Hello again, readers! I'm so glad that everyone likes this story. At least, I hope you all like it. Anyway, this chapter isn't going to be as long, and I might not be able to update next Thursday. I have a show that opens that night and I would like to focus on that for now. I will do my best to update as soon as the show's done. And I said this in the last AN, but my coauthor and I are looking to write a D Gray Man fanfic. But we would like to know if it's something we should consider doing. Let us know!

6. Showdown: Mysterious Ninja vs. Squad 7!

The genin stood in their seats trying to make sense of Ibiki's words. Did they really pass the test without answering the tenth question? Apparently it was so, for Ibiki looked extremely happy for them. The students looked at each other in confusion. What was the point with the test then? Thought Yuki.

"Congratulations!" said Ibiki. "You all pass the first exam!"

"How can that be?" asked Sakura. "What was the point of all that?"

"The point was, little lady," said Ibiki. "We wanted to see how you all would cheat without us seeing you. In a real mission, one must acquire information without being seen by the enemy. To do so would put your team at risk for capture or death. By withstanding the tenth question," Ibiki removed his headband covering his head. "Told us that you'd do anything to keep what information you had a secret even if it meant you'd die."

He's got tons of scares and holes in his head! Yuki covered her mouth to keep from getting sick. The horrors he must have gone through.

A loud crash came from the window closest to Ibiki as a banner was suddenly pinned in front of him. "Alright!" said the woman standing in the middle of the banner. "It's time for the second part of the exam!!"

"You're early, again, Anko." Said Ibiki. The woman called Anko stood dumbfounded for a few seconds then cleared her throat. She looked around the room and said, "Forty-eight left? That's way too many. You've gone soft on them Ibiki."

"I know," said Ibiki. "This bunch is a lot tougher than I thought."

"Well, whatever!" said Anko. "Alright, you slackers, follow me for the next exam!" There was a long silence as Ibiki tapped Anko's shoulder saying, "Uh, look at the time. There is no way that they could start the exam today."

"Right." Said Anko sulking. "Alright, then meet me at Site 67 tomorrow morning! This test is dismissed!"

Everyone filed out into the hallway and left the two proctors in the room by themselves. Yuki leaned up against the wall saying, "Man, that was tough!"

"I didn't think it was so bad!" smiled Naruto.

"Yeah, right." Said Sakura. "I bet you didn't even know we were supposed to cheat!"

"I-I knew before you did!" Naruto argued.

"Enough, already!" said Sasuke. "The test is over. Let's just get out of here."

"I agree." Said Yuki.

As the four walked down the hallway they all felt a cold shiver run down their spines. They turned their heads to see the Kocha-look-alike walk straight passed them. As she walked by Yuki, she heard a soft laugh. The four stood there in shock.

"W-what was that?" asked Naruto. "Her eyes were…"

"Blood-thirsty." Finished Sasuke. "We need to be careful around her."

"Right." Said Sakura.

As they walked out of the building the sun was shining in the lower west telling them that it was almost nightfall. The group hurried home and took an alley that would take them to an intersection, which could lead all four home easily. As darkness fell the lamp posts turned on and the stars came out one by one. While they were talking the children noticed one of the lights lighting the ground were moving. They looked up to see mirrored eyes like that of a cat but the silhouette belonged to a human. They all backed up, scared by the appearance.

"Well, well," purred a woman's voice. "I'm lucky to find all three in one spot. This could be interesting." The silhouette jumped behind the light landing with cat-like grace. "Let's see," she purred again. "We have the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, the only elemental bender, and…" a growl emitted from her throat as she stared at Naruto. "The nine-tailed brat."

"Who are you?" asked Sasuke. "What do you want?"

"A challenge." Said she. The woman stepped into the light.

"You!" cried Naruto. "You're the one from the exam!"

"I am called, Keeta." She bowed mockingly. Yuki looked taken aback by the name. Keeta. She thought. It sounds familiar.

"Keeta, huh." Said Sasuke. "Well, 'Keeta' the exams are over and we would like to return home to prepare for the next one. You should do the same."

"This is our next exam." Keeta laughed. "Only the proctors don't know about it. I think it will help them to weed out the weaker ones."

"What did you say!?" roared Naruto. "Are you calling us weak?"

"You're not as dumb as you look, child." Hissed Keeta. "Let us see how you do against me."

"Hold on a second!" said Sakura.

"This doesn't concern you!" roared Keeta. "Stay out of it, girl, or your head will be the first to fall!" Sakura turned white with fear.

"If you touch one hair on Sakura's head, I'll kill you!" growled Yuki pulling out her kunai chain.

"Very well." Purred Keeta. "It's been a while since I had a challenge. Let's see if the Nine-tailed fox has truly chosen you as its master." The woman pulled out two katana blades from her back and took a low battle stance. The others readied themselves for the assault. Keeta charged toward them and before she could reach them she was thrown back passed the light. When Sasuke opened his eyes Kocha and Kakashi stood in front of him. Kocha had her sword drawn while Kakashi held a kunai knife in one hand with his other in his pocket.

"Kakashi! Kocha!" cheered Yuki.

"What the hell?" came Keeta's voice. She entered the light once more and her eyes widened by the sight of Kocha. "Well, well, this is a surprise." She smiled. "I never thought I'd see you again, Kocha."

"Likewise." Kocha answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Fulfilling the promise we made to each other." Keeta shrugged. "Don't you remember?"

Kocha's eyes turned sad as she gazed at the ground.

"Ahh, now you remember." Said Keeta. "Do it! Kill him for our homeland! Kill him for your twin sister! For me! For us! Kill the Nine-Tailed Fox!"

Everyone gasped and turned toward Kocha who looked depressed. "She's your twin sister?" asked Kakashi. He backed away and they all surrounded Naruto. "Are you-?"

"No." whispered Kocha.

"What!?" roared Keeta.

"No!" Kocha shouted. "Keeta, we don't need to kill the Nine-tailed Fox anymore! The deed has been done. Konoha's Fourth Hokage sealed the beast within this boy. We don't need to fight anymore."

"You must be joking." Said Keeta. "That runt killed our family and our friends! Will you not avenge them!?"

"I am sorry, Keeta." Kocha sighed. "I have chosen my path. Revenge has been given. Naruto holds the beast within him. That is enough."

"It still lives!!" hissed Keeta. "It lives within the boy, thus he is the Nine-tailed Fox!"

"No he's not!" roared Kakashi. "Naruto Uzumaki is the heart and soul of our squad! I will give my life to ensure no harm comes to him. That goes for the others as well."

"Tch! What would you know about my…our pain!? This child destroyed our home, our family! Nothing you say can change my mind!"

"This boy knows your pain far too well." Said Kakashi. "Sasuke knows as well, and Yuki, too. Sasuke and Yuki both lost their parents when they were still young. Naruto has never had a family or friend in the world."

"Sensei." Whispered Naruto.

"But we're his family now. We will defend ourselves and each other if the need arises." Said Kakashi.

"You heard the man." Yuki said. "Now, scram!"

"Keeta, come with me!" Kocha said almost desperately. "We don't have to fight anymore!"

"Mother and Father deserve vengeance!!" Keeta roared.

"What will revenge do, Keeta!?" Kocha said. "It won't bring them back! Revenge will only make you empty."

"So you have given up on them!?" cried Keeta. "Then, you're nothing more than a traitor. What will you say to Him!?"

"I've left Him, Keeta! You know that!" Kocha barked. "You're still with him after all these years?"

"Of course!" said Keeta. "He is the only one that understands us! Why did you leave me alone?"

"Keeta, he only tells lies! Leave him and come with me!"

"Never! Die traitor!!" Keeta charged with blinding speed as Kocha blocked the attack with her sword. Sparks illuminated the ally as the blades clashed. Their eyes bore into each other as the standoff continued while the others tried to keep their distance. Naruto tried to dart toward them but Kakashi stopped him. "This is their battle, Naruto." He told him. "You can't interfere now."

"But, Sensei!" said Naruto. Kakashi glared at him and said, "That's an order!" Naruto backed away obediently. The twins separated and clashed again and again as the night went on. After a few minutes the two were at their separate sides once more breathing heavily.

After a long moment of silence Keeta stood proudly saying, "If you will not take his life, then I will have to be the one to give vengeance. Die Naruto Uzumaki!!" She charged toward him but Kakashi appeared in her path and tried to clash blades with her but Keeta leapt into the air with cat-like grace. While in the air Yuki, Sakura, and Sasuke all tried to attack her but Keeta removed them like flies. Naruto pulled out a kunai knife ready to defend himself as Keeta's blades barreled toward him. Just before the blades reached him Kakashi rushed into the scene again and covered Naruto with his body. The swords slashed across his back as his blood could be seen trailing from the swords. Kakashi lay on the ground paralyzed. What is this!? Kakashi though confused. The attack wasn't powerful enough to kill anyone yet I can't move! What did she do?

"Kakashi-sensei!" cried Sakura. That attack couldn't have killed him! She just scratched him!

"Damn!" cried Keeta. "All of the serum was used on him. Damnit! I'll have to do this the hard way."

"What did you do to Kakashi-kun!?" roared Kocha.

"It was a little paralyzing medicine I concocted." Answered Keeta. "One small scratch is enough to paralyze a full grown man. Your friend isn't dead, but he will be." She rose one of her swords over Kakashi's head and just before she thrust it into him, the sword bent into a ninety-degree angle by an unseen force. Keeta glared over at Yuki whose eyes were glowing venom green. The Soshigan. Keeta thought.

"Stay away from them!" hissed Yuki. "I can do things with that one piece of metal than your imagination can allow."

"Really?" asked Keeta amused. "Let's give it a try." Keeta rose her fist into the air and threw down smoke screen bombs. The smoke became so think that no one could see where anyone was. Yuki used her Soshigan again to summon the wind to blow it away. When it was gone, everyone noticed that Kakashi was missing. Naruto looked in front of him in shock. A voice from the heavens spoke saying, "If you want your Sensei to live, come find me near the western cliffs. I look forward to seeing what your Sharingan and Soshigan can do."

"So she laid a trap for the both of us?" said Sasuke. "Great."

"I'll go." Said Kocha. "You all wait here."

"No way!" said Yuki. "She asked for us and if we're not there, then she'll kill Kakashi!"

"I understand the situation," said Kocha. "But it is far too dangerous. Keeta is a master of medicines for both good and evil purposes."

"How is that possible," asked Sakura. "Did she train as a medical ninja?"

"Long story short," said Kocha. "She holds the spirit of the Earth within her and thus her knowledge."

"What?" said Naruto. "Spirit of the Earth?"

"I don't have time to explain everything!" said Kocha. "Kakashi-kun is in danger and I have to hurry."

"Kakashi trained all of us!" said Sasuke. "I think this would be the perfect time to show him what we can do."

"Sasuke's right!" said Yuki. "We have to show Kakashi that his faith in us is not misplaced!" Kocha looked at them for a long time and said, "Very well. But follow my lead."

"I'll go too!" shouted Naruto. "Kakashi-sensei got caught because of me…again. I have to save him, too!"

"I'll go as well." Said Sakura. "The more soldiers you have the better."

Kocha smiled a small smile and said, "Fine. Let's go save your sensei."

The group leapt out of the village and increased their speed as they increased their distance from the cliffs. The group arrived at a large clearing from the forest that surrounded the area. Naruto looked down to see a thin river hundreds of feet below. He gulped and looked away. Kakashi still lay stiff on the grass while Keeta stood behind him with one foot on his side like he was a prized game kill. A deep growl could be heard from Kocha.

"About time you got here." Said Keeta. "I had to give him another dose. He's sleeping like a kitten."

"You wench." Kocha hissed under her breath. She drew her blade once more and readied herself. The others prepared themselves as well. Keeta looked at them intrigued. "Alright," she cheered. "This is what I'm talking about!" She quickly drew her swords and charged at Kocha who dodged the attack and made a few hand signs shouting, "Earth style: Wrath of the Mountain Jutsu!!" The mud under her feet turned into mud and slithered into a large wolf. The beast, with its red eyes glowing, spewed a barrage of hardened mud at Keeta who deflected the attacks. Kocha used this change to charge at her and was able to slash her side. While they fought Sakura pulled Kakashi back into the woods away from sight. She peeked through the bushes as Yuki leapt into the air and launched her kunai chain.

Naruto summoned twenty shadow clones and barraged Keeta as she held off frontal attacks from Kocha and Sasuke who was reading her moves with his Sharingan. The battle lasted for what felt like hours when they finally stopped. Yuki, Kocha, Naruto, and Sasuke all stood toward the cliff while Keeta stood huffing further inland. She sighed saying, "This isn't the end!" She was too far away for the others to see but Kocha noticed a mutation within Keeta's body. Soon she was a black silhouette within a red light as she rose her fist into the air and thrust it toward them releasing a large ball of red chakra. The attack caused Naruto to fly off of the cliff while pushing the others to the side. Kocha quickly got up shouting, "Naruto!!" She removed her jacket and jumped after him.

"Kocha!!" cried Yuki as she watched them fall toward their doom. There was a scream from behind which caused Yuki to turn around. Keeta fell to one knee with a kunai in her shoulder. Kakashi stood behind her looking angrier than ever. "You'll pay for harming my students." He growled. As he charged forward Yuki heard a whooshing sound from behind her and turned around. There was nothing so she turned back toward Keeta but in her vision was Kocha with an unconscious Naruto.

"Kocha!!" cried Yuki. "I thought you were…"

"I'll tell you all later." Said Kocha. "For now, let's help your sensei."

Sasuke and Yuki rose to join Kocha in the charge toward Keeta. There was a furry of sparks as knifes and swords met in the fray. Finally, Keeta released a shockwave that threw everyone a few feet around her. Keeta, her eyes glowing yellow, charged her blade toward Kocha who rose to meet her. Kocha deflected the rapid attacks from her sister as they came toward her. However, Kocha stepped too soon and left herself open for Keeta's attack. Keeta's sword disarmed Kocha impaled her right side and was ripped horizontally opening her side ever more. Kocha cried in anguish as blood spread to the ground. Due to the rapid blood loss Kocha fell unconscious immediately. Yuki, red with rage, grabbed Kocha's fallen blade, ran up behind Keeta with amazing speed, and thrust the sword into Keeta's back. Keeta yelped grabbing Yuki by her shirt and threw her into Kakashi, who was running forward for a frontal assault. She pulled out the sword and threw it on the ground. "Damn!" she cried. She looked down at her fallen sister and said, "This only happened because you forgot your promise..." She grabbed her swords and ran swiftly away from the area.

Naruto awoke to see everyone gathered around Kocha's body. He ran up and yelled, "Kocha-sensei!" Yuki began to cry but she tried her hardest to hide it. She knew that one of the shinobi rules was not to show emotion. Kakashi realized this and turned away saying, "I would tell you not to cry…but I know what she meant to you. I won't watch so go ahead."

"No." said Yuki. "Kocha wouldn't want me to make exceptions. I will fight for her to the end. I will finish what she started."

"Us too." Murmured Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Kakashi nodded and picked up Kocha's lifeless body. He observed how her hair flew lifeless over her pale face. He closed his eyes and thought, Thank you. The group walked down the hill as the moon came out from almost nowhere. As they walked into a clearing, Kakashi felt movement within his arms. He looked down to see Kocha staring up at him. He stopped, wide-eyed, saying, "Kocha! You're alive?"

Yuki, hearing this, stopped and immediately ran toward Kakashi. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all ran to him as well. Kocha only motioned a nod then flinched at the pain in her side. Kakashi nodded saying, "We'll talk later. Let's get her to the infirmary."

With great speed the group ran as fast as they could toward Konoha Village.