Chapter 3, The War Continues

~"Don't hurt him too much," Sasuke ordered in a voice that had a slight plea to it.

She frowned, but not from Sasuke's words. Her eyes smoldered in fury. The Time Justsu removed itself, all without her help, and Naruto had changed course, a fist puching Sasuke in the face, hard.

Sasuke grunted and tumbled over, skidding across the roof and falling off. He gripped the ledge just in time and pulled himself up.

"Damn," Sasuke hissed.~

Naruto had moved quickly, and Sasuke dodged the punch just in time. Breathing deeply, he brought his foot up and kicked Naruto hard in the abdomen. He didn't even flinch.

Fuck, Sasuke thought. I hurt myself by trying to hurt him. His movements are too fast for my Sharingan to catch!

"Afraid Sasuke?!" Naruto growled.

"Afraid of what? I've fought worse," Sasuke sneered. "You don't even compare to what I've seen."

Naruto just growled and attempted to snatch Sasuke by the wrist. Cursing his stupidity, Sasuke jumped backwards in a rush, narrowly avoiding Naruto.

I've got to think of a way to defeat him, or I'm dead, he realized. Yin can't hold him with her Jutsu, but maybe with a different one. Let's just hope other Konoha nin don't appear, on a normal basis I could handle many of them, but not with Naruto like this. There has to be some way...

Naruto lunged at him, and Sasuke ducked. He had the advantage right now, so he brought his fist up in contact with Naruto's jaw. He missed. Then he attempted to kick him out of his way. He missed. Pulling back, Sasuke watched from the edge of a building as Naruto glared at him.

Just as I thought, he contemplated. Naruto's immune to Tai, what about Nin and Gen...?

As fast as he could, Sasuke made the hand seals for Chidori. Then he ran at Naruto, who just stood still as Sasuke ran. Slamming his fist in Naruto's stomach, he went flying backwards. Yin, faster than Sasuke could stop himself from falling off the building, had caught him just in time.

"You okay Sasuke?" she asked. Nodding, Sasuke sat up, wiping his forehead of the sweat.

He's fast, and definatly impenatrable, he realized. He's immune to Tai and Nin. Only Gen is left...

"Yin, what's you Time Jutsu classified as?"

"A form of Nin and Gen, why?" she asked.

"I need you to use an all out Gen Jutsu on Naruto," he answered.

Smiling wickedly, Yin stood. "My pleasure."

Watching Yin yank up the sleeves of her robe, Sasuke added, "but don't kill him."

Frowning, she looked down at him with puzzled eyes.

"Why not? I want to give the little bastard a piece of my mind for daring to ask dumb questions."

"Pein wants him alive, if at all. He never said dead," he informed her. "Hurt him as much as you will, but don't kill him."

She sighed. "Fine,"

She shoved her hands, palm forward, at the direction of Naruto. Sasuke saw nothing happen, but knew he wouldn't.

Let's hope this works, he pleaded.

---

The loud explosion sounded, sending a cloud of smoke cascading over the village center. Breathing deeply, Kakashi backed up behind a building before the smoke cleared, hiding from his enemies.

"Damn," he muttered. "Nothing is ever easy,"

At the second a hand was placed upon his shoulder, and he froze.

"Don't look so tense, Kakashi-sensei," the voice came. "It's only me,"

Kakashi sighed in relief, and looked over to him.

"Hey Shikamaru," Kakashi greeted wearily. "Does this mean you have a plan?"

"I think so," he answered.

"Shoot,"

"Alright," Shikamaru looked around the corner cautiously. Leaning back, satisfied, he continued. "Okay, so Akatsuki and Orochimaru have teamed up. This will be extremely hard to defeat. They brought themselves, and some kind of army as I'm sure you've seen," Kakashi nodded. "Alright, with my past experiences with Akatsuki, I've learned they're not to be taken lightly, as I'm sure you remember. They have insane powers. Now, some of them have been taken out, so that leaves us with less of a pain. We only have to worry about seven of the ten Akatsuki members; the leader, Itachi, that Kisame guy, two others I've seen running around, and a female with Pain, and one with Sasuke, fighting Naruto. He's doing good, Naruto is," he added at Kakashi's worried expresion. "So don't worry. Now, several of our people aren't in town; like Gai, Lee, Ten-Ten, Neji, Sakura, Hizashi Hyuuga, and Jiraiya; so the plan was harder to come up with. Then there's those who are too busy with others to help, like Shizune, Naruto, and Kurenai. Then there is those who we can't endanger, in other words, Tsunade can't help, her life's too important. So we're left to only a handful of people, who we need to find; Ino, Chouji, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata; which isn't many people.

"Once we find the other five, I'll explain the plan." He finished.

Kakashi nodded. "Let's find them,"

---

"Hinata!" Kiba yelled,as Akamaru snapped at the man coming from behind her. "Be careful! You should have been able to see him!"

Hinata looked over, breathing hard. "I... I know, but I'm getting a little tired,"

"A little? Then you have more stamina than me, because I'm exausted!" Kiba sighed. Than he looked around. "Okay, we're clear," he plopped himself onto the ground, laying on his back.

"Um... shouldn't we... uh... go help the others?" She asked, twidling her fingers. Akamaru sat on top of Kiba, who too in a sharp breath of air in pain, pushing at him.

"Oh, come on," he whined, finally managing to get Akamaru off his chest. "Just a little break?"

"No time," another voice came.

Sighing, Kiba sat up. "Got a plan, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru nodded, and extended a hand to Kiba, who took it. Pulling him up, Shikamaru said, "Kakashi's getting the others, unless we find them first. We're to meet him at the foot of the Hokage Monument."

"O... Okay," Hinata nodded.

"Alright then," Kiba dusted himself off. "Let's end this thing, I need to sleep, these army guys are outragously strong."

"If you think they're strong, than wait until you fight Akatsuki," Shikamaru responded. "Now, let's move out,"

---

"Let me go!" Sakura screamed again. "Please Neji! Just drop me!"

"Sakura!" Lee cried, his voice hoarse.

Jiraiya took a deep breath and began the summoning process. Less than a minute later, Gama Bunta appeared on the scene, nearly landing on Lee.

"Hey!" he bellowed. "Do you mind, Jiraiya-sama?! I do not want to be crushed!"

"Oh," Jiraiya's head peeked over the edge of the toad. "Sorry, forgot you were there..."

"Oh go and get Sakura!" Gai shouted.

"Mean," Jiraiya sighed. "Okay, Gama..."

"What do you want Jiraiya?" Gama interupted, nearly knocking the unsuspecting Jiraiya off.

"I was about to say what!!" Jiraiya yelled, straightening himself. "Okay, Gama," he paused, suspecting an interuption. "Okay, Gama, we need..."

"SAKURA!!" Lee screamed.

"Yeah," he sighed. "What he said." He pointed toward Neji. "He's gone wacko,"

"You put it so nicely," Gama muttered.

"Yeah, whatever. Have you heard of Dark Byakugan?"

"Yes, a long forgotten technique that was used to destroy millions of people across the world in an ancient war, thousands of years ago... Why?"

"Um... I didn't know that... Well... apparently you know more than me, if you know that much. Well, Neji has it... right now... and I can't catch him!"

Gama sat down with a rumble of ground, making Lee shout again. Contemplating, he said, "he has the forbidden eye technique?"

"Yep,"

"Hmmm... that's suppose to be forbidden..."

"Well no duh!"

"Shut up, I'm thinking. Who gave it to him?"

"An Akatsuki member, now come on! We have to stop him... NOW!"

Gama didn't move, he just continued to sit.

Jiraiya sighed as he waited for Gama to finish whatever he was thinking.

---

Itachi suddenly stood up.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" Kisame asked, looking up at him.

"I'm going to kill Yin if she's doing what I think she's gonna do!" Itachi hissed. He started running for the city.

"Itachi!" Kisame bellowed. "Wait up!"

---

Naruto watched as Yin's hand movements became nearly impossible to read.

I won't let you keep Sasuke, he said to himself. He's going to stay, no matter what I have to do. Sasuke, you teme.

Sasuke's eyes found Naruto's as he watched in growing shock something Naruto couldn't figure out.

Sasuke, why is it so important that you get revenge? Why? You have a family, Konoha's your family. We'd do anything to get you back, because you're part of our lives, why can't you see that? Sasuke...

"Yin!" Sasuke shouted as the girl's hand seals were complete.

Naruto had never heard of Gen having hand seals, unless this wasn't Gen...

"Yin, don't!" Sasuke screamed. "Wait!!"

Naruto watched as everything seemed to come in slow motion. Yin's hand glowed a dim orange, Sasuke stood and ran at him. As Yin's hand came at his heart, everything seemed to go back into fast paced motion. Sasuke was suddenly in front of him, and Yin's hand hit Sasuke over the heart. A shriek escaped Sasuke's lips as he fell to his knees.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, falling beside him. "Sasuke!" The Fox Cloak seeped back in of it's own accord. "Sasuke, answer me!"

"Naruto," he muttered. "Move."

"What-"

"Move!"

Yin's hand was glowing orange again.

"Don't worry, this isn't meant for the fox boy," Yin hissed. "It's for you Sasuke. You're a monster, because you protected a monster."

"He's not a monster!" Sasuke growled.

Naruto's eyes were wide, he couldn't believe what was happening... That Sasuke saved him...

"Go Naruto, I don't want you to watch," Sasuke gasped.

Naruto shook his head. "No-"

"Go! You have to! You know you have to Naruto! You're the only one who can - Gah!!" Yin had kicked him in the stomach.

"Sasuke!"

"Go boy," Yin hissed. "He's correct, you don't want to see what I'm about to do to him."

"I'm not leaving a friend," Naruto growled.

"Naruto! Go!" Sasuke pleaded. "She won't miss her mark this time!"

"No."

"Have it your way," Yin said.

Her hand went for Sasuke's heart.

Naruto's grip tightened on Yin's glowing hand. She looked over at him, surprised. He was standing behind Sasuke, looking into her eyes with a vehement glare.

"You're not touching him," Naruto hissed. Sasuke stared up at him, just as shocked as Yin.

"Phft," Yin spit, recovering from her shock. "So how'd you stop me boy?"

"The Will of Fire," he answered. "And because I believe. I won't let you touch him."

"And you think you can stop me twice?" she scoffed.

Naruto's grip tightened more, and she flinched. "I don't need to."

"And why not?" she gasped.

"Because you can't touch him again."

"Naruto," Sasuke muttered. "Let her have me, before you grow to regret it."

"Yeah, listen to him foxy."

"No," Naruto hissed. "I don't let anyone hurt my friends! And that includes you!!"

She stared at him in surprise.

Then Sasuke started coughing up blood, and fell forward in agony.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried.

"I'll handle him," came another voice. "I'll heal him."

Naruto and Yin looked sideways to see Itachi and Kisame. Itachi had spoken.

"Itachi-"

"Yin, shut up," Itachi growled. "I won't let you harm him any more."

He walked over to his brother and kneeled beside him.

"Sasuke," he muttered. "Look at me."

Sasuke did as told, looking into his brother's eyes.

The next second the wound on Sasuke's chest started to stitch itself back up. He gasped in relief as the pain subsided.

"Heh, good-bye suckers," Yin growled, pulling away and disappearing.