First of all I want to thank 'plums' for giving me the idea for this chapter. While I am not going to do exactly what you said it is based on that. Also thank everyone who reviewed, etc.. Anyways enjoy.

Disclaimer: Xsolrac98 does not own the gaki. But if he did my IchaIcha series would be real. *giggles*

"Hey Naruto, what's wrong with you?" A voice said; a voice that comforted the blond, as it was one of three voices that were positive and friendly towards him as he was growing up.

"Nothing Ayame-chan, I'm ok." Naruto responded causing the daughter of the owner of the ramen shop frown.

"You do know you can't hide anything from me right? I know you so well that I know how to tell how you are feeling even if you have an impeccable façade. And even if couldn't, the mere fact that you aren't devouring you ramen is a dead giveaway, at least for me." Naruto smiled a little at that.

'He I guess that is true, Ayame is probably the person that knows me the best. But still…' He sighed. "Is just that, there are going to be exams for a promotion, and I want to enter, but… There is this person that is trouble and-"

"So?"

"Sorry?" Naruto blinked at the sudden interruption.

"I said. So? What does it matter if there is someone that means trouble for you? Naruto, I have been looking over for you this past ten years, and hell, if I know one thing for granted of you, it is that you never give up and fight through everything. If you were to miss an opportunity such as this without even trying, that wouldn't be you at all." Ayame said smiling to him all the time. Naruto remained quiet for a moment, not daring take his sight off the girl in front of him, and then he smiled a little bit.

"Yeah I guess you are right, I must do what is possible to achieve what I want."

"See?"

"I will go to the exams and over this." 'I hope.' He said feeling a little secure again. 'I don't know what Gaara's problem is, but I will work to defeat him, for Ayame at least, so I will give these exams a try.' "Thank you Ayame-chan."

"Whenever you want Naruto-kun. You know if you ever need to talk, I am always here." She said her smile never fading. 'I know you can do it.'

./ Two Weeks Later. Academy.

Naruto arrived at the academy at the designated hour just to encounter a massive amount of gennins on the outside, he was about to start walking when suddenly Gaara's face came to his mind.

'Maybe I should just go- NO! I must do this.' Taking a deep breath he walked slowly to the building and just as he was about to enter he heard someone call for him.

"Dobe." Turning around he saw Sasuke standing, observing him.

"Teme." They stared at each other for some moments after Sasuke finally broke his stare and looked… away? 'What is that supposed to mean?' But before he could continue thinking about it both heard a shout. Well more like all the gennins in the area heard a shout.

"Sasuke-Kuuun!" Avoice shouted. Making its way through the masses of shinobi, the owner of the voice arrived at the place were both teen boys were standing. "Hey Sasuke-kun." Sakura who arrived saluted the Uchiha ignoring completely Naruto.

"Hn."

"I think we should get going." Naruto said feeling uncomfortable under all the stares of the gennin in the area. Sasuke nodded. Both gennins started to walk leaving a confused Sakura behind.

'Did Sasuke-kun just follow a Naruto's indication?' "Wait." She shouted running after the advancing form of her teammates.

./

The trio of gennins were making their way up the stairs to the third floor, the floor that they were indicated to go when suddenly they saw a multitude of gennins all gathered pushing into a door that was being blocked off by two chuunins.

'Isn't the exam on the third floor? We are only on the second floor.' Naruto thought. Looking toward the door entry he saw that it said 'three – one' on the marking signalizing that they were on the third floor. 'But we have only climbed a single flight of stairs, why are we on… oh. Remembering Asuma's teaching all those weeks ago Naruto made the procedures to break a genjutsu. Quickly the 'three' on the marking faded leaving a 'two'. 'Genjutsu huh? Looks like they already want to pick out those who are not worth the exam. I wonder if Sasuke and Sakura noticed.' Looking to his right, Naruto saw Sakura who had a perplexed look on her face. 'Not yet huh?' Looking over to Sasuke he saw a confident smirk on his face. 'Sasuke figured out thought.' While at his raven haired teammate he saw that he was preparing to speak, knowing full well what he intended to do he quickly turned his tugged him with the elbow making Sasuke turned abruptly to Naruto not liking that he was interrupted, he was about to express himself, but when he noticed the seriousness on his eyes. He stopped. Naruto shock his head, and said.

"Don't, this is part of the exam. Is to use eliminate the weak, I guess." He said in a whisper. Sasuke, turned to observe the bunch of gennins and how they looked and their weapons.

"Hn, maybe, but some of them look like they could give a challenge, so..."

""Wait no-!"

"Hey you bunch of idiots!" Sasuke shouted getting their attention. "You do realize this is the second floor right?" He said confusing everyone who turned to look at the sign of the door. "There is a genjutsu on the sign; we are still on the second floor." And then he turned around and started to walk up the next flight of stairs, making Naruto sigh and follow.

'There goes the easy way.' When they reached the third floor and opened the door to the examination room they saw Kakashi standing there, the first thing that everyone on team seven noticed was that he oddly was not reading his orange book and was standing straight.

"Looks like you all came." He said giving his usual eyesmile. "That is good." This picked both Sakura's and Naruto's interest.

"Why is that good sensei?" The pink banshee asked?

"Hm, because if anyone of you hadn't come the rest of you couldn't have entered. This exam is a team exam, not an individual exam." He said. Naruto lowered his gaze and looked away; the action was not missed by Kakashi. 'Why is he lowering his face? Is that guilt? For what?'

"Well anyway, good luck." He said taking a step to a side and opening the door. Entering the room the three genin came to the view of a massive room with an equal massive amount of gennins in it all releasing killing intent making Sakura gulp and start to look nervous, no longer so sure of herself.

'I know I want to progress as a kunoichi but this too much for me, I don't think I have what is necessary for this exam.' She tought. Looking to her side she saw the confident smirking face of Sasuke and the confident but slightly unsure face of Naruto. 'Right, I have to do this SHANARO!' She thought with an inner Sakura making a confident pose.

"Sasule-kun!" A voice shouted across the room as they started to walk in. Looking in the direction of the voice they saw Ino running towards them. "Sasuke-kun!" She shouted once again before launching herself at the Uchiha who just sidestepped the rocketing blonde and continued walking making most of the room sneer at the girl and then concentrated of the new team of gennins that entered the room. Among the stares and KI nothing was strange making Naruto relax.

'Good, maybe he isn't here yet.' The blond Uzumaki thought in relief. The trio of gennins walked in the room until they saw their fellow rookie gennins and joined them. Everyone just nodded at each other with the exeptions of Hinata who was fidgeting with her fingers and Kiba who exclaimed loudly.

"Hey, look who are here, Sasuke and Naruto, ready to lose?" He said more loudly than what anyone could want earning the glares of everyone. Naruto was about to respond when his eyes widened, his movements stopped, his skin got Goosebumps and the atmosphere at least in his perception, turned suffocating and cold.

'Shit, don't tell me that…' Looking at his fellow gennins he saw no one acting strange. 'Is he only targeting me specifically?' Turning around and looking between the masses of shinobi after a few moment Naruto saw Gaara on a corner, bits of sand twirling of the floor around him, his sight, fixed on Naruto. Time seemed to stopped for the blond, everything seemed to fade away leaving only him and Gaara, looking at each other, as a predator looking at his prey, fortunately this stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Would you please shut your volume down? I don't know if you have noticed but all the attention is on you, and that is not good." A new comer said putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder as he arrived breaking the blond of his stupor and making everyone look at him.

"Who are you?" Said Ino who had returned and was standing next to Sasuke.

"My name is Yakuhi Kabuto, like you I am a gennin of Konoha."

"Is this your first time on this exam?" Chouji asked making Kabuto chuckle.

"No, this is actually my seventh time presenting it." He said nonchantaly.

"Man you must really suck." Kiba said.

"Or it is a sign that the rumors are correct and the difficulty for this exam and the skill level required are very high." Shino said in a monotone voice.

"Yes, that is correct, but being able to present this so many times has gave me the opportunity to recollect information on almost everyone on this room. You say it and I will have it."

"I want to know…" Naruto said gaining attention and looking around noticing Gaara was not there anymore making the color return to his face. "I want to know about a Suna nin called Gaara." He said making Sasuke narrow his eyes.

"I want to know that too." He said.

"Mmm let's see, Gaara right? Man is no fun if you know their names, but o well." Kabuto said as took out a big deck of cards, shuffling through them he took one and applied chakra to it. A photo of Gaara that was not previously the blank card appeared along with information. "Let's see,Subaku no Gaara from Suna, his teammates are his brother and sister Subaku no Temari and Subaku no Kankuro, his sensei is a jounin called Baki, he is the son of the Yondaime Kazekage. He has completed cero D-Rank missions, thirteen C-rank missions, cero B-Rank and wow, two A-rank missions. From all of those missions he has never returned." Kabuto said putting away the card. "That is everything I have on him." No spoke, everyone was thinking about how fearful the person that they had just heard about seemed. They remained like that when suddenly the door opened.

"All right mutts, shat yer talking. I am Morino Ibiki and I will be the proctor for the first phase of the chuunin exams, now if you enter this room you will find desks with you name in it go there and sit down." A man that was standing on the entrance of the door shouted. After everyone entered the room and had sat down he went to the front again and talked. "Very well, all of you have a sheet of paper with questions and a pencil, you will have to answer the nine questions written in an hour and then you will receive the tenth question. If you are catch cheating you along with your team will be failed immediately and kicked out of the exam. Get it? Begin." Immediately everyone looked down to their exam and began writing. Picking up his pencil Naruto began to read his exam.

'All right let see, question one, if you throw a kunai at an angle of seventy five degrees to the south with a force of ten newtons and wind is coming from the southeast with a force of one newton. In which place and distance from youthe kunai will fall?' (AN: I am no expert at physics, I am just writing random things that I remember from my classes.) Naruto let his pencil fall of his hand. 'There is like NO way can answer that, ok let's read the others questions, who knows maybe I can actually answer those.' Reading the rest of his exam Naruto paled more and more before letting his head fall on the desk with a thump. 'I am doomed. I cannot answer any of the questions at all, and even if somehow manage to do it I still need to deal with…' Naruto stopped his words as his face went even paler from thinking at the sand jinchuriki. 'Gaara.' He thought. Losing all motivation he remained like that for some minutes before he felt a tug from his side, turning to it he saw Hinata with really red face looking discreetly at him.

"Ano- Naruto-kun." She said in a low almost inaudible whisper. "I-I can gi-give you the a-answers if you wa-want." Naruto smiled at the girl.

"No is okay Hinata, I don't want to get you in trouble."

"But if you don't answer anything you will fail." Thinking for a moment Naruto sighed before turning back to Hinata.

"Okay, but just two."

"H-hai." 'I will not let you fail Naruto-kun'

./

"Thank you Hinata." Naruto said smiling, Hinata wasn't looking directly at him, but from the side of her sight she noticed the smile and blushed even deeper than what she was already blushing because of his words. Never did she thought that the blond would ever actually say that to her.

"H-hai." She said, but this time was so low that Naruto didn't hear it. The rest of the hour passed and as it happened various shouts from the chuunins at the sides were heard eliminating teams that cheated, the room began to empty in a fluid way leaving only a handful of the gennins in comparison from the beginning of the exam but still quite a few.

"Very well maggots, now I will tell the tenth question, but first there some special rules to the question that I must add." He said.

"Wait. Special rules? Why is that?" a voice that Naruto recognized said, it was Temari's, Gaara's elder sister. The thought of Gaara brought Naruto once again a somber feeling.

"Why? Because I say so."

"That's unfair!" Roared a random shinobi on the back.

"Life is unfair, and you have to learn to adapt and live with it, and the fact that you are a shinobi makes it even more unfair. The death of innocent comrades, wars, sabotage, everything in a shinobi life is unfair." He said in a tone that said that the discussion was finished, no one else tried to debate the topic. "As I was saying. The tenth question involves especial rules, which are. If you do not think you cannot answer the question, which will be significantly more difficult that the past nine you may leave."

"And why would we want to leave." Shouted Kiba.

"Because if you do decide to remain on the room and you happen to fail the question all the points from the previous question will be annulated and you will fail the exam. Also you will not be able to take the chuunin exam ever again, but also, if you do decide to get out, your team will have to follow."

"What! But I know of people that has presented the exam more than one time!"

"Maybe, but those persons were lucky not to have me as the proctor. My exam, my rules. Now make your decision." Slowly after some minutes people who couldn't bare the pressure began to fill out the room with their teams following as the rules indicated.

'Shit, what should I do?' Thought Naruto who had a desperate look on his face. 'I couldn't answer the past questions and Hinata will not be able to give me the answer to this one this time, I want to go but I promised Ayame that I would do my hardest, still, if I fail I will never be able to take the exam again…' He thought having an internal dilemma about what to do. Meanwhile the thought of another person was on him.

'Naruto you don't push yourself any longer." Thought a pink haired kunoichi. "You have done well enough, but there is no way that you can answer this question, even if your pride doesn't let you. Please.' She thought with strange worry for her teammate. 'I know, I will give up so that the responsibility falls on me. Even if we progress I don't think I have what it takes for the next part.' She thought the last part thinking it more deeply. Slowly the pink banshee began to lift her hand making yet another person to narrow his eyes.

'Sakura what are you doing. We are going to be failed baka.' Sasuke thought angily, but then he followed her line of sight. 'Naruto? You are doing this for Naruto? Yeah thinking about it, he most probably will not be able to answer the last question, but still… Don't do it! I need to keep going on to obtain power and defeat him. Doing that will only slowly me down.' He thought angrily. Sasuke was not a genius for nothing, he understood that Naruto couldn't keep going on this type of test and even if they passed Sakura would not be able to continue, he had seen her resolution wavering when they first entered the room back there. 'Teammates, what are they good for when they only slow you down, even if it is only Sakura.' However his thought couldn't reach Sakura who making her decision finished lifting her whole arm, the doomed look on Naruto's face convincing her this was what was correct thing to do not knowing that his preoccupation were because of another thing and because of the difficult exam at hand.

"Team seven out." Ibiki shouted seeing Sakura's lifted arm, at this Naruto's fce went up in shock.

'What!' Turning around he saw her pink haired teammate standing off and Sasuke glaring at her. 'Sakura lifted her hand? Why? She is capable of doing this then why-." Realization came hitting down on the blond as she gave him an apologetic look. 'Me?' for a moment he felt confused but then relieved when glancing towards Gaara he saw that the red haired had an angry look on his face. 'Maybe this isn't so bad; at least I didn't give up.' He thought half reassuring himself that he did his best, half convincing himself that this was correct.'

"Sorry guys, I can't go on with this." Sakura said looking down. She exited the room leaving her teammates still digesting what was happening and the consequences.

"Uzumaki! Uchiha! I said out!" Ibiki roared.

"Naruto-kun." Hinata said softly making Naruto glance at her.

"Is ok Hinata-chan, there is always a next time." He said giving a reassuring smile making her blush and feel sad for her blond crush. Slowly both he and Sasuke filled out the room leaving all of the Konoha gennins confused and one sulking and an angry Suna shinobi.'

'Orochimaru-sama will not like this.' A certain silver haired shinobi thought.

./ Outside

"Sakura what the fuck was that!" He said catching up to her teammate.

"I couldn't continue Sasuke-k-"

"Don't give me that crap, you did it because of Naruto, but Naruto hadn't raised his hand, it was his call, not yours." He said fuming. Then he turned around, looking for Naruto.

"Don't look at me." The blond said after he reached the duo.

"Now what are we going to do? I need to obtain power, and remaining a gennin will definitely not allow me to obtain it, and hell knows when the exams will be." He said when suddenly a poof was heard and everyone looked to the side only to find Kakashi standing there.

"Ma, ma what is this ruckus about." He said after looking at the angry Uchiha who pointed at Sakura.

"She got us out of the exams." He said. Of course he already knew this, he had been watching from a T.V room along the other Konoha Jounins, he had been quite surprised to say the least. Naruto looked paled as if he had seen the shinigami himself for kami know why, and then Sakura raised her hand quitting from the exams.

"Hmm. I am sure she had a motive. I know you are strong Sasuke, but you have to learn to understand the limits of those who surround you. By doing so you will achieve a level of perfection when it comes to communication and performing tasks when on missions. Not everyone can go at your pace, or Naruto's." He said making Sakura look down, those words made her feel bad because she would slow them down anyway and they would get mad at her, this time both of them.

"Tch. Whatever." He said going off.

"Well, I think I will go off too... I got a lot to think about." Naruto said going off leaving only Sakura and Kakashi.

"Sakura." He said gaining her attention. "I don't know why you lifted you arm back in there but. I respect your decision. Don't let it bother you." And as that he proofed away."

"Am I a bother to Sasuke-kun and Naruto?" She said grimly still feeling down, for a long time she stood thinking about her actions.

./ Later that day. Training Ground 44 Forest of the Dead.

A shinobi was racing at the top of his speed currently running for his life bathed in blood. Both his teammates and he had encountered a team at the forest, the place where the second phases of the chuunin exams was taking place. The phase consisted on finding other teams and obtaining a scroll opposite to the one that they had to obtain entry to the tower at the center of the forest and then pass to the third phase. Easy right? Well no. When they met the enemy team they confirmed each other scrolls to avoid unnecessary fight and possible bloodshed. After confirming that both of them had the same scroll they were about to leave, but one member of the other team who had red hair starting shouting something about his mother wanting their blood and then started cursing that someone called Uzumkai was not there as his mother wanted his blood. Then out of sudden tendrils of sand shot out of the ground he avoided the strike at the last moment because of his reflexes, but his other teammates were not so lucky, they were engulfed in sand that then proceeded to crush them and then everything was hazy. In the area where they were standing it for some reason stated to rain, just there were two things wrong with the rain. One it was hot. And second it was red. Rain wasn't red. Comprehending what was happening the unfortunate shinobi broke out his stupor only to avoid an incoming tendril of sand. Bathed in the blood of his teammates he started to rum. Direction? Wherever his feet took him, as long as it was away of the person that had killed both his teammates in a moment and planned to do the same to him.. The chase continued for some minutes, the shinobi avoiding blast and tendrils of sand while being followed by the red headed shinobi followed while laughing like a maniac. Suddenly a tendrill shot forward, but it was not aimed at him. The tendril passed him and hit a branch on a tree a few meters ahead causing it to collapse. It was the branch that he was going to land on. Not having anywhere to land the shinobi braced himself to impact with the ground. After the rather hard crash he started to get up, then from within the trees sand came flying once again. He jumped to avoid it but the sand managed to latch on his feet then extending to him leg. He tried to get the sand on him but after hearing the same words he had heard before when his teammates were killed he knew he was doomed.

"Subaku Soso."(Imploding Sand Funeral) A voice said from the woods. The sand compacted and made so much pressure that his keg broke immediately.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh" The shinobi shouted as the redheaded boy landed in front of him with a lunatic smile on his face. "Who the fuck are you?!" He shouted in pain, so much pain that he didn't noticed more sand crawling up his body.

"Subaku Kyu." His eyes widened. Sand from everywhere started to cover his whole face other than his face and lifted him into the air. With the leg broken and no energy left the shinobi could only struggle what little he could in vain against the grip of the sand on him. "Subaku Soso." It was the end for him. The shinobi knew it, Gaara knew it, hell you know it. The sand quickly like with his leg started to compact his whole body with maddening pressure, but unlike his leg, and like his teammates his body like the name of the jutsu implied imploded sending his blood falling down like rain while the boy laughed under it.

"YES, Yes! Blood! The blood that mother so much desired! Finally!" He shouted in joy but quickly turned unsatisfied. "No! This blood is not enough for mother! Uzumaki! I mother wants your blood! UZUMAKI!" He said in a lunatic and pained shout as two persons landed in a tree nearby and observed him.

"This makes the forth team now." Temari who had just arrived along with Kankuro said.

"Yeah, will he ever stop? Stupid pink girl, because of her Gaara is like this."

"Yeah." 'Uzumaki, be careful.' Temari thought silently. She didn't knew why she didn't wanted the blond to die, but something told her that he was, for some reason a life saver.

./ Elsewhere in the Forest.

"Orochimaru-sama." A shinobi kneeled in front of the Sannin.

"Kukuku Kabuto, why have you called for me? I told you not to bother me until later." The man said.

"I have bad news to tell you." He said now standing up looking at his pale master.

"Oh? And what is it?" He asked with curiosity.

"Is the Uchiha. They have failed the first phase of the exam because his teammate forfeited. So he is not within the forest." No response. The rouge sannin maintained a calm look but inwardly he was raging.

"I see." He said maliciously making Kabuto unconsciously give a step back.

"How do you want me to proceed?"

"Stand back, this is a drawback to our plans, but is nothing to be worried about. We can actually use this to our advantage. The Uchiha wants power, wand now that his opportunity to more yet limited power is gone, he will accept my offering even more enthusiastically. Kukuku."

"I see, I will be going then." Kabuto said vowing and going off without waiting for a response, not that he would obtain one.

"I look forward to meeting with you Sasuke-kun. Kukuku. Soon, very soon those eyes of yours will be mine."

./ Several Days Later After the Second Phase of the Exams. Ichiraku's

Naruto was eating his ramen, albeit somewhat slower only eating a bowl every two minutes, but eating. Of course, as always this did not go missed on the brunette girl that proudly called herself Naruto's surrogate sister. Naruto had come to her some days before and talked about what had happened. How he was bothered that he was out, but how he felt relieved at the same time. And then he said how he felt like a coward and hated himself for being one. She of course tried to understand everything he said from his point of view and then gave her honest opinion. That even if he had said that, he had remained loyal to his word and had not backed out, and that even if did not advanced more she felt proud of him, and that when the moment came, she was sure he would face what was bothering him. Slowly he had come to understand what Ayame had said and thanked her for being there for him.

As silent as she could she came out of the table to attend people and into the street, approaching the blond from behind and trapped him in a bone crushing hug as she rested her head on his back.

"WAAA?!" The blond exclaimed at suddenly being hugged from behind. Turning back he saw his surrogate sister. "A-Ayame-chan what are you doing?" He asked confused and blushing at the looks people passing by were giving him, specially the males after giving a glance to Ayame's butt that then proceeded to give a thumbs up to the blond.

"I thought we had talked about this Naru-chan." She said not lessening her grip. Naruto then understand what this was about.

'Damn, I must have been spacing out.' "Yeah, I know Ayame-chan, but I can't help but worry about this, and what is worse is that I feel that something even worse is coming."

"Maybe, but you will get over it, whatever it is. Come on, I don't want to see you sulking, give me the smile that I love so much, ne?" She said straightening allowing Naruto to turn completely to her. Naruto sighed. He looked down.

"You know what. Even if it such a small thing like this, you always manage to cheer me up." He said hiding a smile but then he looked up smiling to her causing her to smile too. "Thank you Ayame-chan."

"Hmpf, of course I always manage to cheer you up, and know what? I will always do it. Anything for my otouto." (Little brother.)

"Arigato nee-chan." (Thank you big sis.)

"Now shut up and eat your ramen young boy." She said jokingly strictly.

"Hai maam." Then both broke to laugh and Naruto continued eating. A little close to the restaurant on a roof a figure who had watched it all smiled.

"Good to see you ok Gaki. Now that my training approach failed, how should I get close to him?"

./

An ANBU is supposed to be ruthless, strong, the best of the best and the strongest shinobi on their village only below their respective Kage. Over all, fierce loyal protectors. But even an ANBU has a life. Even if he or she is not allowed to tell his or her position as an ANBU, that rule can be broken with close people, such is the case for Uzuki Yugao. Aka. Neko. She is best friends with both Mitarashi Anko, member of the I.T Department, and Yuhi Kurenai, leader and jounin sensei of the gennin team 8. Right now she can be seen walking with the latter mentioned woman through the streets of Konoha.

"So Kurenai, I heard a member of your team passed the second stage of the chuunin exams."

"Yes, that 's right. Shino did. Kiba didn't have that much of an opportunity against the Iwa nin he fought. And Hinata." She sighed. "She had to fight her cousin Neji." Yugao's face turned into a scowl. She knew of the boy's attitude toward the Main Branch of his family from Kurenai. "And to top it off she was depressed because Naruto didn't passed the exam." At this Yugao turned to her with a curious look.

"Naruto? Like Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Yeah him. How do you know?"

"I fear that is confidential, but let's say I had to observe the boy for a little while."

"Hmm." Kurenai mused. 'What could happen with the boy to make Yugao have to observe him.'

"But tell me, why he didn't passed the exam? He couldn't answer?" At this Kurenai's face turned sour. She had been watching the exam along with the other senseis and she didn't liked one bit what had happened, but she couldn't do anything about it.

"No. His teammate gave up eliminating both him and the Uchiha from the exam." She said with a disdain on the word teammate. She did not like Sakura at all. First of all, she had no thrive to get better as a kunoichi, second she was weak, now Kurenai didn't despised weakness, she despised weak people that did not even tried to get strong. And then, the reason that caused her to dislike the girl the most. She was a fan girl. That girl had gave up ruining the poor boy's chance to advance, after so much hard work Naruto deserved the chance, but as a jounin she did not totally blamed her for it as she knew that she did not knew first hand why she gave up so she had no basis to judge her.

"Well that is a bummer, seeing how much the boy tries so hard to progress, and also, he so much talent that it is wasted on him remaining a genin."

"What do you mean by talent?"

"As I said, I have been observing the boy, and by extension, his training. He is capable of making tons of progress on a single session, his raw power and talent is astonishing, makes want to believe that one day he will actually become Hokage." She said with a laugh remembering the boy she had assigned to protect when he was little. All the shouting of wanting to be Hokage and his devotion made Yugao smile.

"Really? I knew he had a lot of talent, but what the way you portray it makes me guess just how much potential he really has."

'But well, we are speaking of the boy that achieved water walking in a single day after all.' Both women thought in unsion.

"Indeed you are right. Now I have to go now. My commander told me to report at noon." She said shunshining after Kurenai said her goodbyes.

'Hmm, I wonder where I should go now. My team is off duty during the remaining time of the exams, Anko is tight with the village security and the jounins are all busy with their 'mans-day-out'.' She thought thinking what kind of stupid or immature thinks or conversations they could be having. Suddenly she heard her stomach growl. 'Hmm? I haven't noticed but I'm hungry. But it is still pretty early. I know, I get a bowl of that ramen that Naruto is always talking about, how was it called? Icharaku's or something I think. Well anyways, it is a light meal.' She thought decided already modifying her course toward the noodle shop.

./ Icharaku's

Ayame was on the back of the store preparing the last bowl of the 'Special Combo Naruto', a series of a total of ten different ramen dishes all in a specific order made by the blond one time when he was thinking and debating with Ayame how certain flavors and types of ramen suited perfectly with each other or after each other. They spent some good two hours debating that until Naruto decided that he wanted to make a series of dished just like that, and ever since then the' Special Combo Naruto' was born. When suddenly she heard the light ringing of a bell that was on the flap of the store that sounded when someone entered the stand.

"I'm going." She shouted. But froze and hurried to the front of the store when she heard a surprised 'Naruto?'.

./ At the front.

Naruto was eating his ramen as usual when suddenly the flop of the shop moved signifying a costumer. He ignored it choosing to focus instead on his ninth bowl of ramen now. But after he was called out he couldn't help but abandon his food.

"Naruto?" A slightly surprised voice said behind. Turning around he saw a woman that he remembered all too well. She was the person that gave him the stone to take his Kemuri training and chakra control even further. But after thinking at all the power and skill that he had obtained during the past couple of months on his training he felt a pang of pain and guilt for various reasons. First, even with all the abilities that thanks indirectly to her he received he didn't think strong enough of himself to defeat and overcome his obstacles in life and enemies. Second guilt, because he remembered the words that he had said all that time ago to Inari from wave. Never give up. He had said that so surely and confident and at the end he nearly backed out of his exams because of a strong opponent. And third, because of his promise to Haku. To live to the fullest to protect his precious people. This was what hurt him the most. But the wave of emotions disappeared from his face as fast as they came.

"Hey Kurenai-sensei!" He said cheerfully.

"Hey Naruto, fancy meeting you here, but I guess that is to be expected."

"Hehe yeah I guess." He said scratching the back of his face sheepishly when suddenly Ayame emerged from the door that separated the receiving area from the kitchen, she was for some reason slightly alarmed of someone that Naruto knew meeting him, she guessed because she thought that that could remind him of the guilt that he felt at wanting to back from the exams and not live to the expectations people had on him.

"Irasshaimase." (Welcoming honorific directed to costumers used on business places mainly.) She singed to the welcoming to the arriving person, but relaxed when she saw Naruto on a slightly happy pleasant attitude with the person. She, being a woman did noticed that she had deep red enchanting eyes, long silky black hair and a bandages dress that hugged her figure and showed her developed bosom making her look ridiculously good and attractive. 'Wow, she looks really good, I wonder what her connection to Naruto is?' she felt a little pang of jealousy but quickly set it aside. 'Na, she is too old for him.' Oh she had no idea of how Naruto's fated woman was going to be. Kurenai nodded at acknowledgement at the woman.

"Hey Ayame-chan, she is Kurenai-sensei, the person that I told you about." He said.

"The person you told me about? Oh, you mean with your training?"

"Yes, exactly." By this point Kurenai was extremely confused. Naruto was saying that he had talked about her to this woman who seemed very confident with the blond and that she helped him out with his training?

"Wait wait wait." She said getting the attention to herself. "What does all of this means?"

"Well you see, I talked to Ayame-chan here about how great of a help you were to me with your training."

"Training? But I only taught you water walking." Kurenai said perplexed making Naruto smile.

"Maybe so, but because of that single exercise I was able to gain enough control on my Kekken Genkai." Kurenai's eyes widened at this.

'Has he already started to control his Kekken Genkai? Abilities such as Keken Genkais are difficult to master, especially if you are developing it from scratch. Is this what Yugao meant with quick development and skill? It is truly fascinating.' She gave a small smile of her own feeling proud that her teaching were useful and that a person that she admired, even if it was a little, for his hard word was having such a success. "That's good, is a shame that you were eliminated from the exams, I would have liked to see how far have you gone." This time she didn't missed the flash of guilt that passed on him face and frowned. "What's wrong?" Naruto looked up in surprise at having been caught off guard.

"A, e, uh." He said fidgeting nervously on his chair and then sighing. "Is just that on the exams I was afraid." Kurenai's light glare disappeared giving an understanding look to the blond.

"Naruto is alright ever-"She started but was harshly interrupted by the blond.

"No, you don't understand. I was afraid, I was so afraid of facing what was awaiting for me that I almost wanted to back out. The only reason I stayed was because of a promise. But, but when Sakura rose her hand and we got out of the exam I felt so relieved, so safe, so, so, so pathetic." He was about to continue when he felt a hand on his shoulder, trailing the arm on the hand he saw Kurenai looking at him with a stern but comforting gaze.

"Is ok, just stop saying that nonsense already." She said confusing the blond this time. "It is only natural to be afraid, everyone is afraid of someone or something, and everyone gets scared at least once in his or her life. But being afraid do not makes you a coward Naruto, no, at least not right off the bat. What makes you a coward is what you do with that fear, if you let it get to you, if you run away from your adversities , and if you hide when difficulties arises. But if you stay, if you face whatever is troubling you and deal with it, even if you are scared, you are not a coward." A moment of silence passed as nether jounin or genin said anything and only the people outside the shop could be heard. After about half minute of thought Naruto looked up again at Kurenai and smiled. The first true smile he had given ever since the exams.

"You know what? You are completely right sensei. I hadn't thought about it that way. Thank you."

"No problem Naruto."

"Well I guess I'll be off."

"Were to?"

"Train. I want to be ready when I have to face something again." He said flashing a smile to both her and Ayame making but women flush a little at their, in Kurenai's case growing favorite blond as it was already Ayame's favorite. "Thank you both of you." He said before he went out running.

"He is going to be big." Ayame said in the comfortable silence that had settled.

"Indeed."

"You want anything to eat?"

"Oh sure let me see I want…"

./ Later that night Elsewere.

"Katon: Goukakyuu No Jutsu" Was shouted in the middle of a training ground, seconds later a massive fire ball made impact with its intended target sending pieces of debris flying through the air.

"Not enough." A voice said huffing. "Is not enough, not enough to kill him." The voice said with anger. "Damn it. If it hadn't been for Sakura I could have advanced on the exams, now I am stuck as gennin for another year and my change to grow stronger is gone." A certain raven Uchiha said.

"Power you say? " A voice said out of nowhere surprising the Uchiha who instantly went alert and fell on a battle ready position with a kunai on hand.

"Who are you! Show yourself!" Sasuke demanded. 'Who is he? How did I not sensed him? No who cares. How did he get on the clan compound, there are seals that make entry impossible. Whoever I am dealing with, he is dangerous."

"Now, now Sasuke-kun, don't be so brash." The voice said as someone started to seemingly emerge from the shadow at the floor in front of Sasuke.

"Who are you?"

"Who am I? I am someone who can give everything you want. Liberty, money, a life without Konoha…, power." The person said making Sasuke narrow his eyes at the last word. "I am Orochimaru of the Sannin, and I would like if you were to join me." He said walking around Sasuke. "I'll let you think about it, seek me at the end of the month on the exams finals but until then." He said moving so quickly that even Sasuke who had his Sharingan eyes activated couldn't follow was on him on an instant as went down to him neck and bit him. SAsuke started to scream at the burning sensation on his neck, the pain was so intense that he felt like just collapsing then and there and black out but he couldn't. When Orochimaru removed his head Sasuke fell to the floor and everything was hazy for him. "Until then enjoy my little gift of power… it is only a show of what I can give you, kukuku." Was the only thing the Uchiha could process before he effectively blacked out. 'Soon, soon you will finally be mine Sasuke, you just need how much of a great opportunity I am for you to come running to my hands, kukuku. Soon.' Orochimaru thought before sinking on the ground. No one being wiser of what happened that night.

./ Next Day.

Orange clothing was what everyone was used to see Naruto wear, and while he was indeed wearing his hideous orange jumpsuit one couldn't know unless he was scrutinizing the blond's outfit. The reason? Well he was completely covered on dirt, mud, ashes and who knows what more. The last day he had dedicated himself to train just as he had said, and when his body finally couldn't give anymore he merely collapsed. How the patrolling ANBU or anyone else didn't found him was a wonder. Right now he only had one destiny in mind, after eating some quick ramen to recover energy he immediately headed to the popular Konoha Hotsprings.

"Man I certainly did a number on myself yesterday." The blond muttered to himself. "But well I guess I shouldn't have tried that just yet." He said with a dry laugh. Finally arriving to his destination he entered the springs and after registering he was on his way to the male baths but when he passing next to the female baths he suddenly heard… giggling? "What the hell? That doesn't sound as a female giggle, so." Looking around he found nothing until he looked to the roof of the female baths, there he saw a person with long-white hair that he didn't really wanted to meet again. "Ugh, is that sennin guy who approached me the other day." He said remembering his talk with the legendary Sannin. Suddenly a mischievous grin appeared on his face."Oi, Ero-sennin!" He shouted startling the man. 'Hmm ero-sennin, I like that.' Naruto thought as he started to gather smoke on his hand.

"Hey brat. Shut up. I am making my research right now, don't ruin it." Jiraiya hissed turning around but widened his eyes when he saw Naruto smirking smoke in his hand.

"Kemuri Shakuho: Kerumi Bakuha!" (Smoke Release: Smoke Blast) He shouted extending his arm that had the smoke in hand and then applying more chakra for the release a current of quick moving smoke emerged and formed from the blond's hand moving towards the sannin who obviously not expecting the interruption even less the attack received it head on only for him to be knocked backwards by the jutsu causing him to fall on the female baths. When shouts of scared females and 'pervert' were heard Naruto knew his job was done. "Well done Naruto, well done." He congratulated himself before starting to walk again.

./ On the Male Baths

"Aaaaa, this feels good." Naruto said relaxing as he submerged his self on the forever hot waters and his still muscles started to let loose. However, of course that relaxation didn't last for long, as within minutes of entering an angry shout was heard.

"Hey Gaki! What the hell!?" Opening his eyes he saw Jiraiya who had an angry look on his face. "I was doing my research back there for my book. God, I swear there was so much material and the women there were… hehe." He said quickly changing from anger to a perverted look and started giggling to himself like a schoolgirl quickly developing a nose bleed muttering things about hot women and big breasts.

'Is this truly a sannin? This way is so easy to look down on him and say that he is just another old perverted geezer.' Naruto thought sighing to himself. "Well." He said standing up and going to the exit, he was cleaned already so. Immediately Jiraya switched from his perverted to look to one more alert.

"Wait wait where are you going?" He asked walking behind Naruto.

"Somewhere else, I no longer need to be here."

"But, but. Wait, you don't want the training that I told you?"

"No thanks I don't need it. Plus, I didn't pass the exams." He said surprising Jiraiya.

"Hey gaki." He called making Naruto to turn to him.

"What?" He said but immediately was force to dodge as Jiraiya sent a punch to his face. Quickly sidestepping Naruto tried to grab the sannin's arm but Jiraiya was not finished as he sent a knee to the blond's abdomen. Not being able to dodge with the momentum he had, Naruto received the blow at full force making him bend over. Jiraiya then proceeded to sweep the blond's feet with his leg who tried to jump to evade but the sweep managed to hit the point of his feet making him stumble down the floor, quickly Jiraiya poised himself above Naruto preventing him to move any further.

"Still think you don't need the training gaki?" Naruto just snorted. "Look, I am not going to force you to this, but it could greatly help you." Naruto remained silent as Jiraiya removed from on top of him and he stood up.

"Why do you want to train me so much?" Naruto said after a moment.

"Because feel that I should do this. Why are you so stubborn about not wanting to train with me?" Naruto shrugged.

"I guess because that is how I grew up. Not being able to really trust anyone." He said making Jiraiya feel pain, guilt and sadness.

'He is like that because of me. Because I was not there for him, to see him grow up and protect him. Minato, I have failed you, but I will make it up for everything that I missed.'

"I'll do it." Naruto said making Jiraiya get out from his thoughts. "I'll will train under you, ero-sennin." He said with a smile.

"Hey gaki, don't go around calling me names!" He said but on the inside it was another story. 'Gaki, I will not fail you.' "Well whatever, meet me tomorrow on the hill by the lake near the outside of the village by river."

"Sure." And then both shinobi departed.

./ Uchiha Compund

"What is this?" Sasuke asked himself, black markings were covering his body and a dark aura was surrounding his body. "This power. This power is amazing!" He shouted giving the concrete floor a punch making a giant crater in it. "This is amazing! With this type of power I will surely beat him!" He said before realization hit him. "More. I need more." And then he began to chuckle darkly.

./ Next Day. Meeting Point.

When Naruto arrived to the place Jiraiya had told him to he immediately knew why his new teacher had chosen such place. The hill they were in was directly by the side of a lake, the face of the hill facing the lake was pure rock on a vertical way that descended even more to the floor of the lake are that was about another good twenty meters more down from the base of the hill, the lake had a waterfall connecting the plains and road that connected to Konoha and the ground that the hill was in. All in all, the hill gave a perfect view of the lake, and because of its altitude and foliage the persons on the lake area couldn't see over the hill. Currently on the lake were five girls playing. All of them were on bikinis and had more than generous assets which by the way were jumping from their playing at throwing water at each other. Naruto, like any straight men would do observed the scene for a few minutes before remembering what he was there for. Climbing to the top of the hill he heard giggling and sounds that seemed like writing from between the foliage of the trees.

"Oh yes please continue like that. That's right make those wiggle for me. *giggling*" Naruto quickly had his eye twitching. He was about to do the same that he had made the other time on the hot springs but decided against it and went to his perverted excuse of a teacher.

"Oi ero-sennin I'm here."

"Huh? O yeah gaki, wait a little I am doing some research for my books." Jiraiya said without even turning to him giggling every moment.

"Ero-sennin." Naruto said on a dangerous tone but Jiraiya just said that he heard him and pressed his hand on his face. 'This is it.' Naruto thought in irritation. Then Jiraiya heard something that he knew too well even if he had heard it only once. "Kemuri Shakuho: Kemuri Bakuha!" Naruto shouted sending Jiraiya flying down the cliff falling on the water between all the girls who immediately kyaaed and shouted perverted and then proceeded to beat the crap out Jiraiya and go away.

"Kami really, if it is not one thing it is the other. First Kakashi and his ever late fashion and now ero-sennin and his perverted manners." It wasn't much until Jiraiya was back with Naruto on top on the hill rubbing his back and other various sore spots from the beating he had just received.

"God dammnit Gaki, do you always have to do that? One of these days you are going to get me killed! And to top it off those girls were very cute and were making a lot of help on my research for my books!" Jiraiya said in a complaining tone.

"Research?" Jiraiya smirked.

"Oh yes, you see I apart from being a successful shinobi am also a very talented writer. My series IchaIcha Paradise are best sellers and I need to make research for inspiration. Here have a sample." He said giving Naruto one orange book, he noticed that it was like the one that Kakashi always had. Quickly skipping through the pages and reading some phrases Naruto turned a deep blush.

"Well that is not an excuse, whenever I see you doing your perverted stuff I will do the very same thing." He said in a tone that leaved no space for discussion while pocketing the book on his pants, action that did not went missed by Jiraiya who just smirked while going with Naruto's flow and saying that he wouldn't do it again. "Well whatever, what are you going to train me in?"

"Well first I want to have a gauge of your abilities, so we will make some light sparring and I will then test your ninjutsu along with other things." Naruto nodded and both quickly made their way over to the bottom of the hill right next to the river. "Ready?" Naruto nodded settling on a stance. "Begin."

Naruto wasted no time and quickly rushed to Jiraiya. Naruto sent a puch to Jiraiya's gut only for the man to side step and push Naruto from the back who then proceeded to then proceeded to spin on his feet and launched a series of kicks and punched at Jiraiya who blocked all of them, after blocking a punch directed to his face by batting the fist away Jiraiya sent a fist of his own towards Naruto who barely managed to evade by ducking under it, but quickly a follow up was made from Jiraiya who sent his knee to the blond's face that being couched and with no balance to push himself of the way moved his arms in front of his face in a cross manner bracing himself for the impact. The move was effective as it completely blocked the kick but because of the strength of the move Naruto was sent rolling backwards but then quickly proceeded to move back up.

Closing in Jiraiya and Naruto engaged in a fight on kicks and punches blocking each other's while making Naruto retreat as he was losing the duel They were closing to the lake when Naruto suddenly tripped with a root on a tree that was coming out of the floor. Acting quickly Naruto pushed himself with his arms before falling completely making a back jump towards the lake landing in it.

"You are pretty good Gaki."

"Thanks." Naruto said huffing.

"However, your taijutsu has no form whatsoever and feels like just taken out of random and incomplete. Why is that?"

"Well I have no real taijutsu, and for it feeling incomplete is because, up close, I usually fight like this." He said crossing his fingers in a way that Jiraiya recognized. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" (Shadow Clone Technique) Naruto shouted and not a second latter other five Naruto's poofed into existence at the sides of the original. Quickly again all the Naruto's charged from different angles all of them making random different moves as if each of them were fighting separately instead of fighting together to get a single target. Jiraiya had to attribute the effectiveness of the tactic to Naruto, as it was a great way to divide your target's focus and because of the random moves, the opponent could not follow a pattern that would tell him how the attack worked to defend himself.

'Ingenious but against high level shinobi this tactic will be useless.' Jiraiya thought defending against the onslaught of the Narutos. He jumped up high on the air and landed a couple meters from the mass of blond haired gakis. Before Naruto could tell what was happening Jiraiya speed to the five kids. He sent a punch to one Naruto making it poof out while ducking under the swing another sent to his head, then he jumped again and kicked the clone on his face making it too poof while pushing himself off using his head as leverage at another Naruto who managed to block his fist but couldn't block his kick to the abdomed. When Jiraiya fell to the water he was quickly surrounded by the two remaining Narutos who were standing at both of his sides. In a silent agreement both rushed onto Jiraiya who blocked against a kick to his head with his arm and an uppercut to his chin with his hand. He pushed with great strength both Narutos away and rushed randomly against one. Still off balance from being pushed over and trying to regain stability on the water the Naruto couldn't dodge nor block against the punch that he received on his face making him poof. Sensing the last and final Naruto Jiraiya barely managed to put his arm to the side of his toro to avoid being hit head on by a kick. Spinning on his feet Jiraiya faced Naruto only to be forced to block a barrage of punches courtesy of the blond. The scene continued until Jiraiya managed to find an opening on Naruto's defense and quickly slipping in sent and uppercut to his chin making him fall on the lake.

"Very good gaki." Jiraiya congratulated after Naruto emerged from the water.

"Hmm, maybe. Thanks."

"Well, I think I already know I will be training you in the meanwhile." Jiraiya said making Naruto lift his eyes in curiosity. "I will be teaching you my taijutsu style, the 'Kaeru Style' (Frog Style) along with perfecting your chakra control for something that I want to teach you later. The kaeru style is based on endurance and blocking or evading the enemy attacks and then attacking with a few heavy attacks yourself before returning to the defensive. Of course there are more aggressive katas for this style but that is the basic form. Also I want you to sign this." He said taking out the giant scroll on his back and extending it.

"What is that?"

"This is the summoning contract for the toads. If you sign this you will be able to call forth toads into battle or any situation to aid you. Despite not looking like it, the toads are pretty good summons for both company and combat. Both I and my now late student and Yodaime Hokage Namikaze Minato have signed this. You just need to write your name with your blood." He said taking a few steps back to allow Naruto to close in, but he didn't. Naruto stood there watching the scroll in silence. He sighed.

"I don't want to." He said shocking Jiraiya.

"Wha- what! What do you mean you don't want to? Why?"

"Because I don't want to. I don't really feel like just signing a contract with the toads. I don't doubt what you said about them being excellent summons, but I don't think I have the maturity to handle such a thing as a summoning contract, and even when I have it, I want to choose the contract I want." He said never breaking the stare he had with Jiraiya. Both looked at each other for a minute before Jiraiya sighed himself.

"Well fair enough I think. I understand, making a contract is no small thing. But consider this, it is very hard and very rare to acquire a contract with a any animal you may not found any other summon in your life that is willing to give you a contract, but if you ever feel like it, the toads will always be there for you to sign." 'Is your legacy after all.'

"Yes, thank you for understanding ero-sennin."

"What did I said about calling me that! Ugh, whatever, let's get to it. You don't want to slack off in your training right… Right?" Jiraiya said smirking already knowing the answer to the question.

"O hell no!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically.

./ Timeskip. Chuunin Exam's Finals.

"Shousa (winner) Subaku no Temari!" Shouted Genma, a jounin off Konoha that was also functioning as the proctor for the final exam after the mysterious disappearance of the proctor from the preliminaries Gekko Hayate. The crowd watching the fight gave no response, they all were too shocked at what had just happened to give the usual shouting and applauses. The Suna Shinobi was facing against the very one Nara Shikamaru, who had evaded the constant fuuton offensive from the kunoichi before finally managing to trap her in his shadow binding jutsu. Everything pointed for the Nara's victory but when Temari was about to surrender Shikamaru gave up saying he was low on chakra and couldn't go on giving the victory to the Suna kunoichi.

"Well… That was anticlimactic." Naruto deadpanned. He was sitting on the spectator's area along with the other rookie gennins that had not managed to pass to the third round other than Sasuke, who had decided not to come. Everyone but Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji were there.

"Well it isn't really that surprising if you know how Shikamaru is." Stated another voice that was sitting nearby.

"Yeah. That is just how Shika is." A third voice commented. They belonged to Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji, Shikamau's very own teammates.

"Really he is such a lazy bastard." Said another voice that Naruto quickly recognized. It was Haruno Sakura. Naruto's teammate and his crush from when he was little, but as soon as he met Kyuubi for the very first time the giant fox had completely smashed the very idea of going after the pink banshee out of Naruto's head. "Yosh! It is of no matter. Shikamaru-kun obviously gave the best that he had. Seeing that he could not continue he wisely decided to bail, even if it was not on the youth fullest way; Shikamaru burns with the flames of youth. Everyone except Tenten sweat dropped at this. None of them being used yet to the youthful sprouts from their green wearing teammate.

"Look the next match is going to start." Stated Ino making everyone focus back at the arena. Shino was standing there on the center of the field waiting for his opponent to come down when a shout was heard on the balcony of the participants.

"Proctor, I am not going to fight, I yield." Kankuro shouted from the participants' balcony making everyone on the stadium widen their eyes. Someone was forfeiting without even fighting? This was a rare occurrence on any chuunin exams, especially on the finals.

"Very well. Subaku no Kankuro has decided to forfeit, Aburame Shino is the winner of the match. Would Subaku no Gaara and Hyuuga Neji please pass to the center of the arena." Genma said making Naruto widen his eyes.

'Gaara. So he is here huh? Well what did I expected, of course he would be able to win. I am feeling really sorry for Neji right now, even if he is an arrogant bastard. Well at least this will allow me to have a third party look on how Gaara fights. Lee already told me about his fight but I want to see it anyways.' Thought Naruto as he watched Gaara quickly appear on the floor with a sand shunshin and a devious grin on his face, and Neji some minutes later with a not so sure look.

"Both fighters ready? Hajime!"(Start) Genma shouted jumping back to give space for the fight to start. Neji quickly activated his Byakugan to observe Gaara's chakra movements through his sand. What he saw surprised him as he saw chakra already covering a five meters radius from Gaara as he converted the soil on the ground onto sand, not that he could know that. He was waiting for the readheaded to make a move. He didn't had to wait long, because as soon as Gaara realized that his prey wasn't coming for him he quickly sent a couple of sand tendrils toward the Hyuuga. Naji knowing full well what does tendrils could do evaded quickly the quick moving sand structures. Upon seeing some space between them he proceeded to rush at Gaara, but refrained himself from advancing more as he saw Gaara give a cruel smirk before a wall of sand emerged from the ground before him.

'What? I saw no sand slip from his guard or tendrils towards the ground. When did he placed it there?' Neji thought as he back flipped from the wall. He came to a ready stance but had to move again side rolling to a side as more tendrils of sand came for him from the back. Neji continued evading but was slowly being overwhelmed by the ever increasing amount of tendrils coming for him. 'Crap, at this pace I will have to use that.' He thought before evading once again.

'Hmm, interesting, he's fighting style is playing with his opponent overwhelming them before crushing them. The fact that he is pretty much on a ball makes Neji's escape even more difficult.' Thought Naruto. And he was indeed correct, as Neji was currently within a massive ball of sand tendrils with few openings, but surely and slowly the tendrils were engulfing more and more the Hyuuga genius leaving less ways for escape. And when Gaara had him for sure he knew he would mercilessly kill the kid.

True to Naruto's thought's Neji was having a more and more difficult time with the sand kid. 'Shit, he is closing off all my escape routes, I need to do something quickly, but the fact that send trajectories from the sand tendrils are closing more and more it leaves me with even less places to evade to.' People gasped when they could no longer see Hyuuga, and another gasp were heard from the Konoha genins that had been on the preliminaries when they heard what Gaara said.

After completely trapping Neji on his sand Gaara halted all movement of it leaving a giant sand cocoon around him. Quickly a sadistic grin came to his face. 'Yes, finally I can have some blood! Mother has been thirsty, but he will only do so much, I need Uzumaki's blood to satisfy mother.' Gaara thought before shouting. "Subaku Soso!" Gaara shouted with delight on the quite stadium from all the tension on the fight so everyone was able to hear.

"NEJI NO!" Shouted Tenten and Lee. However their words had no effect as Gaara's sand started to contract on the boy. However the sand didn't moved more than a few centimeters before stopping. Surprise came to everyone and shock to Gaara when the sand cacoon exploded in a ragged way. A spinning blue chakra circle within.

./ Stands.

"Father is that…?" A firm, yet squeaky voice asked.

"Yes Hanabi, it is. The Kaiten. A main brach Hyuuga technique. It seems that Neji is truthfully a genius and managed to replicate the technique by only seeing it."

"I see." The girl said.

'Hizashi. I have failed your son." The Hyuuga clan head thought in remorse before turning his attention fully back to the battle going on.

./

'I thought I was done for. It seems I am fated to rise victorious from this encounter.' Was the only thought that Neji had after he escaped his apparently imminent doom. However he cleared his head of thoughts focusing on the situation at hand. Neji despite being arrogant was not someone to miss opportunities when fighting, especially against powerful shinobi, so, when he saw the shocked face of Gaara he rushed towards the stunned jinchuriki. He was about three meters away from him when Gaara shook himself out of his astonishment raising a wall of sand between him and his opponent, but just as the quick wall of sand was rising Neji had a quicker reflex and activated his technique.

"Kaiten!" (Rotation) Neji shouted spinning on his feet making a dome out of his chakra that he was releasing with his hands disrupting the redheaded technique. Not having time to dodge or rise another wall Gaara was forced to receive a thrust from the infamous Hyuuga taijusu to his chest sending his skidding a few meters back. "Finally some leverage." Neji said before he noticed the redheaded standing without any apparent damage done to him. "What! I just jyuuken him to the chest with full power, he should be passed out by now, or at least wore down!" Neji shouted in shock. Suddenly sand pieces started to scrap out of the area that he had hit Gaara at. "Damn, I forgot about his sand armor." However not everything seemed as dull as Gaara suddenly bent over and coughed in his hand.

"What is this?" Gaara asked lowly to himself. He took his hand away from his mouth for him to see it. "Blood? Why is blood on my hand? This is not my enemies' blood. Is this my blood?" He asked confused, and then he started to panic. "BLOOD! THERE IS MY BLOOD ON MY HAND!" Neji quickly jumped away from the area that had sand on it as massive amount of chakra was channeled throught all the sand on the ground. "WHY MOTHER?! WHY DID YOU ALLOWED THIS?!" Gaara continued to shout panicked. Soon all the sand on a four feet radius along with the one still on his guard started to surround the now crouched hands on his head Gaara forming a perfect dome. Neji had to turn his Byakugan as he was running low on chakra and the fact that he could not see a thing into the dome as it was all clustered with chakra. Silence prevailed in the stadium.

./ On the stands.

An ANBU nodded to several other ANBU who proceeded to disperse through the stadium. Once in position all of them made hand signs and whispered something. Not a few moments latter feathers started to fall down all around the stadium making everyone present start to fall asleep except the jounins and chuunins stationed who detected and dispelled the genjutsu.

"What is this?" Kurenai asked as she along with the others senseis started to wake their students, kunai in hand.

"I don't know. But I don't like it." Everyone nodded.

./ Stadium Halls.

"Quick we have to get to Gaara before anything happens, we need to protect him from anyone coming his way." Said Temari as she ran, Kankuro at her side.

"I know damn it, the invasion is starting. " Responded the cosmetics, sorry war paint wearing shinobi. However both stopped upon hearing a deep howl and sensing the unmistaken ably ichibi's chakra. "Fuck, get at it." Kankuro shouted and both brother and sister continued running towards the arena doubling their speed.

./ Stands

When the jounins finally managed to wake all their students up they heard the howl from the center. Turning to it they saw Gaara emerge from the dome, a sand arm, tail and leg were attached to him as if they were his own limbs. Immediately after that a lot of people who were supposed to be asleep who disposed of their clothes and showed black and grey attires and headbands with both Suna and Oto symbols.

"SHIT! This is an invasion! Kids get to the shelters!" Kakashi shouted as he blocked with his kunai a slash from an Oto shinobi before disposing of him.

"No way Kakashi-sensei we are fighting!" Kiba shouted.

"Kiba, this is not the time to-"Kurenai started but was interrupted by explosions on the walls, hitting resounding noises that signaled an enemy attack (AN: like in the Bleach anime. When Ichigo and the others get in. The wood hitting sound.) and then a siren that signaled a full out enemy attack and requested all available shinobi that was not currently engaging the enemy to run to their positions around the village to support the battle and defense.

"Shit!" Shouted Asuma. "Just go, evacuate the civilians, we will handle this." He said this time making the gennins nod. All of them went out of the stadium to help evacuate except one.

"Naruto what are you doing!" Shouted Kakashi seeing the blond was still there.

"I have something to settle sensei." He said before jumping to the arena.

"Naruto!" He shouted but his words went unheard as the blond was already out of ear reach with all the battle sounds and explosions going around. "Damn it Naruto." Kakashi said before reengaging the enemy.

./ Kage Booth.

"Kazekage-dono what is the meaning of this?" Asked Hiruzen to the Kazekage. Both shinobies facing each other.

"Kukuku sensei. Can't you tell what is happening? Finally I will lay waist against this village." Laughed the Kazekage discarding his Kage attire.

"Orochimaru?"

"So many years I have waited. So many years I have planned for this day. Finally Konoha will pay." Orochimaru said while Hiruzen discarded his own Kage attire revealing a metal armor underneath.

"I have done many mistakes in my life Orochimaru. But today I will fix the one I made with you and kill you, for Konoha and the will of fire, you will fall today Orochimaru."

"Kukuku, we'll see about that." And as if that was the signal to start both shinobi rushed at each other clashing in battle.

"Hokage-sama!" Shouted the lader of a start of ANBU that came running to protect and aid their Hokage. However just as they were about to enter the area of the fight on the roof they were in four shinobi landed making a permimeter around the fight and made symbols.

"Shishienjin!" (Four Violet Flames Formation) The four newcomers shouted and quickly a barrier of four purple walls erected making the ANBU stop on their tracks.

"Shit. Get working, find a way to break the barrier and help Hokage-sama now!" The leader of the ANBU squad barked as the shinobi jumped to work." 'Be safe Hokage-sama.'

(AN: I will not show anything more about the fight other than the end because I'm sure all of you know how it goes and have read it at least once on another fic.)

./ Arena

To say that Neji was scared right now would be an understandment. Neji was terrified. Well it is understandable thought. He had been fighting his opponent who so far had been decimating Neji. But when Neji finally managed to put a good solid hit on his opponent said person started to go frantic at seeing his own blood. After that he closed himself up on a dome of sand. Everything was going ok up to this point but things quickly went south when a massive genjutsu was cast and explosions were heard. He easily discarded the genjutsu and looking around he saw fighting going on all around the stadium. Reaching the most obvious deduction, that Konoha was under attack he prepared himself to go and aid in anything that he could, but was stopped at his tracks when from the dome that his by now forgotten opponent was a figure started to emerge, it was the boy that he had been fighting earlier however noticeable differences could be seen on his body. A sand arm, leg and tail were attached to his body were his own limbs were supposed to be other than the tail that seemed to form just above his butt. This shocked Neji but what made him unable to move was the psychotic expression on his face and the tremendous amount of bloodlust and killer intent that he was emitting.

'How. How is he capable of emitting such an amount of pressure? I can't move my body from the fear.' Neji thought unmoving standing in front of the half boy, half creature before him, but for Neji's relief and surprise aid came. Relief because the boy before him was sent blasted and surprised because of the person that came to aid him.

"Kemuri Shakuho: Shokuuu-ebu!" (Smoke Realese: Shockwave) Came the angry shout of Uzumaki Naruto from behind Neji. Passing right beside him was a blast of what seemed concentrated smoke? What perplexed Neji even more was that the smoke seemed to expand in a circular form as it traveled once it passed him. As it expanded the smoke showed no signs on dissipating and quickly it hitted dead-on on the unmoving Gaara sending him flying a few meters before impacting with the ground.

"Uzumaki? What are you doing here? No forget that. What is happening?" Asked Neji confused on all the quick series of events. 'And what was that smoke?'

"It is an invasion Neji. We are getting attacked. We were ordered to go assist with the evacuation of the civilians and aid as minimum as possible at the battle going on." He shifted into fighting stance that Neji did not remember seeing Naruto before. "I have a score to settle with this guy here." Just as Naruto was about to attack the now dazed Gaara a shout made him and Naji jump out of the way.

"Kamaitichi no Jutsu!" (Sickle Weasel Technique) Great gusts of wind ravaged the place were both Konoha shinobies were once standing leaving on its wake great amount of clouds of dust and sand. Once the dust settled Temari and Kankuro were seen besides Gaara. "Hurry Kankuro. Gaara is low on chakra we need to take him away until he recovers for him to finish the transformation." Hissed Temari at his brother.

"I know, I know. Just cover me ok?" Then he proceeded to lift Gaara under his arm.

"Oh no way I am going to let you go!" Shouted Naruto who started to rush at the Suna trio but ended jumping away to avoid getting his body tattered by the wind that Temari produced from her fan.

"I am sorry that we have to do this Uzumaki but I cannot let you get close to Gaara." Said Temari before she felt a pat on her shoulder. She knew it was Kankuro saying he was ready. "I just hope you survive the day." She said before releasing another gust of wind.

"Shit, you will not get away." Snarled Naruto to himself before following through the hole in the stadium that was made courtesy of Kankuro's explosive tags.

"Uzumaki wait!" Neji called but once again the words went unheard for the blond boy. "I should follow instructions, but even if that boy is trash he is a fellow Konoha nin, I must aid him." And as that he followed behind Naruto intent on catching up to him and the Suna trio.

./ Streets of Konoha. With Sakura and the Others.

"Oh no wait." Sakura called to the rest of the Konoha Rookie Gennins that were with her.

"What is the problem forehead?" Ino answered irritated at the interruption, she wanted to get moving and the others as well if their equally irritated looks were anything to go by. Sakura cowered a bit under everyone's gaze before steeling herself.

"What about Sasuke-kun? He is alone on his compound. We have to get him." She said worried about her teammate and eternal crush.

"Sakura we can't afford going for Sasuke right now." Said Shikamaru.

"But-"

"Haruno-san, I believe that Uchiha-san is very well capable of defending himself and getting out of dangerous situations. When he realizes what is happening he will seek a jounin or us. And as Shikamaru-san said, we right now in the current situation cannot afford to go fetch Uchiha-san" Shino said covering all points leaving Sakura no place to discus.

"Whatever. Sasuke is my teammate. I will go get him."

"Sakura wait no." Called Ino.

"Don't worry yourself Ino-pig, I will go get Sasuke-kun." Sakura said firmly and started running in the direction of the Uchiha compound.

"Sakura." Ino whispered for herself.

"Let's get moving." Shikamaru said before he saw a blur moving in the distance and another blur moving behind the first blur. Realizing who the persons in escape and pursuit were he turned to the gennins.

"Shika?" Chouji asked noticing his best friend was distracted.

"You go, I have something to do." He said before running ready to intercept the persons running.

./ The Pursuit

'Come on, come on, come on.' Urged Naruto to his body to move, he had started to catch up to the Suna brothers but when they realized he was following they sped up resulting on both traveling on equal velocities. He was lucky however when they stopped and fell off the roofs and then saw Kankuro emerge and continue the run a moment later with Gaara still on his arm. 'Where is Temari?' Naruto thought when he reached the area that they had fallen he saw Shikamaru fighting with Temari.

"Naruto go! I will fight her, you catch up to them!" Shouted the Nara.

"Sure Shikamaru, see ya later. Oh and don't die." Naruto said as he jumped up restarting the chase after the Suna brothers leaving Shikamaru mumbling about stupid underestimating blonds infuriating Temari a bit. 'Ok, they no longer have Temari, so they will be slower now; I can catch up to them now.' Eventually as the chase continued true to Naruto's calculation he managed to get within five meters of the Suna duo on the outskirts of Konoha. Naruto quickly made some hand signs to a jutsu and shouted. "Kemuri Shakuho: Kemuri Bukaha!" The attack catch Kankuro by surprise who was not really expecting the move, and he was even more surprised when a fast moving ball of smoke passed just below them making a little explosion with a thick branch forcing Kankuro to release Gaara to avoid getting a nasty fall.

"Damn it." Kankuro said getting up facing the blond who landed in front of him. He quickly removed and uncovered the puppet at his back at a speed that surprised Naruto. "This is as far as you go Uzumaki, Gaara wanted you for himself but I can't have you interfering. " However before Kankuro could do anything he had to move his puppet as it blocked a hail of kunai that impacted on it.

"Neji?" Naruto asked in surprise when he saw the Hyuuga land besides him. Neji didn't answer right away and took a jyuuken stance.

"I will deal with this man, you deal with Gaara." This confused Naruto a lot but shrugged it off as he too slipped into the Kaeru taijutsu stance. He placed his left foot before him making his body face to the side; he semi extended his left arm in front of him and placed his right arm in the back. When he turned to see Gaara he saw that the red head was beginning to stand as he slowly but surely wobbled to his feet. After Gaara did managed to get to his feet he somehow instantly got control of his balance and strength as he stooped shaking and turned to Naruto who was stunned by the expression on the boy's face. Gaara's normally collected face had turned into a feral snarl filled with hate promising an aggressive follow up.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara said with a deep voice. "Your blood, mother wants your blood. I have to kill you. Because that is my purpose in life. I have to kill to prove my existence. By killing I am able to prove my existence. And if I don't kill I will vanish. To kill is my reason to live, and blood is what drives me. You who do not have a reason to live, you who do not have a purpose will not be able to stop me. Because you have no reason to be strong and because you are my prey Naruto Uzumaki!" Gaara said shouting at Naruto at incredible speed. Naruto barely had managed to evade Gaara as he crashed with a tree bringing it, and a line of trees down. Gaara went back to his feet but was forced to block with his tail after Naruto suddenly appeared besides him impulsed by a smoke blast from his feet who tried to bring an axe kick to the jinchuriki's face. Naruto leaped away and landed on a branch.

'It seems that he cannot use his sand defense while he is in that state.' Naruto thought observing Gaara. 'That's good, I can use that to my advantage, however I must have caution, he is faster and physically stronger now.' Finishing his thoughts Naruto went with a series of hand signs. "Kemuri Shakuho: Kemuri Bukaha!" Naruto shouted as the blast of smoke trailed for Gaara, the difference between this one and the one he used with Jiraiya being that more smoke had been concentrated and more chakra had been poured increasing its power. Gaara blocked the blast of incoming smoke however the power behind the jutsu was too strong that it sent Gaara flying thought the trees. The impact was such that he couldn't block the kick that Naruto gave his shoulder when he crashed. Impactating loudly with a tree Gaara heard a hissing sound, turning to it he saw a second smoke blast directed at his shoulder. Soon enough Gaara was in the middle of an explosion made from the concentrated smoke blast.

"You know." Naruto started as he landed on a branch a few trees away from Gaara. "Ever since our fight I have been thinking." He said as he started to attract the smoke around Gaara showing the mentioned boy standing panting, his upper body bent forward and his sand arm collapsing on the branch. "I do have a purpose in my life. In fact I already had one, but I did not realize it, and recently I gained another one." The smoke started to twirl around both of Naruto's arms with a Hurricane form, the end being on his arm pit and the top by his hands. "What I live for is to fulfill a petition made to me. A petition that I swore to fulfill. And the other reason. Is to protect those close to me. My precious people." He said as the smoke started to swirl more Gaara started to chuckle.

"Precious people? Do not make me laugh Uzumaki Naruto. You cannot become strong if you fight for others. Only when fighting for yourself you can come to know true power." Gaara said as saliva started to trail down his mouth and his sand arm started to regrow. But was shocked Naruto was that his transformation did not stopped there and another arm started to grow on his other arm too. "Only when you fight for yourself you can prevail and prove your existence. So abandon your friend. Abandon your relationships. Abandon your feelings so that you can fight me Uzumaki!" Once again Gaara raced to Naruto this time successfully tackling him sending him skidding.

'Fast.' Naruo thought as he managed to land on his feet. "Abandon my friends? Never! I will never abandon them!" He shouted as smoke once again started to swirl on his hands.

"Is that so? Then prove to me which is stronger. Your will to protect and fight for others, or me fighting for myself. Then both jinchurikies leaped at each other.

./ With Shikamaru.

'Damn, she is more aggressive than when we fought at the stadium and her attacks are more powerful too. The fact that I took a chakra pill before coming is not helping at all, I am almost out chakra. This is too damn troublesome, what can I do?' Shikamru thought as he continuously evaded shuriken and razors made of wind courtesy Temari's fan.

"What is it boy? Where are all your tactics now? Not so funny to make me angry is it? Well you shouldn't have interrupted." Temari said as she sent yet again a powerful gust of wind at the Nara but was surprised when said shinobi started to run straight at her. "Not in a chance." Temari said as she leaped back sending a kunai at Shikamaru.

'Let's see. She relies on her kunai and fan to keep me at bay. It seems like she is trying to tire me before finishing this. With the sun up my shadows will not be able to extend more than a few meters. I know.' Shikamaru said as he spotted a big warehouse which was giving a large shadow that about thirty meters away. 'If I can push her over to that house I will be able to finish this.' Quickly Shikamaru too started to throw kunai at the suna kunoichi while steadily closing in making her move more and more towards the big building.

"You are tiring me Nara!" Temari shouted as she made some hand signs and swong her fan. "Okamaitachi!" (Cyclone Scythe Technque) Temari shouted sending a giant gust of compressed air towards Shikamaru who barely avoided but was hit by tree kunai the legs. "Got you." Shikamaru groaned in pain as he removed the knives from his legs however he only had one thought when he saw the multitude of leaves flying on the air because of the furious wind from Temari's technique.

"I could say the same. "Kagemane no Jutsu." (Shadow Imitation Technique) Temari did nothing but was shocked when instead of stopping the shadow continued to extend over to her by using the leave's shadow as an extention forcing her to eventually jump on the warehouse's shadow. Temari realized her mistake when in the middle of the jump she saw the shadow she was going to land on.

'Shit.' She thought as she tried to do something to avoid the shadow to no avail. She was rendered immobile the second the stepped in.

"I got you finally." Shikamru said as he closed in to Temari so that he could have a better grip.

"Yeah so what now? You gonna kill me?" She said with a smirk. Her smirk widened as she felt the grip on the shadow waver after the mention of the wod 'kill'. "Oh? So you are green then? You have not killed yet? You have not felt the feeling of blood running down your hand after stabbing your enemy with a kunai and watching his life slowly but surely fade away?" She of course was buffing. While she had indeed killed before, she had never killed like the just described, however her words worked because from both Shikamaru's low chakra and distracted thoughts made her able to break free from the jutsu's grip on her and leap away from the shadow. When she landed she was about to send a gust of wind to the Nara when a figure suddenly landed next to him and sent three kunai her way making her block. After that the figure stood up from its crouching position and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder making him turn to see who the new arrival was.

"Tou-san?" Shikamaru asked in shock.

"Sorry it took me long to get here Shika but I was busy with other matters. Now." He said turning over to Temari who was now on the defensive a few meters away while pulling another kunai. "Let's see if we can take the miss here to interrogation." However he had to evade as a spinning barrage of wind disks came his way.

"I fear that will not be possible." A voice said grunting.

"Baki-sensei!" Temari said in both surprise and relief as her sensei landed in front of her.

"Temari get out of here and go with Gaara." He instructed. Temari nodded after giving a doubtful look to his sensei and leaped away.

"Oh like hell you are going away." Shouted Shikamaru who was starting to race after her but was stopped by a sand disk courtesy of Baki.

"Shika get away of here, I will handle the situation. You go with the rest of the gennin." Shikamaru was about to protest but he saw the serious look o his father's face he reluctantly nodded and went away.

"Now let's finish this shinobi-san." Shikaku said once Shikmaru went away.

"My words exactly." Baki responded before both seasoned jounins rushed at each other.

./ Uchiha Compound

Sasuke was currently on the yard of his house on the Uchiha compound, you could see him meditating, but if you were to look closer you would be able to see the impatience on his face. Well how couldn't he? He had been waiting for this for a good month now. The day when he would abandon Konoha for Orochimaru to gain power so that he could kill that perso. His brother. The infamous Uchiha Itachi.

'Soon Itachi. I will gain power and will make my hatred for you grow even more until the day that I can finally kill you and avenge the clan.' However before he could continue with his cogitation he was interrupted by the feeling of a presence creeping up behind. "You sure took your time." He asked without looking back.

"Well orochimaru-sama had me tending to some matters before I could come to pick you up. So, have you decided?" A voice replied making Sasuke widen his eyes recognizing the voice.

"You! You are the boy that we met at the exams! Yahushi Kabuto. He said turning abruptly to the silver haired boy.

"Ho. I see you remember me. Well that was to be expected. But could you answer my question. Have you made your decision?" Kabuto asked starting to get irritated.

"Yes I have. I will go with you." He said.

"Good now follow me." Kabuto said turning on his heels and started to walk away along with Sasuke, but both were abruptly interrupted by someone shouting Sasuke's name.

"Great, just what I needed." Sasuke murmured in annoyance lowly knowing who the voice was from but Kabuto managed to hear him.

"Sauke-kun!" Sakura shouted entering the yard from the door on his house huffing a lot. It was clear that she had made a desperate rush to his house. "Sasuke-kun, Konoha is being invaded we need to..." She started but stopped as soon as she saw Sasuke and another person standing there staring at her with annoyance. "Sasuke-kun?"

"I don't have for this Sakura, I am going." He said giving her his back.

"Going? Where are you going right now? We have to go help." She said in confusion.

"We are currently heading with out of Konoha to meet with Orochimaru-sama. He should be finished dealing with your Hokage anytime soon." Kabuto said as Sakura stared at him for the first time.

"What!? What do you mean with this Sasuke-kun?" She said as tears started to dwell on her eyes. She knew what this meant but tried to deny it.

"It means I am defecting the village Sakura. I will go seek my destiny. Which is something that I cannot do here in Konoha." He said, impatience clear in his voice.

"Wha- No! You can't go Sasuke-kun. Please don't leave me." Sakura implored as tears finally started to fall on her face. Sasuke just 'hmpf'ed and started to walk again. "Ok, well if you are not staying, at least take with you!" She said, but when she was finished SAsuke disappeared from her vision and felt him behind her.

"You are a hindrance Sakura." He said as he knocked her out. Sakura only had one thought as she fell to the ground unconscious.

'Sasuke-kun… why?'

"Are you sure you don't want to kill her?" Kabuto asked.

"No. Now let's go." He said. Kabuto simply nodded at the Uchiha and jumped away. Sasuke gave his house one last look and then Sakura and then leaped away.

./ With Naruto

Kankuro and Neji have stopped their fight in order to be able to get safe from the jinchurikies battle. They had been at a stalemate but when Kankuro noticed that Gaara had regained his wits, as much as that word could apply in his current state and the ridiculous amount of destruction they were causing both shinobi decided to call it quits to go away and avoid being destroyed along with the fauna of the area. It was a good decision, because a few minutes later the area they were was devastated because of a giant sand bullet.

"Stand still Uzumaki! I cannot hit you if you are being jumpy! Or is that all you can do?" Gaara taunted as Naruto avoided a sand projectile and destroyed another one with a smoke blast of his own.

'Shit I have to think of something. He no longer has his sand defense, but he gained speed and raw strength. His sand extremities are big and quick enough to block any attack I give, the fact that I received training to evade and withstand heavy blows is probably the only thing that is keeping me standing right now. Hmm I guess I will have to recur to an old tactic.' Soon enough he made an all too familiar cross of fingers as he shouted. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" (Shadow Clone Technique) about other eight Narutos appeared in his sides. "Ready guys? Let's do this!" The original shouted as he received a chorus of war shouts in response. Quckly all Narutos leaped at Gaara who caught four with his hand. Naruto jumped up as he elevated himself more by propelling smoke from his feet. After reaching a good altitude he summoned another clone. Using him as a platform he leaped down along with yet another clone. The clone landed on Gaara who was focused on destroying the other clones making him stumble. Meanwhile the original landed a branch bellow Gaara behind him as he took a kunai with an explosive tag. 'If this dosen't work, I am out of ideas.' Quickly he jumped towards Gaara as he impaled the kunai on the hard sand and quickly leaped away barely avoiding being swapped by Gaara's tail.

"You cannot do anything to me Uzuma-" Gaara started but was muffled by a loud explosion taking place on his tail. When the smoke dissipated it showed Gaara without his sand left sand arm, his tail and his back and right sand arm disspating.

'He- He attacked the tail were I was vulnerable the most.' Gaara thought in shock that someone had managed to push him this far. 'But it matters not, my will to prove my existence will not be defeated by his will to fight for others..' Gaara smirked as he tried to stand up but was quickly launched in the air by Naruto kicking him on the chin. Soon he was elevated more and more up in the air by more kick from clones as they shouted.

"U-ZU-MA-KI!" Shouted each clone as they kicked him, suddenly he felt a presence above. Turning back he saw yet another Naruto on the air with his leg up. The real Naruto. "BARRAGE!" He shouted delivering a kick to the back at Gaara who was sent crashing down on the ground making a crater as he impacted. However Naruto did not stopped there. He quickly channeled smoke chakra through all of his body as his lower body started to dissipate in smoke. "Kemuri-ten Zero!" (Smoke Point Zero) Naruto shouted as he quickly started to descend straight into Gaara, as smoke continued to impulse him making his go at a very high speed. When he hit Gaara a giant explosion was made as a shockwave made from the impact shock everything in a three meter radius.

"Bakana." (Impossible) Said Kankuro as he saw what had just happened. "Was Gaara, was Gaara just taken down…" After a few minutes passed Naruto started to walk out of the smoke limping as he clutched his torso as a trail of smoke was absorbed into his body from the back. Kankuro's eyes only widened.

"I guess I shouldn't have used that yet." Naruto said to himself. Suddenly he collapsed on his knees coughing blood.

"Naruto!" Neji shouted as he ran over to his fellow comrade.

"What happened?" Temari asked as she landed besides Kakuro, fan out. "What happened?" She asked again cautiously as she saw the shocked face of her brother.

"Gaara." He said making Temari's eyes narrow. "Gaara was just taken down." He said almost in a whisper. Temari's eyes widened too as she turned to look at the dissipating cloud of smoke. In the middle of a giant crater lied Gaara, no sand longer attached to his body.

"Let me." They heard Naruto say as he shook out of Neji's grip. He tried to pick himself up but collapsed again, this time on his stomach. As he began to crawl over to Gaara the red head looked up to Naruto with fear in his face.

"No! Don't come near me! Stay away from me!" He shouted frantically as desperately tried to move away. But Naruto continued crawling towards him. "No! If you come you will kill me and prove your existence." By now Temari and Kankuro had jumped near Gaara to fend off any attack to his brother. "Why? Why are you able to do this?" Gaara asked as Naruto stopped right in front of him.

"Because." Naruto grunted. "I fight for y precious people, if you have someone to love, you will always be strong." Naruto said as he rised himself to be lying on his arms.

"But I do not have any precious people, no one to love."

"There is always someone to love, or be loved." He said looking at Temari and Kankuro as Gaara widened his eyes. Suddenly Naruto launched himself at Gaara with the remaining strength he had headbutting him knocking him unconscious.

"Let's go Temari." Kankuro said as he picked Gaara up. "Is over." Temari nodded and Kankuro leaped away.

"Thank you Uzumaki." She said looking at Naruto before she too started running.

'He defied all odds and fate and defeated a seemingly, undefeatable enemy.' Neji mused as he picked Naruto. 'Impressive.'

./ Orochimaru.

"Sound Four pick it up, we are going. And somebody help me." Orochimaru barked. The four shinobi nodded and removed the barrier they had been holding to prevent the ANBU from interfering before quickly moving to Orochimaru as they held him and stated the retreat. ANBU tried to pursuit but were stopped when one of the sound shinobi spitted what seemed spider web at them. "It was nice to see you again sensei." Orochimaru said looking back at the disposed body of the Sandaime Hokage. When they were outside the village limits they were joined by two more figures.

"Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto greeted.

"Welcome back Kabuto. And hello there Sasuke-kun."

"Hmpf." Sasuke respinded before Orochimaru started to chuckle.

./ With Baki and Shukaku.

Both shinobi stared at each other panting. Both had cuts and bruises on their bodies and their clothes were lightly tattered. They were about o charge again when he felt a chakra pulse through a seal on his wrist. He narrowed his eyes knowing full well what it meant. Gaara had been defeated and the invasion had failed.

"It was a pleasure fighting with you shinobi-san." Baki said. "But I fear Kami does not want to see the end of our face off." Shukaku widened his eyes knowing what the man meant.

"You will not go away!" Shukaku shouted but Baki threw a bunch of explosive tags all around and made them detonate. When the explosions faded Baki was nowhere to be see.

./

Kemuri Jutsu List:

Kemuri Bukaha (Smoke Blast) A ball of concentrated smoke is gathered on the user's hand that is used as a sailing rocket. Depending of the amount of concentrated smoke and chakra poured in the jutsu the power can vary to simply pushing someone off to crushing a skull.

Shokuuu-ebu (Shockwave) Smoke is gathered and then blasted off expanding on a general direction. The jutsu can be used to stop incoming attacks or projectiles or to send something/one flying.

Kemuri-ten Zero (Smoke Point Zero) the user is sky rocketed by smoke to then convert its body particles into smoke propelling himself into the ground making a bomb effect. The result is a big explosion and a destructive shockwave as aftereffect. The downside to this justu I that once the descend is started no direction adjustment can be made and leaves the user vulnerable for a moment afterwards.

For anyone who had played the Infamous titles the jutsu here are based on Cole's technique other than Kemuri-ten Zero with is based on the ability from the new protagonist in the Infamous: Second Son first trailer. To understand the ranging of Kemuri Bukaha's power imagine a normal blast is like a normal bolt and more charged blast is like using 'precision'.

./

17.5K words later. Wow, when I said that I would be making massive chapters before Mei's appearance I never imagined this; I thought it would be like 10k per chapter or something. Well Anyway, here is this finally. Expect the following chapter more or less the same length, but I would say less. Also don't expect it anytime soon as I have been very busy lately. Also sorry if the fight scenes were bad, I am still trying to get used to writing them. But anyways please review this chapter. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't or any ideas or comment you may have for me. See ya.