Naruto: The Paths to Power

by indigonitelite

After failing to retrieve Sasuke, Kakashi leaves Team 7 with Naruto falling under Gai's tutelage. With a Chuunin exam in the Hidden Cloud soon, Naruto must deal with old foes, and new threats targeting both Konoha and everyone he cares about.

20. Part 36 Barroom Blitz

Part 3.6: Barroom Blitz

Lee kicked the side of the steel beam again, adding to the sizeable dent and considerable pain he felt in his leg. Nearly an hour had passed since Gai-sensei had issued the challenge to them both, and Naruto still had not shown up. Lee continued to pound on the steel beam, each resounding kick sending shockwaves of pain throughout his body. His shins had already bled twice now, and large splotches of blood could be seen through his bodysuit; still, as much as he loved Gai-sensei's new training technique, he was eager to spar with Naruto.

"The Hyuuga lost."

Those words still rang true in his mind; Naruto had beaten the man who not so long ago, Lee's sole purpose was to beat. He trained single-mindedly for that day, only for it to be taken away from him, so that the Chuunin rank would not even be considered for him.

Lee gave the beam a particularly strong kick, placing a large dent on the other side of the beam. 'All that work,' he thought, 'all that time, all the pain endured, and my opportunity was taken from me.' His thoughts strayed even further. Tsunade had just completed a most excruciating surgery on him, removing bone fragments from his spinal column. As soon as he was able to walk again, he hurried off to help his friends bring back Uchiha Sasuke, and yet, still then. He had come up against a most formidable foe, the most powerful of the sound nins, Kimmimaro. A genius with a superior bloodline unlike any he had encountered before. Although the battle was hazy for the most part, his loss still rang true in his mind; he instead had to be saved by the sand nin Gaara, who had beaten him previously. Gaara even refused to let him fight. Ever since he got back, those two humiliating defeats rang in his mind, driving him on, past his own threshold of pain several times. He worked harder than he had ever before, pushing himself past previous limits in hopes that finally, he would defeat a true genius using his nindo of hard work. Yet, the opportunity had yet to present itself, until now.

Now, the Chuunin exam would begin, and the best and most powerful of all the clans would gather together, giving him another opportunity to prove his ninja worth. 'This time, things will be different,' he thought, 'this time, everyone will see what a nindo of hard work is really capable of. Neji, Sasuke, Gaara, and Naruto, you all will be competing in this exam, and I will show you all that a nindo of hard work can accomplish anything. I will be victorious; I am the amazing Azure Beast Rock Lee, I CANNOT LOSE!'

"Konoha Senpuu," he yelled aloud, giving the beam a gigantic whirlwind kick that bent the entire beam at the middle. Lee grimaced heavily as the painful sensations shot down his leg and reverberated through his entire body. Lee looked to his right to see Gai-sensei looking down at him, a big smile plastered on his face. TenTen was resting against a nearby wall having just finished her sparring session with Gai. Lee returned to a normal stance and saluted his sensei.

"You really have come a long way," he said, laughing slightly, "not only are you the spitting image of the most dashing ninja in the world," smiling brightly so that his teeth reflected the light, "you have become so strong in such a short period of time. You all have," motioning to TenTen as well. "I wonder where Naruto is though," said Gai sensei, his voice somewhat worrying, "He should not be missing out on his sensei's praise, or his sparring session."

Suddenly, the double doors opened wide. Naruto was standing there breathing heavily. His eyes looked strange, almost red rather than the blue they were normally, and the pupil was slitted, like a cat's rather than the normal round. He walked forward, into the candle lit area.

"You are exactly 1 hour 5 minutes and 23 seconds late Naruto," said Gai, "a ninja's most important duty is to be punctual at all times. I know your previous sensei may have taught you otherwise," he said with a chuckle, "but you should know by now that I expect the apprentices of the teachings of the azure beast to be on time. You mustn't waste your precious youth." He then gave Naruto the thumb's up pose, along with a shining smile. Naruto said nothing, he simply looked at the ground, his mind far away.

Lee looked at Naruto with concern. "Naruto, Gai-sensei is speaking to you," he said, wondering if Naruto had heard the message. Still, Naruto said nothing.

"Never mind that," said Gai quickly, "Alright my two bright, young students, it is time for a mock, chuunin examination battle. This will be fought Leaf style as even the most brilliant Azure Beast is unsure of what trials await you in the exam. Lee, to the right side; Naruto to the left. Stand at the line in front of you and do not begin until I say 'explode!'. In this match, anything goes, but do not try to permanently maim or kill your teammate. All right then, line up on your side."

Lee quickly scampered over to the right side of the line, getting into his fighting stance. His heart was racing, pumping blood through his body, readying him for the confrontation. He looked over at Naruto, who only an hour before had been just as excited as he over this match. Now, Naruto looked like he was in a lost fury. Lee felt a pang of concern for his teammate, but quickly shoved it from his mind. 'Naruto will snap out of it once we begin,' thought Lee, 'I need him to go all out in order to improve myself.' Naruto finally looked up at Lee, who met his eyes. They were quite frightful, as if a different person was staring back at Lee; not Naruto, but an entity composed of pure hatred, malice, and strife. 'What is wrong with him,' thought Lee.

"Explode!" yelled Gai, signaling the start of the match.

Lee's became single-minded once again, observing his opponent, figuring out the optimal way to attack and defend. Naruto did not move, but merely stared at Lee, growling slightly. "Well," said Lee, "if you're not going to come to me, I will go to you!" Lee charged forward, one hand held out in front of him, his footsteps echoing off the hard wood floor as he made a fast approach. Lee smiled slightly, expecting Naruto to react to his attack, yet Naruto still stared at him, his fiery gaze piercing through him. Lee continued forward, his powerful legs pushing him incredibly fast across the hard floor, until he began encircling Naruto in an green blur, kicking dust into the air and splintering the wood slightly. Still, Naruto did nothing but looked ahead, his eyes completely red now, progressing with each pass Lee made around him Finally, Lee made his move, pushing off one of his legs into a jumping kick that hit Naruto square in the back, knocking him on his stomach a few meters away. Lee returned to his stance, confused as to why Naruto was not fighting back.

Lee watched as Naruto got to his feet, his teeth bared now, revealing sharp fangs, with eyes behind which a furious blaze burned. Naruto charged forward at Lee, his hands outstretched, ready to seemingly tear Lee apart. Lee dodged Naruto's charge, raising his knee up and out to hit Naruto in the stomach. His hit connected, but did not phase Naruto. Naruto simply grabbed onto his leg and pulled him through the air. Lee's eyes went wide with shock as he had not expected such strength from Naruto. He landed with a crash into the wooden floor below, stomach first, knocking the wind out of him. Lee coughed loudly before getting up onto his knees. However, Naruto charged in again, bringing his own knee into Lee's chin with such force it knocked him against he far wall. Lee felt like he had been hit by a bull as his jaw still clattered from the impact of the hit. He winced in pain, but opened his eyes quickly, to see a monstrous Naruto charging at him again. Lee quickly rolled to his left and retreated backwards, getting some distance to which he could regroup and counter. Naruto smashed into the wall he had been seconds before, kicking up dust and debris into the air. Lee stood in his stance, staring into the dust cloud, not daring to look elsewhere. 'This isn't Naruto,' he thought, 'Where did he get such power?' Naruto was on his feet, his back slightly bent, his hands made into fists as he stared at Lee with unearthly eyes. Lee merely stared back, not wanting to miss any move Naruto made.

"Kage Bunshin," he yelled, his voice imitating a snarl, and nearly fifty Naruto clones, each with the same expression as the original, surrounded Lee. Lee looked around him, 'He's certainly going all out,' he thought, 'but something here just isn't right.'

The clones charged forward, aiming to take Lee down. Lee dodged one coming from the side and had to move quickly as they began to come simultaneously from all directions. He jumped straight up, narrowly avoiding one that was clawing for his legs. His hands grasped around the railing above him, as he regained his balance on the ledge side.

He looked down at the Narutos below him; each one had a look of sheer fury on their faces, slitted pupils, and a slightly hunched stance, almost beast like. His mind was racing, desperate to find a way to defeat Naruto. 'I'm outnumbered badly,' he thought, 'and I can't wait here forever.' He looked all around the complex, desperate for a solution.

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Gai watched his student struggle against a demonic Naruto. 'Naruto's losing control again,' he thought, 'Lee, you're going to have to think on your feet if you want to beat him. He seems to be in complete sync with the Kyuubi anymore, but he has no control over his emotions. I'll have to remedy that soon.' He watched further, examining the situation as Naruto's clones made their way closer to Lee, jumping up on the rafter with him. 'Think Lee,' thought Gai, attempting to silently give his student advice, 'a ninja needs to use his environment properly; I know I taught you that, just don't go overboard."

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Lee looked to his left and quickly turned to his right, brushing stray strands of hair out of his eyes. Naruto's clones were coming in slowly, attacking him from both sides. 'I'm trapped,' he thought, 'even if I beat these two, more will follow. If I jump, the ones below me will surely attack.' He moved slightly, shaking the beam with him. Suddenly, Lee's eyes went wide, and a wicked smile went across his face. He looked up and drove his hands, fingers first, into the stone roof, hard. The pain was horrible, but he drove his fingers in further, attempting to create a ledge with which he could balance himself. The clones came closer, their steps vibrating the beam horrible; the metal clang of the steel heard under their sandals. Lee brought himself into a curled position, holding himself to the roof using his hands and brought his knees to his chest. He hung in midair, waiting for the clones to get closer, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead as the clones approached. Their eyes were wide, and Lee could hear the rhythm of their heavy breathing as they got closer, yet he waited patiently.

The Naruto clones bent their legs, ready to jump at a prone Lee. 'Now!' Lee thought. He drove his legs into the beam itself, shaking both the clones and the beam horribly. Loose screws fell from the roof and hit the wooden floor with a tiny clink as the beam vibrated wildly at the power of Lee's barrage. 'Again,' he thought, and pulled his knees to his chest quickly and rammed the beam again with his feet, rocking it even further. The clones struggled to maintain their balance as the beam vibrated again. 'One more,' he thought, driving his legs into the beam another time.

This time, the beam could take no more and collapsed from the roof, taking part of the ceiling with it as a pile of debris came crashing down on Naruto's clones. Lee heard the satisfying pop of all of Naruto's clones disappearing at once, watching as the debris kicked an enormous dust cloud in the air. Lee breathed a sigh of relief and then released himself to land on the wooden ground with a hard thud. His fingers felt mangled and broken, but satisfyingly so. Lee checked the area for signs of Naruto. 'I hope I didn't go too far,' he thought, searching the area for his comrade. He then heard a low growl from behind him. Lee's eyes went wide, and he turned around fast enough to see Naruto slam into his stomach full force. Lee felt himself propelled backwards until he hit the far wall on the other side of the compound. The blood rose into his mouth, but he choked it down into his stomach, leaving a sickly taste of copper in his mouth.

Naruto had slammed into him full force, driving his fist into Lee's stomach. Naruto continued, driving his fist deeper into Lee's abdomen. Lee could feel the immense pressure that Naruto was placing on him, and the air left him as Naruto struck harder into his diaphragm. Lee reared up a kick to his chest and pushed Naruto back with it, his lungs desperately taking in air. 'I don't know what's up with Naruto,' he thought, 'but I can't lose again, not here.' He resumed his battle stance and watched Naruto, his eyes calculating.

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Naruto back away from Lee, slowly. He could hear Lee's heavy breathing, somewhat choked as Naruto had smelt the blood rise in his throat. He bore his teeth again tensed the muscles in his legs, preparing another strike. Suddenly, he hesitated.

"What are you doing? Don't give him any let up."

"But, Lee is my comrade, my friend, not my enemy.

"That point is irrelevant. The 'Rock Lee' would just as soon attack you. Remember, you have nothing but your hatred, no friends, no relatives, everything was taken from you by him."

"That's not true. I have friends. Lee is my friend, and TenTen, and Gai, and Sakura, even though she can be a little bossy sometimes, and Hinata, and Kakashi, and..."

"ENOUGH! I have heard enough of your childish banter. You of all people should know that you cannot happily ride the fence expecting to have everything simply given to you, both friends and revenge."

"But, is that what I want? Sasuke...still, even now...I can't just turn my back on him. This anger, this seething rage, it-"

"It makes you strong fool! It is what gives you the power necessary to bring about your will; to make your dreams come true. This power is what will garner the acknowledgement of everyone, and give you the goal you've strived for so long, the feeling of being totally complete. All you need is your anger, your hate, your uncontrollable strife to survive and move forward in this world. Do not allow sentiment to cloud your judgment. Remember, it is not you who turned your back on Sasuke; he turned on you, and the only way to truly make him see the truth of his mistake is to beat him at his own game. That is the way of the ninja, the true path."

"But-"

Naruto was knocked back into reality when a strong kick to the face knocked him sideways. "I told you Naruto," came Lee's voice, "do not underestimate me. I know you are strong, but you letting me win will not make either of us stronger. Come on!"

Naruto slowly got to his feet. The rage was seething through him again, transforming his features. He did not see Lee anymore, only Sasuke, standing in Lee's place. He squinted his eyes, furrowing his brow, and prepared for an all out assault.

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Lee watched as Naruto hunched his body, no doubt preparing to attack. Lee looked down at his legs, 'I don't know,' he thought, 'now may be the time. I'm sure it would surprise everyone here.' He looked over at his sensei, seeking permission, but soon found that to be a mistake as Naruto charged in again, looking more beastly than ever. Lee attempted to kick Naruto off of him as they both sailed through the air, but Naruto grabbed hold of Lee's arm and drove his fist into Lee's chest. Lee sailed straight down, connecting with the floor below him, breaking the wood beneath it. Lee winced in pain, but quickly opened his eyes and rolled out of the way, dodging Naruto's attack. He barely had time to recuperate before Naruto was on him again. He backed away but felt a hard slash across his chest. He looked down at his suit to see four light cuts on his chest, deep enough to break skin and begin bleeding Lee. 'Claw marks,' he thought, 'what the hell?' He looked up at Naruto as Lee ran backwards quickly. 'I don't have a choice now,' he thought. He stopped suddenly and began to pull up the orange sleeves around his ankles, but the second he stopped, Naruto was on him again, driving him hard against the far wall, pinning Lee's arms against his body. Lee looked down at Naruto, as Naruto let out a terrifying scream that shook the building itself, applying yet more pressure to Lee's chest as his fist hit it repeatedly. Lee freed both his arms and pushed Naruto's hand desperately away. Naruto did not budge; Lee felt desperation begin to consume him as he drove his bowled head into Naruto's face, again and again, feeling Naruto's nose break under the pressure. Naruto back off slightly, holding his face with one hand. A slow trickle of blood made its way down Lee's mouth. "Konoha Senpuu," he yelled, attempting to deliver a whirlwind kick to Naruto's exposed midsection. He felt like the kick was moving in slow motion as fast as Naruto moved, catching his leg and sending Lee sprawling into the pile of debris, feeling his own head ram into a large steel beam.

"That's enough Naruto, Lee. This match is officially ended," yelled Gai, "back off from each other."

Lee stood up and looked back at Naruto. His nose didn't even seem to be broken, in fact it appeared as if Lee did not even phase Naruto. 'Dammit,' he thought, 'Have I lost aga-' he did not have time to finish the thought as Naruto attacked him again, grabbing him from behind and slamming him to the wooden floor.

"NARUTO!" yelled Gai, anger and panic flooding in his voice. Lee coughed blood out of his mouth as he felt Naruto turn him on his back and place a tremendous amount of pressure on his throat. Lee choked horribly, having to use both hands to release some of the pressure Naruto had on him. He could feel his lungs burning desperately for oxygen, but his body was pinned, Naruto straddling him so that he was well out of reach of his kicks. Lee tried as hard as he possibly could to remove Naruto's hand from his throat, all the while staring into eyes of pure fury and hatred.

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Naruto looked down as Sasuke struggled to remove his hand from his throat. 'Do you understand now,' he thought to himself, as if Sasuke could hear his mind, 'do you understand the pain you've caused me and everyone! DO YOU!'

Naruto felt a tremendous pain in his stomach as something hit him with the force of a tsunami, sending him backwards and through the wall to the side of him. He looked up to see himself in the snow. He was holding his midsection gingerly, 'What the hell hit me,' he thought. He looked back to see Lee coughing heavily on the floor, blood issuing from his mouth, while Gai looked down at him with a fury he had never seen before. Naruto had never seen Gai-sensei in a real tantrum before, but he could understand why some people thought he was terrifying.

"What do you think you were doing," he yelled, his voice furious, "when your sensei tells you to stop, you stop! The match was over whenever I decided it was over, no matter how you may feel at the time! I did not want to have to do that Naruto, but it seemed that a nice jar to your senses was exactly what you needed!" He sighed deeply, calming himself down quite quickly. "TenTen," he said, back into the building. TenTen was examining Lee, who was pushing himself up, attempting to get back on his feet, refusing help from anyone. "Take Lee to the local hospital," he continued, "and inform Tsunade that he is there."

"I can still train sensei," came Lee's determined voice, "I'm perfectly alright. I can even continue sparring-" His last sentence came with a cough of blood that he quickly wiped with the sleeve of his suit.

"Lee," said Gai in a very serious tone, "just go for now. I promise we'll train later on, but right now, I have to take some time out with your comrade. Don't worry, I promise we'll train later." He then flashed his shiny smile and thumbs up at Lee, who feebly returned it. Lee walked shakily on his feet, but he was still looking very dejected and humiliated. TenTen followed close behind, shooting a very dirty look at Naruto as she went. Gai watched them leave in the distance and then turned back to Naruto, his eyes fiery, and his face very serious.

"I think its time we curbed that temper of yours Naruto," said Gai.

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"Welcome Otokage-sama," said the Raikage in a cordial manner, bowing deeply.

Orochimaru returned the gesture and took a seat opposite the Raikage's. The Raikage did the same, sitting opposite Orochimaru. "So Otokage," he said, "what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Have you considered my proposal," asked Orochimaru, his raspy voice filling the room.

The Raikage said nothing for a moment. "Yes," he said, "I have been considering it. But a few details still bother me. First, I still don't find you trustworthy, but that is another matter entirely. Second, I can't give you an answer until the end of these examinations, when I'm sure what you say is true. However, I will say this. I have no love for their Hokage or for the Leaf, but you originate from that same Leaf. During a good portion of the Fifty Years War, you sannins were known and feared throughout the land for slaughtering Hidden Cloud brigades. How can I trust a man whose past ambitions have included killing my allies?"

Orochimaru did not have an answer for this; he had expected the point to come up, but there was nothing he could say that would reassure the Raikage. 'Damn,' he thought, 'Playing up to this pompous ass, if he knows who I am he should be on his knees thanking me for not killing him where he stands.' However, Orochimaru smiled and bowed slightly to the Raikage, "I understand Raikage-sama," he said, hiding the malice within him under layers of cordial speech.

The Raikage nodded back at him, "Well then," he said, "is there anything else you would like to discuss?"

Orochimaru paused; there had been something on his mind ever since his encounter with the red and white nins. "I do have one other question Raikge-sama," his raspy voice going slowly, as if picking his words carefully, "There were two nins here the other day, one dressed in an odd, red jumpsuit and the other dressed in a loose, white robe. I have never seen them before, and I was wondering just who they were?"

The Raikage paused as well, staring fixated at Orochimaru. Then, to Orochimaru's surprise, he laughed loudly, "Feeling a bit apprehensive are we Orochimaru," he said, his tone still chuckling, "Afraid my own soldiers may outshine yours?"

'What impertinence,' thought Orochimaru. However, he kept his emotions hidden and remained silent, awaiting the Raikage's answer.

"Their names are Kusemono Julius and Izou Set. They will be competing in this Chuunin examination alongside your own nins. They're basically average nins who are competing in this examination for the first time; as for their odd dress, I guess it's just fashion. I never was one to keep up with the times," he said, chuckling slightly again.

Orochimaru laughed mirthlessly at the Raikage. The explanation he gave him did not sway his feelings, but he knew the Raikage would say no more on the subject. "Well," said Orochimaru, "I must be attending to my students, and I must leave. Thank you for your time," the politeness in his voice was very forced, although he hid it well. Orochimaru then walked out the double doors, pushing them open with as much force as his arms could muster, and stepped out into the hall, towards the exit of the Jade Palace.

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Orochimaru walked from the Raikage's palace, his mind filled with different thoughts, compounding off each other and striking outward in hopes of escaping. His mind wandered to past events, and his own history...

Orochimaru had chosen this spot to do his experiments. It was hidden from any persons of the Leaf and would allow him the ability to conduct in private. Past subjects, now dead hung on the walls, the chains the only thing to support them. The place reeked of blood and viscera. Orochimaru could still remember the wails and screams of his victims as he operated on them.

'It has to be when they're alive,' he thought. He looked back over to the book in his possession, studying it intently. 'This is so complex,' he thought, 'but it should be no trouble; I am after all the strongest and cleverest of the three.' The book had many odd diagrams and jutsus within it that Orochimaru did not recognize, but one thing in the book stuck in his mind, immortality. The entire basis on which the book was written was the search for immortality using the human jutsu. Orochimaru could chart the progress of the author or authors of the literature, as he started out using simple jutsus, to experiments on animals, to the evisceration of human beings themselves. Orochimaru had gotten to this point rather quickly himself, and was already extrapolating on the points the author had first hit on.

'It's not the body,' he thought, 'it has to do with the soul, the body is merely a container. Yet that container maintains the soul. What were these people trying to do? What would this accomplish?" He flipped ahead in the book. Near the end it took more of an approach to a journal than anything else.

"'I'm so close now," he read aloud, "the final stages are almost implemented and ready. Many have died, but their sacrifices will not be in vain as I will rise amongst them a god among men, and damned be those who stand in my way.' How egotistical." He continued with his work, getting back to the corpse in front of him, driving deeper into the body, attempting to divine its secrets.

A light breeze blew past Orochimaru as he quickly jerked his head up towards the entrance. Nothing was there, but the candles that lit the room had swayed slightly, casting a dancing shadow on the wall. His yellow eyes pierced through the darkness, divining presence based on body heat rather than any corporeal presence. Still, there was nothing. However, his instincts were panicking, sending electrical impulses through his body, tightening his muscles and racing adrenaline through his system. He stepped forward, making sure to not touch any of the blood or bile that lay on the floor. His footsteps echoed slightly on the floor as he pulled a kunai from his belt.

"Your technique is flawed," came a cold, monotone voice from behind him. Orochimaru quickly spun around and drove his kunai forward, towards the source of the sound, but only managed to drive it into the shadows behind him.

'What the hell,' he thought. He looked around again, sensing for someone's presence. Something was here, but he could not tell who or what it was, or pinpoint it's location. The feeling seemed to be coming from all around him. "Who the hell are you!?" he shouted into the darkness.

"I have been watching you," replied the voice, "Your training, your mastery, your recognition as a sannin amongst the villagers. Everything, and now, I watch a young me try so desperately for that which has eluded man since the dawn of time, immortality."

"Show yourself," Orochimaru demanded. His hands were free again, ready to perform a capturing jutsu quickly when necessary. He heard footsteps behind him, where the entrance was. Someone was slowly coming down the stone steps, a heavy thud heard as large boots hit the steps one after the other. Orochimaru smiled to himself, quickly making the hand seals necessary for a capture and killing jutsu. He held the jutsu now, only needing to say the words to activate it. The steps grew louder, each one stronger than the last, almost booming now. Finally, Orochimaru saw the faint outline of a booted foot come into view, followed by the entire figure of a caped man. His hair was spiked at the top, and a long ponytail was thrown over his shoulder. Something was tied around it, but Orochimaru did not wait.

"Hidden Snake Hands," he yelled, as live serpents thrust forward from his arms, entangling and biting the man, their deadly venom being thrust into his veins. Orochimaru smiled broadly, but his smile quickly vanished as the snakes quickly turned a sickly brown color, and decomposed quickly off the man, leaving only their skeletons and bits of flesh behind. The man brought one arm up and dusted a snake's remains off his shoulder. Orochimaru could not get a clear view of the man, but a long cloak enveloped him, and a large black cloth had been placed around his eyes, hiding them from view. Orochimaru took an offensive stance, ready to attack the man at a moment's notice; he could not let him leave here alive. "Who the hell are you," he asked, his words resounding a threat more than a question.

"I am, an author," he replied slowly, allowing the words to sink in. Orochimaru's eyes went wide.

"That's impossible," he said, his raspy voice growing furious now, "this book is ancient, hundreds of years old, preserved only by certain jutsus placed over it. I find it hard to believe that the person who authored it is standing before me."

"Believe what you will," came the cold voice again, exhaling deeply, issuing forth what looked a cold stream of air from his mouth. "Still, you are not doing it right."

Orochimaru stared at the man before him. He was only the same height as Orochimaru himself, as they stood eye to supposed eye to each other. Orochimaru smiled and shook his head, "I don't need your advice," he said, his voice arrogant, "you're just some low-level idiot who happened to wander where you shouldn't belong."

The stranger said nothing, but raised his arms slowly from beneath the long cape. Orochimaru readied another jutsu, a fire element that would burn the stranger to a crisp, making his body unidentifiable. The stranger however, only placed his hands on either side of the doorway, mumbling something incoherent. Orochimaru stared at him, 'He's either a drunk, or an idiot, either way-'

Suddenly, a loud wail was heard to the side of him. He looked to his right, his eyes wide with shock and fear as a corpse chained to the wall, his body still bloody and mangled, clawed at Orochimaru, wailing loudly. Other's joined in unison to the first, coming alive, clawing for Orochimaru, until the entire room was a cacophony of wailing and moaning coming from the long dead strapped to the walls around him.

Orochimaru looked back at the man. He still stood there; his arms at his sides again, obscured by the black cape that encompassed him. "What the hell are you?" Orochimaru asked, his voice quavering. Orochimaru quickly regained him composure and began laughing at the stranger. "That's a neat trick," he said with a chuckle, "what is it, an animation jutsu, a genjutsu of some sort. If you're trying to scare me, you haven't succeeded."

"I'm trying to educate you Orochimaru," he replied, "These lifeless husks are nothing because they contain no soul, their container was damaged beyond repair for the soul to stay any longer. You should know this; I wrote it in the book you put so much stock in," he said, pointing towards the journal.

Orochimaru picked up the book and flipped through it. 'He's right,' he thought, 'word for word, the complete pages on soul transfusion.' He looked at the stranger curiously, "So, what do you want then?"

"I have recently created something that is in need of testing," he said, ", and I will need assistance. I have been admiring your ambition for quite some time Orochimaru; many have tried to duplicate my work, but all have failed. You on the other hand, work ceaselessly towards the goal of immortality. Why, do you fear death so much?"

Orochimaru did not answer; it was true, he feared death. To be just another one of these lifeless husks, no power, no thought, it terrified him. Orochimaru merely glared at the stranger, "Say I do help you," he said, refusing to answer the question, "what do I get in return?"

"That which you seek, I know," he replied, his voice still cold, but softer now.

Orochimaru did not know what to think. Every sense in his body said to just kill the bastard and be done with it. He didn't know this man; it could very well be some sort of trick to lure him out in the open. He knew Sarutobi suspected him of the many disappearances in the area; this could be a trap to get him to admit to those crimes. Every instinct, every sense in his body told him to eviscerate the enigma, destroy him before he can turn on you. Even what he said did not make sense, why would he teach him? Surely he could procure subjects on his own; he could test them. There wasn't even any evidence that this new power was even worth his time. Still...

Orochimaru looked at the book in his hands. He had read and reread it over and over again, divining what he could from it. He understood every word, theory, jutsu within it, but it seemed incomplete. Like there was something missing from it; something just out of his grasp. He looked at the lifeless bodies on the walls, still clawing desperately at him like deranged zombies. 'No,' he thought, 'that will not be me. By any means, I will have what I seek. I don't know what this man wants, or what he wishes to test, but...'

"I agree to your terms," said Orochimaru finally, "what do you want from me?"

The stranger remained stoic. There was no emotion in him, his face was stone, his eyes, shrouded, everything about him seemed to scream a warning to everyone. "Procure an apprentice," he said, "it will be the first subject. I need someone of considerable strength and charka control. Do this for me, and I will show you immortality."

Orochimaru nodded, 'If all else fails,' he thought, 'I can just kill this man and be done with it.' He smiled slightly, "What's your name stranger."

The man raised his arms and removed the cloth from around his eyes, and Orochimaru shuddered slightly at the sight of him. White globes appeared in his sockets, devoid of anything resembling eyes. Pupiless, white, and barren, they seemed to suit him.

"Hiketsu," he said.

Orochimaru scowled horribly, his mind contemplating on past events. He looked down at his own arms. 'This is the third body I've had,' he thought, 'and yet, I still fear death.' He walked on back towards his lodgings, preparing for tomorrow's tribulations.

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Julius sat in quiet meditation on top of the tallest spire in the Jade Palace. The wind slowly whipped around him, tossing his hair and clothing, and shuddering them. However, Julius sat with his eyes closed, in a stock still position, contemplating the events circling around him. His breathing was quiet, rhythmic, and cold as each passing breath cooled in the air, forming a temporary steam in front of him. He sat with his legs crossed over one another, his hands on his knees, unmoving, only thinking on times past.

"Again brother," came a voice behind him, "you really can be such a bore sometimes."

Julius did not respond as he heard the metallic clank of Set's boots come closer to him. "You know," he said, his voice in somewhat an amused tone, "from what I've heard, you and that Uchiha boy aren't too dissimilar."

"Don't compare me with that filth," responded Julius quickly. There was silence between them again; Julius felt a tense feeling flow throughout his body. He suddenly felt a strong hand placed on his shoulder and opened his eyes to see Set's hand, gently squeezing his shoulder.

"How do you really know what you are," he asked mockingly, "you weren't even alive when the attacks took place, when the Uchiha and Hyuuga strike force killed the Thunder Bloodlines. You don't have any family to trace back to; no clansmen to tell you of such an abominable thing that the Leaf did, yet still, you hate them as if you saw it yourself. The Raikage could just be filling your empty head with lies in order to make you easier to control. Why brother?"

Julius was silent for quite a while. Set had a legitimate point on him, but still. "It is my purpose," he said, "I have been granted powers most righteous as have you. With them, I can fulfill the revenge that this entire country screams out for. I am the divine mediator, here to exact godly punishment upon those who stand against us. We are weapons Set, plain and simple, and my task as a weapon is to drive the Leaf to ruin."

"How poetic," said Set chuckling slightly, "but how easily manipulated you are brother."

"I know," replied Julius, his voice still stoic and cold, "but right now, I don't serve any other purpose, so why fight that which has been destined for me."

Set laughed aloud this time, bursting into a loud belly laugh. "What's so funny?" asked Julius.

"You!" replied Set loudly, still laughing openly at Julius, "You're such the tragic hero. A man conquered by destiny to take revenge against those who wounded him. I...I think I could cry. Please brother, get over yourself; we are what we want to be, nothing more. Fate is a nonexistent thing. My life is my own, and my purpose is to paint this world a mosaic with its own blood, but first, I have some minor business to take care of."

"You're really obsessed with him now aren't you," asked Julius.

Set chuckled slightly, "Yes," he replied, "his spirit is a thing of beauty. I have never seen such immense rage and utter hatred before; it excites me so. Take your, revenge schemes and divine punisher excuses as a reason to fight brother, but I fight and destroy for the pure and absolute beauty in it."

Julius smiled slightly at his brother, "Well then," he said, "to death, our mutual ally."

"Yes," said Set, highly amused, "to death," cackling loudly as it echoed on into the midday sky.

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Naruto stood before Gai, looking up at his sensei. 'What is he going to do,' he thought, 'I have to get to my training with the perverted hermit too. Still...' The thought of going so overboard with Lee panged him with guilt. He had not wished to harm his friend like that, but the rage seemed to consume him anymore.

"Alright Naruto," said Gai, the cheerfulness returning to his voice, "We're going to play a most helpful and brilliant game."

"A game," asked Naruto, "I thought we were going to train or do something useful."

Gai laughed aloud, "In this game, you are my shadow," he said, "you will do everything that your sensei does, move for move, perfectly. We'll do this all night if we have to, and I won't let you leave until I'm satisfied with the results."

Naruto stood before Gai in disbelief, "This is how we're going to train?"

"Yep," replied Gai, "this is how we are going to train both your mind and body!"

"How is this going to help at all?" asked Naruto, his voice still in disbelief.

"Trust your sensei on this," said Gai, his tone excited and furious as it always was whenever he had thought of some new training regiment, "I have a most brilliant mind for these sorts of things. Just watch me, and do what I do."

Gai bent his knees and laid down on his stomach, the palms of his hands pressed against eh floor. Naruto shook his head in disbelief, but followed his sensei's action.

Gai pressed the toes of his feet against the floor and pushed with his hands outward, and began doing push-ups. "Follow my lead Naruto," he said, his voice still jovial. Naruto shot his sensei a perplexed look but continued. "Not that way," said Gai, watching Naruto's form, "exactly as I do it, in complete unison."

Naruto sighed heavily, still not understanding the point to this exercise and wondering if he was going to be late for the perverted hermit's lesson. He got back on his belly and began to do push-ups in complete unison with Gai. Gai looked up, smiling at Naruto, which pissed him off immensely. The anger was seething through him again, bringing his blood to a boil and sending a hot sensation that waved over his body.

"Naruto," said Gai again. Naruto looked forward, being brought back into reality to see Gai on his feet. Naruto was taken aback by how fast Gai had moved from position to position. "Do you see the point of this exercise now Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head, listening only half-heartedly. "It's all about concentration and control Naruto," he said. Naruto turned to face Gai, the shining smile of his sensei beaming down at him. Gai quickly got back on his belly, signaling for Naruto to start the push-ups again. Naruto stared at Gai this time, pushing up and down in unison with his highly annoying sensei. Gai was smiling at him again, causing the previous domino effect to start, distracting Naruto.

"Naruto," came Gai's voice again, mocking him slightly. Naruto looked forward to see Gai's orange shinguards. He looked up to see Gai shaking his bowled head and looking down at him, smiling slightly. "You're too easily distracted," he said. He then sat Indian-style in front of Naruto, which Naruto imitated. "You learn fast," said Gai, chuckling slightly, eliciting a scowl from Naruto. "What I'm about to tell you applies to everyone and everything," he continued, "it is very brilliant and extremely good advice." Naruto continued to listen, wondering if Gai was merely messing with his mind.

"You see Naruto," said Gai, "a ninja must maintain a most important coolness inside of him at all times. It is true that your anger can be a most useful tool, but only if you control it, rather than letting it control you." Gai went back to the push-up position, which Naruto followed. He was now listening intently to his sensei's words. Gai began doing push-ups again, but did not stop lecturing Naruto. "Your focus must be maintained in battle; for those who lack concentration, lack a true ability to fight." Gai was switching hands on push ups now, going from left to right quickly with every movement. Naruto did not miss a beat, looking deep into his sensei's dark eyes. "When a ninja's mind uses the emotions he's feeling for a greater purpose, rather than using them without any forethought, they become a powerful ally, giving the ninja added boosts of spirit or adrenaline when necessary. Why do you think people call going into an uncontrollable berserk 'blind rage'?" Naruto's eyes went wide as his sensei had a very good point. He continued, now doing push-ups on his fingertips easily, while Naruto began to struggle to keep up. "I know Sasuke has hurt you deeply," said Gai, his voice turning uncharacteristically solemn, "but you must persevere. Just because he has hurt you does not mean that you can let the anger which sprouts from that wound control your actions. Focus is the key Naruto; with focus, you can do anything," he quickly came to his feet, pushing himself up quickly, which Naruto followed.

Naruto looked at himself in amazement, not even thinking of anything else, only his sensei's actions and words. However, he still felt the rage well within him, attempting to get out. Naruto sighed as thoughts of Sasuke permeated back through his skull.

Gai looked reassuringly at Naruto, "Don't worry," he said, "with some time, I'm sure we can get your anger under control. Trust me Naruto, that kind of blind rage will only hinder you in the long run of things." Naruto looked up at Gai. He was amazed at how fast Gai had gone from terrifyingly angry, to calm, to excited, to solemn, to reassuring; the man seemed to be a kaleidoscope of emotion. Naruto smiled only half-heartedly at him.

'Do I really want to control this,' he thought suddenly, 'this strength that surges through me...' His mind went back to an image Lee, rising from his attacks, a look of determination in his eyes.

"Sorry about Lee Gai-sensei," he said.

Gai merely smiled and waved the comment away, "Lee is tougher than you think Naruto," he said, "He will surpass even the amazing azure beast standing before you by at least three fold in my lifetime."

Naruto smiled again, but a nagging question had been bothering him ever since he joined the team. Thoughts of Lee struggling to achieve strength, training night and day, harder than anyone else, plagued his thoughts. "Gai-sensei," Naruto asked, "do you really think Lee will survive as a ninja?" Gai looked taken aback at the question, almost offended by it, but his expression was quickly replaced by one of his trademark smiles.

"I don't think," he said, his voice fiery, "I know that Lee will go down as one of the greatest ninjas to ever come out of Konoha. Another piece of advice Naruto, never underestimate a man with the spirit of Lee. A man like that, can be unstoppable against even the greatest of forces. A strong spirit that never gives up is always more important than a particular skill or jutsu; you of all people should know this," adding on one of his trademark smiles to put an exclamation point at the end of his speech.

Naruto returned one of his foxish grins back at his sensei. Gai looked at him perplexed, "What," asked Naruto, "something on my face?"

"No," replied Gai, "just your smile...it isn't nearly bright enough. Here," he quickly opened up one of the pockets of his vest and threw a long tube at Naruto. Naruto caught it in his hands; it had a picture of Gai's trademark smile on the cover of it.

"That is Gai-sensei's most remarkable and amazing toothpaste," he said excitedly, "it guarantees a smile that will blind and dazzle your opponents into submission. Lee brushes with it five times a day, giving him that amazing sheen that no other product can deliver." He ended his speech with a whooping crane pose, holding a tube of toothpaste in each hand, while giving a signature, shining smile.

Naruto took this opportunity to turn tail and run out of the area; quickly trying to find the perverted hermit before Gai realized he had gone.

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Gai watched Naruto run out of the building, smiling to himself. "You've still got a lot to learn Naruto," he said aloud, "but still," his tone turned solemn, "you have to learn to control yourself. Too many people have made too many mistakes because of misplaced emotions. And this exam...may be more than meets they eye." His mind turned to the two nins from yesterday, the feeling still haunting him. 'Hiketsu,' he thought, 'is it possible? Either way, we'll face whatever comes.' He then turned to one of the practice beams he had set up and began kicking it hard, waiting patiently for Lee to return.

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Lee sat on the hospital bed, looking longingly out the window, examining the sun. It was midday, and the perfect weather for training. Of course, so was snowing, raining, hailing, or any other weather. Lee watched as the rays of the sun shot into the room, giving it a warm glow that contrasted Lee's sulking attitude. Half of his body suit had been removed, revealing his ripped, muscular physique. A nurse was bandaging his waist, "You sure took a wallop," she said, her voice pleasant, "but you'll be fine. You seem to heal pretty fast; must've been beaten up quite a lot," she added, chuckling slightly. Lee did not respond but stared out the window, watching the sun make its slow trek across the sky. "I'll be back a little later to check on you," she said, giving Lee's shoulders a reassuring rub. She then left Lee alone.

Lee had requested that TenTen not tell Tsunade about his condition. 'The last thing I need now,' he thought, 'would be her telling me that I need to rest.' Evidently TenTen had abided by his wishes, as Tsunade was still not here.

Lee sat on the edge of the bed, observing his own wounds, but the pain was not what was bothering him most. He raised his fist and hit the bed hard, shaking it. 'Dammit,' he thought, 'I lost again. Every person I've fought, Neji, Sasuke, Gaara, Kimmimaro, and now Naruto, have some kind of hidden power within them. I want so badly to be strong, but everyone keeps progressing faster than I. That's the second time Gai-sensei has needed to save me from a battle.' He looked up towards the ceiling, watching a fan's blades slowly turn, showering him with a comforting wind. He squinted slightly as the wind burned his eyes. 'Am I destined to forever be second best,' he thought to himself, 'Is the world so cruel as to attempt to crush my spirit at every turn? Must I always fail?' He looked down towards the hospital floor now. It was well polished, and he could see his own reflection looking back at him. 'It's almost like the world is telling me that my nindo is flawed; that those with power given to them are superior and that hard work will not take you very far." Lee sighed deeply, a feeling of depression washing over him. 'Why have I been dealt such a bad hand? Why-'

"Lee-san," came a voice from behind him, "what are you doing here?"

Lee turned his head to see who was at the door. Sakura stood there, a few flowers in her hand; she looked like she had just come from a hard training session as her hair was quite messed and out of place, and sweat stained her red clothing in many places. Lee smiled weakly at her but said nothing. He returned to staring at the floor. "What are you doing here," he asked weakly.

"Chouji got attacked by a group of weird old men with chickens on their heads," she said, her voice disdained, "Something about Chouji being a demon that would ruin the restaurant business. He fell out a two story window into a fruit cart. He'll be fine, just a few scrapes and bruises, but Asuma wanted to be sure. But that's the least of his worries, Ino's furious at him right now because he's gotten chubby again, but I guess that's just the way he is." She laughed aloud at this, but stopped when Lee did not seem to respond. He continued to sulk, staring down at his own reflection.

"You really do need to calm down on the training," scolded Sakura, "I know you're enthusiastic, but you really could hurt yourself. Case in point," she added, chuckling slightly. Lee did not respond, his mind was elsewhere, still stewing about today's events.

"You're in really good shape Lee," said Sakura, "I don't think I've ever met a genin that looks like you. Of course, I've been with Chouji so long...are you okay Lee?" she finally asked, taking notice of Lee's slight depression.

"Huh," Lee said, slowly coming out of his own trance, "Oh, I'm fine. Just...been an odd day." He turned back to the floor, sighing deeply. He could still feel Sakura in the room.

"I know what you mean," she said, "I've been training pretty hard myself. I really want to show the judges here that I'm worthy of Chuunin rank, and..." She trailed off, but Lee knew what she was about to say.

"You know Lee," she continued, her voice seemingly sad herself, "I really admire you."

Lee perked up at this comment and looked at Sakura, a perplexed expression on his face. "Why?" he asked.

Sakura laughed slightly, confusing Lee even more, "Isn't it obvious," she said, "You work harder than anyone I've ever seen, and that's saying something coming from someone who knows Naruto. Not only that, despite your lack of ability to do jutsus, you're still so strong. And to top it all off, your spirit seems like it's made of solid steel. Even when everything is seems to have beaten you, no matter how many times you fall down, you always get back up to your feet. Plus," she said, her voice perking up slightly, "you never seem to let anything get you down. You're always helpful, strong, and you never give up. I can see why you're on the same team as Naruto; you two are very much alike, and I think he could really use someone like you right now." She smiled slightly at Lee, who felt any depression he had felt washed away as quickly as it had come. He jumped into the air, landing steadily on his feet.

"You're right Sakura," he said loudly, "I am an Azure Beast of the Hidden Leaf; I never let things get me down. No matter what, I will always strive to be stronger. No matter how many times I am knocked down, I will always get back up. Huah!!" adding on a whooping-crane pose complete with ocean background. Sakura stared at him oddly and then erupted in laughter. "What's so funny," asked Lee, a big grin plastered on his face now.

"You," she said, still laughing, "You're so weird. But, I guess that's an admirably quality; better than just being another face in the crowd."

Lee smiled even broader, revealing his very shiny teeth. "Thanks Sakura," he said, "I was feeling a little uncharacteristically depressed, but I'm ready to go out and face the world now. I am Rock Lee, I WILL NOT FAIL!!"

Sakura laughed at Lee again, giving him a playful push to the shoulder. "I'll see you around Lee," she said, still chuckling slightly, "good luck in the Chuunin exams." She then left and went down the hallway, no doubt to where Chouji was roomed.

Lee watched her leave, and then reached down to the makeshift belt he had made with his Leaf forehead protector. He reached behind it, in the space between his jumpsuit and the belt itself and pulled out a small, loosely wrapped bundle in his own bandages. He opened it slowly and delicately, revealing a single leaf that he had caught yesterday. He looked back towards the door from which Sakura left from, grasping the leaf gently before wrapping it again and replacing it on his belt. He then went to the floor, belly first and began doing alternating, one-handed push-ups, a giant smile on his face, his eyes screwed in determination.

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Sakura continued down the hall away from Lee, hearing a familiar grunting coming from his room.  She smiled to herself and continued down the hall.  She sighed to herself, the hospital reminded her of that day, as it seemed to be the only thing in this entire village that was similar to

She pushed the thought from her mind and continued down the hall, passing by room after room, glancing inside.  She stopped for a moment in front of a particular room.  A little girl was standing beside the bed of a rather tall, long haired man.  The long haired man was hooked up to several machines along with a few I.V.s and appeared to be unconcious.  The little girl grasped the man's prone hand as she cried softly against the bed.  Sakura felt immediately compelled to comfort the girl, but thought better of it.  She was about to continue on until she ran into a very beautiful woman dressed in ANBU garb with deep, blue eyes.  "Oh," she said, slightly embarassed, "I didn't mean to intrude; I'm sorry."  She bowed to the woman. 

Sakura heard the woman give a mirthless laugh, "That's okay," she said, "Do you know him?"

Sakura ran back through her mind, "I remember," she said, "he was a tour guide for one of the groups when we first entered in.  I don't know much else about him.  Is he okay?"

The woman did not answer at first.  "I don't know," she said finally, very voice very soft, "he took quite a consecutive beating.  It seems like he's always in this kind of condition anymore."  The woman looked very depressed, even though she was trying to hide the fact.  Sakura felt overwhelmed with sadness; she wasn't sure why, but she pitied this man greatly.  She walked into the room and placed half of her bouquet in an empty vase next to the man.   She felt a hand on her shoulder squeeze gently, "Thank you," came the woman's voice.

"What's his name," asked Sakura. 

"Izou Raan," she replied, the words seeming to pang her.

Something suddenly clicked in Sakura's mind, "Izou," she said, "aren't they relateed to the past Raikages?  I heard they're a very powerful and formidable clan."

The woman walked slowly over to the bed and gingerly sat down on it, looking at the man's closed eyes.  "Well," she said, her voice quite sad, "this one's not strong in the way you're thinking.  Still, he's the strongest person I've ever met."  Her voice seemed to hiccup slightly, and Sakura could see tears slowly streak down her face.  She didn't know why, but she felt the terrible sadness for this man; it was like the woman was transferring her own emotions to Sakura. 

"I'd better go," Sakura said, feeling the tears well up in her eyes.  The woman nodded at her and she slowly walked from the room.  She could still feel the grief and sadness that coated that room; it permeated into her, making her remember that day.  She almost wished she could forget about Sasuke, about that day, but it was too late to forget.

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Kimiko watched the pink-haired girl leave the room and refocused her attention on Raan.  She brushed a few strands of hair out of his face, feeling the warmth still coming from his face.  Her eyes slowly made their way to the girl, who only recently had told them her name, Megumi.  She was drawing something now, drying the tears from her face.  Kimiko smiled at the girl and made her way around to her.  "What are you drawing?" she asked in a very motherly tone. 

"The nice man," she said, looking up at Kimiko with big, emerald eyes.  She watched her draw a crude coloring of Raan, his golden eyes and long, flowing hair marking him.  She looked across the page to see another drawing.  This one was almost completely in red, his face in a scowl, that showed jagged 'v's going across his mouth.  What stood out most though was the eyes; they were red, with criss-crossing black slashes in them. 

"Who's this," asked Kimiko. 

"The bad man," replied Megumi, her voice suddenly becoming very panicky and fearful, "The set man.  He's the one who hurt the nice man, and..." she paused, her eyes welling with tears, "took mommy and daddy away from me."

Kimiko's eyes went wide with shock, staring at the crude drawing of the perpetrater of not only the destruction of the village, but also the one who murdered the hospital workers.  "He called the nice man bad things.  He said he would hurt the nice man, and the nice man's friends.  But the nice man fought him off somehow, and the bad man left."  Megumi was shuddering now, tears streaming down her face. 

'What the hell,' thought Kimiko.  She looked back over to Raan who remained motionless.  'Raan,' she thought, 'what are you into here?'  Her eyes traced back over to the drawing of the bad man.  'Who are you,' she thought to herself, scowling at the crude drawing. 

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Naruto ran briskly towards the outskirts of town, his heart beating fast and excitedly, anticipating the jutsu he would be learning from Jiraiya. Still, Gai's words rang true in his head, as he took studied his sensei's words in his mind. 'Do I really have such an uncontrollable rage,' he thought, 'is what Gai-sensei says true? Will this uncontrolled rage only lead me to ruin?' He slowed down and went into a slight walk. The gigantic wall that surrounded the city blocked the sun out from him, and he walked in the massive shadow it created.

"What do you think boy, is your rage such a bad thing?"

"Leave me alone."

"Admit it, you don't really believe what that bowl-headed idiot said do you? He's only trying to hinder your progress. After all, you beat up his most beloved student; I'm sure that comes as quite a blow to him."

"I...I didn't mean to go that far."

"But you did, and with a certain amount of satisfaction, I could feel you allowing your anger to dictate your actions. It felt good to just let go didn't it?"

"..."

"Ha, ha, you amuse me. Denying what you really are and what you want to be, it's very humorous. No matter what you do, no matter where you go, you will always be treated as an outsider, an unwanted piece of trash that only represents an obstacle. Why deny this fate, embrace it, and use it. Use it to obtain what you truly desire."

"...Shut up...that's not who I am."

"No, unfortunately you have chosen to be a weak, pathetic fool rather than the transcendent creature that you could easily become. After all, I'm only trying to help you, as I know you better than anyone. The happy little façade you place in front of everyone as some stupid, hungry, enthusiastic little boy who only wants to be loved...is truly pitiable. I know what you really want, need, and hunger for. In a way, I am you; the side of you that you refuse to show anyone else. The unsheathed fury that is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto came slowly to the hot springs. The snow around the area was melted considerably, and a light patch of grass grew around the large grounds. Steam was radiating off the entire complex which gave off a warm glow of heat. The building appeared to be in the shape of a large dojo, with single, sliding door in the front of it. There were a few windows from which more steam issued forth, only to rise and slowly fall as it met the cold outside. Naruto looked for signs of Jiraiya but found none. He slowly entered into the building, pulling back the sliding door and closing it as he entered. The warmth inside the building gave him a feeling of comfort and euphoria. He inhaled deeply, the hot steam of the building warming his insides, giving his lungs a very hot feeling, but comfortably so. A light music played over the speakers; a warm soothing tone that sounded very foreign to him. His eyes half-closed as he listened to the enchantingly smooth melody that slowly danced about his senses. The combination of the hot steam, contrasting the cold weather, the music, and the atmosphere itself, sent him into a deep lull; he felt as though he could fall asleep on his feet. Naruto felt his head brush against the thin walls of the place and quickly shook his head violently, brining him back to the task at hand, finding the perverted hermit.

It was divided into several different sections. Three main sections for the first, men, women, and co-ed, which were themselves divided into four separate baths, cold, lukewarm, warm, and hot. Naruto deliberated upon which room he would find the perverted hermit in. 'Well,' thought Naruto, 'he wouldn't be in the men's section, after all, he's not here to take a bath. So if he's only here to peek, he would want to be in the women's section, even if he could get into the co-ed section easier.' He smiled to himself as he made his way to the women's area, slowly opening the door and peeking inside. There were four rooms inside, one from which steam issued forth. Naruto smiled wryly to himself as he stared at the room labeled 'hot'.

Naruto's eyes darted from side to side before he made a fast approach into the room. He was completely blinded by the steam, and could not see anything in front of him. The air actually burned his eyes to the point of tearing them completely. "Hey, perverted hermit," he finally yelled loudly, "where the hell are you." A large splash was then heard, followed by several screams and many slapping noises, along with screams of pain. Naruto watched as the figures of several women exited from the area and back into the hall.

A groan of pain came from the center of the room, which Naruto followed until his eyes refocused on his would be sensei, waist-deep in the pool, his face filled with different hand prints on it. Naruto shot Jiraiya a dirty look, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked.

Jiraiya quickly returned to his feet, a look of fiery rage on his face, "I WAS gathering data for my latest novel, perched precariously above the water, my all-seeing eye showing me the amazing curves and figures of the fabulous women in this city, until some STUPID, LOUD, and UNGRATEFUL little brat broke my concentration and caused me to plummet into the water, scaring all the ladies off."

"SHUT-UP," yelled Naruto back at the perverted hermit, "You were supposed to be training me in some cool, new jutsu. Instead you're here gaining the title of biggest pervert on the continent.

Jiraiya sighed deeply, "I guess I can't avoid you can I?" he asked, eliciting a dark stare from Naruto. "Oh, all right," said Jiraiya finally pulling himself from the water and walking cautiously to the door. His eyes were wide and fearful as Naruto followed him out of the water. "Looks like we're in the clear," he said to Naruto. They walked out of the steamy room and into the open hallway.

About twenty different women were waiting for their arrival, every one of them looking furious. Naruto stared wide-eyed and fearful, while Jiraiya shook badly next to him. Their frightened eyes met quickly. Suddenly, Jiraiya picked up Naruto by his collar and hurled him towards the women, "He's the one you want!" he shouted, "Perverted little kid!" He then proceeded to run as fast as possible in the other direction, leaving Naruto to deal with the women on his own. They were bearing down on him now, closer, and closer...

Naruto screamed as he was flung from the area, head first, landing hard in the snow. "And don't even think about coming back here again, you perverted little brat," came the voice of the largest and most boisterous women amongst the group. Naruto rubbed his face, feeling the bruises, scrapes, slaps, and scratches that now scathed him completely.

"Oh, well I see you made it out okay," said Jiraiya, leaning lazily against a nearby tree.

Naruto jumped to his feet, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!!" he screamed, echoing across the entire city.

"Consider it payment for training," said Jiraiya, "now," he cracked his knuckles and stretched out his back, causing several pops to fill the air, "Let's get started. First off, do you remember this?" He held his hand palm up, and a blue swirl began to collect there, accelerating and growing quickly. The whirring sound it make picked up, until it made a slight hum in the air.

Naruto got to his feet, his face still sending a stinging sensation through the rest of his body. "I already know that jutsu perverted hermit," he said indignantly, "I thought you were going to teach me a different one."

Jiraiya simply raised an eyebrow. "Do you," he asked. Suddenly, the whirring grew louder, and the small ball in his hands began to grow outward, slower and slower, until the chakra began to spin wilder in his hand, moving outwards all around it. It exceeded the length of his palm slowly, while the top of the ball stayed the same. Naruto watched in amazement as the ball gradually turned into an elongated, blue disk that sat unwieldy on Jiraiya's hand. Naruto watched as the perverted hermit screwed his face in concentration, a small bead of sweat rolling down his face. The disk was whirring very loudly now, and Jiraiya seemed to be having some difficulty keeping it stable. Naruto watched on in awe, as Jiraiay suddenly spun on his heel, holding the disc away from his body. His hair jerked around his body in a tight arc, clinging to himself. The long, spiky ponytail whipped around him quickly. He spun faster and faster until he let out what sounded like a war cry. He was now a blur of white, grey, red, and all other colors on his body, the disk making an even louder whirring sound than before. Naruto's eyes grew wide as the air itself began to spin around Jiraiya, forming a giant vacuum all around him that sucked in any nearby debris. Light snow was picked up off the ground and spun around Jiraiya as well, as if pulled up by some unseen force. Branches from nearby trees were now swaying towards Jiraiya's spin, as any leaves were plucked from their branches and headed quickly to the perverted hermit as well.

Now, Jiraiya was nothing more than a tornado of encircling snow, leaves, and debris; the sound of the rasengan was foreign to Naruto now, as the whirring was loud enough to vibrate the ground he stood on. Suddenly, Jiraiya placed one, sandaled foot out and drug it along the snowy ground, leaving a deep trail in the snow as the even the dirt underneath it began to trail under him. 'Amazing,' thought Naruto, watching his would-be sensei in a trance, as if Jiraiya was performing a type of dance that caused everything around him to dance in unison. "NOW," Naruto heard Jiraiya yell. The blue disk flew outwards from the cyclone, a long trail of chakra behind it. Jiraiya had stopped now, all of the leaves, snow, and debris were now encircling the flying rasengan as it cut through the air, making a loud whistling as it went. Naruto watched on in utter amazement as Jiraiya furrowed his brow, his eyes fixed in an almost permanent fury. He gritted his teeth, watching the spinning disk move amazingly quick away from him. The trail of chakra behind the disk was getting longer now, as the disk flew faster and faster, picking up speed as it went. It suddenly hit a nearby tree, but moved straight through it without even stopping; in fact it seemed to move faster. The tree fell in an instant, landing with a loud crash on the ground that shook the earth in a huge rumble. Naruto watched the disk arc through the air, as Jiraiya violently pulled his arm back, turning the disk to the left and sending it into even more trees, slicing through each with nary a sound except for the loud vibrating noise the disk itself made. Naruto smiled at the perverted hermit, astounded at the power such a jutsu encompassed, but Jiraiya kept his eyes on the disk. Suddenly, he pulled his arm back completely, shortening the chakra string connected to the disk. The disk turned completely askew, now traveling more akin to a wheel than a disk. It headed straight for Jiraiya, picking up yet more speed as it went. The ground began to shake violently as the disk came closer to them both. Naruto's eyes went wide as fear pumped through him, sending panicking electricity through his body, telling him to run. But the awe of the jutsu was far too much to bear.

The disk was now only meters from them both. "Hey, perverted hermit," he said, attempting to get Jiraiya's attention, but he did not move, only stared at the disk, raising his other arm outward in a crook, as if to catch the disk in between his two hands. All of a sudden, he grabbed the disk on either side with both of his hands. His entire body shook at the impact, and the momentum of the catch drove him back several feet, but he stood his ground. The spinning disk was pulling everything towards it; Naruto watched as the perverts cloths and hair whipped out violently towards the disk. "KAI," Jiraiya shouted at the disk. It slowly began to dissipate into nothing as the pervert's hands grew closer and closer, destroying the giant disk between them. Finally, silence again reigned in the forest. Jiraiya was breathing heavily, seemingly exhausted. Naruto was silent, his eyes wide, his mouth drooping open slightly. "What the hell was that," he asked, his voice soft with wonder.

Jiraiya composed himself and turned around to face Naruto. Sweat glistened off his head, matting down his usually spiky hair. "That," he said, "was the true power of the rasengan. What I have just showed you is exactly why this jutsu not only took the Fourth Hokage 3 years to complete, but also why this jutsu is considered one of the most powerful and dangerous in Konoha. However, don't take this jutsu lightly. Compared to the stage you're at now, you will not get this completed before the Chuunin exam starts. I'd be surprised if you got this one done in about four years. It takes more control and stamina than most ninjas have."

Naruto laughed, "I did the first three steps in quickly," he said, chuckling slightly, "I bet I can do this one in a couple days." His laughter turned nervous though, as he couldn't even believe his own words.

"Were we watching the same jutsu," asked Jiraiya mockingly, "From making the rasengan, it takes another three steps to get to the point where I was. First, you have to add a considerable amount of power to it, then control that power in a certain way so that the disk is formed with more power around the sides than the center. And after that, you still have to get down the spinning of your own body in unison with the whirling of the rasengan. Then, you have to have enough control to keep the chakra connected to the disk as it spins, continually adding power to it. But nothing even compares to the power to stop the damn thing. That disk will eat away at your chakra constantly, never ceasing until you are empty.

"You have to respect this jutsu Naruto," continued Jiraiya, his tone solemn now, "it's not something that can be used lightly or in every situation. It is slow to prepare, and the spinning of your body will only offer a slight protection against attacks. It leaves you very open, and very drained." He approached Naruto, kneeling down so that he was eye to eye with him. "The Fourth used this jutsu to wound the Kyuubi enough to pull its soul out. He could not grasp the Kyuubi by himself, and the villagers of Konoha bought him the time to do not only the rasengan, but the jutsu with which to seal the demon inside you," he said, poking Naruto in the belly.

Naruto blinked in silent awe. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. The rasengan he had learned was nothing compared to the one he had seen. He looked up at Jiraiya, determination in his eyes, "I'll learn this jutsu," he said, "and I will protect my precious people with its power."

Jiraiya said nothing for a moment, but the seriousness did not wave from his face. "I heard about that little brawl you had in the city," he said, "Were you trying to protect anyone there? Or were you trying to rip your opponent to pieces? If you're going to learn a jutsu of this level, you're going to have to grow up quite a bit. No more allowing your emotions to control you. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard this eh?"

Naruto's mind went back to what Gai-sensei had said, but also what the Kyuubi had said earlier. He didn't know what to think anymore, but he did want to learn this jutsu. The anger still welled inside his heart; he could feel it constantly now. "I'll control myself," he said to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya eyed him oddly, "Alright," he said, his eyes showing that he was still unconvinced, "Let's begin then..."

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"Again," yelled Gai as Lee drove his leg deeper into the steel beam. He luckily was released from the hospital quickly as they decided anyone who could do two thousand, one-handed push-ups was alright to let go. He had gone back to Gai's area immediately, not wanting to waste any time lying in a sick bed. He was now pounding on the steel beam, the sting of his recent defeat still haunting him and driving him forward.

Lee breathed hard, and shouted with each successive hit, the pain of the experience only spurring him onward. The sound of his voice echoed in the cavernous building; everything in it reminding him of his painful defeat to Naruto only a short time ago. 'Never again,' thought Lee, driving his leg even harder into the steel. His leg was bleeding now, staining his normally green jumpsuit a dull red in long lines across his leg, but he did not stop. Every hit drove his spirit higher, 'With every kick,' he thought, 'every punch, every push, I grow a little stronger. I will not lose these Chuunin exams; I will prove myself with Gai-sensei smiling on behind me. I will prove to everyone that I am strong, powerful, controlled, fierce, intelligent, everything needed to show that I am a great ninja.' Lee shouted loud enough to make his voice crack as he drove a whirlwind kick into the beam, splitting it in half with a loud clang that reverberated across the floor. Lee watched with satisfaction as the beam half sailed through the air to land with a metallic thud on the floor meters from him.

"Excellent work Lee," said Gai, "you grow stronger and more impressive with each passing second. Soon your brilliance will dazzle the judges of the Chuunin examination so well, they will be blinded by the luminous intensity and amazing work you do. I know it!" adding on his usual good-guy pose.

Lee rubbed his leg, trying to dull the pain he felt in it. "Thank you Gai-sensei," he winced, "but it appears I lost today."

Gai merely shrugged his shoulders, "A trivial thing," he reassured Lee, "Naruto was indeed the better man today; he is quite strong, and an accomplished student of the Azure Beast as well. But don't despair, with a spirit such as yours I'm sure you will prevail. I have never met someone like you Lee; you are a one of a kind, amazing Azure Beast yourself."

Lee smiled at his sensei, standing painfully on his feet. "I," he hesitated, but continued on, "I want to beat a genius. Someone that has such an exceptional power that even the strongest ninjas cannot defeat them. Someone that is truly a force to be reckoned with. I want to fight that person, and show them that hard work truly surpasses the genius skills; that will prove my way of the ninja!" He looked up at his sensei for approval; Gai smiled broadly at him.

"Well, this is the perfect opportunity to do that," he told Lee, "there are many skilled ninjas here, Naruto amongst them. But don't forget Lee, you're also in that league, and I'm sure that people will be targeting a skilled ninja such as yourself."

Lee stood straight up and saluted his sensei, "I welcome such a challenge." He then looked away from Gai, seemingly hesitant.

"Hm," said Gai, craning his neck closer to Lee, "you have something else to ask your most excellent teacher?"

Lee nodded slightly, an almost embarrassed look on his face. "Have you," he said slowly, "ever beaten Kakashi sensei in a fight?"

Gai laughed aloud at this, surprising Lee. "We are eternal rivals he and I," he chimed, "We have fought more than a hundred times in different events ranging from simple footraces to complex taijutsu exposes. And in that time, I have defeated the genius ninja Kakashi many times in one on one combat. Even if Kakashi knows a thousand jutsus, even if he possesses the Sharingan, no single strategy is invincible. That is the whole point of this exam; you have to learn to use this," poking Lee in the head, "before you can learn to use this," he flexed his arm, the muscles rippling underneath, and patted it gently. "That is what makes us so amazing Lee; we don't have the many advantages others have, so when we succeed, it truly raises our spirits and shows everyone what a true ninja is made of."

Lee smiled brightly at his sensei, "You really are amazing Gai-sensei," he said.

"Not as much as my students," he replied, giving Lee a pat on the shoulder. "Well, unfortunately I have some most important business to take care of, and I leave you for now. Do not despair though, we shall get up bright and early in the morning to train yet again."

Lee looked disappointedly at Gai, but quickly changed his face to a smile and watched his sensei walk off.

Lee sighed to himself, slightly saddened that the training had to end. "Well," he thought, "I'd better find a place to refresh myself. Even I need some recuperating sometimes.' He walked out the building into the dusky sky. The welcoming rays of the sun had long gone now, to be replaced by a blackened sky, peppered with clouds and stars alike. The stars were a very welcome sight to Lee, as he gazed up at their white brilliance in amazement. He grinned wryly, and then went into a brisk jog that escalated into an all out sprint into the populous areas of the city. Several screams and profanities were heard as the green and orange blur that was Rock Lee, maneuvered around pedestrians and other obstacles, succeeding in knocking down a few shoppers from the sheer speed of his sprint. There was a long trail of debris following him now, and Lee could feel his legs burning once again, eliciting a satisfied smile from their owner.

"What the hell," came a familiar voice that trailed off from behind him. Lee skidded to a halt, driving a pile of snow, grass, and dirt in front of him. He quickly turned around to see two of his genin comrades.

"Salutations Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba," yelled Rock Lee boisterously, "Are you both out training to become most powerful nins as well?"

Kiba and Shino walked slowly up to rock Lee, admiring Lee's long path in the snow. Kiba's dog Akamaru lay lazily on his head, while Shino remained stoic as usual. "We just got done," said Kiba, "we're looking for someplace to eat; I still haven't taken advantage of that infinite tab thing we got." He smiled evilly while Akamaru barked loudly on his head.

"Ah," exclaimed Lee, "I am also looking for a spot with which to refresh myself. Perhaps," he rushed in between the two of them, placing one arm across each's shoulder, "we should search together. After all, Gai-sensei always says that meals are so much more enjoyable if eaten with comrades in arms," smiling widely at the two of them.

Kiba looked utterly confused, "Um, I guess," he said, Akamaru giving a low whine to Kiba's statement. Shino still said nothing, but raised a single eyebrow to Lee.

They walked on together for another hour until they came to a dank and dark part of town that smelled heavily. Trash was piled to the sides, and elongated building with large flashing, neon lights towered in the sky promising a good time. Bums and hobos, holding their liquor tightly, muttered incoherent phrases or snored loudly in the dark corners of alleys. "Hey, this place looks good," shouted Lee, pointing to a long, wooden building resembling an old saloon. The place looked ancient as the wood appeared rotted, and brown all around it. A sign, long worn, seemed to say, "Hard & Heavy," the name of the place no doubt. Several drunks stumbled around the area, shouting at inanimate objects and puking into refuse bins.

"Lee," said Shino finally, "that's a bar."

"To the bar then," said Lee, "they no doubt serve some type of refreshing food. After all, with as many people throwing up here, it must be some place where the training elite come after a grueling work out." He began racing towards the building, motioning for Kiba and Shino to follow.

"Wait a second Lee," yelled Kiba, but Lee had already entered into the building. Kiba sighed heavily, "should we follow him?" he asked Shino.

"Probably," he said stoically, "he's a little too enthusiastic for his own good." They followed Lee's lead and entered into the shabby, brown building.

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Four sound nins watched form a distance as they saw three leafs enter into the saloon. "Hm," said the first, his voice deep and excited, "this looks like it could be fun."

"No way," said the second, her voice higher, but seemingly strong, "Orochimaru would get pissed if he found out we started a fight."

"That's only if we let them survive," said the first.

"I agree," came a robotically stoic voice from behind them, "it could be 'fun'."

"Well then," came a fourth, very fast and ratty voice from in front of them, "what are we waiting for."

"I don't know," said the second again, "I don't want to I really don't want to displease Orochimaru-sama."

"Then stay here," said the fourth, his voice annoyed, "We'll take care of them. We won't leave a scrap."

"Orochimaru might even get a kick out of it," chuckled the first.

"What are we waiting for then," came the third's voice again, "Let's go."

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Lee stared in amazement at the dilapidated surroundings around him. Round tables were abundant in the area, with chairs scattered all across the floor. Many of the tables and chairs had legs broken off and thrown in several directions, some covered in dry blood. A bald man with several tattoos and earrings stood behind the bar, a variety of different bottles behind him. He spat into a glass and proceeded to wipe it with a dingy rag. Several gruff looking men, each with an astoundingly large belly, were playing a game of cards on a round table in the corner. A few others seemed passed out round tables to the other side of the room, drooling heavily on the tables, while others preferred the floor. Lee looked behind him as Kiba and Shino entered in through the dusty double doors. Lee took in a deep breath through his nostrils; "Smell that atmosphere," he exclaimed.

"Smells like something alright," coughed Kiba, waving a hand in front his nose while Akamaru barked in agreement. "I don't think we should be here Lee, let's try somewhere else."

"Aye," came a gruff voice from in front of them. The bartender squinted at them through his pig-like face, "Ya kids orderin' or what? Don't just stand in front of the door like ijits, take a damn seat." The bartender snorted heavily and then spit mucus into another glass, cleaning it with the same dingy rag.

Lee rushed up to the bartender, "Do you have anything that will revitalize and refresh a most exhausted and tired youth," he asked cheerfully.

"Kid," he replied, placing his hands on the dirty bar top, "I got booze, booze, and more booze, what's ya pick."

'What's booze,' thought Lee.

"Hey, Mr. umm, Guy," piped Kiba from behind them, "Do you have anything to eat around here."

"You'll have to ask that bitch that works here," growled the bartender, "She's probably passed out somewhere. If ya find her, poke her awake with somethin' and tell her she's wastin' my money. So what'll ya have then?"

Kiba and Shino left to procure a table while Lee observed the selection of drink behind the bartender. "Hmm, what's the strongest drink you have here? One that will no doubt give me the energy necessary to not only get an early start tomorrow, but also train for a few hours more tonight?"

"Hey kid," came a slurred voice from Lee's right. The man next to him"What you want is dis' stuff rite 'ere." He slammed a bottle down on the counter with a very voluptuous on the side of it.

Lee examined the bottle curiously, "What is it," he asked.

"I tell you whut it be," said the filthy man, "Liquid Courage!!" he then proceeded to lose his balance and hit the floor with a crash.

Lee's eyes went wide, 'Liquid Courage,' he thought, 'that must be a most revitalizing and amazing drink indeed.' "One Liquid Courage," yelled Lee excitedly. The bartender rolled his eyes and slammed a bottle down on the counter similar to the one the man now sleeping on the floor had. Lee grasped the bottle, ripped off the top and downed it in one single sitting. It burned heavily as it went down his throat and churned madly in his stomach. He slammed the bottle back on the bar, breathing deeply, the bartender with an astounded expression on his face, revealing several broken and yellow teeth.

'Well,' thought Lee, 'it wasn't the best drink I've ever tasted, but I'm sure...it...will...d...o...huh!?'

His started to become blurred and fuzzy; his mind was doing back flips in his head. Lee wasn't even sure if he was awake or asleep now. His speech became slurred, and he had a very familiar sensation wash through his body...

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Kiba and Shino sat down at one of the nearby tables, on the same side as the large, burly men playing cards. "What the hell are we doing here anyway?" he said, Akamaru barking his agreement, "I don't think we're going to be getting any food here, and I'm not touching this place's alcohol. My mom and sister would kill me."

"Well," said Shino, his voice still monotone, "chalk it up as a learning experience. Let's just get Lee and go." They stood up and approached Lee, who was now swaying wildly. Suddenly, the double doors burst open, revealing three nins with the ensignia of the sound on them.

"Well look what we've found here," said the one in front, "A couple of Leaf rats out for a night on the town." His voice was deep and scathing. He wore a tight t-shirt that clung to his body, wrapped in bandages forming an 'X' across his chest. His forehead protector was wrapped around the top of his head, holding a slicked, pompadour black hair style in place. He wore dark, brown shorts that went down to his knees; the rest of his legs were covered with long bandages that wormed their way around his legs, stopping at his black, shinobi sandals. On his forearms, he wore two, odd, multi-holed contraptions that seemed furrowed, almost like graters of some sort. The one to his right, dwarfed the other two, wearing a long cloak that covered most of his skinny body. His arms and legs seemed bony, and were wrapped in bandages just like the first one. On his long neck, there was a metallic instrument that circled it completely, with several slits in the front of it. He was completely bald and had his forehead protector over his mouth. The last one to the left of the group looked very deranged, as he was smiling broadly and rubbing his bony hands excitedly. His back was hunched so that he looked considerably shorter than the other two. His body was wrapped in a filthy rag, that hugged his rat-like body. Long, red hair dangled from his thin head almost to the floor, arranged in an odd type of braiding that appeared only on the left side of his head. His eyes were two different colors, one completely red, that he squinted, and the other wide open and completely blue.

"Sound nins," growled Kiba, "what the hell do you want."

"Oh nothing really," said the rat-like one very quickly, "Just your blood, your bones, your organs, all wrapped nicely in a little package that I can send to your family on your birthday." He cackled madly, his voice going very high-pitched.

"We shouldn't engage each other until the exams," said Shino, his voice emotionless as it always was, "after all, you have amnesty from the Raikage; we wouldn't want to cause any trepidation between us."

"Coward," came a robotic voice to their left. The tallest one was speaking now; the words coming from the slotted machine on his neck, "all you Leaf are. Just a dieing village that will be destroyed when the time is right."

"Who the hell do you think you are," growled Kiba, Akamaru joining in with him.

"Well boys," said the one in the center, "we forgot to introduce ourselves. Allow me to present, three of the five of Orochimaru's honor guard. Here we have Garuda," pointing to the largest one, "Shiaki," motioning to the hunched, rat-like one, "and myself, Zeumon. Along with the one outside and Uchiha Sasuke, we are Orochimaru's elite, complete with his trademark cursed seals. And now, I think it's time to burn some of the Leaf rats that we have trapped in this hole."

"Kill them, kill them, kill them dead, dead, dead, dead!" cackled Shiaki.

"You're going to have one hell of a time doing that," laughed Kiba, hunching himself, preparing for battle. Akamaru's fur stood on end as he growled at the nins before them.

"3 vs. 2," said Zeumon, "I don't think we will. This should be finished up in a few seconds."

Kiba looked over at Shino; he appeared to be standing stock still, but Kiba could smell the chakra bugs begin to pour out of him underneath his clothing. "You must be stupider than you look," he chuckled at Zeumon, "there are three of us dumbass." He then looked back expecting Lee to be ready to fight, but his face soon drooped to shock at the sight of Lee.

Lee was stumbling badly, his cheeks were very red, and he was hiccupping. "Well whut've we got 'ere," said Lee, his speech badly slurred, "I see big phreak, medium phreak, and small phreak. So the question is, which one of you phreaks wantza piece of an Azure Beast! Hey, that kind of rhymes."

Kiba could only stare in disbelief, 'Dammit Lee,' he thought, 'now of all times you decide to start drinking.'

Zeumon went into peals of laughter. "This guy's drunk off his ass," he chuckled, "Shiaki, deal with the drunkard."

"With pleasure," replied Shiaki, he stared at Lee, his open eye twitching badly. "I think it's time for you to die boy," he cackled.

Lee charged forward until he was only inches from Shiaki's face. "Oh yeah," he slurred, "well I think you're too ugly to be my mother," and delivered a monstrous straight punch to Shiaki's face, driving him through the back wall with a thunderous crash that made everyone besides the nins take cover.

Zeumon looked on in shock as Lee stumbled backwards to the bar and leaned against it. "Well what're ya waitin' for ladies," he taunted, "com'on."

Zuemon charged forward to Lee, but was intercepted by Kiba. "Beast Human Bunshin," he yelled, as Akamaru transformed into another Kiba that charged at Zuemon, driving them both to the ground, breaking tables and chairs as Kiba dived forward as well, joining in the fray.

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Shiaki appeared again, rubbing his now broken nose.

"You're going to pay for that you green bastard," he screeched and charged at Lee, running across the tops of tables and chairs to get to a still intoxicated Lee. Suddenly, Shiaki's head detached from his body, showing an extremely long neck. Lee observed the event nonchalantly, as Shiaki revealed a long row of fangs, ready to dive into Lee. Suddenly, Lee snapped his head forward, bringing his body completely parallel to the ground, spinning through the air to deliver a strong kick to Shiaki's extended head, knocking it back to its owner. Lee continued to roll forward, charging wobbly towards Shiaki.

"Now you're dead trash," yelled Shiaki, detaching his other limbs that stretched towards Lee, attempting to claw, slash, and kick a still very drunk Lee.

Lee felt very detached with the world, seeing a few amorphous shapes come towards him and dodging each easily, bending and contorting his body so that he flowed around them. He grabbed a heavily extended arm and tugged on it with all the force his body could muster, dragging Shiaki's main body with it. "Kwohano Senpwuu," yelled Lee, delivering a hard spinning knee right between Shiaki's legs. Lee could have sworn he had never heard a man's voice go that high, but the impact of the hit sent Shiaki's body and limbs across the tabled zone to land in a pile of the, shattering them to splinters.

"Well, that'll teach you not to do...that thing...you do," hiccupped Lee, still wobbling badly.

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Shino watched as Kiba attempted to hold down a struggling Zeumon, but his attention turned back to the remaining Sound Nin. Shino looked at him nonchalantly as he charged forward, his long cloak billowing in the air. His fist was mere inches from Shino when thousands of bugs sprung out from under the floorboards, blocking the attack and attaching themselves to the tall nin. The taller nin thrashed on the ground, attempting to remove the bugs from him while Shino watched on. He heard a shrill cry to the right of him to see a multi-appendaged nin fly into a collection of tables, destroying them, while Lee stumbled around the bar.

'Does he fight better drunk?' wondered Shino.

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Zeumon kicked Akamaru off his body and returned to an attacking stance. Kiba and Akamaru circled around him, jumping from table to table as the approached.

"Dammit," he heard Zuemon yell, "we can't reveal ourselves here. Let's get the hell out of here." He nimbly dodged an attack by Kiba and returned to the entrance. Garuda was removing the last of the bugs from his body as he joined Zuemon at the exit. Shiaki's limbs were returning to normal as he was gingerly holding his crotch, groaning in a high pitched voice as he hobbled towards the exit. Suddenly, Lee dived forward, grabbing Shiaki's leg.

"Where ya goin' kiddo," he said, his speech still very broken and slurred, "I haven't showed yu the Most Amazing Azoore Beest Toss, here we go," he began to spin quickly, still holding onto Shiaki's leg, who was now screaming in a shrill voice as Lee flung him into the liquor at the back of the bar, the bottles creating a cacophony of broken glass that landed on Shiaki.

"Back off Lee," said Kiba, "I think we've done enough for now."

"Whatever you say Captin Dogathus," he spewed out before wobbling off his feet, clutching the bar for support.

Shiaki crawled over the bar, still holding his groin as he hopped towards his comrades. "The Raikage will hear of this," shouted Zuemon, "and by the end of this exam, you bastards are dead. Especially the drunk asshole." They then rushed out through the door and back out into the night.

Kiba breathed a sigh of relief as they left, Akamaru turning back to his normal dog form in a puff of smoke. He barked happily as he returned to his spot on Kiba's head. The bugs from earlier were returning to their home under Shino's skin, who didn't even seem to move from his original spot during the fray.

Lee was no worse for wear, although every person in the bar was now staring at him like some drunken demon. Kiba shook his head, "We'd better get out of here," he said looking around at the bar. The dilapidated place was not even recognizable anymore. What had been tables and chairs nearly ten minutes ago were now piles of splinters, along with floorboards, and the bar itself, which had a large chunk taken out of it. Liquor poured along the ground like a river, and now each of them were stepping in it slightly. He stared at the bartender, who was finally coming up from his hiding spot under the bar, his eyes wide with fear. "Umm," said Kiba nervously, "put it on our tab?"

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"Leaf bastards," said Zeumon, running angrily through the snow, "If only we could go all out, but Orochimaru said to save that for the exam. Dammit, we could have torn them to ribbons, I'm sure of it." Garuda and Shiaki followed behind him, back to the alley where Ninia was waiting. "You could have back us up," he said, "there were like, fifty of them." No answer came. "Ninia," said Zeumon again, "get off your lazy ass and help Shiaki back; he's the worst injured out of all of us." Again, no answer. "Ninia," said Zeumon, his voice concerned slightly this time. He searched in the darkness, the night sky covering the entire alley. He pawed blindly on the ground and walls. Finally, he found Ninia, "There you are," he said, "why didn't you answer." She still said nothing. 'What the hell,' Zeumon thought.

He slowly drug her body into the light but quickly let go of her as the grotesque sight came into view. She was completely mutilated, her mouth open, warm blood dribbling from her the corners. Her blank eyes stared up at the sky blindly. Her torso was completely separated from lower half, and a huge puncture wound that went straight through her chest covered a large portion of her body. Blood streamed forth from her like a river, slowly cascading down into the snow, melting it and turning it red.

Garuda and Shiaki were in similar shock; their recent defeat seeming meaningless. "What the hell happened to her," said Garuda through his voice box, "she looks like she didn't even have to activate her seal."

Zeumon surveyed the ground, finding a piece of metal covered in the snow that reflected the moon light off of it. He pulled it out to find a forehead protector with a Leaf insignia on it. Fury ran through him as he grasped the metal plate hard. "Leaf bastards," he said through clenched teeth, "they'll pay for this." He turned to Garuda and Shiaki, "Inform Orochimaru of this; he'll want to know what the Leaf did here." Garuda and Shiaki slowly backed away and ran in the direction of their lodgings. "They'll pay for this," said Zeumon, "I'll make sure of it."

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Julius slowly made his way across the rooftops, his boots clanking and crunching in the snow. He looked behind him, making sure that his trail could not be followed and continued on. He reached for the white cloth around his waste and pulled out a small, grey box that fit in the palm of his hand. He depressed a single button on it, "Mission accomplished," he said. He wiped the blood from his other hand onto his white garb, only for it to slowly fall to the snow below, splotching it in places.

"Excellent," came the Raikage's voice, scratchy through the transmission, "did you leave the 'evidence?'

"Yes," Julius responded, "my trail was covered, no one will follow it this far."

"Good work," replied the Raikage, "let's hope this causes the desired ruckus I need. I may have to inform the other Kage's of the Leaf's 'underhanded tactics.'"

Julius turned off the receiver and replaced it on his belt. Black, billowing clouds had surfaced across the night sky again, blocking out any light they once had. Julius looked up at the sky. "To my ally," he said to himself, raising his still bloody hand to the sky. He walked off into the darkness, the crunching of snow under his boots fading as he made his way into the shadows.

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A/N: Long chapter this time. Hope it was good. Sorry it took so long getting out, but I just kept adding to it, and well, this happened. Well, hope you enjoyed it.