D1: forgive my lack of updates but I've been swamped with uni work (which I should have been doing instead this) and had no inspiration. Dez Guardius inspired this chapter, so it's dedicated to you. From the DJ-Rage archives, we present…
Chapter 9 – Waking nightmare
The Hyuuga compound was in uproar. The news of Naruto's lineage and Hinata's disappearance had sent the council into a frenzy of meetings that all dissolved into arguments.
"That monster can't be related to the fourth!" the oldest Hyuuga yelled.
"Are you calling the Hokage a liar? Hiashi said she was named as the attending when the boy was born," a female council member countered.
"There is the possibility the certificate is forged."
"Watch your tongue, that talk could be considered treason."
"Well, there is that possibility; she is fond of the fox brat."
Hiashi sat in silence letting the council argue, he was jerked back to reality as the eldest council member slammed his hands down on the table.
"If he is the son of the fourth, then he must prove it!" the old man yelled.
"He has already mastered the fourth's jutsu, the Rasengan. And created two unique variants of it."
"That proves nothing! The Sanin Jiraiya also mastered the Rasengan!"
"You can't deny the resemblance with the fourth."
"Coincidence," the old man said imperiously.
"You seem almost desperate to ignore or dismiss his lineage," the woman muttered.
"Enough!" the council leader bellowed, "If he is the son of the fourth, he must prove himself."
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Cricket chirps pierced the evening air as Sakura stirred the ashes of the drying fire in font of her, trying to keep it going. Sasuke appeared, carrying more fuel for the fire. He dropped it near the fire and sat next to Sakura. A groan made both ninja look up as Naruto flopped down next to Sasuke and Sakura with a tired expression.
"Something wrong?" Sasuke asked, already knowing the answer.
"If one more person asks if I'm really the son of the fourth again I swear I'll let the fox take control."
"What did you expect?" Sakura noted, "The most hated boy in the village is revealed to be the son of the one who defeated the nine-tails is going to be a surprise."
"Why didn't I just beat Hiashi senseless?" Naruto groaned.
"Where's Hinata by the way?" Sasuke asked changing the subject.
"I'm not saying. I wouldn't put it past Hiashi or the Hyuuga council to spy on me."
"They really don't like you," Sakura muttered.
"Nope," Naruto said and yawned.
"Have either of you had a decent night's sleep recently?" Sasuke asked.
Sakura and Naruto both shook their heads.
"Most of the sound attacks come at dawn or dusk. They're ruining my beauty sleep," Sakura added.
"Once this is all over, I'm going back to Suna with Hinata and not getting out of bed for at a month."
Naruto flushed as he realised what he'd just said. Sasuke smirked as Sakura looked like she was about to punch him.
"I meant sleeping…" Naruto tried to assure Sakura but it was too late.
Sakura's fist sent Naruto flying into a pile of rubble.
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"Lord Orochimaru," a sound ninja reported, "Kimimaro has been defeated."
Orochimaru grabbed the ninja and hurled him through the trees. He hit the largest and slid to the ground.
"Even with my modifications the sound five were useless!" he raved.
"They still caused heavy casualties lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said, trying to calm him down.
Another sound ninja cautiously approached Orochimaru. The spy ducked into a low bow as Orochimaru looked at him.
"What!" he demanded.
"Lord Orochimaru…the leaf is…is… the…kyuubi brat…" the spy stuttered.
"Spit it out!" the snake snarled.
"The kyuubi vessel is the son of the Yondaime."
Orochimaru's scowl changed to a sneer.
"This opens a whole knew method of war," he smirked, tongue flickering.
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It was barely dawn as Naruto stole away from the campsite and through the village. He looked around for the third time to make sure he wasn't being followed. Leaving the houses and buildings, Naruto entered the trees behind the village, heading for the deepest part of the forest. Naruto was using all the stealth skills he knew to avoid anyone following him. He pushed through the last clump of bushes and emerged into the hidden clearing where he'd arranged to meet Hinata. There was a rustling from the other side of the clearing and Hinata emerged from the leaves. Naruto wasted no time in closing the distance between himself and Hinata.
"Miss me?" Naruto asked.
Hinata nodded, leaning against Naruto. Naruto's ears pricked as he heard someone coming, he stood and assumed a fighting stance as whoever was approaching got closer. There was a loud bark and a white wolf-sized dog erupted from the foliage. Naruto was pinned to the ground by Akamaru before he could react. Kiba appeared after Akamaru with Neji behind him.
"Your stealth skills have improved greatly Naruto," Neji commented.
"I'm surprised you found me," Naruto muttered then looked at Kiba, "would you please call off Akamaru, I can't breathe."
Kiba nodded to Akamaru and he let Naruto get up. Naruto brushed himself down as Akamaru wandered over to Hinata who gave him an affectionate pet.
"Are we under attack or did you just come here to set Akamaru on me?" Naruto asked, slightly miffed at having his time with Hinata interrupted.
"The Hyuuga council has decided that you must prove yourself as the heir of the fourth Hokage," Neji explained.
"I've got the birth certificate, what more do they want?!" Naruto muttered.
"You'll have to ask them yourself," Kiba told him as he started to lead the way back to the village.
Naruto took Hinata's hand as the party left the forest and entered the houses. They passed other ninja as they closed on the Hyuuga mansion. Naruto heard the familiar mutterings that always followed him, and caught a snippet of their conversation.
"…way that boy could be the son of the…"
Naruto ignored them as the party reached the gates of the Hyuuga compound. He felt Hinata was shaking and she tightened her grip on her hand as they turned to face the imposing doors.
"If they try anything, run and find Gaara, Temari or Kankuro," Naruto whispered in her ear.
Hinata nodded and the large gates opened, revealing Hiashi and the Hyuuga council. Naruto glared at them and they returned the gaze.
"Naruto Uzumaki," the council chairman said "you claim to be the son of the fourth Hokage and now you must prove you are his flesh and blood."
"How?" Naruto asked, folding his arms, "I take it the birth certificate isn't enough."
"Neji, come here," Hiashi ordered
Neji obeyed automatically, moving to Hiashi's side.
"There will be three challenges, each testing a quality of the fourth. Strength, agility and cunning, or lack of in your case. It has been agreed that Neji is the strongest of the Hyuuga branch family. You and he will duel, if you can defeat him, then you will move onto the next challenge," Hiashi said flatly.
"What will beating Neji prove?"
"The fourth Hokage was the strongest ninja this village has ever seen, if you are his flesh and blood then you should have inherited his strength."
"Sorry about this," Naruto growled to Neji as he balled his fists.
"Ready?" Neji asked as he readied himself.
Naruto's ears pricked, he turned as the noise grew louder and suddenly the ground shook.
"We'll do this later," Naruto muttered and flickered.
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A leaf ninja rushed at the enemy advancing on the leaf village and was cut down with little effort. Orochimaru swung his sword as another wave of ninja tried to attack, sending them flying.
"Fall back!" a Chunin yelled, backing away from the snake.
A flicker of sand announced Naruto's arrival; he was followed by Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi.
"Ah, just the fox I wanted to see," Orochimaru's face broke into a wide smirk.
Naruto launched a kunai at Orochimaru but he knocked it away with a casual swipe of his sword before planting both his hands flat on the ground.
"Summoning jutsu," he hissed, "reanimation."
All Konoha eyes focused on the coffin and the kanji on the front of it.
Fourth.
The lid fell and a shadowy figure stepped out. Orochimaru wasted no time in pulling a fuda from inside his robe and placing it inside the former corpse before he backed away as coffin rose fell to the ground. The sound army followed their leader as he left the battleground. The world was frozen as the fourth Hokage stood before Konoha. Sasuke's Sharingan flickered as Kakashi moved to lift his headband and Sakura took a fighting stance but they froze when Naruto spoke.
"Stay back," he ordered, voice grim and lifeless, "this is my fight."
Both ninja were still as they locked eyes. Naruto glared into the lifeless eyes of the fourth, pulling another kunai from his pouch.
It's not my father. Naruto kept repeating over and over in his head.
They both started moving at the same time, sprinting towards each other with weapons raised. Just before they met, both ninja flickered and vanished. Sasuke dived out of the way as Naruto and the fourth materialised in front of him and each aimed blows at the other. Naruto caught the Yondaime in the chest with his fist while he was hit in the side by a kick. They both vanished again. Naruto landed on a mound of rubble and was forced to flicker again as the fourth aimed a punch at him. The rubble where Naruto had been shattered under the blow from the former Hokage's fist. Naruto appeared behind his father's image and made to slam his foot into Minato's head but as it connected the fourth vanished. Naruto was thrown forwards by Minato's feet impacting his back. Minato didn't let up his assault; he seemed to be every where and nowhere as he pummelled Naruto.
Fox! Chakra! Naruto screamed inside his head and for once he felt the red chakra of the nine-tails almost immediately. Naruto didn't want to think why the demon was being so helpful and kept fighting. The blonde sandstorm flickered and landed a distance from the fourth, without pausing Naruto formed his chakra blades and fired a chakra shockwave at Minato but he dodged, coming at Naruto again. Naruto ducked low and hammered his fist and chakra blade into Minato's stomach. The former Hokage staggered away as the wound healed, but Naruto wasn't about to let up and slashed at the Yondaime until he flickered out of reach. Both ninja stood ready facing each other. The world seemed so still to Naruto after the assault he'd just survived.
"No choice," Naruto muttered as he formed a rasengan in his right hand and charged. Minato created a spinning sphere of chakra and launched himself at his son.
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"Lady Hokage!" a female Anbu called as he rushed into her tent.
"What's going on?" Tsunade demanded of the masked kunoichi as another crash echoed around the village.
"Orochimaru has raised the fourth!"
Tsunade let fly a torrent curses as she headed towards the battlefield
"All medical teams with me!" she called to the crowd of medics then turned back to the Anbu "How many casualties?"
"So far none," she replied, "Uzumaki is managing to keep the fourth at bay
Tsunade stumbled and almost fell, "Naruto is?"
"Yes ma'am and they've started to use the rasengan against each other."
"This is getting very nasty very quickly," Tsunade muttered to herself, "give orders to flee on sight of the fourth and keep put of Naruto's way. I think he's the only one who can defeat Minato."
"Look out!" someone screamed.
Tsunade instinctively ducked as Naruto landed next to her and vanished again without even seeming to see her. She couldn't help but gape as she looked over the battlefield that was Konoha. Even without shadow clones, Naruto seemed to be everywhere at once, scattering sand in every direction with each flicker.
"The name sandstorm really suits him," Shizune murmured and choked on a mouthful of sand.
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As the two rasnegan spheres met there was an explosion of chakra, Minato and Naruto were flung apart. Naruto managed to rite himself but the fourth crashed into a rubble heap that had been a house. Minato rose to his feet again and created another rasengan. Naruto launched himself out of the way but was caught in the debris thrown up by the spinning sphere. Minato erupted from the dust cloud as Naruto landed but Naruto dodged again and fired a chakra shockwave at Minato's back.
"This is insane!" Sakura screamed as more rubble went flying, "they keep this up and Orochimaru won't have anything left to destroy."
Naruto rushed at Minato, chakra blades at both hands. He ducked at the last second and slashed through the newest rasengan in Minato's hand. The burst of chakra knocked both of them off their feet.
I can't keep this up much longer. Naruto though, panting for breath. I have to end this.
Naruto layered his rasengan with wind element chakra and charged again. This time when the two spheres met, the ninja weren't thrown apart but a storm of chakra erupted around them.
"Fall back!" Tsunade screamed as the chakra storm grew, shattering the ground and scattering rocks in all directions.
Naruto gritted his teeth as he was forced backwards by Minato. In response, Naruto dumped more chakra into his rasengan and pushed back. The surface of Minato's rasengan rippled as it lost power and shattered.
Naruto saw Minato reaching out with his other hand and readied for another attack but was paralysed when Minato's open palm ruffled Naruto's hair. Time seemed to freeze as Minato's hand touched Naruto. Naruto saw the warm smile of his father and saw his mouth moving but missed the words. Naruto reached out to return the touch but Minato's smiling face crumbled into dust as his hand brushed him and he was swallowed up by the sandstorm. The dome of chakra ebbed and the sandstorm died. As the last rubble lifted by the chakra storm fell back to earth, Naruto vanished.
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Hinata pushed her way through the thick bushes and emerged into the secret clearing. She found Naruto where she'd expected to find him, sitting in the centre of the clearing, hugging his knees.
"Everyone's worried about you," Hinata told Naruto as she sat next to him.
Naruto didn't reply.
"Nobody got hurt because you protected them," Hinata said, tying a different tact.
Naruto still didn't respond. His eyes seemed far away and glazed.
Hinata let the silence reclaim the clearing as she sky became peppered with stars.
"That's the first time I've ever seen his face for real," Naruto finally said.
Hinata wasn't surprised as the lack of energy in his voice as he spoke. She slid closer to Naruto, taking one of his hands in hers.
D1: Here it is. Chapter 9, done and dusted. You'd better like this chapter as it's about the fourteenth re-write. I just couldn't get fight in this chapter right.
I think I need to clarify what I meant last time when I said 'almost done'. I hope to reach twelve or thirteen chapters with this fic but to do that I'll need plenty of encouragement from all my loyal readers, who knows I might even get to fifteen chapters. By the way I need a proof reader. Any takers? PM me if you're interested.
