Hey guys thanks for the supporting reviews and I'm glad some people liked the chapter since I thought it was a bit dull in some parts. Well I struck into a review that told me that I had potential but that the story was mediocre since I don't know how to level the strength of the characters… let me guess… you don't complain when Kishimoto does it in the cannon. In the manga Naruto trains his ass and fights incredible in one fight… the next fight Sasuke surpasses Naruto by just laughing and people don't think it's unfair but you think it's unfair in a fanfiction… seriously, what?? -_-'

My beta took vacations so if you're wondering why the last chapter had errors, it's because he hasn't got the time but he'll edit them all at once so no problem.

Hinata will talk to Naruto but not soon if many of you are wondering and I know that I have left Naruto's purpose in the dark for a long time…. Keep waiting XD. This chapter: meeting the enemy and stuff……

X.X.X

Chapter16: face to face… again

Konoha stood still in amazement and shock as one of their most powerful, but previous, shinobi to ever grace the village stood by the gates with a cocky yet cold smirk. The sight of one of their previous member put a lot of shinobi at edge, some wanted to attack and arrest since he was a traitor but other wanted nothing more that to go up to him and hug him for being alive and in the village. A few on lookers smiled at the blonde figure but they tensed at the small but seemingly strong group behind him who just took out a few of the enemy with just one attack… not forgetting about said blonde himself who killed eight of them singlehandedly.

Shikamaru felt happy at seeing one of his old friends again. The genius never doubted a man like Uzumaki Naruto and when he knew that he defected from the village he felt devastated in so many ways. He felt like he lost someone as close as Chouji, he also felt nervous as he never expect the blonde jinchuuriki to do such a thing and would inevitably become an enemy… and he didn't want to face someone like Naruto in combat. Temari who stood at the lazy chunin's side stared at the blonde who she previously thought as a brat but over the years he grew on her. The suna-kunoichi saw the blonde as a beacon of hope since he changed her little brother from a psycho to a very dependable Kage, when she heard the blonde left his village she grew angry and hated Konoha for driving someone as kindhearted away. She also looked at her little brother who took a colder look for almost half a year and even went as far as to revoke the treaty between the two countries, Suna shinobi tried to search for him but just like the Leaf it turned out in failure. At this moment she was helping the Leaf out of request of Shikamaru since she was here on a diplomatic mission.

The ones near the rouge blonde shinobi couldn't even move as the incredible chakra pressure he was giving off. The other shinobi in the rouge group gave off strong signatures as well and were making the Konoha shinobi in edge and ready for action. The majority of the shinobi present were glad that the attack was over and alive to see another day and some looked at their savior for the first time and became speechless as they saw the "traitor" standing tall without anyone to try to capture him. Seeing the six shinobi standing victorious and practically demanding respect had many shinobi having second thoughts about doing the right thing for the village… or die trying. One Konoha chunin dismissed his thoughts and started to walk towards Naruto.

"Halt you traitor!" the chuni yelled and many snapped out of their reverie to see the seemingly dumb chunin as he tried to confront the almost legendary shinobi in front of him "Stay where you are………" he was suddenly interrupted when a blade made its way to his neck and stopped cold in the last second to avoid certain death.

"Stupid boy… retreat or you'll regret it" Kazuru said as he glared at the chunin who fainted at the level of killing intent produced by the veteran shinobi from the Sand. Many shinobi stared in amazement at the speed and grace displayed by the bandaged shinobi, one of them being Temari who slightly recognized the ninja.

Those who were near the group of outlaws cringed at the intense glare the blonde was giving the village. Hinata, who was a bit weary of the fighting, looked disheartened at the look her love was emitting and wanted nothing more that to go there and slapped some sense into him. A few were feeling the same as Hinata but the aura the blonde was emitting was different than two days ago, this time he was dead serious and business-like, his mere presence demanded respect. Sasuke on the other hand was feeling aghast, he received a beating at the hands of the "dobe" because he wanted to bring him to the village and now he was here… on his own free will. The Uchiha felt useless as he slept in the hospital and meditated on how he didn't train as much as before and was almost in the same level he was when he "defeated" Itachi. Three years of practicing to not get a bit rusty but he didn't trained to get more powerful since he's reason of vengeance was gone… he opted for a more peaceful life but that was partly a mistake since he wasn't in a near enough level to take down someone in Naruto's caliber.

The Uchiha vowed to get stronger, faster and more 'durable' to try and bring him back but first he had to heal his chakra exhaustion. Kakashi and Yamato couldn't believe what they were seeing as they took as much out of every rouge present with a simple look. Both were seeing the Raikage's brother and a jinchuuriki, Kirabi, who was alive and healthy, contrary of what the leader of lightning thought. The other though were a bit mysterious to them but they've seen them as well in the old bingo books and knew they were with Naruto since Iwa took pictures of their attackers. Suddenly every Konoha shinobi flinched when an all too familiar killing intent filled the air.

"NARUTO!!!" an enraged but amazed voice was heard as two Anbu squad landed in front of the rouge group. A cloud of smoke appeared and Tsunade stood glaring at the blonde who gazed back just as determined but more coldly. Tsunade couldn't believe what she was seeing; the kid who had the potential to overpower every previous Hokage but who suddenly disappeared stood there in middle of the gates looking at Konoha and its residents with incontrollable coldness "W-What are you doing here!?" she asked in the same hard voice but was more confused than angry.

"Don't worry Granny… I won't do anything drastic" Naruto stated coolly "I'm here because I wanted to meet someone I haven't seen in three years…" he added with equal coldness while his group tensed at the battle-ready Anbu who were reaching for weapons.

"Enough!" Tsunade roared and the Anbu stopped "If you're not here to help… then why are you here for?" she curiously asked tilting her head a bit. Her eyes spoke differently though, she was seeing red as she felt taunt for his present being here "I've wasted time and effort to search for him for a whole year with no luck… and he just appears like that" she thought slightly angry but the happiness she felt as she saw him couldn't be brought down.

"I just told you… to see someone who I haven't seen in three years" Naruto stated calmly as he continued the staring game "It's not you or anyone present… if you're wondering" he added with a thin smile.

A huge chakra signature flared somewhere in the forest and every shinobi present suddenly tensed as they didn't liked what they felt. Naruto turned his back slowly, clearly not impressed with the level of chakra emitted and because he knew who it was. Ten shinobi suddenly jumped out of the forest and landed in front of the gates in a menacing manner. All of them wore similar clothes, only for the occasional skirt, black overalls, and small coats with a red cloud making them in leagued with Akatsuki. Another shape, this time a bit taller, appeared and landed in front of the 'cursed shinobi' with an ominous smirk that showed his very sharp pointed teeth. Hoshigaki Kisame stood tall in front of his ten shinobi subordinates and drawed his sword and pointed it at the group of shinobi who were at the gate, who in exchange look at him with disinterest.

"Hoshigaki Kisame?… you're just not a challenge at all" Kazuru said dismissively as he glanced at the ex-mist shinobi with bored eyes. Kisame, hearing the comment, narrowed his eyes and smirked even bigger as he flared his chakra. Feeling the power coming out of the blue-skinned shinobi Kazuru smiled with anticipation but a shake of the head from Kabuto made him hold back.

Kusamaru narrowed his eyes at the massive shinobi and slowly backed away from the gate knowing full well that the blue-skinned shinobi could outlast him in chakra and simply put, overpower him completely. Kabuto also backed away since he couldn't waste chakra on the newcomer, even though he could defeat him with hidden techniques he had, he was still a powerful opponent not to be underestimated. Doki smiled at the new challenge that appeared while Kirabi just glared, he still hated those robes. Naruto walked calmly towards the gates where the group of enemies stood with a serene face while the rest of his friends looked on.

"Kisame… did they sent you to do the dirty work?" Naruto asked coolly as he stared at the grinning shark-like man "You know you're no match for me… why don't you retreat?" he asked in a curious manner while the air suddenly shifted and a powerful chakra filled it. The chakra felt eerie, not like a demon but human and that fact was scarier since a human being capable of such chakra was… unthinkable.

"Hehe… the boss is getting kinda impatient" Kisame chuckled while the ten shinobi behind him started to change. All of the shinobi standing behind Kisame started to laugh at the sudden power surge they were experiencing, all of them went to startling transformation and they're chakra tripled. Skin and eye colors changed, torsos expanded, claws appeared in some cases and pointed teeth were the more casual characteristics in the transformation the ten shinobi went through… Konoha looked on without hope.

"This is getting kind of ugly" Kakashi commented while Yamato looked on emotionless. The Konoha shinobi were finding out why the first volley of curse sealed shinobi were easily defeated… they were powerful in numbers, not in actual power. The ten shinobi in front of them had triple the chakra an average elite jounin had, the Konoha troops were about to take precautions when they heard laughing… boisterous laughing.

"This is all you throw at them?" Naruto chuckled while Doki and Kirabi where laughing at the display of power shown by the Cursed-Shinobi "Why don't we show you our group's power" he added and signaled his group to flare their chakra. Suddenly a fiercer chakra filled the air, overpowering the cursed shinobi in a second. Naruto's group stood tall, flaring their chakra and amazing not only their enemies but the one's they protected a few moments ago. Naruto flared his own chakra and it alone actually drowned the enemy's while Konoha stood flabbergasted at the show of power the blonde jinchuuriki was displaying. Kisame's grin faded as he sensed the outrageous power the group of rouges had. Tiling his head a bit he suddenly nodded somberly and hoisted his sword to his shoulder.

"It seems we have to retreat… I do love challenges but orders are orders" Kisame said and flickered away with his group leaving behind a few anxious shinobi.

"He dares to retreat when he got me pumped up to fight!?" Kazuru asked with indignity. Naruto signaled his group to pursue but held back Kirabi. Kabuto, Kusamaru, Doki and Kazuru flickered and went hot on the trails of the fleeing enemy.

"Kirabi… we may be facing the big dog of the organization so please be careful" Naruto stated in a very serious low voice to make his point across. The blonde suddenly saw dozens of Konoha shinobi surrounding him and his comrade "Why do you have to do this Granny… is not easier for you" he stated as he glared at the Hokage in question a bit playfully.

"I finally see you after all this years and you want to run away again?" Tsunade stated in a question glaring just as fiercely "I won't have you go die at the hands of Akatsuki… I want you back in this village!" she added with force and the shinobi surrounding the two rouges tensed, ready for the order to attack if needed.

"I'm touched but I don't need this right now" Naruto stated without emotion while he raised both his arms, extending them to either side of his torso. Kirabi looked stunned at the sudden hostility in the situation and he was in the middle of it… he never like that outcome.

"Look out!!!" a Hyuuga yelled having his Byakugan activated and seeing the chakra work around the blonde. Naruto smirked and everyone widened his eyes at the sudden surge of chakra. The wind suddenly picked up and a certain masked-shinobi widened his eyes at the danger those near the blonde were.

"Wind style: Double Pressure Damage" the blonde said and a blast of compressed wind shot out of each of his hands blowing away everyone near him. Kirabi tried to cover himself but found out that he didn't even moved an inch from his position, meaning that the attack was concentrated… on the Konoha shinobi. The two blasts were so powerful that even the ground around the blonde was destroyed; only leaving a small patch of untouched ground where he and his comrade stood and a large dust cloud. Naruto glanced lazily around him with his Rin'negan activated to see any approaching chakra while Kirabi just shook his head at the sheer power the kid possessed… more than him he figured.

Suddenly the ground where they stood shook a bit and pillars of wood came out, trying to bind him. Jumping away with Kirabi, both jinchuuriki heard the all too familiar sound of birds chirping coming from above but never saw the figure descending from above with two Chidori's on each hand. Kakashi knew that if he hit them with his low level signature jutsu they would survive but he didn't count on the taller of the two rouges to suddenly jump and kick him straight in the chest, sending him crashing to a roof.

"That was a small mistake on your behalf Copy-Nin" Kirabi stated with a grin and a pose while Naruto just smirked at the antics of his friend. Thinking on the other he sent to pursue Kisame, he signaled his charismatic comrade to leave when suddenly he felt the ground lift and knew of two persons to be able to do that without screaming "earth style". Tsunade was crouched with both hand on the ground lifting the chunk of earth with slight difficulty, it appeared that age was getting to her.

"Not yet Naruto!" Tsunade exclaimed as she was about to pull the ground towards her when she felt her neck being grabbed and her body being lifted from the ground. Every Konoha shinobi was stunned and were prepaired to attack all out if not for the signal to "hold on" the Hokage was giving them.

"You have no right to stop me Tsunade… I'm no shinobi of yours" Naruto stated coldly while he glared at the weak but fierce eyes of the woman he thought of a grandmother before he left "You and the entire village ignored me when it was I who saved it… no one thanked me. Only one kid thanked me before her parent took her away saying I was a bad influence. The attack the Akatsuki directed towards this village was more personal than business… many forget that Fire country is not a land of saints but of sinners. I have no desire of killing unworthy people like you" he stated emotionlessly as he dropped Tsunade to the ground and walked away.

"Who… do you think… you are… walking away from me?" Tsunade rasped as she began to get up while massaging her throat. The shinobi behind her were a bit more at ease seeing their leader unharmed and were more prepared than ever to restrain the blonde jinchuuriki.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto but we are… Boshoku!" Naruto said as he and Kirabi disappeared in a blur of speed, leaving behind a shock village that would never misjudge their old comrade and friend again.

X.X.X

Forest, a few miles away from Konoha's gate

The smell of smoke and trees burning filled a wide area in the middle of the forest and sounds of battle were heard in different places as well. The wide area was filled with craters, cracks, slashes and fallen trees. Two bodies were on the ground, not moving, while snakes retreated back to their master, their job already done. Kabuto smiled at the challenge the once thought experiments were giving him and his fellow comrades but it still wasn't enough to kill them. He was currently fighting three of them, each one had a different skill in the arts of destruction, one could enhance his body structure to almost ten feet tall, no very fast but powerful, the second one was full of speed but nothing of power and the last one had hole on both his arms and could shoot chakra blasts from them.

Kusamaru was fighting head to head with the sneaky Zetsu, made of earth spikes, boulders and the occasional animal shaped jutsu were thrown. Going in or out of the ground was making the battle between these two masters of assassination… deathly. Every time each of the two rouges of Kusagakure clashed were so narrow that it was a near death experience just to escape, grass or leafs were sharpened by chakra and thrown like projectiles, making this battle unpredictable.

Doki was fighting five cursed-sealed shinobi at the same time while his other comrade battled against Kirame in a kenjutsu fight. The missing-ninja from Iwagakure was currently using his blood-line to have an edge against the instantly powerful shinobi. Two cursed-sealed shinobi charged at him while the other three kept their distance just in case, the two enhanced shinobi with their enhanced fists struck the body of the rouge and it disintegrated in to ruble. The five enhanced shinobi were kind of shocked at the sudden display of trickery but couldn't sense the guy near them, suddenly large spikes were launched at them but they avoided them with ease. One of the enhanced shinobi charged at the location where the spikes were thrown only to be impaled by a huge pillar that fell from above him. The four enemy shinobi left looked to the sky to see a huge silhouette descending with what it looked like spikes attached to his body.

Doki smirked as he started to roll in the air and shoot spikes randomly at his enemies while said enemy dodge or block the best they could. One of the bigger enhanced shinobi suddenly charged forward, blocking every projectile coming his way, and grabbed the rolling shinobi from two of his spikes, stopping him in place. The Cursed-sealed shinobi kicked his spike covered opponent and sent him crashing towards a stone, destroying it in the process. Suddenly the ground shifted and a tall human shape came out from it, charging at the enemy. Doki made a few hand-signs and was about to kill them all with a technique when suddenly the area became flooded with water and a huge vortex hit him directly.

"Hate to ruin his fun but we really need to go" Kisame said as he signaled the enhanced shinobi to move but suddenly slashes appeared around their bodies and they dropped to the ground but still not dead. Kisame glared at the form of the rouge from Suna and he grabbed his sword and charged intent of ending the fight quickly.

Kazuru just poised his two katana over his shoulders and going behind his back while he channeled wind chakra at them, sharpening them as he too wanted to end this quickly. The two kenjutsu experts suddenly charged at each other and clashed their swords with a thunderous sound. Kazuru suddenly fell back a bit since his opponent was stronger than him and that gave Kisame the opportunity needed. The fish-like shinobi kicked Kazuru in the ribs and pushed him off him with his huge sword, the ex-Suna shinobi was about to retaliate when he felt dozens of sharp blades grace his face. Kisame struck Kazuru right in the face with his special sword sending him crashing into a tree. Suddenly he saw a huge snake coming his way and he smirked.

"You weakling… Water style: Double Shark Frenzy" Kisame said and from the water that he created earlier two huge shark-like torpedoes were shot at the snake. The shark-like torpedoes connected with the snake and destroy it instantly but its master was nowhere in sight. Kisame walked towards his subordinates who were slowly getting up and just gave them a blank stare "We need to move… Madara is getting impatient" he stated and he flickered and the surviving shinobi followed him in a slower pace.

Hidden in a tree was the ever clever glasses-wearing shinobi, Kabuto, who just saw that three of his victims feigned death in a way that surprised even him. Shaking his head and his mistake he walked towards his fallen comrades with an amusing look in his eyes. Doki's body was already healed since he was made of rock but it seems he was a bit shaken up and dizzy because the vortex created by Kizame dragged him almost fifteen feet. Kabuto knew he wouldn't be too much of a problem once you promise his a little revenge but he was worried about the other one. Kazuru was holding his right cheek where blood flooded nicely, he didn't seemed worried about his injury since his eyes were colder that winter but his pride… that was a different matter.

"It seems you underestimated Kisame and his 'Samakade'… whatever the name is, Kazuru" a voice said and the present members of the group known as "Boshoku" turned around to see their leader on top of a branch with an amused face. Kirabi on the other hand was staring at the place were some on the fallen enemy were.

"It won't happen again…" Kazuru wanted to reclaim that Kisame's strength and chakra were bigger than him but the fact was that he lost… no excuses. The ex-Suna shinobi saw understanding in Naruto's eyes so he felt a bit better that he didn't lost faith in his abilities.

"The half-plant man was an interesting opponent" a chilled voiced said and the ground shifted with the shape of a grinning Kusamaru. Naruto looked pleased to see him and the others in one place as he let out a sigh of relieve.

"We have to collect ourselves for the task ahead…" Naruto started but was interrupted when a huge chakra full of malice entered their area; the killing intent of it was inhuman "It seems Madara is quite angry" Naruto stated.

"The enemy is a mere mile away… I recommend a slow pace to conserve energy" Kusamaru stated while the others nodded at the idea.

"Okay guys… let's go!" Naruto commanded as he and his comrades flickered from the scene.

X.X.X

Konoha

The shinobi were hurrying all around the streets, messages to other shinobi were being delivered and the injured were being transpoted to the hospital. Only a handful of shinobi got hurt thanks to the sudden appearance of the so called "demon child". Ironically, it was thanks to the one the village rejected that the majority of the shinobi living in the village were alive. Three years ago one Uzumaki Naruto defended the Village Hidden in the Leaves with his life, he could've just run away anytime he pleased but instead he kept fighting for the people he'd grown to love and appreciate. The same people who thought the attack was his fault in the first place… the same people that didn't thought that the attack was personal.

Senju Tsunade was doing her rubbing-her-temples habit as a group of shinobi, fully equipped, stood in front of her ready for any orders the Hokage would give. Kakashi, Yamato, Shikamaru, Sakura and Sai looked expectantly at the woman in front of them who was growing more frustrated by the second. The Hokage lifted her head and gazed emotionlessly at the group in front before clearing her throat. Suddenly a slender figure with long dark-bluish hair landed outside her window and glared at the people inside the room with her penetrating pupil-less eyes.

"I request to join this mission Hokage-sama" Hinata stated in a demanding tone and before an argument could take place between her and the leader of the village she began "I know I'm a bit winded but I'm fit to fight and I'm going to bring him back even if it costs me my life"

"Alright but listen to me well Hinata and this goes for all of you as well…" Tsunade said in an almost hollow voice as she stared at the eyes of the strongest kunoichi in the village "If you see an Akatsuki member, you don't engage… Naruto's group is more than capable of doing that. The Akatsuki have lost all the weaker members and it's a wonder how Itachi died but I don't want any casualties on this mission, just retrieve Naruto… no matter his state" she said with stony face and everyone in the group nodded somberly and with that they disappeared in smoke leaving a distraught Hokage alone.

"Naruto… please be alive after this" she whispered in to dark

X.X.X

Unknown location, tallest cave around the forest

"It seems they're coming but in a slow pace… I can't get close enough since they have two shinobi that can sense me in an instant" Zetsu said as he walked towards the man who was standing in front of the gigantic statue of a seemingly nine-eyed agonizing demon with shackles around its hands.

"Your plan is working to perfection Madara… the two jinchuuriki are proud and would never back down from a fight… their biggest weakness" another voice said, this time gruff and sickly but otherwise still strong enough to put Zetsu straight and alert.

"Ahh but it always has been like that… Naruto has always been easy to predict no matter how much power he has and Kirabi is just as predictable" Madara stated with a chuckle.

"It would be nice to fight him again… the Uzumaki boy" the gruff voice said this time his voice changed a bit more fierce and sadistic "I'll get him this time… my dream will come true!"

Madara heard the whisper of the gruff voice and smiled under his mask and his lone eye shone in the darkness of the cave they were staying at for the time being. He hadn't been this excited in a long time… not since his fight against his friend and rival Hashirama. He was minutes away from getting absolute power and this time failure wasn't an option.

X.X.X

Sorry for the delay but the university was killing me… I finished though so updates will come faster XD. Hinata will show her skills in the next chapter if people are wondering about her power so no worries… and a small fluffy scene will come but you'll have to wait at least two chapters. I know some of you are a bit angry that Kisame is still alive but it serves some of you right for underestimate him but his fate will be sealed shortly hahahahaha…. cough…. Sorry!

"Boshoku", literally means dusk… simple and you'll see why next!!!

Next: unexpected enemy