Chapter 5: First Strike
A/N-
Thanks for the reviews this chapter is something of a new style for me so tell me what you think and if I should continue with it.
Chapter 5-
It had been a little over a year since Naruto had passed his test and now throughout the village he was known as the second Itachi a prodigy and all the people of Konoha even the people hated him believed he would one day become Hokage.
Naruto, however, was oblivious to the people and continued to train. In the course of the year Naruto had been set on the task of learning all the jutsu in the village. His father had seen his ability with ninjutsu and Jiraiya and Minato worked with Naruto constantly to help him succeed.
Today was one of the few days Naruto wasn't training he was sitting in the park helping Ino practice throwing shuriken. Ino had a test the next day and was determined to ace it.
Naruto sat idly half watching Ino and half smiling at the perfect day. A slight breeze rustled his hair as he closed his eyes.
His thoughts drifted back to the day before when Itachi had been training him with Sasuke.
Itachi had changed after being around Naruto. Even Sasuke noticed it, but everyone enjoyed the change especially Minato. With Itachi constantly with Naruto, Minato worried less about the assassination attempts on Naruto and Naruto was growing stronger.
Itachi and Sasuke were like brothers to Naruto. And to Naruto things couldn't have been better.
Flashback
"Get up Sasuke." Itachi ordered.
Sasuke, weakly, rose panting heavily. "Itachi, I can't beat him so what's the point of fighting?"
Itachi sighed, "Of course you can't beat him, but the best way to get better is to fight someone stronger than you."
Sasuke looked toward Naruto who looked at him passively. Sasuke caught his breath quickly and charged at the blonde, who waited patiently. Naruto dodged the punch and spun kicking Sasuke in the back and sending him hurtling with the added momentum.
Itachi walked over and pulled Sasuke up. "That's enough for now. The improvement isn't spectacular but you certainly are faster than a week ago."
Sasuke tried and failed to repress the smile which had come from Itachi's complements.
Itachi then put Sasuke down against a tree and stepped toward Naruto. "Ready?"
Naruto nodded slipping into the fighting stance Jiraiya had taught him. He leapt forward at the same time Itachi did and began attacking with sheer ferocity. Itachi grinned at the ability that Naruto showed while countering the attacks.
None of the three noticed Minato who sat a hundred feet back watching, a smile full of pride on his face. Jiraiya came up to Minato midway through the fight and sat beside him a grin on his face as well.
"You know Minato, if Itachi keeps training Naruto like this I won't be credited with the teaching of the Fifth Hokage."
"Nothing has been decided Jiraiya, and if he becomes the fifth Hokage you will most certainly get the credit."
Jiraiya grinned more before turning to look Minato in the eyes. "She's looking for you."
Minato nodded and closed his eyes. Anko would not let up and worse the diplomacy meetings with the Tsuchikage were not going well. The hidden rock village was not being very agreeable with attending the negotiations.
After being victorious in the war ten years earlier Konohagakure had risen to be the strongest village and had taken mission and money from all the villages. The village in the stone had still not gotten over the embarrassing loss and still held a grudge.
The Yondaime rubbed his temples, "I should get back to the office."
Jiraiya nodded, "I'll walk you back I have been meaning to tell you that I want to step up Naruto's training. As you know he almost knows all of the jutsu in our village, though he still has much taijutsu to learn I think he should start meeting with Kakashi to work on more ninjutsu."
The two powerful ninjas began the walk back to the tower talking of their plans for both Naruto and thee village.
Meanwhile Itachi was helping Naruto up. "Not bad Naruto but your taijutsu is based too much on force and leaves many holes in your fighting style."
Itachi then walked over to Sasuke and lifted him up so Sasuke could sit on his shoulders.
"Hey Naruto," Sasuke called to his friend, "Would you like to eat with us tonight?"
Naruto hesitated a moment before nodding. "Yeah I'd love too."
Sasuke smiled, "Then come on."
End Flashback
"Naruto!" Ino's voice yelled. "You have to help me not sleep."
Naruto gave her a foxy grin, "Sorry Ino-chan. I was just thinking about something."
Ino felt her anger melt away as she looked at his face. "Alright Naruto, but you will help me right?"
"Of course." Naruto said, getting up.
The two practiced for another hour but stopped as the sky began to darken. "Hey Naruto will you walk me home?"
Naruto smiled, "Sure Ino-chan."
"Hey Naruto, you know how Sakura has a crush on Sasuke right?"
Naruto nodded, "A lot of girls do he is more skilled than anyone our age."
Ino slowed a little, "But all she ever does these days is talk about him, so I was wondering if maybe you could introduce her. So she wouldn't have to go by herself and everyone knows you are his closest friend."
Ino looked hopefully at Naruto.
"I will but don't blame me if things don't turn out great. Sasuke is really picky on who he talks to."
Ino wrapped her arms around Naruto, "Thanks."
The two continued walking when an explosion lit up the sky. Screams could be heard from the edge of the village near the western wall.
Naruto's face hardened thinking of what could be happening. Naruto picked Ino up, "I have to get you home now."
He sprinted off toward her home while Ino lay speechless in his arms.
------Minato-----
The Yondaime was sitting in his office the sun was just beginning to set. Then he heard the explosion.
He wasted no time opening the window and jumped through it. He used chakra to speed himself to the explosion.
Gasping he clutched a kunai. At the wall stood over a hundred rock village shinobi.
The Tsuchikage looked down at the Yondaime from the broken wall where he stood. He tossed the bodies of two ninja that had been on guard.
"Well Fourth Hokage this is the end for you and you peace loving village. PREPARE TO DIE!" The Tsuchikage jumped into the air. "MEN ATTACK!"
The Yondaime stood alone but only for a moment, soon other shinobi came. Two anbu units and a handful of jounin and chuunin.
Minato growled ferociously. Charging forward he made his steadfast decision, to win… or die.
Minato did not stop as he noticed thirty ninja from the rock village leaving the battle to plunder Konoha. Instead he continued to fight shouting, "Half of you men stop those intruders at all costs!"
An anbu squad looked to the Fourth and nodded disappearing in the chase.
Then the blood bath began. The Yondaime fired shuriken toward the Tsuchikage while stabbing a Rock ninja in the neck with a kunai.
His blonde hair was the icon that would fill even the toughest of hearts with pure terror.
He cut a path through the ninja until he came face to face with the Tsuchikage. The two squared off blood covering the Yondaime's face. The Tsuchikage attacked first sending hundreds of wooden shuriken at him made from the destroyed wall he stood on.
The Yondaime took a seal out of his jacket and wrapped it around a kunai and then threw it with superhuman strength toward the Tsuchikage. The Tsuchikage dodged and waited for the Fourth to be impaled.
Then the fourth disappeared, reappearing on the kunai right behind the Tsuchikage who flew back kicked in the head. The fourth threw the kunai again and this time it was deflected by the falling rock leader.
The rock leader seeing that the situation was not in his favor disappeared into the ground where he landed.
The fourth cursed and turned to be met with ten ninjas all willing to die and lusting to kill.
------Naruto-----
Before Naruto stood a ninja not much older than himself, possibly ten, and holding a kunai.
"Sorry kid but you need to die now." The strange ninja said while looking at Naruto.
Naruto put Ino down. "I'll take care of him quickly stay nearby I don't trust that you'll be safe on your own.
The frightened girl ran back and hid behind a tree her head in her hands.
Naruto drew a kunai.
"Hm, protecting your friend, how noble unfortunately for you I'm a chunnin."
Naruto did not wait until the ninja finished and jumbed into the air throwing the kunai and performing handseal. "Fire of the eternity."
Naruto opened his mouth and let out a huge flame which then dispersed into four others and flew at the rock ninja who managed to dodge two before getting hit by the fire and instantly dieing.
Naruto did not wait for his strength to recover even though he had used much of his chakra in the attack instead he ran to Ino and grabbed her hand the two ran down a road and on to a deserted street that Naruto knew only the Hyuuga house was on. He ran to the complex and through the gate to see ten ninja's fighting a house of Hyuuga's.
Naruto stepped to the side about to leave and find a safer place when he saw a rock ninja fly off with Hinata. Naruto knew Hinata fairly well and decided to save her.
He created a shadow clone a technique he had learned a few weeks before and ran off after Hinata leaving the clone to take Ino home.
Naruto did not have to run for long the rock ninja sensed someone following and turned to encounter the enemy.
Naruto stopped on a roof and fell to one leg panting gaining a frown from the rock ninja.
"A child… I hate fighting children." He turned to go.
"Stop right there!" Naruto said throwing a shuriken at the man.
The man caught it and threw it back. Naruto ducked under it and began to sprint toward the rock ninja who looked puzzled and formed a few hand signs.
Naruto barely jumped out of the way as the roof tiles rose into the air and were shot at the blonde.
Naruto stopped and waited for the man to make the next move.
Instead the man turned to go.
"Wait!" Naruto cried. "Leave Hinata and I'll let you go."
"Let me go? You've got it all wrong I'm in control." The rock ninja said amused not bothering to turn and face Naruto.
Naruto looked at the back of the man who did not have the build of a typical ninja of the rock, but was more petit.
"What's your name child?"
"Namikaze, Naruto," Naruto said hoping that the rock ninja would try to attack him and he could hold off until help came.
The man turned to face Naruto and threw Hinata to the side. "Well it seems I am a very rich man."
Naruto looked at him questioningly. "Why?"
"Our job was to kidnap both the Hokage's child and the daughter of Hirashi the men who did get 50,000 Ryo a piece since I caught both of you I'll get 100,000 isn't that nice?"
Naruto smirked, "You don't have me yet and you definitely aren't going to."
Naruto took out a shuriken, "And now that Hinata's out of the way you're going to die."
----Minato----
The Yondaime stood in the center of a heap of bodies he had killed over twenty-five ninja and if that weren't enough his clothes old color was indistinguishable with the amount of blood that covered him.
Looking around he saw that most of the Rock village ninja had either gone off with the Tsuchikage or in the village causing trouble. He tried to move but his body hurt from chakra exhaustion and physical strain.
He took out a soldier pill and ate it grimacing as he did so. He looked around to the few ninja that had fought with him. He turned to Kakashi who looked the most worried and least tired.
"Kakashi I need you to do me a favor."
"Anything lord Hokage."
"Find Naruto for me and keep him safe. Naruto will be one of their targets along with Hyuuga, Hinata, but she will be safe within the main house."
Kakashi nodded and disappeared.
The Yondaime turned to look at the rest of the men. Four were uninjured, three other had slight wounds and one was bound to die in a few minutes.
Minato could not constrain himself and tears began to stream down his face. He made no sound but turned to the men, "Save as many as you can, and hurry many of the ninjas will be at the Hyuuga complex if you have families head to the schools, I believe that is where most of the children will be."
The men nodded and left him alone with the dying ninja. "Reconstruction of Life." He said healing her wounds.
Like he guessed she would have, she threw herself into the most dangerous situations. He watched as her wounds disappeared. Smiling he teleported to his office and laid her down on the couch and left.
Minato jumped out the window and began to wander down the streets searching to eradicate the remaining opposition. 'Why when Itachi, Jiraiya and much of the anbu forces are gone do they attack. Terrible luck and fantastic planning.'
--------Naruto-----------
Naruto got back up having fallen again. He had still not managed to harm the ninja that stood before him.
The rock ninja walked over to Naruto and formed some handseals. "Rock prison!"
Naruto back flipped over the earth that had risen out from the roof to trap him.
'I have to try something. I could use that combo… If it works I could win but I could also end up unconscious. Who am I kidding what choice to I have?'
Naruto got up and formed a seal. The rock ninja watched as twenty clones identical to Naruto poofed into existence. Naruto continued not waiting for the attack to end each clone formed hand signs and performed the attack. "Grand Fireball jutsu."
The rock ninja watched wide eyed as the fire came toward him. He formed hand seals of his own and turned the roof into a shield.
Naruto smirked as the shield began to melt, but the smirk did not last long as Naruto's consciousness was abruptly taken away from charka exhaustion.
The rock ninja appeared from the ground red faced die to the heat. 'If I had stayed in the shield I would have been boiled to death the kid is impressive.'
He walked over and picked up Naruto and placed him under one arm and then found Hinata and put her under his other arm and hurried to the wall.
His mission was complete.