AN: Another chapter! This one will be the longest one so far, so tell me how you think this is eh?

To neolucius: Thanks for the heads up. Well, you are right in saying that the samurai is trying to protect the boy, and although last chapter he said he is going to cut ties with the boy, he has forged too strong a bond with Naruto to just destroy it when he wants to. The samurai will play a big part in the future, but not in the current part of the story.

To naruhinalover: No he does not get any benefits the Kyubi originally gave him. But he has the increased chakra and stamina of an Uzumaki, although I can't decide whether to give him some other perk from being an Uzumaki.

To Biplis: Heh… now that you say it, it is a little slow. But still, I want to take my time building up. Thanks for your opinion!

Note: Itachi's actions may be confusing at first, but I have something in mind, I promise! In canon, Itachi was the mysterious sort of shinobi, and I plan on taking that to extremes in this fic.

Also, the ninja that was mentioned at the very end of chapter 4 finally makes an appearance!

After the jump!

He had been running for a long time; since he had learnt to walk in fact. At first, fear motivated him, fear of being hurt, and the fear of death. Now he was running again, escaping from the bastion of the Samurai. In his arms, he held the frail, sleeping form of Hinata Hyuga, the very person he sought to save when he ventured past Konoha's borders for the first time. Now, Naruto Uzumaki was sprinting through the forest, back to Konoha, back home. He ran not because he feared for his life, but because he could not bear losing Hinata, whom he had already strove so hard to save.

Looking up, his sapphire eyes caught the emerging rays of sunlight. Dawn had approached, and Naruto yawned, attempting to banish his tiredness; he had not slept in the past day, and was feeling the effects of fatigue. Deciding he needed to rest for awhile, he halted by a tree, propping the girl up against the trunk and sitting down beside her.

In the distance, Naruto could hear the chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves. The ground was covered in leaves, allowing the blond to sink in the softness; slowly, imperceptibly, his eyelids drooped, until he could no longer keep sleep at bay for a single second longer, and finally, he succumbed to fatigue.

This peace cannot last, like the calm before the storm.

She awoke from her slumber, back aching from being carried all night long. Her body was still healing from the injuries she had suffered from her abductors, but she was feeling much better. Hinata sighed; the night before, she could not even keep up with Naruto, and so had collapsed. Fortunately for her, Naruto had carried her from then, and had even told her to sleep and recover.

Now here she was, wearing Naruto's orange jumpsuit and waking up beside the boy. She was blushing, it seemed she could never break that habit, and she could see scars criss-crossing the entirety of his arms, and wondered not for the first time how he had gotten them. Then she noticed he was asleep, snoring silently, a frown adorning his face. I would give my life for him. I know I love him, but I wonder if he will ever accept one such as me, a failure, somebody who bows down to defeat. He's always so strong, never giving up…

She knew she did not deserve him. Her failure was branded into her, the Cursed Seal that now adorned her forehead forever a reminder of her weakness. Hinata turned her attention to Naruto's sleeping form; his lips were parted slightly, chapped from lack of hydration. It looked so inviting…

Her face was burning, but who was there to see her? Hinata inched closer, wetting her lips. He wouldn't mind if I steal a kiss would I? Nobody would ever know. Her mind made up, she pecked him on the lips before retreating, looking for any sign of him having noticed. He did not stir. She sighed in relief.

Then she heard the sound of metal, the sound of swords sliding out of their sheaths

-Back in Konoha, That Same Morning-

Fugaku Uchiha smirked. It was a self-glorifying smirk, one a person puts on to show the world his superiority and the sheer impossibility of failure. Victory is all but assured…

The Uchiha Head had succeeded in gaining the support of the majority of the clans in Konoha, and there was no way the Third Hokage could deny his ascension. Still, it was unnerving that the Hyuga Clan had bounced back so rapidly; word had gotten around that the Hyuga Clan had rescued their Clan Heiress, thus saving Hiashi's position as Clan Head. Still, the damage had been done, Hiashi's perfect image had been sullied, and Fugaku knew that he would never be able to challenge him again.

The plan had been put into motion, and it was past the point of no return. Tonight, the Uchiha, with its allies, would stage a coup and take power. 'I would have preferred a bloodless coup, but the stubborn fool, Hiruzen, is unlikely to submit. I will be the one to unite Konoha and usher a new age, one in which Konohagakure will hold uncontested power across Japan. And the Uchiha would be at the head of it…' Fugaku mused.

Currently, he was making his way to the Clan meeting room, where all the Clan Elders and some of his most trusted subordinates would gather and finalize their plans.

When he reached the venue, a small, inconspicuous wooden house on the outskirts of the Uchiha Compound, he was pleased to see all members had arrived.

"Let us commence the meeting. Toriko, if you would put up some privacy seals…" Fugaku commanded. Nodding his assent, the Elder Toriko put up a sound barrier; it would not do to have their plans revealed so close to its realization.

Satisfied, Fugaku continued, "I'll make this short. The groundwork has already been laid down, and this meeting's purpose is to designate certain problem people we have no choice but to kill…" Fugaku then proceeded to name Hiashi Hyuga, Inoichi Yamanaka, Tsume Inuzuka, Heads of the Hyuga, Yamanaka and Inuzuka clans respectively, as well as a few other shinobi.

"…and finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi. He is perhaps the most stubborn of all, so he must die. My son, Itachi, I would have you assassinate him personally. You are possibly his most trusted subordinate, but I know where your true loyalties lie. Of them all, Sarutobi has the highest chance of destroying our plan, so it is only right I give the honor to you, my son."

Without a hint of emotion in his face, Itachi Uchiha nodded, "It shall be done, father."

-A Few Hours Later, At the Hokage Residence-

"Hokage-sama, Itachi-san requests your presence." An ANBU ninja informed the Hokage.

"Send him in, and put up the privacy seals." The Hokage said. Wordlessly, the ANBU vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Itachi walked slowly into the Hokage's office, bowing his head deferentially. "Hokage-sama, I have news."

"Well, don't keep me waiting! What are they up to now?"

"It has been decided that the Uchiha takeover will be staged tomorrow at nightfall. They have gathered support from most of the other clans, but a few others have remained loyal to you, Hokage-sama. Just this morning, my father called a meeting to arrange the assassinations of Clan Heads and some influential shinobi that have remained allied to you. Among them are Heads Tsume Inuzuka, Hiashi Hyuga and Inoichi Yamanaka." Itachi reported.

"I see… I expect that my death was called for as well?" Hiruzen stated.

To his surprise, Itachi answered in the negative, "…Hokage-sama is not among those slated to be assassinated. My father deems you too useless to bother with, but I think Hokage-sama can use this to your advantage."

"I see… Thank you for your efforts. I entrust you with notifying Inoichi and Tsume about the events, and please tell them to meet here tonight." Hiruzen said, frowning. Itachi nodded, giving a bow, and left.

Too useless to bother with… I'll show you to underestimate me!

-An Hour Later, In a Cave Outside of Konoha-

The man was clad in a black, flowing cloak, with red clouds printed upon it. The man himself was tall, taller than Itachi by a full head. His skin had a bluish tinge and his teeth were filed into points, giving him a striking resemblance to a shark. Strapped to his back was what seemed to be a sword, wrapped from hilt to point with bandages.

"I see you have not disappointed, Itachi-san." The man growled.

Itachi turned his eyes to the shark-like man, addressing him, "I intend to please, Kisame-san. The Akatsuki will play the Hidden Villages against each other, eliminating them one by one; and Konoha is first. Soon, peace will be in our grasp, but first, war and blood."

"SHIT! They found us!" Naruto yelled, his hand grasping Hinata's firmly.

Naruto had woken up to see themselves surrounded by samurai, swords drawn and aiming to decapitate. It was pure luck that they managed to slip past them, confusing them with a few well-placed bunshin. 'We're lucky they don't have much experience fighting ninja! Some to think of it, the only person who seemed used to dealing with ninja was Muneyoshi-san…' Naruto thought.

"N-Naruto-kun, They're catching up!" Hinata yelled frantically.

"Just keep running!" Naruto shouted back. The samurai were silent, stalking them without a sound, and that made it all the more unnerving.

The two ran faster than they ever did, and were soon panting and out of breath.

At that moment Naruto noticed the presence of one of their pursuers, poised and ready to strike. Having trained deep in the forest for extended periods of time, and having spent his time contemplating the fundamentals of nature, Naruto had formed a sort of connection, a bond, with his leafy surroundings. He noticed the slight waver in the chirping of the cicadas, the tell-tale rustle of leaves and the absence of movement of any kind. A samurai up ahead! Damn he's fast, but I know he's there because it's too quiet… no birds chirping, no scared animals… he must've scared them away beforehand…

"Hinata, get away!" Naruto shouted, shoving the girl away just in time, narrowly avoiding a downward slash.

"Eep!" Hinata screamed, clambering back to her feet and fleeing from the attacking samurai.

"Up ahead! There's a cliff!" Naruto pointed, increasing his pace. He could tell Hinata was all but spent, but hoped that she could push herself just a bit further. Bursting from the forest, the duo sprinted to the edge.

"We can hide on the cliff face! Just use your chakra to stick to the surface… The samurai don't have all that much experience with chakra, so they might think we jumped!" Naruto said desperately. He had trained extensively in the tree walking and water walking exercises the Hokage had shown him. Still, he wasn't very convincing, but at the moment he was like a drowning man clutching at straws.

Hinata had never really done anything of the sort before, but their circumstances were dire enough, so she decided to throw caution to the wind; it helped that her chakra control was almost impeccable due to her basic training in the Jyuuken stance.

Lowering and flattening themselves onto the sheer cliff face, the duo waited with trepidation.

Ba-dump… ba-dump… The shuffle of feet could be heard right above. Naruto and Hinata didn't dare to even breath.

"They jumped? These ninja are unpredictable, so don't let your guard down." A low voice said.

"Hai, Taicho! (Yes, Captain!)" The other samurai saluted.

After several seconds, the samurai captain spoke out again, "They must have taken the other route. Move out in 'search formation'!"

Another chorus of assents, and the samurai melted back into the forest.

Sighing in relief, Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Ha! We escaped!", he shouted characteristically, turning to Hinata, only to panic.

Hinata was hyperventilating, and it became clear she was suffering from chakra exhaustion. The run had taxed her stamina to the limits, added to the drain of using her chakra to adhere to a surface for the first time, and her small chakra pool was all but depleted.

"No! Hinata, hang on!" Naruto begged to no avail. With a final scream, she fell.

Without a thought for his own safety, Naruto cut off his chakra flow, pushing himself off the cliff face and hurtling after Hinata.

Grabbing her by the waist mid-air, Naruto then chuckled at the sheer irony of the situation. So who's going to save me now?

Gritting his teeth, Naruto held Hinata's body close to himself, flashing through some hand seals, thinking desperately, 'I have to use the shunshin to take us straight to the ground; we still can survive this! This is the first time I've tried it in mid-air…'

With a poof! Their entwined bodies disappeared and reappeared right at the ground. Naruto reappeared holding Hinata and standing on his legs, only to feel his two limbs collapse.

"AAAAAAAAAGGHH!" Naruto screamed as pain coursed through his body. A sickening crack rang out, and Naruto's left leg bent at an unnatural angle. The tendons in his left arm snapped, and it fell, as though lifeless, to his side, and the blond succumbed to unconsciousness. Hinata herself had already fainted from chakra exhaustion, but otherwise was unscathed. (Note: What happened? Well, the shunshin teleports the user from one place to another for a set amount of chakra, but when the body reappears, all the forces acting on the body before it teleports still apply. That's why when Naruto reappeared on the ground, the amount of downward force he was experiencing was pushed onto the legs, cracking it, and with Naruto bearing Hinata's weight on his arms, it also caused extensive damage to his tendons. However, the force was still less than if he crashed straight into the ground, as his body still had not reached terminal velocity. This is an edit, and Naruto doesn't know about Physics) :)

-A Short While Later-

Hinata awoke first, thirsty and hungry. That was when she saw Naruto's body sprawled as if lifeless on the ground, his leg broken. His shin was snapped into two, bone jutting out of his mangled skin. She felt fear; the last thing she had remembered was falling from the cliff due to chakra exhaustion an- Oh my god! He tried to save me… why… why did you get hurt… It's all my fault, because I wasn't strong enough, because I'm too weak.

Sniffling, she wiped away her tears. Rushing over to Naruto's side, she could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He's still alive! Get up Hinata, Naruto-kun needs you! Hinata could hear the trickle of flowing water in the distance, and standing up resolutely, she activated her Byakugan. He tried so hard to save me, now it's my turn to repay him! I have to find a wooden splint to bind his leg first…

Arranging Naruto's body so that his broken leg experienced the least pressure, Hinata decided to scout the area for food, water and materials with which to care for the blond.

-Back In Konoha, That Night-

"Inoichi Yamanaka and Tsume Inuzuka, I trust Itachi has brought you up-to-date with current events?" The Hokage addressed the two Clan Heads. Itachi had brought the two to the Hokage's office, as he requested, and was now seated beside them.

Inoichi was a tall, wiry man, with the characteristic blond hair of the Yamanaka Clan. The Yamanaka have long been associated with the ANBU Torture and Interrogation squad, as their signature techniques revolve around infiltrating the minds of enemies and retrieving valuable information. Inoichi himself was lauded as the most proficient in such interrogation techniques, and even in the battlefield he showed himself more than capable to dispatching enemies with ease. Recent events had put him constantly on the lookout for dissenters within the clan itself, and he had personally seen to the execution of a few who even dared suggest he side with the Uchiha. He was a hard man, one accustomed to the death and violence of the ninja world; he did not suffer traitors to live. To Inoichi, anyone subordinate to him that had a differing opinion was a traitor and thus deserved death.

Tsume was strong-built for a woman, her hair unkempt and her eyes narrowed. The Inuzuka were, together with the Aburame, the premier tracking division of the Konoha Ninja Corps; their heightened senses allowed them to track the location of even the most experienced ninja, and their ferocity in battle was all but unmatched. The Inuzuka clan was dominated by the stronger, more ferocious men, but Tsume was an exception. During sparring sessions she seemed more bestial than human, and in true battle she was outright demonic. Wherever her strength came from, it was unmistakably the pinnacle of Inuzuka achievement, and she had taken the mantle of Clan Head through the process of ritual battle, having defeated all other aspirants.

The Hokage was proud that amongst all, these two still stood behind him. However, the situation was dire, and drastic action was imperative to the survival of Konoha. "Tomorrow night, the Uchiha will attempt a takeover. Itachi has received word that both of you, as well as Hiashi, are being targeted for assassination. I expect both of you to put together a team of shinobi and ambush the Uchiha assassins. If need be, I will assign some ANBU to strengthen your defenses."

At this, Itachi spoke out, "Hokage-sama, I have an idea that just might work. Since the Uchiha are not targeting you, why not send all of the ANBU against the Uchiha? This way, while they are concentrating on staging the coup, we can assassinate the leader, my father. I understand drastic action is to be taken, and if the Uchiha Clan Head as well as Clan Elders are disposed off, then no matter how much support they have, they will still be unable to usurp your position. When their coup fails, and the Clan Elders lay dead, Hokage-sama must denounce them publically; in this way can you cement your position.

"I agree," The blond-haired Inoichi said, "Unsavory though it may be, it is the only way which will preserve your position as Hokage, and by extension Konohagakure's safety. We cannot allow word of civil unrest to reach Kumogakure, for surely they would use the ensuing chaos to launch an attack of some kind. Already relations have deteriorated; we have to resolve the Uchiha situation immediately, and then start strengthening our village defenses in preparation for war."

"It is decided then," Tsume said, baring her teeth, "We kill the traitors."

Naruto had woken up to a world of pain. He silently gave thanks for Hinata's comforting presence, if not for her, he would have surely gone mad with the pain. She was right beside him now, naked because she had to use his orange jumpsuit as a cloth. She cleaned his wound, and using her chakra as she had seen the Medical Corps ninja, cut off the splintered part of the bone, tearing off a bit of fabric and binding the leg with a tough tree branch for support. To the Hyuga, being forced to learn medical jutsu was akin to being abandoned, being deemed unworthy to train in true Hyuga techniques. But now, as Hinata watched as Naruto writhed in pain, his breathing coming in short ragged gasps, she wished with all her heart she had learnt some medical jutsu beforehand. Her heart ached at the pain the boy was experiencing, and knew there was not much she could do.

"H-Hinata-chan… You can't go around… naked like that. Put on my shirt…" Naruto gasped, pointing at his undershirt.

"Don't care about something like that at a time like this!" Hinata scolded.

"Pain… don't hurt." Naruto said indignantly. Grabbing another tree branch Hinata had cut for use as a support, he attempted to get up. His left arm was still in pain, although it was healing slowly. "We have to get back soon… even if I have to walk back on one foot!"

"N-no! Sit d-down Naruto-kun!" Hinata said, a stutter creeping back into her words.

"Hinata… We have to get back, warn the Hokage!" Naruto said, hobbling out of the cave on one foot. Unfortunately for him, he promptly tripped on a stone, falling to the ground. "Agh! Damn It!"

"At least eat some of the berries I plucked! We'll rest for awhile, and then we'll go… together." Hinata stated, her voice unwavering for once.

"Fine… I'm going to sleep. I don't even know where the hell we are anyway."

Hinata, however, was once the Clan Heiress, and so had studied basic Geography and Astrology, although she never seemed as smart as her younger sister. "Don't you worry about that… I know which direction we have to go in! Just sleep."

Yawning, Naruto found himself falling into a tired slumber, the pain having drained him of his stamina.

-The Next Day, Early In The Evening-

Toriko Uchiha sat within his room, sipping tea and sighing. Finally, he would see the Uchiha rise above the others, finally, the Uchiha would gain their rightful place as the leaders of Konoha and lead the village to glory. Before, the Senju had forced the Uchiha to accede to a lesser position, then it had been the Sarutobi, who had shown their inability and incompetence at running the village. No more of that! Tonight will herald the start of Uchiha rule!

The elder had long given up battle, and his hair was white, his skin wrinkled with age. Unlike others, he was content to rest on his laurels, the last time he had ever experienced a true battle already a decade past. If he had continued learning the arts of the shinobi, he might have seen his death coming, he might even have prevented it.

Suffice to say the last thing he ever saw in his life was the gleam of candlelight reflecting off metal, and then all became dark.

Fugaku was fuming. His well-laid plans were unraveling all around him, and he had already received word of the assassinations of several Uchiha Elders. An attempt had already been made on his life, but he wasn't the leader of the Uchiha for nothing. Crushing the throat of his would-be assassin, he finally decided to personally destroy all who still resisted him. The plan was supposed to be secret! If they want bloodshed, we'll give them bloodshed! It's all up to Itachi now… Damn you Hiruzen, this will be the last time you cross me!

Fugaku was currently leading a force of Uchiha, the best of the best, and marching toward the Hokage Residence, where he would tear the Hokage robes from the Third and instate himself as the new Hokage. Blocking his path were several squads of ANBU ninja, armed to the teeth and ready for battle.

An ANBU wearing a fox mask addressed the Clan Head, his companions keeping silent and disciplined, "Fugaku Uchiha, for your acts of treachery, you are being arrested. You will either come quietly, or we will execute you."

For a moment, the two forces stood defiantly, facing off each other on the empty street; not a single civilian was in sight, martial law having been imposed hours prior. Then Fugaku took a step forward, his answer clear.

Without a word, the Uchiha clashed with the ANBU. The Uchiha opened with their signature 'Katon: Goukakyuu No Jutsu!', wreaking havoc in the narrow confines of the street-turned-battlefield. Two ANBU were immolated in the ensuing blaze, their screams consumed by the fire.

"You ANBU epitomize treachery! You support the old fool Hiruzen as he destroys Konoha bit by bit, but no more shall I permit this! For your treachery toward the ultimate authority, the Uchiha, you shall be executed!" Fugaku roared, enhancing his arms with chakra then proceeding to tear the heads off those opposing him. With swift, precise strikes, he punched through an ANBU's chest, twisting his arm down and then proceeding to disembowel him. Turning, he smashed his elbow straight into the face of another charging adversary, splintering his skull and causing his brains to leak out his ears.

There were four ANBU left; not wishing to waste a second longer, Fugaku raised his arms, flashing through hand seals and roaring, "Katon: Gouryuuka No Jutsu!" (Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire). Fireballs in the shape of dragon heads erupted from his mouth, obliterating the ANBU in an instant.

"They don't know who they are up against. Let's go!" Fugaku shouted, only to be met with laughter.

"Not so fast, Fugaku! Stop this madness at once!" A gruff, but vaguely feminine voice called out. Fugaku's eyes widened, shocked that Tsume Inuzuka and Inoichi Yamanaka were not only still alive, but before him that very moment.

"You too? Then come and die!" Fugaku flashed through more hand seals, and with a 'Katon: Zukokku!' (Fire Style: Intense Pain) he let fly an immense wall of fire that consumed all in its path. To his chagrin, Tsume and Inoichi simply disappeared and reappeared beside him, letting fly their fists.

The other Uchiha came to the aid of their leader, adopting their clan's taijutsu stance and attacking the two Clan Heads. Unfortunately for them, they were out of their league, and were soon incapacitated by Tsume's and Inoichi's combined efforts.

"There is a reason why the Uchiha are the strongest!" Fugaku roared yet again, his voice coarse, unwilling to accept defeat. As ferocious as Tsume and Inoichi were he knew it would take more than that to defeat him. Deftly blocking their incoming blows, he managed to get in a few hits while their attention was directed at the other Uchiha. "Now die! Katon: Hoenka!" (Fire Style: Flame Flower) Launching himself into the air, Fugaku spit out three fireballs that descended onto the duo. With a resounding explosion, the fireballs cratered the ground, and where Tsume Inuzuka and Inoichi Yamanaka once was, not even ashes remained.

"You should not have come up against me. Only Death awaits tho- URK!" Fugaku gasped, clutching at his chest. Looking down, a single hand protruded, having torn his heart from his chest.

"I'm sorry Fugaku, I had no choice. Give my regards to the shinigami." Came the calm voice of Inoichi. Fugaku fell to the ground, the last thing he saw being the badly burnt forms of the Inuzuka and Yamanaka Clan Heads.

The Hokage stayed in his office, his only companion being the ever emotionless Itachi Uchiha.

"So instead of increasing their guard, they simply went out and killed the perpetrators. Typical." The Hokage said, puffing on his pipe.

"I'm afraid so, Hokage-sama. If I may Hokage-sama, I have something to ask you." Itachi responded.

"What is it?"

"Do you truly believe in peace?"

"As Hokage, I have seen many things, have lived through many battles. True peace? I don't expect to see it in my lifetime, not while fighters and warriors, ninja and samurai, hatred and ignorance still exist."

"I believe so Hokage-sama. Someday, I would like to live in a world without war, without bloodshed. You are right though, as long as people like you exist, true peace will never be achieved."

Itachi stood, calmly walking over to the unsuspecting Hokage's side. "Itachi… Sometimes I wonder, what would the world be like without people like me?"

Without batting an eyelid, itachi responded, "A better world."

Faster than the eye can see, Itachi drew his kunai and stabbed at the Hokage's skull.

For peace, I must endure.

AN: Thanks for reading, please Read and Review!

Jutsu used (all jutsu based on canon):

(Katon: Gouryuuka No Jutsu) - Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire
Rank: A
Type: offense
Range: Short-Mid
Description: After performing the needed hand seals, the user will expel dragon head fireballs at their opponent. These powerful fireballs can punch through concrete.

(Katon: Zukokku) - Fire Style: Intense Pain
Rank: A
Type: Offense
Range: Short/Mid

Description: A huge burst of fire that turns into a huge fireball and can cover a large area, burning all in its path.

(Katon: Hoenka) - Fire Style: Flame Flower
Rank: A
Type: Offense
Range: Short/Mid
Description: The user jumps in the air and shoots three giant bullets of fire that come down like giant meteors.