A/N- XD Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter! I'm sorry this has taken so long, but I've been havin' a lotta problems with my home life recently, including my mom's being diagnosed with breast cancer and having to go through surgery and do radiation treatments.
Anyway, The contest has ended as of August 25th (XD Almost a full month ago...), and I was slightly disappointed to see that there were no takers. That's all right though! I still love you all!
On another note, I've started a Yahoo group that I will be constantly updating with new information on how much I've completed on new chapters of my stories, and where the stories themselves can be discussed, etc. For the address, please visit my profile.
Chapter 16, Friend or Foe?
It was close to midday when Genbu got back to the Iwa base camp, walking at a steady, easy pace, carrying himself with the upmost supreme confidence as he approached the small abandoned shack that served as their headquarters. It was a beautiful place, he thought to himself, sitting on a small grassy meadow that was fairly close to a small, burbling creek and open enough to where any approach would be noted immediately by the guards.
As if on cue, several Iwa chunin and one jonin dropped down around Genbu, cutting off all escape. "Identify yourself!" The jonin barked.
Genbu sighed, but was inwardly pleased at the alretness of his troops, if they hadn't had stopped him, he would have punished them all for being so lax. It was all too easy to sneak into an enemy camp with the proper disguize after all. "I'm Genbu Hikari, jonin of Iwakagure and your platoon commander for this mission. Now stand down, or I'll crush your head like an overripe melon." He growled.
The jonin shook his head. "Not until I am certain." He replied, placing one hand on Genbu's chest. "Kai!" The jonin shouted, attempting to dispel any possible illusions. When nothing happened, he pulled his hand fron Genbu's chest and bowed deeply. "I am sorry captain, but with the sudden appearance of Konohakagure ninja, we cannot be too cautious." He apologized as all of the other ninja, ten in all, bowed as well.
Genbu let out a deep belly laugh, reaching down to clap the jonin on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, though that is how you should be every time, not just when rival ninja are known to be in the area." He chided.
The jonin bowed his head. "Yes sir." He said.
"Alright, get back to your posts." Genbu ordered, snapping his fingers, all of the ninja disappearing back to their posts as the giant walked up to the shack, pushing the door open and ducking down to step inside. Scanning the room, Genbu's eyes locked almost immediately on his apprentice, Ryo, who was pouring over maps of Wave on a small, rickety table. "There are Konoha ninja in town." Genbu remarked.
Ryo didn't even bother to look up, having already sensed his masters presence. "Yeah, I ran into a few, and one of the men reported that Copy-Ninja Kakashi is a part of the group as well. By all reports, it looks like we'll be dealing with about five of the Konoha scum. I've been pouring over the maps, trying to find the most likely spot they'd be so that we can catch them by surprize and kill 'em before they can throw a monkey wrench into our plans." He said.
Genbu walked over to his apprentice, an annoyed look on his face as he cocked his fist back and bonked the smaller man over the back of the head.
"OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR YOU SENILE FOOL?!" Ryo cried out, crouching down as he grabbed his now-aching head.
Genbu siged, rubbing his temples. "This is exactly why you wern't allowed to lead this mission. You know the protocols set down after the last great war state that we cannot do that any longer. As per the agreement between the great nations, I've got to meet with their squad leader to discuss negotiations first and see if there will be any intereference between our missions." He replied.
Ryo got up, glaring at the back wall of the shack. "Yeah yeah, whatever." He snorted, earning him another bonk on the head.
Over two dozen yards away, high in a tree, Sai's eyes narrowed as he scoped the Iwa base, taking note of the numbers and the layout before leaping away, speeding towards Tazuna's house to report his findings.
Naruto sighed happily, patting his full stomach as he strolled through the town on his way to Tazuna's house, humming as he walked along. Looking around, he saw more buildings that carried his, Sakura's, Kakashi's, and even Sasuke's names or symbols. 'Whoa, they've really taken this a long way." He thought, somewhat uncomfortable with all of the publicity.
"Naruto!"
The whiskered blond, surprized by the sudden call, stopped in his tracks and looked around, spotting Sai emerging from a darkened alley. "Hey Sai, what's up? I thought we agreed to meet up later!" Naruto exlaimed, squinting his eyes as he stared at his teammate.
Sai nodded, stopping in front of Naruto. "Yes, but I saw you walking and decided it be best to report to you now." He said, his voice low and his lips barely moving.
Naruto looked into Sai's eyes, his eyebrows raising. "What's up? Did ya find something?" He asked.
Sai's eyes darted back and forth, looking for anyone that might be listening in. "Yeah, a camp full of Iwa ninja based in a small shack a mile out of town in a small secluded area. I also spotted several more in town, totalling of around fourty, possibly more since I didn't explore the entire town. They're here for a reason, and it can't be a good one since there are so many, especially since there are so few of us. What are your orders?" He asked.
Naruto rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Hey sai, your paintings can touch stuff, right?" He asked, his eyes lighting up with an idea.
"Yes, why?" Sai asked, his curiosity piqued.
Naruto grinned. "Is there any way you could write a letter to Baa-I mean, the Hokage, telling her what you've discovered, and have an ink drawing of a hawk carry it to her or somethin'?" He asked.
Sai nodded, catching on. "yes, I could. Would you like me to when we get to the others?" He asked.
Naruto thought on a second, then shook his head. "No, the sooner we get this info to her the better. Write a quick letter to her tellin' her what's goin' on and stuff, that she might need to get a backup team ready, and that we'll send her another report shortly. Go into the alley to write the letter and send it, and I'll keep a lookout out here." He ordered.
"Hai." Sai saluted, going back into the alley while Naruto leaned against the front of one of the buildings, an arts and crafts store, casually scanning the area for any signs of suspicious characters. within a few minutes, the blond heard a caw and the flutter of wings, and looked up to see an ink crow flying away to Konoha, a scroll clutched tightly in it's talons. Sai walked back out, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder, and with a silent nod, the two of them took off, walking at a casual pace as to not draw attention as they made their way to Tazuna's house.
"So... Where's Sasuke?"
The unexpected question startled Sakura, causing her to jump a little and almost drop the medical scroll that she'd been pouring over onto the kitchen table. "Excuse me?" She asked politely, looking up at the serene Tsunami, who was busy doing dishes.
Tsunami smiled at Sakura. "Where is Sasuke? That boy that you had a crush on? He was a part of your team wasn't he?" She asked.
Sakura nodded, setting down her scroll with a sad sigh. "Yeah... Sasuke was a member of our team, but only a few months after we left here, he betrayed the village and joined one of our greatest enemies, a missing-nin named Orochimaru. Three years went by, and Sasuke eventually betrayed Orochimaru, killing him, and then he joined another organization called Akatsuki after killing his older brother, who'd been a member of the same organization. He tried to betray them and defect back to Konoha, but the group he was with almost killed him, leaving him in a coma, which is his current position at Konoha Hospital..." She told the older woman quietly, her voice laced with sadness.
Putting down the plate and dishtowel she had in her hands, Tsunami rushed over to Sakura, pulling the distraught girl up into a hug "Shhh, it's ok to cry, just let it all out sweetie." She cooed, stroking the smaller girl's back as Sakura shook, tears threatening to fall.
"Bu-but... Shinobi ar-arn't supposed tuh-to cry..." Sakura whimpered, hiccuping a few times.
Tsunami chuckled a little, rubbing small circles on Sakura's back. "You shinobi are just silly, every girl needs a good cry every now and again, especially when she's feeling overwhelmed. It's ok to let go Sakura, and I promise I won't tell anyone." She promised.
Sakura sniffed a few times, then, unable to hold it in any longer, began to cry openly, dampening the shoulder of Tsunami's blouse with her tears.
Naruto and Sai were making good time, having ony been hassled by villagers a few more times before they got out of town, and now they were within sight of Tazuna's house and the lake that it sat by. "Hey, there it is! That's where we stayed when we saved Wave!" Naruto exlaimed excitedly, pointing.
"I see." Sai replied with a smile. "You know... You can come out now." He said out loud, still smiling.
"Huh?" Naruto asked, scratching his head, looking confusedly at his teammate. "Uhhh... What're you talkin' about Sai? Come out? Come outta what?" Naruto thought on it for a second, then it seemed to dawn on him as he backed up a few steps, his jaw falling open in a comical fashion as he pointed an accusing finger at Sai ""You think I'm GAY?! Nu-uh no way buddy! You can just go after somebody that swings that way, you bun-hunting butt-pirate!" He yelled, waving his hands in a shooing motion.
"What the heck are you talking about Naruto? I swear, all blonds are troublesome..." Came the grumbling voice of Shikamaru from just behind Naruto right as the former jinkuuri was bopped on the head.
"OW! What the hell?!"" Naruto cursed, holding his head as he whirled around, coming face-to-face with Shikamaru and a smirking Neji "What the heck are you guys doing, sneakin' up on us like that?! We coulda killed you on reflex!" The blond yelled, pointing at the duo, who sweatdropped.
"Really Naruto? Then why didn't you notice us following you two minutes ago? Eh, Mr. Butt-pirate?" Neji asked as he arched an eyebrow, barely able to contain his laughter.
"Hey, it was Sai that was hittin' on me! He was all like "You can come out now." and stuff! Man, I knew there was somethin' funny about you when you first started talkin' about my penis!" Naruto yelled accusingly, pointing at Sai again.
Shikamaru sighed and reached over, fwapping Naruto over the back of the head again. "Don't be a dunce, 'leader'. Sai wasn't hitting on you, he was mearly telling us to come out of hiding, because he, unlike a certain troublesome blond, probably sensed us the instant we started trailing you, right?" He asked, looking up at Sai, who simply smiled.
"So... Sai wasn't hitting on me?" Naruto asked, blinking.
Shikamaru sighed again, pulling out a pack of cigarettes while Neji chuckled, the two of them walking back towards Tazuna's house, Sai right beside them. "You know, Naruto..." Sai called out, looking over his shoulder. "... Even if I was gay, I'm sure I could do much better than you!" He exlaimed with that same infuriatingly serene smile.
This of course, caused Naruto to face-fault and Neji and Shikamaru to burst out laughing as they walked. "Hey, that wasn't funny you guys! Guys? Guys, wait up!" Naruto cried out, jumping to his feet and running after the trio.
Kakashi, Gai, and Tazuna were pouring over some maps of Wave that Tazuna managed to find stashed away in his study, Kakashi and Gai marking it with pencils as they dicussed details in low tones when suddenly, the door opened and Naruto walked in, Shikamaru, Neji, and Sai following close behind. "We've got an Iwa ninja problem!" Naruto called out loudly, causing both jonin to wince slightly at the tone.
"Yes yes, we know. We estimate that there may be about fifteen of them." Gai replied in an unsually serious tone, looking up from the maps.
Naruto shook his head vigorously. "Nu-uh! There are WAY more than that! Sai's already reported to me on what he found, and we've sent a message to Baa-I mean, the Hokage, saying that she needs to get a back-up team ready, and that we'd be sending another report soon!" He countered.
Kakashi looked up, interested. "More you say? what did you find Sai?" He asked.
Sai bowed his head. "After I made landfall, I was scouting the outer paremater of the island, as ordered, when I happened across a base-camp made up completely of Iwa shinobi, centered around a small shack. All told, including the ones that you saw, that would make at least fifty Iwa shinobi total, if not more." He reported with a salute.
"I see... That was good thinking, sending a message to Lady Tsunade, that was a good call Naruto." Gai said proudly, giving the blond a thumbs-up.
"So... Fifty nin huh? This is bad. There's little doubt that Wave is their target, but why?" Kakashi asked no one in particular, rubbing his chin in thought.
"Surely the Gato company didn't hire them as well, did they?" Tazuna asked, looking worried.
"That's a possibility." Shikamaru spoke up. "Though that was a risky venture on their part. Hiring different villages to work on the same mission? It's absurd, but it seems the most likely scenario at this point." He concluded.
"Heeeey... Where's everyone else?" Naruto asked, looking around.
"Lee and Tenten are out setting some traps right now, and Sakura's reviewing some of her medical texts. Don't worry, we'll fill them in when they're finished." Kakashi replied with a casual wave. "So, it looks like we're going to have to follow the protocols set down by the Five Nations after the last war, and you, Naruto, will have to meet with the Iwa shinobi commander since you are our leader and our missions are crossing one another on neutral territory." He said, opening a flap on his vest and pulling a scroll from it, tossing it to Naruto.
Naruto looked down confusedly as he opened the scroll and scanned it's contents, the sheer amount of legal jargon on the paper making the poor boy's head spin. "Uhhh... What are you talking about Kakashi-sensei?" He asked, rolling the scroll back up.
Kakashi smiled, though the only visible indication of it was the way his uncovered eye closed and slanted upwards. "Just think of this as part of your Hokage training Naruto. Not everything can be immediately solved through violence. All of the ninja that you've faced up until now have been either missing nin, or those that you faced in your chuunin exams all those years ago. Before you were even born, when the last great war ended, the five Kages got together, along with the lords of the various countries, and they came up with a lasting peace treaty that all must abide by. As a part of the treaty, this contract was made, and all jonin are required to carry at least one copy. It states that if any two ninja parties from different villages meet in neutral territory, and they have missions that possible collide with one another, the leaders are to first meet and discuss wether or not they can work around one another, or, if not, then they are supposed to sign that contract, absolving both parties and their respective villages of any responsibility for whatever may occur during a confrentation." He explained.
"So... It's basically saying that we're ok to fight, and our villages won't get in trouble for it?" Naruto asked, squinting as he crossed his arms.
Kakashi eye-smiled again. "Bingo! We don't want another needless war to pop up over something like a genin accidentally killing another one or some other silly thing after all." He replied, pleased that his student grasped the concept of what he was trying to explain.
Naruto nodded. "Alright, so when and where are we gonna meet these guys?"
Kakashi patted Naruto on the shoulder. "That Naruto, is partially up to you, since your the leader. Though I daresay that the best place would be in the town." The older jonin suggested.
"Hey guys wouldn't that put the town in danger? You're trying to avoid that, right?" Tazuna asked, looking confused.
Gai nodded, stepping up. "That is true Tazuna-san, but there is always the chance that the Iwa ninja arn't going to harm the townspeople, and even if that is their objective, then if we are in the town, then we will be right there to protect the people, whereas if we were to meet them somewhere else, they may split their forces and do some major damage to the town before we could get there to stop them." He explained.
That seemed to shock Tazuna into silence as he looked down at the clay jug in his hand and let out a morose sigh. "Are things really that bad?" The old man asked weakly, sitting down in a chair.
A hand on Tazuna's shoulder caused him to look up into the smiling face of Naruto. "Don't worry old man! I'm here, and no amount of enemies can beat me old man, you should know that by now!" He laughed, patting Tazuna's shoulder a few times.
The bridge-builder couldn't help but chuckle at Naruto's antics, the tension leaving him a little. "Yeah, I guess your right Naruto. You are still a short brat though!" He exlaimed, guffawing at the put-out look on the blonde's face.
"Yeah, I'll remember that the next time you need help, ya old fart." Naruto grumbled, just before he heard the door sliding open behind him, causing Naruto to turn as all of a sudden, a dark blur slammed into the former jinkuuri, knocking Naruto down with an audible 'omph'as he felt himself embraced in a firm hug. "Neh, what the- Inari-kun?!"He asked confusedly, looking down at the bucket hat that filled his vision.
"Naruto-nii-san, it is you!" Inari exlaimed, letting go of Naruto and jumping up. "So, what are you doing here nii-san?! Did'ja come back ta visit us like you promised?!" The boy asked excitedly.
Naruto laughed as he got to his feet, swiping Inari's hat off of his head so that he could toussle the smaller boy's hair. "We're here on a mission, but seeing you again is definitly a good bonous! So how've ya been Inari-kun? I see that you've been working hard." He said good naturedly, and indeed, the boy was noticably taller than what he used to be, being a couple of inches taller than Naruto had been when they'd helped Tazuna and the people of Wave against Gato. The boy also had a noticable tan, intoning that he'd been working outside a lot. Other than that, he looked exactly the same as Naruto remembered him.
Inari smiled as he grabbed his hat back, planting it firmly back on his head. "You bet nii-san! Mom wasn't too keen on the idea, but grandpa was all for me picking up a trade, so I'm working for one of the local blacksmiths now! It's not been easy, but the boss is finally started teachin' me how ta use the hammers correctly, and I've started to get really strong from it! I'm probably even stronger than you by now!" He exlaimed, pumping his arms.
Naruto whistled, bending forward slightly as he squeezed Inari's left bicep, which actually was unusually well-developed for an eleven-year old. "Heh, you keep up with that Inari-kun, and you'll have ta be beating the ladies off with a stick in no time!" He said with a wide grin, ribbing the boy.
A sudden blush spread across Inari's face as he looked down at the floor, pushing his forefingers together in a way that Naruto found oddly familiar. "Well, um, ah..." Inari stuttered.
"What's up bozu? You got a secret your hidin' from me?" Naruto asked, squinting his eyes at the boy.
Tazuna, who'd been trying to hold it in, suddenly burst out laughing. "I doubt that there will be any girls aggresivly chasing after Inari-kun Naruto, his girlfriend has already chased 'em all off!" The old man guffawed.
Naruto's surprize was evident as his eyebrows shot up and he looked at Tazuna, a shocked look on his face. "The bozu's already got a girlfriend?!" He asked, surprized.
Tazuna chuckled as Inari started to look like he wanted to disappear into the floor. "You bet! And she's a real fire-cracker too! SHe can be a real sweet girl, but she's got a notoriously short fuse, and when her temper gets set off, she blows up big time!" He chuckled, taking a sip of his sake.
A large grin spread across Naruto's face. "So Inari-bozu, what's her name?" he asked.
If at all possible, Inari's blush seemed to deepen even further. "Ma-Madoka..." He mumbled.
Naruto laughed again, patting Inari on the back as Kakashi walked over, draping an arm across the boy's shoulders, his eye turning up as he smiled at him and reached into his waist pouch with his free hand. "So you've got a girlfriend Inari? Have you had the birds and the bees talk yet? If you need some reference material, I've go-" The jonin was never able to finish the sentence as a huge killer intent erupted from just behind him, and he was bopped over the head by a large, rolled up scroll.
Sakura, who'd just stepped into the room, glared at her sensei as she palmed her medical scroll. "Kakashi-sensei! How dare you try and corrupt Inari-kun with that smut!" She scolded, bopping Kakashi on the head a few more times for good measure. "He's an innocent young child, and you try and pull something like that?! Baka!" She shouted before turning a murderous glare on the others. "None of you are gonna try anything stupid like that, are you?" She asked in a falsly sweet voice that promised excruciating pain for anyone that dared to answer in a way that didn't please her.
Naruto and Tazuna, terrified, ran to a corner and huddled there, Gai frowned a bit, Sai and Neji seemed only slightly put out, and Shikamaru sighed in disgust while Kakashi rubbed his sore head. "No Sakura, we're not gonna do anything like that. Kakashi-sensei was just trying to have some fun, right?" The lazy genius asked, shooting a glance at Kakashi.
"R-right! It was all just fun and games!" Kakashi exlaimed weakly, backing up as he waved his hands in front of himself in an attempt to ward the irate kunoichi off.
Sakura huffed, shooting one last glare at Kakashi before turning to Inari, a smile appearing on her face. "So, I overheard the conversation about your girlfriend Inari, that's nice! Why don't we take a walk and you can tell me all about her, without any stupid commentary from dirty old men." She said sweetly.
Inari, a little frightened by the way Sakura had been only seconds earlier nodded mutely and followed behind her as she walked out the door.
"Heh heh, I guess that Inari's girlfriend isn't the only fiesty girl around here, huh?" Tazuna asked, chuckling nervously.
Naruto gulped. "sa-Sakura can st-still be scaary wh-when she wants to be." He replied, trembling.
Feh, you guys are just a couple of cowards." Shikamaru grumbled, eyeing the pair.
Suddenly, the door opened up again, revealing Tsunami standing there, an evil glint in her eye as she smacked a rolling pin in the palm of her hand. "I heard that some people in here were teasing and trying to corrupt my baby. I'm going to have to physically teach you the error of your ways." She said in a cold voice as she grinned evilly.
Kakashi began to sweat profusely and back up as he stammered incoherantly.
Naruto and Tazuna on the other hand, screamed girlishly and clutched at each other in mortal terror at the terrifying visage of a mother scorned started to march into the room.
Outside, Sakura giggled when she heard the scream, smiling as Inari talked about his girlfriend.
The next day dawned upon a heavy mist that seemed to blanket the entire island, providing excellent covor for any shinobi in the area as theKonoha team, already up and prepared, made their way to town. The mist was thick and oppressive, cutting everyone, save Neji's, vision down to just a handfull of feet.
"Man, talk about major dejavu..." Naruto grumbled, a little uncomfortable as they marched along.
Shikamaru snorted. "I'm surprized you even know what dejavu means Naruto." He replied, getting a few chuckles from the others.
Naruto shot his lazy friend a sour look. "The last time we were here, we had to fight Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist, and he happened to like to make the battlefield look kinda like this Shika. That was the first time that I'd ever seen someone die... And that was the battle that helped me define my nindo..." He said quietly, remembering the hard battles against Zabuza and Haku.
Kakashi smiled, patting Naruto on the shoulder as they walked. "Yes, that was a defining moment for you, and it helped you and the others mature a bit Naruto, you all made me proud." He said.
Naruto cut his gaze towards his sensei and couldn't help but let slip a small, sad smile.
The rest of the journey was made in silence, and in no time, the Konoha group found themselves at the outskirts of the town, which seemed unusually quiet, even though it was still early in the morning. "Kakashi." Gai whispered under his breath, grabbing his best friend and eternal rival by the elbow, signalling with his eyes.
Kakashi nodded his head, motioning that he sensed it as well. Bending forward, he tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "We're surrounded." He said quietly.
"I know." Naruto answered, not bothering to turn his head. Soon enough, they made their way to the town square, where they found a table sitting under a tree, a pair of pens, two cups, and a sake jug sitting on it, with a chair on either side. More noticable was the twenty Iwa shinobi standing a dozen yards away in rank formation, headed by the large man that Neji and Shikamaru had met the day previous, Ryo Tensai.
Kakashi stepped forward. "Right, we're here now. Are you the jonin squad leader?" He asked the large young man.
"Why no, that would be me."
That voice made Kakashi's blood chill a little as the Cycloptic jonin turned towards a squat, nearby building. The front step heavily overshadowed, hidden in complete darkness. "So, it seems that you are here after all. I was worried that this might be too easy." He said with a smile, peering into the shadows.
A huge, meaty hand reached out from the darkness, grabbing the top of the doorframe as a huge, crouching figure stepped through into the morning light, revealing Genbu to the entire Konoha group as he straightened up, an Iwa protector tied around his waist, glistening in the dull sunlight that managed to filter through.
This shocked Naruto, whose eyes went wide before narrowing to slits as he glared at the Iwa insignia on Genbu's belt. "Genbu?! What the heck? Are you an Iwa Ninja?!" He asked, practically growling.
Genbu looked at Naruto, a feigned look of surprize on his face. "Naruto-kun? What are you doing here? I thought you was on vacation!" He exlaimed.
Gai frowned as he looked between Naruto and Genbu. "Naruto-kun, do you know Genbu-san?" He asked in a low tone.
Naruto nodded slowly, glaring daggers at the giant. "Yeah, we met yesterday at the ramen shop." He replied sourly. 'What the Hell Genbu? Were you tryin' ta deceive me yesterday or something? I thought we were friends!" The whiskered blond exlaimed angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Genbu.
Genbu's grey eyebrows rose considerably as he turned a shrewd eye on Naruto. "If I remember correctly Naruto-kun, you never asked me my profession, so I never deceived you about anything. If anyone is at fault here, it would be you, considering that you lied to me, telling me that you were on vacation." He replied befor sighing theatrically, shrugging his shoulders as he strode forward. "However, we are shinobi, and it is in our nature to deceive, so I forgive you, my young friend." He said, flashing a wide smile as he stopped at the table. "Now then..." He reached up, unclasping one of the pockets on his vest, removing a rolled up scroll. "Shall we begin Kakashi?" He asked lightly, laying the scroll down on the table.
Kakashi eye-smiled again, taking a few steps back until he was just behind Naruto. "Actually Genbu-san, I'm not the mission leader. That honor belongs to Naruto here." He said, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, this is what I talked to you about. As mission leader, it's your job to talk to the other leader, and negotiate if need be. The floor is yours now." He said in a low tone.
Naruto nodded mutely, and began walking towards the table where Genbu stood, who now had a genuine look of surprize on his face. The large man began to smile, and was about to say something, when a voice cut in from behind him. "Feh, look at that short punk. He's the leader? I could snap him like a twig in five seconds flat, then wipe out that entire team without even breaking a sweat." Ryo remarked snidely to one of the Iwa jonin standing in rank.
Genbu's face became a cold, unreadable mask and Naruto stopped in his tracks. "Ryo!" The old jonin barked.
"Hai, sensei!" Ryo snapped to attention.
Genbu didn't even bother to turn around. "I cannot believe that you would be so disrespectful. As my deciple, I expect better from you when we are dealing in peace talks. I expect that all of these Konoha ninja are at least competent, and both Gai and Kakashi are well respected jonin who are far and above your level, and would most assuredly kill you without even so much as a second thought, and if you cannot tell that Naruto here is dangerous, there is something wrong with you, for people arn't chosen to be mission leaders for no reason. You are indeed strong, but you should know your place, so when we get back to Iwakagure, if we both survive this, you shall be punished for your insolence. Now, keep your fool mouth shut, or I'll make sure to shut it for you, understand?" He asked, his voice brooking no argument as he shot a glare at his apprentice.
Under the glare of his sensei, Ryo could only nod mutely and hang his head slightly in shame.
Genbu turned his head back to Naruto, who'd resumed walking, and smiled at the boy. "All right then! Now that that's over, shall we get underway Naruto-kun? Please, have a seat and we can begin." He said jovially, waving his hand toward the seat closest to Naruto as he sat down in the other.
Naruto nodded, sitting down across from the larger man. "So, why are you here with such a large force Genbu? Surely your not here for the warm hospitality?" The former jinkuuri asked, a somewhat sharp edge to his voice.
Genbu chuckled. "I was just about to ask you that same question Naruto-kun. What brings you here with a force of Konoha-nin?" He asked, resting his elbows on the table as he steepled his fingers in front of his face.
Naruto nodded. "Well, we received an assassination request recently from the Gato company, who wanted a Konoha nin to assassinate the bridge-builder Tazuna, whose bridge was important in freeing the country from the company's clutches. It was also Tazuna who hired a team of Konoha nin three years ago to protect him which ultimatly lead to the death of Gato himself. Our Hokage naturally turned the mission down, seeing that Konoha and Wave have struck up some pretty good trade routes, so she assigned us a mission to come to Wave to assess the safety of the town and see if Konoha needs to set up a defensive post here to protect those trade routes." he answered in such a calm and formal manner that it surprized everyone that knew him.
Genbu whistled, fingering the scroll he'd pulled from his vest. "Well now, that is interesting. The Gato company hired us to take over Wave and hand it over to them, and I do believe that they expressed that they didn't care if we razed the town to the ground and killed all of the inhabitants either. I'll have to inform my Kage of this turn of events, as it's frowned upon for anyone or any company to hire ninja from multiple villages at the same time." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It seems that, as I feared, we've got overlappimg missions that interfere with one another Naruto-kun. Is there any way that I can convince you to withdraw your team and let us complete our mission unmolested?" The large jonin asked.
Naruto shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, but we were assigned to protect these people, and that's just what we'll do. Is there any chance that I can convince you to pull your guys out Genbu? The people of Wave are just a bunch of innocent civilians without so much as even a samurai, they arn't a threat to anyone." He countered.
Genbu shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but my orders were absolute. How about this; It's obvious that we are going to have to fight to see who completes their mission, but I've thought of some terms that hopefully you will agree to- Regardless of the outcome, we won't unduely harm the citizens of Wave and keep all collateral damages to a minimum. Does that agreeable to you?" Genbu asked, his eyebrows raising again.
Naruto seemed deep in thought, squinting at the large man as he crossed his arms. "Yeah, that's fine by me." The whiskered blond finally replied, pulling out his own scroll and unfurling it on the table, picking up one of the pens.
Genbu reached inside of his vest, causing the Konoha team to tense slightly, then relax as the giant pulled out a small pair of wire-frame glasses and place them on his face, looking almost comical as he opened his own scroll and looked down at it, filling out the mission details as well as the agreements that they'd made before signing on one of the dotted lines, passing the parchment over to Naruto, who'd done the same with his own scroll. With a nod, the two signed their names and their village names on each others scrolls before passing them back to their respective owners.
Genbu glanced over the contract again before nodding, seeminly satisfied. "Alright, so we've come to an agreement Naruto-kun. Can I offer you a cup of sake before we begin?" The large man asked, rolling up the scroll and storing it away along with his glasses.
Naruto stole a glance at the sake bottle before locking gazes with Genbu again. "Yeah, that'll be fine. Here, let me pour." He offered, taking the bottle and pouring some of the liquid into each of the saucers.
Genbu looked surprized, then broke out into laughter again. "Such manners! I can see why you were chosen as mission leader Naruto-kun. I must say, if you were an Iwa shinobi, I'd gladly make you my deciple." He said with a smile, raising his cup.
Naruto returned the smile, raising his own. "Yeah, but if it wasn't for my home, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Things may have never been easy, but I wouldn't trade my village or my precious people for anything.
Genbu nodded. "Right then! A toast, to new rivalries and new friendships. May we and our villages prosper!" He exlaimed loudly, both he and Naruto downing the sake before laying the cups back down. With a satisfied sigh, Genbu looked down at his small counter-part. "Now then Naruto, one last thing before we begin. I've noticed that you've had us surrounded for quite some time with clones. Tell me, are they real shadow clones? If they are, that's impressive, but I must ask for you to dispell them. They do give you an unfair advantage, don't they?" Genbu asked lightly, observing the young blond with a shrewd eye.
Naruto didn't seem taken back at all as he nodded. "I suppose if I don't it would be bad for the villagers that you've already taken hostage, wouldn't it?" He returned.
Genbu chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "That's pretty sharp Naruto-kun, and your right. Though I'd rather not be given reason to order that they be hurt in any way. I would ask how you know, but with as many shadow clones as you've got, I'm not surprized that you found out. How many do you have anyway? one hundred? A hundred and twenty?"
Naruto shook his head. "Close, a hundred and fifty. I figured I'd need to outnumber your guys by at least roughly three to one in case things got ugly and I needed ta stop ya quickly." He replied, his chakra flaring a little and his eyes flashing to silver before turning back in less than a second. "There, they're gone." He said.
Genbu's eyes narrowed the slightest bit. Alright then, shall we start?" He asked.
Naruto nodded, then, in an explosion of motion, he kicked up, knocking the table into the giant's face before Genbu even had a chance to stand. Naruto jumped up to follow through as motion exploded all around, the clash of metal on metal as the battle was joined and another twenty Iwa ninja appeared, leaping from the rooftops surrounding the Konoha group.
Naruto managed to get to a standing position as he felt a vice-like grip clamp around his ankle. Looking down, he saw Genbu's right hand locked onto his leg, and looking back up showed that Genbu had caught the table before it hit him. "That wasn't very nice Naruto-kun!" Genbu exlaimed, tossing the table over his shoulder as casually as one would a paper napkin.
"OH SHI-" Naruto had just enough time to know that he was in trouble, and start to respond with a punch, but it was already too late as Genbu shot up from his chair, his legs cocked in a semi-crouch as he issued forth a mighty roar and twisted around sharply, pulling Naruto from his feet and banging his head off of the back of his own chair as he whipped the blond around at break-neck speeds, releasing his grip on the blond's leg at the apex of the swing, slinging Naruto high and far, sending him flying through the air.
Hearing Naruto's strangled cry, Sakura looked just in time to see the blond flung bodily into the air as everyone else scattered, running through the village. "NARUTO!" She screamed, watching in horror as he flew higher and higher. Turning a furious glare on the man who was leading the Iwa forces, Genbu, she issued a low growl as she began to stalk towards him, pulling her gloves on, unmindful of any of the fighting around her.
Hearing someone scream Naruto's name, Genbu turned to see a pink-haired girl marching his way, her face set in fury. "Oh? I wonder if that is Sakura-chan. She certainly matches Naruto-kun's description of her. Why is she so angry? I didn't hurt Naruto-kun, I just threw him away." He mused to himself under his breath, cocking his head to the side, observing the kunoichi with a curious eye as she was surrounded by five of his chuunin. Didn't Naruto-kun say that she was a medic? If that was the case, then why was she right in the thick of things, looking like she was going to try her upmost to tear him limb from limb? Curious, he watched to see how she'd deal with the chuunin, who were no slouches in the combat department.
Looking annoyed, sakura didn't even bother to look around at the five Iwa shinobi that surrounded her, instaed keeping her gaze locked with Genbu's. "You scrubs had better get out of my way before I hurt you, it's your boss that I'm after." She said dangerously.
One of the chuunin, standing just to the left of the irate kunoichi, snorted. "And just what are you gonna do little girl? We're all experienced chuunin, and you look like your nothing more than a rank genin. Now run along before we paddle you, you weak little girl." He said with a sneer.
This time, Sakura did break her staring contest with Genbu as her left eyebrow started to tic angrily. "Excuse me? A weak little girl am I?" She asked in a falsly sweet voice that caused a shiver of dread to pass through the five chuunin. Had they made a mistake in challenging this girl? "I'LL SHOW YOU WEAK LITTLE GIRL YOU SEXIST PIG!" Sakura screamed angrily, slamming her right fist into the ground, forcing the chuunin to leap away as it exploded around her in huge, jagged shards of stone.
Genbu's eyes widened comically when he saw this. "What?! Are you the apprentice to The Lady Tsunade?!" He asked loudly enough for Sakura to hear.
"WHY DON'T YOU FND OUT FOR YOURSELF! HYAH!" Sakura screamed, slamming her left fist into one of the huge rocks that had been displaced by her last strike, turning the boulder into an impromteau missle on a collision course with the large man.
Genbu grinned wryly. "Yup, she's definitly Lady Tsunade's apprentice!" He exlaimed to himself, curling his right hand into a fist. With a grunt, he backhanded the boulder as it reached him, shattering the thing into so much rubble. Unsurprizedly, he saw the girl on the other side, running straight for him, one fist cocked back to deliver what would undoubtedly be a devestating blow that could level a building. "It's been a long time since I've tested myself against The Lady's strength, let's see if you can match up!" He exlaimed, taking a stance as he threw a left at Sakura.
"BRING IT ON!" Sakura yelled as she threw her own punch, releasing her chakra right as their fists connected. The resulting shockwave was surprizingly collosal, radiating out from the point of impact, cracking the Earth immediatly surrounding the two and shattering all the windows in the nearby buildings. With a cry, sakura stumbled back, clutching her arm tenderly, feeling several breaks in the bones.
Genbu stumbled back as well, his eyes wide with shock at the force behind Sakura's punch, shaking his now-numb hand vigorously in an attempt to return the feeling to it. "Most impressive Sakura-chan! I must say, you are most definitly stronger than The Lady Tsunade was when I met her all those years ago!" He exlaimed.
Sakura eyed the giant warily, feeling relief as she ran her other hand over her injured arm, healing the breaks. "How do you know who I am?" She asked.
Genbu smiled, gesturing in the direction he'd flung Naruto. "I met Naruto-kun yesterday at the ramen shop and we struck up a friendship. He speaks very highly of you and the rest of his precious people, considering you to be like a sister to him. You'll want to be careful, because his emotions are as fragile as spun glass, and you, or any of his other precious people saying the wrong thing to him could hurt him far worse than any physical wound." He replied.
"Why should you care?" Sakura shot back.
Genbu frowned for the first time since the fight began. "Now Sakura-chan, there's no need to be rude. Despite the fact that we are fighting due to conflicting missions, Naruto and I became friends yesterday, and I've been on friendly terms with both Gai and Kakashi for years since the end of the last war. Just because we are fighting doesn't mean that we can't be friends when we're not. Besides, it's refreshing to find someone as good-hearted and honest as Naruto-kun, these days it just seems like everyone is offering a flower with one hand while planning on stabbing you with the kunai they hold in the other." he replied.
Finished healing herself, Sakura took a ready stance. "Well, that's nice and all, but don't think that I'll take it easy on you." She said, her eyes narrowing.
genbu held up his hands in a placating manner. "Now now Sakura-chan, your a medical shinobi, and I'm a combat oriented shinobi specialized in taijutsu, and you saw what happened in our last exchange. I'd rather not fight you, as you are far more important to the well-being of others, and I would like it if you would be willing to heal any of my men who are hurt after the battle is over, regardless of who wins." He replied with a grin.
Sakura flustered. "WHY YO-" she started to yell, only to be cut off when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking behind her, she saw Kakashi and Gai standing there, Kakashi having been the one to touch her shoulder. "Sensei?" The young kunoichi asked uncertainly.
Kakashi smiled down at his student in his normal fashion. "He's actually right Sakura, you're far too important to us to risk against someone like him. I hate to say it, but Genbu here is a bit too much for you to take, so please let me and Gai handle him. I want you to help the others anyway, your strength will be useful since we're so overwhelmed." He said.
Sakura shot a glance back at Genbu, then looked back up at Kakashi. "All right sensei. Just be careful, he's insanely strong. He managed to break my arm with one hit." She warned, seeming reluctant to leave.
Kakashi nodded. "I know." He said lightly. "We saw your exchange."
With a nod, Sakura leapt up onto a roof and sped off.
Cursing under his breath, Naruto opened his eyes, watching a rapdily distancing Sakura charge at Genbu, buildings flying by far underneath him as he rubbed his aching head. "How strong is he?! That's crazy!" the blond thought to himself, estimating that he was at least a good hundred feet in the air and still going higher. when he finally reached the apex of his flight, Naruto heard a strange screeching sound as something snagged him by the seat of his pants. Looking back, Naruto saw a large ink hawk clutching him in it's talons as it glided back to the ground, disappearing and dropping him the last ten feet down between a pair of single story buildings. Naruto fell into a crouch to absorb the impact.
"Naruto!"
Naruto, who was standing up, looked over to see Sai running towards him. "Hey, Sai! Thanks for the save!" The blond called out gratefully as Sai reached him.
Sai dipped his head slightly. "It wasn't a problem." He replied. "What are your orders sir?"
Naruto squinted and cocked his head to the side as he studied Sai to see if he was making fun of him. "Well... considering that we're outnumbered badly, my first thought would be for you to help out here, but I'm really worried about the villagers, so I want you to go and find them, and if they're not too heavily gaurded, I want ya to take out the ninja watching over them, though try not ta kill 'em if you can help it. After that, I want you to send another letter to the Hokage and tell her that we've already had to engage the enemy." He said.
Sai nodded. "Hai." And with that, the mysterious young ANBU ROOT disappeared in a swirl of ink.
Watching the ink dissipate, Naruto nodded to himself. Things were looking bad, but they could be a lot worse. A loud crash alerted the genin squad leader as his instincts screamed at him to duck, which he did, hitting all fours and twirling around just as a dozen kunai passed by overhead, the lowest one brushing through his hair. With a growl, Naruto looked up, seeing Genbu's deciple Ryo standing in the street that connected to the alley he was in, flanked by two Iwa shinobi who looked like they might be jonin.
Ryo smirked. "Heh, so I see that you're already on your hands and knees, bowing to me. I knew you were just a bitch when I first laid eyes on you. A squad leader? You're nothing but a joke, you and the rest of the rest of your village full of pacifist weaklings!" He exlaimed, pointing an angry finger at Naruto.
Naruto grit his teeth angrily, his pronounced canines showing as heopened his mouth, issuing a low, guttural growl. You wanna talk bad about MY village? You better be ready, because I'm gonna beat the shit outta you!"He yelled angrily, balancing on the balls of his feet as he started to hunch over, his fingers curling into claws.
Just as Naruto was getting ready to pounce on the arrogantly smirking Ryo and the other two Iwa ninja, A dark blur shot between them, smashing into Ryo, sending the heavily muscled man careening into a wall as the figure that appeared landed beside Naruto, revealing himself to be Lee. "Ryo! Being the student of my master Gai, I challange you, as the student of the taijutsu master of another village, to a taijutsu match to prove who is the better!" Lee exlaimed loudly, his large eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"I can take 'em Lee, you go and help the others." Naruto said, stepping up beside his green-clad friend.
Lee shook his head. "I am sorry Naruto, but I have already issued the challange, and it would reflect poorly on me if I were to back out now. Besides, while I am good against single opponents, you would be better at handling masses of enemies with your Shadow Clones. So, if you would exuse me, I do believe that I've a job to do." He said, straightening up with one hand behind his back, using the other to make a 'come-hither' motion to Ryo, who'd gotten up and was now doing a credible job of looking like a bull that had just been kicked in the nuts with a steel-toed boot.
"YOU WANNA TAKE ME YOU SONOVABITCH?! FINE! YOU TWO! YOU TAKE CARE OF THE BLOND IDIOT! I'M GONNA SKIN THE GREEN BEAN ALIVE!" Ryo screamed angrily, stomping his foot hard enough to crack the ground.
Naruto cast a gaze over at Lee. "... Ya know, if you loose, it'll look badly on me." He said with a grin.
Lee nodded and returned Naruto's grin just before he leapt up onto the top of the building to their left, taking off across the rooftops. "YOU COWARD! COME BACK HERE!" Ryo screamed, giving chase.
Naruto watched the two run off, then turned his attention back to the two Iwa shinobi. "So I guess it's just us now, huh?" He asked nonchalantly.
One of the two nodded. "Yes, it would seem so. Please forgive us for seeming not so brash as our vice-commander, but we don't know what your abilities are, and in our line of work, the unkown can be deadly for the unsuspecting, and we overheard your conversation with your underling, so we're not about to rush you like Ryo-san would. However, you will be stopped here." the one on the left said, pulling a kunai.
Naruto grinned ferally as he began to stalk forward. "Well, I hope you guys don't hold this against me..."
Kakashi watched Sakura with a smile until she disappeared from view, then he turned his gaze back on Genbu, and his demeanor changed drasticly as he stared coldly at the large man. "You've been pretty rough with my pupils." He stated.
Genbu shrugged. "I'm sorry Kakashi-kun, I really am, but this is a battle after all. They're pretty nice kids though, and powerful too. I know that Sakura-chan was trained by Lady Tsunade, but what about Naruto? Did you train him?" He asked lightly.
Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'm afraid that I'm not the one who brought him too the level that he's at, that honor belongs to the Toad Sage, Jiraiya. "Kakashu replied, sounding remorseful.
Genbu nodded, his own mood becoming subdued. I was sorry to hear of Lord Jiraiya's death, the man was a good friend." He said with a hint of sadness in his own voice. "However, we should not let ourselves be shackled by the past. Tell me, how did the two of you escape those twenty jonin that I sicced on you?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
Gai nodded. "Those jonin were good, but nothing special. We had already dispatched a few when one of my students, along with one of the chuunin who came with us, offered to take over the battle so that we may fight you, and they were doing rather well, having taken out another five by the time we lost sight of them. Now then, shall we begin, Genbu-san?" He asked, taking a fighting stance alongside Kakashi.
Genbu nodded, reaching up and grabbing the bands on his wrists. "I know that fighting the both of you at once will be pretty hard, so you won't begrudge me loosing some weights, would you?" He asked, pulling the bands off and tossing them casually to the side, ignoring the dull boom when the extreamly heavy weights struck the ground. Straightening to his full, nearly seven foot height, Genbu cracked his neck once. "One last question before we begin, if you don't mind. Is Naruto-kun the son of the Fourth Hokage? He looks too much like the man, and the fact that he is an orphan and was born at around the time of the Fourth's death are far too convenient for him not too be related somehow." He remarked.
Gai looked gobsmacked as he turned a wide-eyed gaze on Kakashi. "Is that true Kakashi? Is Naruto really the son of the Yondaime?" He asked in a quiet voice.
Kakashi shook his head. "I'm sorry, but this isn't the place to discuss village secrets." He replied.
"Thank you, that's all I needed to know." Genbu replied. "Well, knowing the two of you, you've probably spent a rediculous amount of time training since our last meeting, and have probably picked up a slew of new techniques, though I must warn you that I've gotten my own as well. I actually developed a fighting style based around fighting two strong opponents, so I hope you don't mind if I field test it on you." He said casually, placing his right foot forward and crouching slightly, holding his hands out inf front of him and his elbows close to his sides, with roughly an inch of space between his outstretched fingers as he focoused straight ahead with a frightening intensity.
"What is that stance?" Kakashi asked in a low tone, tensing.
Gai shook his head. "I don't know, but his defense has absolutely no openings. It would probably be best if we attack from either side, are you ready Kakashi?" The bowl-cut jonin asked.
Kakashi mearly nodded, and in a blur, both jonin seemed to disappear, reappearing on either side of the large man, Kakashi on the right, swinging around with a low roundhouse heel kick that would crush Genbu's kidney while Gai appeared no his left, cutting loose with a backhand that would smash right into his face.
In an instant, Genbu became a blur of motion, swinging his right hand back, catching Kakashi by the ankle, while his other hand came up and caught Gai's fist. "Bad move boys!" The giant crowed, jerking both of them off balance before shoving hard on Kakashi's leg, causing Kakashi to stumble into a roll, opening some distance between the two as Genbu brought up his left knee towrd's Gai's stomach, Gai just barely managing to stave off the blow with his free hand, before a right hook by the giant crashed into his temple with enough force that it managed to disorient even the hard-headed Gai. With a grunt, Genbu twisted, taking hold of Gai's arm with both hands, then flung the jonin over his shoulder, turning the man into an imprompteau projectile just as he had with Naruto.
Turning, Genbu jerked his head to the side, just as Kakashi's fist entered the space where the large man's head had been an instant before. Flipping onto his hand, Genbu unleashed a devestating mule kick that Kakashi barely managed to avoid by using substitution, the log he had been replaced with splintering from Genbu's kick, backing up against a metalworks shop as he tried to formulate a plan.
Naruto, who'd been busy securing the two unconcious Iwa jonin, looked up just in time to see Gai flying past While Kakashi engaged in a fearsome fight with Genbu, trying to strike the mountain of a man while dodging his attacks. "Kakashi-sensei! I'm coming!" Naruto yelled, running towards the combatants as he made the familiar seal for Kage Bushin, so intent on the two combatants that he didn't even notice the change in his vision as he gathered the needed chakra for his signature technique.
Meanwhile, Kakashi snapped out with a side kick to Genbu's knee, only to miss as the man raised his leg at nearly impossible speeds. "Kakashi-kun! You've clearly gotten better since last time!" Genbu said with a chuckle, unleashing a devestating right that the silver-haired jonin had to leap out of the way to avoid, his eyes going wide when he saw the building he'd been backed up to crumble like a house of cards.
Hearing Naruto's yell, Kakashi looked up in time to see an entire horde of over one hundred Narutos decending on Genbu, yelling battle cries as they leapt at the man, their silver eyes flashing. 'Naruto, just hold his attention for a few seconds.' Kakashi thought hopefully, going through the handseals for Raikiri, his chakra charging.
Genbu, seeing all of the Narutos leaping at him, whistled. "I've gotta say Naruto-kun, you clearly are a powerful ninja if you can create as many clones as you have! And is that a dojutsu? Yes, those would make you a formidable ninja indeed!" The large jolly man laughed. "But still, you'll need more than numbers and a bloodline if you wish to defeat me! Summoning jutsu!" He exlaimed, going through the required handseals and slamming his palms on the ground.
Naruto had just enough time to have one of his clones throw him out of the way as a huge burst of smoke engulfed all of the clones, destroying them as they smacked solidly into whatever was being summoned, which the memories from the clones told him was covered in shaggy fur. As the smoke cleared, it revealed three ferocious looking bears, each one roughly half as large as Gama Bunta, with Genbu standing upon the head of the one in the middle, looking smug as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Let me introduce you to three of the deadliest creatures from the bear summons, the Hanichyo Brothers!" He called out.
"This could be bad." Kakashi said gravely.
Naruto looked down at his sensei. "Y'think?" He asked, somewhat sarcastically.
The thee bears let out a simultanious roar that shook the buildings around them as the two on either side of the middle one looked back up at Genbu. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF SUMMONING US HERE GENBU?!" The one on the left asked.
Genbu motioned towards Naruto, Kakashi, and Gai, who was running up beside Kakashi. "Well, the three of you were complaining that I haven't fought anyone worthwile in a long time, so here you are; Three opponents who are worth an entire army of ninja. I don't have a doubt that if I were to take all three of them alone, not even I would be able to win, and even with the three of you, things are only looking to be slightly in our favor." He replied with a self-satasfied grin, as if he were happy.
"HN?! THE GREAT GENBU, THE MAN WHO HAS NEVER BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, SAYING THAT HE CAN'T WIN AGAINST ONLY THREE KONOHA NINJA? NOW I REALLY HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING." The one he was standing on remarked.
Genbu nodded, his demeanor turning serious. "And if I'm not mistaken, the short blond is possibly the most dangerous of them all. I think that he might be the son of the Fourth Hokage." He replied.
The bears looked at one another. "RIGHT THEN GENBU, WE SHALL HELP YOU IN YOUR FIGHT AGAINST THESE PEOPLE." The bear on the right said.
Genbu nodded. "Alright. Suijin, you and Kazejin take on the silver-haired one and the his friend. Tokijin and I will take on the blond." Genbu ordered.
The bears on either side let out another ear-splitting roar and charged forward at Gai and Kakashi, who leapt away as the two massive beasts crashed down where they had been. "KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto yelled, preparing to leapt to their aid, only to be blocked as a massive paw swiped down in front of him, shearing off a quarter of the building he was standing on.
Genbu was only taken slightly aback as Naruto's silvery eyes flashed angrily his way. "Now Naruto-kun, it's us that you're supposed to fight." He chided.
"Shut up and get outta my way." Naruto growled dangerously.
The large bear, Tokijin, snorted derisivly, glaring down at Naruto. "YOU WOULD BE WISE NOT TO DISREGARD US CUB, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DEFEAT US." He growled.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that, I can summon as well after all." He replied in a dangerous voice, starting to go through the handseals, only dimly aware of the vision of the best placement of the handsigns and th vibrant colors that surrounded everything, he had bigger things to worry about after all. "SUMMONING JUTSU!" The former jinkuuri roared, slamming the palm of his hand on the ground...
... Only to be surprized as absolutely nothing happened. "Oh shit." Naruto said quietly, his silvery eyes widening.
Genbu burst out into laughter, slapping his knee. "Silly Naruto-kun, you've got to sign a contract before you can summon!" he exlaimed, pointing down at the boy.
Fighting the urge to panic, Naruto remembered his other ace in the hole, his Shinigami weapon. Holding his hands out, Naruto closed his eyes and began to concentrate, calling upon his spiritual power. "See through those who stand before me and cut down my enemies as they are revealed, ENSIS EXEQUENS!" The blond cried out loudly...
... Only for once again, nothing to happen. "WHAT THE HELL?!" Naruto cried out confusedly, his eyes snapping open. In the back of his mind, Naruto could swear he heard a dark laughter.
Tokijin cocked his head to the side, studying the enigma in front of him. "What was that power I just felt from this youngling?" He wondered to himself before casting the thought aside with a mental shrug. "LITTLE HUMAN, YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A USELESS NUISANCE. I SHALL KILL YOU NOW." The titanic beast growled, raising one massive paw, bringing it down at the young blond, both of his brothers doing the same to both Kakashi and Gai, who had been backed up to one another by the gigantic bears.
Naruto squeezed his eyes shut as the massive paw sped towards him, trying to pull the power forth. Suddenly, something flashed in his mind, and the former jinkuuri's eyes snapped open in realization. "THAT STUPID HOLLOW! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" The blond screamed, holding his left hand out to his side while he held his right up at the onrushing paw. "DELIVER JUSTICE TO THE WICKED, CHIGATANA KEIRIKU!"
Tokijin's paw smashed down hard, collapsing the entire building just as that power that he had felt burst forth like a raging torrent. "What is that?!" Genbu asked, watching from atop his summon's head in astonishment.
Suddenly, the massive Tokijin was thrown slightly off balance as he felt a great pressure against his paw, which was thrown off. Standing there, wearing a black hakama, still holding up his right hand, which he'd managed to stop the bear's swat with, and holding a blood-red katana with a black hilt at his side in his left hand, stood an angry-looking Naruto, his silvery eyes flashing. "This fight is FAR from over." Naruto growled, taking hold of the sword in both hands as he glared up at Genbu.
-End-
A/N- Heh he, Well, here it is, the latest chapter! It would actually be a lot longer, but something told me to stop right there and cut this chapter, which was originally gonna be about 15-20,000 words, roughly in half (it's almost 12,000, which is almost twice as long as Enter the Wantabis, which was just over 6,000) . I know it's been a long time, so please don't kill me!
If you noticed, Naruto added the -bozu suffix to Inari's name. In case you are wondering what it means, he's basically calling Inari a squirt (or brat, or kid, or however you choose to view it.)
Thanks to HolyKnight5, who provided the Japanese translation for Naruto's sword. Explenations for the change will come in future chapters.
I hope you all like it, please review!!