(A/N this bit will be deleted when the next chapter is posted, but it's for the viewers who waited patiently. A/N)

AH I'm sorry for the late upload! I bought God of War Ragnarok and it's AMAZING! It's also been taking up all my time...woops. But I love it so much. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERSIjustgotpastthepartwhereAtreusandKratosgavethemoonbacktoSkolandHatiSPOILERS SPOILERS

(A/N Now time for the regular bit)

Hey all welcome back to chapter 9! As of me posting this I'm at 6,900+ views, nice. So what do you guys think so far?

Gaara: you ruined my date night, and now we're going to Uzu.

Oh hello! Well mind giving a recap?

Gaara: No, I'm going to refund the dress I wasted my money on because YOU-

Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I promise to give you and Naruto some limelight later, right now give the disclaimer I guess?

Gaara: Fine, this bitch doesn't own anything from Naruto's universe or Zanpakuto's all rights are reserved for Kishimoto and Tite Kubo. Happy?"

Hmm...go ahead

Chapter 8 - All roads lead to...

Naruto breathed slowly, or at least he tried too, he was having some difficulty with that at he moment. The winding wound that made a deep 'X' on his chest was to thank for that. Time seemed to be slowing around him, he could still hear the sound of battle, the sounds of Sasuke and Gaara fighting, but they couldn't last much longer than this though. After all they already had their fight, they were low on stamina and chakra, this would be the end of them as well.

A figure stepped up to him and knelt down. His vision was going foggy, so he couldn't see to clearly, but it was a women. He could see the trail ends of red locks. But his vision was filled with emerald green. They were eyes staring into his, a hand gently caressed his cheek. Some of the fog lifted, he could see an angled face now. Actually he could see the person in front of him now..."mom?" He croaked out.

"Shoosh child" was their response "you're hurt, you're dying. You're friends need you."

"I know" Naruto tried to at least sit up but his body wouldn't answer him "I can't move. Even the fox is having a hard time fixing this."

The hand moved to his head, the person smiled "always worrying about your friends, always about their safety, what about your own?"

Through gritted teeth and sheer will power, Naruto managed to roll over, grabbing the hilt of his Zanpakuto. He used it as leverage to sit up, the world around him was spinning "I'm going to be the Hokage! As long as I can breath, as long as they're fighting I'll be there to help them... because ...because...that's what a Kage does!"

She chuckled "I think I chose right then, come Naruto it's time you learn my name! Say it and reap your reward!"

Gaara jumped back, her sand guarding her from shuriken.

WWWWOOOOOOOOSH!

The fighting stopped, behind them was a giant whirlpool. Water rising and raising itself twenty, thirty, forty feet in the air. In the center, blacked out, was Naruto.

Seven Days Earlier

"AAAHHH" *THUD* "DAMMIT IT!" Naruto pounded the ground, getting back to his feet, he wasn't alone as Sasuke fell beside him.

"Ready to give up yet Naruto?" Sasuke said, taking several deep breaths.

Naruto didn't blame him, the moon had just reached the peak of it's ascent and they had started this chakra exercise while the sun was up. But that mark Kakashi cut on the tree was there, taunting him. "Screw that, I'm going again, YYAAAHHHHH!" Sasuke was not going to let Naruto get ahead, he charged as well and both boys ran up the tree again.

Gaara sighed into her hand as they fell again. "You two should stop for the night, we have to get up early in the morning you know."

Sasuke sat against his tree "she's right you know. Nothing good will come from us being tired tomorrow, an enemy could attack."

Naruto was mirroring Sasuke, but he leapt to his feet "you're just saying that so I'll leave, you're probably going to come back here later to keep trying."

Gaara grabbed Naruto's shoulder "if you plan to keep trying and give yourself an injury let me give you some advice" The red head walked over to naruto's tree and placed a single foot on it "why are you running when you can take it" she placed her other foot on the tree, now horizontal with the ground "one step at a time. Establish a foot hold before taking the next step. See?"

Gaar sweatdropped, Naruto and Sasuke had both passed out on the ground around her. Sand curled around their bodies, picking them up and taking them back to their camp. Kakashi was next to a fire they built, reading his book. He looked up though as Gaara entered. "Ah I see those two wore themselves out. How was their progress?"

"Neither fully grasped the concepts yet, but I'd like to believe Naruto made more progress against Sasuke, but then I might be biased."

Kakashi put his book away "well tomorrow we should be at the coast of Konoha, then from there Kiri nin will escort us to the edge of Uzu Isle."

"Kakashi-sensei I have a question, back at Konoha, and just now you've said that. What does it mean exactly?" Gaara felt like she knew the answer, at some point she must have tried to understand a little about Naruto's past right?

"Well Gaara" Kakashi held up a finger "Uzu get's it's name from the many whirlpools surrounding it's island. The Uzumaki's had a secret technique that allowed them to pass through unharmed. The whirlpools are actually the reason it took Iwa and Kumo so long to invade." Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled out a scroll "this is for Naruto's eyes only. It's the only known copy of that very technique."

"Then surely you must have come to the same conclusion as me, that who ever is on Uzu, they're no ordinary bandits."

"Yes I have but this is a precarious situation, the Uzumaki clan were renowned and feared for their fuinjutsu skills, and had trap seals all over Uzu to slow down the invaders. An Uzumaki is needed to undo the traps, so Naruto must come. But we also have to acknowledge the possibility that Naruto ISN'T the last Uzumaki and that these bandits have their hands on one. That's why Yamato will be meeting us their, and if we need reinforcements then we have Kiri ninja who can help us.."

"What are the odds that there are missing ninja?"

"Probably higher than I'd like, but we'll worry about that later. Right now you need to get some rest as well, we're going to be out the coast by the afternoon."

Gaara rolled out her sleeping bag, but she didn't go to sleep right away. Something was bugging her, in the back of her mind. There was something there, something she was missing, and she knew that, but couldn't figure it out. 'I'll think more tomorrow."

The morning came and Gaara was not surprised to find herself waking up with only Kakashi. "They're at it again sensei."

Kakashi was knelt over his fire, cooking some kind of stew. "I'm aware, they woke up about twenty minutes ago and I gave them thirty minutes to try, but now that you're awake can you go get them?"

Gaara stood up, wiping the weariness from her eyes. 'Of course those idiots would keep trying. How many concussions can one person need?" She hurriedly made her way to were Sasuke and Naruto were training. As she entered she couldn't help but smile, they were standing on top of the tree with smirks on their faces.

"Hey Gaara" Naruto waved "look, we took your advice, it was super easy!"

Sasuke laughed "honestly I don't know why I didn't think of it first, it was simple."

"Well you to hurry up and pack Kakashi-sensei wants to leave as soon as possible."

Naruto took the fast route and jumped off, but Sasuke had to show off and walk down slowly "heh yeah I bet I-" Sasuke had just reached the bottom of the tree when he ducked. A masked assailant had come out of the bush with a kunai, swinging for Sasuke's neck. is feet had barley touched the ground when he had to flip again, another man came out of nowhere throwing a haymaker.

"Naruto!" He barked.

"Right" was his response, Naruto ran straight to the man with a kunai, grabbing his zanpakuto off the ground as he did so. He was to close to unsheathed it, but that didn't matter he leapt up, attaching himself to a tree branch to use as leverage and shot straight down. "Uzumaki Sword Style: First Form: Cataclysm!"

His blade met his opponents arm guard, using the point of contact as a focal point, Naruto rolled over him and donkey kicked, pushing him. He stumbled, but before he could turn around, sand whipped around his right wrist and ankle "don't turn your back on me! Sand Style: Whip!" She pulled back and he sand flung him spinning at an awkward angle in the air.

"Uzumaki Sword Style: Fourth Form: Deluge!" Naruto was in the air again, he swung once hitting the man in his stomach, sending him further in the air. He mad a clone and used it to jump up and meet him to swing again, this time hitting him in his back. He hurtled to the earth, landing hard. He managed to get to his feet, Gaara inf ront of him and Naruto behind him.

"Impressive" the man said with a deep voice "your teamwork is admirable though. You two might just give me a nice work out."

"Your out numbered you idiot" Naruto said "you hit your head during your fall or something?"

"Heh, groups of people are my specialty, besides my only objective is to keep you busy."

"Hey" Naruto said trying to catch his breath, suddenly realizing something "where did Sasuke go?"

"Naruto!" Sasuke barked, but he didn't bother waiting for an answer, he kept backpedaling through the brush, his opponent right in him, centimeters away from his face.

"Yes, YES!" The man said, sounding hysterical "how long can you last brat?" He got a burst of speed and managed to grab Sasuke by his shirt "are you sure getting away from your friends was a good idea?" He picked Sasuke up and suplexed him into the ground. The man reached to his side and pulled out a straight black medal rod with a pointed tip. "But I'll give you this, you did make my job easier.

Sasuke rolled away panting. He overtrained yesterday, he wasn't at one hundred percent. A seal on his wrists lit up, a fuma shuriken appeared in his hands, a little gift from Naruto. "Oh" the other man said interested "and what are you going to do with those?"

Sasuke grinned and used two free fingers to throw down a smoke bomb, and out of the coat came a fuma shuriken. Behind his mask, the assailant was grinning like a mad man. "Oh you're going to throw that at me, it's to simple I-OW MOTHERFUCKING WHAT!" He had leaned back to let the fuma shuriken pass over him, but another one was there stuck in his leg. 'But when did he...I see he threw that one perfectly so it'd look like the shadow of the first one.'

"I'm not done yet!" Sasuke shouted, his opponent could see a small thread in his hand.

'Ninja wire, what could he shit the first shuriken-DAMMIT!' Sasuke pulled back and his shuriken turned around, impaling the man in his back.

"Fire style" Sasuke said, making the tiger sign and puffing his chest out "Phoenix petal jutsu!" He spit out to medium size balls of fire that leapt onto the ninja wire.

"Ah shit" the man said "those are headed straight for me aren't THEEEEEYYYY!" He was engulfed in flame, Sasuke smirked that had been to - "HEY!" Sasuke froze. How was a man that scrawny still breathing? His clothes were scorched and tatterted, and the cloth covering his face was gone. His opponent had a squarish face, silvery white hair and brown eyes. Even though patches of his skin were charred he managed to use his pike to get the shuriken out of him. "ASSHOLE! THE MASTER GOT THOSE FOR ME!" He started running at Sasuke, waving his pike in the air.

'How the hell can he still walk? That was one of my strongest jutsu!'

"Earth Style: Mud bombartment Jutsu!" The man threw chunks of wet earth at Gaara, who threw up her sand. Good thing to, she could hear a sizzling sound and the mud exploded in front of her.

'Did he hide explosive tags in the mud?'

"Got to hand it to you girly that defense of yours is no joke. And you" the man turned, catching Naruto by his wrist and throwing him at Gaara "honestly I don't know why you're so special. I don't know what the master sees in you, you're pathetic at this level. I don't even understand why he wants the other one."

"Okay" Naruto said frustrated "who the hell is this master? That's the second time I've heard you mention him. And what do you mean he's interested in me?"

The man chose to ignore Naruto, instead grabbing more mud. But instead of throwing it at Naruto or Gaara, he threw it straight up "Earth Style: mud clone jutsu!" Two more assailants plopped down beside him.

"Gaara back me up" Naruto said, grabbing his Zanpakuto with both hands "Uzumaki Sword Style: Fifth form: Triple Sickle Slash!" Naruto boosted his speed with some chakra, cutting left and then right, before aiming his third slash at the main opponent.

"Naruto look out! Sand style" Gaara warned, the two clones he cut had reformed seconds after he passed them, and they had turned to assault Naruto. She pushed both her hands out, sending the sand from her gord, the clones were caught and wrapped up in a cocoon of sand. Gaara mad a fist "sand burial!"

The cocoons tightened until she heard the clones pop. She would have liked to continue to assist Naruto, but she suddenly became very dizzy. There was a ringing in her head, she could hear a voice in her head "YES, YES! MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE!"

'What the hell' she thought to herself, 'was that Shikaku? He's never sounded like that before.'

"AHHH!" Naruto crashed into a tree behind her, which was really the one thing that snapped her out of...whatever the hell that was.

Gaara focused, brining her sand around bother her and Naruto. She walked back slowly to decrease the amount of space between them, as stretching her sand out like that really cut into it's defensive capabilities.

"Aw that's cute trying to protect your boyfriend over there. But I think the fun time is over isn't that right Copycat Kakashi?" The man looked up, on a tree branch above his students was Kakashi nonchalantly reading a book.

"I got curious as to what was taking you so long so i decided to come see for myself. I didn't realize you were throwing a party over here, else I would have come sooner."

"Kakashi" Naruto called out "go find Sasuke. I don't know have all the answers yet, but he has a buddy and he chased Sasuke off, I think he's in danger. Gaara and I can handle this guy."

The man made a fist "no by all means, I've been wanting to take a swing at you for a while, unless you want me to kill your precious students after all, hehehehe."

"Gaara" Kakashi jumped down so he could speak quietly "can you guys hold out for ten minutes or so?"

"Yeah, he hasn't shown any technique capable of breaking through my sand yet. I believe he's just stalling us so his ally can do whatever it is to Sasuke. He's been holding back."

"Then I'll leave this to you two, run if you think you have to, do you remember the crossroads half a mile east of here? Good, once you finish here or you have to flee head there. I'll grab Sasuke and meet you there if I don't find you here alright. Stay safe."

Kakashi leapt to a tree, intending to leave the man growled "hey don't think you can turn your back on me!" He grabbed some more mud and threw two globs at Kakashi. One was intercepted by Naruto, slicing it away and the other blocked by sand.

"Don't think you can afford to ignore us either" Gaara said.

"You know girl my orders only say not to kill the blond brat, but nothing about you so if you keep getting in my way I might actually kill you."

Naruto stood in front of Gaara "sorry not gonna happen. Gaara you okay? What happened?" He had seen Gaara collapse.

"Worry about it later, focus on the enemy for now."

Naruto sighed "man Gaara I hate telling you that you're right." Naruto made a few clones "when I can't brute force my way through things I have to think harder."

"Now that you're sensei is gone I guess I should properly introduce myself" the man reached up and tore his cowl and mask off, he had fair skin and soft yellow eyes. He was bald on top of his head, but his face has a black goatee. He smiled wieldy, punching one clone through it's neck and grabbing the second by his throat, slamming it into the ground. He turned, Naruto was again in the air, trying to slice him with his Zanpakuto.

*CLANG*

"Wh...what?" Naruto asked surprised, his Zanpakuto, which he made sure to sharpen daily, was being blocked by this guys knuckles. His other hand, which had turned a light grey, smashed into Naruto's face, sending him skidding into the ground next to Naruto.

"My name is Watano Nakamata."

Naruto stood up "and why are you showing yourself now? Why does it matter that Kakashi-sensei is no longer here?"

Watano cracked his knuckles "you know what a bingo book is kid? Tell him to look in the Iwa section for me. He can tell you" he popped his neck, and from his temple down his whole body turned light grey "in this form you kids can't even hurt me." He held out his hands, leaving his chest exposed "go on, give me your best shot!"

Naruto growled, he held his Zanpakuto up, keeping the blade itself parallel to the ground. One hand held it by the hilt, his other palm on the tip of the hilt "Uzumaki Sword Style: Second Form: Void!"

"Naruto, wait!" Gaara tried to catch him, but Naruto, putting as much chakra in his feet and arms as he could lunged forward, the tip of his blade aimed for his opponent.

*TUNK*

Naruto's Zanpakuto didn't even cracked the skin, it was just there being pushed back. Watano laughed "I do hope that was your best attack, because otherwise this fight is going to be-"

*BANG*

Watano looked away "Hold that thought" He walked over to a tree, and walked uop it. He peered off into the distance "Ahh I see, looks like our time here is being cut short. Right" He leapt down the tree landing in front of Naruto "alright kid listen up, I'm leaving now. My buddy has your friend, the Uchiha if you want him back you and your team are to come to Uzu. Go ahead and have the Kiri nin take you there, but THEY are not allowed on the land, or Sasuke gets' killed, got it?"

Again, Naruto growled "you think I'm just going to let you leave?"

Watano got close to Naruto's face "how are you going to stop me huh?" He vanished, moving at highspeeds to reappear in front of Gaara, fist cocked back. Gaara brought her hands up, a small shield of Sand barely catching his fist. It stalled for only a second, the shield shook and cracked before it broke. Watano's fist caught Gaara squarely in her forehead, bouncing her off a tree where she collapse.

"Gaara!"

"Now you can try to stop me or take care of your teammate. I'm curious to see what you choose." Watano turned around and started walking away. Naruto looked from him to Gaara back and forth.

"Dammit!" He ran over to Gaara, she was out cold but she was breathing and there were no other apparent wounds.

It wouldn't be for another five minutes before Kakashi found his students, "Naruto" he crouched down inspecting Gaara.

"Kakashi-sensei, they got Sasuke. The guy I was fighting "

"I'm aware Naruto. We'll get him back, we'll wait for Yamato to get back and I'm going to go to Uzu and-"

"No Kakashi-sensei I have to go too. He said that if we want to see Sasuke again I had to be there. He also told me to tell you to let at the Iwa section of a bingo book?" Kakashi pulled out a little orange book and started flipping through it "there, that guy. Watano Nakamata. The Stone Fist of Iwa?"

"He's listed as an A-rank missing ninja from Iwa...we're going to meet up with Yamato we'll discuss what to do from there

Gaara groaned an sunlight filtered onto to her face. Her head was killing her, the very ground beneath her was rocking. 'Wait...' she wasn't imagining things, she opened her eyes. She was in some kind of wooden room. She looked out a window and gasped, Gaara rushed out of the room and into a narrow hallway, but saw stairs leading up down the hall.

Gaara ran up the stairs to the main deck of a ship. She was awe struck, all around her was water. Now solid land in sight, just the endless sea. Everywhere she looked water was rising and falling. She constantly heard growing up that a desert was like a still, golden sea. But to here the sea was a blue, ever shifting desert and it was beautiful.

"Hey there" Gaara turned, she was only now noticing the many ninja with Kiri headbands working on the deck of the ship around her. She also saw Kakashi walking over to her "you're finally awake, that's good follow me."

She followed Kakashi all the way to the captains quarters, inside Yamato, Naruto and a guy with a white handle bar mustache, who she could only assume was the captain. They were spread around a map of Uzu, handlebar mustache guy pointed at a specific part of the coast "look I get you want to be sneaky and what not, but there's no port on that side of the island, it's too close to a whirlpool, my ship's not strong enough to go against that!"

"What about over here then?" Yamato ask, pointing to a different section "once we get past the ring, we should be okay to land there right?"

"No good, waters to shallow, I cant get my ship there but there's a chance I won't be able to get her out without taking some damage. Oh, I see your teammate is awake."

"Gaara!" Naruto flung himself around her, hugging her "are you okay? Are you good to fight? I'm sorry I couldn't stop that guy and-"

Gaara held her hand up, touched by Naruto's concern "we can worry about that later, that Watano guy said he had Sasuke right? What's the plan to rescue him?"

Kakashi smiled on the inside, Gaara would shape up to be quite the ninja. 'She just woke up, hasn't asked how long she's been out and is already trying to save Sasuke.'

The one-eyed man coughed "well right now we need to get to Uzu first. That's what we were discussing when I went to check up on you. After that we need to locate Sasuke, but we need to be careful. When Watano went rouge, he joined up with some mercenary group. The exact details on this group are outdated, but they were last seen having a few b-rank missing ninja."

"If he's part of a mercenary group then someone hired him right?"

"Correct Gaara, I don't know what it is, but something is going on. The Kiri nin are going to stay off shore while we try and locate Sasuke, once we do I'll rescue him and then we're going to fall back to the Kirir ninja. Watano Nakamata is not someone we can play around with, and the company he keeps is just as dangerous." Kakashi held up a hand to stop Naruto, who had opened his mouth. "I know you feel like you need to get involved Naruto, but right now we need to worry about everyone's safety, Sasuke's included."

Naruto bit his lip, but he understood Kakashi's logic. He felt a tug on his shoulder, it was Gaara. "Hey, sorry I let him get me like that, I didn't want to worry you."

The blond kid smiled "I'm just happy your okay honestly. I've never seen anyone over power your sand like that.'

Gaara made a fist, "I promise Naruto, it will never happen again.'

"I'm glad you two are fired up" Kakashi said "I was worried you'd be down after your loss."

"Captain, captain sir!" A kiri ninja, a youth with blue hair and square glasses ran into the room "we're approaching the outer ring!"

"Outer ring?" Gaara asked.

"The ring of whirlpools that surround the Island. Kakashi?"

"Right Naruto" Kakashi pulled out the scroll "this is for you. The only known copy of how Uzu goes in and out of the island. Go ahead."

Naruto read the scroll for a minute "hey Kakashi-sensei, you know how you said you'd teach us the water walking technique. That's required for this."

"Okay Naruto" Kakashi said, hoisting Naruto on his shoulders while navigating the water on foot "were are we going?"

"To furthest Whirlpool north of main port, which looks to be the one nearest to us." Kakashi ran over "okay accord to this I'm going to need to touch the water."

Kakashi adjusted Naruto so he was holder Naruto be his shoulders "will this work?"

"Yeah, okay let me see, I've got to do some hand signs that should activate a seal..." Naruto started weaving hand signs for a few minutes, ending on the tiger sign, he bit the tip of his thumb and slammed his hand down on the water. Kakashi watched the water darken, before there was a blue light. A seal on the sea bed had just been activated.

The was a rumbling, mechanisms that hadn't seen action in years turning themselves on. The water got a little hectic as three whirlpools suddenly disappeared, making a wide path open for the ship to cross.

Kakashi nodded "good job Naruto, now while the boat docks you and I are going to check the beach, though it's not likely, there's a small chance there's defense seal active on the beach."

Naruto nodded, stepping off of Kakashi lightly to the ruined beach. Now that he got a closer look, Naruto was sad. Everywhere the eye could see were the telltale signs of conflict. In certain areas skeletons lay, with no possible way to identify who was once friend and foe. "They just left the bodies here?"

"Iwa and Kumo sustained heavy losses during the battle. Once they completed their mission they didn't want to stay around, and once they left their were no more Uzumaki's left open the way."

"Wait" Naruto said curious "how did they invade to begin with?"

Kakashi looked away "Iwa disguised themselves as a trade vessel to sneak shinobi inside Uzu, next Kumo came in the same way except the Iwa shinobi attacked, catching the ninja there off guard, and unable to reactivate the defenses." Kakashi knelt down, examining under a broken arch "some say the entire first two days of battle was spent trying to secure and maintain this foothold." He picked up an old leather journal, ruined by the elements.

Naruto quietly walked up some stone stairs, contemplating everything. This was his mother's ancestral home. His father had told him about it on occasion, mostly how he regretted the Leaf not doing more to help, speaking of "why did Iwa and Kumo do it anyways? That's the one question dad never answered."

Kakashi sighed, walking behind is student, making sure to keep an eye on their surroundings "The Uzumaki were known for two things, their longevity and their mastery over seals. During the second war, it was feared that if Uzu could gather all of it's strength, they could effects the war entirely. So Kumo and Iwa banded together to stop them. Konoha was fighting on three different fronts, and we couldn't spread ourselves any thinner."

At the top of the stairs was the first settlement they came across. A string of broken buildings wound down a destroyed road, Nature slowly taking back control, vines peeking out of every corner. Naruto had a funny feeling, like not something he could explain but something was calling to him, sort of. "Kakashi-sensei wait here." Naruto walked over to a street corner and started patting the wall, unconsciously adding chakra to the end of his fingertips.

Soon a small seal lit up near the bottom of the busted wall. "Hey I think this is one of those defense seals thingys."

"Okay" Kakashi called out "now to turn it off, apply blood in a vertical line, then make the rat sign and send chakra into the seal."

Naruto did just that, the seal blinked once. Twice. Three times, before fading away, the feeling in Naruto's gut leaving him. "Okay, it's turned off now. It should be safe to continue."

Kakashi shook his head "no Naruto, we're going to head back for now and regroup with Yamato and Sakura. We-" Kakashi grabbed Naruto and threw him into a near by alley. Not a moment sooner did two men turn a corner further up the street. They had leather armor and swords at their hips. 'Mercenaries' Kakashi thought to himself.

"Why the hell are we here any ways?" One asked.

"Because those ninja are finally here like the boss said. Want's us to keep an eye on them, make sure it's only those Konoha fools that get off."

The first guy was looking nervous "yeah I get that, but why are we here on Uzu? Do you know who that maniac captured? An Uchiha! Ain't their new Hokage an Uchiha?"

The second guy shrugged "Eh, it don't matter to me so long as that guy keeps paying the boss, which means we get paid. Come on you sorry fool, we got the easy job! I'd rather be here than in the ambush party. Ya see that path" He pointed further down the beach, from a vantage point that showed the ship "there's a fals trail leads that way, that's where the ambush is gonna take place. The plan should go smoother with a couple more hostages."

'Shit' Kakashi thought to himself, he had noticed the trail and concluded it was false. But Yamato was the one tasked with confirming that. The Wood style user could handle a couple of mercenaries, but what about Gaara?

"Hey look a couple of idiots are getting off!"

Kakashi walked up the building as quietly as he could, giving Naruto a look to stay down, he could see Yamato and Gaara deboarding and from this angle he could see at least thirty men hiding . He leapt down "alright Naruto, we have to help on my signal we-"

"AHHHH!" Naruto charged from his point, holding his Zanpakuto in one hand and it's sheathe in the other. He leapt clubbing one in the head, slicing the other in his back, they gave no resistance falling down.

"Naruto what are you doing?"

"Come on Kakashi-sensei, we have to stop them from walking into that ambush!" Naruto leapt from the top of the vantage point, landing on the beach and taking off "Oy! YAMATO-SENSEI, GAARA!" He shouted, barely catching them before they walked into the ambush zone "WAIT!" Kakashi sighed, but followed his student.

Yamato and Gaara turned around, running to meet their comrades in the middle "hey you two how did surveillance go?"

Kakashi never stopped moving, grabbing Gaara by her shoulder, and pull on Yamato's elbow "back to the ship, now" He started shoving them until they got the idea and started walking themselves "we ran into a couple of scouts talking about an ambush you two were about to walk into. Beyond the brush up the hill was a small army of mercenaries."

Back on the ship, captains quarters

"So" Yamato asked "did you learn anything else?"

"Yes" Kakashi said "something quite troubling, those two men we fought on the mainland, they targeted Sasuke and brought him to Uzu."

"Yes" Yamato answered "we assumed it was some kind of ransom situation, and they were using Uzu as a staging ground. Maybe they want to take Naruto and Gaara as well?"

Kakashi shook his head "that ambush was meant to take us prisoner as well. But I can't help but think something else is going on. Gaara what's the effective range of that Sand eye of yours?"

"About thirty feet Kakashi-sensei, do you mind if I go check on Naruto?"

"Oy Leaf nin" The captains rushing into the room "we got a problem!"

Naruto was up in the crows nest, keeping a look out, honestly he wasn't much for strategies. Just orders he could act on, but at the moment there were no orders. Just plans and contingencies and more plans.

Something caught his eye near the city limits, it was those mercenaries heading back to whatever camp they had...which Kakashi had no idea where it was...or what kind of security they had...and where they were presumably holding Sasuke hostage...an Idea formed in Naruto's mind. He jumped from the crows nest, landing on the port railing. "Oy" he called up to no one in particular "I'm going on a scouting mission!"

Gaara made it to the side for the ship just in time to see Naruto speed off. "Shit" was all she said, heading back to her sensei's to tell them "Naruto's going to get himself killed."

And that's that, things are getting real now. Sasuke's been taken and Naruto is on his way to save his friend. But more importantly we are in Uzu now so you know LORE! Time for a QotC, I'm going to do 2 because the last chapter didn't have one.

1) If I wanted Minato to find love, who do you think it should be? OR should he stay single, having already married his one true love?

2) Should Konoha have done more to try and save Uzu?

ALSO I'm planning out another story I want to write, but I want to make it Naruto x girl x girl. ONLY TWO, I have a poll set up on my profile with a random list of girls. If they're older in cannon I'll make them younger and if they're younger in cannon I'll make them older. Anyways, and as always, I'll see you next time!