Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto Franchise that belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto; I do not own Heaven's lost Property, High School DxD or any other Anime I borrow themes from. The only thing I claim is my OC's and original Story Plot.


Author's Note (A/N): Hey guys I'm back again with an interesting chapter. A big storm is on the horizon and everyone will be feeling it in this chapter. Some of the fights happen in different ways and others have interesting results but it will all come to a head in the next chapter. Hiruzen will be feeling the pressure and suspicion regarding the Kazekage and his intense fascination with having Sasuke fight Gaara. What will the Third Hokage's decisions make and how will that impact the future. Stay tuned to find out.

So without any further delay. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.


Chapter 59

A Leaf in the Wind

It was a tough act to follow. That was what not only the other Chūnin hopefuls were thinking but the crowd present as well. While the crowd had died down some in their intensity it didn't mean by any stretch of the imagination that they were pacified. They were energized by a spectacle never before seen from an underdog no one was counting on to win. Their hearts were pumping and their blood was flowing. They wanted to get on to the next match right away. The match everyone has been anticipating since its announcement nearly a month ago.

Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara of the Sand.

It was the most highly anticipated match in recent Chūnin Exam history and it was a spectacle that many foreign dignitaries were hoping to see. Naruto seeing that his time in the spot light was over quickly made his way up to the fighter's lounge above the arena where the rest of the contestants were standing. Based on the look Hinata was giving him, Naruto knew he would be having a long conversation with his best friend. The thought of that made his heartbeat accelerate in exhilaration. A tiny blush stained his cheeks as he made his way up the stairwell and up to the waiting room.

This feeling was one Naruto wouldn't have been able to fully understand more than a month ago but ever since he came to his startling epiphany during Hinata's match against Neji things have been becoming clearer to him since then. He held feelings for his best friend. Feelings that he came to realize were probably always there. But with that thought another shocking revelation jolted out at him. The way he felt about Hinata was very familiar. It was familiar because he feels the same sensations when he's around Eva. The way they would sometimes get lost in each other's eyes, or an awkward pause would come between them. Or even the rare few times where they would find themselves closing the distance between each other.

It was all becoming clear to Naruto. But a feeling of uncertainty settled into his heart. Was it possible for him to have feelings for two different people? Was it right or even allowed? He loved Eva more than he could put into words. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be here right now. She saved his life on the day they first met and continued to do so for years to come. The bond that they share that's become so integral to his very soul was something Naruto always recognized since the very beginning. He needed her, point blank. There was no denying that or downplaying it. He knew deep in his heart that he couldn't live without Evangeline. She was far too important to him. She was without a doubt his other half.

But that also brought up the place Hinata takes up in his heart. She was his first long term best friend. The premature death of Kenichi tore a hole in Naruto's heart and deterred him from the notion of ever having a true friend. When Hinata came along Naruto felt a spark of hope for the very first time that he was wrong, and that he very much could have a friend. When she proved him right it landed her in a place within his heart he didn't think existed. They had many things in common and even more things that made them different from each other.

They both started out as outcasts and failures in the eyes of society and slowly but surely, they rose themselves up to be better than they ever thought possible. This mutual bond of understanding has culminated in the deep friendship between Naruto and Hinata that has lasted them till this day. She was always the first friend of his to find out the most important events in his life and she was always the first person he would go to for advice or comfort. She meant the world to him and it also helped a lot that he was physically attracted to her and not just emotionally.

These were the thoughts that occupied Naruto's mind as he made it up to the observation room with a dazed and unfocused look in his eyes. His mind was a million miles away on matters he thought were the most important. Shikamaru noticed this as the blond-haired boy entered the room and made his way over to him. "Leave it to you to stun a crowd. You've set the bar quite high for the rest of us blondie. Troublesome." The Nara heir groaned with a roll of his eyes as he elbowed his close friend in the shoulder with a slight grin in place.

This little bump to his shoulder brought Naruto out of his inner thoughts as he came to the realization that he was within the waiting room. "Huh… uh…!" Naruto blinked as he came back to his senses to see his friend staring at him in slight confusion. "Hey… Naruto are you okay?" Shikamaru asked in slight concern as Naruto quickly recovered and responded. "Oh, yeah… I'm fine. I guess I just had a lot on my mind." Naruto mumbled in an uneasy tone as he glanced at the other participant in the room.

"Anything important?" Shikamaru inquired as he wanted to make sure his friend was ok. Naruto blushed in embarrassment as his thoughts drifted to the introspective contemplations he was just experiencing. He was really starting to get nervous about talking to Hinata and Eva soon. He was also annoyed that he was having such an important epiphany at an inconvenient time like this. He didn't need his mind clouded during the Chūnin Exams. Just because he just finished his fight with Neji didn't mean it was smooth sailing for him from now on. He still had future matches to fight and his mind was very distracted.

"Oh… no… nothing really important." Naruto sheepishly stated as he scratched the back of his neck in nervousness. He would rather not share such intimate and embarrassing thoughts with his friend in such a place. Shikamaru gave his close friend a weird look as he decided to just drop it. He would let it slide for now and instead hold a conversation with Naruto about his match against Neji which the blond haired Genin was all too happy to agree with.


With Hiruzen

"This crowd sure was lively Lord Hokage. I never would have expected that young man to beat the Hyūga boy in combat. It's quite the surprise really. Not only does he possess the Ice Style Kekkei Genkai and some other unknown ability but if I didn't know any better I'd say the chakra he was using was that of a Tailed Beast. It's surprising that the Hidden Leaf's Jinchūriki host is so powerful already." Rasa stated in amusement as he turned to look at Hiruzen who was smoking his pipe.

"As I've stated before, we're full of surprises here in the Hidden Leaf. Naruto is just one of many of them." Hiruzen replied as there was no point in denying the ominous chakra Naruto was using. It very much was the chakra of the Nine Tailed Fox and more specifically that of one of the Nine Tailed Beasts. The fact that it was mixed in so heavily with rich and potent Yōki certainly didn't go unnoticed either if the peculiar look in the Kazekage's eyes were any indication but that tidbit of information went without formally needing to be said.

"There's that… but I'm also certain the crowd is anxious to see the next match that's been hyped up for the last month. The last of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke Uchiha verses my son… Gaara of the Desert. It has garnered the attention of individuals from all over the world. I'm sure people are dying to see this matchup." Rasa claimed as his voice took on a tremor of excitement to it that wasn't present before. "Although… I do find it quite ironic that the Uzumaki kid didn't get this much hype. Carrying the name of the extinct Uzumaki Clan on his shoulders must be very difficult. He must be weighed down by his heritage every day. His red hair must have faded to blond because of it." Rasa probed mysteriously with an air of nonchalance around him as if he were simply speaking of the weather.

Hiruzen tried his hardest not to show any strong physical reaction to this statement but he did clench his teeth tighter to the point he almost cracked his trusted pipe. He didn't like the direction this conversation was going. No one really talks about the Uzumaki anymore. Not for the last 12 years to be exact.

"Just like my brown hair turned grey I suppose. Naruto is a strong child. Trivial things like legacies and heritages aren't enough to bring him down. He focuses more on the here and now. Unlike some others… Naruto doesn't tie himself down to the past. He looks forward… so I think that's all that matters." Hiruzen expertly bluffed as he navigated his way out of the hole Rasa put him in. The Kazekage was probing for information on Naruto because of his last name. A name that was just as prestigious… if not more so in some circles than both the Senju and Uchiha Clan names combined, and that's not to also mention the Hyūga Clan. As far as historical texts are concern these four clan names have been around for hundreds of years. It's widely believed, excepted, and for the most part historically proven true that they are the oldest clans in the worlds history. Their names have popped up for many generations and hundreds of years as appose to the vast majority of clans that date back maybe a hundred or so years.

Another clan Hiruzen could think of off the top of his head that was a very old and ancient clan was the Kaguya Clan that resides in the Land of Water and Hidden Mist Village. With that being said in hindsight not too many people know the history of that clan and how they connect to the other four pillar clans as they are often called. The Kaguya Clan's history gets very hazy and misconstrued so most people aren't sure how to view them.

"I see… we'll then I guess that's all there is to it then. By the way, I didn't see the Uchiha at the opening ceremony. He has arrived, hasn't he?" Rasa asked in curiosity as Hiruzen took a long pregnant pause at this. He himself doesn't know what's holding up the skilled Genin and his famous Jōnin sensei. He honestly hoped nothing was wrong which was why he was starting to get a little antsy. Raidō seeing the conversation shifting into a direction he didn't like chose this moment to approach his lord again.

"Lord Hokage, we still have no word of Sasuke's whereabouts and we still have the issue of Orochimaru lurking around somewhere. I advise you my lord before the crowd gets to rowdy and something goes awry, please disqualify Sasuke Uchiha to save us all the trouble." Raidō advised as he tried to steer the conversation back in a direction where his leader could control it. While he had no doubt in his mind the Legendary Professor could have dug himself out of this situation, he still felt that it was his duty to help his Hokage out in any way that he could. Raidō also had a foreboding feeling welling up deep within his soul. Something about the Kazekage bugged him. While he never met the man before today, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was just a little off about the Kage. Add on the tense and unusual atmosphere of the stadium and you have a recipe for suspicion.

"It can't be helped then… Sasuke Uchiha is disqualified." Hiruzen decided as a sigh escaped his lips. He didn't say it but he also felt an unease in the air. His 69 years on this earth and the 60 that he spent as a Shinobi was warning him that he shouldn't let his guard down. He didn't live for this long by ignoring his gut instinct that's saved him more times than he could count. "Raidō please inform Genma of these changes." Hiruzen ordered as Raidō nodded his head in confirmation.

"Lord Hokage… I must protest. If I may, I'd like for you to hold off on disqualifying Sasuke Uchiha." Rasa spoke up abruptly which took Hiruzen by surprise. "Excuse me Lord Kazekage but I must protest this notion as well. It doesn't matter how favored he is with the crowd. Sasuke Uchiha is still a shinobi of the Leaf and is expected to carry himself as such. Being late to his own match and to such an important event like this is completely unacceptable. He's not here for himself or his match. His purpose just like those of the other Genin are to show off the strength and future potential of his village. He and no one else deserves special treatment. We are shinobi… we are tools of our village." Raidō spoke up with steel in his voice as he completely shut down the notion of Sasuke getting special treatment. It would be unfair and unwise to allow such a thing to happen.

"Very strong words from your aid Lord Hokage. I'm impressed with his free thought and ideals. You've raised fine shinobi in your village. It would have been a shame if he were a simple puppet who you were pulling the strings of so I'm most pleased to hear such a strong opinion against me. But I must point out that including me… every other noble, spectator, and leader here came with the intention of seeing Sasuke Uchiha fight. You wouldn't want a riot on your hands, would you?" Rasa spoke in genuine praise which through Hiruzen and Raidō off their game as the sincerity was sensed by them. But they were immediately back on guard once the Kazekage explained his reasoning for wanting the match to continue.

"Nothing but an Uchiha would do in testing the strength of our Village's military might and as Kazekage I must ensure that my people and my village are strong again Lord Hokage… after all… I wasn't the one who put them there." Rasa jabbed mercilessly under a false façade of calmness as he took a shot at the Hidden Leaf and their direct and indirect involvement in the political situation that has caused the Hidden Sand's rapid economic decline over the years. The Kazekage was basically saying that the Leaf was at fault and they owed his village this match. Win or lose it wasn't an option for Sasuke to drop out. It wouldn't be accepted.

'Nothing but an Uchiha would do huh…?' Hiruzen cynically thought as he mulled over the Kazekage's words and took an extra second to gauge the atmosphere of the crowd. It wasn't looking to good. They were already taking too long in the intermission between the first match and the second one and adding on to the high the crowd was on thanks to Naruto's fantastic match… well it was making the sea of spectators extremely rowdy.

"Very well… a special exception will be made. Sasuke Uchiha is no longer disqualified. Instead, his match will be postponed and moved to be the last match on the card." Hiruzen declared as he took note of the giddy look that crossed the Kazekage's eyes in that instant. He didn't like were this was going. "Lord Hokage! I must object to this." Raidō insisted as he himself didn't quite like the decisions that were being made. "Raidō please inform Genma of these changes and this time they are final." Hiruzen ordered as a brief look of disbelieve crossed Raidō's face before he wiped it away and stood up straight and tall. He was stiff and rigid as he eternally put his inner debate to rest. "Yes, Lord Hokage. At once." Raidō conceded as he placed his hand up to a small earbud in his ear. It was a short-range radio communication device. Very much like the one Hiruzen used to speak to Anko before the Chūnin Exam's second stage began.

While Raidō was relaying this message Hiruzen was plotting something else in mind. With a simple hand gesture, a ANBU materialized out of thin air right beside the Hokage. The only thing was, it wasn't just any old ANBU. It was Puma. The ANBU Commander himself. His tall and imposing form nearly made Raidō choke on the air he was breathing as he never even sensed the man behind him. His intimidating aura and presence worked its charm on the experienced Special Jōnin who to his credit recomposed himself and went back to talking with his partner down on the field.

"Yes milord." Puma asked in his monotone voice. Hiruzen managed to catch the slight twitch of shock on the Kazekage's cloth covered face with the arrival of Puma which further put the old Hokage on suspicious terms with his fellow Kage. "Puma I want you to have someone retrieve Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake for me. The boy is scheduled for his match and I do not want any further delays." Hiruzen ordered as the silvered masked ANBU Commander nodded his head in understanding. "It will be done at once milord." Puma acknowledged as he stepped back from the Hokage's chair and spoke into his own personal radio. No one could hear his voice which was creepy in and of itself despite the fact he was only a few feet away from them.


On the Arena Floor

"Ok… I'll make the announcement." Genma replied to Raidō through their communication device. A frown was on Genma's face as he begrudgingly did as he was told. Not only did he not like the favoritism being displayed but the weird circumstances surrounding the decision. "Ladies and Gentlemen… I have an official announcement to make. Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara of the Desert will be postponed until later. For now, the next scheduled match which is Shino Aburame vs. Kankurō of the Desert will now begin without further delay. I thank you for your patience and the officials ask for your continued patience and support. That is all." Genma officiated as he along with everyone else heard the displeased uproar from the crowd. This wasn't a popular decision in the slightest and the crowd was making it well known.

Genma cringed a bit at this, as with his excellent hearing he could hear some foul language and outcries from some of the more vocal and rowdy spectators. He knew this was a bad idea. Shino looked towards his two friends and nodded his head as he psyched himself up for his match. Shikamaru and Naruto wished the bug user the best of luck in his match but their breath would go to waste when Kankurō opened up his mouth. "Proctor… I forfeit." If the crowd was angry before, then it didn't compare to how they were feeling now as some people could be seen getting up to leave in anger.

'What the hell is going on?' Genma felt a chill go up his spine as his instincts were warning him of something fishy going on. 'Something isn't right here.' Shoko thought as she placed a hand against her chin in contemplation. Things seemed fishy to the retired kunoichi. She glanced back at Dino to see the old man with a subtle frown on his face. He wasn't pleased with this new development. Balalaika on the other hand had an unreadable look on her face. Shoko expected the woman to have a grin on her face since everyone else was suffering right now through these setbacks but if Shoko didn't know any better she would think that Balalaika had a look of anticipation on her face. She was waiting on something that was concerning her.

'I don't like this.' Hiruzen thought as he settled more into his chair. He looked down into the arena directly at Genma who was looking back at his Hokage with a wary look in his eyes. Hiruzen shook his head letting the Special Jōnin know to continue.

"In that case. Shino Aburame is the winner by default and will be moving onto Round 2. Will Temari of the Desert and Karui Nimbasu of the Hidden Cloud please come down for their match." Genma announced as Temari smirked a bit. She was quick to reach the arena floor with the dark skinned burgundy haired kunoichi following close behind. "Place your bets… who do you think is going to win this?" Shikamaru asked quickly since it would seem the officials wanted to start the match without delay. "I'm not sure but I'd have to place my bets on Temari. Karui was good but she didn't stand out in the same way her teammates Omoi and Samui did. Plus, she didn't display any long-range attacks in her own fight back in the prelims so she's not going to be able to get close to Temari. Tenten found that out the hard way." Naruto replied while leaning against the balcony railings. He meant no disrespect towards Karui but in terms of overall abilities amongst her team, she was the most average.

In the stands Naruto's friends were discussing this same topic as well and while this was happening Ino noticed Chōji not eating his chips as fast as he normally would. "Chōji what's wrong?" Ino asks in concern. "Oh… nothing Ino I'm fine." Chōji quickly dismisses with a chuckle. Ino trails his line of sight and sees him staring at Karui as she makes her way onto the field. "Oh my gosh Chōji, are you staring at that girl?" Ino squeals as her innate feminine instincts to gossip and be inquisitive came roaring to the surface with a vengeance. "Ino shhhh! No, I wasn't staring…" Chōji wails in a flustered state as he quickly covers Ino's mouth. A prominent dusting of pink was on his chubby cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut. Ino grinned as she moved Chōji's hand away from her mouth. "Do you think she's cute? I think she is… her skin tone's not native to our country." Ino purred as she tickled Chōji who looked like he wanted to shrink down inside of his clothes and disappear. "I think she looks okay… but that's it. Don't bug me anymore." Chōji grumbled as he turned away from his teammate. She was like a sister to him and that's why she annoyed him more than anyone else could.

The match ended after a few minutes. It was a good one but as Naruto predicted Karui wasn't able to break through Temari's strong defenses. The girl even when she got close was still slightly outmatched by Temari who proved to be proficient in close quarters combat and was able to properly defend herself against Karui's expert level skills in Kenjutsu. In the end Temari achieved victory over the Hidden Cloud kunoichi who looked disappointed and aggravated with her loss.

"Karui Nimbasu of the Hidden Cloud is unable to continue the match due to knockout. Therefore, moving onto Round 2 is Temari of the Desert." Genma announced as he gauged the reaction of the crowd. They seemed to still be in a somewhat bitter mood but thankfully the match they just witnessed was enough to temper their disgruntled mood. Deciding not to waste any time Genma kept the ball rolling. "Ladies and gentlemen. The scheduled match between Shikamaru Nara and Dosu Kinuta will not happen due to Dosu dropping out of the competition before the finals. As such, Shikamaru Nara will be advancing to the next Round on standby." Genma stated which again gained boos and negative feedback from this hard to please crowd. In their minds, they weren't exactly getting what they paid for.

Genma didn't want to let things escalate any further so he immediately continued on with his announcements. "We are going to move onto our final fight in the first round. Will Kurotsuchi Suiseki and Samui please come down to the arena floor please." Genma ordered as he waved his hand up to the two final combatants. Both girls were quick to comply as they set themselves up for their upcoming fight.

"Should we place bets?" Shikamaru joked which Naruto responded too with a chuckle. "Kurotsuchi is going to take this one. It's going to be pretty hard since Samui is so strong and probably stronger that Omoi but in the end, I think she can pull off the win. Kurotsuchi is no mere Genin. She's just too strong." Naruto offered his commentary and thoughts as he stared at the tomboy who had a small competitive smirk on her face. She was confident in her abilities.

Naruto's prediction ultimately came true yet again. This fight was even more exciting than Temari's battle against Karui. Kurotsuchi and Samui really went at it. The match was fierce and closely matched by the two Kunoichi who proved to be each other's equal. Samui showed in even larger library of Jutsu against the Juggernaut that is Kurotsuchi and her vast array of Ninjutsu. It came very close in several areas as Samui's Lightning Nature affinity gave her the edge not many other people in the competition had against the Hidden Stone Genin.

It came down to the wire with Kurotsuchi finding herself on her back foot but she soon decided to get serious and use her powerful Kekkei Genkai. The Lava Style. When she decided to use this Samui didn't show any surprise whatsoever, the stoic girl continued on as if nothing was wrong. Kurotsuchi lobbed multiple rounds of her quicklime at Samui using the Lava Style's subset ability which is called the Corrosion Style. Samui found a counter to this by using her Lightning Style to cut through the wet cement coming at her. With her inability to trap the Hidden Cloud Kunoichi using her quicklime which was her trump card and pride and joy Kurotsuchi realized she'd need to use some techniques she normally doesn't use.

The stone Genin instead used the base form of the Lava Style to form and create real lava around the field which ultimately proved to be Samui's downfall as none of her Lightning Style Ninjutsu were strong enough to destroy the lava forming around her. In the end Samui chose the wise move of surrendering to Kurotsuchi who gave the other girl a nod of respect for not only making a rational decision but for also being the first person to ever find a way around her prized Corrosion Style subset ability.

"Samui of the Hidden Cloud has surrendered to her opponent. Therefore, moving onto Round 2 is Kurotsuchi Suiseki of the Hidden Stone." Genma announced with a bit of enthusiasm in his voice. He enjoyed this match immensely just like the Naruto vs. Neji match. He saw some pretty advanced techniques and maneuvers being thrown around and the ferocity at which these two Kunoichi went at each other gained Genma's respect.

The crowd had a mixed reaction. These were participants from the two villages the Hidden Leaf had sour relations with, particularly in the Hidden Stone's case. But they also couldn't deny that they put up one hell of a fight and gave the crowd a good show. It was spectacular and was right up there with Naruto's match. The entertainment factor of the battle eventually won out as the crowd gave out the best cheers that they could give, given the circumstances. Both girls didn't care one bit as Samui was helped out of the pit of Lava by Kurotsuchi as a show of sportsmanship while the Hidden Stone Genin looked up into the waiting room at Naruto with a tiny grin on her face. She had her Mafia tattoo on display as well and seeing this a challenging smirk came to Naruto's face. It was clear that the tomboyish girl was gunning for Naruto and he knew a matchup between the two of them would be inevitable.

'This is the end of the first Round. Now what? Sasuke Uchiha isn't here still.' Genma thought as he turned to look at Hiruzen and Raidō who had similar looks on their faces. "Lord Kazekage… I assume you still want us to wait on one Genin who is tardy?" Hiruzen asked as he turned to address his fellow Kage. Annoyance was seeping into the old Kage's tone as this level of unprofessionalism would not be tolerated. After the exams were over with he would be having a long conversation with Kakashi and Sasuke to get to the bottom of things.

The Kazekage couldn't keep the teasing vibe out of his voice as he addressed his senior Kage. "But of course, Lord Hokage. I may be but a messenger, but I'm confident when I say I speak for all of these people who have come from far and wide to see an Uchiha in combat against my rather infamous son. There are only two Uchiha left in the world and only one that's still loyal to your village. We must take advantage of this while we still can." Rasa preached as he gestured with his hand in grandiose ways. 'Especially since he won't remain loyal to you for much longer.' The Kazekage thought to himself in a slithery undertone.

A rattling in Hiruzen's old bones were telling him that the Kazekage was up to something. He's never known the man to be so pleasant to deal with. He was a rather stoic and cold man who was unforgiving and in some instances, there were people who would even call him cruel.

"Raidō please inform Genma of this update. Puma where is Sasuke Uchiha?" Hiruzen asked to which the stoic and intimidating ANBU Commander leaned forward to whisper in the Hokage's ear. "My lord. Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake have been found outside the village. Kakashi reports that they came across a mysterious figure that we've identified as the Mummy who has evaded capture for the last few years. Kakashi managed to drive him off and my agents are tracking him as we speak. Kakashi also reports that he was lingering near our boarders." Puma whispered in a voice so faint that even Hiruzen would have a tough time hearing the man. The old Hokage narrowed his eyes in anger at this as things were lurking in the shadows outside of his control.

"Get them here and keep them safe. I will debrief them as soon as the finals are done. I also want a report from the agents pursuing our guest as well." Hiruzen ordered to which the commander acknowledged in his normal fashion. "Is everything fine Lord Hokage?" Rasa asked in curiosity as the ANBU Commander had much to say to the old man. "Everything is fine Lord Kazekage. I have great news. Sasuke Uchiha will be attending the finals soon. It would seem you'll get the match you've been craving." Hiruzen said in a murmur while taking a drag from his trusted pipe. "Excellent… I'm sure the crowd will be pleased." Rasa preened as he seemed to sit back and relax in his chair. Seeing this, Hiruzen now knew the Kazekage was plotting something. The aged Hokage was starting to subtly put himself on guard just in case. Something was amiss.

"Ladies and gentlemen. It's been confirmed that Sasuke Uchiha's match verses Gaara will happen today. So, until then we will move onto the Second Round of the tournament and proceed from there. Once Sasuke and Gaara have their match the winner will proceed onto Round 3 automatically to move the event along quicker. So, with that being said the poll is in and the next scheduled match is between Naruto Uzumaki and Shino Aburame. Please come down to the arena floor." Genma announced which got the audience back in a jolly mood. Now that there was solid confirmation that the match they've been dying to see was scheduled to happen they could rest easy. Besides with Naruto's breakout match at the beginning of the event, some people in the crowd including quite a few foreign nobles and dignitaries wanted to see him fight again.

"Well it looks like we're fighting buddy. May the best man win." Naruto said as he bumped elbows with the taller stoic boy. Naruto knew he was nowhere near one hundred percent but he was confident that he could give Shino a good run for his money. The Aburame Clan heir would be an extremely difficult opponent to fight due to his unique Ninjutsu and the sheer diversity that it affords him in battle. His bugs will be the deciding factor of their match. It all depends on Naruto's ability to detect all of them and make sure that none of them lands on him or it was game over. He didn't have much chakra left and if Shino got his bugs on him he'll drain him of what little he has left. It all depends on who can outlast the other. It was going to be fun in Naruto's opinion since he has the least amount of exposure and experience with fighting Shino.

"Hold on Naruto… something isn't quite right here." Shino advised once he saw Naruto getting himself ready. "What do you mean Shino?" Naruto paused as he turned to his usually silent friend. "My hive is warning me that something is amiss here. There is a conspiracy brewing against us. The Hidden Sand is acting suspiciously and an obvious favoritism is being shown to having Sasuke fight Gaara. But its more than that. It's almost as if Sasuke is being forced to fight Gaara for some reason." Shino explained which immediately put a somber mood on Naruto and Shikamaru's shoulders. The three Leaf Genin moved away from the others in the room to discuss this more in private and the more they talked the more the mood darkened.


"Hold on guys, let me get a second opinion on this." Naruto said as he closed his eyes and concentrated. {'Chaos can you hear me?'} Naruto spoke in his mind as the tiny terror who was up in the stadium seats above them perked up in her seat. Iris noticed this as she saw her sister grow still in her chair. {'Yes Dada. I can hear you.'} The Angeloid replied quickly. {'Tell me. Do you or Iris sense anything strange going on? Are your senses acting up?'} Naruto asked to which a dark grin formed on Chaos's face. {'Yes… a darkness is surrounding the village. There's so much negative energy growing around us. It's building up and soon it's going to erupt.'} Chaos responded with her signature giggles in Naruto's head. A frown marred Naruto's face as he started to put the pieces together. {'Somethings very wrong… Chaos how far can your scanners reach?'} Naruto asked as he needed to act quickly. {'It can reach just outside of the village but I can't sense anything. We're in the dark.'} Chaos replied with excitement in her voice which worried Naruto more. Now he knew something was coming. Chaos's first instinct is to always let a bad situation happen without restraint. Even if it was to her very own family, as long as she could predict that none of them would die she would never try to stop a situation from unfolding. It was in her nature to let chaos and destruction spread.

A weight began to settle in Naruto's heart as he grabbed the balcony railings for support. He could feel it. Anxiety was welling up within his heart. {'I understand Chaos. Keep your eyes open and try and warn Shoko and Mr. Dino for me.'} Naruto instructed as he was about to cut the connection between him and Chaos when another voice spoke up. {'Excellent. This is very smart of you Naruto.'} Sōkyoku's voice spoke up as Naruto suddenly found himself in front of the ancient goddess's majestic form. The massive Phoenix was staring down at him with her large emerald colored eyes peering into his soul.

"Lady Sōkyoku…! What's going on?" Naruto asked as he found himself deep within his subconscious inside the bird cage that houses his other resident. "I brought you here to give you something." Sōkyoku replied as she preened down at the ant sized human compared to her titanic form. "Give me something…?" Naruto paused as this was extremely unusual for the pragmatic Goddess to do. "Yes, take this." Sōkyoku said as a small feather fell off of her body and landed right in front of Naruto. This feather was small for Sōkyoku's standards. In actuality it was nearly seven feet tall and it was still one of the smallest feathers on her body.

"What's this?" Naruto asked as he was distracted by this new development. Sōkyoku doesn't do anything without a hidden motive behind it. That's just the way she is. "Touch it." It sounded like a simple request but Naruto instinctively felt like it was more of an order. Reaching out with his hand Naruto touched the feather and in an instant, he felt power course through his veins. "My chakra. It's returning back to full… you restored my chakra reserves!" Naruto exclaimed as he felt he was at 100%. "Yes, as you are now I'm afraid you won't last long. You'll need your full strength for what is to come." Sōkyoku advised as she gathered fire in her beak. "Wait! Lady Sōkyoku! Do you know what's coming! What's going on?" Naruto shouted before he was engulfed by the familiar and comforting flames of the Phoenix Goddess. 'It's finally time you start to grow little one. This day marks your rise to power. One day this world will tremble at your unimaginable might.' Sōkyoku thought as her eyes glowed with barely restrained power.


In the real-world Naruto jolted out of his trance which nearly scarred Shikamaru and Shino. "Whoa! What happened?" Shikamaru jumped as he saw an ethereal emerald glow in Naruto's eyes that faded back to blue. Shikamaru's sharp mind instantly recalled that this was the same emerald color that could be seen in Iris's eyes on occasion whenever she does something outrageous.

"We need to be careful. Something's about to go down and the Hidden Sand is behind it." Naruto warned which got serious looks to cross the two boys faces. "If that is the case I'd better forfeit my match to keep my skills and strength both fresh and a mystery." Shino proposed as he saw the serious look in his friend's eyes. He knew Naruto wasn't joking and he trusted in the Uzumaki's instincts. Something was wrong and based on what he himself already felt through his hive he was all the more incline to believe his friend.

"Iris told you this…?" Shikamaru questioned as he stressed Iris's name. Naruto picked up on this as he and Shikamaru still had much to discuss about the scene that took place in Lee's Hospital room yesterday. They didn't cover everything and Naruto kept some things regarding Iris close to his vest since he had to tread carefully on what he could and couldn't talk about. "Yeah… both Iris and Chaos, and it's getting to that point where I need to fill you guys in on some things." Naruto frowned as he himself didn't like keeping secrets from his friends anymore. He made a promise to himself back in the Land of Waves that he'd be more honest with those around him and now he had to make good on that promise, less he slips back into his old ways.

"If that's the case then I shouldn't skip my match then. I'll fight Temari and wear her down and make her too tired to continue. With that out of the way we can deal a blow to whatever plans' being cooked up. It will also buy us some time." Shikamaru stated as he glanced over at the other participants in the room with them. Kankurō and Temari were casting them suspicious glances while Gaara was just flat out glaring at Naruto with murderous intent in his body language.

"If you intend to wear her down then you'll need to be back to fighting condition afterwards. Take this." Naruto said as he blew into his hand and produced a small spray of flames. Out of those flame came an orange and red feather. It was one of Sōkyoku's feathers. Naruto picked up on this skill over the month break after he saw Iris do it back in the Forest of Death. She's always been able to produce feathers since she's been a tiny baby but Naruto's never once thought it could be an ability he himself could learn until Sōkyoku taught him over the break.

At Shikamaru's questioning look Naruto elaborated. "After your fight. Eat it. It will restore your chakra back to 100%." Naruto revealed which gained a skeptical raised eyebrow from Shikamaru. "Trust me, it takes the flavor of the thing you like the most. It kind of melts in your mouth." Naruto lamely stated while scratching the back of his neck. He realized how weird it sounded to be explaining it to someone else. "Ok…" Shikamaru trailed off as he pocketed the tiny feather. He would trust in his friend. "Now let's do this." Naruto said as the three boys bumped fist together. They were brought out of their boyish moment by Genma who was yelling up to them to hurry up.

"Proctor. I forfeit my match against Naruto Uzumaki." Shino announced which garnered outrage amongst the crowd as they were already sick and tired of people forfeiting and the general lack of order this Chūnin Exams seemed to be operating under.

'Alright… that does it. Something is definitely going on here. The look in the kid's eye. He's telling me something.' Genma privately thought to himself as he saw Naruto giving him a pointed stare next to Shino. It was a look of caution and warning. A coded message.

"Okay then. Shino Aburame forfeits his match. Moving onto the Third Round will be Naruto Uzumaki on standby. Will Shikamaru Nara and Temari of the Desert please come down to the arena floor immediately." Genma announced as Shikamaru sighed in annoyance. "Do your best Shikamaru. We saw how skilled she was back in her match against Tenten. Don't underestimate her." Naruto advised as he clapped the lazy boy on his back in encouragement. Shino himself offered his own words of wisdom and advice. "Don't worry, I've got some skill with fighting Wind Style users so I should be fine. Besides I should be thanking you and everyone else for roughing up the field for me, you've given me a lot to work with." Shikamaru stated with a smirk which only grew once they all witnessed Temari glide down to the arena floor using her massive fan.

Of course, Shikamaru was referencing Naruto when talking about Wind Style users. Being one of the very few in the entire village gave Naruto a serious advantage in combat. Shikamaru has sparred against Naruto several times in the past so he had a lot of experience with the type of fighting he was about to endure. He already had several plans to face off against Temari cooking up in his head.

Hearing this Naruto smirked in amusement as he clapped Shikamaru on his back again. "Well then go get her then!" Naruto encouraged as he pushed Shikamaru over the balcony railings with a push that was a little too friendly. The lazy boy screamed in fright as he fell the two stories to the ground below. The look the other contestants in the room were giving Naruto caused the boy to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly in his nervous habit. "I'm going to kill him later." Shikamaru groaned in both embarrassment and annoyance. It also didn't help that he just knew without a shadow of a doubt that Chaos was somewhere in the crowd laughing herself to death. Of course, he was right since the tiny terror was indeed laughing herself into oblivion while Iris was biting her bottom lip to keep herself from joining her sister in hysteria. The rest of their friends were in the same boat while the rest of the audience got a good laugh at Shikamaru's expense.

What happened next would go down as one of the most tactical matches to ever come out of a Chūnin Exam. Shikamaru flexed. He truly flexed his intellectual might that far exceeded his physical one as he danced circles around Temari who was a calculating individual in her own right. She was hailed as a prodigy and genius in her own village but she paled in comparison to the Nara clan heir who was tested a long time ago and was discovered to have been born with an IQ higher than any other member of his clan in the last 90 years. His intellect was off the charts and he didn't even have to use all of it to combat the skilled and formidable Kunoichi who was keeping him at bay and in the eyes of the audience taking the lead in the bout.

Even the ninja in the crowd thought that she was dominating the match when in reality Shikamaru was simply letting everyone believe that notion. Every single move he and by proxy Temari made was all according to Shikamaru's plan. Everything was constructed by his design and he had the finishing move to the match thought up from before the match even began.

Shikamaru was the mastermind of this fight. He was the one in control and in the end, he was the one dictating the pace of the match. He wanted to drag out the fight for a lot longer than the other matches went on for the sole purpose of tiring Temari out and giving Naruto time to get word to the Hokage. Of course, executing this plan came at the cost of Shikamaru exhausting himself in the process but that was what Naruto's preemptive measures were for. Shikamaru would be back in shape in no time. He would play his part.

The fight eventually dwindled down with Shikamaru trapping Temari in a pincer maneuver that would be talked about for years to come. Shikamaru couldn't reach Temari with his Shadow's through conventional means since the further his shadow travels the slower and less responsive it becomes, not to mention it becomes thinner and less potent. With distance and agility on her side Temari was able to just stay out of Shikamaru's range for the majority of the match. Shikamaru tried every trick in the book. He stalled and dragged on time to allow the sun to move higher in the sky which casted more shadows in the arena for him to work with. He even went as far as to tie his shirt to a kunai in a makeshift parachute to extend the range of his shadow by a few precious feet which ultimately failed to capture Temari or so she and everyone else thought.

Every move Shikamaru made was for one simple purpose. To get Temari over to the two-man sized holes left behind by Naruto and Neji's fight. Luckily the holes maintained their integrity despite the fact Kurotsuchi tore up the field in her fight against Samui. It was a gamble and even Shikamaru wasn't sure his plan would work but seeing as how Kurotsuchi's match didn't disrupt that section of the field, it left Shikamaru with the ability to carry out his plan.

Once Temari unknowingly placed herself in-between the two holes in the ground Shikamaru immediately caught her. He sent his shadow into the ground in the whole that was in front of her which was hidden by her giant fan and had it come up behind her in the second hole that was directly in her blind spot. It was pure genius and soon some of the ninja in the audience were beginning to catch on. Brilliant cheers were emanating from the crowd as many smart and intelligent individuals present stood up in ovation for such a genius maneuver.

This standing ovation would very quickly turn to outrage when Shikamaru quits right as he was about to force Temari to surrender. He states that he's low on Chakra and wouldn't be able to properly compete in the next match in the condition he's in now. As expected of a Nara he also complains and draws out his sentences in a lazy manner but the message was clear. He had Temari in checkmate from the very beginning and now he wanted to hang his hat up. In the back of his mind Shikamaru sighed in relieve as he played his part.

"I can't believe I was beaten so thoroughly. You're amazing." Temari mumbled as she watched Shikamaru stretch out the kinks in his body. "Yeah, yeah. It was nothing. It would have been too much of a drag to continue. Besides, I've got to save my strength for later." Shikamaru yawned as he started to walk away. Temari had a tiny blush on her face as she's never been outwitted so fully before. She has always been used to the fact that she's the smartest tactician on the field, so to be beaten by someone who obviously outclassed her was a welcoming thought. A stray thought passed by Temari's mind as at Shikamaru's wording. Why would he be saving his strength for later?

"Okay. Shikamaru Nara has forfeited his match. Moving onto the Third Round is Temari of the Desert. Also, it should be announced that Naruto Uzumaki will fight Kurotsuchi Suiseki in the first match of the Third Round and as for Sasuke Uchiha's match with Gaara of the Desert, whoever wins that match will face Temari of the Sand in the Finals." Genma announced as the crowd grew excited again. It was becoming quite clear that this was quite the temperamental crowd. Seeing that they were going to be facing each other Naruto looked over to the Hidden Stone Kunoichi with a barely concealed gaze of competitiveness. He'd love to fight the individual who was obviously the strongest girl in the competition. Temari came in at a very close second and Samui was undoubtedly the Sand Kunoichi's equal so it would be a thrill to test his metal against the girl who was clearly gunning for him.

Outside of the stadium a unique pair of individuals were could be seen at the entrance. It was Might Guy and Rock Lee. "What happened to Naruto's match against Neji?" Lee asked once the guards on duty for the entrance gave the identical duo the rundown of how all of the matches went so far. "You see that's the thing. Naruto actually beat Neji in a stunning performance no one has ever seen before. You should have seen the crowd. They were loving every second of it." The guard said with enthusiasm in his voice. 'Naruto beat Neji!' Lee thought to himself in shock. 'He did it. He actually did it.' Lee was shell shocked to say the least. He knew Naruto was gunning for Neji but to actually know that he beat the boy he himself has never defeated before was an eye opener for the incapacitated boy. He was remembering the short conversation he had with Naruto the previous day and the small interaction with the little girl who Lee found out was his daughter. That was an interesting explanation to hear after that revelation. "That's fantastic… I'm happy for him." Lee said with a smile on his face.

Back in the stadium Naruto joined Shikamaru down on the field alongside Genma while they waited for Sasuke to show up. "Genma Sensei." Naruto spoke as he approached the experienced Jōnin. "Yeah, squirt what's up?" Genma replied in his laidback tone. He was quite a bit taller than both Naruto and Shikamaru so they had to look up to speak to him. "I wanted to warn you of something. Have you felt something off about the exams?" Naruto questioned as he saw a sharpness come to the older man's eyes. "Oh… and if I were to say yes?" Was the reply Naruto received. He and Shikamaru shared a look before addressing the man again. "I believe the Hidden Sand is up to something. I don't have a lot of proof I can give you but if you can pass a message along to the Hokage I'd really appreciated it." Naruto politely asked as he saw Genma size him up. "That's some bold claims you got their kid. Ordinarily I wouldn't believe anyone who would come up to me out of the blue with such an outrageous statement but I'll be honest with you. I feel this premonition too. Is that why you kids have been throwing your fights? Are you saving your strength?" Genma cleverly guessed which got the reaction he was hoping for out of the Genin.

"Was it that obvious?" Shikamaru questioned with another yawn. "Not really, not many people would connect the dots but a Shinobi must see through the lies in this world to understand the truths. I know quite a bit about you Naruto Uzumaki. Judging by that tattoo on your shoulder it helps me confirm your reputation and I hear you've already built quite a name for yourself. Even got a bridge named after you and I got to say I'm a little jealous on that one. But I know what you're capable of and I know your trustworthy, so I'm willing to put my faith in you and trust in your instincts this one time. So, what's this message that you want to pass on to Lord Hokage?" Genma states as he smiles down at Naruto and gives him a small nod of respect.

Naruto brightens up at this as this meant the world to him. It may be small and insignificant to others but to be acknowledged by the others in his own village makes Naruto's heart swell. When the crowd was cheering for him earlier it honestly took everything Naruto had not to break down into tears of joy right in the middle of the arena. He had to hold himself back and just focus in on why he did what he did. Now though having a senior ninja give him a nod of respect and blatantly speak to him so casually as an equal and on such friendly terms was a shocker to Naruto. But it wasn't unwelcomed and a pleasant feeling borrowed its way into his heart.

But all good things have to come to an end and sure enough a grim look came to Naruto's face that was matched quite well by the one on Shikamaru's face. "Tell the old man that Chaos is coming. He'll understand and know what to do." Naruto said as Genma was taken back by the seriousness in the young boy's eyes. "Gotcha… I can do that." Genma nodded as he put his hand up to the ear piece radio. "Good, now all that's left is to wait on Sasuke. I swear if he makes us wait any longer I'm going to freeze him to death." Naruto grumbled as he was annoyed at having to wait on the last Uchiha.

Luckily, they wouldn't have to wait for long as a breeze picked up in the stadium. It started out slow but soon it became a fierce whirlwind with a tornado of leaf's kicking up into the air. Out of this dramatic display came to individuals. It was Kakashi and Sasuke themselves.

It took all of five seconds of everyone and everything being completely silent before thunderous roars of approval and joy flooded the stadium from the crowd as people could be seen jumping from their seats in elation. The match everyone wanted to see was finally here. It was definitely a shocker to Naruto and Shikamaru since they haven't seen Sasuke since the end of the Chūnin Exam Second Phase.

Sasuke had a makeover for sure. Other than his new wardrobe, the most distinctive difference that could immediately be seen was the fact his two side bangs were much longer and a sharper look could be seen in his eyes. He was wearing a black one-piece version to his normal attire which was a high colored blue shirt and white shorts. This suit was pure black but kept the high collar attribute and the shorts right above the knees. Around his shins on both legs he had white bandage tape with black leather straps wrapped around his legs. As per usual he had a kunai holster attached to his right leg which was typical for all shinobi to have. On his left arm was a thick layer of white bandage tape that made it look like he had a cast on. It was thicker than the layers that were on his leg and it also had twice the amount of black leather straps constricting his arm. On his elbows he had flexible tan colored elbow pads for protection. His blue headband was tied securely around his forehead displaying the symbol of the Hidden Leaf proudly.

All in all, Sasuke looked strong. Naruto could tell right away from looking at his teammate that the Uchiha got a lot stronger in the short span of a month. It was obvious and very prevalent with the way he carried himself. "Look who went and got stronger…" Naruto joked as he went up to Sasuke and put his arm around the Uchiha's shoulder. "I could say the same for you. What's with the get up? Trying to act cool?" A subtle grin was on Sasuke's face as Naruto couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "You could say that… but I just had to smack Neji around a bit to get that fate crap out of his mind. But I could easily say the same of you. You kept us all waiting for a long time." Naruto jabbed back which got a small shake of the black-haired boys head.

"We ran into some trouble on the way back to the village. Nothing me and Kakashi couldn't handle." Sasuke explains which peaks Naruto's interest. "Who was it?" It was a simple question but Naruto wouldn't like the answer. "It was some man wrapped in bandages and used them to fight. Kakashi said he knew him…" Sasuke said but paused once he saw Naruto's face pale and lose color. "You know him don't you…?"

"I know him very much so… but it's who he works for that concerns me the most. It's the demons that attacked us on the bridge. That's who that guy works for." Naruto said which got Sasuke to widen his eyes in surprise. "Sasuke I want you to be very careful in your match. The higher ups were pushing for your match. Someone wants you to fight Gaara really badly. Save as much strength as you can. Somethings going on and I'm afraid we're all going to need to fight." Naruto warned in a serious tone as he stared his teammate in the eye.

"I understand… thanks for the warning." Sasuke said after a brief pause. He could see just how much this was bothering Naruto so he knew to take this warning seriously. "But hey… I could also just be too wound up and paranoid. In the end you're the one I want to fight the most Sasuke. So, you better not lose." Naruto said with a competitive smirk in place as he raised a fist to his dark themed teammate. Seeing the imposing fist extended to him the last Uchiha smirked a genuine smirk as a competitive fire could be seen filling Sasuke's eyes as he raised his hand and fist bumped with his teammate. "Got it."

It didn't take long for Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kakashi to clear the field and for Gaara to take their place using his sand based Body Flicker. The boy had a look of murderous intent in his eyes which wasn't much of a surprise but that wasn't going to deter Sasuke from fighting in this match. He trained all month for this fight and he had a few tricks up his sleeve for the untouchable boy.


With Hiruzen

"Lord Hokage… Kakashi Hatake and Sasuke Uchiha have arrived and my agents report that they lost two of their members to an ambush. They weren't able to discern the identity of the attackers but they were forced to retreat. The mummy has escaped sir." Puma whispered into Hiruzen's ear once the two in question arrived at the stadium. The old Hokage was not pleased in the slightest with this latest development and he most definitely won't be please by what he's about to here next.

"Puma, bring those surviving members to your office. They are to be debriefed the moment the exam ends alongside Kakashi and Sasuke." Hiruzen ordered as he saw Raidō being talked to through his communicator. "As you wish Lord Hokage…" Puma responded as usual before backing up to take his position behind the Hokage's chair again. His whisper like voice was impossible for anyone but Hiruzen to hear so even the Kazekage couldn't decipher what the commander was saying.

"Lord Hokage, I have a message from Genma sir." Raidō spoke as he bent down to whisper in Hiruzen's ear. "What is it?" Raidō was quick to respond as he told the whole message. "Sir, Genma says this message comes from Naruto Uzumaki. He wanted to pass along the message: Chaos is coming. He said you'll understand what this message means." If Hiruzen was angry before… than it didn't compare to how he was feeling now. Hiruzen casted a suspicious glare towards the Kazekage who was peering down at Sasuke with barely concealed interest.

"I understand. Be on your guard Raidō, it would seem things are not as they would appear to be." Hiruzen spoke in a hushed tone which caused the experienced Special Jōnin to stiffen in concern. He darted his eyes over to the Kazekage sitting a few feet away from him as well as his two bodyguards who were indistinguishable and unrecognizable to him. He didn't recognize the two body guards from any bingo book he's read recently which was concerning. "I understand sir." Raidō knew something wasn't right with the foreign ninja's sitting next to them and he was happy his leader was picking up on this.

"Puma I want you to mobilize all platoons and put the village on soft lock down. Have all ANBU platoons deployed to their stations and pass this message along to Shikaku so that he can instruct our main forces to do the same. I'm afraid an inevitable battle is about to be fought." Hiruzen ordered as he smoked from his pipe. He was allowing the first streams of chakra to begin to pour out into his chakra network. It was like jumpstarting an old car. Hiruzen's old body took time to warm up and get going and suddenly dumping a massive amount of his rich and potent chakra out into his network without any notice would do more harm than good to his aging body. "Yes milord… preparing for battle." Puma replied as he began relaying protocols and orders through his private radio link to the other leaders and commanders in the village. He would be ready to give his life for his Hokage, village, and its inhabitants. This was his duty as the ANBU Commander.

"The postponed first round match between Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara of the Desert will now begin." Genma's voice could be heard from all over as the entire audience became electrified by their excitement. It was finally time for everything to change.

"Begin."


To be continued...


Author's Note (A/N): That was the end of this hectic chapter and a lot has certainly happened. Naruto starts the chapter off by coming to a startling epiphany that will certainly reshape his pubescent mind and how he thinks of his closest female friends. Things also heat up throughout the chapter in concerns to Hiruzen and the Kazekage. It's pretty obvious what's really going on here but I wanted to expand upon the dialogue scenes with Hiruzen since I love writing his character so much.

We had quite a bit of forfeitures going on in these matches and an equally ill complacent crowd of malcontent spectators who were fed up with how the exams were being handled, especially since in their minds they came for one reason and one reason only. To see Sasuke fight Gaara. Dealing with a rowdy crowd of pissed off fans can be a hassle for anyone.

The fights themselves were all summarized while highlighting many of it's important moments so everyone has gotten a chance to fight in the tournament. The order of the fights were slightly changed and a lot more context and extra scenes were added into the chapter to give it more flavor. But it would also appear in this version of events that the leaf aren't so oblivious to the danger they're in and neither is Naruto and the girls.

Many other smaller details are given light within this chapter as well but I'll leave those for you to share your opinions on in the reviews.

(Halloween is tomorrow so Happy Halloween to everyone and stay safe!)


Next Chapter: Chapter 60 (Zero Hour: Invasion)


That's the end of Chapter 59 I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it.

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Please leave a review explaining what you liked, didn't like, and any positive criticism that can help me in improve in the future. Every review helps me in the long run. Thank you and stay safe everyone.


Published: 10/30/2017