Warnings: um, violence and sexual references later on…
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, never have, never will; not even an aspect of it.
Pairings: maybe…we'll see
Rating: M for mature

The italics mean it's a flashback of some sort.

The bolded italics mean a jutsu is being used.

Um, this is my first fan fiction so…be nice… or cruel… whichever you think I deserve… heh.

Oh and the reason I wrote this fan fiction is because I wanted to see a change from all the 'goody-goody' Naruto fan fictions you see out there… so if you don't want to see him killing the 'good guys' I suggest you click the little box on the top right of your screen…

Oh and… reviews are always appreciated… no matter how small or negative because reviews mean the story is being read, which is the main reason an author writes. ;

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The young man stepped out onto the black slopes of the mountains bordering Fire Country, and his bow swaying slightly on his back from the harsh mountain winds twanged with a melancholy tune. Above roiling gray clouds hid the sky, an inverted sea of sluggish ashen waves crashing around the mountain's hidden peak. Below, an odd cavern loomed casting a shadow into its dark and murky mouth.

He released his bloodline immediately and with it went the vanished sweetness of heightened senses that made everything sharper, cleaner. The absence of his bloodline left him feeling oddly hollow yet here, only a fool would want to see or smell and feel too clearly.

Instinctively he pulled his cloak closer. A feathery mist marked his breath, barely visible before the air drank it. A few hundred miles north lay snow country, but here the world seemed cold, dry and unforgiving.

There was water, of a sort, an inky rivulet oozing down the rocky slope beside a gray-roofed forge. Hammers rang inside, and with every ring, white light flared in the cramped windows.

The forger emerged, a thick blue tinted man, seemingly slow-moving hindered by the great weight of his sword; Kisame of the Akatuski, formerly a legendary shinobi of the Mist.

'Do you loiter when you have been summoned by the leader?' the voice sounded raspy. Naruto turned slowly – how dare someone address him in that tone – but the words died in his mouth. It was not a lowly summon that the Akatsuki commonly used. It was the eyeless stare of Yamichi; a gaze that struck fear into any man. Naruto had rooted fear out of himself long ago. Rather, it was the man himself. Yamichi was the right hand of the leader; rumored to be almost equal in ability and strength he answered to no-one but the leader of the Akatsuki.

'I will take you to the leader,' Yamichi said. 'I will not tell you again.' He turned around and began to fluidly jump down the mountain. He's inky cloak hung unnaturally still, even without ripple as he continued down the mountain.

Naruto hesitated before following, Yamichi usually never left the cavern… he didn't like surprises, especially not when it came to the Akatsuki.

The entry into the cavern was large. It gaped enough for six men abreast, further in the way slanted down almost immediately, the tunnel floor worn smooth as polished tiles. The cold winds of the outside slowly faded as the flames of the central tunnels spread their warmth through the passageways. As Naruto followed Yamichi he noticed the new features of the cave, pale light rising from the stone, filling the tunnels further in; brighter then the twilight of the moon. Jagged spikes jutted from the ceiling, stony teeth ready to snap shut, imitating the teeth ready to rend the unfaithful or traitorous. Not natural, of course, but just as effective.

The tunnel suddenly opened onto a wide ledge overlooking a crystal lake with a central island, shining with the unearthly glow of the pale light of the stones in the lake.

'Naruto,' a cold voice whispered from the island, 'How fare our plans?'

He was never sure how much the Leader knew of the plans. He had been startled by ignorance as by knowledge. But he had no doubt as to what the leader wished to hear.

'Orochimaru and Itachi are still alive, Yamato-sama.' A pain erupted from chest. He was sweating, now. 'I managed to trace the traitor Itachi to the west of Konoha, yesterday; Orochimaru continues to sulk within his pathetic village.'

'……,' within the silence, for an instant Naruto could sense the terrible anger filling that awful voice, and – could it be frustration? An instant only. 'Those who have angered me must die, Naruto,' for a brief instant the voice hesitated, 'return to Konoha and get the leaf ninja to engage with Orochimaru, we are not yet strong enough to destroy a village… no matter how pathetic.'

Naruto blinked. 'Return to Konoha?' A bead of sweat slid half and inch on his cheek; it seemed to stick there at that point. For eight-years he had avoided contact with that village, the hidden village of leaf, Konoha. Without trace he had decided to vanish from the village during the chuunin exam; the village that thought him dead, literally.

Another point frustrated him. Yamato-sama seemed to think Konoha would just accept him again. And he seemed to know Itachi was lurking around Konoha. 'As you command Yamato-sama, so shall I obey.' His muscles might have been twitching but his voice was steady. Grabbing his bow hanging on his back Naruto gave Yamichi a nod before walking back into the pale tunnels of the Akatuski lair.

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Fluttering down slowly the green leaves twisted around in their intricate dance into oblivion; similarly the black clad ninja frantically twisted in his fall to dodge the whip like branches branding his face and body.

Smirking at the falling form of the ninja from the canopy of branches, a young man slowly aimed his bow at the twisting target. With a malicious glint in his eyes he activated his bloodline; cringing slightly as his eyes hazed over and adjusted to their increased visibility. He then rapidly fired two arrows from his bow, each arrow rapidly approaching their designated mark; the forehead and heart.

The falling ninja died almost instantly as the first arrow punctured his metal forehead protector and impacted on his skull; for an instant the nerves within his body sending incredible notions of agonizing pain. The second arrow delivered death.

With a thud the body landed on the hard earth in the forests bordering the Fire country, and as the scattered dust slowly fell back into their rightful place the young man with the bow nimbly fell from the canopy above onto the ground beside the dead ninja. Crouching down he snapped the arrow prodding from the forehead protector of the dead ninja, quickly retrieving the headband and throwing it into his backpack.

Sighing as he stood he hefted his backpack, 'Stupid Jounin wouldn't stop fidgeting,' testily Naruto flipped his bow over his shoulder. 'This won't do… Konoha's defense has lapsed.' He mumbled to himself as he lunged towards the nearest branch, fluidly swinging in a manner that made him appear as a slight blur with a following breeze.

Naruto softly landed on the thickest branch of the Sakura tree lying just outside the perimeter of the hidden village of the leaf. Clearly visible in the pink leaves of the statute tree he basked in the pale glow of moonlight. He hesitated. 'Konoha…,' Naruto quietly whispered.

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A young boy was laughing hysterically, 'Sakura-chan did you see that? Sasuke, you baka hahahahaha,'

'shut up you dobe, it's not like you could do any better,' replied the raven haired boy lying on his back after attempting to hit the target in the common blind spot behind the large boulder, but having missed and fallen onto his back.

Grabbing his sides as his laughter slowly died down, the blond ninja Naruto walked around the boulder to retrieve the misplaced kunai.

'Ah, Sasuke baka, I needed that laugh…you managed to brighten my day considerably with that stunt you pulled,' retorted Naruto as he bent to retrieve the kunai, 'anyway where is Kakashi-sensei?'

'How should I know dobe, he's probably jerking off to his perverted books or something,' replied Sasuke as he stood up and walked over to Sakura.

'Sakura pass me that pack'

'Ah, hai! Here you go Sasuke,' the young girl said as she handed over Sasuke's pack, blushing slightly as her hands brushed his.

Smirking slightly Sasuke withdrew another set of kunai as he began running up the trunk of a large tree, getting ready to attempt the throw again. Throwing the kunai again he deftly twisted mid-flight using the inertia of his body to throw another kunai which collided with the first kunai, readjusting the original course of the first kunai such that it'd fly straight into the target behind the boulder.

Hearing the shrill whistle of an approaching kunai Naruto turned just in time to see the kunai aimed straight at his torso, quick drawing his kunai from a pouch hanging off him he quickly deflected the approaching kunai.

Panting slightly Naruto hollered, 'Sasuke you bastard, watch where you're throwing those kunai next time baka!'

In a low tone with a sadistic grin Sasuke replied, 'I was watching dobe…'

'Well watch this,' Naruto screamed as he flew towards Sasuke with a fist formed on his right hand. Anticipating his reaction Sasuke began doing a number of hand seals before yelling 'katon goukayuu – '. With the half formed flame dying within Sasuke's mouth, and Naruto's fist firmly caught in his hand Kakashi viewed his students, 'fighting again are we…'

'ah, Kakashi sensei! Gomen, Gomen,' winced Naruto from the pain flooding from his fist.

Releasing Naruto fist and silently observing Sasuke, Kakashi muttered a few simple words. 'Enter the Chuunin exam you three.'

'But sensei! The chuunin exam is filled with strong people…we could die…,' muttered Sakura standing up.

'Yes, essentially the chuunin exam is for highly skilled genin, which none of you guys are, but if it'll stop you guys from beating each other up once in a while I'm all for it,' said Kakashi.

Muttering to himself, Sasuke merely watched the events before him unfold, 'I couldn't sense him again this time…Kakashi, definitely very…sneaky…'

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Once on the walls of Konoha Naruto did not hesitate; he was here on a mission. Covering his golden hair with a hood, he quickly formed hand seals and said Kage Bunshin Tai no Bakuhatsu forming an exact replica of him-self. Indicating the clone distract the guards, he defy flipped down to the grounds landing with a soft tap.

At the same moment the clone slid down the walls and rushed the guards protecting the main gate. 'The hell?' a guard muttered before signaling his partner into the basic stance of unarmed combat. Forming hand seals the clone blasted the guards, Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu one of the guards saw the hands forming the seals and managed to escape, the other was caught in the intense flames of the jutsu; his ashes scattered in the winds.

Shocked and bewildered at the sudden death of his partner he flipped onto the main gates of Konoha, reinforcing his landing with chakra he muttered, 'simplicity is perfection,' as he threw a handful of shuriken at the clone. In a surprising move the clone jumped towards the shuriken.

Impaling the clone's body with sickening thuds the shuriken each found their mark on its body. Bewildered for a second time that night the guarding shinobi just stared at the seeming dead body of the clone, flipping off the wall he walked towards the body to inspect it just as the clone exploded with the force of collected exploding tags. Dying instantly parts of the guard's body splattered the streets and walls of Konoha.

Smirking at the sound of the explosion Naruto continued his silent stroll on the rooftops of houses, seemingly invisible due to the night and grey clothing he wore. He walked towards the centre of the village; the Kage tower, reminiscing at the forgotten sights and smells of his broken childhood.

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Well there you go, chapter 1 of my first fan fiction, w00t! Now off to go kill some people with my trusty sniper rifle on counter-strike, mwahahahah. (bow...sniper rifle...naruto...oh wow! do you see some similarities? heh)

P/S reviews please! i'd like to know what you guys think ways i could improve etc.