Chapter 22

The Kusa kunoichi dodged another kunai slash and caught Naruto's other wrist when he tried to stab her in the kidneys. She tossed him but he flipped in mid-air and landed on his feet. He dashed at the teenager with both his kunai. He attacked her with stabs and slashes that she dodged, parried or blocked. The two backed off to get some space and faced each other. She was not breathing hard but Naruto was. He hated to admit it but this teen was strong.

"That was very impressive. Did Anko teach you how to use kunai like that? My master always said that she was skilled with short blades." She said with a grin.

"You just like to hear yourself talk? Don't worry; I'm going give you another hole to talk through." Naruto spat. Knowing that he couldn't match her up close, he decided to change up his strategy. He did a few seals and opened his mouth.

"Katon: Karyūdan! (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet)" Naruto shouted and spat a flame of fire at the kunoichi. She sailed over the attack and landed behind Naruto. She rushed to deal with him but was cut off by a kick from one of his clones. In mid-air, another clone hit her from above, stabbing her with two kunai. They hit the other branch with some force as the woman laid dead. The clone watched as she turned to mud. The clone was then dispelled by several shuriken from behind. Naruto summoned some more clones and charged at woman. They all dodged the barrage of shuriken and attacked.

The teen fought the clones with some difficulty. She had a smile on her face as she did.

'So, she has showed him some of the Hebi (Snake) style that I taught her. It doesn't really fit him but he is using it well. Still, this is getting quite boring.' She thought. That's when she smelt something like gas. That's when she saw the clones ignite explosive tags. The explosion was big and loud. Naruto hid behind a tree for safety as the explosion happened. As his clones fought the woman, he used the Katon: Kasumi Enbu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Mist Blaze Dance Technique). He was pretty sure that he got her with that one.

Suddenly, he moved out of the way as some kunai nearly hit him. He rolled out of it and was suddenly kicked in the stomach by the woman. Naruto groaned but was able to get up and get into a stance.

"So, you still have some fight left in you? That was an interesting tactic. Do you have any more things to show me?" She asked with a smile. Naruto growled at that smile and was thinking of ways to wipe it off her face. That's when something came at the woman. She didn't even look at the figure and just backhanded it. The figure turned out to be Sakura.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto! Get away!" Sakura shouted. Naruto saw her make a seal and jumped away from the branch. Sakura then activated the jutsu-shiki (technique formula) she managed to put on the woman. They both heard her scream as an explosion sent her flying to the ground below. Naruto watched the burning corpse drop to the ground. He turned his attention back to Sakura. He made his way over to her and saw that she was holding her cheek. He gave her a surprised look.

"Sakura, what was that?" he asked in surprise.

"I've been studying that fūinjutsu (sealing technique) that you told me about. I figured that if I learned how to do jutsu-shiki it would be a help to the team. I didn't get to hold on to her for as long as I wanted to." Sakura explained.

"I don't think you have to worry. She's got to be dead now." Naruto said.

"How right you are but she has been dead for quite a while." The two turned to see that the 'woman' was still alive. Naruto jumped in the way of the blow meant for Sakura but it was so powerful that both were sent flying. The two maneuvered in mid-air so that Sakura wouldn't get crushed. As the 'woman' made a small move to end them, she dodged a barrage of kunai. The person landed and faced their attacker, Sasuke.

"Ah, so you are ready to fight Sasuke-kun?" the male voice asked. They suddenly opened their mouth and out of it came a tall man with extremely pale skin and waist-length black hair. He had a long face with pronounced cheekbones, golden eyes with slits in his pupils and purple markings around his eyes — a reference to his snake-like nature. He stood in front of Sasuke and waited. Sasuke growled and activated his eyes. This made the man smile. "Ah, the Sharingan. I have been waiting to see its power." Sasuke quickly did some hand seals.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)" Sasuke shouted and spat a ball of fire at him. He jumped over it and engaged Sasuke in taijutsu. With the Sharingan activate, Sasuke was able to keep up with the man. When he sped up, Sasuke was still able to follow him. He jumped away and launched another fireball. Moving like a snake, the man appeared and struck Sasuke from behind. He attacked him in mid-air but Sasuke was able to move and grab him. He placed three balls on his back and pushed off. The small explosion caught the man by surprise and stung him.

Sasuke reached into his pouch and threw several shuriken at the man. They were off target but the shuriken were attached to wires. The man noticed this and was shocked.

'The Sōfūshasan no Tachi (Manipulating Windmill Triple Blades)!' he thought in shock. Sasuke landed and pulled the wires, wrapping the man up and restraining him to the branch. He then did hand seal for another jutsu.

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)" Sasuke was surrounded by flames and they traveled up the wires. The man screamed as he was consumed by the flames. The power behind the jutsu destroyed the branch he was tied to and sent it falling to the ground. Sasuke dropped to his knees and was tired. Sakura appeared and looked at Sasuke. The boy just glared at her and Sakura just sighed at the attitude. That's when they were frozen by an unreal killer intent. A head appeared from behind and bit Sasuke in the neck. Sasuke screamed as a mark appeared on his body. Sakura couldn't move and watched with horror.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Naruto roared. The head moved just in time to dodge Naruto's swipe. The pressure of the swipe however left three marks on his neck. Naruto landed and pushed off the tree and chased the head. Naruto hit the ground, creating a crater just as the head returned to their attacker. Naruto took off like a bullet and attacked the man with vigor. The man dodged all his attacks and saw the red in his eyes.

'So, she has been training the Kyūbi jinchūriki. Interesting.' He continued to dodge, all the while doing something behind his back. Naruto brought his arm down but the man vanished. Naruto was able to follow him and give chase but the man was ready.

"Fūton: Daitoppa! (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)" Orochimaru called out. Naruto was sent flying into a tree and hit it hard. Orochimaru was on him in seconds and lifted his mesh shirt. "Gogyō Fūin! (Five Elements Seal)" He then slammed his hand into his gut, flames on each of his fingers. Naruto roared in pain and began to feel weaker. The chakra of the Kyūbi receded and Naruto passed out. The man dropped Naruto to the ground. He looked at the blond and considered giving him a special bite. However, he was interrupted by the girl. He moved away as Sakura stood protectively over him, while carrying Sasuke.

Sakura looked at Naruto and then glared at the man in front of her.

"What did you do to the both of them, you monster?! Who are you?!" Sakura demanded.

"My name is Orochimaru." Sakura eyes went wide and her knees began to shake. She couldn't believe that one of the Densetsu no Sannin (Legendary Three Ninja) was actually here. She ignored her fear and stared him down. This amused the man some. "Do not worry; I will be retreating for now. I have already given my gift to young Sasuke. If he survives, he will come to me for more. You will watch over him now? He is very important to me." Orochimaru said and melted into one of the trees. Sakura released a breath that she was holding and wiped the sweat that appeared on her face. Why was the great Orochimaru after them? She put in the back of her mind for now. She needed to get her teammates to safety.

XXX

Anko rushed through the trees and searched for Orochimaru. She didn't know why that man was here but she didn't care. Today was the day that she ended him and got him back for his betrayal. He would not escape for her. That she swore. She jumped off another branch and searched. That's when she saw him, Orochimaru. She rocketed toward him, two kunai out.

"OROCHIMARU!" She roared. The man turned around and smiled.

"Ah, my dear Anko, how have you been?" he asked with ease. He then ducked her first strike and stepped back from her second strike. Anko threw the kunai but he easily caught them and returned them to her. She dodged and got some more space. "That hurts my feelings Anko. Aren't you happy to see your old sensei?"

"Happy? I'll be happy once you're dead!" Anko shouted. Orochimaru just smirked and charged at her. Anko jumped into the air and held her arm out. "Sen'eijashu! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)" Four snakes shot out and attacked. They bite into the man and held out. With amazing strength, Anko pulled him toward her and she punched him in the chest with senbon between her knuckles. This sent him into the branch hard. She then did a foot stomp on his chest that made him spit blood. She spun him again before slamming him into the tree. She ended her assault by stabbing him in the hand with a kunai. She then did one handed seals, locking her and his hands together. Orochimaru saw this and was shocked.

"This is the end! This is for Konoha!" Anko roared. "Sōjasōsai no Jutsu! (Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique)" Two snakes were summoned and they bit the both of them. Anko winced but she knew that this was for the best. She might die but she had taken this bastard with her.

"Still so impulsive Anko. Did you forget who showed you that jutsu?" Orochimaru's voice said from behind her. Anko was shocked and watched the Orochimaru in front of her smile before turning into mud. Anko cursed and dropped to her knees. "What would poor Naruto think of his sister figure sacrificing herself, leaving him alone?" Anko's eyes went wide. Finding the strength within her, she grabbed the kunai from the tree and rushed at him, roaring with rage. Orochimaru did a single seal and Anko suddenly felt unimaginable pain. She dropped to the ground, holding her shoulder. She tried to fight it but she couldn't.

"That will be enough. I was very surprised that you would be training the Kyūbi jinchūriki. I must admit, you did a very good job with him. He impressed me enough that I considered giving him my gift that I gave you." Orochimaru said.

"If you go near him again, I swear that I'll rip your fucking throat out!" Anko snarled through the pain. Orochimaru laughed at her.

"How delicious. Don't worry Anko; I have no plans to use him. I have already gotten what I came for. Besides, there are worst people out there that want your dear otouto (little brother) and you are nowhere strong enough to defeat them. Even I would be wary to get in their way." Orochimaru said.

"Damn… you…" Anko snarled.

"Do tell sensei not to cancel the exams. I would be most displeased if you do." He said and vanished from view. Anko laid on the tree branch, in pain and near death. She had enough energy to pull out a flare and launch it. After she did, she passed out. As she closed her eyes, she couldn't help but worry about Naruto.

XXX

Sakura placed a cool rag on Sasuke's forehead before checking over him. It looked like he was okay but she couldn't really tell. She then turned to Naruto who was still out. Whatever that man did, knocked him out pretty good. Surprisingly, he was in the same boat as Sasuke as his injuries were healing. She always realized that Naruto seem to recover faster than most people. She wondered why. She sighed and decided to get a little sleep. She kept a kunai on her person and positioning herself to keep an eye out. She knew that the forest had many enemies and she would have to be ready.

It would be a lesson that would save her life when the morning came.

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Authors' Notes: Hello everyone. I would just like to let everyone know that I will be type up my chapters during the weekends from now on. I feel that is better since I don't have to worry about thinks during those two days. I'm also able to write a lot more easily during that time. Anyway, here is the new chapter of this story.

I did kind of follow the Naruto plot when it came to this fight, at least Sasuke's and Anko's parts. Still after this chapter, many of the fight scenes that I will create will be original. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter of the story.