Chapter 5: The Storm's Sensei

Kurenai lead the shaken form of Hinata out of the arena, her arms draped protectively around her student. Naruto watched them leave, his demeanor tense as he moved towards the stares.

"Naruto-kun, you may remain down here," Sarutobi called, his own brown eyes glaring at the smug form of Uzumaki Taro, who had merely smirked at the blond jinchuuriki's declaration. "The preliminaries are over, so its time to explain the final test."

Naruto nodded, walking forward as the rest of the remaining genin assembled. Sasuke stood next to him, frowning at his cousin.

"I think I'm beginning to understand why you don't like them, dobe," the Uchiha boy muttered as the Hokage and the three proctors walked forward. Naruto merely grunted in response.

"Now that we have narrowed the field down," Sarutobi spoke up, catching the attention of the 10 remaining Chuunin hopefuls, "Your final exam will be…just like this one." At their confusion, the aged leader smiled. "Simply put, the final exam is a tournament in front of the entire village, as well as the Fire Lord, other visiting dignitaries, as well as the Kazekage and myself." He motioned to Anko, who walked forward carrying a box. "Now, Anko-san will have you draw a number from this box…"

"This will allow us to determine which match you're going to fight in," she smirked, "Sorry, but there's no trading of numbers, and no re-picks. You get what you get."

She stopped in front of Naruto. "Since you seem so eager, gakI," she chuckled, even as he gave her a dark look, "Why don't you draw first?"

The orange clad boy nodded, reaching into the box and shuffling the papers inside around a few times before pulling a slip from the container. Anko nodded, the proceded down the line.

"Hey, Hokage-sama?" Shikamaru spoke up, after he had drawn his lot, "You said this is going to be a tournament, right? That means there can only be one winner at the end."

"Correct, Shikamaru-kun," Sarutobi replied.

"Does that mean only one of us can become Chuunin?" he asked.

"Not at cough cough all," Hayate spoke up as Anko finished the number drawing, "We cough gage your potential cough cough throughout the exam. Your performance cough cough cough will determine if you advance."

"Hayate is correct," Sarutobi continued, "Indeed, even those who were eliminated here today could be promoted…and conversely, even those who advance here today could be denied promotion."

The blond Suna-nin Temari frowned. I better get promoted after all this, she thought, My father's plans be buggered, I've EARNED the right!

Sarutobi nodded to Ibiki, who walked forward with a clip board. "Now, kids," he grumbled, "Tell me which number you drew, and I'll show you which match you'll have." His scarred face twisted into a grotesque grin, startling some of the remaining hopefuls.

"I got one," Naruto muttered.

"Four," Sasuke continued.

"Five," Temari grumbled.

"Six," Shino replied.

"Three," Gaara whispered,

"Two," Taro yawned.

"Ten," Kankuro smirked.

"Eight," Shikamaru said.

"Nine," Neji frowned.

"Seven?" Tenten questioned.

Ibiki nodded, jotting the information down on the paper. "Good," he growled out, "Now, here are your matches for the Chuunin Exam Finals." He turned the clip board towards them, showing off the elimination style matches.

Naruto grinned when he saw the arrangement.

Uzumaki Naruto vs. Uzumaki Taro

Uchiha Sasuke vs. Sabaku no Gaara

Sabaku no Temari vs. Aburame Shino

Tenkawa Tenten vs. Nara Shikamaru

Hyuuga Neji vs. Sabaku no Kankuro

Taro right off the bat, huh? the blond boy thought gleefully, I couldn't have asked for more!

"Now, I must inform you that the exam will not be held immediately," Sarutobi spoke, jarring Naruto from his thoughts, "The finals will take place one month from now. As you have seen, much was revealed during this preliminary. While the main purpose of this…break…is to allow the dignitaries time to arrive, it also serves as a time of training and recuperation for you all. Use it wisely."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other, nodding, before rushing up to Sakura and Kakashi.

The silver haired jounin sighed. Naruto will need training in order to combat Taro, he thought, But Sasuke's opponent…with the curse mark to contend with, he needs extra attention. He frowned beneath his mask. Damnit, how can I solve this?

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, as her teammates made their way towards them, "Sasuke-kun…and Naruto too…how can we help them?" The masked genin stared at his pink haired pupil. "That Taro guy…he needs to go down. Naruto will need help…but Sasuke-kun's opponent…"

"I know," he replied.

The pink haired girl sighed. The situation didn't seem good.

oOoOoOo

Jiraiya smirked as his sensei eased himself into his chair. "Looks like that lumbago is catching up to you, old man," the white haired sage chuckled, "I told you you should get more vitamins in your diet."

Sarutobi gave his former pupil a withering look. "Now is not the time for your 'advice', Jiraiya," he gritted, "We both know why I called you here."

"I heard about the Uchiha boy's mark from Anko," the sannin replied, "A double layered containment seal should be enough to contain it. If the boy could get back up after such a severe trauma, he's got some strength of will."

"Strength of will, or desire for revenge?" Sarutobi replied, "His desire to be strong for himself is guided mostly because of what Itachi did. Power is what he wants…and people will often sacrifice that they would least want to for lesser things."

The toad sage frowned. "I don't think another seal will really help at this point," he answered, "The best that can be done is to give him the training needed to match Itachi. While I wouldn't normally recommend it, ANBU training would do the trick."

Sarutobi frowned. "I'd prefer to avoid that option," he muttered, "I won't have another child, even if he or she is a full fledged ninja, go through that hellish training ever again. Danzo can gripe all he wants…I won't turn children into weapons."

A chuunin stuck his head in the door, getting the occupents attention. "Hokage-sama," he greeted, "Jiraiya-sama. Hatake-san and his genin team are here to speak with you."

Sarutobi smiled. "Well, I think I may have another task for you then, Jiraiya," he chuckled, "Send them in, Izuru."

The chuunin nodded, and the quartet of team seven entered the room.

"Oi, jiji! We gotta talk!" Naruto called out, earning a bop on the head from Sakura.

"Naruto! Show him respect!" she growled.

Heh heh, jiji, I love it! her inner-self chuckled.

"Maa, maa, calm down you two," the cycloptic jounin muttered, waving his hands. "We came here for a reason."

"Hmmph," Sasuke grunted, mildly amused by his teammates actions.

"I'm gussing it has to do with the match-ups," the Hokage questioned. At the trio's nod, he sighed. "The matches can't be changed, unfortunately."

"I don't want them changed!" Naruto growled out, "I want Taro! He needs to pay for what he did to Hinata!"

Sakura nodded, her face set into a scowl. "What he did was insulting to all kunoichi," she spoke up, "It took all Ino and I had not to castrate him right then and there!"

Sasuke frowned. "What was his problem, anyway?" he muttered, "He went after Hinata like it was a personal grudge or something."

Strangely enough, it was Jiraiya who replied. "In a way it was," he said, "The Uzumaki clan and the Hyuuga clan have been enemies for generations." The white haired sage turned to Naruto. "I'm surprised you have a problem with it, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto growled. "And why's that, ugly?" he replied.

Jiraiya was about to respond when Sarutobi interrupted. "Jiraiya, you don't know, do you?" he asked.

Naruto shot a glare at the white haired ninja, while said nin turned to the seated kage. "Know what, sensei?" he asked, "He should know about the grudge. Kagura would have taught him all about it."

Everyone stiffened as a surge in killer intent filled the room. Jiraiya shot a glance at the blond, frowning as he saw the boy struggling with his chakra.

"Naruto, calm down," Kakashi muttered, putting a comforting hand on the blond's shoulder.

Sakura glared at the white haired man. "You're Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin, aren't you?" she asked. At the man's nod, she continued, "Shouldn't you know almost everything that goes on in this village? You must have heard about Naruto being left behind eight years ago!"

Jiraiya's jaw dropped. "What…did you say, young lady?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"They abandoned me," Naruto spoke up, even as Kakashi and Sasuke both tried to calm him down, "The entire clan took off to the capital, leaving me here to rot. I'm basically a ronin…I don't have a clan."

Jiraiya felt his heart break a small bit at the bitter acceptance in the boy's tone. At the same time, he couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the idea that Kagura would abandon her child.

He turned a glare to Sarutobi. "Why wasn't I told, old man?" he muttered.

"You are still technically a member of the Uzuki branch of the Uzumaki clan, Jiraiya," Sarutobi replied, "I can't bypass clan laws, and the laws state that only the Uzumaki can inform the Uzuki of such news. My powers as Hokage, despite being the military leader of our country, do not extend into the civilian realm. If they did, I would have abolished the Caged Bird seal on the branch house of the Hyuuga."

The toad sannin frowned again, before turning to Kakashi. I needed to see the boy anyway, he thought, Maybe this will work out after all. "Kakashi, what did you come here for to start with, anyway?" he asked.

"We know something is off about Sabaku no Gaara," he replied, "Sasuke need's special training to properly handle this match…but I don't want to abandon my other two students. Sakura might not be going into the finals, but she needs training nevertheless, and Naruto is going up against Uzumaki Taro."

Jiraiya smirked. "That arrogant little twerp?" he muttered.

"He may be arrogant, but he has the skills to back them up," Sakura growled, "Those moves he used…"

"Uzumaki Ryu Kossapo," Jiraiya muttered, "Its traditionally split into two branches; Hyogi, or open skills, and Eigi, or shadow skills. It was developed a few generations back to combat the Hyuuga jyuken…they were pissed when we basically made one of their techniques our own."

Sasuke grunted. "That 'haken' punch," he muttered, "He used it to counter Hinata-san's offensive…and to rip her clothes off."

Jiraiya frowned. "What did he do?"

Naruto growled. "He insulted her, shredded her clothes," he replied, "Then, after kicking her while she was down…he put his foot on her chest."

Jiraiya spat on the floor. "That punk," he said, the anger in his voice obvious, "For a clan heir, he certainly doesn't get the political hornets nest he just stirred up." He shook his head. "Anyway, back to the what you needed, Kakashi."

"Hmmm?" the jounin grunted.

"For your kunoichi here? Huh, send her to Anko or Yuugao-chan," the sannin ordered, "Better yet, both. Yuugao for genjutsu and taijutsu, and Anko for weapons and 'special' training."

Sakura did not like the sound of 'special training'. She especially didn't like the idea of her trainer being a woman who scared even NARUTO.

"Oi, Sakura-chan, don't worry," Naruto smiled, "Even if that creepy examiner lady is there, Yuugao-neechan is really cool! You'll get super strong with her!"

That was enough to firm the pink haired girls resolve. "Okay," she replied.

Kakashi smiled. Hmm, maybe Anko-chan can teach her about those 'special' poisons she has, he thought, barely keeping the giggle inside.

"Now, Kakashi," Jiraiya continued, "What were you planning on teaching the Uchiha here?"

Sasuke did not like being discussed like he was an object.

"Well, speed for sure," Kakashi replied, "His Sharingan needs some fine-tuning as well. As for how to beat that Gaara kid? Well…there's probably only one way."

Jiraiya frowned. "The Chidori?" At Kakashi's nod, he sighed, then turned to Sasuke. "Alright punk," he grumbled, while Sasuke growled at the insult, "Listen up. Kakashi is going to teach you a jutsu that by all rights NO genin should EVER LEARN. Its powerful, and given what my old teammate put on your neck…exactly the kind of thing he'd want you to learn."

Sasuke's arm shot up to his shoulder.

"Yeah, Orochimaru would love for you to learn that," the sannin continued, "So listen up. Even if you learn that jutsu, you won't be a match for Itachi."

Who's Itachi? Sakura and Naruto both wondered, while Sasuke growled.

"You need a few more years before you can hope to match him," the sage went on, "Especially if the rumors I've been hearing are true…but that's for another time."

Naruto was hopping up and down, partially in anger and partially in nervousness. "So what about me, then?" he asked, "I need training too!"

"That's were I'll come in," the white haired man grinned, "Uzuki Jiraiya, member of the Sannin, and your new sensei."

oOoOoOo

If there was one place that Hinata could honestly say she hated, it was this room.

If there was one group of people she could honestly hate…it would be this group.

The Hyuuga council of elders stared at her from their raised dais in the central hall of the clan complex. The group of five - four main house members and one branch - looked at her with impassive eyes.

Hinata knew what they truly thought though…

"Explain to us, please, Hinata-sama," the branch house member, Ikaru, muttered, "Why was it that you lost to the Uzumaki heir?"

Hinata barely kept her face neutral at the callous question. Though the medical corps had treated the bruise, she could still feel the phantom ache in her breast. It was one thing to be humiliated by having her clothes destroyed in public, the academy courses on kunoichi combat had somewhat prepared her for it, even if it was a jarring experience.

Having had his foot pressing down on her was both painful…and degrading.

"I c-can offer no exscuse, Ikaru-san," she muttered, keeping her eyes on the floor. Off to the side of the room, her sister Hanabi stood with her father. Hinata wondered if her sibling understood just how angry the elders were, and if she was enjoying the thought of her elder sister getting punished.

"There is hardly a need for excuses, Ikaru-san," the only woman on in the group spoke, "I read the report from her jounin sensei, and it appears that the boy simply had her beat on taijutsu. We all know what the Uzumaki Ryu is capable of."

"Be that as it may, Shiori-sama," Ikaru replied, "Hinata-sama is the clan heiress. How can the village respect us if our own heiress is stripped and beaten by another clan heir? How could the Fire Lord respect us?"

Hyuuga Shiori was a hardened woman. She had been a part of Sarutobi's genin class, and was hailed, in her prime, as a taijutsu mistress of supreme caliber, as well as possessing a level of chakra controll that most medic nins would kill for. It was said that she even tutored the sannin Tsunade on both control and taijutsu.

The elderly woman had seen much, and she had played the political game longer than most. She knew exactly what Ikaru was trying to do.

"I think that we could turn this to our advantage," she replied, "While the Uzumaki are the 'body-guards' for the Daimyo, they have to show a certain level of…decorum. Even to their enemies."

Hinata frowned as she listened to the woman's words. She wants something, the blue haired girl wondered, But what?

"Uzumaki Taro's actions show a remarkable lack of maturity," she continued, "While his skills are likely without question, his choice to embarrass Hinata-chan here has given us a chance to make them all pay."

"I'm curious as to how that could be accomplished, Shiori-san," another of the elders asked.

"Hinata-chan, do you recall the technique used by the Uzumaki boy when he shredded your jacket?" the white haired woman asked.

"Y-yes, Shiori-sama," she muttered, "It s-seemed l-like an or-ordinary punch, but…"

"It acted like a vacuum, first pulling forward, then shoving you away," her father spoke up, finally walking forward. Her sister followed, and the pair knelt next too her, both touching their heads to the floor.

"Y-yes, that is correct," she stuttered, surprised that he would actually speak to her in such a setting.

"The 'Haken' technique," Ikaru spat, shocking the two children with his vulgar display, "A blatant thumb to our eyes."

"Ikaru-sama?" Hinata asked.

"The 'Haken' is a…copy, in a sense, of one of our style's more advanced techniques," another elder spoke, "The original technique, the Hakke Kusho, is still considered to be the more elegant version, but the Uzumaki clan has it beaten in raw power."

"Hinata-chan, how did you feel about the Uzumaki boy's words?" Shiori continued, "You are a member of the strongest clan in Konoha…did his words strike you? Did they burn in your ears?"

Hinata frowned, then raised her head to gaze directly into the matron's eyes. "I…I hated them," she whispered, "I…I have…always t-tried to see the good in people." Her thoughts drifted to Naruto, how he had given up his jacket to cover the Uzuki girl's body, and how he had given his own shirt to cover her embarrassment. "I…saw no goodness in Uzumaki Taro. He…he is a monster."

Ikaru nodded. "Like his whole clan, an arrogant waste of…"

"You are wrong, Ikaru-sama," Hinata interrupted.

If anyone was more startled at the shy girl's interruption, it would have been her own father. Hinata… he wondered, inwardly gaping at the girl, while his face remained neutral.

"…Wrong?" Ikaru stuttered, "What do you mean, Hinata-sama? You yourself said that the other members of his team were arrogant and malicious…"

"I was not talking about them either, Ikaru-sama," the girl interrupted again, this time earning obvious looks of surprise from the elders.

Big sister is different now, was the only thought the young Hanabi could materialize.

"If not them, then whom were you speaking of, Hinata-chan?" Shiori asked. She already had a fairly good idea, and she found herself liking the possibilities it presented.

"Uzumaki…Naruto," she small girl replied.

"That little…!" Ikaru stuttered, only to stop himself as Shiori's hand appeared near his heart, a faint blue glow of chakra outlining her finger tips.

"Keep your tone, Ikaru-kun," the elderly woman muttered, "And remember the law."

Hinata snapped her eyes to the old woman. Law…what law? she wondered. It was not the first time she had heard of something regarding a 'law' around Naruto, and now it seemed VERY important.

"He has always been kind," she replied, "I…have watched him for a long time. H-he…has suffered, but he n-never gives up." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves again. Talking to the elders like this was…exhausting, for some reason. "His…pr-pranks are not malicious, and h-he's very hard working."

Hiashi found himself nodding. While he had never had any true personal contact with the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, he had seen the boy practicing on his own many times.

The boy was a ruffian, and his skills were questionable at best, completely ridiculous at worst - but his drive to succeed had no equal.

The Hyuuga leader actually admired that in the boy. And now I see, he thought, staring at his eldest child, That is something you admire in him too, isn't it Hinata?

"For the longest time…I wanted to be like him," the girl kept on, shocking the male elders and her sister, while Shiori and Hiashi looked on. "H-he has…strength, not just of the body…but of the heart. He s-stumbles, and he falls…but he always gets up again."

"Big sister…" Hanabi whispered, staring at the girl with something akin to…awe.

"Now…I see that he has done all this, even though his clan abandoned him!" Hinata actually growled at this, earning a small squeak from Hanabi. "We are…a divided house, because of that horrible mark that rests on your brow, Ikaru-sama."

The Branch Elder frowned, his hand instinctively moving to his covered forehead.

"But no matter what…we do not abandon our own," Hinata continued, "We may not act like it…but I KNOW that we all love each member of this clan! We all want to be a real family again!"

Shiori saw the unshed tears in the girls eyes. You just may be the one, she thought, I wonder if you could handle the training…

"I miss Neji-nisan," the girl muttered, "I want my brother back! I don't want to be a weakling anymore! I want…"

"You want Uzumaki Naruto," Shiori interrupted, shocking everyone and earning a squeak and a flushed face from the clan heiress. The old woman smiled. "I too have seen him in the streets, Hinata-chan. I can't say as I understand the…attraction," she grinned as the girl squeaked again, "But I can see that he has inspired you."

Hiashi looked at his daughter. "You would have gone to seek training, but not from us, wouldn't have you?" he asked, "You were afraid we would toss you aside."

Hinata's lips trembled, and she turned a hot gaze to her father. "But you did toss me aside!" she whispered, her voice too choked up to shout, "I was there! I heard what you said to Kurenai-sensei!"

Hiashi frowned. He had been frustrated that day, after a rather disappointing sparing session between his two daughters. What did I do to you, Hinata? he wondered.

"I know I'm not very good at jyuken," the small girl continued, firming her voice and holding back the tears, "Neji-nisan is far better than I will ever be, and Hanabi-chan has the potential to surpass him." Everyone was shocked at her open admittance of her shortcoming, and her sister frowned.

"But you never fight me seriously, big sister!" the seven year old spoke up.

Hinata bowed her head. "I can't," she replied.

Hiashi frowned. "Why not, Hinata?" he asked, the elders all wondering the same thing. "You have the potential to become good in the style, yet you refuse to use it against an opponent?"

"I do not hesitate against enemies," Hinata replied, "But against her?" She pointed at the darker haired girl. "Tell me you don't see it, father. Tell me you can't see her face!"

Shiori nodded. "The resemblance," she muttered.

If it were possible for white eyes to light up in understanding, Hiashi's would have glowed like the sun at that moment.

"Resam-blunce?" Hanabi asked, earning a quiet chuckle from two of the elders.

How cute, Shiori grinned.

"I see," Hiashi muttered, "You won't fight her…because of how much she looks like Shikuko."

Hanabi looked over as Hinata nodded. Her sister looked at her, and said something she'd never forget.

"I couldn't possibly hurt you, Hanabi-chan," she said, "You look so much like our mother…it just doesn't feel right."

The smaller Hyuuga girl had never known her mother; Hinata's birth had been difficult, and Hanabi's had been fatal. She had desperately wanted to know the woman who had brought her into the world, but no one would speak to her.

"I…look like momma?" she whispered.

"Very much so," Hiashi spoke, "Your mother had the same hair as Hinata, but face wise? You are the exacting image of her."

Hanabi felt tears brewing in her eyes, and she tried to keep them at bay. She was denied the chance, however, when Hinata wrapped her arms around her.

"Hinata-chan is right," Shiori muttered, as the two girls comforted each other, "For too long this clan has been torn in two. We lost Hizashi because of this mess. I lost my daughter to the seal. We need to change."

"How?" Ikaru asked.

"We start with Hinata," she replied, "And we finish…with Uzumaki Naruto."

The other three elders nodded, and the older woman stood up. "Hyuuga Hinata," she spoke, getting the sniffling girl's attention, "I am personally going to train you for the next few weeks. You are going to become strong…strong enough to even win Naruto-san's attention."

"Sh-Shiori-sama…" Hinata stuttered.

"And the first thing we're going to do," the Hyuuga matron frowned, "Is get rid of that damn stutter."

oOoOoOo

She wasn't sure what he wanted to speak with her about, but Kin knew better than not to answer -even in the hospital- when Orochimaru called her.

It was a complex jutsu, but one at all shinobi of Otogakure were required to learn. Her hands moved quickly into the seal sequence, her chakra flowing as the seals moulded it.

Inu, saru, ryu, tori, hebi, tora, hebi. "Ninpou: Enkaku Oto, Hitoshirezu Dengon." (1)

The jutsu worked two ways; it muted all sound around and from the user, attuning the person's voice to another's chakra signature, while at the same time, it attuned the users ears to the other person's voice, amplifying their sensitivity so the other voice could be heard even over great distance.

It was an excellent spying technique…and an horrible torture technique as well.

"Kin-chan…I am disappointed in your team's performance," the cool voice of her 'leader' echoed throughout her ears, "I was expecting the Uzumaki team to be…far more dirtied than they were. It looked almost as if you didn't…even…try."

"My apologies, Orochimaru-sama," she whispered, "We did confront them, but decided it was best to not go too far. I felt that, as the other one…"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE OTHER ONE!" the voice roared, causing the girl to cringe in pain. Her hands instinctively covered her ears in a vain attempt to block the voice. "The point is that you were to gauge their abilities, yet I received no report! Why did you not report on the groups skills?"

"My lord, we didn't really see much of their skills," she whispered back, trying to keep the whimper of pain from entering her voice. "We only really learned of the sword wielders blade, not his 'dances' or anything else. The Uzuki girl…"

"The Uzuki do not concern me, Kin!" the snake sannin hissed, "I know all about them, and they are not worth my attention, not even my old 'teammate' Jiraiya. I have progressed further than anyone can realize."

"Orochimaru-sama, I can beat them!" she whispered, "I admit, I was uprepared for that Suna kunoichi, but the Uzumaki heir I can match! I could have beat that Suna girl as well, if I hadn't miscalculated the force of her fuuton…"

"Excuses, Kin," he replied, a low hiss through the jutsu causing her to shiver in fear, "Zaku, Dosu, Yoroi, and Musumi have served their purposes. You might yet be useful…"

"My lord?" she asked, "W-what would you have…"

"Prove your worth to me, Kin," he muttered, a dark tone to his voice, "Find the one called Naruto…and eliminate him."

"…why my lord? Is he truly…" she started to ask, only to cry out as a loud roar filled her ears, her head pounding from the intense agony.

"BECAUSE I ORDER IT, YOU FOOLISH GIRL!" he hissed, "Complete this assignment, and you will be rewarded greatly…I might even give you personal training enough to join Tayuya-chan and Karin-chan as members of my elite. Fail, however…and I'll teach you such exquisite ways of pain that you will beg for death!"

The dark haired girl shivered in fear at the thought. Orochimaru required all his ninja to watch interrogations…she had been sick for days after her turn had come.

The man was a sick, twisted, and sadistic genius…and he was creative at causing pain.

"I…will obey, Orochimaru-sama," she whispered.

"Do not fail, Kin-chan," the final whisper came, taunting her with its mocking sense of affection. She broke the jutsu, just as a nurse walked into the room.

"You're free to go, Tsuchi-san," she muttered, "Your back is going to be tender for another day or so, but otherwise you're in perfect health."

"Thank you," the dark haired girl replied, shrugging off the hospital gown and reaching for her camouflaged cargo pants, slipping them over her lithe legs and cinching the belt around her waste. She adjusted her black panties slightly from the outside of her pants, before reaching for her bandage role and beginning the process of binding her chest. She wasn't as…stacked…as Karin or Tayuya, but she had slightly more than a handful, and she was quite content with it. In actuality she honestly thought her legs were her best feature, even if her choice of clothing tended to hide them from view.

After her chest was bound, she donned her grey tank top and yellow scarf. A simple white ribbon kept her hair tied back, black shinobi style sandals covered her feat, and her hitai-ate wrapped around her head to complete the look. She spared a brief glance in the mirror of the bathroom she had.

She'd consider herself beautiful…if not for the redness in her eyes.

Even if he's not like the rest of them, she thought, firming her resolve with a deep breath, He's still…an Uzumaki!

She walked out of the room.

oOoOoOo

"Now then, Hinata-chan," Shiori grinned at the young kunoichi, "I'm going to be very frank with you. It might seem like I'm insulting you, but what I have to say needs to be said."

"Ano, I-I am prepared, Shiori-sama," the blue haired girl replied, cursing herself for stuttering yet again.

"As far as the jyuken goes…you're pathetic at the style," the elder replied, "You've got the grace and flexibility for it, there's no question. The problem isn't even your byakugan…its your attitude. You lack the 'cold fire' we Hyuuga pride ourselves on."

"Ano, 'cold fire' Shiroi-sama?" the small girl asked, "What is that?"

"Our eyes let us 'see' many things, Hinata," the elder replied, leaning on her cane, "We can read our opponents emotions by watching their physical reactions. We can read our opponents thoughts by watching how their eyes shift. We can even direct an opponents emotions somewhat by focusing our gaze at them…the intimidation factor of the byakugan is matched only by the sharingan."

"I still don't understand," Hinata replied, "I know I've felt…intimidated…whenever father uses his byakugan on me, but what does…"

"I'm getting to that, young one," the elder replied, "Surely you've seen evidence at just how…dispassionate…certain members of the clan are, compared to others." At Hinata's nod, she continued, "You probably didn't notice, however, how these members are the most exceptional students of jyuken."

Hinata gaped at that, then thought back to how Neji was whenever he was practicing his forms. She had always noted that he seemed…distant, when practicing, but now she realized that he was acting truly unemotional.

"I see you're beginning to grasp the concept," Shiori grinned as Hinata's eyes widened in understanding, "Jyuken is a cold taijutsu style. It's all about separating oneself from emotion, and using that clarity to strike out at the opponent's weakness. Those who can achieve this clarity can perform any jyuken technique, from the Kaiten to the Hakke Rokujuu Yonsho."

"But, I can't because…" Hinata muttered, realizing the truth Shiori was trying to impart.

"You achieve the very opposite of that clarity, Hinata-chan," the white haired woman replied, "You sympathize with your opponents emotions, and you understand them. Indeed, this can be a very powerful weapon in of itself, but for jyuken its more of a burden."

"Does that mean that I'll never achieve the Kaiten, or any of the other techniques?" she asked.

Shiori sighed. "The Kaiten is more about chakra control than the others, so I don't think its out of your reach," she replied, "But the Rokujuu Yonsho, and the advanced forms? Its unlikely." At the girl's downcast look, she grinned. "Cheer up, young one. There is something else I can teach you…something that if you can truly master it, might even allow you to surpass the jyuken, and the Uzumaki Ryu combined for sheer destructive force."

Hinata gaped at the thought. Her mind instantly flowed back to her fight with Taro. She still had phantom pains from his 'Blade' technique.

"Like all Hyuuga, you're a close range fighter Hinata-chan," Shiori went on, "Teaching you long and mid range jutsu is only a small part of what you're going to learn." She motioned to a pile of rocks that sat slightly behind her.

"Ano, what are the rocks for, Shiori-sama?" the young heiress asked.

"These rocks will be the focusing point of your training, Hinata-chan," the white haired elder explained, picking up one of the stones and tossing it to the girl. "I want you to pulverize that stone."

Hinata recalled the lessons on brick breaking, and how it had been one lesson in taijutsu that she had been surprisingly good at. "Okay," she whispered, focusing her strength, and smashing her fist against the stone, shattering it.

"That's very good…for brick breaking," the elder yawned, "But I said 'pulverize', not break."

"B-but…" the girl started.

"Stop that stuttering!" Shiori snapped, causing the girl to clam up, "One of the benefits of the training I'm going to put you through is definitely going to be the confidence you need to get over that." The elder picked up another stone, holding it in her right hand. "Look at the pieces of your stone, Hinata."

The girl did as she was told, and looked at the chunks of rock that now lay scattered at her feet. "What should I be seeing, Shiori-sama?" she asked.

"It's not what you should be seeing, Hinata-chan," the old woman replied, "Its what you should not be seeing." She pointed to one of the larger chunks of rock. "When you pulverize something, there should be nothing of it left. When you leave something behind, you risk exposing not only yourself, but your comrades and others. A shinobi must be like the wind…it blows through a field, but you can never tell it was there."

"Shiori-sama, how can I…pulverize…a stone?" the young girl asked, "No matter how I strike it, it will only break into pieces."

"Ah, and therein lies the secret to this technique," Shiori grinned. "I taught this technique to Tsunade-hime back when she was still a genin…Kami-sama, now that girl had talent! She picked up the concept right off the bat, and she even managed to improve it with her incredible chakra control!"

"I'm…learning a technique…that Tsuande-sama knows?" Hinata asked, feeling herself grow a bit lightheaded at the concept. Tsunade's skills, both in taijutsu and in medical ninjutsu, were benchmarks for kunoichi of all nations.

"Learning it? I'm hoping you'll improve it," the elder chuckled at the small girls gaping look. "Now, you know about resistance, right?" At the girl's nod, she continued. "Everything has a natural resistance to everything else in the world. When you strike something, you lose a certain amount of force breaking that resistance."

"Even in jyuken?" the girl asked.

"Especially in jyuken," Shiori replied, "Not only do we lose some of the physical force in our blows, but we lose some of the chakra force we inject when it encounters the opposing energy."

"I think I understand, Shiori-sama," Hinata replied, "But if the resistance is natural, how can we pulverize anything that has it?"

"By not losing any of the force," the old woman replied, suddenly striking the stone…

…and turning it into powder.

Hinata gasped. "H-how!?!"

"The key to this technique is speed, Hinata-chan," Shiori replied, "It was developed by monks in ancient times, and passed down through generations until it was given to our clan."

"What is it called, Shiori-sama?" the girl asked, breathless at the idea.

"This is the technique that Tsunade-hime knows, and even improved. It's the technique that you, I hope, will take ever further. It's called Futai no Kiwami." (2)

oOoOoOo

Kin growled as she walked the streets. How can it be so hard to find someone wearing neon-orange!?! she mentally screamed.

She'd been out hunting for the strange blond for a few hours now, desperately seeking to fulfill Orochimaru's order before his next contact. She had a feeling she wouldn't survive it.

Her head still ached from the roaring voice of her 'leader' over the jutsu. She winced as she realized that Dosu, Zaku, and Yoroi were likely getting the same treatment. Misumi, at least, had it easy being dead.

She moved towards one of the nearby training grounds, one that had a large lake and river running through it. She needed to vent some steam, and a few doton jutsu on some trees would be just the ticket.

She walked through the brush, and froze as she heard a voice.

"GOGYOU FUIN KAI!" a loud male voice cried out, deep enough to identify itself as a full grown adult.

"ARRGHHH!" a younger voice came, the pain in the voice causing the dark haired kunoichi to wince.

A seal release? she thought, On a person? That can not have been fun.

"There now, that should make things a little easier," the older voice started up again, "Heh, Orochimaru always was sloppy with fuin jutsu. You wouldn't think it, given his handwriting was even better than Nidaime-sama's…and that guy was a calligraphy master."

"THAT HURT, ERO-SENNIN!" the younger voice cried out, and Kin felt her breath hitch.

Its HIM! she realized, instinctively reaching for her senbon and bells. She inched forward, peeking thorough the brush until she could see the talking duo.

There was a tall, oddly dressed man with a huge main of white, spiky hair standing by the river's edge, a large scroll slung across his back. His outfit was primarily grey, with a red vest and belt, and tan wooden geta sandles adorning his feet.

The other one was far shorter, and was currently only wearing his hitai-ate, and pair of blue swim-trunks with orange frogs. His blond hair was wet, and water was running down his scowling face over the strange whisker marks he had. His blue eyes glinted in the afternoon light.

He's…kinda…cute, the girl thought.

Then she saw a strange black mark on his stomach.

It looked like a seal, with a strange spiral mark in the center, surrounded by symbols stretching out along the plane of his skin. It was very complex, and she wondered if even Orochimaru would know what it was.

"You could be able to mould your chakra much more easily now," the older man was saying, "Try the water walking exercise again."

"This had better work, ero-sennin," the blond growled, before walking out on the water. Kin frowned as he did it easily.

That's a pretty high level exercise, she noted, He's not going to be an easy opponent.

"Hey! It works! Awesome!"

…or he might just be too stupid to BE an opponent, she thought again, sweat-dropping as the boy began dancing and leaping about the river's surface.

"Naruto, that's enough for now!" the older man called, "We have a lot of work to do, and only a month to get it all done."

"Okay!" the boy replied, leaping back to shore.

"Now, we're going to outline your training," the old man said, "It's going to be two fold…but first, lets deal with our guest."

A kunai came hurling towards her, and she leapt out of the brush to avoid it, landing a few yards from the scowling duo.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, "You're that girl from the prelims! The one with the sister who was…"

"Raped and mutilated by your clan!" Kin growled, "My elder sister, the only one who protected me and Himitsu…Tsuchi Seikei!"

"During the war with Iwa, am I right?" the older man asked, "I think I know the group of idiots you're talking about."

"So its true?" Naruto asked. Kin frowned as she noticed him bow his head like he was ashamed.

The older man sighed. "Unfortunately, it probably is," he muttered, "War is a terrible thing, Naruto. People get hurt, and innocents always get caught in the crossfire. Iwa-nins raped and tortured our ninjas, and while Sarutobi-sensei, Yondaime-sama, and others tried to prevent it, Iwa women were raped and tortured as well."

"That's horrible," the boy muttered.

The old man nodded. "You'll likely have to torture people sometimes too kid," he went on, "As a ninja, information is key to survival. If an enemy has information you need, sometimes you'll have to do things you'll hate to get the info out. Even Yondaime-sama had to torture people sometimes. I can tell ya, he died a little bit each time he was forced to do so…especially when it was a woman. Yondaime believed women should be revered, not harmed."

Kin growled. "I hate your Yondaime!" she spat, "He took my father from me, but I can understand why he did…but the Uzumaki clan will pay for Seikei's life!"

Naruto frowned. "Don't associate me with them!" he snapped back, "I was abandoned by them when I was four years old! I want nothing to do with them!"

"You use their style, don't you?" she asked, "That Eigi style is what took her life! I swore I'd find a way to crush it, and I'll start with you!"

"I don't even know it really!" the blond shouted back, "I know some theory to it, but anything I create is my own! It doesn't belong to the Uzumaki! I'm nothing like them!"

"Prove it!" Kin growled, raising her senbon to her face, "Fight me! Prove to me you're really different!"

"You're on!" Naruto replied, flipping back to his pile of clothing, grabbing his weapons pouches and strapping them to his thighs. He settled down into a loose Eigi ready stance.

The pair stood silent for a few moments, then rushed forward.

The battle began…

oOoOoOo

When she thought hard about it, Sakura realized that Kakashi was doing her a favor by getting her this 'advanced' training. She'd taken the time to read up about the tokubetsu jonin Anko, and she had to admit she was impressed with the mission record. After all, how many jonins did she know who had completed over 40 A rank missions? Especially at the age of 24.

The other girl, Yuugao, was no less impressive in that department. Much of her file was classified (due to ANBU regulations, she was sure), but 27 A ranks was still impressive for a 20 year old.

Yes, when she thought about it, she was grateful to her sensei for getting her these trainers.

…of course, it was hard to think about it while trying to dodge a hail of kunai from the trench coat and fishnet clad crazy woman.

"Pay attention!" Anko snapped as she unleashed another barrage of deadly metal from the sleeves of her coat. Sakura backflipped away from the blades, trying (and failing more often than not) to deflect some with the kunai held in her right hand. A few more cuts appeared on her pale skin as the blades moved across her form.

"Don't try to block so many, Sakura-san," the purple haired ANBU called out, "A ninja does what is needed to win the battle, not what is needed to make a good show."

"I'm…trying…sem…pai," the pink tressed girl panted, her hair -now in a tight pony tail- bouncing with each breath.

"Eh, the girl's got some serious physical issues," Anko chuckled, pulling a dango skewer from her pouch and munching on the sweet dumplings, "I keep telling Iruka he needs to step up that physical training course."

"I believe he's being over-ruled on that by Suzume-san," Yuugao chuckled, "The woman would put all kunoichi hopefuls through courtesan training above physical conditioning if she could get away with it."

Sakura blushed at the thought of courtesan training. I wonder if Sasuke-kun…

"Get your mind out of the gutter, pinky," Anko snapped, shaking the girl from her reverie. "Kakashi sent you here to get fit and learn, not to drool over the two future stud-muffins on your team."

"Wha…?!" Sakura gaped, "I do not see Naruto as a 'stud-muffin'!"

"Too bad, the kid's got real potential," the elder woman replied, "I kinda like those blue eyes of his…much more expressive than the rest of his clan."

"He would not like you referring to it as 'his' clan, Anko-sempai," Yuugao replied, "I don't particularly care to be associated with them either."

"Yeah, I get all that, Yuugao," the brown eyed woman responded, "Still, it 'is' still technically his clan. He may have been left behind, but he hasn't been taken of the register yet, has he?"

Yuugao frowned. "No, he hasn't," she admitted, "Though I soon will be."

Anko grinned. "So, cough-boy finally popped the Q, huh?"

Sakura glanced at the purple haired woman, who was now blushing slightly. "Cough-boy…you mean that proctor from the prelims…Hayate, wasn't it?"

Yuugao smiled. "Yes, Hayate-kun and I have been together for almost four years now," she replied, "We're planning to marry on October 9, the day before Naruto-kun's birthday."

Sakura smiled, "That's wonderful!"

"Yeah yeah, I'll bring the sake and male strippers to the party," Anko interrupted, tossing her dango skewer at the young kunoichi and forcing her to start dodging again, "Now, where were we?"

And so the training began again…

oOoOoOo

Sasuke stared out over the village from the cliff he was on, waiting for Kakashi to arrive. He absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder where Orochimaru had branded him with the curse seal.

The power I felt with this thing…I know its wrong, but it felt so strong, he thought, his mind struggling with the concept of denying power that could put him on Itachi's level.

He felt the familiar ache in his heart as he recalled the three members of the now deceased Uchiha clan that he had loved the most. The gentle, soothing sounds of his mother's humming while she made the bento's for his and Itachi's lunches; the boisterous laughter of his Uncle Katsuya as he hammered away the knicks from various kunai in his forge; his aunt's warm smile as she complimented him on his report card from the Academy…

Unbidden, the memory of his father praising him for mastering the Goukakyu no jutsu came to mind. It was the happiest memory he had of the otherwise stern and imposing man.

I have to beat him, he thought, I won't fall into his trap, or Orochimaru's. I will get stronger…and I'll make him pay.

His eyes shifted to the side as Kakashi appeared, leaping up from the sheer edge of the cliff. "You're late, Kakashi-sensei," he muttered (far more quietly than his teammates would have, he was sure).

"Well, I had a tooth ache and needed to visit the dentist," Kakashi replied.

Sasuke was shocked at what seemed like an almost reasonable excuse for once.

"…it took the doctor a while to find a way to work through my mask."

Sasuke groaned. I knew it was too good to be true.

Kakashi stood straighter after that. "Now, we've got a lot of work to do, and very little time to do it," he said, "Much of this training is going to be purely physical, Sasuke. I have to get your speed as close to my own as I possibly can in order for you to be able to use the jutsu I'm going to teach you…so from this point on, if you need to get somewhere? You RUN."

"What about training my sharingan?" Sasuke asked, "Should I keep it active during the training?"

"No," the silver topped jonin replied, "In fact, unless I specifically tell you to, do not activate your sharingan. If you rely on it too much, you'll never be able to match Itachi."

"What? But how can I hope to surpass his eyes if I don't train my own?" the Uchiha asked, confused by this turn of events.

"Itachi's eyes are powerful, that's true," Kakashi replied, "I know how strong he was back then, he was a subordinate of mine after all." He waved his hand when Sasuke started to speak. "ANBU Sasuke, and I can't tell you more than that yet. After the exams, if you're promoted, I might be able to tell you."

Sasuke frowned, but nodded. "But my eyes…"

"Did you know, that unless it was during a battle, Itachi never used his sharingan to learn a jutsu?" Kakashi asked, interrupting his student yet again. At his dumbfounded look, Kakashi elaborated, "Tell me, have you ever seen a photocopied piece of paper?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"The Sharingan's ability to copy jutsu's works along a similar principle," the masked man replied, "Now, tell me, what's a photocopy usually look like when compared to the original?"

"It's usually just black and white," he replied.

"Exactly," Kakashi said, his visible eye turning into and upside down 'u', signifying his smile, "Some of the details are lost, right? The color, the 'feel' of the document is diminished. So, if you apply that concept to copying jutsu with the sharingan…"

"The…effectiveness…is lost?" the boy asked.

"You got it," Kakashi replied, "I may have copied a thousand jutsu with my own sharingan, but I practice those jutsu constantly. I learn about them, understand them, and see how they can be applied in different situations. Itachi was the same way."

"So, by taking the time to learn it the hard way…" Sasuke started.

"You can not only use it more effectively, but you can also conceivably increase its power," Kakashi continued, "That's why, when I teach you my technique, I want you to learn it without the sharingan."

"Then lets get started," Sasuke replied, setting down into a ready stance of his family's taijutsu style, "I don't want to waste any time."

"Good," Kakashi replied, setting down into a ready stance of his own, "Then lets start."

oOoOoOo

Naruto leapt back as another wave of senbon impacted the ground where he had been standing. His body bore a smittering of scratches and red marks from the girl's blows.

Why is it every girl I meet can hit so HARD!?! he wondered, pulling another set of shuriken out and launching them at the girl.

Kin frowned as she ran through a quick set of seals. "DOTON: IWA SHURIKEN!" (3) she cried out, a group of small stones, guided by her chakra, leapt into the air and intercepting the bladed stars.

"FUTON: SHUUREN KEN!" (4) Naruto shouted, punching his fist forward, a surge of chakra enhanced air shooting forward, punching through the small barrier of rocks. Kin leapt upwards, over the rushing winds and came down next to the blond.

Punch, kick, sweep, leap, grab, knee-lift, backfist…it went on for several moments, before the pair separated again, breathing heavily.

Kin frowned as Naruto seemed to recover almost instantly, while she could literally 'feel' her muscles burning from the constant exertion. "Just…how…much…energy do…you have kid?" she growled out.

"More than most people know what to do with," he replied, "I gotta say though…this is kinda fun!" He grinned widely.

The dark haired kunoichi gaped. "FUN!?!" she shouted, "I'm trying to kill you, and you think its FUN!?!"

"You could have killed me several times already," Naruto replied, pointing to a few scratches along his body. "This one a few centimeters to the left would have punctured my lung, and this one," he pointed to a scratch along the right side of his neck, "It would have pierced my artery, or vein, or which ever it is on that side."

Kin frowned. "So I missed," she growled.

"You chose to use senbon," Jiraiya spoke up from the side, sipping some sake from a cup, "That means that you must have some pretty good accuracy…you missed alright, but you did it on purpose."

"That snake freak sent you here to kill me, right?" Naruto spoke up, shocking the girl. "You are an Oto-nin, and that's his village. It makes sense."

Kin frowned. "I…was ordered to," she admitted, "But I came here for my own reasons."

"You wanted to know if I was different," Naruto replied, "You've seen me fight now…what do you think?"

Kin thought back to the last few minutes. She'd done everything she could think of to force the blond to use some kind of Eigi style move, and nothing had come about. His taijutsu…the only word she had for it was 'sloppy'.

"You really don't know it, do you?" she asked.

"I know some theory, like I said," the blond replied, "But I've never been taught anything but the basic stance and some footwork. They left me behind before I could learn anything real."

Jiraiya stood up, walking to the bare chested boy and putting his hand on the boy's shoulders. "I can't understand what the elders were thinking," he said, patting the boy's back in an effort to comfort the pain in his heart. "But, I do know a way you can get back at them." He turned to Kin. "First, what hold does my old…friend…have on you girl?"

Kin frowned. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because, either way you'll have to," Jiraiya replied, "You've attacked a Konoha ninja during a peace period. You've got no chance of beating me, so you're basically a prisoner right now. You can tell me, and we can see if I can help…or I have to take you to my old student Ibiki."

"That scary guy from the first exam!?!" Naruto gasped.

"So he still scares people huh?" Jiraiya grinned, before turning to the girl again with a serious frown on his face, "Ibiki is a master of psychology and torture…he can break people just by staring at them. You can talk to me, and I'll pull some strings…or you can talk to him, and suffer the consequences. I guarantee Orochimaru won't care either way. He sent you here on a suicide mission."

Kin growled. "But he…"

"Promised to make you his elite, right?" Jiraiya laughed, "He did the same thing to another girl in this village, and then he tossed her by the wayside. He doesn't care about his subordinates, girl. He just cares about his games."

"Oi, Ero-sennin," Naruto spoke up, "Let us have one last go." He turned to the girl. "If I win, you tell us the truth and let us help you. If you win…we let you go."

"Naruto…" Jiraiya muttered, glaring at the blond.

"I won't lose, dattebayo!" the short boy grinned.

Kin frowned. I don't have much chakra left, she thought, And that man is one of the sannin…either I take this bet, or I'll be put through torture. She spared a glance at the blond. His eyes…they're so…sincere…

"I accept the bet," she replied, "One last rush, my best jutsu against whatever you've got!"

"Ero-sennin?" Naruto asked, glancing up at the white haired man.

"Phsstt, do what you want kid," the white haired sage replied, walking back to his seat.

Naruto smiled, before sliding into the basic stance of the Eigi style. I don't know Rapier, and I can't really use Blade or Sword, he thought, But…if I focus enough chakra, maybe I can…

Kin began flying through a seal sequence while Naruto was considering his options. This is my best jutsu, she thought, I learned it specifically to counter the Eigi style…now lets see it work!

Inu, tori, saru, tori, uma, nezumi, ryu, hebi, tora, usagi, inu, hebi, buta, tori, hebi.

"DOTON: KAMI HASHIRA, ONI JIMEN!" (5) she cried, as the ground around them began to churn and shake, like a pot of water being boiled over. Beneath her feet, a circular pillar of stone pushed her above the churning chaos, lifting her into the sky and giving her the high ground over the struggling blond. "Stop struggling!" she called down, "My jutsu has turned the earth beneath you into quicksand! The more you fight it, the faster you'll sink down!" She pulled her last few senbon from her pouch. "And if that wasn't enough, I also have perfect position to riddle you with my senbon…you can't win!"

What are you planning to do now, kid? Jiraiya wondered, even as he sipped his drink. He'd step in and save the boy if necessary, but he was curious as to what he could do.

DAMN! Naruto grumbled as he felt himself sinking faster, How can I get out of this? It's nothing like water walking, and tree walking was all about channeling the chakra to my feet! So…how…

A memory from the training Kakashi had put his team through while in Nami no Kuni came to his mind.

"Not enough chakra, and you'll fail to stick," the masked jonin muttered, "Too much, and you'll be blown right off!"

Could it really be that simple? Naruto thought, If I focus all of the chakra I can, and release it all at once…that could work!

Kin frowned as she felt the boy begin to focus his chakra. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work!" she shouted, launching a senbon and piercing his shoulder. He merely grunted at the pain. "Why do you keep trying!?!" she cried out, "Why can't you just give up!?!"

"Because…then I really would be LIKE THEM!" the blond shouted, a huge burst of chakra exploding from beneath him, launching him from the sand pit. The force of the blast caused him to backflip, another wave of chakra lancing from his foot, streaking at the shocked girl, forcing her to leap from her pillar.

"What…was…that!?!" she gasped.

"What the hell…" Jiraiya muttered, shocked by this turn of events.

"Heh, a little too much," the blond replied, his fingers coming together into his favorite 'cross' seal. "Now, to end this fight! KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

Five copies of the blond formed in a tight circle around the shocked girl. How!?! she wondered, before one of the clones gave her a hard right hook.

"U!"

Three of the clones slid underneath her, striking up with a series of hard single leg mule kicks and launching her into the air.

"ZU!"

"MA!"

"KI!"

The forth clone gave the original Naruto a boost into the air, the boy spinning around before extending his leg into an axe kick, catching the airborne girl on her left shoulder.

"NARUTO RENDAN!"

Kin cried out as she crashed back into the ground, her jutsu fading as the real Naruto panted heavily. He walked over to the girl, finding her bruised and unconscious, but alive.

"That…what did you do just then, kid?" Jiraiya asked, checking on the girl as well.

"I just focused as much chakra as I could into my feet, and released it all at once," he replied, "It was the force of it that caused me to back flip."

Jiraiya grinned. "That is the principle, from what I understand, of the 'Rapier' technique," he replied, "But that…that was far more powerful than Rapier. Kid, you just made your own Eigi style move…won't that just piss old Kosuke off."

"My own Eigi style move…" Naruto whispered, slightly overwhelmed by the prospect.

"I think you'll need to come up with a good name for it," Jiraiya said, "But now we have another goal to work for." He picked the girl up. "C'mon, lets get her some treatment, and get her talking. We've only got a month, so you're training gets tough tomorrow."

Naruto grinned. I'm coming for you, Taro, he thought.

You are going DOWN!

End Chapter 5

(1) NINPOU: ENKAKU OTO, HITOSHIREZU DENGON NINJA ART: Distant Sound, Hidden Word.

(2) FUTAI NO KIWAMI: Two Fold Extremity.

(3) DOTON: IWA SHURIKEN Earth Release: Stone Shuriken

(4) FUUTON: SHUUREN KEN Wind Release: Drill Fist

(5) DOTON: KAMI HASHIRA, ONI JIMEN Earth Release: God's Pillar, Demon's Ground