The Academy

Iruka was watching his students run laps. Konohamaru and Udon were well ahead of their classmates and they were both trying to outrun the other. Iruka knew it had to do with the rivalry between the two that recently developed.

Iruka smiled. "Naruto and Daichi have been a great inspiration on those two. In turn, they have inspired the class." He then looked at the sky. "I wonder how the exams are going. I wonder if Naruto's match is already done?"

Konohamaru asked, "Iruka Sensei, are you worried about Naruto?"

Iruka jumped then looked at Konohamaru and Udon who were standing before him. "Hey, I thought I told the class to run 15 laps."

"Konohamaru and I finished." Udon replied

At that moment, Konohamaru noticed something in the distance. "What's going on over there?"

Iruka and Udon looked where Konohamaru was pointing and saw smoke rising.

Near the Walls of the Village

Jiraiya and Kazamae appeared next to Ibiki. In the distance, they could see a giant, three headed snake. Ibiki was a bit surprised to see two Yonnin but quickly recovered.

"Status report?" Jiraiya asked.

"That snake in the distance has torn though the outpost and any attempts to stop it have been met with failure. We're managing to keep the Sound, Sand, and other summoned Snakes at bay for the time being." Ibiki explained.

"Have the Shinobi focus their attention on the foot soldiers. Jiraiya and I will deal with the large summon. Once we have, orders your men to other sections of the village. We two will hold the line here." Kazamae informed.

The two Yonnin took off and Ibiki addressed the men nearest to him. "I want those orders relayed. We have a battle to win."

Outside the Walls

"You remember what do, right Jiraiya?" Kazamae asked with a smirk.

Jiraiya nodded. "I wouldn't forget that easily."

"Then let's do this!" Orange Chakra appeared around Kazamae. "Lion's will: 75%."

He ran straight at the three headed serpent before jumping into the air above the middle head of the snake.

It began to look up as Kazamae's arm glowed with controlled Chakra. "True Lion's Devastation!"

He punched the serpent's middle head down into its body. The impact cracked the ground and caused the summoned snake to vanish.

Jiraiya then came in sending Chakra to his feet as he wove the signs and slammed his palms in the ground. "Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"

A swamp of mud spread out trapping the unprepared Sound and Sand Shinobi that charged the Toad Sage. Kazama landed having been more than prepared as his feet also had Chakra flowing through them.

The Lion Sage wove his own signs before slamming his hands into the mud. "Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears."

The mud formed into spears of earth that skewered all the Shinobi around them. The two sages then continued along the wall dealing with the Shinobi foolish enough to attack their village. From then on, this wall was secured freeing Leaf Shinobi to spread out into the city.

Akana vs Baki: A Roof

"Before we begin, would you at least tell me why you're attacking a village that you had an alliance with?" Akana asked.

Baki sighed, "I was against the invasion… at first. Then I took a good look around Sunagakure. Our village has less Shinobi because we get less missions. We have less missions because we produce less ninja. It's a vicious cycle that has caused us to lose missions to Konoha."

"That's a stupid reason to attack Konoha." Akana shook his head. "You can't blame them for the lack of missions just because they produce superior Shinobi. Really, did you even examine the type of training your Shinobi receive in the academy? That's where it all starts.

I swear, you Sand Ninja are far too caught up in your own village. I'm certain you could have asked Konoha for missions. The point of an alliance is that you ask for help when you need it. All you've achieved today is the destruction of that alliance."

"Does that mean you don't think we can win?" Baki asked getting ready to fight.

"Who knows how the tides of battle will go, but you won't have to worry about that once I beat you." Akana stated as his wire came up behind him.

"You're going to regret challenging a Sand Jonin!" Baki threw 5 kunai at Akana, but all of them were caught by his wire and sent back at Baki who avoided them. "You can defend against my kunai. Very well, I'll just have to use a blade that can't be blocked."

Baki wove the signs as he created blades made of wind. They shot at Akana cutting his face and chest. The wind came back around, but this time Akana was ready. His wire was on fire, and when they hit the blades, it only increased the intensity of fire.

"What?!" Baki exclaimed in shock.

Akana took advantage of his surprise and shot his wires forward digging them into Baki until his tops completely burned away leaving him in pants only. He then stopped the fire and had the wires wrap around the Sand Jonin before lifting him into the air.

"I suppose you would be in shock after that little display. My main nature is fire which is the odd nature out in the Land of Water, but it's served me well. For instance, it allowed me to get the drop on a Sand Jonin." Akana stated. "That said, your village needs to reexamine its training."

Baki tried to struggle free as he angrily looked at Akana. "You already said that."

Akana shook his head. "I mean you really need to reexamine your training because I've barely used any Chakra to defeat you." The Mist Jonin then grabbed the wire and moved his hands down slamming Baki into the roof.

"Why don't you just take a rest?" Akana walked over to a still struggling Baki and punched him hard enough in the face to knock him out. "I'll leave you alive since I suspect you Sand Shinobi are pawns in another's game."

The Mist Jonin removed the wires and jumped off the roof intending to further aid Konoha.

Kiba and Kenjo vs Temari and Kankuro

"Fang Over Fang!" Kiba exclaimed.

Kiba and Akamaru, in man beast form, attempted to hit Kankuro and Temari; however, the siblings avoided him.

Kenjo sent Swift Chakra throughout his body. "Dance of the Demons!"

He bombarded both sibling with an incredible display of fast paced, graceful Taijutsu nailing them multiple times in their guts and faces.

Temari eventually got her fan out and waved it. "Wind Scythe Jutsu!"

Tenjo was bombarded by air cutting him up until he hit the ground. "Do it now Inuzuka!"

"Fang Over Fang." Both Akamaru and Kiba slammed into Temari and Kankuro.

The Sand Shinobi screamed as they were hit. Eventually, Kiba and Akamaru stopped as the two Genin hit the roof.

Kankuro fell to pieces revealing that he was a puppet while the real Genin unraveled himself from the bundle "They're too strong." He stood up. "We can't fight them, and we still need to go after Gaara."

Kankuro observed his two opponents as Temari got to her feet. He gritted his teeth and took out 3 smoke bombs throwing them on the ground. He then grabbed Temari by the arm and ran as they were obscured.

When the smoke cleared, Kiba was looking around. "They got away." He looked to Kenjo. "Hey Mist Genin, up for tracking them down?"

"I'm with you Inuzuka." Kenjo nodded. "let's go after them."

Just as they were about to move, a group of Sand and Sound Shinobi surrounded them. The two Genin moved back-to-back.

"Looks like we'll have to let them go." Kenjo stated.

"Someone else will probably stop them." Kiba stated. "You got my back because I got yours."

"Sounds like a plan." Tenjo stated. "Let's show them how tough a couple of Genin can be."

Gate of Konoha

Neji had jumped off the roof and was now walking up to the gate. Izumo and Kotetsu were nowhere to be seen, dead body or no, so it was likely they'd moved into Konoha. Neji stopped as Lee, Tenten, and Hinata jumped down behind him.

"Neji what are you doing?" Lee asked. "Did you see something over here?"

Neji turned his teammates and cousin revealing that he no longer had the Caged Bird Seal.

Hinata was surprised. "Neji, how did you remove the seal?"

"Why are you curious Hinata?" Neji's voice was filled with venom. "Are you sad or scared by the thought that you no longer have control over me?"

"No, I just thought they were impossible to remove." Hinata stated sincerely.

Tenten was confused. "Neji, what's going on?"

"I'm abandoning the Leaf Village." Neji stated seriously causing all three Shinobi before him shock. "I had planned on leaving without incident and still do; however, if you get in my way, I won't hesitate the kill you."

Lee and Tenten stepped forward.

"Neji you're going rouge?" Lee asked. "Is it that Curse Seal doing this?

Tenten asked. "If not, why are you doing this? Especially now? The Leaf is in danger. Are you really going to abandon it?"

"The Leaf…" Neji clenched his fist. "The Leaf is rotten to its roots. Bathed in the blood of countless lives and filled with those lustful for power. The Injustice of this village sickens me. The Hyuga Affair and The Uchiha Massacre.

Incidents born of a corrupt system. I am done being a pawn. Someday I shall return to raze this village to the ground. Weather that comes before the destruction of the Cloud Village or after doesn't matter to me."

Lee approached Neji and put a hand on his shoulder. "Neji, I never knew you were suffering. Please…"

Neji had activated his curse mark, giving him those black lines all over, and slammed a chakra infused palm hard into Lee's chest knocking him back. He then kicked the Taijutsu specialist over to Tenten and Hinata with no remorse. They stared at the Genin with utter shock.

"Don't touch me failure!" He glared at everyone as Lee got to his feet coughing up blood. "Let me make one thing clear. All ties I have to this village are severed." He got into his stance prepared to fight. "If you wish to get in my way, I will show you no mercy."

Tenten looked from Lee to Hinata. "I don't think he's joking. What do we do?"

"I'm not sure Tenten." Lee stated. "Something has changed in Neji. That attack was different from any spar we've had before."

Hinata stepped forward. "Neji, please reconsider what you're about to do. Leaving the village won't resolve anything you say is wrong. Stay here with us, and we can work to change what you find wrong. This is your home."

"Home?" Neji question. "I often hear people referring to home as a safe space, but this village… the Hyuga Compound… How could that ever be home when the Caged Bird Seal constantly hangs over my head.

If I decided to stay, then that curse would be inflicted upon me once more." He turned away from them and started walking towards the gate. "Consider yourselves lucky that I have somewhere else to be, or I'd kill you three where you stand."

Lee clenched his fist. "What of that Curse Seal on your neck? Is that not another prison? Does that not bind you to hatred and anger? Does it not corrupt your mind?"

Neji didn't stop. "This seal has cleared my vision and mind to see what has always been there. It is leading me down a new path of destiny. Farewell my former teammates. One day, I shall return to cleanse this village."

Lee grit his teeth before running around Neji.

The green beast stopped before the prodigy blocking him from leaving. "I'm not going to let you leave Neji." Tenten and Hinata were shocked. "If I must fight you, I will. I will drag you back from this path and together we can forge a new one together."

"I suppose a failure just can't help but waste my time." Neji stated.

Neji rushed Lee with a flurry of palm strikes. Lee was able to block his body from taking any damage but not his arms. The Hyuga finished with a hard strike sending Lee skidding along the ground. The Genin's arms dropped to his side useless.

"Lee!" Tenten shouted worriedly.

Hinata and here started to run in, but Lee shouted, "Get back!" His Chakra began to build. "Neji is stronger, faster, and has more Chakra than ever before. He's completely serious. Stay back and provide cover with weapons or Jutsu."

"Lee…" Tenten stated.

"It is the only way Tenten." Lee declared. "Gate of Opening, open!"

Chakra flowed through is arms reopening his Chakra points.

"All this time, you were holding back these gates." Neji spat. "Even with them, it changes nothing."

Lee charged Neji only for the prodigy to spin in place and produce Chakra creating a purple dome. "Palm Rotation."

Lee changed direction running behind him. Neji stopped his rotation only for Tenten to send out shuriken from a scroll. He jumped back as Lee vanished and appeared below him kicking the Hyuga into the air. The male Genin jumped after him encircling his teammate with bandages.

"I'm sorry for this Neji." Lee grabbed him and began spinning to the ground. "Primary Lotus!"

"I'm not." Neji declared. "Full Body Blow."

He expelled Chakra out nailing Lee and forcing him to let go. The bandages came undone. Both Shinobi hit the ground, but Neji rolled back to his feet only for Tenten to run in with a staff. Neji dodged her attacks and got into the proper stance.

"You're in range Tenten." Neji declared.

Hinata pushed her out of the way and mimicked the stance. "I'll counter you. 8 Trigrams 64 Palms."

"8 Trigrams 128 Palms." Neji declared.

Hinata went wide eyed, but the two began countering the other's palms. "2 Palms. 4 palms. 16 palms. 32 palms. 64 palms."

Neji continued striking Hinata with speed and power. "128 Palms!"

Hinata was knocked straight into a building with many of her chakra points shut down and no way, but the slow way, to open them.

Lee grit his teeth. "Gate of Healing, open. Gate of Life, open."

Lee's skin turned red, he gained pure white eyes, and he began to glow green.

Neji saw this and began spinning. "Palm Rotation!" The purple dome of Chakra sprang up as Lee began bombarding it with heavy punches and kicks from all angles. "You can't keep this up forever Lee! Which will give out first? Your muscles or my rotation?"

Lee doubled his efforts. "I'm willing to bet it all on your rotation! Gate of Pain, open!" He started smashing into the rotation harder and harder. "Gate of Limit, open!" He then jumped and spun.

"Leaf Hurricane!" He kicked the rotation smashing through the Chakra to the utter shock of Neji. "Now, I got you!" Lee vanished from Neji's sight and appeared below him kicking the Hyuga into the air. "Try this on for size."

Tenten looked up concerned. "Lee, you're tearing your muscles apart to stop Neji. Don't go too far you idiot."

Lee started pounding away at Neji's body with a flurry of high speed Taijutsu as his muscles continued to tear themselves apart.

"Impossible." Neji thought. "Even with the Curse Seal, I'm not strong enough."

"You are not going anywhere Neji!" Lee declared.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains!" A voice called out from the gate.

Lee was suddenly restricted by yellow chains and slammed to the ground. Shun then rushed forward and decked him in the head hard enough to knock him out. The Uzumaki then caught Neji and helped him stand.

"Having a difficult time Neji?" Shun asked.

"You're… You're here again." Neji stated clearly in pain.

"Actually. I'm a shadow clone." The clone stated. "The more Shun thought about it, the more problems he could see you running into. Seems he was right to worry considering this." He looked at Lee. "What an intriguing child."

Tenten stepped forward with a staff. "Are you one who corrupted Neji?"

Shun removed a small pill ignoring her. "He also sent me with a modified awakening pill. It only works once. If you take it, all damage will be healed, and the curse seal will grow to level two. Far more powerful.

The downside is that you will be put into agonizing pain, but it shouldn't be until after your well outside of the Leaf Village. That pain will only be amplified by the damage you've currently sustained. Only if you have a strong will, will you not die."

Tenten ran forward. "You aren't giving him that."

"Give it to me." Neji stated.

Shun dropped the pill into his mouth before grabbing Neji's body and jumping back as Tenten swung her staff at him. He then set the prodigy down before dispelling. Neji immediately stood with all his injuries he sustained healed.

Neji chuckled. "I can feel the power coursing through me."

The black lines vanished as Neji's skin turned gray and his Byakugan eyes became completely black. Two, twin wing hands, which were huge, appeared out his back tearing through his clothes. His black hair became an ashen gray.

Tenten grit her teeth. "Neji, you need to…"

He appeared before her faster than she could react which legitimately scared the weapon user. He struck her dead center sending Tenten straight into a wall next to a recovering Hinata.

The former heiress looked from Tenten to Neji. "Neji…"

"Impressive." Neji laughed. "So, this is a 2nd level curse mark? The difference in power is night and day."

He looked at the unconscious Lee and walked over to him. "Maybe I can spend a few minutes to send a message." He drew a kunai. "A message of intent for the future."

"Cousin, don't do it!" Hinata yelled.

Neji glared before throwing the kunai at her head. "Die already Hinata!"

Hiashi body flickered in her path and spun expelling Chakra. "Palm Rotation!"

The kunai hit he rotation and deflected away.

Neji could hear other Shinobi coming. "It appears I'm drawing attention."

"Neji! What has happened to you?" Hiashi asked concerned.

Neji ignored him and ran out of the village gate at speeds only a low to mid Jonin could match. Hiashi wanted so badly to go after him, but the village needed him more. These three Genin also needed medical attention.

Land of Fire Forest

Sasuke did a decent job avoiding Gaara as he led the Sand Genin into the forest, but the time for running was at an end. The Uchiha stopped on a branch and turned to face the Jinchuriki who stopped on a branch across from him.

"Are you finally done running Uchiha?" Gaara laughed crazily as drool ran down his mouth. "I want your blood."

The sand Shinobi immediately lunged at Sasuke who'd just activated his Sharingan. The Uchiha managed to avoid him by jumping back to another branch. He withdrew three kunai with explosive notes as Gaara swung his arm into him only to hit a log.

Sasuke then lunged forward embedding the kunai in the Jinchuriki's arm. The Uchiha immediately crossed his arms as Gaara whirled around nailing him. Sasuke then rolled around a tree before activating the explosive notes.

The stretched-out arm crumbled away due to the explosions. Gaara screamed out in pain as Sasuke jumped up to his level landing on a branch with three shuriken, attached with ninja wire, at the ready.

He threw them past Gaara and began working them like a true Uchiha with his mouth and two hands. The wires wove and wrapped around Gaara until they constricted tightly around the Jinchuriki trapping him against the tree.

"What is this!?' Gaara shouted in fury as he tried to break free.

To Sasuke's shock, the Jinchuriki was started to crack the tree with his insane strength. "Got to do this fast." The Genin wove the hand signs as Gaara's arm began to reform and tear at the tree. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu."

The fire tore off along the wires straight at Gaara causing the Jinchuriki to scream out in pain as he was bathed in fire. The fire itself even tore a hole through the tree behind him. Gaara was left with major burn marks all over his body.

Sasuke took a deep breath. "Is it over?"

Gaara spoke. "Uchiha…" The sand began to spill forth form the gourd on his back and further covered the sand Shinobi. "Uchiha!" He tore apart the tree restricting him as he stood with a murderous look in his eyes. "Yes, you will prove my existence!"

"This guy's a freak." Sasuke thought, panting, before he wove another set of hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

A ball of fire shot out at Gaara who shoved his arm of sand right through it nailing Sasuke who turned into a log once more.

Sasuke hid behind a tree and wove the necessary hand signs creating a Chidori as thoughts of Itachi filled his mind. "Itachi left me alive because he wanted to spare himself the guilt of killing an entire clan. If I can't defeat this monster, how can I kill an even bigger monster?"

Gaara was looking around and noticed the charging lighting. Sasuke revealed himself not long after.

"Good, now we're going to have some fun Sasuke Uchiha!" Gaara proclaimed.

Sasuke and Gaara lunged at one another. The Chidori tore through Gaara's huge, sand arm tearing it away from his body. The Uchiha also drew more shuriken, without wires, and threw them at Gaara's back before landing on another branch.

Gaara, who fell onto a branch, just started laughing manically. He soon got back to his feet with his sand arm nearly reformed. The Sand Genin was even more excited to kill Sasuke as a tail formed from his guard.

"Damn this guy. I'm so low on Chakra that I probably only have a Fireball Jutsu left in me." Sasuke thought. "Seems I have no choice but to go further."

Sasuke prepared to open the two gates he could as Gaara lunged at him. Then, Naruto and Daichi jumped onto his branch each with a prepared Jutsu.

"Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu." Naruto called out.

"Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!" Daichi stated.

The bullet of water and wolf of lightning shot out and merged creating a powerfully charged bullet of water. It nailed Gaara soaking the sand while shocking his body. While the damp sand was insulting, it couldn't protect Gaara fully. The Sand Genin went crashing to the ground.

Flame Wolfe: As you can see, Neji has left the village, but a question one must ask is if Sasuke will do the same. I have answer in mind, but I'll save it for when that time comes.