as he spun avoiding Sasuke's punch and kicking the raven-haired teen in the chest sending him crashing into the water below. Naruto landed and body-flickered to Sasuke who was getting back on top of the river. Naruto quickly created two clones, the first clone kicked Sasuke into the air as the second clone started going through hand seals. Naruto himself jumped off the first clone's back and he grabbed Sasuke by the ankle before throwing him back into the depths, the clone then put his hands on the surface of the water and released his jutsu. "Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Murder!" The lighting surged as Sasuke let out a scream underwater. Naruto landed as his clones dispersed breathing heavily, feeling the stress of the last couple of days starting to catch up as he felt the last of his reserves run dry. Naruto felt Sasuke's killing intent moments before he was grabbed by the neck and slammed into the cliff-side by the enraged Uchiha. Naruto felt his vision go blurry as he stared at his teammate, his skin had darkened to a grayish hue, his lips were now a dark blue and he had two hand looking wings sprouting from his back.
"How are you so strong!" Sasuke pulled the blond back and slammed him back into the cliff, sending hair-line cracks across the cliff wall. Naruto saw Sasuke's Sharingan eye start to spin and he felt his chakra being disturbed as Sasuke tried to place Naruto into a genjutsu. Naruto was fighting it as best he could when he heard the deep booming voice of the nine-tails reverberate in his head.
"You will not fall to an Uchiha." The nine-tails chakra surged and the genjutsu was violently broken, Naruto felt the chakra coarse threw his system revitalizing punched Sasuke away. The traitorous genin used his wings to stabilize himself mid-air, Naruto launched himself at Sasuke as a shroud of chakra bubbled to life around him taking the vague shape of a fox. Sasuke wrapped his wings around himself when Naruto brought down a massive chakra claw down that sent Sasuke into the water once more. Naruto created five clones as he landed on the water's surface as Sasuke recovered from being hit again.
"What the hell are you, Naruto!" The whiskered blond didn't say anything as he began to form a Rasengan in his right hand. Sasuke seeing this began to channel lightning chakra into his left hand as the sound of thousands of birds chirping could be heard. The two locked gazes before taking off at the same time, just as the two were about to clash Naruto shoved his Rasengan into the water and destabilized it causing an explosion that sent Sasuke along with a tremendous amount of water into the air. Sasuke tried to stabilize himself again only to be hit by a wind jutsu from one of the blonds clones. Sasuke was sent slamming onto the river shore, the raven-haired teen didn't get a chance to get back up when two more of the blonds clones kicked Sasuke back into the air where the final two clones fell onto him hitting him with their own jutsus.
"Rasengan!" The dual shouts rang out as Sasuke rocketed back to the river shore causing a crater, Naruto walked to where his teammate had landed and saw two spiral marks that dug into his teammates back as his skin coloring slowly went back to normal. A clone of Naruto went up and confirmed that Sasuke was knocked out as Naruto let out a sigh of relief, the nine-tails chakra receded and Naruto stumbled as exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer. Naruto tied Sasuke up and slung him over his shoulder as he started making his way back to the village, the trek was slow going as the blond was running on fumes by this point, the days of constant battle and travel with no rest was too much even for his grotesque stamina. The sky was darkening and Naruto felt the first drops of rain begin to fall. Naruto could see the bone spikes the sound ninja Kimimaro had made when his instinct's flared, he dropped his captive and was about to turn around when he was hit in the back of the head. The blow sent him to the ground as he heard the voice of someone he was quickly starting to hate.
"Now, now Naruto. I can't have you interfering any longer. Lord Orochimaru won't be happy if you take Sasuke back to the Leaf." Naruto sat up shakily as he watched Kabuto pick Sasuke up, The rain was starting to pour now and Kabuto adjusted his glasses with his free-hand.
"Kabuto," Orochimaru's right-hand man smiled as he jumped up into the tree's.
"I must be going, but I will leave you with a gift." Kabuto threw a kunai in front of Naruto. "To da lu." Naruto heard sizzling as his vision shot down to see an explosive tag attached to the kunai. Naruto used the very last of his energy as he tried to body-flicker away, Naruto felt the explosion hit his back and he threw a kunai to the back of Kabuto's head. Unfortunately, his aim was off and he missed Kabuto, there was a silver lining, he had managed to hit one of Sasuke's eyes. Naruto collided with a tree as he felt his vision blurring, his consciousness started to fade as he used every ounce of his will power to stay awake.
'Damn it.' Just as Naruto passed out because of his injuries he was a small pug in Leaf ninja attire land next to him with the sound of clashing steel sending him off to a dreamless sleep.
A/N: First off Sorry for the wait, a combination of being busy with adult life and Total war Warhammer has eaten my free time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter I spent the last two days editing it since I knew it had been a while since I uploaded and I finally just said to my self. Just do it. I'll see you guys in the next chapter.