Thanks for the reviews...I'm writing this story because the ideas keep coming… but I still think I need more reviews though. Naruto goes to war… and many battles wait him and friends.
Disclaimer: don't own naruto
X.X.X
Chapter16: for a rank?
The morning was beautiful despite the state of the Village Hidden in the Leafs. The incredible destruction and casualties was what made the days so depressing, to know how many would die or survive, to find out who and where was going attack. Anxiety. The simple feeling could lead you to death, the stronger you feel it the stronger you hold it; there's no escape unless you find whatever you need. That's the feeling most shinobi in the village had, the attack of Akatsuki and the war against Iwa was making them all anxious and with good reason.
The Akatsuki attack took a lot of shinobi out of service for a while and the constant attacks by war have left shinobi in bad shapes. People were putting their hopes on the chunins that have made three years ago a name for themselves. A few of them like Shikamaru Nara and Shino Aburame who had the level headed, brains and skill to make the missions successful, now more than ever because of the war. But one shinobi stood out of the expectant people and that was one Naruto Uzumaki, who in younger days has saved the village and its reputation. The boy who just right now was being a talk around the villager who hated him in childhood now had to thank him for saving them and the village.
"A beautiful day but… something's wrong" Naruto thought as he looked at the village's condition with a sad gaze. "I can't stand it… the feeling isn't going away" he thought and his eyes narrowed "It's not Akatsuki… maybe this war were in… speaking of that I need to ask Baa-chan" he turned around when he heard the doorknob turn.
"N-Naruto-kun?" a shy voice said as the door completely opened. Hinata Hyuuga walked in with baby-steps, she almost couldn't sleep last night after what Naruto asked her. Even if she almost never left the room when the boy of her dreams was unconscious now that he was awake she had trouble staying focused and now more than ever that he was on to her.
"Hinata-chan" Naruto greeted with a big smile "I wondered what happened to you… it's not healthy fainting everywhere you know" the blonde said waging a finger lightly scolding her "You can get hurt when you land" he said with concern.
"H-Hai N-Naruto-kun… I-I'm sorry" Hinata said poking her two index fingers and blushing. "Naruto-kun! Why are you out of bed?!" she exclaimed as she rushed to the blondes side still perplexed that the boy was out of bed like that after such a long and hard battle. Forgetting everything but the health of her love she approached him.
"Hinata-chan… you didn't stutter" Naruto said in amazement her voice even in panic was mesmerizing "You should talk like that more often" he said looking at the girl with a smile.
"W-What?" Hinata stuttered again after she realized what she did and were she was… close to him, enough to make her faint in delight and embarrassment. "I-I j-just…" she coldn't concentrate now that Naruto had brought it up.
"Aww… you did it again… I'm beginning to wander if you like me… by the way you never answered me yesterday because you fainted" Naruto said remembering the question he so innocently asked before she went out cold "Seriously I wonder"
"I-I-I-I…." Hinata was in full panic now "What should I do, nod that's a god option because I can't speak at all" she thought frantic and before she could slightly nod someone opened the door… Sakura.
"Hello Sakura-chan" Naruto said his voice cheery like always. He was surprised to see his teammate hugging him and he hugged her back slightly. The pasted and none of them saw the distraught face of Hinata before Sakura pulled back her arm and punched Naruto.
"You dumbass you had us all worried sick" Sakura said sobbing and her knees gave out "You… you fool… what do you think… I would do I you… were gone?" she asked in a soft teary voice. Hinata went by her side and was shocked to hear her question.
"Please… she can't… she couldn't have fallen in love with him" Hinata thought with panic, sadness and desperation.
"I'm sorry to have worried you Sakura-chan… but if I hadn't fought like that I would've been captured… and killed" Naruto said his voice soft but had a bit of steel as well which made the two kunoichi flinch never hearing him talk like that to his friends.
"I'm sorry I hit you Naruto but… I'm glad you're okay" Sakura said wiping her tears but kept on the ground. "Hinata you're here early" she stated a bit coldly and that went noticed by Naruto.
"W-Well I w-wanted to visit N-Naruto-kun b-before going to t-the mission" Hinata stated a bit fiercely not liking the tone of the kunoichi in front of her. The tension in the room was almost visable and even the dumb blonde could feel it.
"That's enough you two anymore tension and I would beg Baa-chan for a mission to get away" Naruto said lightly and chuckling trying to break the tension in the room.
"That can be arranged since you're out of bed… again" Tsunade said entering the room a bit irritated as she saw him. Sensing the tension in the room and the two kunoichi clearly irritated "What's going on here?" she asked wanting to confirm her suspicions.
"I-It's nothing H-Hokage-sama… I-I was just visiting N-Naruto-kun before the mission" Hinata said hurriedly as she started to go to the door "I-I guess I'll g-go now… g-get well N-Naruto-kun" she said with a small smile and left.
"Sakura" Tsunade said sternly as she looked at her apprentice with a scowl "What did you do now?" the blonde Hokage asked.
"M-Me!... nothing ma'am… just like she said visiting Naruto that's all" Sakura said in a frantic tone and sweat started to appear at her temple, the look both her teammate and master were giving her was a bit weird and scary.
"Don't lie Sakura-chan…you're angry with Hinata about something… why, is a mystery to me" Naruto said looking at her to shed some light in the problem.
"But to me it's not" Tsunade said "Sakura I know you wanted to treat Naruto but I needed you for worst cases since Naruto's wounds weren't live threaten" she said explaining and lecturing the girl "But you can't be mad at Hinata for that"
"I know is just that she…" Sakura started but it faded away and Naruto intervened.
"That's okay we'll talk about it later… Baa-chan you said something about a mission" Naruto stated looking at his leader/grandmother figure.
"Ah yes… Naruto after you're dispatch meet me in my office" Tsunade said not wanting to tell him in front of Sakura but apparently what she said was enough to worry the girl.
"Tsunade-sama! You're not sending Naruto on a mission this quickly are you?" Sakura asked disbelieve on her tone, her emerald eyes widened by the shocking news.
"Sakura-chan… we're in a war… everyone's help is needed" Naruto said slowly while nodding to Tsunade, he turned and began taking clothes out of the drawers "Hinata was kind enough to put these here a nurse said to me" he said smiling as he took out his black/orange suit.
"Come Sakura… there's people that need attending… and I need to talk to you" Tsunade said seriously as her apprentice nodded with a sad face.
Naruto looked at them all the way until they got out of the room and didn't miss the sad face his teammate made and the end. Could it be that Grandma was harsh on her or truly sad to be gone so soon of his side but he dismissed the last thought as foolish. Putting on his orange pants, he grabbed his necklace that he won over Tsunade and while putting on his fishnet shirtunder a black plain shirt he jumped as he heard a puff.
"I see you've made a speedy recovery… I told you nature chakra was good" a gruffly voice said behind him, turning around he saw Fukasaku with Shima (ma). "We came to tell you good job on fighting with Sage Mode and even managed to defeat several opponents with it… and its your first time using it on a real situation" the elder toad said with a proud smile.
"Indeed boy… you have surpassed all expectations… even managed to draw nature chakra at the end with that clone hiding" Shima said winking "I know for a fact that Jiraiya-chan would be proud" the mother toad said wiping a tear dramatically.
"T-Thanks" Naruto said his voice cracking. Hearing the high opinions of the two that trained his master and himself and they were saying that they were proud "I don't what to say except… thank you… I've learned a lot from you two" the blonde said smiling.
"Here Naruto-chan… I heard from Pa that in the fight the clothes I made suffered a lot of damage… so these are spares" Shima said handing Naruto a small scroll "The clothes are stored in there… if you want you can go to a tailor and they would make you the clothes… I don't last forever you know" she added with a chuckle.
"Thanks again… don't worry Pa, Ma… I'll get him next time" Naruto said with seriousness "But I have to visit Baa-chan… I think she has a mission for me" he said while the two elder toads nodded, waved and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Smiling, putting the scroll on his pocket and shouldering his orange/black jacket he went to the reception asking for help. The nurse almost had a fit seeing him out of bed but she calmed down when he told her that Tsunade herself told him he was ready to leave. Almost half an hour later he was exiting the door of the hospital and gasped… the destruction was worse than he'd seen from his window. Walking slowly he gaped at every detail of the destruction made indirectly by him… and he almost cried. This was his entire fault, if Akatsuki weren't coming for him than this wouldn't have happened. The deaths, the injured and the ones suffering… they didn't deserve this… not like this anyway. Sensing someone in front of him he lifted his gaze and almost cried again… his former sensei Iruka was smiling at him.
"Naruto… I glad you're alive and well" Iruka said hugging the blonde like a brother "You should hear the word on the destroyed streets hehe… the respect you're getting is amazing" he said proudly that the goofball that he taught was this powerful.
"I-I don't deserve that respect sensei" Naruto said sadly "All this happened because of me" he said gesturing the broken buildings and blood covered ground.
"It's not your fault Naruto… anyone would've tell on you but they didn't… we protected you until the last minute" Iruka said his face softening "Be proud Naruto that this village united because of you… ironic isn't it?" he said laughing.
"Why?" Naruto asked confused at his older brother figure
"You united this village in your childhood because they hated you… but now they united to protect you" Iruka said looking at the face of his former student as the realization sunk in his head.
"You're right…. Hahaha" Naruto said "Thanks Iruka-sensei I needed that… well see you around" he said waving at the scared chunin before jumping on the roofs for a quicker way to the Hokage's tower. "Thanks Iruka for making me realize that I need to get stronger still to protect them even more"
Making his way to the Hokage's tower he thought about the events concerning Hinata, one: she obviously needed to see a doctor or something because fainting every time is bad, right?, two: she was obviously hiding something, either from him or everybody but she was… and man was he curious.
"Now is not the time for thinking for that stuff" Naruto scolded himself mentally as he approached the tower. "But seriously… why was Sakura jealous about?... I mean she knows that I don't like her anymore" that thought kept drilling him and he did not like it.
Landing of the roof of the tower he saw a chunin squad team getting a scroll probably for a mission and vanished a second after that. Tsunade fixed her gaze at her fellow blonde that stood at the edge of the building and her features softened. Seeing the boy she called (on her own) a little brother out of the hospital gave her tremendous joy and she couldn't even begging how she feels when she sees that he's not captured.
"Naruto… I glad that you're good enough to get out of the hospital" Tsunade said with a smile "I'm going to tell you something… if it wasn't for the fact that at this moment we're low on shinobi I wouldn't send you to this mission… even less alone" she stated with the seriousness of a true Kage.
"Alone?" Naruto questioned confused "Is the situation that bad that you can't afford to give me a team?" he question again this time gazing at the blonde indignantly.
"Yes… the situation is bad… now your mission is to go to a village just at the border of the dessert of Wind Country and eliminate the threat" Tsunade said clearly leaving the details of said mission hanging.
"Okay… that village got attacked by how many Iwa shinobi?" Naruto asked gesturing her to proceed with the briefing.
"I didn't knoew you were sharp… the attacking enemy is composed of four elite jounin and twelve chunin… not much but enough to cause damage" Tsunade said with a frown "Suna deployed a single squad of jounin to rescue anyone they could but they need help since they are low on ninjas because of the war and missions" she told the blonde.
"Damn… that attack they suffered at the hands of Akatsuki and the traitor they han in the council hurt them a lot… I understand" Naruto said thinking "A jounin squad of Suna shinobi is beneficial but…" Tsuande cut him off.
"Your mission id to aid the Suna shinobi… but I want you to take down four peculiar people, their information is in this scroll" Tsunade said tossing him the scroll "You take down those individuals… and the rank of jounin is yours" she said smiling.
"J-Jounin?" Naruto asked perplexed "I can get a rank by doing a mission?" he said lifting an eyebrow in surprise.
"Not all the time… I had a meeting with the council and a few jounin of high caliber and they… agreed that if you did an S-rank mission and if it ended in success they would consider promoting you" Tsunade said her voice stern and serious but at the same time proud.
"I will accept the mission… the promoting thing can wait after I help those who need it" Naruto said with a smirk as he turned around "I can leave right?"
"Go… I need you there immediately" Tsunade added with a nod smirking as well "That kid… I'm amazed that he'd gotten so strong so quickly… you'd be proud Jiraiya" she thought looking at the retreating form of the blond loudmouth.
X.X.X
Kumogakure
"Raikage-sama I have terrible news" a Kumo shinobi said bowing at his leader "Word has spread of an attack against Konoha…" the shinobi was interrupted by the Kage.
"I know they're at war" the Raikage said in a bored tone but the face the shinobi had been hard to ignore.
"It wasn't Iwa… Akatsuki" the shinobi deadpanned and the reaction was instantaneous. The Raikage lifted himself from the chair with a shocked but angry expression on his face, his hand twitched like wanting to hit or break something.
"Akatsuki… give me a team and sent them to Konoha immediately…" the Raikage barked "so this is why she hasn't responded my letter" the Raikage thought and sat back down a bit too softly to the occupants of the room.
"That fool of Tsuchikage is stupid to realize that he's dooming the world by striking a war with Konoha" the Raikage's assistant said putting her hand on her forehead in exasperation.
"Yes… Akatsuki controlling the bijuu… the world could end" the Kumo leader said in a thoughtful tone "I hope you're okay brother"
X.X.X
Konohagakure
Naruto was in his apartment or what's left of it anyway looking for the necessary items for the mission he was about to embark. Naruto fastened his kunai holster, pouch, he grabbed his little belt with three pockets in it fastening it in his bicep and grabbed his sword and placed it on the back of his waist. Checking himself in the mirror he saw the magnificent clothing Shima-sama had made for him, the vest is what he like the most, completely orange except for a few black line running through the edges and shoulders.
Smiling and satisfied that everything was in place he headed for the door. Jumping down the apartment building he attracted a lot of stares, especially from the girls out side. He smiled a little awkward and kept walking slowly but with a hurry, he didn't trust the people in the village to a full after his childhood… he would fight for them but trust them… not too much. He froze when two girls appeared in front of him, the two neared eighteen years old, he smiled at them and was about to keep walking when hands stopped him from proceeding. What he saw shocked him… a little crowd of girls from the years twelve to twenty formed behind him.
"W-What can I do for you ladies" Naruto said a bit nervous scratching himself behind the head and grinning confused.
"Are you Naruto Uzumaki?" one girl asked a bit timidly, the others looked at him like he was something out of this world.
"Yes… what can I help you girls?" Naruto asked once again this time panicking from the inside "What do this girls want with me… I need to get going as well" he thought in desperation.
"You're the one that saved the village from the attack?" another girl asked more intrigued than the last and at this all of them inched closer.
"Um… yeah I guess you can say that" the blonde said and in that instant all the girls squealed and… jumped him, forming a 'dog pile' full of girls. "What the… I'm not complaining but this came out of nowhere… and they're squishing me… hehehehe" he thought and grinned as he felt… interesting things.
After all the ordeal and Naruto said that they were getting him to run late for a mission they let him go… for now. He grinned at all of them making the younger one stared at him dreamily while making the older ones lust for him, dusting himself he gaze at them once more.
"Well that was fun… I'm sorry I couldn't stay any longer ladies but I have a mission" Naruto said smiling at them "Why do the stare at me like that?" he asked himself mentally "Well wish me luck… and I'll see you all again sometime" he waved as they retreated for the meantime.
"That was weird… but a perfect scenario for the next Icha-Icha" the blonde thought with a perverted glint in his eyes "I've got it… a misunderstood guy… then save his home and having interesting people surround him… interesting females…and then the real fun begins hahahahaha" he thought the perverted grin still on face and his idea plastered but didn't realized his perverted laughter had been heard.
"Um… you okay Naruto?" asked a lazy voice from his side. Shakamaru walked calmly to the side of his blonde friend and almost backed away when he heard the laugh "That doesn't sound good… even less after what just occurred to him" he thought in misery when suddenly the blonde's head turned to see him.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto said excited and happy to see his friend looking healthy his perverted nature vanished in an instant "How are you?" he asked grinning not noticing that the genius of the Nara clan heard his laughter.
"Been better… how've you been" Shikamaru asked still in a lazy tone "Saving the village and all… how tha hell did you get so strong?" he asked clearly intrigued by the power he showed in that battle a few days ago
"Hehehe… that story is for another day Shikamaru" Naruto chuckled at the expression on the lazy genius face. "Like I said to the ladies I've got a mission of high importance"
"Right… never thought you'd pass the change to gloat" Shikamaru teased with a smirk looking at the now pouting boy "Well don't let me stop you… good luck"
"Thanks!" Naruto said running to the gates not wanting anymore distractions.
He took up to the roofs for a more… safer route that didn't involved being late even if he was the only one to go in the mission. Landing in front of the gates he saluted the guards and told them about his mission and let him pass, jumping rapidly through the woods he calculated (barely) that he would be in Suna sooner than expected.
X.X.X
Somewhere at the border of Ho no Kuni
Just walking in to the border gave the black haired boy memories of the old days when he had been naïve and weak. Being flanked by three of the best shinobi he could find the boy's eyes scanned the area, his senses on high, since Juugo told him about the recent attacks Konoha had been experiencing. A part of him suffered to hear that and another part angered at the thought of someone else taking his revenge. Sasuke Uchiha walked calmly but warily on the lands of his former home accompanied by Suigetsu who still mumbled about the loss of his sword, Karin who stared at him lustily and Juugo who looked peaceful in his new child look.
Taking a rest on a small clearing Sasuke saw the birds coming at the child form of Juugo and was slightly alerted when Juugo's eyes widened in shock.
"What is it Juugo?" Sasuke asked monotonously staring at the boy who saved his life back in the fight with the Eight-tailed Junchuuriki. The other alerted as well by the look on the child's face.
"K-Konoha was almost destroyed… the birds say people with dark cloaks with red designs…" Juugo said in a small shocked tone and looked at the face of the Uchiha.
"What!?" Sasuke thought in shock "Akatsuki attacking Konoha out of the sudden and almost destroying it?" he was clearly angry and the others backed away slightly.
"That's not all Sasuke… the birds say a blonde shinobi with amazing chakra almost killed the attackers but they fled" Juugo ended informing the Uchiha who was getting more surprises each minute.
"Hn… that could bee Naruto… but how?" Sasuke whispered to himself, suddenly a figure appeared on a branch above them. The anger that was radiating was enormous and everyone that felt it got paralyzed.
"So this is where you're headed… but you failed your assignment… Sasuke" a shrill cold voice was heard, the voice put them on high alert… not even Orochimaru had such killing intent. Team Hawk had the strength to turn around and were shocked to see a swirling black/orange mask glaring at them.
X.X.X
The Woods
He was making good time, the village that was attacked was a bit north almost at the border between Iwa and Suna. He was thankful to his new speed because he was almost a day away from the border of Suna, in a few hours he was going to be exactly a day away. Suddenly he saw movement ahead over twenty kilometers and he sprang to hide in the branches of a tree. He was shocked… a battalion on Iwa shinobi was heading somewhere and he presumed they were going to the village. His mind was racing, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against that many shinobi even with his new found skills, the only way was to tell the Hokage to send Anbu. Making his decision he was about to move when he felt someone behind him and… TWUAK.
"Damn Leaf shinobi" one shinobi said as his punch was evaded, he was about to let the other know about the intruder when he felt a pressure on his neck.
"That was close… but I wonder being so weak… who he spotted me" Naruto thought but knew he was in trouble when he saw three more ninjas heading his way. "How?" he kept thinking when he saw a seal on the trunk of a tree "Sensory seals?... so that's how"
Seeing the enemy shinobi coming at him he acted. Grabbing his knuckle blades he sprang to them and landed in front of them so quickly they didn't have a chance defending themselves properly. Knowing that was too easy he sensed eight signatures coming rapidly; he sensed the ground sake and jumped when it erupted. Making some seals he faced an incoming Fireball and used Kawamiri to evade it. Making some signs he whispered "Wind style: Slicing Wind" a huge sharp gust of wind went to the shinobi's cutting down the trees and possibly a few of their numbers. Feeling something was wrong he figures out almost too late that the tree was about to explode.
"Lightning?" Naruto thought as he saw the splinters flying everywhere. He felt two shinobi behing him and he ducked to dodge the two swords that meant to kill him. Grabbing them by the legs he pushes them down and before any of them could retaliate he appeared and kicked both of them to the ground hard. Landing he saw another shinobi this time with lightning sparks around his hands, dodging them in a quick succession he made a few seals and was surprise to hear the yell "Lightning style: Shockwave" just like the chidori Sasuke once did around his body but the sparks kept expanding and pushed Naruto back making him crash in a pile of trees on the ground.
Naruto was in adaze and almost screamed when he saw four rock boulders coming at him, noticing he couldn't move in time he decided to wait for the pain. The four boulders crashed at the spot where the blonde genin was and the Iwa shinobi smirked at the obvious defeat. The shinobi's took a good look around and saw a few of their shinobi unconscious on the ground and cursed, they were about to tell the rest of the troops about the Konoha ninja when hell broke loose.
Naruto erupted from the ground in front of the ninja that made the shockwave with a hand covered in wind chakra and plunged it in the man's chest killing him instantly. The other shinobi's were in shock at the quick events, Naruto pushed the corpse violently to the ground and went to a series of hand-seals "Wind style: Great Breakthrough" and a massive gust of wind picked up. The Iwa shinobi had to fight with the violent winds but suddenly… "Earth style: Earth prison" the voice came out of nowhere and the ground lifted itself around Naruto imprisoning him with out escape.
"Hehehe… die Leaf scum" a shinobi said coming from above with atleast seven more ninjas, putting his hand on the dome prison he channeled some chakra and smirked "Fool Leaf ninja… you'll die… I'll summon spikes inside the prison and you can't escape" but at the moment the shinobi heard the spikes connecting with the body inside… the prison exploded.
The shinobi that were on top of the dome prison were unconscious and the one that made the prison was getting up slowly, it seems the explosion made him disoriented and had a few bruises. The other shinobi were on high alert trying to sense anymore enemies around in the perimeter.
"Dammit we're surrounded" one shinobi said panicked while another corrected him.
"No… they have identical chakras… maybe clones" another one said his eyes closed.
Behind a thick branch a panting blonde shinobi laid resting, looking down he could se the shinobi's trying to sense him but he had a cloaking jutsu from the greatest shinobi ever. Gazing to his sides he sensed the clones and sent a mental command to take out eight kunai's each, having only twenty clones because he was trying to save chakra he ordered ten having paper bombs in their kunai's while the other ten don't. Giving the other command he waited a bit but saw the concentrating Iwa shinobni point out where his clones were and gave the order. The ten clones that had the explosives caused chaos; the constant explosion was going to make the rock ninjas lives miserable.
"Well the plan was on the fly… the clones would throw the explosives and while the enemy dodged them the other one that didn't had explosives took'em down silently" Naruto thought on his plan while he jumped from branch to branch to get away from the as possible. After almost a quarter of a mile he landed and hid on some bushes, taking a kunai he sliced his finger and made the necessary hand-seal to summon.
A communication toad appeared and saw that his summoner was writing something on a piece of paper. "Okay… I want you to take this to Tsunade" Naruto said to the toad while the same nodded "After you take this to her… I want you to talk to the Kazekage and tell him I would be a bit late since a battalion appeared in the road… GO!" he exclaimed and the frog saluted and vanished.
"I need a team… I need Anbu to stay here and battle this battalion and at least drive them away… while I go do my original mission" Naruto whispered as he shifted on his position and the dark thought loomed over his head. Konoha had to stop this war at all cost and he was going to see if Jiraiya's spy network could lend a hand.
X.X.X
YES! how did you guys liked that... I was a bit merciful at the destruction of Konoha... DID YOU GUYS SAW WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MANGA!!!! DUDE!!! serious comparison with dbz but at least it wasn't the whole village. REVIEW PLZ (need inspiration)
next: calling and arriving
