Yo!! It's been a while. I've been hammered down with work, and break has made me lazy. But now that I've found a swing, imma try and keep updating every month at least.

Chapter 28: The Search for Raven: Naruto's Rage and Neji's Dilemma.

Naruto, Neji, Sakura, and Blade ran through the forest, in the direction that Raven was heading. They were intent on stopping him before he crossed into Earth Country. Neji's Byakugan could see him, but he was still some distance ahead of them.

"We're going at a faster pace than he is. We can catch him in about 20 minutes at this pace." Neji said, and Sakura clenched her hands. "He isn't getting away." Blade said, and Naruto began to pick the pace up a little. "!?" Blade was surprised when Naruto blasted right by him, the whisker marks on his cheeks more defined, and his eyes crimson.

(What the hell? Some kind of bloodline skill?) Blade thought to himself. "Naruto! Slow down! Don't get too far ahead!" Neji yelled, and Sakura began to catch Naruto. (These guys are more intent on catching him than I am?) Blade thought, as Sakura had a determined look on her face. One that Blade was sure meant something more.

(She can't like him, can she?) Blade thought to himself. (Naruto I can understand wanting to catch Raven, because of Sasuke and all, but why is Sakura so intent on getting him as well?) Neji thought to himself. They were about to continue, but Neji's eyes widened. "STOP NOW!!!!" Neji yelled, and everyone froze.

"What!?" Sakura yelled irritably, and Neji growled in anger. "First off, calm down before you die. Second, there are paper bombs all over the place. One bad move and we can all go up in smokes and flames." Neji said, and Blade narrowed his eyes. "Then how do we solve this, Hyuuga?" Blade asked. "You fight me."

The nin turned, and a girl with long dark blue hair appeared in the trees. In her hair was a paper flower. "I am the one who controls these bombs. One bad move and I'll kill you all." She said. "Who the hell is she?" Blade asked. "My name is Konan. I am the kunoichi of Akatsuki, and the ex-partner of the leader, Pain." Konan said, and Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"You're HIS partner?" Naruto asked, growling. "I am. Why is that a problem?" Konan asked. "Then you had something to do with Jiraiya's death!!!" Naruto yelled, as his eyes began to shift crimson. "You must know Jiraiya-Sensei. His fight with us was unfortunate. We had no other choice but to end him early. That is the way of shinobi, though." Konan said, and Naruto growled darkly.

"His death was his own fault. He shouldn't have fought Pain." Konan said. "Ha! Some ninja Pain was! He got killed by Orochimaru!" Naruto yelled. "But Pain killed Jiraiya. So either the Frog Sage was weaker than Orochimaru, or he foolishly threw his life away." Konan said, and Naruto yelled in fury.

"I'm going to kill you!!!" Naruto yelled. Konan hopped away, and Naruto chased after her. "Sakura, Blade. Follow Raven. Naruto needs help, and I'm worried that he will do something reckless!" Neji said. "Then I should go after him!" Sakura said, and Neji shook his head. "Of the three of us here, Raven will most likely see reason with Blade and you. I would have preferred to have you and me fight her, but Naruto seems to not care to leave his emotions aside." Neji said.

"Raven is trying to travel down a path that he believes is right. He either doesn't understand the kind of person Itachi Uchiha is, or doesn't care. He is in this for power, like Sasuke was." Neji said, as he turned towards the direction where Konan and Naruto ran off. "It's better this way. I know you two won't try to kill him outright, like I may have." Neji said, as he ran after Naruto.

(Down the Road)

"Naruto!! Slow down!! Be rational!!" Neji yelled, but he knew it was in vain. "Damnit!!" He knew Naruto was going to attack that girl without thinking, but what he didn't expect was the large red ball of chakra to fly right by him, nearly hitting him.

(What the!?) Neji stopped, and used his Byakugan to look towards the fight. He couldn't tell the colors due to the Byakugan, but he could see some kind of foreign chakra exhuding off Naruto. He used his eyes to view Naruto's chakra system, and what he saw made his eyes widen. (The nine-tailed fox!?) Neji thought to himself, as he was then pulled into what looked like a sewer with water on the ground.

"Where am I?" Neji looked confused. He looked down the hall, and decided to walk along it. (Whatever is here, is giving me the chills.) Neji thought to himself, as he walked. He then came to a cage, with what he thought was a card on it. "A seal?" Neji thought, as he approached it. He was about to touch it, but he felt something wrong, and hopped back just in time for claws to nearly slice him to shreds.

"!??!" Neji looked confused and scared. "What's this? A Hyuuga?" The malevolent voice said, and Neji's eyes widened when he saw who it was. "What? The nine-tailed fox, Kyuubi?" Neji muttered silently. "Hm. It's been a long time since I've been in contact with a Hyuuga of all people." Kyuubi said, and Neji maintained a wary aura.

"Hm. The power you exhude is most unsettling. It's almost as dark as Kenpachi Hyuuga. You'll make one of the greatest Hyuuga ever born. I just hope you don't travel the same path he did." Kyuubi said, chuckling darkly. Neji narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" Neji asked.

"That fool Orochimaru thinks he is in control of Mangekyo. He doesn't realize that he is merely a pawn in the two strongest ninja in this land's plan." Kyuubi said. "What?" Neji asked. "Uchiha Madara and Hyuuga Kenpachi are going to plan the utter destruction of Konoha." Kyuubi said, as he then began to chuckle darkly. "But the village's survival isn't my concern."

(Real World)

"Hey. Boy. You need to quit zoning out." Neji looked around, confused. He turned, and Konan was standing next to him, looking somewhat concernd. "!? What are you doing here?" Neji asked, glaring at her. "Your friend is not himself." Konan said, as Neji turned, using his Byakugan to look at Naruto. What he saw caused his eyes to widen.

"Wh-what the hell is he!?" Neji asked himself silently. "That must be the nine-tailed fox taking over him…" Konan said. "What?" Neji asked. "He isn't even aware of everything he is doing at this point, like some kind of beast…" Konan said. "Which means he may attack you as well…" Neji narrowed his eyes. "Then we have to prevent him from running rampant…" Neji said.

Both nin turned to look at each other, and looked away. "Glad we agreed to a truce…" Both nin said. We know. Neither nin called for a truce. Both nin are just good at the whole non-verbal conversations. Sasuke and Neji chat like that every now and then.

"That's Naruto?" Neji asked, as they saw the Kyuubi child in 4-tailed form. "He looks like a miniature Kyuubi…" Neji said. "And he has the power of a miniature Kyuubi." Konan said. "I could use my Jyuuken to stop his chakra." Neji said. "If you can get past the fact that his chakra is right now exhuding enough heat to burn anything that gets too close to it." Konan said. "That so?" Neji said. "Then we'll need an alternate plan."

(Raven)

Raven was running, he was getting close to the valley that separated Fire Country and Earth Country. He then felt a strong pulse of chakra, and turned to see a giant red pillar shoot into the air. (What the!??!) Raven said, as he stopped. "That was some pretty malevolent chakra. I haven't felt anything like that." Raven said.

(Is that coming from one of the people chsing me?) Raven thought to himself. "It's been said that Kyuubi fell in Konoha. You don't think that it managed to infuse a child with it's power, do you?" Fang asked. "It wouldn't surprise me. Konoha is good at using the unexpected." Raven said. "And Itachi is a Konoha Missing Nin, so with him, anything is possible."

(Neji)

Naruto, in his 4-tailed form, rampaged all throughout the forest, looking for anyone to fight. "This is getting bad." Konan said. "I will stop him." Neji said, hopping off the branches. "Your funeral." Konan said, following him. Neji landed about 100 meters from Naruto, and got his attention.

"Naruto!! Get a hold of yourself!!" Neji said. Naruto turned to him, and one of his tails lashed at him violently. "What!?" Neji hopped away, and the tail hit the ground, creating a giant wave of destruction. "That was really powerful…" Neji said, as Konan swooped from above and behind Naruto. She created 5 birds that carried exploding tags, and had them fly at Naruto. Before they even got close, Naruto swung his hand, and they were incinerated.

"That's bad…." Konan said with apathy. Neji brought his hands back, and launched his Empty Palm at Naruto. The attack seemed to hit Naruto, but if it hurt him, he didn't show any signs of being hurt. "Did that do anything?" Neji asked. Naruto slammed his hands into the ground, and

Neji could sense some serious chakra at work. He used his eyes to see Naruto's chakra flow, and saw it condensing near his mouth.

"What the hell?" Neji asked, as a ball of condensed chakra appeared in Naruto's mouth. "Get away!!!" Konan yelled, and Neji's eyes widened when the ball was shot. Neji scrambled to get away, as the ball hit the ground, and created a giant explosion.

Neji was panting and breathing hard in what could be expected from a near death experience. Konan flew in, and grabbed him before the explosion could kill them both. "What? Why did you save me?" Neji asked, and Konan kept her look forward.

"You saw into him earlier, maybe you can stop him." Konan said. Her Angel Wings then broke apart and turned into a bird that carried them both. "Can you look into his seal from here?" Konan asked. "I got it. Byakugan!!!" Neji said, as his vision zoomed into the seal, and he was once again drawn into the sewer like room.

"Who are you?" Neji looked, and saw a younger Naruto. "Naruto?"Neji asked. "I don't know what's going on. Nii-san came in, and hasn't left. I think something may be wrong with him." Little Naruto said, and Neji frowned. (Nauto might be in trouble.) Neji thought. "Can you show me where Naruto is?" Neji asked. Little Naruto nodded, and Neji followed him.

(Real World)

Konan knew Neji was in when his Byakugan had a far-away look. Naruto looked like he found them, and launched his four tails to attack her. She took higher into the sky, but had to remember to maintain Neji's visual range. "Damn boy. Hurry up before we both die." Konan said.

(Inner Naruto World)

Neji followed the young Naruto, as they came to a room, where Naruto was chained up. "Naruto!?" Neji said, as he approached him. "You won't reach him." Little Naruto said. "The Kyuubi is in him, and only an Uchiha can take control of him." Little Naruto said.

"Uchiha, I am not. But I have another idea." Neji said. "Kyuubi. I wish to fight for Naruto's freedom. If I win, you release him this time." Neji said. "There is no gain for me. What reason do I have to release my hold when no one can free him this time?" Kyuubi's voice boomed. "If you win, I'll let you posses my body instead…" Neji said, and Little Naruto's eyes widened.

"Bold bet, considering your chances are slim, Hyuuga." Kyuubi said. "Naruto is to become the future Hokage. If that means I transfer his burden onto myself, then so be it." Neji said, and Kyuubi laughed. The chained Naruto then opened his eyes, and Kyuubi, in Naruto's clothes, walked from him. His black and orange vest was open, showing a 6-pack. Kyuubi had Naruto's crimson eyes, and he smirked. "Well then. Shall we begin, Hyuuga?" Kyuubi asked, his voice a mix of Naruto's and his own.

ShadowRonin: Things are getting intense. Neji is bargaining with the Kyuubi to try and release Naruto, but a battle is to take place. Can Neji pull this off?

Next Chapter: Neji's been in his fair share of one sided battles, but how can he stand against something like Kyuubi? The Hyuuga Genius must come up with something before he's stuck with Naruto's fate on:

Chapter 29: Chunin Exam Rematch. End Game at the Valley of the End.

Side Note: Once this arc is over, Imma start making Character Bios for the OCs of this story. This includes the last 15 of the Shadow 20, and Raven's Team. It's mostly for me because I have a hard time remembering my characters off the top of my head.

Second Side Note: I've been somewhat unclear as to what members of Akatsuki are alive, at least a friend of mine said so. So here's whos still alive: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, and Konan. Pain and Madara are off somewhere, but are still members of Akatsuki. I haven't fit them in yet.