Ryan Yami: This...is the funniest review I've ever gotten. Thanks lol

Sorry this chapter is a little late guys. I won't hold you any longer.

The Battle Concludes

Naruto grunted as he failed to summon a shroud of wind around the kunai once more, causing him to cry out in frustration. He had been trying for a while and yet he kept failing. He had even started using his clones to speed up the process, but he still found it to be a slow process. Getting wind to swirl around an object was not something he was used to. The best he could do was to generate a blast of wind from his body, but it was more likely to harm himself than flow it around the kunai.

Naruto grunted, shaking his head as he thought back to the basic teachings of wind nature chakra control. The idea was to make wind as thin as possible, while simultaneously making it incredibly sharp. In doing so the user of wind nature chakra was able to shred anything that stood in their way. Naruto frowned, feeling the gust of wind blowing across his body, staring at the trees as the wind sent leaves scattering in multiple directions.

Jiraiya blinked at Naruto, frowning. "What's up brat," Jiraiya muttered. He had taken his attention from the waterfall he was currently peeping down, staring at the kunoichi who were bathing underneath, writing down a series of notes. Naruto frowned, shaking his head.

"I just realized that I was going about this process the entirely wrong way."

"What do you mean brat?"

Naruto blinked, thinking over everything he knew about wind chakra. "You said it before. You can't fight wind chakra, you can't force it to go where you want it to go, like Raiton. And wind is mainly a slashing nature. It cuts everything it its way, that's why it has to be small and thin. It's sharper that way and the cuts can be more precise. I've been trying to force the wind around the kunai, like what I was trying to do with my wind armor. That can't work. I just have to create a channel of wind around the kunai and guide my chakra around that."

Jiraya smirked, nodding. "So you're getting it. Alright, if you've finally grasped what I was talking about then let me see if you can get it done."

Naruto grinned, before he called upon his chakra once more, the kunai in his hand shaking before a stream of wind slowly eked over it. However, despite it's shaky foundation the technique was still accomplished. Naruto grinned, staring at Jiraiya with pride in his eyes. Jiraiya smirked, nodding.

"Alright, that's a good step forwards. Get that on a solid foundation using your clones. In the meantime, let's get to sparring again."

Naruto nodded, creating multiple shadow clones who immediately got to work, before he and Jiraiya went at it once more.

Sasuke frowned as he saw the massive pool of ice frowning at the state of it. It was completely unnatural. No circle of ice should exist in a desert. Yakumo's genjutsu powers were truly terrifying to completely ignore the laws of nature. The Uchiha glanced upwards at the sky, noticing the cloudy skies above. The sun was covered by storm clouds that looked ready to pour down rain at the drop of a hat. He shook his head. He couldn't even imagine what those were for. Storm clouds that went across for miles, why would she even need that.

He frowned as the clouds started to open up, releasing the stored rain that shattered upon contact with the ground. Sasuke sighed as he was drenched immediately, walking inside the fort to end his impromptu shower. He sighed, blinking and shaking his head to get the rain water out of his hair. He looked upwards, a frown on his face as he saw Ko Hyuga staring down at him.

"Yes," Sasuke stated, blinking.

Ko frowned, looking outside, pointing. "What do you see?"

Sasuke blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Ko frowned, waving for Sasuke to follow him as he walked towards a nearby window. Sasuke frowned, before his eyes widened. "What happened to the rain?"

Ko grinned. "So you see it?"

Sasuke nodded. "The rain isn't rain. That's ice! She's dropping ice shards from the sky!"

"Yes," Ko stated nodding. "Yakumo's genjutsu skills are amazing. She's creating icicles that rain from the sky. I'd dare say her genjutsu capabilities surpass even the legendary Sharingan. Even the Byakuygan can't see through her illusions, that's how real they are. It isn't so much an illusion as it is distorting ones sense of reality and then making it real. It's more akin to the ability to distort reality. She's incredibly talented."

"I can see that," Sasuke muttered, his eyes wide. Even with his Sharingan active he couldn't break the illusion of ice that surrounded the fort. It looked like a fort in the Land of Snow, during a blizzard. It was impossible to truly comprehend how Yakumo was able to do this. There was no doubt in his mind, Yakumo had a talent that surpassed the Uchiha Clan in power.

She was the foremost leader in genjutsu.

"Now do you see why I didn't truly require you here," Ko stated. "Your ability with genjutsu is great yes, but not required considering the other assets we have at our disposal."

"Then why did you allow me to stay?"

"Simple," Ko stated, stretching. "Yakumo's power with genjutsu outstrips your own, but in sheer combat ability you have her beat. She can't fight using ninjutsu or taijutsu, her body is too frail. In fact, you even beat her in time required to cast genjutsu. You can do it faster. She has to draw all of her genjutsu for their maximum effect, she can create them without it from what I've been told, but they are not nearly as powerful. You and I could likely fight them off with enough effort."

"So I'm here as a reserve her. Genjutsu against one enemy, that can be enacted in a shorter time frame, but she has the advantage in terms of the number of people she can effect and lethality. I'm a less efficient her essentially."

"Yes. In the terms of genjutsu. In sheer combat strength you outshine her. I don't know much about genjutsu so I couldn't teach you anything, which is why I didn't have you work on it, but if you can improve upon your combat abilities you'll actually be useful here."

Sasuke frowned. "Why did you show me this? Just to demonstrate how incapable I am?"

"Not in the slightest," Ko stated. "I came to demonstrate to you just how dangerous you war is. Even someone like Yakumo, with amazing powers, is vulnerable. It'd take quite a large display of power to even put a dent in her powers from long range, but up close she can be killed extremely easily. I wanted to show you that everyone has flaws. Just because you're particularly talented for a Genin doesn't mean you're ready for war. You're more powerful than even I was as a kid, and yet you're still not ready. Don't underestimate our next battle."

"I didn't underestimate the first one."

Ko frowned. "I know. But you fought someone who is a legendary shinobi from Suna. One who gave off the feeling of Zabuza Momochi I'm sure. The next shinobi may not give you that feeling, but may still be easily capable of killing you. I wanted you to truly get this message. Your training has been good so far, don't get me wrong. But I just need you to realize the level of threat going on. When Suna's retaliatory strike comes, and it will, I need you to be ready. It may very well be the last strike in this entire clash with Suna we will have. I need you to understand what you will be facing."

Sasuke frowned, staring Ko down, the fire in his eyes illuminated for the world to see. "And as I told you once before, I got this. I will not die here. I have too much that I have to do."

Ko stared down at the Uchiha, sighing. "The Hyuga's and the Uchiha's have never really seen eye-to-eye, but for what it's worth Sasuke, I do think that you are one of the next future leaders of Konoha shinobi. Don't end that future here."

Ko merely stared at the speechless Sasuke before he turned away. "Be careful Uchiha. I don't want to see anyone else die in this war."

Tenten blearily opened her eyes, frowning at the blurry room around her. It was bright, and she was clearly still to weak to accurately be able to understand what was going on. She slowly tried to rise only for someone to gently force her back down onto her back, a familiar voice breaking the deafening silence.

"Calm down there Tenten. You're pretty badly banged up. You need to rest."

Tenten groaned, her vision still blurry as she saw the figure back away. Who was that? Were they friend or foe? They were probably friend, considering she was waking up at all, in a bed especially, but it wasn't a certainty. The Oto shinobi could have won the battle and brought her back to their home base to be experimented on, possibly turned into one of those monstrosities, or brainwashed into being a shinobi of theirs.

"We heard you killed two enemy shinobi from the samurai in the battle. That's quite impressive. None of us even knew there were shinobi in the battle in the first place, we just thought it was filled with those monsters. We'd like to hear the full story from you thought if that's all right Tenten."

Tenten grunted, her eyes finally focusing, revealing Hayama and Gaku standing there in bloodstained clothes. Tenten frowned. That meant the fight had likely ended not too long ago, considering they hadn't yet changed. Even Gaku's partner sat at his side, the ninken covered in blood as well. No ninken liked being covered in blood, so the battle had likely ended probably about an hour or so ago and none of them had time to change as they tried to manage everything.

"There were three of them," Tenten began. "I only managed to kill two. The first one I engaged was a kunoichi, but she was nothing to special. She was a challenge for a samurai, but she seemed to be a low level Genin at best. Then I was engaged by two at the same time. One was a Fuuton user, but he too was nothing special. He seemed to be more powerful than the kunoichi, but he was nothing compared to the other shinobi. I didn't catch his name, but he was powerful. He had me in the palm of his hands, and I likely would have died. The only reason I didn't was because Gai-sensei's training came in handy and I managed to unlock the First Gate...because...because of that thing that...dad?"

Hayama reached out just as the horror of her assumption reached her eyes, her arms reaching up to grasp her chest. Hayama's hand came down firm on Tenten's shoulder, steadying the young kunoichi. "Don't worry Tenten. Your father is alive. We found him unconscious outside of the base. It seems that he was able to weaken the monster enough for me to be able to kill it."

"Can I see him?"

"'Fraid not kiddo," Gaku muttered. "The bastard's pretty banged up. He's lucky to be alive if I'm honest. That beast, or should I say, that shinobi, was a monster in physical strength. Your father is still resting."

Tenten frowned, staring at the man. Hayama sent a sharp look at him, causing him to blink, unsure of what he did wrong. Hayama sighed, noting Gaku's bluntness for later conversation before he turned to Tenten once more.

"Don't worry about your father. He'll be fine with rest, although he won't be able to fight for quite a while. You were saying? About the shinobi?"

"Right," Tenten stated. "There was one shinobi that was strangely powerful. Melee weaponry didn't work on him, because he could turn his body to mud. Not only that but he seemed to be able to enlarge his body like an Akimichi. He was really strong. He primarily used Doton-style jutsu so I think that's his elemental affinity. That's about all that I can tell you. I don't know where he went after the battle, so he might still be out there."

"Thank you," Hayama stated. "We'll be sure to notify everyone to be on the lookout. Did you manage to catch a glimpse of what he looked like in the low light?"

"His eyes were gray and his hair was slicked back," Tenten muttered. "But that was about all I could glean from him."

"That's good enough. Thank you Tenten," Hayama stated, patting the girls shoulder. "Get some rest."

Tenten nodded, watching as the duo walked out of the makeshift clinic back into the open of the fort. Gaku crinkled his nose as soon as he walked outside. "I liked the smell better in there. It reeks of death out here. The smell is sickening."

"And I'm glad I wasn't born an Inuzuka," Hayama stated. "I already get enough of the smell as is."

Gaku rolled his eyes. "What are we going to do about that Gozu guy?"

"Not much," Hayama stated, sighing as he rubbed his hand through his hair. "There isn't much that we can do in the first place. We don't have much of a description on him and he could be anywhere by now. He's probably retreated back to the next Oto strike force to tell them of our abilities. All we can do is hope that Daimyo-sama arrives soon with aid. Otherwise, we will all likely die here."

Gaku grunted, sighing. "I have no desire to die. I'll go look over the traps, see if there are any that weren't set off and if I can place a few others."

Hayama nodded. "Good idea. I'm still going to make the rounds, and bury all of the dead. If I see any sign of enemy activity, you'll hear me."

Gaku nodded, sprinting off with his ninken at his side, causing Hayama to sigh.

"Damn Orochimaru. If this was your first strike...what's your second?"

Gaara frowned as he felt the genjutsu surround the strike force. He grunted. This was common strategy. A slight genjutsu enveloped over the strike force to hide their position as they moved through the desert, specifically as they got close to the target. With the added effects of natural mirages being created in the desert making it hard to discern whether or not something was a genjutsu, the lethality of any strike force was multiplied.

And that did not even compare to when the actually assault began.

Earth ninjutsu shook the very ground that the enemy stood upon as though the sand itself was churning into a massive pit of quicksand, while wind ninjutsu experts caused massive sandstorms that could destroy any in its way. Desert warfare was how Suna thrived, and it was the reason why Suna had not fallen over the past three wars despite having shinobi that on paper didn't always compare to the other Great Nations. No one could successfully invade Suna due to the massive natural barrier that surrounded it. A massive desert, and there warfare weren't their only advantages either.

Hashirama had truly gifted them with an unstoppable force when he gave Sunagakure Shukaku. The mighty tailed beast was nigh-invincible in the desert. It was why no one tried to defeat it whenever, on rare occasions, it was released, instead trying to seal it as quickly as possible. It was impossible to avoid, considering the very ground shinobi walked upon could be sensed and weaponized by the creature. Shinobi who fought in the air were the only ones who could avoid the monstrous Bijuu.

Gaara grunted. Despite the knowledge he had of Suna's attack patterns he had never truly seen it in action. He had never been involved in a war, and during the invasion of Konoha, Suna had relied on intel from Otogakure. They fought less like Suna shinobi and more like Oto shinobi. That may very well have been why they had lost that battle. Gaara shook his head. The past didn't matter. He could only focus on the future.

The sand shinobi sighed, shaking his head, expanding his senses outwards as the genjutsu settled. A small creature, lizard, shuffled quickly across the sand a mile away, being chased by a snake. For a brief moment sandgrouse dived down to snag a few ants rushing to get back to their hive, free from the bird that had likely circled the skies before dive bombing. The Jinchuriki frowned. If sandgrouse were eating ants that meant it was likely breeding season. Far off, about fifteen miles away a jackal was eating the remainders of a kill from before, the opportunistic omnivore watching for any incoming predators. There was no need. It was away from anything that could be considered a threat to it. On the far reaches of his senses he could tell a bobcat was chasing a small rodent, although he wasn't quite sure what type of mammal it was.

Gaara frowned. They still weren't close enough to the fort for him to be able to count how many enemies there were in the captured fort. He had to get closer. He had to know just how many people he would be fighting. How many would die, in a test to Naruto's ideals.

The Suna shinobi could only walk forwards with two feet, his eye staring into the desert expanse in front of him. He had to know, he had to learn if Naruto was correct. Could friends make you strong? If so, then surely he would lose this upcoming battle. He had no friends. Not truly. Temari and Kankuro were...strange. They were family, but they acted much more calmly around him ever since he apologized after the invasion. They had been more open, as had he. But surely they weren't friends yet were they?

Their bonds surely couldn't match the bonds of a Konoha shinobi. Could they?

Asuma grunted as he walked back into Konohagakure, grunting as his sore body tried to recuperate from the brutal training he had just endured. He hadn't completed it, no that was a challenge that he doubted he would ever be capable of pulling off, but he had definitely tried. And he had come out much stronger because of it. The man grunted, stumbling towards the village gates only to see Hiruzen standing there, smoking a pipe.

The elderly man was smiling.

"You knew I'd be done today didn't you," Asuma said.

Hiruzen let the smoke from his pipe billow in the wind before he responded. "I know many things Asuma. That is not one of them."

"Bullshit," Asuma stated, before he continued stumbling towards the village. "Any updates on the war?"

"We have an active battleground and a future active battleground," Hiruzen stated. "I think you'll be heading to help out our shinobi against Suna."

"Oh? No Daimyo this time? Don't want to see my leave and be loyal to the Daimyo again."

"Quite the contrary," Hiruzen responded, his snark beating back his sons own. "I think it'd do you good, considering you despise the position of Hokage. But no, I think Suna is where you would be most useful, unless you truly didn't get stronger?"

Asuma smirked, before he froze. He stood there for five minutes straight before his body slowly began to gain mass, and his skin began to gray. Before Hiruzen could comment Asuma let the technique go, returning to normal. "I got stronger, although I'd rather not show you. I'm still a little sore. Using that would just make me more drained."

Hiruzen grinned. "That's all I needed to see. You may have surpassed even me, if only in that field."

Asuma chuckled, for once not minding his fathers presence in a conversation about shinobi. Maybe it was because he no longer wore the blasted hat. The Jonin reached into his kunai pouch, pulling out a lone cigarette that he lighted with a simple fire ninjutsu.

"We'll see," he muttered.

Orochimaru grunted as he walked into the hideout, his body weak and frail. The Sannin sat against a nearby stone wall, hissing in pain. Kimimaro and Aiko standing before their master, worry in their eyes. The Sannin's eyes narrowed at their forms, rage building in his body as he spat his words like venom.

"What are you doing! Get Kabuto and Gen'yumaru!"

The two immediately bowed before they rushed off, hurrying to find the two. It wasn't long before they appeared before Orochimaru once again, this time Kabtuo and Gen'yumaru at their sides.

"You called for us Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto stated. Orochimaru snarled at the boy.

"I am in no time for you games Kabuto. You know how to start the jutsu, start it immediately."

Kabuto nodded, placing his hand on Orochimaru's chest. With a push of the spies chakra Orochimaru's mouth opened, and a massive white snake emerged. The white snaked nodded at Kabuto, who grinned, before Orochimaru shot downwards, descending on Gen'yumaru, the sight shocking Aiko. The young girl took a step back, slightly unnerved, causing Kabuto to smirk.

"This is your first time seeing Lord Orochimaru perform his jutsu is it not?"

Aiko merely nodded, getting a smile from Kabuto. "Don't worry. Lord Orochimaru would not harm you in this state, at least, if he hasn't chosen you. It is a great honor for Lord Orochimaru to take this form in front of you. You should be happy."

Aiko, still slightly stunned nodded, shock on her face. Kabuto nodded, before he turned back to the form of the white snake, that was quickly beginning to fall apart and decay, meaning that the process was completing. Orochimaru would be free to use chakra once more. How disappointing. He wouldn't be able to take advantage of momentary weakness any more.

Kabuto shook his head from the traitorous thoughts. He owed everything he was to Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin had even freed him from the clutches of mind control at the hands of Sasori. He deserved his utmost loyalty. To even think of betraying him deserved punishment. As the rest of the snake decomposed, Gen'yumaru's body appearing he banished the thoughts.

"Lord Orochimaru," the shinobi stated, kneeling.

Aiko paused, still unsure of the man before her was Orochimaru but she knelt all the same, following in the footsteps of Kimimaro and Kabuto. The man who was once Gen'yumaru looked over them, a wicked grin that could only belong to the Snake Sannin appearing over his face.

"It is good to feel chakra flowing through my body once more. It's time to get to work. Kabuto, we have a lot of planning to do. We will do so after I finish my body modifications."

"Of course Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru grinned, walking forwards, releasing a pulse of his vile chakra just to get used to the feeling once more.

He was back.

Neji grunted as the shinobi force made another stop, being about a days journey away from reaching the Daimyo. As the group began to set up camp Neji sat silently by himself, the majority of the workload being handled by more experienced shinobi, specifically Chunin. A sigh escaped his lips, the Hyuga looking at the ground, going over what Hinata had told him.

She was willing to give up her title as heiress, to help a Branch Family member. That type of nobility, that type of honor, it was unprecedented. No one had ever done that before. The Hyuga's were not known for that type of belief, considering their conflicting past. The Main Family and Branch Family had always been at odds, and yet she was here preparing to take a stand against it. Even his uncle, her father, had not taken a stand against it when his own brother was branded with the mark, yet she would. She would take a stand for someone who despised her, and for all intents and purposes had tried to kill her.

No, that was inaccurate. She wasn't taking a stand explicitly for him. She was taking a stand for the entirety of the Branch Family, he was just a vessel for her to do it for.

A smile grew on Neji's face, a serene one. The Hyuga was at peace. Finally, he could understand what Hinata was saying. The error of his ways. She was always so kind to him and everyone because she genuinely was kind. She had a capacity for empathy than not many shinobi had. She possibly outstripped even the Hokage, who did nothing against the Hyuga Clans policy.

And he had tried to kill her.

Neji shuddered, clenching his fists. He had a lot that he had to make up for. Making sure she lived through this war would be one of them.

Far away from the solemn Hyuga stood another solemn shinobi, Kiba Inuzuka. The Inuzuka member stared at Neji, frustration on his face. A Hyuga who tried to kill a clan member, a Konoha shinobi who tried to kill another Konoha shinboi, was not deserving of his respect. Clenching his fists Kiba growled. Neji would get his, and soon. The Hyuga was stronger than he was now but that gap would close. His new jutsu wasn't quite ready to help him defeat someone of Neji's caliber, especially when Akamaru couldn't use his Earth style ninjutsu.

Kiba shook his head. Now wasn't the time to focus on Neji. There were more important things that he would have to handle. Shaking his head, Kiba started to help setting up camp. The faster camp was set up the faster they could go towards the Daimyo, and help in the war. That was what was important, not Neji.

Hinata grunted as she let her lightning element flourish, releasing another lightning style jutsu. She cracked her neck as Lee desperately jumped out of the way of the attack, the taijutsu expert suddenly speeding towards her. Hinata raised her guard, managing to deflect two of his blistering fast punches before he finally outsped her, his fist smashing through her guard and into her chest, sending her flying backwards.

Hinata crashed into a tree, groaning. Lee immediately bowed.

"Forgive me Hinata! I did not mean to do that you! I hit you far too hard."

"No it's fine Lee," Hinata stated, slowly standing. "You did as I asked. You're fighting me at full speed. I need to get used to fighting opponents who are better at taijutsu than I am. You, with your speed and skill in taijutsu, are the perfect training partner for me. I appreciate it."

"Thank you for your praise Hinata-sama! Yosh! I will use your praise to fan my flames of youth."

Hinata chuckled at Lee, before she looked towards the sky, a sigh escaping her lips.

"What's wrong Hinata?"

"It's Neji," she whispered. "He was sent to go help the Daimyo in the fight against Sunagakure's Daimyo. I know it's not as dangerous as fighting actual shinobi, but I'm still worried about him. He's my cousin."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Lee stated, getting her attention. "Neji is a very strong shinobi, stronger than even me. I'm sure he will be fine. Besides, he is also a Genin so he won't see too much of front lines combat. And even if all of that fails, Neji's flames of youth are incredibly bright! They can never be extinguished!"

A faint smile crossed Hinata's face, Neji still on the forefront of her mind. The boy was strong, so he should be fine, Lee was right. Although, after Lee's display at the Chunin Exams she severely doubted that Neji could have defeated Lee.

"You're right. I'm sure Neji will be fine. Still, it's a cousins job to worry about family."

Lee nodded, before Hinata turned to look him in the eyes, a new fire alight underneath them. The girl grinned. "Now, let's get back to sparring. I have to catch up to Neji!"

The two immediately started to spar once more.

The shadowy figure of a shinobi shuffled across the desert ground, their form covered by a cloak that protected them from the intense rays of the sun. The figure made no noise as they walked, the shuffling of the sand underneath their feet being muted by the billowing winds. The suns rays beat down, highlighting a porcelain white mask that his the shinobi from the world. It was impossible to tell exactly who was underneath the mask.

The figure stopped, looking over the absolutely massive fort that could be seen in the distance, far away from any other fort in the area. This was the next checkmark on the assault on Sunagakure. When backup finally arrived the Konoha troops would press on this fort, but for now it remained in enemy control. The figure reached into their cloak, drawing a small tanto before making a handseal, a harsh wind billowing around them as the genjutsu was set.

It was time for the ROOTs of the tree to grow stronger. By creating one in the desert sands.

Hey guys. Sorry for the rather lackluster chapter, but it's mainly setup for the next battle scene so that's why. The next battle should start next chapter, cause there will be a mini-time skip, of about two days. Nothing major. Although this next battle will actually be a battle in two places, so get ready. It's gonna be dope.