Greetings once again. I managed to write this chapter rather quickly. It flowed right out of me. Let us hope this continues. This is a somewhat shorter chapter than usual, as was Chapter 3. I hope you enjoy.


Chapter 4 -

Naruto stepped out onto the field. Actually, Naruto was standing in a tree right in the middle of a forest. Not just any forest, but the forest where the major part of his first chunin exams took place; "The Forest of Death." Once again, Naruto felt nostalgic. He looked around remembering every faithful event that happened in this forest.

'Right there; that's where we fought Orochimaru. That's where all the trouble started.'

"Naruto!"

He was brought out of his reminiscing by Yosei, who was looking rather impatient.

"Gomen," he said.

"Try to pay more attention. Your very future depends on everything I will be teaching you."

When Naruto nodded, Yosei put down his gear and sat on the tree limb. Unscrewing the top to his canteen, he waved his hand in front of him indicating for Naruto to do the same. When the blonde sat down he passed a large flower into his hands. This put a confused look on his pupil's face. Yosei smiled.

"I am about to show you a very small example of my abilities. Afterwards, I want to discuss my plans for you."

With that, the purple flower in Naruto's hand began to change shape. Its petals enlarged and the stem shortened and curled upward. The plant became much harder to the touch, and all the separate pieces seemed to fuse together. Before the transformation was even finished Naruto recognized not only the purpose of this technique, but what kind of abilities one had to have to use it. He held out his hand with the flower cup, and Yosei filled it with the water from the canteen.

"That was pretty cool" Naruto complimented, before sipping from his cup. So you are like Yamato?

"Not quite. Yamato and I are similar, but different." Yosei began to grin. "And because of that, we actually have something of a rivalry between us."

"Ah." If anyone could understand rivalries, it was Naruto.

"You'll know the differences between us in time. For now, let's focus on your training. I know you read the syllabus, so you have some idea as to what we'll be doing here."

"Hai." Naruto confirmed. "I just didn't think we'd do this here."

"I can understand your surprise, but there is no better place than this forest. Besides, I live here."

Naruto stopped in mid-drink from that comment. He just looked straight in his teacher's eyes.

"I told you I like sleeping outdoors." Yosei smirked, refilling his own flower cup.

"Yeah, but… out here?" Naruto waved his arms wide, indicating the entirety of the forest.

"It's the best place for me to train, and it's within the village. I suggest you get used to it. You'll be living here for the duration of your training."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked.

"You already know from your past experiences here; this is the harshest environment in Konoha. You'll have to learn every new skill, every new jutsu, and every scrap of ANBU know-how in a constant state of extreme peril. There won't be a second of your time here that your life isn't in danger. Such is the life of those in ANBU."

If Kakashi had been there to see Naruto's reactions to Yosei's speech, he would have been reminded of their first A-class mission in the land of waves.

'To say he is excited would be an understatement.' Thought Yosei. 'I guess Tsunade was right.'


In a dark and secluded room, three figures stood together. They sat around a small table and shared a pot of green tea. The hostess of this trio was Tsunade, one of the three sennin and the Godaime Hokage. The man to her right was Jiraiya, the other surviving sennin and the great Toad sage. To his right was Sabaku no Gaara, the former Jinchuuriki and the Godaime Kazekage.

"What are the intelligence reports of Konoha?"

Tsunade picked up a file and handed it across the table to Gaara, who managed to read it almost as instantly as he'd opened it. "I see."

Jiraiya took a sip from his tea, and set it back on his tray. "You can appreciate the seriousness of this issue. It affects not only Konoha, but all the hidden villages and the kingdoms which employ them."

Gaara closed the file, and set it down on the table. "It goes without saying that we will help in anyway that we can; but what kind of plan do you have to deal with this. We don't even know what is actually going on."

Tsunade sighed. "All we can do for now, is wait and watch. I believe we should warn other villages of the coming threat and try to pool all of our resources together. See if we cannot find an answer to our dilemma. At this point the only that will save us is vigilance."

The other two nodded in agreement. Gaara stood from his seat. "Thank you for everything. It was pleasure to be in Konoha once again."

Jiraiya stood up walked with Gaara out of the room. "I will send your farewells to Naruto."

Gaara nodded appreciatively at this, somewhat sad he could not say farewell to his friend personally. But he had urgent matters that required his attention. They left the room together leaving Tsunade alone. As he continued to wander through the streets, he noticed that the "perverted hermit" as Naruto called him was still walking alongside of him. He was about to say something, when Jiraiya spoke first.

"I understand you held a meeting with Hyugas."

"No. Just one Hyuga. Their clan head."

"A marriage proposal, no doubt."

"You know I cannot speak of confidential matters, Jiraiya-san." Gaara let a small hint of his annoyance show in the tone of his voice.

Jiraiya ignored the tone. "It's not that hard to figure out. Everything he could gain. Everything you could gain. It is a nice offer."

Gaara relented. "So you are saying I should accept the offer."

Jiraiya stopped walking, and held Gaara's shoulder to stop him as well. He leaned in and looked at Gaara directly in his eyes. "No." There was a pause of silence for almost a full minute.

Gaara broke that silence first. "What do you know that I don't?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Well…"


Far below in the deep dark world of Sasuke Uchiha, stood Inoshishi Kanaye just outside the bars his cell. The black haired guard did not take his eyes off of him. Sasuke looked back at him directly in the eyes. He stood there, unmoving, at his full height. Standing tall, he towered over the slightly older man.

Silent and unspoken messages were conveyed. Declarations, feelings, rebuttals, insults and threats. These were the final hours of Sasuke's captivity, and this was a final game to be played by captor and captive. In Sasuke's mind, he was winning. He knew Kanaye had increased the power in his restraints to excruciatingly painful levels.

If one were to take giving birth un-drugged, add the squashing of testicles with a huge wooden hammer, and top it off with being anally raped with a pile driver, it would be the equivalent to the pain he was feeling; at least that was Sasuke's conclusion. Yet, he continued to stand there, in sheer defiance with his will set against the minor annoyance before him. This was all Kanaye could do. What made it all the more bearable for Sasuke is that he'd been at this for four hours. That meant his parole ninja was two hours late. Had he been on time, Sasuke would have already been the victor. If he made it through this, Kanaye would have to take a now crippling defeat. Even with the extra time, Kanaye would fail to beat him in his own game.

At last, Kanaye was handed his defeat- and Sasuke his victory. "Yo."

Almost instantly the shackles on his wrists unlatched themselves, and the door swung itself open. Kanaye walked away to lick his wounds, leaving Sasuke in the hands of his not-so-new supervisor; Hatake Kakashi.

"Kakashi." Sasuke greeted.

"It's nice to see you again, Sasuke. Would you mind holding out your hands please?"

Sasuke complied with his former teacher's request. Kakashi placed two bands on the wrists of his younger charge. They clicked shut, and Sasuke could feel the drain of energy from his body. He fought the dizziness, and examined his new accessories. They were metallic, and as black as his hair.

They held a white sheen, and the seams where the bands had closed themselves could not be seen. They felt light, and when Sasuke moved his wrists, it as if they bent with them like cloth. It felt like he wasn't wearing anything. Yet, when he tapped them together or gave them a flick, they sounded that all-telling "clink" of metal. He truly could appreciate the design.

"They are of the Hokage's design with the help of Ibiki. They will do their job, without giving you any unnecessary comfort in your day to day life. I asked for the color." Kakashi winked-or blinked- his revealed eye, as he said that last part, practically chirping for it.

Internally, Sasuke wanted to smile at that little fish for some kind of emotion… preferably approval. "They will do, I suppose."

Kakashi smiled under his mask, and pulled out his book as he began to walk with Sasuke. "How about some lunch? Maybe some ramen?"

Now this did earn a smile from Sasuke. "I suppose. So, how was the party?"


"Hinata that is no good. You must put more effort into this jutsu, or you will not be able to complete your task."

"Gomen na sai, father." Hinata bowed her head.

"I know it is difficult. I myself had trouble with this jutsu when I was learning. But you must persevere or lose everything." Hiashi counseled.

"Is there something specifically I am not doing right?"

Hiashi looked at the sky and thought for a moment. "Chakra, especially for Hyugas, is very fluid. Like wind or water it can bend and reshape in an instant. It can also be lighter or heavier- less or more concentrated."

Hinata nodded in understanding. She stood in the center of the field under the small October sun. She closed her eyes and focused her mind. She imagined her intended goal. She summoned up her chakra, steadied it, and began her next step.

She took this chakra and began to condense it. She imagined it to be in the shape of a hollow sphere, set and stationary. She could feel it slowly grow a bit steadier; more durable. Like hard glass, she could imagine tapping on it. Just to be sure, she spent a little more chakra than last time in the hopes that it would bring about a success. At last she released the chakra.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" She thrust her blood stained palm high into the air. At the last, lines of symbols and kanji began to flow from that source and spread through the air around her. It spread high above her and formed into the very sphere she had imagined in her mind. At last there was a loud pop in the air as white smoke filled the area. Across the field, Hiashi stood with a slight smile on his face.

"Very good, Hinata."


Sitting alone with an opened scroll was a young and handsome dark haired youth. The young man sat there without a hint of emotion on his face, reading through the reports and mission statements sent to him. At last he rolled them up and retrieved two blank scrolls from the pack he carried. With deft strokes of an ink brush he masterfully recreated the spitting image of an eagle, in majestic flight on the first scroll. Below this image were the intelligence reports he needed to send on his reconnaissance.

With a few seals, the ink of the picture spread and engulfed the scroll. Suddenly the eagle became real, and it perched itself on the outstretched arm of this pale and handsome artist. With the scroll secure inside this ink creature, the young man whispered instructions and then launched it into the air. It wasted no time and flew in the direction ordered by its creator. The man then turned to the other scroll.

Once again his artistic skills came into play, as he then painted the animal most frequently seen in the area, a wolf. He made sure to have all the appropriate definitions on his work, before putting away his brush. He picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulders. His parcels secured he went through a new set of hand seals. Rat, ram, monkey, bird, dog, monkey, rabbit, and finally dragon.

"Sumi Henkei-suru no jutsu!" (Ink transformation technique)

The young man closed his eyes, and the ink flowed forth from the scroll. It slowly wrapped around his body, and engulfed him. He was lowered ever so slowly onto all fours, and finally where the young man once stood was the very wolf he had painted. The wolf's eyes opened and he bit into the scroll which had neatly rolled itself back into place. In a single gulp the scroll had been swallowed by the wolf. Then the wild canine ran off, discreetly tracking the scent of his prey.


"Enter." Tsunade called to the one politely knocking on her office door.

"Hokage-sama, this strange ink-bird just arrived. It's addressed to you."

Tsunade looked up from her medical reports from the hospital, and eyed the creature perched on the ninja's outstretched arm. Her name was indeed painted on the flying animal's breast. She ran her hand through a quick set of seals, and released the jutsu. The bird instantly fell apart. The ink evaporated, leaving the scroll inside its body behind. The ninja caught the scroll and handed it to her.

"You may leave." Tsunade commanded. The ninja bowed and left the room. She opened the scroll sent to her, and read its contents. She rolled it back up, and looked to Shizune who was sitting next to her attending to her own duties. She coughed to get her attention.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Shizune I want you to add Sai's report to the other intelligence files. Then send word to the Jounin of the latest news."

"How recent is this information?" Shizune asked.

"Given his last stated location, I would say he wrote this yesterday. Those birds of his fly rather fast."

Shizune nodded and took the scroll, leaving the office to do as she was asked.


Morino Ibiki sat down at his desk. He looked across to see his young apprentice stand at attention in front of him. True to his nature, he let no emotion show through. Yet inwardly he wanted to shake his head and sigh. Kanaye was much too serious for his liking. He had hoped the young man would lighten up under his tutelage. To be so rigid and zealous at every turn was not healthy for any human being.

"'I took you under my wing because I saw your potential, Kanaye. I have not regretted it. You are an excellent student and underling."

"Thank you, sir. I'm pleased to know that my efforts are satisfactory."

"They're overly-satisfactory, Kanaye. You take things far too seriously. Since the Uchiha returned, you have become funny; and not the usual funny which I find endearing. You worry me. I fear that your interest in the young man has crossed the line between professional and personal."

"Sir, I am simply performing my duties as a ninja to keep Konoha safe."

"I realize that Kanaye, but you don't seem to realize that nothing is ever as black and white as you seem to believe. This is a world of color and layers. We must trust those who are above us to discern the true nature of things that we cannot grasp; for that is what we asked them to do for us."

"Sir. I trust and believe in the Hokage. I am loyal to her."

"I know that, Kanaye. I'm not worried about your loyalty or your abilities. I'm worried about your health. So, I have cleared your schedule for the next two weeks. You will only have to complete basic duties around the village, and the rest of the time is yours. Try to relax, and get some perspective on things. That is all."

Kanaye bowed, and left the office. This wasn't exactly how he wanted things to turn out, but all of this free time would prove useful. His could commence his plans almost immediately.


At the same time that these two meetings occurred in Konoha, a young blonde man awoke with a yawn. He had slept rather soundly. He looked to his right and there was Yosei. He was awake and dressed, and ready to go. He was already eating his breakfast.

"Ohayo, Naruto." Yosei smiled, before biting into the fruit he held in his hand.

"Ohayo, sensei." Naruto yawned. "I will be going into town as soon as I'm dressed. I'd like one last bowl of ramen before we get started."

"That's fine. Remember you only have today. After words you are mine. So, enjoy yourself."

"I understand."

Naruto got out of his backpack, and left for the stream. He thought about what he would do today, as he swam in the cold water and slowly began to wake up.


So that was chapter 4. I hope you like the story so far. Now comes the part where you review. Please don't be shy. I love hearing back from my readers. I'll get chapter 5 out as soon as possible.

-bakagaijin