Next Chapter of Blood is Thicker than Bone. Naruto finds himself in a battle against the remnants of The Sound Four and then facing Sasuke.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

"WAIT UP!" A voice shouted to the surprise of The Four who turned and looked behind them.

A blonde figure leapt through the trees before them and landed before the group who had been sent after Sasuke.

"Naruto." Shikamaru said looking on at The Blonde who didn't appear to be too thrilled at being here.

"I'm going with you guys. To bring the damn prick back." He told them as they looked on at him as they had been sent on the mission. He walked over to them joining Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Chouji as he stood beside them all.

"I'm surprised you are joining with us Naruto." Neji said looking on at him as the others were surprised that he was going to join with them. From what they knew it was just going to be the four of them when they were told the mission they had been assigned to do.

"Frankly I'd rather not be here," Naruto replied to them. "But unfortunately I ain't got a choice." He told the group who looked on at him. "Personally I'd rather just let him leave and not have to deal with him again as he's done nothing for any of us and you all know that as Sasuke has been nothing but a pain in all our asses since we first met him. But due to orders we have bring his carcass back." He told them who was quiet. "Maybe if we castrate and neuter him when we find him it'll get some of the poison out of him." He suggested with a smirk and their eyes widened in shock at his words and Akamaru let out a low whimper at what he was suggesting. "Let's get this over with so we can find him and drag him back home, I'd rather not waste anymore time chasing him than I have to. So let's go!" He shouted and dashed off ahead and the others ran after him to keep up.

########

Elsewhere…

"Gimme a break," Anko muttered in disdain as she looked on at the letter that she and Tayuya had received from a Messenger as they were returning to Konoha when it had came. "Perfect time for him to go nuts." She said with disgust.

The two having returned back from their mission had been intercepted by one of Kakashi's ninja dog messengers and given a scroll.

"I am afraid that Sasuke Uchiha has gone off on his own as he has left The Hidden Leaf. A group has already been sent to retrieve him but I fear it might not be enough. Anko, Tayuya, you are the closest to The Valley of The End, you must go there and help stop and intercept Sasuke before it is too late. "

The Godaime

Tsunade

"Great, now what?" Tayuya mumbled as the two were the closest who could get there.

"We have to go," Anko muttered bitterly. "We're gonna have to go and stop the bastard from getting him before its too late." She said as she put it away.

"Do we really have to?" Tayuya mumbled as she folded her arms unhappily. "Let the jackass leave. He can find out how Orochimaru treats people personally." She said voicing her opinion of it.

"Yeah unfortunately we do," Anko told her. "I know Sasuke isn't well liked but we can't let Orochimaru get his fangs on him the way he's done us. We're gonna have to go and stop that from happening. I bet The Kid feels the same way about this as we do." She said referring to Naruto.

"Fine, let's get the damn thing over with." Tayuya muttered as they went to go as they were near it and with a bit of luck stop him.

########

Orochimaru seated in his chair gritted his teeth in fury as he felt pain coursing through his body. He looked at his hands and saw that the flesh on them were starting to peel off and his scowl grew as his body was decomposing faster than he had anticipated. He looked as if expecting them to appear with Sasuke but saw they weren't coming and he bristled with anger at their failure to show up in time. This could kill him if he did not take a body soon at this rate.

"They should be here by now!" He said hissing in fury. Kabuto nervously stood in the room with him looking on as he got up and stomped around the room. Kabuto could see his body falling apart and knew he didn't have much time until they fell apart at the seams.

Orochimaru seethed with rage at what was happening, he needed Sasuke where were they? They were failing as they had not showed up at all like he had expected.

Orochimaru couldn't wait any longer he needed a body now!

"Kabuto!" He ordered his follower. "Gather all the prisoners and those experimented. If they are not here in three hours chose one to be my next body." He ordered him.

"As you command Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto said and exited the room to make preparations for it.

Orochimaru gritted his teeth again and looked at his hands and wondered how much longer before the rest of his body met the same fate.

########

Naruto and the others dashed ahead going as they propelled their bodies forward using chakra, the group didn't stop for anything as they needed to make up for what had happened as they were out of The Land of Fire and going through a dense woods as they were now approaching The Valley of The End.

Akamaru riding in Kiba's jacket sniffed the air and let out a low growl. "What is it boy?" Kiba asked him as his companion sensed danger.

Neji activated his Byakugan and looked and spotted several people hiding. "Ambush!" He shouted as several Sound Ninjas and Raiga's henchmen appeared leaping out of the trees at them.

"Scatter!" Shikamaru shouted as they threw weapons at them and the group dodged them. "Perfect." He muttered as they looked on.

"Attack!" Karashi shouted and they charged The Leaf Ninjas as they were to stop them from getting to Sasuke.

"Kaiten!" Neji shouted and spun deflecting weapons, Chouji expanded tripling in size as he performed his Meat Tank attack while Akamaru transformed into another Kiba as they began to fight against them. Shikamaru dodged a Black Tornado attack as they were meant to hold them back and prevent them from making it to Sasuke, not defeat them.

Naruto dodged Karashi's wild swings from his claws. "Geez kid, you never practice?" He said to him and Karashi scowled and rushed him. Naruto dodged it as he backed away towards a tree but actually leading him on. Karashi stabbed at him and Naruto dodged it and the weapons hit wood and got stuck there shocking Karashi as he couldn't pull them free. Naruto then grabbed his head and smashed it into the wood knocking him out as he slumped downwards.

Naruto joined with the others fighting against Orochimaru's men who were determined to stop them, The group of five using their Chunin level strength beat them back as they fought on.

"So who knocked out the most?" Naruto said a few minutes later after beating them as the area was covered with bodies. Suddenly the sky darkened and they looked up and their eyes widened in shock at what they saw as a giant boulder was thrown at them. The group leapt out of the way of it as it smashed into the ground crushing one unfortunate Sound Nin who didn't move.

They looked and saw a large figure with an orange Mohawk having thrown it at them. "Useless scum." Jirobo muttered as he looked on at the fallen men. "I'll have to do everything it looks like." He said in anger and reaching into the ground grabbed and pulled out another boulder and tossed it at them.

"That's a big boy." Kiba commented as they dodged it evading being crushed. "But the bigger they are!" He shouted and rushed him with Akamaru who transformed. "Gatsuuga!" He shouted and they spun doing his trademark move but Jirobo took the hit without trying to dodge and smacked the two away with his arm.

"The harder they hit…" Shikamaru confirmed dryly as both ninja and dog were dizzy from the blow. Jirobo grabbed a small tree and pulling it out from the root swung it like a club at them. Naruto and Neji leapt over his swing and Naruto rushed him. Jirobo swung again and Naruto leapt onto it and ran at The member of The Sound Four as he charged him. Jirobo snarled and launched the tree but Naruto leapt up and fired Drilling Bullets at him and Jirobo covered up taking the hits. Snarling Jirobo punched the ground with his fists causing a tremor making them lose their footing.

"The more time we waste with him, the more likely Orochimaru will get Sasuke." Neji muttered as the five regrouped to try and figure out how to take him down so they could go on.

Jirobo rushed them his hands glowing but Chouji in a surprising display of speed appeared in front of him and they locked hands engaged in a test of strength the heavy members of each squad pitted against one another. Neither backed down as they were in a standstill as they clamped hands looking to outdo the other.

"Go Shikamaru! I'll deal with this guy!" Chouji shouted at them. "Get movin'!" He shouted as they gritted in power against one another.

"C'mon!…" Shikamaru said giving him one final look and they went on leaving them to fight.

The group continued to go deeper into the forest.

Akamaru let out a warning bark suddenly as they went. "Here comes more of the goon squad!" Kiba shouted as more men appeared blocking them with their own bodies. "Let's go boy!" He shouted as he rushed into the fry with his companion

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as he did hand symbols creating two dozen copies and Neji activated his Byakugan while Shikamaru readied his Kage Mane to use against them.

The fight like before was short but furious and in the end they had bested them knocking them all out. Naruto wiped sweat off his brow as he looked on as they were in the clear now. "You guys holding up?" He asked the others who nodded their heads at him and they began to go on. "Huh? What's that?" He said and they looked and saw a giant cocoon up above.

The Cocoon split open suddenly to their surprised and exploded and they covered their faces. When they dared to look they saw that the scenery had changed.

The group looked on as they saw the area was covered with thick webbing. Webbing similar to that which a Spider would weave. That if they fell into would trap them. They heard a laugh and saw dangling above them from below was Kidomaru.

"Welcome to my parlor." Kidomaru taunted them as his hitai-ate was lifted up exposing his third eye. "You won't be leaving here." He said as he formed his bow and notched an arrow and let loose with one which they avoided.

"Naruto, go. I can handle this." Neji told him as he stood before Kidomaru.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked him looking on.

"Yes, I can deal with this six armed fool. I know that this is where my part in this play ends." Neji told him and Naruto saw that Neji was a whole new different person than the one he had seen before.

Kidomaru fired an arrow at them and Neji spun as he deflected it with his Kaiten. "Go." He told them and Naruto nodded his head.

"Good luck." Naruto told him and they threw a smoke bomb down to cover their escape as Neji leapt at The Spider Ninja beginning their fight.

The now three man team went on as they went through. Naruto had thoughts about what had happened, Neji and Choji sacrificing themselves for the mission. He did not know how they would hold up on it but concentrated on the task as he ran with Shikamaru and Kiba as they went.

"Aw jeez, here comes more!" Kiba shouted as Akamaru warned him and more showed up. "Let's go boy!" He shouted and the two leapt and became a spinning wheel and smashed into them.

"Orochimaru must really be desperate if he's sending so many guys to try and stop us." Shikamaru noted as they fought and grabbing one with his shadow used him as a life puppet and made him throw punches and kicks at other Sound Ninjas and Kurosuki members. Naruto summoned a giant toad and had it spit out slime and mucus to trip them up as they faced the group.

The group panted later on as the fights they had been going on and the constant running was finally taking a toll on them at last. "When I get back to Konoha, I'm taking a nap, and I'm not walking up until the next Exams!" Shikmaru said as their muscles were sore and Chakra was starting to give out on them.

"Kinda have to agree with you." Kiba muttered with a smile as he scratched Akamaru's chin.

"Aw? Is someone tired?" A mocking voice said surprising the group.

They looked and saw an conjoined figure standing there.

"Now you'll have to deal with us." Sakon said as his brother Ukon separated from him.

"Bring it!" Kiba shouted at them and Akamaru howled in unison with him as he changed into Kiba again. The brothers sneered joining back up together and charged the dwindling group intent on killing them all himself. Naruto and Shikamaru dodged their unison attacks as they threw punches and kicks at the same time and Ukon would appear out of Sakon's body and attack from different angles. Akamaru and Kiba attacked them but the brothers who knew every move each one was going to make was able to counter and knock them away

"Stupid worms, you'll all be dead soon." Sakon said and he and Ukon prepared a Jutsu together preparing to attack Naruto and Shikamaru.

Akamaru and Kiba having recovered quicker than they anticipated lunged at them surprising the brothers as they collided with them, brawling.

The entangled mess of limbs lost their footing as they headed towards a cliff. "Kiba!" Naruto shouted as he saw what was going to happen

The group fell over the cliff disappearing without a trace down below. Naruto went to ran after them but Shikamaru grabbed his arm. "Naruto, Kiba will be alright, he and Akamaru are more than capable of fighting them. We have to go." He told him.

"Them and the others are sacrificing themselves on this mission," Naruto said recalling what the three had done. "They may not live past this." He said ominously.

"I know," Shikamaru solemnly said to him. "But we all knew the risks and danger when we took this mission."

"GRRRR, the bastard isn't worth them dying!" Naruto shouted in anger at how Sasuke's selfish actions were endangering the lives of others. "He doesn't care at all that others are getting hurt and possibly dying because of how he's acted!"

"Naruto…" Shikamaru said to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

They heard a noise and turned and saw more Sound Nins and Kurosuki Members appearing. "Give me a damn break!" Naruto shouted in disgust at how many there was. "We're getting nowhere." He lamented as this was ridiculous with how many they were having to fight. As if every last henchmen Orochimaru had he had sent to attack them.

"Naruto…" Shikamaru softly said to him. "I'll deal with them. Go on and get Sasuke." He told him.

"I'm not leaving you, I left the others behind by themselves and I'm not leaving you, you guys are my friends." Naruto told him refusing to leave him to face the odds alone.

"You're the only one who has the strength to get Sasuke and knock him out if necessary if you have to fight him. I don't have that skill to do so. It's up to you." Shikamaru told him and Naruto looked at him seeing how serious he was.

Orochimaru's men went to attack only to be blindsided and attacked by a pair of Kunoichi who appeared.

"Tayuya? Anko?" Naruto said in surprise at seeing the two as they attacked them. Tayuya had brought out her Doki and Anko had summoned Snakes as well.

"GO!" Shikamaru shouted and shoved him in a different direction and turned and ran into the fray.

"You guys, all of you stay alive." Naruto said as he ran off.

"We got to give Naruto the time! We've got to not let them interfere with him." Shikamaru ordered the two. "Don't let anyone five feet near him!" He shouted and the three leapt up and threw Shuriken and Kunai at them giving Naruto the chance to run past them all and not have to stop and fight.

The three landed on the ground and were surrounded. "Just freakin' great. Now what dumbass?" Tayuya asked as the three were back to back.

"Should've seen this coming." Anko muttered as she looked around at the group before them. Dozens of Sound Shinobi and Kurosuki family members against the three of them.

"Great. How about you take the fifteen on that side, Tayuya takes the fifteen on that side and I'll handle that side?" Shikamaru asked as he pointed over to a side were there was no one at all.

"Be motivated for once." Anko muttered at him rolling her eyes. "Let's go!" She shouted and charged forward.

Tayuya fought against a Kurosuki Member who seemed offended he was facing her.

"Stupid girl, kneel before me!" He told Tayuya. "A woman's entire purpose in life is to kneel before man and serve them." He said to the redhead.

"Oh really?" Tayuya replied and rushed him, he swiped at her and she dodged his attack evading it. Although Taijutsu was not her main strength, she was adept at hand to hand and know how to block and parry. She dodged and evaded them taunting him with a smug smirk which made him even madder that he couldn't hit her. He attacked her only for her to move to the side and grab his arm and slam her knee into it.

"You bitch!" He shouted at her in pain.

"You got that right." Tayuya replied to him

Tayuya twisted his arm and snapping it as she broke it preventing him from doing anything and pulled out a Kunai and stopped when she was about to kill him as there was no way he could defend himself.

"What's your name?" Tayuya asked him suddenly.

"Kishimoto." He replied in confusion. That was his final word as she plunged the kunai into his skull killing him.

"Nice knowing you…dick" She said dropping his corpse to the ground.

More went to attack but were suddenly blown away and smacking against the tress with a heavy thud knocking them out. The trio looked and saw who had done it.

########

Naruto continued to ran as he came near the edge of the forest and saw an opening, in front of him was just a plain field of grass, but he wasn't surprised when a group appeared blocking his path.

"Jesus, is Orochimaru sending all his forces out at once?" Naruto said in disbelief as he dodged an attack as he was assaulted by yet another force of his men. He dodged and parried attacks with his bone swords and dodged jutsus and stabbed a Kurosuki member with a bone sword in his kidneys. He spun and parried and danced, his movements an exact copy of his cousins' as he unleashed Shikotsumyaku on them.

As he dealt with many of them, a group lunged and leapt at him looking to attack him from his blindside firing a combined Jutsu.

Only for a green blur suddenly appeared and kicked them away.

"L-Lee?!" Naruto said turning in shock as standing there before him was none other than Rock Lee who was now standing up on his own two feet. "You can walk?"

Lee grinned his trademark grin. "I can do much more than that!" He shouted and leapt into action as he delivered punches and kicks to them. "HaHa! You're no match for my youthful spirit." He shouted as like a green whirlwind he was all around the place batting and smacking them aside. He looked like his old self as the injuries he had gotten from Gaara weren't even there. He was back and better than ever.

"Naruto go! Get Sasuke! I'll handle these heathens!" Rock Lee shouted to him as he stood before him. "I'll explain how I'm back in fighting shape when we get back to Konoha." He told him as he turned to face them.

Naruto nodded his head at him and ran off. Another person was making a sacrifice…

Naruto did not get far as he came to an open field when a bolt of lightning struck the ground before him and he lifted his head and looked on as he saw Raiga Kurosuki his swords sparkling with electricity on the lone tree.

"You're really a persistent bunch, or maybe stupid is the proper word for you." Raiga told him as he leapt down. "Needlessly throwing your lives away for some prick who doesn't want to be with you anymore." He told him

"I can say the same about you guys, considering you're throwing yourselves at us and letting yourself get killed for that sicko." Naruto responded to him and Raiga smirked in response at him. "Speaking of prick where is he?" He asked.

"He's gone on ahead, don't worry about him."

"Believe me I wouldn't usual but a missions a mission." Naruto told him.

"Hmph loyalty eh?" Raiga told him as they talked. "I was loyal to Kiri you know that? Until they betrayed me and drove me out. Along with Zabuza, Kisame and other members of The Seven Swordsmen." He said to Naruto. "How long until The Leaf betrays you demon? In the end, the village never cares about you. They'll chew you up and spit you out for their amusement." He said to Naruto. "It happened to me, it'll happen to you."

Naruto didn't reply to him as he got into a stance. Raiga charged him his blades glowing and slashed at him. Naruto dodged as he felt the heat emanating from his weapons and sprouted a pair of bone swords and swung at him. Raiga blocked it and smirked as his weapons sparked and Naruto felt he was being stung by the contact of it and backed up rubbing his palms. "I've killed my share of Shikotsumyaku wielders and I know how to beat them boy." Raiga said to him and lashed at him going for his head. Naruto ducked it and did hand symbols summoning multiple clones of himself to fight. They charged Raiga who covered himself in electricity and when they hit him they blew up from contact.

"Lighting Style: Thunder Wave!" He shouted and let loose with a wave of yellow electricity. Naruto leapt up over it but Raiga did so as well and looked to impale him, Naruto blocked his attacks and slashed at him each going for the quick kill.

"Wind Release: Hawk Talon's!" Naruto shouted and performed several slashes with his swords at Raiga sending attacks at him, Raiga saw the attack and dodged them as each one that missed cut through anything in its path, grass, rocks, even leaving a mark on the tree he'd been standing on. No doubt if it hit him it'd leave a nasty wound. Raiga sneered at Naruto and held his blades up and fired several lightning balls at him. Naruto avoided them as he dodged the attacks. "Bone Style: Dance of The Camellia!" He said and began stabbing repeatedly and continuously at him, each attack a different angle and design never the same. Raiga's eyes couldn't keep up with the fierceness of the attack.

But Ranmaru, who was hidden on his person as he always was, could. The Boy's eyes were glowing his Kekkai Genkai activated and could see and detect where Naruto's attacks were coming from and whispering and telling Raiga were to go and when to dodge the attack so not one blow landed on him. "Up, Left, Right, Up, Side," He said to him as he watched on.

"Enough of this!" Raiga shouted after he had dodged thirty of them and slammed his Kiba Blades together emitting a flash of lightning. Naruto cried out in shock at it as it blinded him making him halt his attack. Raiga's foot connected with his chest knocking him backwards hitting the ground. Raiga roared and held his blades up and a bolt of lightning shot out of the sky down towards the blonde, Naruto rolled over just dodging it but another, and then a third tried to get him. Naruto kept on moving and dodging them but they kept coming on him.

Raiga grinned darkly and cackled. It didn't matter how many lightning bolts Naruto dodged, The Swordsman could do this all day if he needed to. Eventually all it would take would be one slip or for him to stop even for a brief second. And he would die.

Naruto kept on dodging, just avoiding each one that came close to contact with his skin. He didn't have any time to try and stop Raiga or perform a Jutsu to try and break it as he had to keep moving at all times. He felt the heat coming from each one. Raiga saw that they were getting closer as time passed and knew he was out of luck.

"Now you die!" He shouted only for a figure to pass by him and slash him across the stomach. His eyes widened in pain and he cried out as it broke his concentration stopping the lightning bolts from going after Naruto. He clutched his stomach dropping to one knee and saw the cut from it in his flesh. Naruto looked and saw who had done it.

"Kimimaro!" He shouted in shock as his cousin was standing there having saved him from the attacks. "Talk about cutting it close." He said to him as he stood beside him.

"Bastard!" Raiga shouted as he pulled himself up as he covered his wound. Ranmaru was shouting in his ear to run away but he waved it off, he could handle them.

"Naruto," Kimimaro said to his cousin. "You have somewhere else to be don't you?" He told him. "The Uchiha is not far from here."

"I'm not leaving you." Naruto told him. No way was he going to leave his family behind after he had been forced to leave the others.

Kimimaro turned to look at him. "Naruto, do you really believe I'm that weak that I'd die at the hands of some trash such as him?" He asked him.

"Hello! I don't like being ignored!" Raiga shouted as his twin weapons were covered with electricity and he lunged at the two of them. Kimimaro rushed him as well as they began to fight. "I said go!" Kimimaro told his cousin as they locked blades and Naruto reluctantly ran on ahead. Raiga saw him and went to fire lightning at him but Kimimaro prevented him from doing it as Naruto ran off.

Kimimaro and Raiga continued their battle going against one another. Exchanging blows and parrying each others attack, their attacks savage but efficient against one another as they battled as neither backed down. The two fought against one another as lighting cracked from Raiga's swords.

Raiga unleashed a Jutsu at him which Kimimaro evaded and retaliated by having several bones stick out of his body and began spinning at a fast rate becoming a cyclone of death. Raiga avoided the attacks and brought forth a thick mist to hide himself in and cover the field. Kimimaro stood his ground knowing this tactic as Raiga was now stalking him in it like a Lion does a Gazelle. But Kimimaro had a Cat of his own to use as he made hand symbols and summoned a Panther.

"Find him." He instructed it and the beast let out a soft purr and disappeared into The Mist without a sound. Kimimaro then sat as he closed his eyes and went into a meditative state as he sat on the ground calmly breathing.

A great roar followed by a loud cursing voice a few minutes later and his eyes opened as The mist began to dispel. He looked and saw Raiga avoiding the swipes from the Great Cat's claws which would tear his face off if they came into contact. Raiga swiped at it with his weapons trying to drive it back as it roared at him opening its maw showing its fangs at him as it got on two feet and slashed at him with its claws that he avoided. Raiga stabbed it in the shoulder but that only made it angrier. Raiga went to attack it again but the beast disappeared heading back to the summon realm. His eyes then widened as he realized the panther was a decoy and he had ignored the real threat. He spun and dodged Kimimaro's attack right at the nick of time, just missing being skewered.

The attack missed but cut the strings he had on his cloak, thus causing the pouch Ranmaru rode in to be cut loose from it and him to fall. Ranmaru fell out of it and he hit the ground with a thud, his weak body unable to support himself as he was on his back and elbows.

"Ranmaru!" Raiga shouted and ran to him the one person who had stuck with him throughout the years. Forgetting about his opponent leaving him opened to attacks

Seeing the opportunity with his back exposed to him, Kimimaro fired a pair of bone knives at him as now was his chance to kill Raiga.

Ranmaru using all the strength in his little body launched himself leaping towards it.

"R-Ranmaru!" Raiga shouted in horror as the knife hit him in the chest having took the blow. "NOOOO!" He shouted in terror as he saw the blood leaking from the one person who made his life worth living chest. He rushed to him and took the boy in his arms. "You're gonna be okay! I'm here, you'll be alright!" He shouted at him trying to stop the bleeding.

"Raiga," Ranmaru said softly and smiled and closed his eyes as he passed on.

"No, NO!" Raiga shouted as he wailed in agony as he was dead. His eyes then turned a look of rage onto The Kaguya. "You killed Ranmaru!" Raiga shouted as he pulled out his blades. "I'll kill you!" He shouted at Kimimaro as he lunged at him madness and fury in his eyes as his blades were lit with electricity as he attacked Kimimaro. Any rationality he had was gone as he had gone berserk with Ranmaru's death as he attacked Kimimaro as his blades cut through anything in their path to getting to him. For that time his power was greater than Kimimaro's as he was forced on the defensive.

Raiga lashed out at him as he could not be reasoned with after what happened or stopped as only death would halt him. Lightning crackled and sparked as he attacked Kimimaro who narrowly dodged his attacks. Raiga fired multiple balls of lightning at him and Kimimaro had to deftly dodge them as he wasn't being given any chances to attack back against him.

"DIE!" Raiga shouted and lashed at him unleashing a great bolt. Kimimaro brought his swords up forming a barrier.

The attack never came as a wave of Sand appeared and took the hit stopping it surprising Kimimaro a bit at what just happened. "What the?!" Raiga shouted in confusion.

"That was me." A voice said and the two turned and saw a figure in brown red approaching them.

"You?!" Raiga said in shock as he saw who the person was. "What are you doing here?!"

Kimimaro looked on as standing there was Gaara of The Sand. He looked on at him his weapons held out, the last time he had faced Gaara he was intent on wiping Konoha off the face of the earth and killing everyone including himself and his cousin. Had he recovered from his wounds and returned to try again?

Gaara stared on ahead at both of them and Kimimaro got into a stance, he had him on the ropes when they fought in Konoha at near deaths' door. But at full strength, he could defeat The Jinchuurki of Sunagakure who stood wordlessly before him.

Raiga seeing an opportunity in his madness went to take his head off but Gaara's sand under his command stopped the attack and he was thrown back and landed on his feet. Kimimaro seeing he was still a threat charged him. The two again engaged in battle.

Gaara wordlessly watched on at the battle between the two, one he could sense his heart was damaged beyond repair, that only death was all he had left. While the other his heart had been healed when before it had been shattered. He watched on not even blinking when Kimimaro disarmed Raiga of his swords and wordlessly lined his sword with his chest.

The Blade pierced through Raiga's heart and he lost all strength and power in his body. "You win." He said with a bitter smile as he fell to the ground and died.

Kimimaro put the bone swords back into him and looked on at Raiga's lifeless body. He turned to face The Suna Nin when he saw Gaara use his powers of sand to rip apart the earth creating a large hole confusing him.

"They need a proper grave." Gaara said solemnly speaking for the first time looking on at the dead Ranmaru and Raiga who laid beside each other. He created a deep hole big enough for bodies to be put in.

Gaara gently lifted both bodies up with his sand and laid them down softly into the grave. Raiga and Ranmaru looking to be in peace at death. He covered them using his sand as he buried them together in the grave.

Kimimaro stared ahead at him not sure what he was doing as he was different from what he had been. "Why are you here?" He asked him as the two stared at one another.

A clap of thunder was heard and he and Kimimaro looked up as black clouds covered the sky for miles around.

"Looks like rain…" Gaara mused looking on at they watched the clouds as the thunder echoed.

########

Orochimaru stood before Sasuke Uchiha who had come to him the two at The Valley of The End. The historic place were the Statues of The founders of The Uchiha and Senju clans had been crafted. Orochimaru had the use of his arms now as due to using the strongest prisoner who had won a battle royale, and had taken his body as his own to use as a vessel to make up for not being able to get Sasuke. But he had The Sharingan so very close to him, in due time he'd be unstoppable with his body and all would fall before his might.

"Sasuke-kun you have made your decision to learn under me have you not?" Orochimaru asked him.

"Yes, I shall train under you." Sasuke replied to him. "In order to get the power I need to kill Itachi and avenge my family after all these years. You are the only I see who can allow me to achieve it."

"I knew you would, you know that Konoha cannot help you with what you desire, only I can." He said and laughed. "KuKuKu, a change of scenery is required though if we are to begin training soon." Orochimaru said to him as he looked around. "I have no use of Otogakure anymore or of The Sound or The Kurosuki Family." Orochimaru said. "They have outlived their usefulness to me. I have a new base of operations far from here, where no one, certainly no prying Leaves can interfere with us." He told him as he had grown bored of The Land of Sound as it was just one of his many hideouts and established bases in the whole world, even outside of The Elemental Nations and on other continents. Only himself, Kabuto, Sasuke, and a few of those who he had interest in for his plans would be coming with him. "Come Sasuke let us go, it is time for you to fulfill your destiny. Leave it all behind." He said and left.

Sasuke removed his hitai-ate dropping it to the ground as he tossed it away in the distance and went to join him when he heard a voice.

"Sasuke!" He turned and saw Naruto running towards him.

"What is he doing here?" He said in anger as he glared at Naruto. "Naruto you are a bigger fool than I thought if you came here." He said as he approached him.

Naruto stopped twenty feet away from him as the two looked on at one another. He struggled to catch his breath as he had been running nonstop ever since he had left Konoha and now he had finally caught up to Sasuke. He as he got closer had sensed Orochimaru's ominous presence and chakra as he made his way and knew he likely wasn't far away from here.

"Don't even think you can stop me Naruto." Sasuke told him and markings covered his body and he began to change into a different being as his body transformed activating the full power of the cursed seal.

Naruto sprouted bone swords from his arms ready to do battle against him. Sasuke in his transformed state leapt down as they prepared to do battle one final time. Drops of rain began to fall before a downpour emerged from the clouds soaking the two but neither paid the rain any mind.

The two stared hard at one another waiting for the first move to be made.

Naruto taking a deep breath and shaking his head at the futileness of it all, suddenly retracted the bone swords into his arms and looked at him with contempt and disdain. "Forget it, Forget it, I don't care anymore. I'm going home." He said and turned and began to walk away. "Goodbye Sasuke, I'd say its been nice knowing you but it really wasn't." He called back.

"What are you doing?!" Sasuke shouted at him. "Why are you leaving? Get back here!"

"There's no point in fighting you Sasuke," Naruto said his back to him. "I likely can't drag you back without a hundred of Orochimaru's goons dog piling on me and I don't feel like killing you as it'd be a waste to kill someone as pathetic as you. Go on and get lost. I hope you know that good people risked their lives today 'cause of what you've done. For all I know they maybe dead thanks to you. I'm heading back and maybe save those who actually deserve to be saved."

"Coward!" Sasuke shouted at him as the thunder roared overhead. "You're afraid to fight me! You know I'd kill you if we did! Nothing will stop me from obtaining what I desire! And when I do obtain it I will find and kill you as well after I slay Itachi!"

Naruto slowly turned back to face him. "You're brother would've done us all a favor…if he had killed you as well when he slaughtered your precious clan." He said his voice full of disgust.

"You are the dumbest and most selfish Bastard I've ever had the misfortune to meet!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke as the two glared at one another as thunder echoed above as the rain came down with no sign of stopping. "You think the entire fuckin' world revolves around you, don't you?! That you're the only one who matters, that you can do whatever the hell you want and everyone will automatically forgive you just 'cause you're an damn Uchiha!" He shouted at him venting all his frustrations. "So long as you get your way as always to hell with everyone else!" He shouted at Sasuke as lightning cracked overhead over the statues of the two figures nearby. "You willingly endangered good people with what you've done you know that? Of course you don't, that thought never entered your thick skull has it?"

"Do whatever the hell you want! I'm done picking up after you and having to clean up your mess that you make you stupid inbred!" Naruto yelled at him. "Go to that Snake and I hope you bring him the same trouble you've brought everyone else! You claim nobody else knows your pain, You've had it better off than me, Kimimaro, Haku, and millions of other people in the world! But because things don't go your way you throw a temper tantrum and demand to be given everything. PISS OFF!" He yelled at him. "Go ahead, get out and leave! We don't want you anymore! Not me, Kakashi, Sakura, or anyone else in Konoha! I don't want to ever see your miserable face ever again, and if I do I'll cut off your head on your shoulders and the head inbetween your legs so no more Uchihas can exist!" He said and turned back around. "Goodbye Sasuke, may you wallow and die in your own pathetic misery. You've made this decision yourself, no one else." He spat and began to walk away not looking back whatsoever at him as he left.

Sasuke watched him go and silently reverted back as the markings disappeared and left as well going the other direction.

Naruto continued walking not caring about the rain letting it soak and drench him as he made the long way back home the last time he would likely ever see him.

A/N: That's it for this chapter Review please.