Chapter 20: Invitation to The Dark Tournament
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or another great anime, Yu Yu Hakusho.
A/N: That's right, I'm going with the arc and it will be a training arc as well. Also, super kudos to Arch Zell once again for reviewing once again. On another note, to all of my readers, reviewers, I ask you to refer the story to whomever you can if possible, so I can get even more inspiration. On with the story.
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Two Weeks Later at the Team 0 Training Grounds
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Naruto, Sasuke, and Gaara sat on a log while Itachi went over battle formations and signs to indicate different situations. By the time they reached sign number four, Naruto had hidden himself behind the log and nodded off to sleep. Though Naruto made it quite obvious, Itachi paid no heed and continued until Sasuke raised his hand as if in class.
"Sasuke, did you have something to say?" Itachi asked, ten minutes after Sasuke initially raised his hand.
"Yeah Itachi, can we take a break from this and spar? You've put Naruto over here to sleep," Sasuke suggested while shaking Naruto, to awake him.
"You have a point, Sasuke. Then I guess we can do some sparring to liven things up. Sasuke, you go up against Gaara, and the winner will spar against Naruto. Remember, try not to put each other back in the hospital," Itachi quickly changed from classroom teacher to a sensei.
"Well then, Sasuke, are you ready?" Gaara asked while lifting himself up from the log.
"You know it," Sasuke replied back, with what looked like a slight grin on his face.
Both teammates met in the middle of the training ground and shook hands. They then stepped back and moved their body positions to those of their fighting styles.
"I'll begin," Sasuke silently said right before running as fast as he could towards Gaara, throwing multiple punches.
Gaara blocked each punch with his sand, but caught the last with his sand and swung Sasuke back. Sasuke, rolled across the ground, but he picked himself up and brushed dust off his sleeve. He did the proper hand signs and put his left hand to his mouth, thus letting out a barrage of flames that hit Gaara's sand as well, but hardening it and making it un removable from it's current position. Right after letting out the flame attack, Sasuke took out his katana and rushed forward and slashed through the wall of hardened sand, breaking it and sending it in Gaara's eyes, allowing Sasuke the chance to hit Gaara. When, Sasuke's sword made contact with Gaara's body, the tip snapped because of Gaara's defense. Before Gaara could retaliate, Itachi stopped the sparring match.
"Very well done, boys, but now I think we should give Naruto a chance to fight."
Sasuke panted heavily before responding, "Will do, Itachi."
Sasuke and Gaara separated and walked back over to the log, but before anything else could happen, someone interrupted them. That someone turned out to be Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, who had been searching for Naruto.
"Ah, I see Team 0 is taking advantage of this beautiful day by sparring," Sarutobi chuckled after taking out his pipe.
"Hokage-sama, what brings you here today?" Itachi humbly asked while the Hokage stood in his presence.
"Actually, I have come to see Naruto. I need to speak with him in my office for a little while. Is that a problem?"
"No, Hokage-sama, I'll get him up myself," Itachi replied to the Hokage.
Itachi picked up Naruto and began to shake him, attempting to wake him up. Itachi began shouting while trying to wake up the slumbering Ramen junkie.
"Naruto, wake up! It was bad enough you fell asleep during training, but even worse you did during a visit by the Hokage," Itachi yelled comically while shaking Naruto. Everyone sweat dropped at this.
Eventually, Naruto came to and dropped out of Itachi's grip, dizzy. Naruto stumbled and wobbled for a few minutes before shaking once and looking at the Hokage.
"Hey old man, what's up?" Naruto inquired while sitting cross-legged on the ground.
"I see you still haven't dropped that nickname, Naruto," Sarutobi once again chuckled before getting down to business. "Naruto, there's someone in my office that asks for your presence. His name is Koenma."
"I've never heard of him, but why not visit him. Who knows, he may be a long lost uncle or something," Naruto asserted before running away towards the Hokage Building, a grin plastered all over his face.
Eventually, Naruto made it to the village square and spotted the office window to the Hokage Building. With a few more jumps, Naruto flipped through the window and landed head first on the desk. He rolled onto the floor and then picked himself up.
"I could've sworn that desk wasn't there the last time I came in," Naruto conveyed while in slight agony.
"Losing your magic, eh, Naruto?" Sarutobi sarcastically asked once he entered the room.
"Nope, it's just one miss cue, old man. Now, why am I here again?"
"You had a visitor a little while ago. I'm not sure where he went, Naruto."
"And here I was getting my hopes up," Naruto asserted, wondering where his "visitor" went.
"Is it really that hard to see me! I'm not that short," chimed in an oddly childish voice.
"Huh, who said that?" Naruto buzzed until spotting a standing toddler on the ground wearing a purple hat with a kanji.
"Thank you for finally noticing I existed, Uzumaki Naruto. I am Koenma of Spirit Wor-"
Koenma began, but was stopped in the middle of his speech when Naruto crouched down and poked him in the fore head.
"How do you know my name?" Naruto simply asked Koenma.
"I know a lot of things, Naruto. I'm from Spirit World, the boundary between Heaven and Hell, thus making me a spiritual being with much knowledge."
"All of this from a baby?" Naruto didn't believe any of this was true.
"Listen, Naruto, this is all very true. A lot of my Spirit World assistants have told me about you. You have a very unique spiritual wave length and that has led me to asking you if you'd like to be the fifth member to a team of mine. So, in sum, I'm inviting you to partake in the Dark Tournament."
'He's probably just trying to get me to buy some kind of cheap weapon knock off or something. I'll just go with him for fun,' Naruto thought, going over his options.
"Naruto, have you made your choice yet?" Sarutobi asked the young blonde, breaking a short silence.
Naruto looked down to Koenma and nodded yes, signaling that he'd go. Koenma, celebrated shortly but regained his composure and crossed his arms.
"Then we'll leave now," Koenma said, holding his hand out.
"I'll see you later, old man. Be back soon," Naruto spoke for the last time to Sarutobi for a very long time as he took hold of Koenma's small hand and disappearing instantly, leaving a stunned Sarutobi.
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End of Chapter 20
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A/N: Here it is, the beginning of what I intend to be a kick butt arc. Please read, review, and get the word out this story exists!