Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and only use it for entertainment purposes.
Naruto and Sakura walked silently to Team Seven's old training area. It was time to meet Kakashi, Sakura hoped it was for a mission but Naruto suspected that it was to test their abilities because he knew Jiraiya had told them about his time away. And while he did not want many people knowing about his time away he knew that certain people had a right to know. They soon arrived and found their friend and superior waiting for them. This caught Sakura by surprise because she had witnessed him still being very tardy when training under Tsunade, "Kakashi-sensei, you're actually here before us."
"Yes well I decided that I should not be late," Kakashi replied. "You've both been through some extensive training and I need to test your abilities."
"Together or one at a time?" Naruto asked.
"Together," Kakashi said, "I need to see if you will work well together." He then slid his hitaite up revealing the Sharingan and pulled out two bells. "This will not be like the first time. I will use all of my skills to stop you. You have until sundown." Kakashi suddenly through down a smoke bomb and disappeared from sight.
Sakura went on the defensive stance while Naruto remained still, the only indication that he was preparing for anything was that his sword was now in his left hand. Sakura was glancing around the vicinity trying to find Kakashi. "Where could he be," Sakura thought. "Left, right, front, back, above? No if he's anywhere he's," she clenched her fist, "Below!" she exclaimed punching the ground causing a localized earthquake.
Kakashi, whom had been underground, was totally shocked by this display. "She has to release her chakra at the point of impact to create such a force. Tsunade-sama trained her well." He quickly leaped out of the crater so he would not be as vulnerable. When he landed he noticed a distinct lack of sound from his hip. Looking down he noticed that the bells were missing. Knowing that he tied them securely, thus eliminating the fact that they had fallen off, only left one option; someone took them. A jingle to his right caught his and Sakura's attention. When he looked over he saw Naruto holding the bells, his sword back at his side.
"When did you get them?" Sakura asked. "You didn't even move."
"As soon as Kakashi-san said go," Naruto answered. "He was distracted by his own smoke bomb."
"But you never left my side," Sakura objected. "No even Lee-san is that fast." Naruto's answer was to point behind her. She and Kakashi turned and noticed a second Naruto standing there holding his sword in left hand.
"Kage Bushin," Kakashi said. "You created it to distract me while you took the bells." Naruto nodded, "How did you get past the Sharingan?" he was truly curious as he slid his hitaite back down.
"The first mark of the Sharingan allows the possessor to see Chakra the body admits," Naruto began, "The second mark allows them to copy techniques and the third increases a person's reaction time. All three combined allows the Sharingan to see the moves of a person a few moments before the move, by following the chakra the body uses to perform jutsus or high damaging Taijutsu." Naruto dispersed the clone and walked up to Sakura and gave one of the bells. "I merely found a way to get around it."
"By only using the absolute bare minimum to move your muscles and precise timed release like what Sakura did," Kakashi concluded. "You keep it internal until you need it."
"But how did you know about the individual Sharingan marks' abilities?" Sakura asked.
"I was going to face Sharingan when I came back, whether it was Sasuke or Itachi as an enemy so Jiraiya taught me a lot about the Sharingan," Naruto answered.
"Well since you're done why don't you take the rest of the day off," Kakashi said. Even from Jiraiya's description he did not expect them to get the bells this quickly. "Meet at the Hokage Office tomorrow to begin missions again."
"Ok Kakashi-sensei," Sakura responded. "Naruto I guess I'll see you later then."
"Very well," Naruto said. Sakura hesitatingly walked off still not sure how to handle Naruto.
Once she was gone Kakashi said, "The Genjutsu over you eyes is pretty good. The Sharingan can't even see through."
"My eyes startled you and Tsunade," Naruto replied. "They would scare her, I don't want her to be afraid of me."
"What will you do when you do face Sasuke again?" Kakashi asked.
"Depends on him," Naruto responded. "But I will not hold back like I did last time."
Across the village word of Naruto returning had spread among those that were once Gennins at before Naruto left. Word had also spread about his new character and many were questioning about his changes. "So from what I could tell," Shikamaru said, "Naruto's personality has completely reversed since we last saw."
"A lot can happen in the time he was away," Choiji commented. "I wonder what happened?"
"I think Sakura might know," Ino said. "She kept glancing at him like she knew."
"I saw that as well," Shikamaru confirmed.
"Perhaps we should ask her about it," Ino suggested.
Shikamaru thought for a minute, "I don't think that would be wise, what ever happened must have been very serious. Naruto probably does not want to tell many people and probably asked Sakura to not tell anyone either."
"I guess your right," Ino conceded. "It's just hasn't been the same without his loud voice."
Inside her office Tsunade was thinking about the report Kakashi had given her. The test that Kakashi performed was a time-honored tradition in Konoha. It was designed to test the skills of the individual and of a group, but from the time it took Naruto to take the bells it could only hint at the skills Naruto now possessed. Looking up she asked, "What do you want Jiraiya?"
"Just to talk for a minute," Jiraiya said. "I know you're wondering what kind of missions to send Naruto on."
"Yeah," Tsunade admitted, "You won't tell me the kind of training…"
"Not won't," Jiraiya corrected, "Can't. I only know of half the training he did, the half I gave him. I was not present to see his samurai abilities being developed, and they are as secretive about their training as we are."
"You can't tell me," Tsunade said, "And the bell test was pretty useless, Naruto got in just a few minutes."
"Doesn't surprise me," Jiraiya said. "He could probably handle some A-rank assassinations on his own."
"You think he's that good?" Tsunade asked.
"You and I both know it's not just about skill it's about mentality," Jiraiya said. "He is willing to kill now not just beat his enemies."
Tsunade closed her eyes at the image she pictured of Naruto killing someone. She knew he was right, that is what separated Anbu from other shinobi ranks; they had to do the dirty work that the others did not. Before Naruto left she could see Naruto killing anyone unless it was in self-defense, and even then she could see him mourning the loss of the enemy. Now however she could easily just picture him killing with those cold eyes and walking away. "What happened to him?" she thought aloud.
"He lost the first person he truly loved his own age that not only accepted everything about him loved him back just as much," Jiraiya answered.
"You're may be right. He probably can handle some solo missions," Tsunade said. "But I think him being around people that care about him will help so I won't send him out on any solo missions for a while. I know how strong Sakura and Kakashi are, I'll have them doing some B-rank missions to start off with." She then thought for a minute, "The question become how long until he goes after Sasuke, and what will he do when he does?"
"He'll wait for a month or so," Jiraiya responded, "He knows that Orochimaru will be able switch bodies in just a few months' time. What he will do will actually depend on Sasuke. He could do anything from incapacitate to out right kill."
"I'm afraid you may be right about that," Tsunade said.
It was early in the morning and Naruto was practicing in the forest with his sword. He was standing in front of training post about a meter thick. Taking a deep breath he drew his sword faster than the eye could follow and then resheathed the sword. After a few seconds the top half of the post blew off and traveled five meters cashing into a tree. Naruto turned to the tree and looked at up at the person standing on the lowest branch. The person on the branch dropped down and examined the post, "Remind not to get hit by that."
"The best way to avoid my blade is not to become my enemy," Naruto said. "What do you want Kakashi?"
"Just wanted to tell you that we have a Mission," Kakashi said. "It's an A-rank Mission."
"Assignation?" Naruto asked.
"No retrieval," Kakashi said. "A Chunin has been captured by some shinobi from Oto."
"When do we leave?" Naruto asked.
"As soon as I get Sakura," Kakashi said.
"Is Sasuke involved?" Naruto asked.
"Not that we know of," Kakashi answered.
"Let's go find Sakura," Naruto said.
They quickly found their female teammate coming out of the hospital. She had been working at the hospital for a little over a year since she was now a Medic-nin. When they approached she stopped wondering what was going on, "We have an A-rank retrieval mission Sakura," Kakashi answered her inquiring gaze.
"Who are we rescuing?" Sakura asked.
"A Chunin that was captured by Oto-nins," Kakashi answered.
"Is Sasuke-kun involved?" she had to ask.
"Unknown," Naruto answered. "We need to leave."
"Where are we heading?" Sakura asked again.
"We are heading towards the Valley of the End," Kakashi said, he glanced at Naruto to see if he reacted, Naruto did not. "If we assume the Chunin is injured then we should be able to catch up to them."
"Orochimaru wants current information," Naruto said. "That is the only reason they would leave the Chunin alive."
"Do we know who the Chunin is?" Sakura said.
"Doesn't matter," Naruto said. "We just need to retrieve the Chunin." Without another word the three left for the North Gate.
A few hours past and Kakashi caught up with one of the Nin-dogs he summoned to look for any trails, "Did you find a trail?"
"Yes," the dog answered, "They are only a few kilometers north of here."
"How many are there?" Naruto asked.
"Seven," the dog answered.
"Lead the way," Kakashi said. The dog nodded and ran ahead of the humans.
Another few minutes later the dog suddenly called back, "They stopped and six are spreading out."
"They must have detected us," Sakura said. "They are probably setting up an ambush to allow the seventh and prisoner to escape. What should we do?"
"We can't let the Chunin fall into Orochimaru's hands," Kakashi said. "We will have to split up. We don't know the strength of the shinobi that is carrying the Chunin, but we should assume that they are Jounin level. It would be best to have the strongest go off with a prisoner, it would easier for them to handle."
"I'll head after the Chunin," Naruto said.
"Naruto, you can't…" Sakura was trying to object but Kakashi stopped her.
"He's right Sakura," Kakashi said. "Against greater numbers the likely hood of injuries increases. Even with Naruto's fast healing they could overwhelm us if you went alone and I was injured. And I am the most experienced it is better for me to fight the multiple opponents, with you to heal me if necessary."
Sakura reluctantly nodded and let Naruto go. Without so much as a backwards-glace Naruto sped off with the Nin-dog leading. When they were about ten meters ahead six Oto-nins jumped out to try and stop him. He did not even slow down because he knew Sakura and Kakashi would keep them from pursuing. "They've stopped following us," the dog said. "And we are closing in on the seventh and the Chunin."
"How much further?" Naruto asked.
"We'll catch up to them in about two minutes," the dog answered. A few seconds later the dog looked back, "I'm now smelling someone else there."
"How many?" Naruto asked.
"Three," the dog answered.
"I guess they want this Chunin pretty badly," Naruto thought.
A few minutes later Naruto exited the forest and saw four masked Oto-nins carrying a body tied up draped over one of their shoulders. "That's them," the dog confirmed.
"Stay here," Naruto commanded, "You wont be anymore help now." The dog nodded stopping on a branch to watch Naruto's fight.
Naruto soon caught up to the Oto-nins they had apparently detected them because they stopped and were waiting for him. "Take a look at this guy," one of the Oto-nins said. From what Naruto could tell he was a Jounin. "They sent the weakest to try and stop us."
"Yeah he barely has any chakra," a second said.
The third was about to speak but Naruto dropped the Genjutsu over his eyes shutting him up before he could speak. Naruto then went for his sword, "Never underestimate your opponent, first rule in all battles."
One of the Oto-nins shook himself out of his daze from seeing the ice-like eyes. "Just a cheap Genjutsu," he muttered. He drew a kunai and ran at Naruto, his speed was impressive but that did not seem to matter to Naruto who just stood there.
Naruto watched as the person came closer. He was waiting for just the right moment, then his body seemed to flinch and the suddenly the charging Oto-nin dropped to the ground dead. "Tenken Style: Obake Kiritsukerun (Ghost Slash)" Naruto walked past the dead Oto-nin and towards the remaining three.
The three Oto-nins took a step back. They were afraid; it was like Naruto was not even there. They could not sense anything from him, no chakra signature, no killing intent, and barely even a noise. The last part was what frightened them the most, Oto-nins were specially trained to be able to detect even the minutest sound. In fact that was how they were able to detect the three, four if the counted the Nin-dog, which was following them. "What the hell are you?"
Naruto did not answer; he merely stopped and drew his sword. Then in a burst of speed disappeared right in front of the Oto-nins' eyes. Then the one caring the captured Chunin heard, "Tenken Style: Jusan Ayumi (Thirteen Steps)," the Oto-nin turned around and saw his other two comrades fall dead just like the first one had. "Give me her," Naruto spoke with a neutral voice. The Oto-nin handed over his captive and Naruto gently placed her on the ground, all the while not taking his eyes off the scared enemy. Finally standing back up straight Naruto spoke again. "I left you alive to deliver a message to Uchiha Sasuke. Tell him, 'I'm bring him back this time.'"
Naruto sheathed his sword and picked up the Chunin and walked off leaving the Oto-nin who just dropped to the ground. "W…Who…was that?" he asked himself.
After Naruto felt the Oto-nin leave the area he placed the Chunin on the ground to get a better look at her. Who he saw surprised him slightly, it was Hinata. "That explains why Orochimaru wanted her alive," he thought. After a quick examination Naruto determined that she was merely unconscious. He did not detect any Genjutsu nor did he see any recent injuries. It made him believe that she was drugged or put to sleep without a Genjutsu. "Probably drugged, unless sleep is caused by a Genjutsu she would have woke up from the trip." He then picked her up again and made his way back to Kakashi and Sakura.
When he arrived a few minutes later Naruto saw all the Oto-nins were either dead or unconscious. "I see you retrieved the target." Kakashi said lowering his headband.
"It's Hinata," Naruto said. "I believed she has been drugged."
Sakura moved to inspect Hinata and activated her medical jutsu that searched for poisons and drugs. After scanning Hinata's body for a few seconds she said, "He's right. From what I can tell it's only designed to leave her unconscious for a few hours."
"Can you remove the drug?" Kakashi asked.
"No," Sakura said. "There is no wound from which the drug entered. That probably means she ingested it somehow."
"Then we should return," Naruto said taking Hinata once again.
During the trip back it was completely silent. Naruto did not have anything to say and the Kakashi and Sakura were still trying to figure out how to deal with the new Naruto. Even with him right in front of them, they could still not believe this is the same one that left Konoha those couple of short years ago. After a few hours the sun was beginning to set and as they approached the North Gates of Konoha. When they arrived several members of the Hyuuga Main House as well as the Hokage met the three. Coming to a stop Naruto glances over the members of the Hyuuga Clan and sees several had a scowl adorned on their faces. He knew the scowls were directed at him but he paid them no mind. Giving Hinata's sleeping form to a couple of Medic-nins that just arrived he said, "Retrieval successful."
"Good," Tsunade replied. "Is there anything we should now about?"
"My initial examination of her when Naruto brought her back showed that she had been drugged," Sakura responded to her mentor. "I believe the drug was simply designed to keep her out until they reached Oto Village. But I recommend a more complete diagnosis at the hospital."
"I agree," Tsunade said. "I'll tell the Medics to perform a deep scan as soon I get there." She then turned to Kakashi, "Once we learned it was the Hyuuga Heir that was taken the Hyuuga Clan insisted they be here to observe her safe return." Kakashi nodded in understanding, the most powerful clan in the village loosing their heir would be disastrous not only to them but to the entire village. "Now I will expect a full report from you first thing in the morning, I have a patients to treat and you need to rest up."
"We were forced to split up," Kakashi told the Hokage. "You'll have to ask Naruto about the specifics of the rescue itself as he was the one to retrieve Hinata."
"I'll you then Naruto," Tsunade commanded. Naruto gave a slight nod and walked into the village.
As he passed he glanced at Hyuuga Haishi. The Hyuuga Head was a bit unnerved by the look in the Kyuubi Vessel's eyes. He remembered they had such energy from the few times he had seen them when Naruto was a child, even when Naruto was depressed. Now it looked like he was looking into a ghosts eyes that made him shiver on the inside. When Naruto passed him Haishi activated his Byakugan and looked at Naruto. What he saw surprised him more than when he saw Naruto use the Kyuubi's chakra when he beat his nephew in the Chunin Exam. Naruto's entire body was almost devoid of chakra, just enough to make his body move, except for one part that is. Right in the spot where he Haishi knew the Seal was there was a bright ball of chakra tightly compressed with only small bits leaking out to the rest of his body.
Never in all his years of scanning people to see their chakra had Haishi seen it like this. A person usually has their chakra in their body and there is a center source but it usually looks like a burning blue flame not a perfect sphere a brightly pulsing energy like he was observing in Naruto. "Just what could this mean?"
Seeing agitated state one of the other Hyuuga's asked, "Is there something wrong Haishi-sama? Do you think he injured Hinata-sama in anyway?"
Haishi turned to the speaking Hyuuga, "No I believe he did not harm my daughter. Tell the other members of the Clan to keep their distance from him for now. Something has changed him and he could be dangerous if provoked."
"Then perhaps we should remove that threat," suggested another Hyuuga.
"You wouldn't get within twenty paces before you died," a voice spoke from behind the assembled Hyuuga. The group turned to see the Toad Summoner himself, Jiraiya standing there with his arms crossed glaring at them with open hostility. "And he is not a threat unless you make him one. If you have hostile intentions against my student then I suggest you listen to your Clan Head. Because he won't hesitate to kill someone if they threaten him."
"What happened to him?" Haishi asked.
"The same thing that happened to you," Jiraiya answered.
Haishi looked stunned for a moment at the reference then became sadness and finally understanding. "Leave him be that is a direct order to the entire Clan. Anyone who violates it will answer to me directly is that understood."
"Yes Haishi-sama!" the one who suggested Naruto's elimination spoke quickly and fearfully. The combined threat of from Jiraiya about Naruto, Jiraiya's own underlying threat and the threat from the Hyuuga Head made everyone within hearing distance take the message very seriously and decided to avoid upsetting the Kyuubi Vessel.