NOTE: Hey fabulous readers o' mine! I kicked some butt in softball today (grant it, it was only a practice) and because of my high from that, decided to write chapter seven waay ahead of schedule, just please don't expect another one soon though! Thanks a ton for your overall awesomeness! And please enjoy!

Kakashi's POV

A sickening gurgle came from the masked ninja before me, but I didn't have time to give him a fast death; there were plenty where he came from—unfortunately.

Instantly I dodged a shower of shuriken and made my way to the 20th nin to die today by my hands.

…My forever blood-stained hands…

They seemed to come from everywhere. Any place casting shadows they would seep out like serpents out of water, and their numbers were enormously staggering. Had they spent the last ten years training their entire village for this, if not are there more to come?

My Sharnigan eye rapidly took in the massacre. All the hokages were fighting hordes of Shadow nin. The ANBU squad flew from tree to tree in quick succession, easily making work of the foes hiding there. The low level Jounins and Chuinins were sporadically scattered everywhere in less-than-satisfactory amounts, and team members were far apart from one another proving it more difficult to clear their minds enough to fluidly fight.

It was mass chaos…

The worst tragedy of the day has already past, but made my heart heavy nonetheless. The Genin-they were no more; mere twelve year olds only just tasting life falling prey to death's unrepentant scythe. Their bodies lay on the bloodied ground serving as mere bumps-doormats now to the feet of their people they sacrificed for and uncaring enemies who took their life.

Amidst this chaotic battle, I did not see Aliea anywhere. She would normally be there eradicating the enemy in plentiful amounts. Never did she miss the opportunity to protect others--so where was she when we need her the most?

My heart sped up as millions of situations collided all at once. Could she be..? No! She can't be that easily defeated. She's okay… at least I hope so.

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"Naruto find Sai then go and look for Kakashi and evacuate the citizens." Sakura's voice was cold and rang off the daunting trees surrounding the trio.

"No Sakura. I know you want to fight him to prove you are no longer that girl so long ago, but the village needs your skills more than they do me. Plus, you don't need to show him who you are as long as you know; so why bother with him?"

"Naruto, I can fight-"

"-Your own battles." Naruto finished. "But Sakura, you always told me not to let my hubris get the best of me, don't you think now's the time to take your own advice?"

Sakura faintly smiled, "you are starting to sound like Aliea--and you're right. Naruto, please don't do anything brash, please don't die you're the only one in this world for me and I… I love you…so much" A stubborn tear she tried to keep at bay fell down her cheek, slowly carving a wet, luster trail. Her voice was no more than a mere whisper when she finished.

Naruto gently smiled as he lent in and kissed the tear away. Slowly his kisses went up to her ear where his breath sent shivers down her spine, "I promise I will return to you because love, our love, will see us through. Now promise me that when I see you next time it will be at the Ramen stand with a huge steaming bowl waiting for me."

Sakura nodded her head, afraid to speak; thinking it may crack as she felt her throat constrict considerably.

Screams broke them away from their precious moment and Sakura placed a chaste kiss on Naruto's moist lips. Though small it may seem, that kiss spoke volumes of their love and dedication for one another. The passion and undying trust they had for their lover passed between those lips, and the silent promise that everything was going to be alright; calmed them down to a point of pure serenity.

"See you later alligator" Naruto smiled as she pulled away unwillingly from his protective arms.

"After while crocodile" was her smiling reply before a puff of green smoke engulfed her and once dispersed, left nothing but matted down grass.

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"Seems like everything is falling into place." A deep chocolaty voice commented. His body was shrouded in shadow as he casually leaned against the stone hut. His piercing black gaze fell onto the person in the furthermost corner drained of all chalkra.

"Yes it is, and best part of all, they will not know what hit them." A sardonic chuckle escaped their throat. "The pawns are doing well in playing out their roles while the rest of the pieces slowly come into play and then…"

"…The power will be all yours again. But what of Sasuke?"

"He surely has complicated things" the person agreed, "but not to an extent where we could not twist it to our advantage."

"And of the Sand?"

"They're game just as long as we hold up the end of the bargain."

"Perfect." The piercing eyed one complimented.

"Yes, it seems the human race is doing exactly as you and I thought it would."

The man gave a curt nod briefly showing his facial features before slowly absorbing into the wall, and leaving nothing within a few short seconds of where he once stood.

Outside, not too far off in the distance, the chained person could hear the bloodied screams of innocent people being slaughtered and maimed. Occasionally a few explosions could be heard, but the screaming of the innocents made that person cringe in mild distaste and cause them to shift their position,

"Damn screaming can't a person get a decent rest without having to hear that?"

Sorry if it's too short for you, but I thought that it was at least something to hold you guys over 'til the next chapter! But what do you think about that last statement? shudders I've been watching too many horror flicks lately. --;

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