I'm really sorry for not updating after a long long time. I hope I can make it to you. Please enjoy...

Chapter 7: Untold Story

The group emerged from the cave, and by their looks, they were not good. Genma and Gai were supporting each other as they walked out; Kakashi was carrying Naruto on his back; the Anbus were supporting each other and Tsunade who was supporting Etsuya walked ahead of them.

Tsunade noticed the three young ninjas approaching them. She wondered how these ninjas came to know the situation.

"Hey you brats, what are you doing here?" Tsunade asked.

"We felt something uneasy so we came here," Neiji answered as he noticed the stranger clinging on the Hokage. It was not typical of Neiji to talk but he took Tsunade by surprise.

'So they have felt it. This is bad,' she thought.

Neiji went to Gai to help him; while Sasuke went to Naruto and Kakashi and offer to help carry Naruto. Shino stayed with the Hokage and offer to help her carry the stranger.

"Captain," said one of the Anbus behind, "we survived… but that kid…"

"Yes, that kid," the captain, answered dumbly, "I don't pretend to understand the power of the kyubi. But now there are two things I understand," he pause for a moment and looked at the kid ahead of them. He saw the unconscious face of a 15 year old ninja and continued, "The power of the Kyubi is beyond control; beyond human understanding and comprehension. But that kid has it with him for 15 years and it even tried to break out, however, that kid managed to stop it…The future of Konoha.

Bright lights; faceless people they all reached out their hands. The blonde ninja reached out for them. He touched one of them and immediately the face was revealed.

"Sakura-chan." The pink haired girl smiled at him then all the faceless people began to reveal their faces. Naruto saw the rookie 9 including their senseis and the Hokage.

"Everyone…"

Tsunade was awakened by the sudden flinching of Naruto's unconscious body as she was holding his hands. Much to her delight at long last Naruto showed some sign of life for 12 hours he was there, he did not budged an inch. She stood up and kiss Naruto's forehead and head for the door. Flashes of last night's nightmare brought her a stinging pain in her chest. She could not bear lose another person so close to her. She held the doorknob for a moment then proceeded outside.

Outside Naruto's room, a nurse was waiting for Tsunade, "Hokage-sama, Etsuya is already awake. He looks fine, his.." the nurse stopped as Tsunade head straight to Etsuya's room not minding her report. Her wake was so frightening that the nurse did not force herself to follow and continue her report. Tsunade somehow sense the nurse's uneasiness, she turned to her and gently motioned the nurse to follow her to Etsuya's room. The nurse complied and they proceeded.

Sasuke was at the bridge alone. He was staring at the stream below and pondered what happened last night and the conversation they had about Naruto.

"Red chakra," he mumbles. The wind swept his long black hair and cool breeze touched his sharp chiseled handsome face. His serious demeanor has always been his trademark. A signature of chakra caught his attention. He turned sideways to his right and saw Kakashi.

"Yoh," his usual greetings but this time its less enthusiastic. His serious eye could tell it all.

" Kakashi," Sasuke acknowledged. "So what was that last night?"

"Always straight are you, Sasuke," he replied. Sasuke did not react. "Well the only thing I can tell you for now is that you are not supposed to be there." Kakashi shifted himself and leaned on one of the pillar of the bridge with his shoulder. "But since you were there, there is nothing much we can do, but I warn you not to talk about it for the time being." He looked up the skies and saw how blue it was. For some reason it gave him mixed emotions. Then he looked at Sasuke who was looking at him closely and seemed was studying his every actions. "However, there is another reason why I came to see you today."

"Yeah," Sasuke dryly replied. "And what is it?"

"Training, meet me tomorrow at 5 am. The same place." Kakashi left in a puff of smoke.

"About time." Sasuke said. He then left the bridge, not knowing that Sakura saw them talking.

Sakura went straight to Naruto's apartment and knocked vehemently at Naruto's door.

"Hey Naruto are you there! If your there, wake up I have something to tell you. I know we haven't spoken for a while but… Hey Naruto!" Sakura yelled. But then again and again there was no answer. Finally the landlady came out from the next door.

"Hey lady, quit yelling there are other people here. So beat it will yah!"

"Oh sorry about that old lady," Sakura left.

"Hey who are you calling old lady moron!" but Sakura didn't mind the lady's reaction.

"Where the hell is that idiot," she murmured. Then an idea came to her mind. Well she has been his teammate a while. Somehow she knows him pretty well by then. She went directly to the only place where Naruto would probably be.

Over the years, the ramen stand didn't stay as it was, but eventually several tables were added but still their specialty is ramen. All thanks to the loud blonde ninja. It has 2 tables good for two; 3 tables good for 4 and a long table good for a group of 8. Each table are covered with red satin cloth with yellow linings and dragons of different form as it's embroidery.

Sakura arrived there but only to find that he was not there. However, Ayame spotted Sakura despite the growing numbers of the customers.

"Sakura-san, what can I do for you," she called to her.

"Ayame-duno," Sakura acknowledge though her eyes are still searching for the blond boy. "Have you seen Naruto around?"

"I'm sorry Sakura–san but I haven't seen him since lunch yesterday. He was not even here last night. I hope nothing had happened to that boy." With this, Sakura was taken aback as she remembered her dream last night.

"Yeah, I hope so too… Anyway thank you Ayame-duno." Sakura immediately left.

The towering eastern gate of Konoha was a made out stone which sides were carved with seal of fire. So massive was it than the other 3 gates. This is done so to protect the village from any juvenile elements coming from the earth country. In any case, the earth country is known for its solid and powerful jutsus. Below this massive gate were representatives for the joint exercise between the Earth country and the fire country. They gathered themselves; checked up their equipments and every possible thing they needed for the activity.

Shikamaru, walked towards Ino and gave her a scroll.

"Keep it," he commanded rather than said it.

Ino seemed to know what it was for she received it without a word or any of it.

"Where's Naruto,"Lee asked looking among the group of the presence of the blond ninja.

"He can't come with us." Shino replied in his always-unchanging tone of voice.

The rest of the group was shocked and silent, like the stillness of a lake's ambiance fell on them upon hearing the reply.

"How's that? Yesterday he was the most excited one to join this activity and now you're telling us that he won't be coming? That seems,"Lee stopped for a moment after realizing his astonishment. "Why would I care anyway," he said and walked ahead of the pack. Neiji followed his lead and motioned to the other to get moving.

Choujion the other hand was so concerned of his comrade that he walked beside Shino and asked what happened.

"Hey Shino, what the hell happened to Naruto? Why is he not coming with us?"

" I wish I could tell youChouji but I can't. I bet you understand that."

Chouji understood what Shino meant yet still in his mind, Naruto's absence is clouded with mystery. A mystery he can't quite put his finger on.

Back at the hospital, the earth country's missing nin was facing the most beautiful yet fearful face in the whole of the known ninja world. His injuries were cleanly wrapped and beside him was a flower vase yet there was no flower in it. His thumbs rubbing each other; mood of the room became heavier and heavier and the unblinking eyes of the Hokage stared at him. He felt that her eyes were searching for his soul and would love to break it front of him. He let out a sigh and cooled himself down.

"I'll cut to the chase," he said to her. "15 years ago, a group of 3 men was formed. Their ultimate goal is to rule the whole of the ninja world. Yet with hidden villages scattered at the four corners of the world, it was an impossible goal. However, 3 years after their formation, a man with a comprehensive knowledge of the divine beasts or shall we call the monsters appear before them

Flashback

A tall man of about 6 feet and 2 inches with shoulder length blond hair was walking along the dusty street of one of the villages of the Earth country. He was looking for something but nobody knows what not even him.

"What could possibly be the key of ruling this ninja world," he thought to himself.

His hard piercing eyes could not escape the brightness of the sun. People tend to look at his eyes then bow in fear and at some degree gave him respect.

"Saido-sama," a man approached and kneeled before him. "We have found him."

Saido let out a smirk. "Show him to me."

3 miles away from the west of the boundary between Earth Country and Fire country was Masaho grotto, a cave known as The Shelter. The massive rocks that surround the grotto makes it invisible or inexistent to those who knew nothing of the dark path.

Inside this cave, was young man in his early 20's was surrounded by 3 large men, armed with kunais.

"We come for your head Aota. You're worth 1.5 million ryou. Nothing personal though, just a job," one of the guys said.

"You're pretty brave and stupid to come after me. You must be the known Imawo brothers."

"Damn, right we are!" replied the other.

And we're gonna…" within split seconds he fell down with his throat cut opened.

"What the.." then the other one fell.

"…" no words came out for the last one. They were all dead in just a matter of second.

"Pretty impressive!" Saido appeared before him out from nowhere.

Aota look up and saw the tall guy along with the 2 others. "Are you the next batch of hunters?" he asked sarcastically.

"Oh I'm afraid not," Saido replied but this time he was at the back of Aota.

Aota was frozen for a second there. His mind was rushing of questions like how did get there and who is this guy. But he still managed to act coolly. "You're pretty good."

"You bet… I am. Saido Kanazawa and the one with a sword on his back is Junta the one with the mask is Hanatori."

Aota's eyes widened as he heard the names his body was frozen again in fear and insecurity for his life. His cold sweat dripped slowly from his temple down to his chin and before his sweat touched the ground, Saido's had patted his shoulder.

"Relax, were not here to kill you, but in fact we're here because there is something we need to know from you."

"What would the great Saints of the Rock want from me?"

"What do you know of the divine beasts?"

A/N: Well until here for now. I'm sorry for the so great a delay for the update. Review please. And I welcome suggestions. Let me know your thoughts maybe i can incorporate them into the story. Thanks.