Chapter 12: The Sound Attack

Okay so last time we took a bit of a turn. Orochimaru gave Naruto the curse mark instead of Sasuke. I had thought of doing a fanfic like that and made the split second decision to include it in here. Now one person said in a review that Jinchuriki cannot get curse marks though I've never seen evidence of that, except for the fact that Kurama was interfering with Naruto using Sage Chakra I guess. Otherwise I haven't seen anything, so I'm just go forward with it. But I will incorporate something along these lines to be safe. Now that Naruto is the one that's got the curse mark, it will definitely change the storyline. But I don't think I intend to go all the way to the war arc, just to the end of part 1. Take a guess what's gonna happen if Sasuke can't beat Naruto, who can bring him back? I mean, without having his curse mark to level the playing field against a Nine Tailed empowered Naruto who's gonna be even stronger, it will be a pretty one-sided fight for Sasuke. It will have to be a greater power then the physical kind to save Naruto when we reach that stage.

Okay, for the difference in this chapter; Rock Lee will not be coming to the rescue for Sakura. He will be replaced with Sasuke in this fanfic. Won't make much of a difference since Lee beat Sasuke in canon and was beaten by the team. Also the spectators will be different I think. Probably Hinata's squad since I've switched Sakura's crush (which should have happened in canon IMHO) to Naruto and Hinata is her love rival now. So they will probably be the ones to fight in the next round. Also, Orochimaru didn't destroy Team 7's scroll like he did in canon. I didn't understand why he did last time, but now I guess it was just to make things harder for Sasuke, or in this case Naruto.

Sakura and Sasuke took Naruto to a hiding place under a tree. Sasuke returned from setting the traps as Sakura cared for their teammate.

"How is he Sakura?" Sasuke asked in genuine concern.

She looked at Naruto who had a wet cloth over his eyes.

"Well his fever's gone down, but…"

She turned Naruto over gently and they looked at the mark on the back of his neck. That red chakra they had seen was surrounding the mark, as if trying to battle it. She knew now that that chakra belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox which had been sealed inside Naruto. Sasuke of course didn't as he'd left when they'd had that conversation. He didn't say anything though. Sakura wondered why the Nine Tails Chakra was acting up, and only around that area.

…

Within the seal, the Nine Tails growled menacingly. It could feel the influence from the foreign chakra, and it did not like that. Then suddenly that new chakra manifested itself in the shape of the one who created it. Orochimaru, or his consciousness appeared with in the seal.

"Well, Nine Tails, we meet at last."

"What do you want Orochimaru of the Sannin?" The Fox asked.

"I want a great many things. Power, the ability to master all jutsu available to men, immortality. Just imagine how much closer I could come to those goals if I had your chakra at my disposal."

"So you wish to steal me from out of this boy's body?" The Fox asked.

"Yes, but before you go and try to remove my curse mark from his body I have a proposition for you," Orochimaru said. "My curse mark will make the boy more angry more often and therefore make it easier for you to let your chakra flow through him. That is what you desire after all is it not? The boy will use your chakra and the seal will weaken with time, then you will be free."

"You offer to help me escape?" The Nine Tails asked.

"You might have a chance," Orochimaru said. "I don't need the boy after all, only you. Of course it might be easier to take over Naruto's body with you inside but I'm more then up for the sport of taking on the greatest of the tailed beasts."

The Demon Fox growled. "You arrogant snake. I loathe you! But you make a good case. Very well, I will allow your curse mark to remain on the boys body. But I will be free sooner and then when we meet in person I shall eat you!"

"Indeed, we will see," Orochimaru said.

…

In the forest, Orochimaru's mind returned to his physical body as he sat mediatating, concentrating his will into Naruto's seal.

The boy should recover well. The normal odds of surviving that particular curse mark are normally one in ten. Orochimaru thought. But with the Nine Tails inside him, survival will have much a greater chance thanks to its healing ability. Now to send my underlings to test him.

…

A few hours later, a trio of ninja appeared outside the tree where Team 7 had taken refuge. Sakura lay asleep while Sasuke sat up and watched. He heard a faint rustle in the distance, and activated his sharingan. Quickly pick up on the chakra signatures of three ninja, he shook Sakura.

"Sakura, wake up!"

The pink haired kunoichi opened her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she mumbled.

"We got trouble," Sasuke told her simply.

She got up and they both took a position in front of Naruto. They'd taken turns watching last night with her first. It was morning and a trio of ninja were outside. Like their own squad it was composed of two boys and one girl. The first man's was wrapped in bandages, leaving only one eye visible, he wore a poncho, and a straw cape on his back, which was hunched. Both the remaining man and woman had dark hair and eyes, all three of them wore snake patterned grey and black scarfs and headbands bearing the sound village symbol of a musical note.

"Well, well, we got two ninja here," the dark haired man said. "And I think that guys the rookie of the year. Hopefully he can be a challenge to me. Lord Orochimaru said that he was pretty disappointed and didn't mark him like planned."

Sasuke grit his teeth at the mention of the name. These guys serve that Orochimaru guy? What does he want with us?

"Easy there Zaku," the hunchback said. "Those Uchiha are famous throughout all the lands."

"Yeah yeah don't worry," Zaku said. "Just leave this to me."

He raised his hands. Sasuke's eyes widened as he could see something coming with his sharingan.

"Sakura look out!" he called.

Both of them moved, Sasuke grabbed Naruto and they got out of the way as Zaku's attack split the ground in front of him and hit where they had been, leaving a pathed scar in the forest. Sasuke and Sakura managed to avoid the blast. They moved and Sasuke threw multiple kunai at the traps they'd made. Shuriken flew out at the enemy team from all sides, covering a large area. Sasuke's training to hit multiple targets perfectly had paid off. He wasn't at the level his brother had been yet but he was getting there. The shuriken flew at them. Zaku's eyes widened, if it were one set he could use his air pressure to blow them away but not four at once. Fortunately they had a back up plan.

The shuriken hit their mark, or seemed to. But when the dust cleared, the two concious members of Team 7 saw three logs in the place of their enemies.

Dammit! Wasted all the traps! Sasuke thought. Ah well, just face them head to head.

He looked at the main guy that was attacking, Zaku. From what he could see that guy was using some sort of jutsu that was released from his hands in the form of air pressure. Sasuke couldn't get in close, but he had long range attacks of his own.

Quickly forming a hand seal, Sasuke sent a jutsu at them.

"Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Multiple small fireballs at them. Zaku merely extended his hands again and shot another current at the attack which dissipated… only to reveal a set of shuriken within the flames! Zaku screamed as he felt the weapons enter him and fell down.

"One down, two to go!" Sasuke said with a smirk as he landed in front of them.

"Stupid Zaku, undestimating our opponent!" the woman said. "Dosu?"

"I can handle this one, Kin," the man with only one eye showing, Dosu said.

"Sakura! You handle the woman!" Sasuke ordered.

Sakura heard this as she laid Naruto against the backside of the tree and leapt back out. She looked at the woman and glared at her. Kin glared back, her black eyes looking into Sakura's green ones.

The woman threw senbon at her, Sakura dodged then smirked.

"Senbon?" she mocked. "I've seen those before! They aren't lethal!"

"They are if you aim for the right spot!" Kin stated as she seemed to pull on air.

Sakura then noticed a thin almost invisible string was attached to the senbon, and she heard a bell. Looking up she saw a tiny one attached to the string on the senbon. Then everything became fuzzy.

"What's the matter?" Kin asked.

Sakura looked at her and saw… multiple Kin!

"Can't see properly? My genjutsu tends to have that effect," Kin said.

Sakura blinked but knowing it was a genjutsu she smirked again and put her hands in a seal.

"Release!"

Suddenly the copies of kin vanished.

"What?" the sound kunoichi exclaimed.

"Good thing I had Kurenai Sensei teaching me not only to use genjutsu but how to dispel it as well," Sakura stated. "First time doing that though, worked like a charm I'd say!"

Kin gritted her teeth. She reached into her pouch and drew her kunai for a more lethal direct attack. Sakura did the same. Behind them, she saw Sasuke and that Dosu guy were engaged in taijutsu, the hunchback holding his own. Then Sasuke came in the same line as them.

"Kin move aside!" Dosu shouted.

Kin leapt off to the side and Dosu raised his right arm. Sasuke and Sakura both yelled as a new sound based attack came at them. Their ears rang and they were immobilized. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Kin running toward the tree where Naruto had been hidden away. She was going after him!

"No!" Sakura yelled.

Kin leapt up to cross the roots of the tree to get to Naruto. But someone suddenly appeared and got in her way. A palm hit Kin in the chest and she was thrown back. A young raven haired girl landed there.

"Hinata!" Sakura exclaimed.

Hinata glared at Kin and Zaku who was stirring. She placed herself in front of the large roots of the tree. "You will not harm Naruto while I stand here."

Through their ringing ears, Sakura and Sasuke were both pleased at some help. Though, Hinata was still an opponent technically.

Shino and Kiba suddenly appeared.

"Looks like Team 7 is in a bit of a bind," Kiba said. "How about we help out our fellow Leaf Shinobi?"

"While this is a competition and we are technically opponents, you Sound Ninja seem more concerned with killing one of our comrades then getting his teams scroll," Shino said.

…

From the treetops, another team watched these three about to duke it out.

"Well looks like that bigshot rookie of the year here was all talk. Here he is getting an earful from those ninjas of the sound," Kankuro said.

"We already got ourselves two scrolls, no need to stick around here," Temari told her siblings.

"I want to watch this," Gaara declared.

They sat in silence. Gaara was more interested in Sasuke then anything else. But he was about to receive a surprise.

…

Zaku got up. He pulled the shuriken out and glared at Sasuke who was still recovering from Dosu's attack. He'd put up a good fight but he wasn't in decent shape for the moment. Zaku took advantage of his enemies state and shot a blast of air pressure at the Uchiha that knocked him off his feet and did some good damage.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed for her comrade.

Sasuke was down.

"Hang on Sasuke! We'll give you a hand!" Kiba shouted as he sprang into action.

"Arrf!" a bark sounded from nearby and Akamaru the puppy appeared, he'd been so small they hadn't noticed him.

Both Ninja hound and his master charged at Zaku.

"Hah!" Dosu yelled as he held up his weapon that emitted sound, the resonating echo speaker.

Sound immediately began to ring through the ears of the canine duo. Kiba screamed, his ears were extra sensitive thanks to his dog based jutsu.

Shino called on his own jutsu, insects flying from his arms and charging at Zaku who raised arms again. Shino stood there calmly. Zaku grinned and shot a blast… or at least meant to. But the devise on his arms blew up instead!

"Arrgh!" Zaku screamed.

"Zaku!" Dosu exclaimed.

Zaku looked at the device on his arms and saw the bits had bugs crawling out.

"Your device was filled with my parasitic insects, Shino said. "I filled them while you weren't looking."

Zaku groaned in pain, his arms to damaged to continue fighting even with taijutsu. Dosu looked around and saw he was outnumbered with Sakura, Shino and Hinata still standing. Even so he didn't back down, his one visible eye narrowing as he prepared to take them all on. But then his determination seemed to vanish as his eye widened at something.

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked mockingly. "Lost that confidence you had?"

"I don't think that's the case," Shino said. "Look behind us."

They did so and saw… Naruto. But he wasn't the same Naruto. His eyes were red like they'd been when the Nine Tails chakra was used. But in addition to that he had some sort of black flame markings running over his face.

"Sakura," Naruto spoke in a deeper voice then usual.

"Naruto, what's happened to you?" Sakura asked trembling.

"Don't worry about me. I'm feeling great. I was given a gift by that snake lady," Naruto said. "Its made me stronger!"

He then caught sight of Sasuke, Kiba and Akamaru on the ground.

"Who did that?" Naruto growled.

"That would be those guys," Shino gestured to Dosu and Zaku who was still clutching his wounded arms.

Kin suddenly opened her eyes and snarled at Hinata.

"You'll pay for that little girl!"

Naruto snarled. "You're all gonna pay for messing with my friends!"

While he wasn't super close with Shino, Kiba had been a fellow delinquent in the academy that he'd get into trouble with even if he was annoying, Sasuke was his Teammate, and Hinata (though not injured yet, had just been threatened) was okay and had never done anything bad to Naruto.

"Oh no I'm taking all of you on now!" Naruto said.

"Lets see you try it kid!" Kin shouted as she threw her senbon.

"Kin wait!" Dosu shouted in concern.

He'd recognized the mark. A curse mark made by his master, but why would he have sent Dosu and the others to kill Naruto if he'd branded him? That mark gave one increased chakra and power.

Naruto easily caught the senbon in his fingers. Sakura's mouth fell open. Only a Jonin should have been able to have reflexes like that! Then Naruto was gone, he hit Kin on the back of the head and sent her flying into the tree, she shouted in pain. He then growled and advanced at her.

"No one threatens my friends," Naruto growled. "Maybe you'd like it if I clawed up your face? Its not exactly pretty anyway."

Kin began trembling in fear as the boy… no… monster… advanced.

"Stay away from me you monster!" Kin said crawling backwards.

"Monster?" Naruto asked. "I'll show you a monster!"

He bared his teeth which had sharpened. The others watched in terror, Sakura and Hinata's eyes flickering, Shino stood, his expression was hidden by his jacket but it was one of pure terror as well. Naruto raised his hand, his fingernails had extended and turned into claws. He brought them down on Kin, creating five deep scratches on her face. He then kicked her away.

Hinata shook as she watched. He's never been so violent before. Can that really be Naruto?

Sakura meanwhile, remembered the Naruto that would laugh and grin at her. No this couldn't' be that Naruto… it was the fox inside him… or someone else.

Naruto, or whoever he was, turned his attention on Dosu, glancing over at Zaku as well. Seeing that Zaku was in no shape to fight even being as stupid as he was, Naruto turned his attention to the one enemy still standing.

"You're going to taste my wrath first!" Naruto said before giving Zaku one last menacing glance, "And you're next!"

Naruto advanced on Dosu who could only tremble. Sakura then found her spirit again and rushed forward.

"Naruto! Stop!" she screamed latching onto him from behind, tears flowing from her cheeks.

Naruto stopped, hearing her crying and feeling her wrap her arms around him. He slowly turned around and saw her. What was he thinking? This wasn't what he would do. The marks on his face (and the rest of his body covered by his clothes) receded.

Dosu let out a relieved sigh. Zaku still gritted his teeth then finally collapsed in pain, unable to stay awake any longer.

"Thank you for sparing us," Dosu said as he took his comrades on his hunched back and by the arm. "You can have our scroll in return."

He pulled out an Earth Scroll, which they needed to advance to the next round once they reached the tower.

"Wait, who is this Orochimaru? And what has he done to Naruto?" Sakura asked. "And why Naruto?"

Dosu didn't look back. "We were only told to kill him. But I see now that it was a test for him."

And they vanished. That left the two squads of Leaf Shinobi alone, or so they thought. They gathered up Kiba, Akamaru, and Sasuke. Hinata took a healing ointment out that belonged to her family. They soon woke up.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

"I… uh…" Naruto wanted to brag that he had saved the day but even he knew he'd pretty much lost control.

"We got rid of the Sound Ninja and we're all okay," Sakura said.

"Yes," Shino agreed.

"We better split up," Sasuke said getting up.

They turned to Team 8.

"Thanks for your help," Sakura said.

They all nodded. The two sets of Leaf Shinobi parted. Though Hinata felt a similar unease at Naruto's display and the two mixes of chakra. Ah well, they still had to get another scroll to advance while Team 7 was ahead of them, and Hinata and Shino didn't want to go up against what they'd just seen in Naruto, though they didn't say it aloud.

…

Up in the trees, the Sand Siblings were amazed and horrified as well.

"Wow, and I thought that Uzumaki brat was the weakest of them all!" Kankuro exclaimed.

"He sure looks different then he was a little while ago!" Temari remarked.

Gaara watched performance with his usual neutral expression, but inside he was feeling many things. Confusion, surprise and… fear?

That boy, he's like me. But somehow, he felt, darker. Then it vanished. And he has people who care about him like that girl. Either way, it seems I underestimated him. He too has a monster inside him. But my reason for living is stronger. He has friends that weigh him down. They will be the death of him if we fight.

Okay, so a cycle of changes has begun in the story. With Hinata's squad helping instead of Ino's they did even more damage to the Sound Ninja trio, so I feel safe to say its unlikely they will be competing in the upcoming round, so I guess it will be those hidden rain Ninja with the breath masks if I recall correctly instead. Sorry for the delay. I originally meant to get this chapter out on Saturday but needed some time off since my dog died. Ah well, got my stories in the right order now I guess. Narusaku one week, Advanceshipping the next. My schedule's tone down again so I should be able to get two chapters out a week again unless something happens. Enjoy, and please review.