Underneath the Underneath
By: FlameXFullmetal
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I make no money from this story.
A/N: Back again with another chapter for you and I am so glad that you liked the last chapter. Granted I got the usual troll reviews...when will they stop? Anyway, back into the chunin exams! You know the drill by now.
VixenLover18: I, like you, believed that Hinata's affinity was water for so long. However, when I got to that part in the story I had just looked at the data book for Second Chances to confirm what affinities Naruto had either than wind at the end of the series. That was when I discovered that Hinata was officially listed as having fire and lightning. I wish she had wind and water natured chakra because then I could have had her learn the hyoton. Sadly though I was not lucky enough for that to happen.
Lara5170: No. I'm trying to avoid spending to much time on any one character. If I gave that impression I'm sorry and I will work on it.
"hello" people (bijuu in human form) speaking
'hello' people (bijuu in human form) thinking/coded hand signals
"HELLO" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity yelling
"hello" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity talking
'hello' bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity thinking
hello jutsu
***********...Ravishes Everything...*********
"Hokage-sama we have an emergency!" Anko yelled bursting into the room. The Sandaime looked up at the frazzled special jonin and blinked in surprise.
"What kind of emergency? Please tell me it has nothing to do with dango."
"Orochimaru is in the forest with the genin." She practically screamed throwing the note on the table. "Uzumaki left this behind after the signal sounded to start the test. He was right behind me and I didn't even realize it!" She screamed in frustration. Picking up the note the Sandaime read through it his eyebrows furrowing as he did so.
"I see. I'm afraid, however, that there is little that can be done. If any of the jonin with teams participating in the exam step foot in the forest it will cause an international incident. Even my presence would cause problems especially if I came in contact with any of the genin. However, the fact that Naruto was easily able to recognize and identify Orochimaru yet refused to report it until it was to late to delay the exam is concerning."
"It's fine. The plan is proceeding according to schedule." A voice from the window called out getting the Sandaime's attention. Turning to look, he saw Kakashi giving a serious expression to the two of them. "Please do not interfere."
"What plan Hatake?! You are going to get someone killed!" Anko yelled at the silver haired jonin.
"Sandaime-sama I think that it is time to call the forces together and and debrief them on Naruto's status and from there I'll explain."
"Kakashi.."
"Not that one, the second one."
"I'm not sure that is a good idea."
"It is. If all goes according to plan and the way we think it will then they will be back at the end of the exams anyway." Kakashi said non-nonchalantly. Staring at the jonin, the aged kage began to contemplate the man's words. Was it possible that they had known this entire time and had planned for it? But how did they know? Why did they want to leave things as is? Was it safe informing the ninja about the return of the Yondaime?
"Sandaime-sama, if the shinobi aren't blindsided then they can help control the civilians and genin when it happens."
"Very well. Call the jonin and the ANBU that aren't currently on duty. I will notify them when the shifts change." Hiruzen said seemingly to no one in particular. Standing the three shinobi followed the man towards a massive room designed for meetings just like this. It took some time for the large group to assemble but when they did Kakashi nodded. The ANBU had even gotten the other exam proctor's due to Orochimaru.
"Before we begin Sandaime-sama would it be possible to have Yakushi Kabuto's jonin step forward?" After a second the Sandaime nodded and the man stepped forward.
"While I hate accusing people, I find it rather curious that you were unaware that Kabuto and his team were spies for another country. They had to meet their superiors somehow and send reports yet the suspicious behavior was never reported." Kakashi said getting everyone, including the Sandaime's attention.
"What? Are you drunk Hatake? This isn't funny!"
"Neither is Kabuto having access to classified information and the willingness to spread such information to all the visiting villages. The fact is that all three have jonin level chakra but are suppressing it to the levels we would expect of someone at their age and reported skill level. Nor the smell of snake that clings to them like a second layer of clothes." Absolute silence filled the air as Kakashi's words were digested.
"Kakashi, how did you become aware of this information?" The Sandaime demanded his thoughts racing from the possibilities.
"I have a Hyuga on my squad capable of seeing chakra levels and two extremely adept sensors. One of which has enhanced senses. It was child's play for them to detect it once he entered the room. As for how they told me, Naruto developed a new seal that is being field tested as we speak and informed me by using it."
"A new seal?"
"Yes. One that he is considering applying to the ANBU should you give him permission and the seal works the way that he hopes it will."
"What does it do?"
"Not now Sandaime-sama. Traitors and potential traitors first." Sighing and looking down at the jonin who was glaring at the copy-nin the Sandaime nodded and he was quickly removed from the room by a team of ANBU who returned quickly.
"Long story incredibly short, several years ago Naruto entered into a contract with the death god." Kakashi started but was quickly interrupted.
"How the hell did he do that?" A jonin barked.
"When the Yondaime sealed the nine-tails he left a small fragment of his and Kushina's chakra behind in the event that the seal ever weakened. In order to fix it before it collapsed. What he didn't know was that he also left a small fragment of both of their souls. As a result when the Kyubi and Naruto found the fragments the death god was made aware of them and entered the seal to reclaim them. Naruto intervened and struck a deal with the god. In exchange for several very specific souls the death god would not only allow them to remain, he would resurrect them upon receiving the first soul. If Naruto fails to collect the remaining three souls he promised, then the death god would not only reclaim Minato and Kushina's souls but Naruto's as well." Kakashi explained getting quite a few comical looks.
"That deal has affected the way that I trained my genin and the situation that has led us to the conversation in the first place. As we speak Orochimaru is in the forest of death disguised as a kunoichi from Kusagakure. My team is on their way to intercept him as Orochimaru is one of the souls that the death god has demanded."
"What?! There is no way that the genin can handle him! Kakashi what were you thinking?!" Asuma yelled angrily.
"I was thinking that it was going to happen sooner or later and that I might as well prepare them for the inevitable. Orochimaru is the weakest of the four that he has to deal with. Besides they have rules that they have to follow in regards to the confrontation. The fact is that Minato and Kushina are still inside the seal and have been working with us to plan this encounter for months."
"Kakashi I think you need to explain that more thoroughly." The Sandaime sighed.
"Several months ago when we returned from our last mission, Naruto wanted to test something that he had come up with and had been experimenting with. He had altered the clone jutsu so that he could temporarily release Minato and Kushina into the real world. It was around the time that we were discussing training plans for the exam that Naruto realized something that everyone else had overlooked."
"Orochimaru wants to become immortal so that he can learn every jutsu in the world right? The easiest way to do that is to copy all of the jutsu that he runs across and the easiest way to do that is with the sharingan. A dojutsu that currently only has four known wielders and three and a half complete sets. Two of which are far beyond Orochimaru's reach. One isn't complete and wouldn't benefit him at all. The final one belonging to a headstrong, revenge obsessed genin who would do anything to achieve the level that Itachi is at who is guaranteed to be in the exam because the daimyo want to parade him around like a prized pet. Sasuke is Orochimaru's target." Kakashi said with all certainty.
"How did we not think of that?" A boar masked ANBU nearly squeaked out in shock, fear and anger at having missed the obvious.
"I missed it to. It took a genin to point it out and then explain the reasoning behind it to Minato before he realized." Kakashi confessed. "Regardless this was to good of an opportunity to miss. Who knows when we will get another chance at Orochimaru? So for the last few months I have been training my genin to fight Orochimaru with sensei's help. I don't care if they don't become chunin, I know that they have been chunin level for a while. I want them to survive the inevitable."
"I see." Anko said slowly. "If he told us before hand we would have delayed the second phase and Orochimaru would have escaped again. The next time wouldn't be as easy and he may try something drastic."
"Exactly. Worse comes to worse Naruto can use his new clone jutsu to summon Minato and Kushina to help them retreat. They know that they aren't to take any unnecessary risks. They also have another objective in that forest. Protect team seven. Ensure that Sasuke's obsession with revenge doesn't get his teammates killed."
"You really did plan this, didn't you?" Asuma whispered in shock.
"I did."
"You said four souls were demanded in the deal and that Orochimaru was the weakest. Then you mention that there are seven sharingan floating around when there should only be five. What gives?"
"Orochimaru is the weakest of the four. The second weakest would be Hidan, a jashinist with some form of immortality. Little skills if the bingo book is right but his unusual techniques are what make him dangerous. The next weakest is Kakazu, the Taki nin that tried to assassinate the Shodaime Hokage. His jutsu gave him a form of immortality that can be defeated but he has almost a century's worth of experience. The last of the four, the strongest, is the owner of the last set of sharingan." Kakashi explained.
"Who?" Hiruzen demanded his mind whirling with the new information.
"One of the hidden leaf's own founders, Madara Uchiha."
In the forest...
"Was it a good idea to let them know Naruto-kun?"
"Yes. It is time that the secrets in the village stop one at a time. Besides this way, it is possible that the Sandaime sends in an ANBU team in the event that we are defeated to try and capture the snake. Even if they fail it would have caused enough of a distraction for us to escape. We did promise not to do anything risky." Naruto replied to his girlfriend. Nodding Hinata focused on finding their target once more.
"There is a cave up to the left, it seems to be the home of the tigers and is difficult to get to. With my summonings it should be easy to get them to let us stay."
"Nice work! Let's go." The team turned slightly and headed for the cave that Hinata found. Immediately upon landing they had the tigers growling at them and Hinata smiled warmly. Walking forward slowly yet gracefully she held her hand out to the tigers and waited for the one in front to examine her. She had been told that because of her tiger contract she should be safe from any wild tigers, especially those that lived in the forest because they were technically a part of the summon clan. After a few minutes the tigers relaxed and turned heading back into their home with Naruto and Kimiko following.
"Can we do that with foxes, Kimiko?"
"Yes. By all technicalities the foxes of this world are still scouts for Inari so they to will aid us if we ask."
"Cool!" Naruto exclaimed eyes sparkling. Sitting down Naruto quickly pulled the map he had swiped from the proctors out and spread it where the team could see. "We entered from here and Sasuke's team from here. My clone witnessed Orochimaru entering from this gate and Kabuto from this one." He said making marks on the map.
Kimiko hummed and nodded. This was trickier then they had originally thought. The plan called for them to take it easy and allow Naruto's clones to do the actual exam while they waited for the team of clones that they all sent after Sasuke's team to report back with confirmation of contact. However, that also meant that their clones only had one chance to make the replacement work to get them there quickly. Furthermore, they had to ensure that the other genin weren't caught in the fight. Especially Aimi. Kimiko pitied her a lot. After all she was trapped on a team with the two most annoying males from the whole class.
Shaking her head clear she looked back at the map and sighed. She hated waiting. She would prefer to be stalking their prey and waiting for the right moment to strike. That was how predators worked after all. Glancing across from her Kimiko smiled as Hinata was carefully inspecting the bow that she had mastered in their training. She was perhaps the most dangerous member of their team. They had yet to find a condition in which Hinata couldn't hit her target in. Her byakugans made the longer distances easier to hit because she could literally see the best path for her arrow to take.
"It's going to be awhile I think." Naruto mused out loud. Nodding they settled in and began the long wait for Orochimaru's appearance.
It wasn't until several hours later that anything happened. They had been so bored that Naruto and Kimiko had begun to meditate while Hinata played with some of the tiger cubs. Naruto had bolted into an upright position before spinning to Hinata.
"East, look east for team seven! A lot of the clones I had following them were all just dispelled at once! It was a massive wind jutsu. An overpowered futon: daitoppa I believe." Nodding Hinata turned and began to scan the area while they gathered their supplies.
"I found them! Oh no! Sasuke and Kiba picked a fight with Samui's team!" She nearly wailed in frustration.
"We have to go now! Replace with the clones that are left." Kimiko barked. Admittedly, she had come to like the team from Kumo.
With Samui...
It was supposed to be a simple retrieval simulation as far as she was concerned. So how did everything get so complicated? They had been making a plan when a team of Konoha ninja dashed out of the foliage at them. Admittedly they weren't that difficult to fight but the fact that their teammate had the sharingan was aggravating. They had decided to limit themselves so that none of their techniques could be copied. Ironically the kunoichi was standing back holding her head whining in exasperation. They were about to knock the two boys out when all six of them and the dog had been blasted by a wind jutsu that Karui was convinced came from Naruto. Then the Kusa kunoichi blasted them with killing intent and the idiots from before completely froze! Gritting her teeth she nodded to her team and they grabbed the frozen genin and jumped away using a smoke and flash bomb combination to try and disorient their attacker. Unfortunately, they didn't get far.
"Now that wasn't very nice. Just hand over Sasuke and I may let you live." She nearly purred making Karui's skin crawl.
"Can't do that. When you attacked us with that jutsu you became our opponent as well. Besides the prima donna is useless right now." Karui growled drawing her sword. She knew she was outmatched. They all did. There was something wrong with this genin and they knew it couldn't be good. As the kunoichi began to charge at them she was kicked in the face and sent flying by two different feet.
"Get them and get out Karui! Your team is no match for a sannin right now!" Naruto yelled as he brought his hand up to deflect a punch.
"A what now?!"
"This is Orochimaru. He is one of the three sannin. Get going! I may have to use thatand I still don't have complete control." Eyes widening Karui lifted the frozen Uchiha and nodded.
"If you die I'm bringing you back myself!"
"I'd wouldn't expect any less!" An attempt from Orochimaru to block their escape was quickly intercepted by a hail of sparking arrows forcing him to jump away.
"Hi Orochimaru."
"How did you know?"
"How many other people can use their tongue to lift objects and sneak up on an experienced special jonin with kage level reserves?" Kimiko countered making Orochimaru twitch in irritation. He had thought that his disguise was perfect when Anko didn't notice him but it seems that he was wrong. Removing the genin's face he smirked at the two before him and then glanced around.
"Where is the Hyuga? Did you abandon the dead weight?" Neither answered the man because they didn't have to. Orochimaru was forced to dodge a second hail of arrows that came from multiple directions all at once. Losing his smile he brought his hand up to block a swipe from the unknown redhead and then jumped to avoid a sword aimed at removing his head.
"You seem almost to good for genin. Who is your jonin?" Silence was all that met his question as the two visible genin charged once more supported by more arrows. Surely the girl had run out by now right? The game of cat and mouse continued for several minutes before the snake sannin regurgitated his own sword. Grimacing in disgust Naruto readied the sword he was holding. It was the same one that the death god had modified and was already giving off a feint black aura. The second their blades met though Orochimaru couldn't keep the surprise off of his face. Not only had the sword blocked Kusanagi flawlessly, it had chipped the blade that should have been indestructible!
"What is that blade?!" He yelled in outrage. This couldn't be happening! There was no way that a genin was able to match him in kenjutsu and break his sword.
"...guess..." Naruto whispered before he grinned near maliciously. The sannin barely reacted as an arrow penetrated his head and he fell backwards. Only to dissolve into a pile of mud. "You're not the only one that can use clones snake." Naruto nearly hissed as Orochimaru came flying back into the clearing a clone following close by.
"So long as we know your target, as long as we keep track of them we can track you." Kimiko smirked. Before the snake could say anything the clearing was covered in thick chains that seemed to create a net around the combatants.
"The Kongyo Fusa...a male has manifested the bloodline?" Orochimaru whispered in surprise.
"Yes. Now then don't think of escaping. If you hadn't noticed I already destroyed the clones underground that you intended to swap with." Naruto said calmly.
"Yet you blocked out your teammate. Did she really..." his sentence was interrupted by yet another arrow that clipped his shoulder and sent jolts of electricity shooting through his body. Cursing he glared at the three and began to make hand seals that Kimiko and Naruto quickly mirrored to his surprise.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Three voices called out in unison. A massive plume of smoke covered the clearing and before the wind could naturally clear Naruto cast a light daitoppa to get the visibility back. Two massive snakes, a dragon and a fox stood underneath their summoners staring at one another in surprise.
"Kimiko-sama! What an honor!" The light turquoise fox called out in surprise.
"Not now Nanami. We have a snake to skin."
"Naruto, it is good to see you again."
"I know. I missed you to Aoi. Mind helping with a snake problem?"
"No problems here."
"Dragons?! You summoned us to fight DRAGONS?!" The snake on the right cried indignantly.
"I didn't know he had a contract let alone one like that!" Orochimaru hissed back. How had the genin come across a contract for dragons of all things?! Without warning the snakes dove to the side as the fox and dragon long forward intent on ending the battle quickly. Spinning the snakes lashed out hoping to catch the other summons with their fangs. If they could inject their venom in them then they might have a chance to win. Unfortunately they were not that lucky as the two summons moved out of reach quickly before diving towards them once more.
"Nanami was it? Is your element compatible with wind or water?" Aoi asked as he dodged strike after strike.
"I have water and a high affinity for yang manipulation." She replied batting the snakes away.
"Good." The dragon smirked as he glanced towards his summoner who was locked in battle with the sannin before him. Every attack Orochimaru made with his sword either dodged or parried and when he wasn't dealing with a never ending hail of arrows he had to worry about the other kunoichi.
'This isn't fair!' Orochimaru growled mentally. He had come to Konoha expecting little to no resistance from the shinobi with the intention of marking Sasuke and waiting to see if he survived. Then he would leave. It wasn't supposed to this hard! First the Kumo ninja and now a squad of Konoha genin. He just wanted his precious Uchiha! Jumping away from the two genin he quickly formed the seals for the strongest fire jutsu he knew and unleashed it at the genin. Only for the red head to swipe her nails (or were they claws?) at it and tear it apart. He was unprepared for the massive blast of ice chakra that struck his summons and him simultaneously. The snake sculptures were quickly shattered before they could return to the summoning realm and a quick nod at their summoners dismissed Aoi and Nanami.
Replacing out of the frozen prison, Orochimaru glared at the genin who looked like they were barely trying. He had to get out of there and fast. He didn't think that they could beat him but they were doing rather well in forcing him on the defensive. Something that he didn't like. Gritting his teeth he glared at the genin and began forming seals once more. He hadn't wanted to use it yet but he had no choice.
"You'll regret interfering with me." He bit out at the genin who were watching him wearily. They hadn't recognized the sequence of the hand seals and that worried them. It wasn't for any elemental jutsu that they knew and it wasn't a summoning. The best course of action would be to interrupt it but that could also have its own set of dangers. Gritting their teeth they had no choice but to wait and see what he was going to do. Internally the two shinobi were watching carefully also weary of what the new technique may do, when Minato's eyes widened fearfully.
'Naruto stop the jutsu quick!' He yelled making Naruto's eyes widen in shock. Nodding he raced forward to stop the technique only for Orochimaru to smirk at them.
"To late!"
************T.B.C.************
A/N: Back with a new chapter! Can't promise that I will always update this quickly but the whole exam is in my head waiting to get out and I had to sit down and type this up. In any event, here is the next chapter. Until next time! Ja ne!