The battle was over, Sand had retreated and most of Sound was dead or imprisoned. Konoha had successfully repelled the invaders and with less than ten percent of their numbers injured or dead. And Orochimaru was dead. Sarutobi had ever reason to celebrate. But he couldn't get his mind of the genin that had undoubted saved him and his home. Naruto was lying in a coma in the hospital and no one knew why.

What more, before Orochimaru was impaled by the raven Scarmory, they all swore they saw a white snake jumped from his mouth at the blond. There was sounds of a fight for a moment while Naruto was out of sight. When they got to the edge, looking down, they saw the remains of a monster snake with Naruto on the ground, unconscious with no wounds.

"Lord Hokage, we don't know what is going on," the doctor told him. "But we have a theory. Look here." He lifted one of Naruto's eyelids and revealed the eye to him. It was shifting from a normal human eye to a snake eye and back again. "I believe that Orochimaru is trying to take over Naruto's body. If the council finds out about this..."

"They will order him killed," Sarutobi finished when he paused. "Bring me Inoichi," he said to the waiting ANBU in the hall. Not two minutes later, the jonin was rushed in.

"Hokage-sama, what is it?"

"The battle isn't over for this genin," he told him. "Right now, Naruto is fighting a battle in his mind and I want you to go in there to help."

Inoichi widened his eyes in surprise. "Hai, Hokage-sama." He stood over Naruto, forced his eyes opened, and after locking with them a moment, he slumped down.

—oo000oo—

Orochimaru didn't understand it, this was not where he was supposed to end up. Webs stretched off out of sight. He realized he was inside Naruto's mind after a moment. "Where are you, boy? You must realize it is hopeless, even here, to resist me."

"You underestimate us," Naruto said from around him. "We are not about to let you have our body." Naruto looked around himself, but he knew where Orochimaru was. On the other side of the of the web Orochimaru was walking on, right under him. "Venom, if we lose, kill our body and find Hinata or Haku. They will find you a worthy host." He snapped his head to the side. "Wow, I just have a load of guest in my head today."

—oo000oo—

Inoichi didn't understand it. He had once been in Naruto's head when he was a child. It was a sewer then. But now, nothing of that remained. Such a radical change did not just happen. He cautiously walked to the edge and looked down. He could leave if he wanted which was a good thing. There was no end of the drop. He turned back to the center and began to walk. He grinned ruefully as he tried to grasp what kind of mind this meant.

As he walked, he became aware that he was being hunted. And he didn't know by who. Suddenly, something dropped down from above him, grabbed him by his head, and lifted him up. "AAGH!" It was a monster!

It snarled at him for a moment before it took a good look at him. "Mr. Yamanaka?"

"...I know that voice. Naruto?" Naruto pulled back his mask with a wry grin on his face. "YOU SCARED THE LIVING HELL OUT OF ME!"

"We thought you were Orochimaru." He looked around for a moment. "It isn't safe here, but we know where it is." He helped Inoichi up onto another web line. "This way." Naruto ran for what must have seemed like forever and it was always the same. Inoichi quickly lost track of where they were. Finally, they came to a stone corridor suspended by webs. With no way to it. "...It changed since last we were here," Naruto stated. "Good. Hold onto us." Naruto and Inoichi swung over to it.

"Good," Inoichi said, letting out a sigh of relief. "He can't reach us here."

"How is that good," Naruto asked. "We are trapped in my own mind and a snake bastard is out there, trying to take control of our body." He faced the entrance. "We need to fight him. A plan. Something."

Inoichi looked around, he saw ahead of the corridor a room that stretched into darkness once pass the cages. He also saw a door. Out of curiosity he walked over to it and began to open it. Naruto slammed it shut and held it there. "You fool!" Something slammed against it a few times before it calmed again.

His jaw had dropped, he had almost let out the Kyuubi! "Naruto, do you know what that was!?"

"We do," Naruto replied. "It is our darker self. The Kyuubi is behind the bars over there," he said, flipping his thumb down the hall.

Inoichi looked between it and Naruto. "Then what the HELL was that!?"

"...Demons are not only monsters," Naruto stated. "Some can be found in humans, and not like how Kyuubi is in us. When we were younger, we saw someone get hurt that we were trying to help. We were so helpless, so angry, we drew the foxes chakra and became that demon."

"Is that why you say 'we'?"

"No. That thing is evil, yes, but it is not sentient. Just a part of my personality that barely exist without the foxes chakra." He made a few handsigns and a wall of ice covered it. His hand then glowed with his chakra as he touched it in a five point star pattern, mumbling something with each. "It is only a door that can be open when we want it too now. This will seal it forever."

"Boy," came from Kyuubi. "Don't forget our deal."

"We haven't forgotten, kitsune," Naruto stated.

"Deal!?"

"He gives us chakra when we need it in exchange for memories. It is time we fulfill that part of the bargain." He turned, ran to the edge, and jumped off.

"What kind of memories," Inoichi wondered.

—oo000oo—

Hundreds of battles, that is how many the Hokage had fought in his long life. Battles, wars, struggles, he has seen them all. So why was he pressed against a wall, fearing for his life because of two kunoichi that had only raised their voices? Oh yeah, they were his girlfriends.

"What do you mean you don't know," Haku shouted. "You were right there when he was hurt and you don't know!?"

"And now Yamanaka-san has gone into his mind and hasn't come out," Hinata continued, a bit more respectful, just a bit. "Hokage-sama, we know when we are being told a lie!"

Zabuza had a scared look on his face. "What has he done to her?"

"That is sweet, little Hinata," Kiba asked.

"Ladies," Sarutobi said, trying to calm them, "I'm sure they're fine."

"LIES," they shouted. Haku reached up and pulled him down to her scowling face. "What is wrong with our fiancée?"

—oo000oo—

"The itsy, bitsy spider went up a water spout," Orochimaru sang, taunting Naruto to come out. "Along came the snake and wiped the spider out."

"You wish," Naruto said from around him. "This is our mind, teme. And you are not welcome here."

"I go where I want, take what I want."

"You will not get us." Darkness of the Enmu not jutsu covered the area. "You will die by our hands."

"I think not boy," Orochimaru said. "I've noticed something about you. You have a huge amount of chakra but a small number of jutsus. Enmu is actually the only one you use regularly." He twisted to avoid a punch. Then another from another angle. "So you know Kage Bunshin, impressive." Naruto released the jutsu to reveal three hundred standing there. "Correction, very impressive." The clones ran at him only to be destroyed by punches, kicks, and jutsus. One was hanging back so Orochimaru ran at him. He grabbed this one by the shoulders and this white substance began to enclose around him. "You are too..." The Naruto in front of him disappeared in smoke.

"Die," a Naruto he had hit and dismiss said when he finished his handsigns. Ice Mirrors formed around Orochimaru and he received hundreds of punches from him. But when he slowed enough, Orochimaru knocked him off his path and through a mirror, shattering it.

He picked him up and held out a hand. Ice gathered around it. "I am already taking over your abilities. Now, let's see that sword you are so fond of..." But it didn't form. "What did you do, boy!" As he asked that, he punched Naruto, knocking him to the ground, where he began to laugh.

"We take no chances, teme. You want our abilities? You will never get them. We sealed them all but the ice behind a wall of it, behind the Kyuubi." Orochimaru kicked him in the stomach. "You... Aagh!" Orochimaru had picked him up again and broke his arm.

"How do I unseal it?"

"You can't," Naruto told him. Before receiving a fist to his gut. "Nothing will change it."

"Why didn't you seal your ice?"

"We told you, we used it to seal the others."

"You're lying," Orochimaru said, before slamming him to the ground. "Why?"

"...We lied..." Naruto said through the pain. "It is on this side of Kyuubi's cage. But in a place where you cannot reach it."

"Where is that? This place doesn't exactly have many places to hide."

"Go to he..." There was another crack of breaking bone. Naruto grit his teeth to keep him from getting the satisfaction of hearing him scream. "This is the last time we think we are strong enough because of where we are." He honestly didn't think this would happen.

"Tell me."

"The Kyuubi lies in a stone cocoon... The only opening is to open air. As we climb walls, it has never bothered us. But when we sealed the abilities away, we needed to ice to get back across." Naruto was a great liar at times.

"Then take me to it, and I will end the pain."

"Fuck..." Naruto was kicked upside the head, making him black out. When he came too, Orochimaru looked ready to tear him apart. "You have a convincing argument," he said in a strained voice. Naruto took him back, limping. He created a bridge of ice and walked over.

"Naruto," Inoichi called when he saw him and ran to help. Orochimaru formed a wall of ice between him and them.

"When I take this boy's full power, I will kill you, Yamanaka." He looked at the ice. "How do I unseal it?"

"You can't. I have to use the Kyuubi's chakra in a certain pattern on it to." He walked forward, praying to Kami that Inoichi would think to get out of there. Looking behind him, he saw he was still there. "Damn." His hand glowed red as he touched the first point of the five point star. "Venom...Toxin...Hybrid...Serum...Truth." He reared his fist back and punched the center. "CARNAGE!" The ice shattered and the door was no longer blocked.

Orochimaru punched him out of the way and flung open the door. What he saw was both beautiful and terrible at once. It was a red, shapeless mass. And it shot tendrils of itself out. "Yes! Give me your power!" But it went around him and grabbed Naruto and pulled him inside. The door slammed shut. After a moment, banging came from the other side. On the third one, the door shattered. "HAHAHAHA," a lean, tall, red figure said as it stepped out. "Hello, Orochimaru. Did you honestly think I was going to let you have my power!?" He raised a finger in front of his face and shook it back and forth. "Naughty naughty. Although if there was anyone that would be worthy of it, it would be you. But you see, I just don't swing that way."

"This...this isn't the boys bloodline!"

"You're right," it said gleefully, smiling that fanged smile of his. "I am Carnage, call me the personality of Naruto when he is engulfed with rage and hatred. He looked me away, for the safety of everyone around him. But, thankfully, he released me so he would no longer have any inhibitions about killing you. I am going to enjoy our time together, snake."

"...Even if you are blood thirsty, you cannot hope to beat me!"

"Ah, but you see, you are wrong, I am not here to beat you. I am here to kill, maim, murder, destroy...have fun like any psychopath would. Get over here!" His claw shot out at Orochimaru, stabbing him through the stomach. He was pulled back to Carnage while he laughed.

"The itsy bitsy snake slithered through the grass. Along came the spider and kicked the snake's ass. He tore out his stomach..." Carnage began to pull Orochimaru's intestines out. "And stabbed him once again." The tendrils floating from his body turned rigid and sharp. They all stabbed Orochimaru, letting him savor his cry of pain. "And the itsy bitsy snake was..." Carnage grinned again. "FED TO THE FOX!" Carnage swung Orochimaru, slamming him into the ice several times before it broke. Finally, he threw him through the cage to the Kyuubi. He laughed that insane laugh of his when he heard the scream of pain and begs of mercy. All too soon for Carnage, it was over.

"But wait, theres more." He turned to Inoichi.

Inoichi had already lost his last meal over what Naruto had done. And now he had turned to him to give him a taste of it. "Naruto! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Naruto is not here at the moment! Please leave a message after the beep!" He took a step forward but stopped. Something seemed to be holding him back. Then his claws gripped his head while he roared in pain. The mouth split to reveal Naruto's face under it. "Inoichi, run! LEAVE! We...We can't...hold him back!"

Yamanaka nodded and vanished. Naruto turned to Kyuubi. "Cut the chakra! Stop feeding it to... Stop feeding it too me!" He fell to his knees and began to hit his head against the stone.

—oo000oo—

"What is that," Usagi asked while he looked inside the window of the hospital at Naruto.

"Move rabbit," Ookami pushed him aside and sniffed inside. "The Kyuubi's chakra is running rampant!"

Usagi pushed him back. "You, inside, give him a drink of this!" He held up his bottle. The nurse took some of the offered drink and poured it down Naruto's throat.

Naruto eyes snapped open, looking red for one moment before changing back to blue. He began choking on the vile liquid and tried to puke it up. "What the hell did you do to us!?" He was coughing up a storm.

"Gutshaker," Usagi told him. Inoichi stood back up shakily.

While the door was thrown open and the two women that meant everything to Naruto jumped on him. "Thank goodness you are alright, Naruto-kun," Hinata said.

"We don't know what we would have done without you," Haku said.

"Naruto," Sarutobi said from the door. "You are Naruto, right?"

"We, cough cough, are," he replied.

"He is," Inoichi told him. "He had to release his demonic infused mind to do it but he killed Orochimaru. Hokage-sama, never send me back in there again."

Naruto gave a final cough before saying, "We're fine now. No chakra to feed it, no Carnage."

—oo000oo—

Naruto refused to explain it to Sarutobi. Luckily, he relent when Inoichi explained it all. Naruto released all of his summons and fell back. He didn't even have the strength to try to escape right now. He could only let Hinata and Haku nurse him and Venom back to health.

He was surprised when he found Gaara, he was being tended to by his siblings. Not that they had much to do for now. The doctors told them what was wrong. "The good news is his brain activities has returned to normal," she said. "He is out of the coma."

"Then why is he still like this," Temari demanded.

"His body is resting from what we can only determine as sleep deprivation. Tell me, has he gotten much sleep lately?"

Kankuro scratched his cheek. "Actually, Gaara has never slept. Ever."

Her face fell slacken. "No wonder he is still asleep. He must have nearly gone insane." They were silent for a moment before agreeing with her. "Well, he will be fine now. And his personality should return to normal."

"What do you mean," they asked.

"Sleep deprivation makes a person act rash, unhealthy, dangerous. Now that he will be rested, he should be much different."

"Oh no, a new Gaara to worry about..." Kankuro dropped his jaw when he saw Gaara turn over in his sleep. He had a smile on his face and a teddy bear made of sand in his arms. "My god, its the end of the world."

"He's a normally unpleasant person?"

"He walks around all day threatening to kill people and at times, goes through with it," Temari explained. "Why does he have no chakra? He has never run out of chakra before?"

The doctor shifted through her papers while shrugging. "Uzumaki Naruto summoned the leader of the Hare Tribe. They are known for their knowledge of plants...in the making of potent drinks. Apparently, 'gutshaker' removes most of the drinkers chakra when enough is consumed."

They looked at each other. "We need to get more of this," they said at the same time.

—oo000oo—

"We're fine," Naruto told Hinata and Haku while he stretched his legs some. "It has been a week, we can manage now."

"Oh no you don't," Hinata said. "You are not leaving our site. We want dinner, by the way. At a nice restaurant."

Naruto sighed...before he stiffened. In front of him was Gaara. "Uzumaki," he said with a smile. "I trust you are well rested. I was just admiring the view," he motioned to the window. "Oh, I am sorry about the whole 'killing you' thing."

Naruto blinked, confused. "Who are you and what have you done with Gaara?"

"I am right here," Gaara said. "I just...feel better." His smile left his face for a moment. "My siblings and I were forgiven because we were following orders and didn't participate in the battle. Our father was put to death."

"...We're sorry," Naruto told him.

Gaara dismissed it. "He was a bastard anyway. The world is a better place without men like him or Orochimaru in it. I heard you killed him. I am impressed."

Naruto was slow to respond. "We...did. Is something strange about that?"

"Only that he is a S rank missing ninja." There was a crash in a guard room. "There she goes again."

"Who?"

"One of the Sound survivors, there were only two. A boy by the name of Kidomaru and a girl named Tayuya."

Naruto turned to Haku. "Does Kin know them?"

"She said they were Orochimaru's personal bodyguards," Haku told them.

The door was opened and a girl with bright red hair ran out of it. "I am getting out of this hell hole!" She slid when she realized she was about to run into the person that put her there and killed Lord Orochimaru. "...Thank you." She ran around him for the door. A moment later, there was a scream as she was carried back on the shoulder of an ANBU while she pounded on his back.

"...Nani," Naruto asked.

Kin, who was there to visit her friend, said, "Most served Orochimaru out of fear. The Sound Four were no different." She said hello to Haku before going to the room Tayuya was carried into.

"...We haven't seen Sakura nor Sasuke yet," Naruto realized.

"Sasuke is fine," Hinata said hesitantly.

Naruto grew worried. "And Sakura?"

"...She was forced to kill a man during the attack. She did not take it well. But a friend was there to help."

—oo000oo—

Sakura pushed the body off of her and looked at the bloody kunai in her hands. She grew pale and puked. It was an hour later when she felt the hands wrap around her and say it would be alright. She finally pulled her eyes away from the body.

Lee held her now. He wasn't loud, he wasn't excited, he was sedated, calm, and soothing. She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry. "Sakura-chan, I can't make the hurt go away. And I can't say that the memory of it will leave you. But I can sadly say it will not always feel like this. The ones after this will hurt less." Sakura nodded in understanding.

—oo000oo—

Naruto nodded, "First kills always suck the most. I hope she is taking it well."

"She is doing better than you would think," Haku said. "And it made her think."

"About what," Naruto asked.

"About how we don't have long," Hinata said. "We could die whenever. We already knew that but to see it... When she stopped crying she kissed Lee and told him they were going out on a date so he better look nice."

"Well, good for Lee," Naruto said, happy for his friends. "Gaara, will you and your brother and sister join us?"

"No. We just ate and were told to come back for a final check up. Speaking of which, I need to head to it. Have a good day, Naruto." As he walked away, Naruto couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him.

"He has been this way ever since he woke up," Haku told him as they dragged him out.

"Why should getting some rest change him."

"It was the first time he fell asleep in years."

"That would do it."

—oo000oo—

Naruto pulled them into Icharuka Ramen and they had a few bowl. Just before they finished, a man came in and sat down. "Hello," he said to them. "Ladies, may I ask you to kindly step outside for a moment?"

"Who are you?"

"You may call me Seto. I need to talk to Naruto here."

They were about to protest but remembered that Naruto was hardly one that needed protection. Seto then looked at Teuchi who nodded. "Ayame? Can you go check how much meat we have of each type."

She tilted her head, confused. "Father?"

"Please," he asked, more insistent. She nodded, confused, and walked out.

Naruto arched an eyebrow at this. "Okay, what is going on here, old man Teuchi."

"I know him, Naruto. And if he wants to talk to you alone, it is important."

Naruto turned to the stranger. "Well?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, you have received several commendations for you valor in battle, from your sensei to even the Hokage. You have killed the missing nin Orochimaru. And at the recommendations of the Hokage, Hyuuga Hiashi, and the council, I ask you to accept the rank of Hunter nin ANBU."

Naruto fell out of his chair. "NANI!?"

"Keep your voice down. I am known as only as Shadow, the Leader of the ANBU loyal to the Hokage. You were recommended this by, like I said, the Hokage as well as councilman Danzou. His exact words were, 'If he wants to be a hunter, he just filled one hell of a resume'."

"But we... We..."

"Naruto," Seto said to recapture his attention. "You were also praised by the Mizukage. Normally, praises would not be enough. But everyone in the village saw you summon those three. As well as your fights before hand. And I am privy to what happened to you and Orochimaru. I believe you can handle this."

"But this is still..." Naruto trailed off.

"I am also to give you this." He set a chunin jacket and a letter on the counter. "The contents of that letter is a S rank secret, concerning the identity of your parents. You were unanimously voted Chunin along with your first opponent, Gaara. As such, the Hokage decided you were strong enough to protect yourself from any enemy they may have. By the way, you have already received a nickname. Apparently, word is getting around about the strength of 'Konoha's Black Spider'."

Naruto took it and swallowed. "...Thank you, Seto-san. But... Won't us being a hunter keep us away from Haku-chan and Hinata-chan?"

"Not as much as you think. Consider it and tell your answer to Teuchi. He will get it to me." He stood up and walked out. Naruto slipped the vest on and frowned at how it covered his spider.

He looked up from still closed envelope as Haku and Hinata returned. "Congratulations, Naruto," Teuchi said to him. He barely noticed it or the hugs he received from Hinata and Haku.

—oo000oo—

Author's notes. I had to get this one out. The suspense was killing me! I just had to get it out.

See ya, Space Cowboy