A/N: I don't own Naruto, go figure. Please help me reach one hundred reviews…

Naruto: The Greatest Hero

Chapter Five: Walking Forward

Konohagakure no Sato was peaceful this day. The birds were chirping outside and most of the children of the village were in parks, playing with their friends and pets. Konohagakure Hospital had a slightly different day. It was not peaceful for them at all. Naruto and his team had returned to Konohagakure with many bruises and battered limbs. Kakashi was in the Hokage's Office, issuing a personal report.

He was sitting on a chair as the Hokage was behind his desk, smoking his pipe.

'Alright, Kakashi, give me the details of what really happened.' Sarutobi said.

Kakashi had his arm in a sling from the fight in the Wave Country.

'An S-classed nukenin, Momochi Zabuza attacked us on our way to Wave, but through some understanding, he decided to join us in our mission. We reached Tazuna-san's village the day after, camping out at the battlesite to tend to our wounds. On that day nothing happened at all, but the the day after that, we were ambushed.'

The Hokage puffed lightly on his pipe, telling Kakashi to continue with the report.

'By Hoshigaki Kisame, one of the Kirigakure Seven Swordsmen, the group of Mist nins that specialized in sword techniques. Zabuza, now with us, and Kurenai, the instructor of Team Seven and myself fought in an attempt to capture him and at the same time defend ourselves. Halfway through the fight, I was knocked into the water.

By the time I got out of the water, I realised that I had broken one arm, rendering me useless to preform any techniques. When I got back up the bridge, I saw that Naruto had severely wounded Kisame with the technique that I taught him; Chidori.'

The Hokage was shocked, though he did not show it; he was the Hokage after all.

'Kisame's chest was bleeding; the damage was quite extensive. Naruto proceeded for another Chidori attack to finish Kisame off, but he was knocked unconscious by an unknown ninja who had just arrived, dressed in the same way as Kisame was.'

Black cloaks with red clouds on them, so they really are active, Sarutobi thought.

'They disappeared after that, Hokage-sama and the next day we left the country.'

The Hokage puffed on his piped knowingly, not looking at Kakashi.

'Is that all, Kakashi?' Sarutobi inquired as the jounin nodded in a military-like manner, 'Alright, you may leave. Have a nice rest. And say "hello" to Naruto for me.'

'I will, Hokage-sama.' Naruto said, walking toward the door slowly.

'And another thing, Kakashi.' the Hokage called the now-confused jounin back, 'Please send the two ninjas Momochi Haku and Momochi Zabuza to my office. By helping in this mission, they have earned their Konohagakure shinobi status.'

Kakashi smiled to himself before giving the Hokage a nod of acknowledgement.

Naruto would have liked that a lot. Now his little storm of a brother did not need to jump on the Hokage's desk and demand citizenship for the two former criminals. Kakashi walked outside in the halls and ran into an old friend of his that went by the name of Genma. The jounin was as lazy as Kakashi, if not any lazier. He was Kakashi's senior by three years and loved to chew on a toothpick. Kakashi had fought Genma before in the Chuunin Exams many years ago, and had lost. He had lost the match, but won the title of Chuunin that day as he was showing good signs of becoming a platoon leader. If there was anyone Kakashi respected, it was Genma.

'Hey, Kakashi, got yourself in the grinder, I heard.' Genma said lazily.

'Yeah. But my team did perform very well on that mission, as did Kurenai's.'

'So you brought back that guy Zabuza too, I heard he kicked your ass.'

'Well, he did, actually,' Kakashi said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with his uninjured hand, 'He's quite tough, you know; but he's a good guy now.'

'So he's a Leaf nin now. Quite surprising to have a nukenin with us.'

'Naruto convinced him to join us; sometimes he just amazes me.' Kakashi said.

Genma gave Kakashi a smile and Kakashi smiled back at him. As he exited the Hokage's Building, he decided to go and pay the injured ones a visit at the hospital. It would give him an opportunity to give Naruto, Haku and Zabuza the news.

Naruto stirred from his slumber, feeling his forehead. He panicked and looked around; he was in a hospital, according to his surroundings. He saw next to him was a bouquet of flowers; irises, roses, some sunflowers and a few small cherry blossom branches.

'Kurenai-chan!' Naruto exclaimed, looking frantically left and right.

The door creaked open, suddenly. Zabuza was standing there, apparently smiling under his white facemask. His Mist forehead protector was nowhere in sight and he was wearing what looked like one of Kakashi's old t-shirts and brown pants.

'Zabuza-san.' Naruto said to the man, slightly relieved he was okay.

'I see you're awake, Naruto.' Zabuza said to him, taking a seat on the wooden chair on the right side of Naruto's bed, 'You've been out for two days.'

'Two days?' Naruto questioned the words; Zabuza nodded, then remembered everybody and the things that had happened on the bridge, 'What about Kakashi? Is he alright? Is Kurenai-chan okay? What happened to the shark guy?'

'Kakashi is alright; he escaped with his left arm unusable for the next few days. That shark guy's name was Hoshigaki Kisame, a nukenin and part of the Kirigakure Seven Swordsmen.' Zabuza snickered at the end of his sentence, 'You did quite a number on him, Naruto. That was some Ninjutsu you used. He escaped, barely, thanks to some unknown help. There was another guy, dressed like him; he knocked you out before disappearing with Kisame. But I doubt he'll recover any time soon.'

'What about Kurenai?' Naruto asked, panicking at the thought, 'Is she okay?'

'Your instructor, Naruto?' Zabuza questioned, looking into Naruto's curious and worried eyes, 'She just recovered from her injuries yesterday. Kisame caused her to have some internal bleeding from some blows. She was lucky that we reached Konohagakure when we did; if it was a day later, she would have gone critical.'

Naruto just remembered; he was back in Konohagakure after the mission.

'Can I go see her, Zabuza-san?' Naruto asked the dark-haired man.

'I don't have any right to stop you.' Zabuza told him as he got out of bed.

'Are you coming with me?' Naruto asked, looking back at the man over his shoulder just as he was about to open the door; Zabuza shook his head.

'No. I just came to see you.' Zabuza said, getting up, 'I have to help Haku.'

'Eh?' Naruto questioned, looking up to Zabuza, who grinned sheepishly.

'I hope you don't mind, Naruto, but we're staying in your place for the moment.'

Naruto shook his head and went through the door and to the hallways of Konohagakure Hospital. He then realicsed that he did not know which room Kurenai was staying in; he decided to ask one of the nurses. He went over to a blonde.

'Excuse me, Miss, but do you know the room of a lady named Yuuhi Kurenai.'

The nurse looked down to the boy, who was wearing a face mask and hospital robes. She smiled sweetly at him before checking the list.

'Yuuhi Kurenai? She's in room Seven-hundred and nineteen; the end of the hallway.' she pointed out with her hand, eyeing the boy with the facemask.

Naruto thanked her and walked to Kurenai's room. She reached the end of the hallway and knocked on the wooden door, hoping for an answer.

'Come in.' Kurenai's voice was heard by Naruto; it had been too long since he heard her speak, marred by worry seeing what Kisame had done to her.

Naruto came in and saw Kurenai with her pair of reading glasses on, a book in her hands. Kurenai looked up from her book and smiled at the visitor: Naruto.

'Hello there, Naruto. I see that you are still fine.'

Naruto rushed over to Kurenai, hurting the woman's recently healed stomach. He was sobbing into her chest. Kurenai smiled; she knew how much Naruto was worried about her. And she also knew how final her words to him were on the bridge.

'Kurenai-chan, I was so scared for you! Don't you make me worry like that!'

'Naruto…' Kurenai said softly, putting her arms around him, 'It's okay, I'm here. Not even the ocean can tear us apart, isn't that right, Naru-kun?'

'Kurenai-chan…' Naruto tried to stifle the tears but kept sobbing into her nape.

Kurenai nuzzled her head against Naruto's hair, pulling the blonde in tighter. She had truly never seen Naruto this upset; she had seen him upset but not over her. Not crying over her as though she was going to leave him forever.

Suddenly, Naruto stopped sobbing; he looked up into the woman's eyes, smiling.

'I'm glad that you're alright, Kurenai-chan.' he hugged Kurenai, making her smile.

'I'm glad that you're alright too, Naru-kun.' she used his nickname, regarding him.

Naruto snuggled closer to the woman; it was a start for him to get this close to her.

Meanwhile, in the hallway was Kakashi, a bouquet of irises in one hand; the other in a sling. Kakashi had come to visit Naruto for the second time, hoping the blonde boy was awake already. The medic-nin charged to Naruto was a nice man that wen tby the name of Hiroshi Satomo. He was Kakashi's superior when Kakashi was in the Anbu. Though not known very well by Naruto, he was one of the few people that had completely understood that Naruto was not the Kyubi; merely its vessel.

Kakashi entered Naruto's room and saw that the boy was not there.

He must have finally recovered, damn, that boy had me worried.

The jounin knew that Naruto was well and went on to visit Kurenai. He knew where Kurenais' room was, having already asked the reception downstairs. He walked down the hall and slowly opened the door of the room to see if she was awake.

The sight that Kakashi had bestowed his eyes upon was too cute to disturb.

Kurenai was stroking Naruto's hair, holding him tightly to herself as Naruto was nuzzled up against Kurenai's bare nape and clutching Kurenai's hospital gown. Kakashi giggled as he used his stealth techniques to edge closer, watching the scene.

'Hey, guys.' Kakashi greeted them and the two looked up at the jounin, startled.

Kakashi had to admit that it was hilarious to see Kurenai turn red and Naruto push himself away from the woman, stuttering all sorts of excuses.

'Forget any excuse. I know.' Kakashi said good-naturedly, smiling at the blonde.

Naruto blushed and Kakashi heard the only woman in the room giggle.

'So, congratulations on your speedy recovery, Naruto.' Kakashi said.

'Thanks, Kakashi-niichan.' Naruto replied, scratching the back of his head.

Kakashi took a seat at the foot of Kurenai's bed before remembering the flowers that were still in his hand. Kakashi handed the flowers to Naruto.

'What are these for, Kakashi-niichan?' Naruto asked, his eyes confused.

'They're for you. It's a get well gift.' Kakashi said good-naturedly.

'I'm a guy, Kakashi-niichan. What would I need flowers for?'

'If you don't want them, give them to your girlfriend.'

Naruto turned to Kurenai, and then realised the mistake he had made.

Kakashi was giggling, looking at the scene of an embarrassed and fuming Naruto.

'You tricked me, Kakashi!' Naruto fumed, steam literally gushing out of his ears.

'Eh? Did I really trick you, Naruto? I just told you to give them to your…'

Naruto flushed a darker colour. Why did his older brother have to be a natural born teaser? Why could he not be more like Iruka? Serious but fun. Kakashi giggled more.

'I have some good news for you, Naruto.' Kakashi said, smiling under his mask.

'What? That the legal age for marriage is twelve now?' Naruto said sarcastically.

'No.' Kakashi said, still smiling under his mask, 'It's about Haku and Zabuza.'

'What? What about them?' Naruto's mind suddenly perked up, hearing this.

Kakashi kept his silence to add to the suspense for his brother.

'They've been accepted by the Hokage as ninjas of Konohagakure.'

Naruto's voice could be heard jumping with joy for the next five miles.

After almost a week in the hospital, Kurenai had left. The medic-nins had to keep her in for a longer period than Naruto to observe any changes. Kisame had really did a number on her on the bridge as she had barely made it to the hospital.

Team Seven were more than happy to have their teacher back from the hospital. Kiba had offered Kurenai a sincere apology for not visiting her in the hospital for the whole week, which Kurenai readily accepted. The team still did their everyday missions, rescuing cats and sometimes the lovable cat of Naruto's former student and grandson of the Hokage, Konohamaru: Geji. And he hated those missions.

Yes, Konohamaru was his friend, but the cat was pure evil to Team Seven.

It was also a known fact that Akamaru despised the cat with all the heart that the little puppy had to give. And Naruto had to restrain Kiba from strangling it.

'Naruto, why didn't you let me kill that stupid cat, that's the fifth time!'

They were currently on their way back from another cat mission. Apparently, Konohamaru's cat, Geji, had a habit of running away from him whenever he played with it during the times that they played in the Hokage's yard and put up a fight that would have made the battle with Kisame pale in comparison.

'I know, Kiba. Believe me, I want to kill that cat myself but a mission's a mission.'

'A mission's a mission?' Shikamaru repeated the last words of Naruto.

Shikamaru was usually one of few words, but apparently, he had gotten of the worse end while trying to capture the cat again. He had scratch marks all over his face and arms, a cut lip and a very frustrated and angry mind. Naruto sighed.

'That cat is not a cat! It's a shrunk down TIGER!' Shikamaru exclaimed.

'Either that, Naruto, or that little ball of evil is a demon.' Kiba said; Akamaru barked in agreement to Kiba's words, 'See, even Akamaru agrees.'

'Hey, did you guys realise that Kurenai-sensei's not with us?'

Naruto looked around; it was true, the woman was nowhere in sight. The last time the three of them had seen Kurenai was before the mission started. After she had briefed them on the mission, she had disappeared in a very Kakashi-like manner.

'Let's have some lunch; how about it guys?' Naruto inquired.

'Eh? Naruto, Kurenai-sensei's gone and you are talking about lunch?' Kiba.

Naruto nodded; Kiba shook his head. Shikamaru just sighed at the Team Captain.

'Well, we might as well have some lunch anyways. I'm hungry too.' Shikamaru said, looking over to a rather fancy shop that specialized in dango, 'Let's go have some dango. It looks fancy but actually quite cheap. I use to come here with Chouji.'

Naruto nodded and looked over to Kiba, whose grumbling stomach answered in his place. Shikamaru barely stifled a giggle and so did Naruto. They entered the shop and Naruto saw that the place was quite fancy, but the prices of food did not differ from that of the ramen he had at Ichiraku Ramen. He decided to give it a try.

Naruto looked around along with Kiba and they took a seat next to a group of teenage kunoichi whom they did not know. Naruto looked over to a menu that was already in Shikamaru's hands. It had a rather cute picture of a panda on it.

The blonde had felt that he had seen that picture before, but where and when?

'May I take your order?' a waitress had come to their table; she was cute.

Shikamaru had ordered the food for them as Naruto and Kiba had only just known this restaurant. And as Shikamaru had been here many times with Chouji, he would have known what type of food would be nice to eat. Naruto turned to Kiba.

'Hey, Kiba, do you know about the Chuunin Exams coming up?'

'Yeah. I hope we could enter. I can't wait to be a chuunin.'

'You'd have to wait, Kiba, a chuunin is not that easy a task, you know.' Shikamaru said, the tone of a wise man in his voice, 'We're still fresh from the Academy. We've only been genins for around three months at the most. I personally think that we should wait until we're really ready. I don't want to end up dead in the test.'

That was true. There were known deaths in the Chuunin Exams and Kakashi had told him that the latest versions and updates in the Exam came from Hell. There were no known facts about the Exam, but the latest one had hinted on challenging a ninja mentally more than physically because the village did not want ninjas that cower in fear after seeing some blood or could not stand interrogation.

'Your meals, sirs.' the cute waitress had come back with five plates of dango.

She set all five of the meals in the middle of the table. Shikamaru thanked her and she walked away from them, blushing as she observed Naruto and his facemask.

'That facemask is a nuisance, Naruto. Take it off.' Kiba said, frowning.

'I'm going to eat, of course I'll be taking it off… partly…'

Kiba noticed the girls sitting at the next table observe Naruto as he slowly moved the facemask upwards; it revealed his mouth but nothing else.

'Are you really trying to copy your brother, Naruto?' Shikamaru questioned.

As Naruto ate some of the dango before him, he nodded at his lazy friend.

As they ate, Naruto and his friends discussed some of their developments in their journey as ninjas. There were some improvements on all their parts. They finished the meal twenty minutes later, a rather satisfied group of genins.

'I'll pay.' Naruto said as the bill came their way

The three of them exited the restaurant and went off to train in the woods. As they walked, they chatted to each other about their memories in the academy. Suddenly, Naruto bumped into someone. He looked to the person and smirked.

It was Uchiha Sasuke, clad in an attire quite similar to Naruto, though instead of long pants, he wore short ones and his jacket was black instead of navy blue.

'Sorry.' Naruto said; Sasuke raised an eyebrow, 'I bumped into you.'

Sasuke did not say anything back to Naruto. Kiba looked behind Sasuke and noticed a very familiar girl with pink hair coming their way, calling out Sasuke's name.

'Hey, Sasuke-kun, Kakashi-sensei told us to meet him at-'

'The dango shop, I know, Sakura. Tomorrow is the start of our training for the Chuunin Exams.' Sasuke said to Sakura, his calm but serious tone in his voice.

'You guys are entering the Chuunin Exams?' Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Yup.' came Sakura's energetic reply, 'Kakashi-sensei said that he doesn't really expect us to pass, but to do our best. It's kind of sad, really, but with Sasuke-kun in our team we will definitely become chuunins. Didn't Kurenai-san tell you that you guys are going to be participating in the exam as well?'

'What!' Naruto, Shikamaru and Kiba exclaimed, shocked at this update.

'Yeah, She went to enter you guys at the Hokage's Office this morning.'

A rather shocked Shikamaru turned to an equally paralysed Kiba.

'Well, Kiba, I guess you'll get your shot at being a chuunin.'

'HEY, LET GO OF ME YOU BIG MEANIE!' a squeaky voice shouted.

Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru turned their heads to the source of the sound, as did Sasuke and Sakura. It had come from behind the swings at the nearby Konoha Park.

They rushed there, knowing who the owner of the voice was; Konohamaru. Agter being hounded almost everyday by the little boy, Sasuke and Naruto knew. They rushed as fast as they sould; Konohamaru's voice had been one of distress.

They appeared at the sight before them ten seconds later; Konohamaru's good friends Moegi and Udon were on the sand of the ground and Konohamaru was held in the air by a rather intimidating yet stupid-looking teenage boy, clad in black.

Next to him, leaning against a tree, almost uncaring, was a blonde girl.

They were from Sunagakure no Sato, according to their forehead protectors.

'You'll pay for insulting me like that, you brat! No one insults me; Kankuro!'

Konohamaru was struggling to break free of the teenager's grip.

As the young boy was about to receive a blow from the teenager; "Kankuro", Naruto and Sasuke had taken the initiative to refrain the boy from giving Konohamaru a black and blue eye. Naruto had grabbed Konohamaru and set him with his friends.

The teenager was not pleased with this at all. Sasuke got ready for a fight.

'Get out of my way, kid, or I'll give you a black eye too.' Kankuro threatened.

'I'd like to see you try, ugly.' Sasuke said, smirking all the while.

'Sasuke, there's no need to fight the puppet guy. He'll cause no more problems.'

Kankuro's eyes widened as he looked to the boy who was consoling Konohamaru.

How does he now that I use puppets? He must be one of those Hyuga!

'Heh. So you know that I use puppets, so what?' Kankuro seethed.

'Did I forgot to mention poison too?' Naruto added, smirking under his mask.

Kankuro had never felt so humiliated at the words; no one had ever found out he used puppets and poison until it was too late. The blonde girl grew interested.

'Heh, I bet that you're just all talk. Come and fight me and prove that you Hyuga are as good as all the people in Sand think.' Kankuro said, agitated.

The genins of the leaf almost laughed at Kankuro's words; Naruto, a Hyuga.

Naruto made the tips of his five fingers glow with chakra and got into a fighting stance, the palm of his hand facing Kankuro in a claw-like shape.

'Kankuro, no!' the blonde girl exclaimed as Kankuro unwrapped the bandages behind him, revealing a puppet with four arms and two legs.

'See if you can fight against my good friend Karasu!' Kankuro exclaimed.

Sasuke looked on as he saw the chakra strings in Kankuro's right hand connected with the puppet. The face-painted teenager threw his hand forward and the puppet Karasu attacked Naruto. Naruto could be seen by his friends dodging the puppet.

'You're not as good as you sound, even when you saw through my cloth, you can't defeat what it contained. Come on, show me how good you-'

Suddenly, the puppet stopped attacking. It stood face-to-face with Naruto, unmoving. Kankuro moved his fingers in vain as the puppet did not move.

Naruto flung his hand to the back and the puppet charged at Kankuro, suddenly shocked at the turn of events. Sasuke was left wondering what was happening as were the other Konoha genins. Konohamaru and his friends looked on at their idol.

The puppet had put Kankuro into a bearhug as the boy tried to break free.

'What? What happened?' Kankuro let a gasp out of his mouth.

The blonde girl was shocked and puzzled, as were everyone else, except Sasuke.

Sasuke knew what the blonde genin had done and he was incredibly jealous of it.

'I used my own chakra strings to overcome your chakra strings control your puppet, to put it simple. You thought that you had victory all in your hands didn't you, face-paint boy?' Naruto said, as though he was teasing a normal friend and grinning.

Naruto released his hold on the puppet and Kankuro dropped to the ground.

'Gaara.' the girl suddenly said, barely more than a whisper.

The group turned to a tree, where a red-haired oy was watching the duel between Naruto and Kankuro. Sasuke did not feel all at ease around this person.

'Kankuro, say sorry.' the boy, "Gaara", said to the teenage boy of the sand.

Kankuro mumbled out a "sorry" to Naruto and then to a confused Konohamaru.

He collected his puppet and walked over to his other fellow sand-nin.

'What are your names?' Gaara asked Naruto and Sasuke.

'Uzumaki Naruto.' Naruto answered Gaara.

'Uchiha Sasuke. And you are…?'

'Sabaku no Gaara. I hope we meet again.'

'Are you entering the Chuunin Exams?' the blonde girl asked a retreating Naruto.

'Yes. I hope we meet there. Miss…?' Naruto questioned.

'Temari. But don't think I'll be as easy as my brother.'

Naruto did not answer her but just walked away with Konohamaru, his friends and Konohamaru's friends, all the while Konohamaru saying how good he was.