Hey guys, it's me again. With the extremely little free time I have lately (due to my exams) I was able to dig out just enough to submit this. I don't even have time to double check it so please forgive me any grammar or spelling mistakes in this one. Also, I'm afraid that the chances of the fourth chapter appearing before February are zero. Sorry, but collage really gives me a hard time lately.

I hope you'll enjoy this one (it was changed a bit due to some request from the reviewers). Here we go.

Disclaimer: I owe Naruto… an apology… and that's about everything I own in this case…

Chapter #3: Shadow Showdown

Chapter Cover: Naruto is playing fetch with a baby fox

Naruto, Hinata and their new companions reached the city that Naraku told them about around the evening. Here they were supposed to find his contact that had some information about Juusan Akuma. The city turned out to be one of the biggest the loud mouth ninja have seen so far: all the buildings were made out of white brick and here and there high towers could be spotted, giving an impression they were reaching the sky. A lot of decorations made the streets more colorful.

Tamao shyly explained, since they were now on Stone Country land, which was her home, that it was the time of a celebration: an anniversary of the day when the second Tsuchikage defeated the six-tailed demon, Kaku, who plundered the land few decades to the past. Hinata noticed that when she was telling them that story, she became a bit sad, yet decided not to alert anyone.

Under Tamao's advisement everyone took their headbands off. According to the former stone-nin, Earth Country wasn't too happy with shinobies since the Great War after Konoha destruction broke out.

"Earth Country suffered great damage after Orochimaru and his ninjas invaded the Iwa…" she explained, pausing from time to time. "Even though we were able to force them back, they still plunder the land and due to the lost of warriors we couldn't go after them. That's why our lord and the rest of the people became unfriendly with shinobies… just like that they forgot Nidaime's sacrifice and turned against us…"

They walked through the streets, earning death glares from some of the people who seemed to noticed who they were.

"Three rooms…" Naraku announced as they were renting rooms in one of the city's hotels. "Two with two beds each and one with three. We'll like to rent them for a week at best. How much will that be?"

The receptionist gave him the prize and the former leaf-nin picked out a small sack of golden coins, placing it on the table. The receptionist took the bag and gave him three keys.

"Okay, Naruto and I will take one room, since we're the only guys here…" announced Naraku, putting the first key in his pocket. "Kasumi, Hinako and Yari, you'll have the second…" with that he gave the green-head the key, making her blush slightly and hugging the 'gift' with a smile. Naraku's eye-brow went up but a second later he snapped out of it and turned to the remaining, shy girls: "Hinata-chan, Tamao-chan, you'll share the last room… hope that suits you…"

"It's o-okay… Naraku-kun" replied the blonde, taking the key from him. "R-right, Hinata-chan?" the white-eyed girl only nodded.

"I suggest we all have a goodnight rest" announced the former leaf-nin. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day…" and with that they all headed to their rooms.

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"Tamao-chan…" Hinata started the conversation once the two of them closed the door to their room. "May I… ask you something?" the blonde stared at her and then nodded hesitantly. "I… I'd like to know… why you decided to travel with Naraku-san and your, other companions…"

"When I joined him…" began Tamao slowly, trying to choose the right words. "He was still traveling alone… and about the question why I decided to accompany him… guess it's because he… he wanted me too…"

"He… wanted you too?" repeated the Hyuuga heiress. "I don't understand… why did that…"

"It's… complicated" announced the stone-nin, lowering her head. "And I'd prefer not to talk about it… c-could you let it go?" the white-eyed girl nodded, but still was curious about the reason for her roommate to travel with a missing-nin from the Leaf.

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"What the heck are you doing?" asked Naruto as he caught Naraku quietly walking through the hotel hallway away from their room. "Sneaking out in the middle of the night…"

"Keep it down…" hushed the brown-haired boy, turning around to face the blonde. "I'm just going to see that contact I told you about… alone…"

"Why?"

"He's not good at trusting people" replied Naraku. "He barely trusts me for that matter. How do you think he'll act when a whole group of shinobies will appear before him, demanding information about one of the most dangerous organizations out there? He'll freak out…"

"But you said it yourself that going alone when you're dealing with Juusan Akuma is dangerous" reminded the loud mouth. "At least allow me to go with you as back-up…"

"No! You're more needed here… I'm leaving everyone under your care until I get back, so don't fail my trust, Naruto. Besides, out of all of us I'm the one who has best chances at survival alone if Juusan Akuma appears. And more then that, I'd be their main target, so it's safer for everyone if I'll do this alone. But chill, I'm just going for some information, nothing should happen…"

"You're trusting me with everyone lives?" the blonde was a little confused. "You beat the crap out of me last time and it seems that those chicks you're traveling with believe they're stronger then me, so why…?"

"I'm not saying they're weak" interrupted Naraku. "But there's something in your eyes. Something I once had in mine… I know you'll protect them with all your strength… that's why I'm counting on you…" and with that he headed to the exit.

"Be careful…" Naruto called after him.

"I always am…" replied the brown-haired as a small smirk appeared on his face.

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The meeting place turned out to be an old bar made out of wood. As Naraku entered most of the people gathered inside glared at him. The inside was rather dark and the few, rusty chandeliers hanging above the ceiling were the only things that kept that place from turning into a black hole. The smell coming from the bar hit his nose and made him fight with himself in order not to threw-up.

Naraku looked around for few moments before he spotted the one from whom he was supposed to get information about Juusan Akuma. His contact turned out to be a man in his late thirties with black hair and a beard surrounding his mouth. He was wearing grey and white outfit, from which condition you could tell it saw better days.

The former leaf-nin walked over to the man's table and bowed slightly to the grown-up: "It's been quite a while, hasn't it… Daisuke-san?"

"Indeed it has, Naraku-san…" nodded the man without even getting up. He gestured the boy to sit down and so he did. Once the brown-haired did as asked, the man continued: "It is a great favor you ask of me, Naraku-san. I am grateful for what you did for me and my family, but I'm risking the lives of not only myself, but them as well…"

"I know and I thank you for it. I promise no-one will find out from who I got the information. That is why I left my companions behind… now, please tell me what you know…"

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"Why aren't you sleeping, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata as she entered the roof of the hotel they stopped in on which Naruto was sitting. "Bad dreams?"

"Yeah…" nodded the blonde. "I've been having them for a while now…"

"Don't worry… I can relate, coz I'm having the same dreams" with those words she sat down next to her crush. They both looked at the starry night sky. They kept quiet for few minutes, before she decided to break the silence: "Where's Naraku-kun? I've noticed he's not in your room. Did something happened?"

"Nothing important" assured Naruto. "He should return before morning…"

"That will be too late for you, however…" came a voice and as they turned around, they noticed a hooded man with shining, yellow eyes. "I don't recall any information about you two traveling with that Naraku guy, but that doesn't matter… you're still his companions and as such it is my duty to dispose of you…"

"Boy did you picked the wrong people…" announced the blonde with a smile. "I take it you have no idea how we are… allow me to introduce myself. My name is…"

"…Uzumaki Naruto!" came a voice from behind the hooded man and before he was able to turn around, he received a powerful punch in the face from another whisker-marks. The one who threw the hit, disappeared in the cloud of white smoke.

"I sensed you a while ago!" announced the real one as he jumped into the air with his kunai ready. "That's the reason why I came to the roof in the first place! And that's also why I left one of my clones to stay in the shadows and attack when you least expect it" and with that he stabbed the man in his chest.

Naruto jumped back to stand next to Hinata as the hooded man slowly got back to his feet. Surprisingly, he was laughing. "Very good…" he clapped his hands few times. "I see that I might have underestimated you… I do hope you know more tricks then that, because I couldn't find a real challenge in few years…" and with that his hood felt to the ground empty.

Hinata turned around instantly and aimed her palm at the man's chest, who was now standing behind them. The attack connected, however the figure changed into a shadow and a moment later disappeared in the darkness of the night.

"What the…?" began the blonde, shocked.

"Kumori Kessoku…" came a voice and as the two leaf-nins turned in the direction it came from, they saw a man with long, blonde hair, made into dreadlocks, with shining, yellow eyes and fang-like teeth in his mouth. He was wearing a black battle suit with an partial armor on it (A/N: hard for me to describe… but it's not that different from the battle suit of the Hokage's). What stunt the two the most though was the fact that he had a slashed headband on his forehead with the symbol of the Leaf. "It was my clans bloodline limit… now that I'm the last survival, I guess this ability is known only to me and Hinato-chan… since no-one else who saw it every got a chance to tell anyone about it…"

"Underestimating us is the biggest mistake you can do…" announced Naruto as he performed a quick set of hand seals. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" and before their eyes five blondes took the place of one.

"Sorry, but I'm not the type of guys who gets caught by the same trick twice…" announced the man, smiling as he began a chain of hand seals of his own.

"Funny… my old sensei used to say the same thing…" stated Naruto as his clones charged at the former leaf-nin.

But just then the dreadlock finished his jutsu and after calling out "Kumori Tsume!" a hand with sharp claws former itself out of the shadows and cut one of the clones, making it disappear in the cloud of white smoke.

The second clone threw a punch in the man's face, he did side-stepped in though and gave the bushin a hit in the back of it's head, dispelling it as well.

The third one aimed a kick in the man's head, but the former leaf-nin bended back, thus avoiding the hit. He wasn't able to dodge the kick of the fourth clone though, that connected with his back and send him flying into the sky a bit. That was enough for Naruto.

He came at the man from above with the Rasengan in his hand. Not being able to dodge in mid-air, the man performed a quick set of hand seals again. "Kumori Tanken!" and before the loud-mouth knew it tens of shadow daggers formed themselves around the man and flew right at him.

Being in the same situation as his opponent, the whisker-marks couldn't dodge and in an instant got pierced by the shadow daggers, which made him cry out in pain and dispel his technique. The man smirked under his nose as he was coming closer to the ground. His smirk disappeared instantly as the young shinobi disappeared in the cloud of white smoke.

"That was a bushin too?" his shining eyes widen as he looked back and saw that the real Naruto was waiting at him bellow, with another Rasengan. "So this was all a distraction so I wouldn't notice that the real attack will be coming from under. With wasting so much time on the Shadow Dagger I won't be able to perform another jutsu… that brat actually…" but before he could finish his phrase the roof under Naruto's feet exploded, sending the boy flying and making the man saved at the same time.

Naruto landed on his feet and instantly Hinata stood next to him, her Byakugan still activated. She was staring in front of them and as the blonde followed her sight, he noticed their female companions standing there, all with small bruises or cuts. The only one who was not harmed, was Tamao.

Further out front was a huge, black panther (A/N: the size of Gamabunta and Toramaru). And there, on the top of its head stood a girl who seemed to be just few years older then them. She had long, red hair and dark blue eyes. She wore a white t-shirt (A/N: once more Naruto's attention was drawn to the girls… wreck) with a black lotus on its back and blue pants. She had a slashed hitae-ate on her forehead with the symbol of Kumo Gakure.

"Dammit, I hit that thing with most of my kunais…" announced Kasumi as she stared at the large cat. "Why doesn't it dispel? It's a summoned beast, right?"

"There has to be some trick behind it…" replied Yari, who helped herself up with her spear. "And combined with her abilities, she's a really troublesome opponent…"

"Allow me to… I mean…" began Tamao, but she was instantly interrupted by Hinako:

"No, Tamao… you know it's too dangerous… besides, I haven't even used my bloodline yet…" and with that she took off her metal ring. "Alright sis, lets get this fight started!"

"Sis?" Hinata's eyes widen. "That red-haired girl is Hinako-san's sister?"

"I'm disappointed in you… Hanone" the red-head didn't even seemed to pay attention to the green-haired girl and turned to the blonde man. "I was hoping that you'd dispose of those two brats by now…"

"Forgive me, Hinato-chan…" begged the man jumping onto the cats head. "I underestimated that whisker-marks kid… but I see you got wounded…" with that he pointed at a small cut on her arm. "Which one o them did it? I'll rip her apart!"

"Chill, Hanone…" commended the girl and surprisingly to Naruto, the man listen immediately. "Those hags are a little better the I expected, that's all… but fun time is over" and as she said so a group of hooded man started to jump out of the shadows, surrounding Naruto and his companions. "As much as I'd love to be the one who kills you, sis, I must admit that it's Naraku who's are main target and we can afford wasting more chakra on weaklings like you… I'll see you in hell…"

Naruto and the girls stood back to back, surrounding Tamao. Hinata had her Byakugan activated, which allowed her to have a better look at the whole situation: "Around thirty shinobies…" she announced. "Five times more then us…"

"Six times…" corrected Kasumi. "Tamao will not fight…"

"Why?" demanded the blonde.

"Coz we say so!" replied Hinako with a harsh voice, but then added softly: "Naraku-sama forbid her too unless it's necessary… and it's not. But before all of this, I guess I own you an apology, pinhead: you seemed to take care of that Hanone guy by yourself and got out without a scratch when the three of us got a hard time with my sister… you're not as bad as I thought…"

"Told you so…" reminded Yari with a smile as she winked to the leaf-nin who was standing right next to her. "But for now we should concentrate on the battle… at the current situation I believe that holding back any more isn't the smartest thing to do…"

"Yeah…" nodded Kasumi as she put away her katana and reached out for a large scroll. "Let's show them how strong we really are…"

"Fine…" agreed Hinako as the metal ring she held in her hand suddenly got surrounded with electricity. "But leave my sister to me…"

"Deal…" replied Yari with a smirk, spinning her spear in her hand. "Hey, cutie…" with that she turned to Naruto and gain an angry glare from Hinata. "Now's the time you'll get to see our true strength, so you and your girlfriend can sit back and relax…"

"Like we'll let you have all the fun, right Hinata-chan?"

The girl only nodded and got to her fighting stance.

Hinako threw them a glare and smiled under her nose. "Naraku-sama, now I know what you meant… that blonde, he is so much like the old you… he even seem to have the same 'strength' as you… maybe he can do IT?" and with that she decided to speak up: "Do as you guys wish, just don't get in our way…"

"An old friend of mine used to say the same thing" announced Naruto. "And it always pissed me off…" and with that he jumped right at the hooded men.

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"That's all I know…" announced Daisuke as she slowly began to get up. "Hope it'll be helpful, Naraku-san…"

"It's more then enough…" assured the former leaf-nin as he got up as well. But then, suddenly, he turned around to the main entrance and after a short silence, he said to the man without even turning back to him: "You should go out by the back door… just in case…"

"I see…" nodded Daisuke. "Best of luck to you, Naraku-san…" and after a quick bow he disappeared in the crowd.

A boy in a black, fishnet shirt and a green waistcoat, with pineapple haircut just walked in the bar. He looked around and jumped back just in time to avoid the kick aimed at his head. He glared in the direction the attack came and stopped a certain brown-haired boy in his age with metal protectors on his hands and a shinobi headband on his forehead.

"A Leaf shinobi?" the pineapple boy asked, rising his eyebrow.

"Was…" replied Naraku shortly.

"A missing-nin then… if Konoha existed I guess it'd be my duty to take you back to the village, but at the current situation it's not only not required, but even not possible… I didn't came here to fight you…"

"Why are you here then?" questioned the other boy.

"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" sighed the fishnet guy. "It'd be troublesome, especially since I fought just yesterday…" but he prepared his kunai nonetheless.

"And you're not gonna surrender…" noticed Naraku. "Guess we'll just do it the old, fashioned way…"

And that's that for now. Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review once you're done.

Also, I planned to make a character profile on the OC's next time so if you want any, specific one to be describe, let me know. And if there are any info you believe that should be in the profile, also tell me and it'll be considered.

And lastly, sorry for a bit lame jutsu encyclopedia this time, but I really have little free time on my hands. I promise to describe all the jutsus mentioned bellow next time:

Kumori Kessoku (Shadow Unity)

Kumori Tsume (Shadow Claw)

Kumori Tanken (Shadow Dagger)

Okay, I should end this. Hope you enjoyed it and that you'll sacrifice some of your time to review. Take care and till the next time… hopefully.