Chapter Seven: A Plan Begins, Meeting the spy, Lightning Strikes
*FLASH*
Sai fell to his knees as the two appeared atop the gates of Konoha. He looked up to Naruto as the blonde stood from next to the kunai he had stabbed into the top of the wall, "That was the Fourth Hokage's technique." Sai stated.
Naruto nodded before stepping forward, looking towards the afternoon sun, "Sai…you were the one who broke into the Uchiha household and spied on my brother." Naruto said as fact, leaving no room for misunderstanding, Naruto knew for certain.
Sai's face remained blank, "I cannot confirm that statement." He said as he stood tall and reached for his blade as he took a step forward towards Naruto's unprotected back, past the tri-pronged kunai.
*FLASH*
Naruto appeared next to his kunai once again, one hand holding the back of Sai's head and the other holding his wrist as his hand was clasped around the handle of his weapon.
Sai froze as he realised Naruto could kill him in a second, he closed his eyes as he felt Naruto move, 'Sorry Danzo…brother.' He thought as his dying words.
To his shock, Naruto just stepped away. Sai turned in confusion, dropping his combat ready state of mind, "Naruto-san, why did you not kill me?" he asked.
Naruto smirked and placed a friendly hand on Sai's shoulder, "Sai, we're gonna be friends some day. I'm not going to do anything to you." he said with a smile.
Sai merely watched Naruto in confusion, unsure of how to reply. So, Naruto spoke again, "I'm not going to kill you or Danzo. But I am guessing he gave you orders to contact Orochimaru in some way during this mission?" Naruto asked.
Sai frowned, feeling frustrated that a stranger knew about him and his 'father', "I cannot confirm that statement." He said.
Naruto nodded, "I know. I just wanted to ask if you could deliver something from me to Danzo when you get back here." He said as he pulled out his letter from Iruka and opened it, letting Sai see it as he read out loud.
'Hey Naruto!
First and foremost, congratulations on everything you've managed to do in the past few years, I'm so proud to have called you my student. I hope we can catch up when you return? We'll get ramen, my treat :D
Unfortunately, I have some bad news. I have to resign as your stand in as clan head. If Pikkon and I are going to be together, then I have to become Iruka Nakatomi. I can't explain how happy I feel in mere words! But…yeah, I'm sorry I have to resign, do you mind finding someone to replace me?'
From your sensei, Iruka.'
Naruto folded the paper and turned it over, he held out his hand to Sai, "Pen." He ordered.
Without even realising how implicating his actions were, Sai unsealed his ink brush and passed it to Naruto, who smirked, "Hmm, chakra ink." Naruto said, causing Sai to actually acknowledge his practical confession about when he spied on the Uchiha household.
Naruto wrote on the back of the letter, reading aloud as he did so.
'It's your time to get back in action Danzo. I need a rep, and it's you. I love my grandmother, I also love the village. That doesn't mean I think my grandmother is fit to run the village.' he wrote before drawing a smiley face with fangs and slitted eyes.
Sai's brow rose as Naruto put the letter back in the envelope and passed it to Sai, "Make sure he gets it." Naruto said as Sai sealed his brush away and slipped the letter into the inside pocket of his shirt.
Naruto turned and looked past Sai, who watched him with a blank face as Naruto's serious expression became one of a cheery adolescent.
"Nii-san! over here!" Naruto yelled with a wave.
Sai turned to see Sasuke and Sakura landing just in front of them, Sasuke looked around with a frown, "Where is Kakashi-sensei? Baa-sama said he'd be meeting us here…" Sasuke muttered in thought.
""Probably lost on the road of life."" Naruto and Sakura said in unison, causing the two of them to burst into laughter.
Sai tilted his head curiously, "Where is this 'road of life'? I am not familiar with it." he said.
*POOF*
"You are standing on it Sai, it is everything and everywhere you have ever been and ever will be." Kakashi said as he stepped up to the group and rested his hand on Sai's shoulder in a friendly gesture, "I hear you were a junior ANBU agent, it's good to meet you." Kakashi said with an eye smile.
Sai's facial expression was frozen in a blank face as he tried to decipher what Kakashi meant, "I… it's good to meet you too sempai." Sai said, trying to be respectful to the copy ninja.
Kakashi just eye smiled before turning to Sasuke, "I hear you got lead on this one Sasuke. Feel free to ask for advice from me, but unless I severely disagree with your decision I will follow your commands." He said.
Sasuke smirked, "Thanks sensei." He said before clearing his throat as he walked to Naruto's previous position looking out over the wall, bringing the group's attention to him as he stood in front of them.
"As you all know, we are to capture a high level spy. We do not know of their strength level, or what the exact plan for the meeting is supposed to be. Therefore," he said as he pointed to Naruto, "You will disguise yourself as Sasori since out of all of us you had the most interaction with him, and wait on the bridge at the designated meeting time. Until we arrive at the area, that is the plan. Do you all understand?" he asked.
The group nodded and Sasuke turned while throwing down one of his sealing capsules. In a poof of smoke, Sasuke was revealed on his hover board. "Get ready for high speed travel, and I do mean high speed." He said with a smirk as his Sharingan blinked on.
Sai blinked in confusion before looking around the group. Sakura's back was covered by a rainbow glow before mechanical wings and a jet funnel appeared from the glow, she hovered in midair as the flames lifted her and she used the wings to keep stable.
Naruto just lifted his hood up over his head and his outfit became entirely white, except for his sheathe. His wind funnels then pushed him into the air next to Sakura.
Kakashi unzipped his Jonin flak jacket, revealing his Jonin edition chakra armour (Same as Dotou's chakra armour, wings and all), he reached over the back of his head and unzipped a new line on his vest, which the black mechanical wings grew out from.
Sai looked up at the four airborne ninjas with wide eyes, Sasuke smirked down at him, "I said get ready Sai, I was told you have some kind of fast flight Ninjutsu?" he asked.
Sai nodded and whipped out his scroll and drew a falcon at an incredible speed, he pulsed his chakra and suddenly the falcon came to life and flew into the air. Sai leapt up onto it as it circled the group, "Ready to go Sasuke-taicho." Sai said.
Sasuke nodded, 'Naruto was right, he has been trained by the paper guy! I have to find out where he was trained so I can find out who it is.' Sasuke thought as the fictional story Naruto told him began to make sense.
Sasuke hovered to the front of the group, his board lowering through the air as it could only hover, not fly, as he fell off the wall, "Follow me!" Sasuke yelled as he shot forward, dropping down through the tunnel under the tree-defence wall with Naruto behind him. The other three followed over the wall before nose diving to catch up, Sakura was easily in lead with Sasuke followed by Naruto, who was acting as a wind buffer, creating a slipstream for Kakashi and Sai to keep up.
######
Sasuke touched down at around midnight, the rest of his team landed next to him as his board disappeared back into its capsule, "Naruto, cabin." Sasuke ordered as he turned to the group while Naruto walked behind him into the center of the clearing.
"Sakura, your phoenixes are too well known now, so Sai is going to be the one to canvas the meeting site on his falcon." Sasuke began as Naruto slammed his hands on the ground behind him.
"WOOD STYLE: TRAVELLER'S DEN!"
Sasuke smirked as the small wooden house materialised, "And Naruto will go with you and use his scope seal to get a closer look. Sensei, I want to discuss tactics with you. Sakura, would you mind getting some food ready for us?" he asked.
Sakura rolled her eyes, "I swear, you guys would've died from starvation if it wasn't for me." She said as she walked to the house to get started.
Naruto walked over to Sai, "Wanna get going?" he asked as his suit turned black as the night's sky.
Sai nodded and leapt back onto his bird and the two flew off as Kakashi and Sasuke moved towards the house to begin their planning.
In a few minutes, Sai's bird was high in the night sky over the bridge, circling it as Sai looked around the area. He glanced to his right to see that he could no longer see Naruto anywhere near him.
Sai circled again and searched, 'Where did he go?' Sai thought as he continued searching the area.
######
Naruto floated in mid air underneath the bridge, feeling outward with his chakra. He smirked as he felt a nearby snake.
He stealthily flew into the trees near the bridge and landed and he let his own snake chakra flow out. Within a few moments, the small black snake slithered up to him.
Naruto bent down and lifted the snake with a smirk, "So, he sent you to canvass the area just like Sasuke did with Sai and I. That means the snake definitely knows about the meeting…I hope he'll be here personally." Naruto said to the snake.
The snake's tongue flicked and hissed in the language of the snake, 'I will have to tell him I ran into you Naruto-sama. I am unable to lie to him.' It said.
Naruto nodded, "I know, I have something I want you to give him." He said as the snake slithered up his arm so that he could reach into his pouch.
He pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen and began writing, "This will ensure he will be here, I hope it doesn't back fire on us though." Naruto muttered as he wrapped the note around the snake and placed the snake back on the ground.
The snake reared up and bowed to Naruto, who nodded back before it left. He smirked and turned back to fly to Sai, 'Come and get us…Orochimaru.' Naruto thought.
######
The Next Day
######
"Go out Naruto, the spy will be here in three minutes." Sasuke said to Naruto, who had used wood to make a replica of the outer shell of the Hiruko puppet wearing an Akatsuki cloak. Next to him stood Kakashi, who was in a high ANBU level of the transformation technique to appear as Deidara.
The head nodded and slowly, Sasori trudged out with Deidara, who stopped to lean against a tree with his arms folded as Sasori approached the bridge and stopped halfway across. Not a minute later, a ninja jogged onto the bridge from the other side, before approaching Sasori in a slow walk.
Naruto smirked from inside his puppet while the disguised Kakashi frowned, 'That is the Jonin combat medic that managed to hold off Baa-chan…this will be a challenge.' He thought when he spotted Kabuto. He blew out a deep breath as he went over the plan Sasuke had discussed with him.
Flashback
"Sensei, what do you think the chances are that someone would accompany the spy?" Sasuke asked.
Kakashi closed his eye in thought before talking, "In all likelyhood, Orochimaru probably knows about the spy and is using this chance to attack the person who sent the spy into his ranks. So there could be an army awaiting us or maybe even Orochimaru himself, thought that particular outcome is not as likely." Kakashi said before opening his eye and nodding.
Sasuke frowned, "That's what I thought, damn I was hoping I would be wrong." Sasuke muttered.
Kakashi shrugged, "We both very well could be wrong. Maybe Sasori's spy was good enough to go undetected, then it'll be easy for the five of us to capture them."
Sasuke's eyes widen, "Let's plan for everything just in case, if it's just the spy, we'll let Naruto and you start since you two will be obvious, then we'll swoop in and knock them out." He said as he folded his hands under his chin.
Kakashi nodded, "And if the spy's followed?" he asked.
Sasuke looked to Kakashi and sighed, "As much as I would like to capture the person myself, you and Sai have more experience in ANBU than I do. And this mission isn't really one where we can just hope for the best…so you two will focus on the spy while Naruto, Sakura and I fight off the other person or persons. We'll come back to help as soon as possible though." Sasuke said.
Kakashi nodded, "Sounds like a plan."
Kakashi nodded to himself, 'If no one else appears this'll be simple, but I haven't fought alongside Sai before, so I'm not sure how well we can complement each other's fighting styles if other people appear.' He thought as he watched Kabuto finally come to a stop and bow to 'Sasori.'
Kabuto rose from his bow, "Master Sasori, I have the information on Orochimaru's experiments that you wanted." He said as he reached into his shirt and pulled out a folder.
Naruto made the puppet nod as he imitated Sasori's voice, "Good Kabuto. Also, I need you to tell me Orochimaru's current location." He said.
Kabuto nodded as he held the folder out to Sasori, who suddenly pointed out his arm as if he planned to launch his puppet fist. Kabuto dropped as someone slashed through folder, Kabuto leapt forward just as a shadow appeared behind him, spinning to stand in front of 'Sasori' in a protective stance.
"Kukukuku, why don't you ask me yourself Sasori-kun?" Orochimaru said with a smile, one arm folded cockily and the other holding a folded piece of paper.
The puppet Hiruko's eyes slid back, letting Orochimaru see Naruto's slitted blue eyes inside, "Hello Orochimaru." Naruto said in his own voice.
Orochimaru smirked as he and Naruto glared at each other for a moment.
Flashback
Orochimaru opened his eyes as the small snake slithered into his bed. He felt the snake move up his body before coming to a stop on his lap.
Orochimaru sat up and raised a brow at the piece of paper the snake had in its possession, "What is this?" he asked as he took the note.
His eyes widened as he read it out loud, "Hello Orochimaru. Sasori is dead. If you want the last Uchiha, let the spy venture freely and you'll have your chance. I will be waiting."
Orochimaru grinned as he folded the note neatly and held it in front of him as he looked at it, "Kukukuku, is someone calling me out to play?" he asked the snake as he petted it. He then turned and looked at a piece of paper on his wall, showing the eyes of the Sharingan, "They certainly know how to grasp my attention." He said as he stood from his bed, letting the snake climb up his arm onto his shoulder.
Orochimaru walked over and opened his door, he turned to walk down his dark hallway with a chuckle, "Kukuku, very well stranger, I will play your game. And I will win as usual." He said as he disappeared into the darkness.
Orochimaru chuckled, "Well, it's my move." He said with a snakelike grin.
At Orochimaru's grin, Kabuto span around, swiping at who he believed to be Sasori with one of his medical kunai.
'Sasori' merely raised his puppet arm and let the kunai stab into it before the top of the puppet opened up and Naruto shot forward, punching Kabuto in the chest and launching him back to the other side of the bridge.
'Deidara' hesitated in shock at the move when Sasuke and Sakura leapt out, "Sensei! Get Kabuto! We'll hold off Orochimaru for as long as he can!" Sasuke yelled as he faded from existence and Sakura blurred at the snake.
Naruto and Orochimaru watched each other and Orochimaru raised the paper in the air, "The Nine Tails. I guess it's your turn." He said with a challenge as he crunched the paper and dropped it.
Naruto grinned, "A game is it?" he asked before ducking.
Barely missing Naruto's head was the boot of Radical Good Speed that shot at Orochimaru, "SHOCKING BURST BULLET!" Sakura yelled in exertion.
Orochimaru used his snake-like agility to dodge the powerful strike that destroyed the bridge behind him. He leapt back and pushed off of Sakura's shoulders to make it over the gap back to solid land.
He looked up at Sakura and Naruto, who both stood on the portion of the bridge that was barely holding on, 'Where is my Sharingan?' Orochimaru thought as he scanned the other side of the bridge.
Unknown to Orochimaru, Sasuke faded into visibility behind him, mid stab with his kusarigama.
*CLANG*
Orochimaru turned and kicked passed Kabuto, who had blocked Sasuke's stab with his own kunai, and his foot hit Sasuke's chest, knocking the Uchiha away and letting Kabuto stand back to back with him.
Orochimaru smirked, "Y'know Kabuto, this is your best chance to kill me." Orochimaru said.
Kabuto nodded softly, "I keep telling you that I do not want that Orochimaru-sama. What would you like me to do in this situation?" he asked, facing across the bridge.
Orochimaru smirked as Sakura appeared on one side of Sasuke while Naruto just landed from a leap to land on Sasuke's other side, "I sense two little mice across from you. Go have fun, I will handle my Uchiha and his friends." Orochimaru said with a fanged grin.
Kabuto nodded and watched as Kakashi stepped up and stared him down, 'There's one. Where is this second person?' Kabuto thought as he suddenly sprinted forwards and leapt across the valley, swinging his kunai at Kakashi, who knocked the blow aside with his Hatake tanto.
Orochimaru smirked as he took a relaxed stance, which Naruto recognised as the most advanced form of the Black Mamba fighting style, 'Damn, that's the final teaching of the snake summoning clan. I'm only on the thirtieth, not even close to the fiftieth.' Naruto thought.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan and swapped his Kusarigama for his combat umbrella as he spoke, "We'll play it carefully. Do NOT hesitate." He said.
Naruto bent low as he extended bone blades from his wrists that were a meter long which he had dubbed 'Bone Spears', Sakura's claws appeared in their rainbow glow accompanying her boots as she took a Taijutsu stance while Sasuke stepped back and rested the now open umbrella on his shoulder.
Orochimaru grinned, 'This will be challenging, a fine game indeed.' He thought as he turned his head upwards, his neck bulging as something began to come out of his mouth.
His Kusanagi sword shot out of his mouth, stretching across the distance towards the trio. Naruto stepped forward and crossed his bone blades and caught the blade at the intersection before pushing it upwards as Sakura crouched at his side.
"STREAK!" she yelled as she blurred towards Orochimaru, who bent inhumanely out of the way of the attack.
Naruto pulled his blades from Orochimaru's as Sasuke tapped the elongated sword with his glowing palm, "CHIDORI CURRENT!" Sasuke yelled, sending electricity up the blade.
Orochimaru let the blade fall free of his mouth, letting him move unharmed out of the way as he formed three hand seals, "EARTH STYLE: MULTIPLE MUD PELLET JUTSU!" he yelled as he spat a continuous stream of small mud balls at the two boys.
Naruto stood tall in front of Sasuke and flexed, letting his bone armour fend off the barrage as Sasuke formed hand seals behind. At the same time, Sakura had turned to face Orochimaru, mid-swing with her extended arm, "WHIP FIST!"
Hearing the attack coming from behind him, Orochimaru flicked his fingers, calling his blade to fly into his hand as he span, blocking the strike. He raised a brow in interest as his unstoppable blade merely cut a millimetre or so into the gauntlet.
Naruto ran low to the ground just as the last pellet bounced off his chest. At the same time, Sasuke had finished his hand seals, "FIRE STYLE: PHOENIX FLOWER JUTSU!" he yelled as he spat forward multiple flame balls, over Naruto and towards Orochimaru.
Orochimaru realised he was completely surrounded and unable to stop the attacks, 'Doesn't mean I can't dodge them.' he thought as he grabbed Sakura's extended gauntlet and dropped underground.
Naruto's eyes widened as Orochimaru's manoeuvre had pulled Sakura forward towards Sasuke's fireball barrage, which was passing over his head. So Naruto flung out his bone spears in a cross slash and destroyed most of them before breathing in powerfully with his wind chakra, sucking the last few fireballs through the air from centimetres in front of Sakura's face until it was put out in his mouth.
Orochimaru used the opportunity to leave Sakura's arm buried and shot up in front of Naruto, kneeing him in the face solidly before disappearing in a shunshin, slashing his sword at Sasuke as he moved passed him.
Thanks to his Sharingan, Sasuke managed to knock the strike upwards with his combat umbrella. He span to face Orochimaru, who was standing on a tree branch with a smirk.
Naruto and Sakura stopped next to Sasuke as Orochimaru began chuckling, "This is a fun game. To think that all three of you managed to hold off my blade, though I may not be fighting at full strength." The snake man said with a smirk.
Sasuke frowned, "Orochimaru of the sannin…we will end you today." He said as his Sharingan span.
Orochimaru's grin stretched across his face as he watched the three, Sakura and Sasuke seemed focussed and ready for battle. But even though Naruto's body was completely in an offensive stance, his face was stretched by a grin, similar to Orochimaru's own.
Orochimaru licked his teeth in challenge, 'So, he lets Sasuke take lead in the attack even though he obviously is confident that he is stronger. I want the Sharingan as soon as I can take it…but this child intrigues me. I will push them as far as they can go before I bring an end to this game.' Orochimaru thought before something in his throat moved.
Sasuke's Sharingan picked up the miniscule movement and he held his umbrella open in front of him, using it as a shield from the tongue that battered it. The tongue then reached around and pulled the umbrella from Sasuke's grip, causing Sasuke to smirk as Naruto and Sakura ran out to opposite sides of Orochimaru.
Orochimaru glanced left then right as he pulled Sasuke's weapon towards him, 'Let's see how else he can fight.' Orochimaru thought, not noticing as Sasuke held a ram hand sign.
"WIND STYLE: SLICING FUNNEL!"
Orochimaru's eyes snapped to the umbrella as a spiral of small wind blades shot at him from it, cutting up his tongue on its way to him. He barely dodged with a substitution that landed him behind Naruto, who he instantly threw a fist at since he had dropped his sword before the substitution.
Naruto heard Orochimaru land behind him as Sasuke destroyed the airborne log, he span and swiped with his bone spear, which Orochimaru slithered under before his fist collided with Naruto's stomach.
Naruto was launched back as he did not expect the lithe form of Orochimaru to be so physically strong. As he flew backwards, Sakura blurred past him while she slashed at Orochimaru with her claw in an obvious strike.
Orochimaru moved to hit Sakura's wrist to knock the blow aside, but she used her chakra hop to flip over him at the last second and flip to land a kick to his head. Orochimaru barely ducked the strike in time and then had to jump horizontally as Sasuke stabbed forward with his Ocean Naginata.
For a split second, Sasuke was fully off balance from his full power swing and Sakura was unable to move as she was airborne and hadn't moulded her chakra, with Orochimaru between them.
So with a smirk, Orochimaru pushed his arms out while he was still mid spin in mid air, "STRIKING SHADOW SNAKES!"
A group of snakes reached out from either of his sleeves, wrapping around Sakura and Sasuke as he completed his spin, throwing them around and slamming them each through a tree.
He pulled his snakes back to him only to be stabbed through both the knees by Naruto's bone spears. Orochimaru span at the hips and his neck grew as he planned to head but Naruto from the long distance.
*SLAM*
Orochimaru stared in shock as his head collided with Naruto's, both of their necks stretched over the meter gap. Orochimaru blinked as he finally realised that Naruto had used one of his own personal jutsus, which he hadn't taught anyone, 'Only a snake summoner can use this technique, so how did-'
*SLASH*
Orochimaru's eyes looked up at Naruto's face, who suddenly was staring at him with an angry glare, as Orochimaru's own head fell to the ground. It rolled to a stop as his body fell, severed at the neck thanks to Sakura and her executioner's blade.
Naruto's bones returned to his arms and his neck snapped back into place as he glared at Orochimaru's head, 'No! I was supposed to absorb him!' Naruto thought angrily.
Sakura smiled as she fell to her knees, she had moved at full speed to land that strike, 'Yes! We did it!' she thought in victory.
The pinkette and the blonde stared for a moment at the head, until Sasuke came running from the trees, drawing both of their gazes to him as he sprinted frantically at Sakura, his eyes pulsing.
"MOVE!" he yelled as he dove and pushed Sakura to the side.
*SHLINK*
Naruto stared in shock as Sakura fell to the ground, blood splattering across her. Tears began falling as he watched Sasuke fall to his knees, Kusanagi stabbed through his chest as it glowed slightly blue.
Sakura began shaking as Sasuke fell to his side, before gasping as she looked past Naruto at Orochimaru's body.
Naruto turned, his eyes flashing red in rage as a new body grew from the severed head, Orochimaru shrugged, "And here I wanted to kill the pink girl. It's a shame, I really wanted that Sharingan." He said with a sigh, as if it was only a minor occurrence.
Sakura pulled the sword out and to Orochimaru's shock, threw it to Naruto before she formed hand seals, "PHOENIX ART: HEALING TEARS!" she yelled as her tears began pouring into Sasuke's wound, trying to keep him alive and heal him.
Naruto caught the blade and glared at Orochimaru before the sword suddenly disappeared in a yellow flash, causing Orochimaru's eyes to widen, 'Minato's jutsu?!' he thought while leaping back as Naruto leaned back with a deep breath, his eyes flashing red with rage.
"UZUMAKI WATER STYLE: SHREDDING TIDAL SHOCKWAVE!" Naruto yelled as he spat forth a huge amount of water which began destroying everything it touched, trees, stones and the log Orochimaru had substituted with before he began sprinted away through the trees.
Naruto released the jutsu and glanced back at Sakura, who was continuously crying to heal Sasuke, she nodded to him as she saw the demonic shroud of Zabuza form over his head, "Show him hell Naruto." She whispered.
Naruto turned to the destruction he made, using his sight enhancement seal to see that almost three kilometres away, Orochimaru finally came to a stop at the edge of his jutsu. Naruto quickly unsealed one of his tri-pronged kunai and blew a green wind onto it as his right arm began to turn grey and grow denser with muscles.
He shouted in effort as he pitched the kunai as hard as he could, making it clear the entire distance in twelve seconds.
Orochimaru stood on the opposite side of the crater, he had barely caught his breath before he heard a tearing sound, he looked up to see one of Minato's kunai flying at him at an unprecedented speed. "Shit!" he cursed as he quickly held a single seal and blew out a jutsu.
"FIRE STYLE: FIRE PYTHON JUSTU!"
A python of flames shot forward, intending to melt the kunai upon contact so that it couldn't be used. But to Orochimaru's horror, the wind upgrade on it let it burst through the fire and barely miss his face, cutting some of his hair as he stared as it passed him, 'No!'
*FLASH*
"UNIVERSE!"
*BAM*
Naruto appeared mid punch next to his kunai and slammed his fist into Orochimaru's face with a blow strong enough to crush his entire skull on impact, but all it did was cause the log Orochimaru substituted with to be shattered into pieces.
Naruto took a deep breath through his nose before turning to his right and glaring at Orochimaru who was standing on the side of the crater as he threw his head forward, "SNAKE STYLE: INFINITE SNAKE PIT!" he yelled as he spewed forth an uncountable amount of snakes.
Naruto jumped into the air and activated his wind funnels, he twitched in pain as he felt something in his body pull towards Orochimaru.
To Orochimaru's interest and Naruto's confusion, from the funnels of his feet shot two streams off fire instead of wind funnels. Naruto quickly used the new discovery and kicked out, burning the snake clones as they leapt up at him.
Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals for a jutsu he wasn't certain he should use, 'But it'll distract the boy so that I can get at Sasuke.' He reasoned as he slammed his hands on the ground.
"FORBIDDEN TECHNIQUE: SUMMONING: REANIMATION!"
Naruto flipped around and spat out a wind jutsu at the flames from his feet, enhancing the fire into a larger attack that cleared the area before he looked up at Orochimaru and the coffin that stood vertically next to him.
Naruto's eyes narrowed as the lid fell off the coffin, 'Who is that?' Naruto thought in confusion.
Orochimaru smirked, 'It was hard to find this man's DNA, but it was worth it.' Orochimaru thought as he stood straight and pressed a kunai to the back of the ninja's head.
The man's eyes snapped open and he began to become revitalised as Naruto looked over him. He was a tall, dark-skinned man with a largely muscular and well-defined build. He had a full head of white hair which flowed into his back along with a long beard. He had unusual eyes, which had green irises, dark sclera and no pupils. His face had pronounced cheekbones and tear troughs under his eyes, and a prominent crease across his forehead with a mole above his right eyebrow. His canine teeth were also slightly elongated. He had the kanji for lightning tattooed on his right shoulder. And finally, he had a prominent lightning bolt shaped scar that runs across the right side of his chest.
Naruto frowned as Orochimaru yelled, "Have fun with the Third Raikage! I've won this game!" Orochimaru shouted in glee before chuckling evilly and running back towards Sasuke and Sakura.
Naruto instantly shot towards Orochimaru, his flames propelling him forward at a faster rate than his wind funnels did. Just as he got within a meter, the Raikage was there, covered in armour made of lightning that shocked Naruto, before the Raikage's fist pushed him back.
Naruto flipped in mid air and landed on his feet as he shook off the lightning, 'Damn! This Raikage is really fast!' Naruto thought before being punched in the face by the lightning fist.
Naruto realised he was nowhere near fast enough to combat the Raikage in Taijutsu, so as he recovered from blow he whipped out Samehada and rose it up just in time to block the Raikage's punch.
Naruto grinned in victory as the lightning armour was sapped into his blade, the Raikage hesitated, giving Naruto the moment to activate Samehada's scales.
The blade turned from a sleek dark blue version of Kubikiri Bocho into the fanged Samehada, which Naruto pulled across the Raikage's arm, shaving the skin and muscles from his forearm down to the bone.
Naruto grinned at his little victory, but he was so wrapped up in landing the strike to the Raikage's right arm that he accidently left his own right side open for attack.
"HELL STAB: FOUR FINGER NUKITE TECHNIQUE!"
Naruto gasped in pain as the Raikage's hand plunged into shoulder, electrocuting him immensely before Samehada ate the chakra and gave Naruto the chance to kick the Raikage away.
Thanks to Naruto's adamantine power, the Raikage was launched far out of sight, giving Naruto the chance to breath in nature chakra and direct it to his left hand, "SAGE MEDIC ART: MYSTICAL PALM HEALING!" Naruto gasped out as he began recreating the muscle since his bone had already regrown thanks to the Kaguya bloodline.
*BOOM*
Naruto looked up at the Raikage finally impacted something in the distance, Naruto used the small amount of time he had to activate his sight enhancement seal and look over to his family, who was fending off Orochimaru now that Sasuke was conscious again, using the basic tactic of Sakura's up close speed at full tilt since her armour was almost entirely active and Sasuke attacking Orochimaru from a distance.
"LIGHTNING STYLE: BLACK PANTHER!"
Naruto turned and his eyes widened as black lightning ran at him in the form of a panther, the Raikage standing calmly behind it as his arm slowly regenerated. Naruto instinctively used the first technique that came to mind as he formed hand seals and punched forward towards the black animal.
"ICE STYLE: BLACK DRAGON!"
The two black elemental attacks shot at each other and collided, exploding ice shards all over the area along with a few strikes of black lightning.
Naruto's eyes widened, 'Black lightning…this is the guy that fought the eight tails single handed! No one's ever hurt him before!' Naruto thought as he held his arms up at the Raikage, whose arm had just fully repaired.
"FLAMESTREAMS!"
Two plumes of fire shot forward from Naruto's palms directly at the Raikage, who pushed his own arms forward and began running forward.
"HELL STAB: TWO FINGER NUKITE TECHNIQUE!"
Naruto's eyes widened as the Raikage cut his way through his attack with merely two fingers of each hand. Naruto knew that the Raikage would try to continue the superfast attack and try to strike him through, so he quickly swapped from fire to wind chakra and added a handful of chakra strings to the mix.
"DECAPITATING AIRWAVES: NETTING!"
The sharp blades of wind cut into the armour, but still didn't touch the Raikage's body as the man continued running forward at an immense speed.
Naruto grinned as the Raikage appeared before him and the Raikage yelled in exertion as he thrust his hands forward at Naruto's chest.
The hands stopped mere millimetres from Naruto, causing the Raikage to look down at his body in confusion and notice the miniscule chakra strings that had tied him down.
Raikage looked up in time to see Naruto's fist turn grey and enlarge as bones spiked out of his knuckles and a piston appeared on his elbow while he channelled the last of Hashirama's sage mode into his fist.
"PISTON PUNCH: UNIVERSE!"
The ridiculously powerful uppercut to the Raikage's chest launched Raikage high into the air completely out of Naruto's view until he activated his sight seal, but Naruto was still electrocuted because of the man's reactivated armour.
Naruto saw Raikage righting himself in the air as his chest came back into existence, the Raikage turned in midair and his armour turned black as he nose dived straight down at Naruto while yelling.
"BLACK LIGHTNING: HELL STAB: ONE FINGER NUKITE TECHNIQUE!" the man yelled as he pushed all of his power into the single finger.
Naruto realised he probably didn't have much that could stop the attack, so he channelled his wood chakra and resorted to his strongest defensive move, "WOOD STYLE: HALF TURTLE SHELL!"
The dome of wood surrounded Naruto just in time as the Raikage slammed his finger into the shell, Naruto 's eyes widened as the finger actually managed to get through, making a hand sized whole while the finger came so close to poking his head.
Naruto quickly slammed his hand on the shell, "WOOD STYLE: FULL TURTLE SHELL!" Naruto yelled, activating the jutsu again but with his chakra inversed. The shell formed around Raikage in a sphere and Naruto punched the ball away from him.
Naruto looked on with a frown as the ball rolled to the edge of the crater before rolling back to him since he was at its center. 'How do I hurt this guy?' Naruto thought as he went over the battle in his head.
Naruto suddenly jolted and smirked, 'He deactivates his armour when he uses that finger stab! That'll give me a chance to hit him!' Naruto thought as he watched the ball closely.
Naruto swiped his left hand past his containment seal and pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, he grinned as he saw the Raikage's hand stab through the shell again.
Naruto leapt up into the air as the ball moved underneath him, he threw down his kunai as he moved over the hole in the shell, stabbing it to the inside of the shell.
Naruto landed and span, his arm extending and grabbing the ball before he lifted it, 'Any second now.' He thought as he pulled it back towards him.
He felt the build up of chakra and quickly pulled his hand back, just in time as the Raikage stabbed a black lightning covered finger through the shell and struck at him, pushing the whole ball the last meter at Naruto.
Naruto looked through the hole and saw his kunai imbedded against the inside of the shell, he grinned as he thrust his own hand forward to clash his Rasengan against the Hell stab.
"BLACK LIGHTNING: HELL STAB: ONE FINGER NUKITE TECHNIQUE!"
"DEMON PULSE: GIANT RASENGAN!"
*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
Naruto winced at the noise as Raikage began cutting through his attack, so Naruto held until the last second, 'Hold it! hold it!' Naruto thought before seeing the Raikage's finger just pass halfway through his attack.
Naruto's rasengan dissipated as the Raikage's hand moved towards Naruto's chest.
Naruto looked down, watching as if in slow motion as the Raikage's hand has about to pierce his sternum, a one shot kill. Naruto closed his eyes as he held his arms out to his sides in defeat.
*FLASH*
Naruto's eyes snapped open as he appeared behind the Raikage, inside his own shell of wood, swinging his outstretched arms forward as his bone blades reached out.
The Raikage barely started turning around as Naruto's blades sank into his neck, an instant death blow.
Unfortunately for Naruto, he forgot that the Raikage was already dead.
The Raikage's lightning armour sparked, painfully electrocuting Naruto, who was anchored to the Raikage because of his bones.
Naruto screamed through the pain and pulled his arms apart, beheading the Raikage and making his lightning armour stop for a brief second as Naruto grabbed the head.
*FLASH*
Naruto fell to his knees next to the original kunai he had thrown and slammed his palm on the Raikage's forehead, "Your speed, your lightning. I WANT IT!" Naruto yelled as he channelled his chakra in victory, a grin spreading across his face.
"NINJA ART: SOUL DRAIN!"
#######
"STRIKING SHADOW SNAKES!"
Orochimaru's snakes finally managed to get a grip on Sakura's leg and he swung her into Sasuke, who was mid seal. The two rolled across the ground tangled as Orochimaru leapt forward, swinging his Kusanagi to kill Sakura.
*CLANG*
Orochimaru stared in shock as a lightning covered Naruto, the only difference other than the lightning armour was that the top of his right sleeve had been ripped, showing the kanji for Lightning.
Naruto was holding off Kusanagi with merely his bone blade, which was significantly stronger because of the lightning chakra surrounding it, he smirked before kicking out at a speed that was second only to his sister's maximum speed.
Orochimaru was launched back as Naruto glanced over his shoulder to see Sakura and Sasuke staring at him in shock, though Sasuke seemed worse for wear, Sakura had almost no chakra left.
He looked back to Orochimaru who had just climbed to his feet, so Naruto flexed his body, his lightning armour becoming black as he formed four hand seals.
"LIGHTNING STYLE: BLACK PANTHER!" Naruto yelled as the lightning chakra took form and ran at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru bit into his thumb before he slammed a hand on the ground, "SUMMONING: RASHOMON!"
A Rashomon gate appeared and the panther slammed into it, bursting the gate open but dissipating upon impact, Orochimaru looked up through the gate in shock as a tri-pronged kunai appeared mere centimetres to the left of his head.
*FLASH*
Naruto appeared and grabbed Orochimaru's face and began compressing his chakra, "NINJA ART: SOU-"
Orochimaru's tongue shot out of his mouth, the simple manoeuvre pushing Naruto's hand off of his face as he stepped into the black mamba stance and landed two swift blows that pushed Naruto back.
Orochimaru gasped as he felt his chakra return to normal size, 'This is impossible! For those two Chunnin to push me this far and this brat then defeated the Third Raikage and somehow leaned his techniques?! It's impossible!' he thought in fear as he took a step back.
He felt a grip on his arm and looked down to see Kabuto, looking up at him urgently, the snake nodded before the two disappeared in a shunshin, barely dodging Naruto's punch.
Naruto looked left, then right, then sniffed deeply for Orochimaru's scent… "Dammit! Nothing!" he yelled while panting from the exertion.
Naruto turned back towards his siblings and deactivated his armour, he started seeing black dots in his vision, 'Woah…' he thought before falling forward, barely seeing as a second copy of Sasuke catch him before he blacked out.
#####
Twenty seconds earlier
#####
Kabuto slashed low at Kakashi, forcing the Konoha nin to jump up high, as Kabuto finished his swing, Sai sprinted under the airborne Kakashi with his tanto in left hand, stabbing at the medic.
Kabuto leaned back as far as he could, Sai leapt over him seemingly in slow motion.
Kabuto's narrowed as he looked up at Sai, the pale ninja was sticking his tongue out so that Kabuto could see the seal on his tongue, 'ROOT ninja!' Kabuto thought as Sai continued moving over him.
Kabuto watched Sai's left hand fly overhead, his blade in hand. Only to feel a punch to his chest delivered by Sai's right fist.
The punch slid Kabuto back, but as he rolled onto his feet, he realised Sai had slammed a scroll into his chest. He quickly tucked the scroll into his shirt before realising he was standing on the very edge of the cliff.
All of this happened in the span of six seconds, Kakashi only just landing and looking over at the two, not even seeing the exchange.
Kakashi began forming seals, "Sai! ANBU manoeuvre twelve!" Kakashi yelled before holding his hand low and grasping it with his other hand.
Sai leapt up over Kabuto again, throwing a handful of shuriken down at the medic ninja. Who was forced to parry them as he rolled forward since if he moved any other way he would fall off the cliff.
"LIGHTNING BLADE!"
Kabuto looked up to see Kakashi only a meter away, fist full of lightning as he took the final step before hitting Kabuto.
As Kakashi's foot moved to hit the ground, a small ink rat stepped under it, causing Kakashi to stumble for a moment, which Kabuto used to shunshin away.
The lightning blade stabbed into the ground, destroying a fair chunk of it and letting the evidence of Sai's interruption be lost into the river underneath.
Kakashi stood to his feet as Sai landed next to him, "Where did he go?" Sai asked.
Kakashi felt outwards with his chakra, only to feel another shunshin somewhere in the distance, "They're both gone. We failed." He said as he pulled his headband down over his Sharingan eye.
Sai nodded, 'Danzo-sama will be hearing from you soon Orochimaru-san.' he thought to himself before turning to his right where two Sasukes landed with Naruto and Sakura in their grasps.
Kakashi ran over, "What happened Sasuke?" he asked.
The second Sasuke placed Naruto onto the ground as the first began talking heavily, "Short version, we fought Orochimaru and almost lost, then Naruto saved us, then they fled." He said as he clapped hands with the second Sasuke, letting them become one again.
Kakashi surveyed the damage with a frown before talking, "Well captain…mission failed. What do you want us to do now?" he asked Sasuke.
Sasuke frowned, "I'll get us some transport home." He said before his curse seal covered his body.
"SUMMONING JUTSU!"
From the large cloud of smoke, a tiny toad appeared, "Where would you like to go Sasuke-sama?" it asked in a tiny voice as his curse mark receded.
Sasuke smirked, "Back to Konoha, the front gate." He said before closing his eyes.
The toad nodded before it's tongue suddenly shot out, grabbing everyone in a single swipe and swallowing them whole. The toad then turned and hopped to the edge of the cliff before diving into the river far below.
It would be a few hours until they reached Konoha, so the team took the time to rest and heal.
######
Mindscape
"Raikage-sama." Naruto said in welcome with a respectful bow as the man stood to his feet.
The dark skinned man looked down at Naruto with respect, "You are quite an amazing child. You managed to defeat me single handed, though I must admit I was far from full strength, it is still quite an amazing feat." He said with a nod as he walked past Naruto towards the huge cage of the Kyuubi.
The fox looked down and chuckled, "So you're the Third Raikage. I hear that you are able to fight one on one against even the bijuu and survive." Kyuubi said.
The man bowed, "I am humbled to be in your presence Kyuubi-sama, I do not think I would be able to stand up to your might but I did manage to wear down the Eight tails on multiple occasions." He said.
Naruto and Kyuubi were shocked to see the man's respect for the demon, Naruto more so than Kyuubi, "Raikage-sama, I wish for you to become a part of my dream. Will you help me?" Naruto asked as he stood between the fox and the man.
Raikage nodded, "My time has passed in life, I guess it would be nice to see your journey before I disappear from this world once again." he said before crouching slightly, making it easier for Naruto to approach him.
Naruto smirked as he walked forward and placed his hand on the Raikage's forehead. "I have one last question. How is it that someone as powerful as you died?" the Kyuubi asked.
Naruto looked from the Kyuubi back down at the Raikage, who was looking at the two from between Naruto's fingers. "I fought against a full Shinobi army for just under seventy five hours straight. I eventually ran out of chakra and used the last of my energy to activate a chain of explosive notes that collapsed a valley and destroyed the last battalion of my enemies along with myself." Raikage said.
Naruto's eyes widened, 'Woah! And here I thought I was a stamina freak!' Naruto thought before pulsing his chakra, "Thankyou Raikage." Naruto whispered as he finished his jutsu.
"SOUL DRAIN COMPLETE!"
The Raikage's inner soul and chakra was taken from his body, both of which Naruto absorbed into himself. He then knelt and lifted the Raikage's corpse and threw it towards Kyuubi.
The fox crunched down on its meal, enjoying the meaty man immensely for the moment as Naruto assimilated the knowledge through his mind, taking merely a minute or two instead of the previous waiting time.
Naruto stretched with a yawn inside his mindscape, "Hey Kurama, how long has it been outside?" Naruto asked.
The fox scowled, "I already told you, you do not have the right to call me that until you've managed to use my chakra properly." It said.
Naruto sighed, "And I've told you, I don't know what this 'properly' shit is. Why won't you just tell me?" he asked.
Kurama ignored him and answered his earlier question, "It's been just under four hours and you are currently being taken to the hospital since you haven't woken yet."
Naruto grinned, "Aight, guess that's my cue to go then." Naruto said before turning as he faded from his mind.
#######
Naruto opened his eyes and looked around, "Ne sensei, what happened?" Naruto asked from his place on Kakashi's back.
Kakashi seemed startled at Naruto's sudden conscious state, "Oh! Good to know you're up Naruto. According to Sasuke you just collapsed after Orochimaru and Kabuto ditched you three." He said as he set Naruto on his slightly unstable feet.
Naruto nodded, "Where are those two anyways? Oh, and Sai?" he asked.
Kakashi eye-smiled, "Sasuke is giving his mission report, which will be classified as a failure. Sakura went with him and Sai said he had to return home." Kakashi explained as he and Naruto began walking side by side.
Naruto grinned at his sensei before a small glint caught his eye, he looked down at Kakashi's hand and stared in shock as he stopped walking.
Kakashi took a few more steps before he realised Naruto had stopped. He turned and blinked at he realised Naruto was staring at his hand. Kakashi lifted it up and eye-smiled as he gestured to his ring finger, "Didn't you notice Naruto? Anko-chan and I are kind of close now." He said with a chuckle.
Naruto stared at the small gold band, it was simple but Naruto knew what it symbolised, so he expressed himself clearly.
"HOW AND WHEN THE FUCK DID YOU GET MARRIED?!"
######
Ayame looked up from the window of the Uchi-raku kitchen as she heard Naruto's voice, 'Did he say something about marriage?' she thought as she stood on her toes to glance around outside.
She saw Naruto and Kakashi talking animatedly as Kakashi explained something to Naruto while gesturing to his hand, 'Must be talking about his wedding with Anko-san,' she thought with a smile. The blonde boy nodded for a moment and asked something while seeming embarrassed.
A few moments later, Kakashi nodded and pointed to a small place across the road from Uchi-raku's. Naruto and Ayame both looked over and Ayame gasped as she realised it was the jewellery store.
Ayame gasped, 'He's not…' she thought as Naruto asked Kakashi something else, the grey haired man nodded before the two walked over to the store, 'Oh my God, is he buying a RING?!'
######
Chapter End.
Sorry if this one seemed a bit rushed, I felt the pace was appropriate for a high speed ninja battle, then I tried to slow it down with Naruto's mind scape scene.
Also, HA! I bet no one saw that coming!
I need for Naruto to gain a strong lightning affinity, and who better than the creator of black lightning, lightning chakra armour, the hell stab, yadda yadda.
Anyways, I've kinda been losing my writing mojo, it would help if I got feedback from everyone who is reading.
Thanks again for coming back, please R&R!