I'm back with my next chapter. And I wanna thank all of the people that added my story to their favorites. Anyway, if you wouldn't mind throwing in a review now and then that would be great. (Seriously, I really need some reviews.)

It seemed like it would never rain again. For the past two months, since the day Naruto's life had been mutilated into tatters of anger and pain, the sun had hung hapazaardly in the air. It seemed like the sun would become as dreary as the world of Naruto had become.

Still, Naruto's deary life was chafed with raw anger,. and Naruto had begun training like a maniac. Using several shadow clones, he'd read every scroll on the shelves of the Uchiha hideout. From what he had gleaned from the scrolls, this hideout had once been a secret Uchiha base, where it's single purpose was to carry out and plan assasination.

A base so close to the Sand Village... it just doesn't fit. Unless they were rogue Uchihas, since there were Leaf assasination targets in there, Naruto thought, before plopping a scroll back in it's place.

"I shouldn't worry about all of this shit though, I need training." I refuse to rely on you again Kyuubi, when I kill Sasuke, the last thing he will see are these blue eyes, not your bloody red slits.

You need my power and you know it. You would not have been able to keep up with the Uchiha had it not been for me.

It doesn't matter what you say you bastard. I will become stronger, I will gain power. I don't care how long it takes, but before I die, I will... take his life. That was all Naruto had to say to Kyuubi, before doubling the weight of his chakra weights in all major muscle areas.

Instantly he fell to the ground, but he fought for control, and managed to put himself in a push-up position. Breathing heavily, he began his training. One push-up... two... three... four... five. While the real Naruto struggled to do push-ups, his single clone struggled to reach for a scroll in the assassin ninjutsu section.

The clone managed to grab it, and bring it to the desk, where he began reading by candle light.

Earth Style: Beast's Snare

Assassination Jutsu Level B

Used to bring down targets from a mid-range distance. The target must be still or oblivious to your presence for this to work. You must be on the ground since this is an Earth Style ninjustu. This technique causes two slabs of rock to suddenly pop up and protrude from the ground. This will be done in a way thay both slaps of rock go right for the targets neck, crushing it and killing him/her instantly. Considered B rank for small amount of chakra used, and it's difficult to aim, requiring a still target, but kills target instantly.

After studying the proper way of how to perform the technique, the clone began practicing it, while Naruto, after finishing his push-ups, began to perform specially created sword moves for Shadowstealer.

Both Naruto and the clone were struggling under the doubled weight loaded tags, but slowly, they were both making progress. Finally, Naruto pushed the button on the hilt of the sword, and with a swish and click, the sword swung back into place.

He placed it on a single lonely shelf by the old bunk that had become his bed. Turning around, Naruto watched his clone disappear, and winced as his exhausted self was flooded with the information of the Beast's Snare Jutsu.

Although desperate for sleep, Naruto created a shadow clone for a test dummy. Performing the hand seals, Naruto called out rasply, "Earth Style: Beast's Snare." He slammed both hands on the ground, and instantly, to slabs of rock jutted out of the ground, the ends heading for the clones neck.

Naruto didn't even bother to watch, but blew out all the candle's save for the one closest to his bed with a simple wind jutsu. And in the dancing shadows, Naruto heard the satisfying crack of his clone's neck. And for a second even the dancing shadows were still as the puff of smoke shrouded the light of the single candle.

Then Naruto lay on his bed and drifted off to another troubled sleep.

Kakashi stood in front of the desk, glaring at it. He had always stood in front of it, just like he did now. Now though, it was his desk, and he hated that. He was not the ninja that should be pushing papers for the rest of his life. Yet here he was the Rokudaime Hokage.

He sighed in defeat. He'd managed to avoid sitting in the desk for the past two months by overseeing the repairing of the damage to Konoha. One day he'd managed to avoid in particular was Tsunade's funeral.

But now there was nothing else to physically foresee, Shizune was taking care of the loose ends. Dejected, he set himself behind the desk. He looked at the office around him, but only registering one thing.

It's my office now, I am officially the Rokudaime Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

But he didn't feel satisfied at the greatest accomplishment possible for a ninja. He'd never wanted to be Hokage. He was more useful on missions.

Naruto... you were supposed to succeed Tsunade, not me.

He felt a surge of anger, something he simply had not felt in a long time. Now he fully absorbed everything, trying to accept it. Naruto had killed there Hokage, and he wasn't the Naruto he'd known. He was a rogue ninja, topping the list of his personal bingo book, beating out Itachi Uchiha for the top spot in one day.

And although he had not written it down, Sasuke too, stood near the top of his list. Normally, he'd be the one going after them, he'd have gone after them in a flash.

Yet here he was, shackled to this new life by his new desk.

"So you've finally accepted your position it seems."

"Nice to see you too Jiraiya." Kakashi turned his head minutely toward the window, catching sight of the Last Legendary Leaf, as he was now being called. "Yes, I've 'accepted' my position." Kakashi now stood out of the chair, to face the sensei of his sensei, who had moved to the front of the desk.

"This should've been your job Jiraiya."

Jiraiya shook his head, "You know perfectly well I never had been, and now I never will be. I'm certain you'll last longer than Tsunade ever did."

It was only as Jiraiya said Tsunade's name that Kakashi noticed the bloodshot eyes, and the dark circles that crescented below them.

"You've been drinking," Kakashi said.Jiraiya's flushed face seemed to grow dark."Yeah, whats your point? Drinking is something I've always done." Kakashi quirked an eyebrow.

"You shouldn't drink so much though, the Village doesn't need anymore problems to handle than it already does, I need you to help handle these problems, and you can't do that drunk."

Jiraiya shrugged, "My comrades are gone, and my student is the one who took them, in case you haven't noticed, I need some alcohol to be rid of this pain.

"You're a ninja Jiraiya, I understand your pain, but I've given you considerable amount of time to mourn. A mission is what you need Jiraiya." Jiraiya produced a bottle of sake from behind his back, and drank greedily. "Fine Kakashi sama, what's my mission?"

"I'll pretend I didn't detect that note of sarcasm when addressing me." Kakashi sighed wearily, "Your mission is S-rank, find Sasuke Uchiha, and bring him back here by any means necessary." For a moment it seemed like Jiraiya simply didn't register what Kakashi had said, then. "Why can't I go after Naruto instead?"

Kakashi stood up, tapping his fingers listlessly on the desk. "Because Sasuke is exactly what Naruto is after. If Naruto finds out that we have Sasuke, he'll reveal himself. You'd be able to put this together if your weren't drunk!"

Jiraiya stood there, not saying a word, then belched. He pivoted around perfectly, obviously deceiving how well he handle the alcohol. He walked out the door, but before disappearing around the corner he muttered, "When I bring him back, you let me go after Naruto, or I'll kill the Uchiha."

Though you couldn't see it under the new white mask, Kakashi smiled humorlessly. "Who else would I send after the Kyuubi vessel, since I can't go after him now?"

Jiraiya halted just outside of the threshold, and turned around. "Nobody I suppose, who else is better at gathering information that we might need." Kakashi glared at him, "Get sober and then head out for your mission before I use my new jutsus on you."

Jiraiya was already gone.

"He's weak," said the young man, his crimson eyes flashing.

"Yes, this is your chance to find light in your impending darkness, Itachi."

"Yes I know Kisame," Itachi said, offering the smallest of wicked smiles, "Madara-sama has already given us permission to go. I can't wait much longer to give Sasuke a fair fight, because everything is slowly growing dimmer, so let us set off."

"Wait Itachi," Kisame spoke softly, his blue, shark-like skin glowing eerily in the moonlight, "Does Pein know about this?"

Itachi turned sideways, twisting his gaze toward the light of the moon. "Of course not."

Then they both took off into the night.

Naruto didn't think it would be so easy to break into the Kazekage's office. But it had been. He'd simply summoned a large toad to cause a bit of trouble. He did not dare use his other summoning jutsu, it wasn't appropriate for this kind've scenario.

He wasn't surprised when he found Gaara there, waiting, it almost seemed, for him to arrive. "Naruto, why do you come here?"

"I wanted to stop by to see an old friend." Naruto's let a small smirk come to his lips. "Is that so wrong?"

"You've have been given flee on sight status to all but the most advanced ninja, and since I'm a Kage," Gaara made a helpless gesture with his hands, "I won't flee."

"Gaara, there's still a bit of me left inside, please don't make a threat that would make me show you the new me."

"Naruto, how could you have done such a thing in your village?" Gaara's voice was calm, but Naruto caught the edge of urgency under the stoic mask.

"I didn't mean to, Sasuke, he provoked me. He... he killed her Gaara, and I just lost it."

For a moment a flicker of sympathy was evident in Gaara's eyes, then it was gone, his quiet sense of duty restored.

"You need to leave now Naruto, before I have no choice but to end the torment I see in you."

"One question Gaara, thats all I want and then I'm gone."

For once, since becoming Kazekage, Gaara felt a twinge of uncertainty. "Ask." The twinge was gone.

"Why is there an assasination facility for the Uchiha just outside your village's borders?"

Gaara actually froze with surprise, his eyes widening. "How do you know of it?"

Now it was Naruto's turn to freeze, knowing he was about to give up his location. He figured though, that he'd done that when he'd asked his question.

"I've been hiding out there for the past two months." Gaara closed his eyes, his lips mouthing soundless words.

"Gaara, what are you..." then Naruto heard it, the rustle of a body against the door, and the whispering thud of a sneaking foot. Naruto realized what was going on, but continued to look at Gaara, concentrating on his moving lips.

Whoever was outside the door was apparently alarmed by the sudden silence, and the door was slammed open.

Naruto went numb, unable to handle his feelings of shock and guilt. Standing before him was Shikamaru.

He looked tired, and ironically the source of his weariness came from working tirelessly with the Sand Village's top ninja to locate the person standing before him.

"Well this is troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, his face betraying nothing, "I guess I'm sorry Naruto."

"You guess?" Naruto exlaimed, but now his surprise was gone, and suddenly the darkness within him emerged.

"You should've attacked me Shikamaru, you actually had me surprised, you had the advantage. Konoha's prized genius and strategist had the advantage over Konoha's deadliest rogue ninja. A once in a lifetime moment, don't you think?"

"Not really." Naruto froze again, but this time not from Shikamaru's words, but by his shadow.

"You slipped you shadow in at just the right angle so Gaara's desk would black my view. You must've done it while outside the door. Impressive."

Gaara simply stood there extremely conflicted. He could help capture Naruto right here, or let Naruto escape. He was absolutely sure that if he didn't help, Naruto would break the jutsu, and escape.

Naruto made his decision for him, "I guess I'm sorry too, Shikamaru," he said, briefly letting his old dormant self reemerge.

Thats when Shikamaru sensed it, the enormous increase of power from two months of extreme training.

Then Naruto shattered the Shadow Possession Jutsu. His hands were already flashing with movement.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Rashomon Gate."

The demonic gate that looked like the gateway to Hell obliterated Shikamaru and Gaara's view of Naruto.

Gaara had acted a second to late. The spear of sand that contained hardened minerals drove itself into the wall, sending a spiderweb of cracks along it. But it held.

Despite the gate however, Naruto had managed one last move just in case Gaara managed to penetrate the wall.

The flash bomb went off on Shikamaru and Gaara's side of the wall, and Gaara desperately shielded his eyes and Shikamaru's with sand.

Naruto quickly jumped from rooftop to rooftop, knowing that he'd caused all of the Sand Village to turn their gaze toward their Kazekage's office.

He heard cries of alarm, and the alarm sounded, blaring its warning to the entire village. Seconds later, ninja began to pursue Naruto, moving like vigilante's themselves.

He leapt across the top of the outer gates landing at the wake of the ocean of desert.

Desert, that gave him no cover. Moments later shuriken embedded themselves into his back, and Naruto's entire body shuddered... and puffed into smoke before hitting the ground.

Meanwhile Naruto watched his plan play out in front of him at the opposite side of the village, standing on top of the outerwall. He turned facing the path toward he didn't know where. The Uchiha base was as good as destroyed.

Naruto had nowwhere to go, but he had someone to find. Ironically enough, someone had found him first.

A Sand Village jounin had gotten lucky, having only just left his post nearby to investigate the incident, when he spotted the near Naruto.

Naruto saw him coming toward him, which was unusual in itself. He'd been given flee on sight status,yet this ninja had leapt on top of the walkway of the wall, and began striding toward him.

Instantly Naruto knew this was no ordinary jounin. This guy knew who he was, knew his status, knew what he'd done. Yet this jounin radiated a power that rivaled that of his.

Naruto found himself in a fighting stance, his side of his body facing his opponent with his head turned toward him.

The jounin, he observed wore typical jounin uniform, had red hair that went just below the ears, and was shorter than himself.

The eyes though, were what made him different. The jounins eyes were a dull green, and yet it was as if there were eyes within his eyes. Eyes that radiated a quiet cunning and whispered of death, only to be masked by the dull green ones in front.

But Naruto wasn't fooled, and the look on his face told his opponent so. The ninja stopped thirty feet from Naruto. Then the ninja changed.

The hair became jet black, the nose smaller, the eyebrows thicker, the body slim and sleek. The crimson Sharingan eyes flashed in the sunlight.

"Naruto."

"Itachi."

Cliffhanger much? The fight will begin next chapter, and expect it to be an awesome one. Don't worry by the way, Naruto's not so wicked strong that he could take Itachi to school, in fact, count on this one being pretty even, similar to the fight between Sasuke and Itachi in the Part 2 manga. Just to tempt you guys, if you give me decent reviews, Naruto will win and kill Itachi. If not, Itachi will kill Naruto. Just kidding, but I had to give it a shot.

Next Chapter: The True Rogue Ninja