Wow, that was an amazingly angsty chapter. Oh, there's some in this one, but I also introduce my new 'anti-angsting' device. Read and see!

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'No' Naruto saw all of them. He was frozen, death his only companion.

He watched as ninja poured into the stadium and began attacking the survivors. He saw some fight back, others frozen, like him, as they were hewn apart by the attackers. As he watched, he saw a glint of light off of something suspended above the stadium

Suddenly a group of enemy ninjas broke off and moved towards him. Naruto made no move to escape. He watched without emotion as they ran towards him. He silently accepted his fate.

'I'll die. The I can be with Iruka again. And Sasuke, and Sakura. It's over'

Naruto started to close his eyes as the first ninja reached him, sword outstretched…

Out of nowhere four serpents shot into the man, lifting him off his feet. As he screamed in pain, the serpents twisted, then flung him into the stadium like a ripped doll.

Naruto started, then watched in amazement as the other three ninjas were consumed by a silent grey fire.

In a blur, two more ninjas appeared in front of him, watching the men burn. Satisfied that they were effectively ash, they turned to him. One was an ANBU, with the traditional armor and sword, complete with a tiger mask.

'I've never seen that one before…' Naruto thought absently

"OI! KID! What the hell are you doing? You're gonna get yourself killed!" yelled the other ninja, bringing him out of his daze to examine her. It was his proctor from the Forest of Death,

"A-Anko?"

She shot him an annoyed glance, then started scanning the area "That's my name. Now get your ass in gear." Addressing the other ninja, she murmured "Looks like most of them are coming from the north. We were right about Suna then. The best path for escape seems to be the west gate. Go gather the other survivors, and watch for henges."

Tiger mask nodded "Hai, Anko-sama" and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Anko rounded on Naruto. "What are you doing!? Why aren't you ready to go?"

Naruto just looked up at her confusedly "B-but everyone's…d-dead. What are we doing?"

Anko blurred, then suddenly Naruto was thrown backwards by the vicious punch in his stomach. Naruto scrambled up and screamed at her "What the hell was that for you psychotic bitch?!"

Anko snorted "We were sent in here to find the survivors after Orochimaru's contraption went off. Obviously you're not a survivor." As she turned to go Naruto called out after her.

"Wait! That contraption, y-you mean… t-th-…" Unable to find the words, he motioned to the metal object suspended by ropes that he had seen earlier, then at the rows of corpses.

"Yeah, that. It was hidden by one hell of a genjutsu, the same one that put everyone to sleep, and we're pretty sure the effects were more pronounced on those that should have been able to see through it. It's just like that damn snake." Scowling, Anko turned to dart away, only to be stopped by Naruto's hand.

She turned around, and saw his eyes, blazing with hate and (this had to be her imagination) seeming to tint red around the edges, and felt the killer intent rolling off him in waves. "I'm coming with you. I'm gonna rip that snake-eyed little fucker apart for what he did."

Anko grinned at him, the cold, deadly grin that sent lesser ninja scattering. "You and me both kid. Follow me, and don't fall behind." Naruto just nodded.

Like a pair of lightning bolts, they dashed away through the carnage.

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Yep, another short one. Don't worry though, I'm uploading two chapters in one go, and the next is much longer. Oh, and the ANBU is my original character Kaihaku Hikyuu. Kaihaku means gray, and a Hikyuu is ferocious leopard-like beast. Fun, eh?