Chapter 8- How long does it take for a snake to freeze?

The genin milled around the large caged forest in awe as Naruto looked at the forest of death with a sigh, some of his least favourite memories were in that forest, he had hid there once when he was five for a whole two months, he was probably the only one apart from Anko who knew the layout perfectly and what to expect in there. Looking at his team who were whispering to each other in low voices Naruto gnawed his lip and tightened his grip on the scroll in his left hip pocket. He would protect them: even if killed him.

"Naruto come here we need to go over a strategy" Sakura called waving the blonde over. Only a few moments ago Anko had explained the rules of the test and had handed them out release forms which had scared half the genin in the crowd and made Naruto's annoyance spike even higher than what it had been before.

"I think we should stick together, the forest is really big and if we split up we could end up lost and separated" Sakura said as Sasuke shook his head.

"I agree with Sakura, this forest isn't like the ones surrounding the leaf village, this forest was made to kill people, and there are trees in there that grow on the blood others" Naruto said looking at Sasuke with sad eyes.

"Naruto have you been in there before" Sakura asked in a small voice.

Naruto nodded and sat down with his team and sighed "I guess I should start by telling you my life have been a little less then charmed. The villagers just seem to hate me and they showed it to me, so one day after running away from a mob one day I hid...in their" he said pointing to the large forest "I was five years old, and I stayed in there for two months just living, I hunted when I wanted food and hid from the big creatures, but even the trees themselves were designed to kill, I remembered a tiger had been caught in this vine and it slowly sucked the blood from it, I went back to the tree three days later, it was three feet higher" Naruto said shivering slightly as he remembered the deadly plant.

Sasuke gulped and nodded before signing his paper and gathering his teammates. "So we'll stick together" Naruto nodded and then ran his hand along the scroll again.

"KTI YOUR TAKING A BIG RISK HERE, USING THAT HERE WHAT IF SOMEONE SEES YOU?" Kyuubi asked in a worried voice.

Naruto nodded and then looked at the scroll and sighed "As much as I wish it wasn't a part of me, contained in this scroll is a part of me that can help me protect everyone, and if it means going to the dark place again the I will" he said in a hollow voice as he looked up at his big brother.

"YOU ARE BRAVER THAN ME LITTLE ONE, MAY THE GODS SMILED DOWN ON YOU"

As Naruto came back to his senses he stared at Sakura who was pushing a heaven scroll into his hand "Naruto you hold on to it, you're the one no one would suspect" Naruto nodded and slipped the scroll into his hip punch before locking it with chakra.

Sasuke lead them to gate 14 where he stood on edge as they waited for the door to be open when he felt two presences beside him, when he looked around he saw Naruto standing on his right and Sakura on his left. "Guys" He whispered, making Naruto smile

"This isn't just about you Sasuke, were in this together" Sakura nodded and Sasuke cracked his knuckles and smirked before putting his hands in his pockets.

"Good, this should be easy then"

When the proctors opened the gates Team 7 rushed forward and then jumped up into the trees when Naruto stopped them and brought out a jar of green liquid and began smearing it on his skin. Before either one of them could protest Naruto had smeared some on the others shocking them both

"Naruto what are you doing" Sasuke hissed as Naruto began to smear the ground with the liquid which was beginning to harden and turn into like a dry mud.

"It's to cover our scents and shield our chakra, there are sensors and tracker ninja all though the exam and if we wear these we will essentially become invisible to them" he said before recapping the jar and shoving it into his pouch before standing up and jumping to the ground followed by his team. "I'll scout ahead, you set up a base here, and by base I mean I want every kind of trap you can think of don't worry about me I'll play Kakashi's theme to get your attention before I come back" Sasuke looked at Naruto confused and was going to shout that not splitting up was his idea when the blonde was already gone.

"That idiot"

When Naruto go out of eye sight he picked up his scroll and opened it before smearing the inside with a bit of his blood, then in a small puff of smoke, his ANBU uniform appeared. Naruto remembered when he had asked rat to give him back his uniform.

Flashback

What do you mean you want your uniform back, you're not in ANBU " the commander said staring at Naruto in shock as he stood in front of him.

Naruto rolled his eyes and crossed his arms and gave Rat a blank stare "Rat I'm going into the forest of death, I need that uniform" he said glaring at his old friend until he relented and passed Naruto a black scroll.

"Naruto be careful with this scroll, when activated it releases a large chakra surge which will allow you to be found easier" Naruto nodded and strapped the scroll to his thigh before hugging rat once and jumping out the window.

Flash back

Sighing Naruto stored his normal clothing in the scroll and then donned his mask and stared at the forest around him, then jumped high into the sky and scanned the forest before running along the treetops until he dropped down in front of a team of rock ninja. When the rock ninja saw him the smirked and threw their earth scroll from person to person.

"What are you supposed to be, an ANBU officer" one of them laughed as Naruto sighed and stood up slowly.

"No" when they stopped laughing Naruto pulled out his curved kunai and twirled it around once "see an ANBU , they have more value on human life: me I don't he said before rushing forward and slashing down.

Screams filled the air and many of the teams froze and looked around, in fear hoping that the battle wasn't going on anywhere around them. But one team: Gaara's team stood still as Gaara laughed in joy.

"So mother was right, he's like me, that boy is special" he said not noticing the rain ninja coming up behind him until his sand stopped an attack. "Well he can't be the only one to have any fun" he whispered as he spun around to face the ninja who dared to fight him.

Naruto pocketed his scroll and began wiping his kunai clean on the grass before he jumped into the trees again and began calculating the time he could spend away from his team without them becoming suspicious of his whereabouts. "Okay so I've already wasted a few minutes with that group know I should eliminate a few more teams before I go back"

"KIBA LOOK OUT" Naruto's head whipped around and he stopped on a tree surrounding a clearing when he saw Kiba's team fighting a bunch of grass Nin, and they weren't fairing to well. Looking at the oncoming attack heading towards the back of Kiba's head, Naruto reacted in a instant and before any of the six ninja could react Naruto was holding the sword by the blade and had released a bit of Killer intent scaring the ninja in the clearing.

Kiba stood still and then gulped as the scent of fresh blood hit his nose as well as a forest like smell. When he turned his head he was shocked to see the fox masked ANBU from all those months ago standing back to back to him holding a sword by the blade, that had been intended to kill him. "What?"

"Get under cover" The ANBU ordered and Kiba wasted no time picking up Akamaru and jumping into a nearby bush with his teammates in tow. Naruto pulled out his Kunai and spotted three scrolls hanging from the leader's waist, this team was a collecting team. "You really shouldn't attack ninja from behind" he said before speeding forward and killing the leader's teammates before gripping his throat in a death grip. "I hate unfair fights" He said sinking his nails in and ripping out pulling the man's throat out.

Shino felt sick as his bugs relayed all the information to him but was slightly relieved that the ANBU was serving Konoha instead of any other team. "You can come out now" Shino nodded at his teammates and then stood up and walked out to the ANBU who was holding out several scrolls to him. "What type of scroll do you need?"

"E-earth" Kiba said suddenly and Shino had to commend the dog handler for his bravery. The ANBU nodded and handed the dog user the black scroll before turning on his heel. "Don't tell anyone you saw me here or of what I just did, it might end badly" the three genin all nodded and then masked ninja all jumped up and into the tree tops.

"I'm glad he's on our team" Hinata and Shino both nodded with Kiba who was still shaking slightly from fear.

Naruto gritted his teeth when he heard Sasuke yell in pain and a wave of dark chakra flow through the air. "Sasuke, Sakura" he thought before changing his clothes quickly while racing towards the place where he heard the scream. When he got there he saw a snake like man pinning Sakura to a tree while his tongue, which was ridiculously long licked the side of her neck and before he could even stop it Kyuubi's chakra flowed into his body changing him once again.

"RIP HIM APART KIT"

"Hmm know I see why Sasuke fought so hard to protect you, you're a special one. I like you" Orochimaru said in his hissing like voice.

"Really, then your gonna love me" Orochimaru turned around just in time to get punched in the face hard enough to send him flying into a nearby tree. When he got up he saw the Konoha demon brat standing over Sakura who was keeping the dazed and pained Sasuke awake by letting him squeeze her hand.

"Well I was wondering were the third member of this power squad was, it's about time you got here I was getting a little bored" The snake man said putting his hand on his hip "Now I shall introduce myself: I am Orochimaru I am one of the great Sanin" Naruto just growled and pulled his headband up so that it rested against his forehead comfortably.

"Sakura, take Sasuke somewhere and stay close together: it's gonna get a little cold" he said as he glared at Orochimaru while taking a deep breath. Sakura nodded and helped Sasuke to his feet and moved him to a nearby tree where she hugged him close. "Pentingan, activate: ancient Ice path Fennier open" Orochimaru looked around delightedly as the forest began to freeze his air becoming white fog as he breathed out.

"Ooh what's this?" Orochimaru said when he saw Naruto's eye he smirked and rushed towards the genin only to have his punch stopped by Naruto's hand.

"Tell me, how long does it take for a snake to freeze to death?" Naruto asked as the forest continued to grow colder that the trees crystallized. Orochimaru's eyes widened and he jumped back as Naruto ran through a complex set of hand signs that he couldn't follow. "Fennier Pentagram arena" the genin called out before slamming his hand on the ground.

Suddenly ice spread out from his hand and continued to swallow the ground until it covered one mile in each direction in the form of a pentagon. "What is this power" Orochimaru asked in awe.

"Trust me, you don't want to know" Naruto said as he ran forward and slammed his fist into the sannin's stomach and then getting a kick to the face. Shaking off the bells that pounded inside his head Naruto knelt down and began running through another set of hand signs when his whole body was encased in a white blue armour with in the form of Fennier "Ultimate Ice defence: Fennier Guardian armour"

Orochimaru smirked and rushed forward and tried to hit the boy when the ice jumped out in the form of a dragon and surrounded him and locked him in place. "What is this?" he hissed in anger.

"This Is what happens when you caught in my Fennier Kin Jut-su: the dragons of ice rush to my aid, and I can control them" Naruto said simply as he pulled out his curved Kunai which was now made of crystal and walked towards the snake sannin who was struggling against the giant ice dragon.

When Naruto pulled back and stabbed the sannin he was shocked when he felt something pierce through his armour and into his stomach, he looked up at Orochimaru who was panting hard thanks to the Kunai lodged deep within his chest but was smirking all the same. "Doesn't matter how much armour you throw on, my singing grass sword can cut through anything"

Naruto flipped back and then began to pant as the toll of using the Pentingan and Kyuubi's chakra took effect.

"KIT, OUR POWERS AREN'T MEANT TO BE USED TOGETEHR I THINK IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO USE YOUR FINAL MOVE" Kyuubi said in a careful voice as he healed Naruto's injury.

Naruto nodded and then put up a wall of ice and began going through a set of hand signs, even when Orochimaru began to cut and smash his way through his defence he continued and then when he completed the last one he jumped up into the sky and let loose his attack. "ancient Ice style: Deep Zero, Snarling Strike" Orochimaru stared frozen as the ice clawed its way up his legs as the air fell to below freezing, it had gotten so cold that his hair was beginning to gain icicles on the ends. Naruto took in a deep breath and let the ice over take his body and soon when the ice had covered his body, Orochimaru was starring at a Mini Crystal replica of Fennier minus the orb. The wings of the dragon flexed and in between them and orb of chakra began to form when Naruto began his sky dive. Realizing the teen's intention Orochimaru began to fight against his bonds, but the cold had made him weak and he couldn't escape. Suddenly the dragon slashed down right on top of him when he let loose the orbs power making most of his motor functions become useless.

The dragon leapt back and faded away to reveal Naruto who was clutching his right eye why panting hard. Orochimaru gurgled and jumped off slowly getting away from the one ninja who had been able to harm him except for his teammates. As Kyuubi slunk back and was healing the internal damaged done by his final attack, Naruto walked over to the two shivering bodies belonging to Sakura and Sasuke before shaking them.

"Sakura we have to go" Naruto said lifting the half frozen girl to her feet.

B-but W-we D-Don't h-have t-the s-s-sc-scrolls" Naruto shook his head and brought out both a heaven And a earth scroll before lifting Sasuke onto his back and taking Sakura's hand. "W-wait" Naruto stopped and Sakura reached up and pulled down his headband and then shrugged "I-its w-weird s-se-seeing you w—without I-it" she stuttered as her teeth clacked together.

Naruto nodded and then broke off at a run, pulling Sakura who was practically being dragged and carrying Sasuke who was still moaning in pain on his back but still conscious.

By the time they reached the tower Naruto could tell not many teams had made it back and that they were one of the few, Sakura pulled her hand away and it made a cracking and flaking sound and then when both Naruto and Sakura looked down they laughed when they saw Naruto's green paste had began to crack and was flaking in some parts.

"Hey it sorta did its job no one else found us" Sakura said shivering a little. Even though they were out of the freezing temperatures that Naruto had created, Sakura was still freezing cold.

"Don't worry you'll be fine, they have medics in there" he said motioning to the large tower.

Naruto was right when he said that they'd be medics, somehow the tower medics and everyone else Chunnin level and higher had found out that they'd had an encounter with Orochimaru and had gathered around to wait for them, and as soon as Iruka had been summoned he hadn't wasted any time getting Sakura to a medic and handing Sasuke who was now sporting an ugly curse mark to Kakashi who had just frowned and then disappeared stating that Sasuke would be back in a few hours. But unlike his teammates Naruto was forced into a debriefing where he stood in front of Anko Ibiki and The third Hokage.

"Naruto please report" The third said in a tired voice.

The blonde nodded and cracked his neck before taking a deep breath "When I was in the forest I split from my team so that I could scout ahead and gather more scrolls, in that aspect of the test I was successful after a few battles" he said starting from the beginning but then stopped when he spotted Anko's smirk.

"Yeah we heard about Kitsune's amazing return to the field inside the forest, there's a rumour he's in there to make it harder for the genin" Naruto looked away and then cleared his throat.

"Any way on my way back I heard a scream and when I arrived at the scene I saw Sasuke collapsed on the ground holding the base of his neck in pain while Orochimaru held Sakura against the tree. I engaged the sannin in a battle and managed to injure him enough to get away, that's when we got back here after I carried Sasuke here on my back" Anko snorted and stepped out to stand next to Naruto.

"Lord Hokage what Naruto did was not just injure Orochimaru: he fatally injured him, when I found the snake sannin he was barely able to move" she said in a strong voice.

The Hokage gave Naruto a searching look and then sighed "Thank you for that Anko, but it makes no difference, it is obvious that Naruto is exhausted, it is only the second day of the test and he made it through a scuffle with one of the sannin let him rest with his teammates" Anko nodded and lead Naruto his team's room where Sakura was waiting where he fell on the bed and faded in unconsciousness.

Waking up was never easy for Naruto especially when he never got a good rest, that included right now. After three hours of sleep Naruto woke fully rested and ready to do some work. "Oh you awake" Naruto looked over and Saw Sakura sitting next to a bed that held Sasuke who was sleeping peacefully.

Naruto nodded and then followed Sakura out the room when she motioned for him. When the pink haired kunochi stopped they were standing in the girl's bathroom, after a few moments of leaving Naruto confused as all hell Sakura brought out a kunai and then touched her long hair.

"I was wondering if you'd" she said not explaining anything.

Naruto's eyes softened and he nodded taking the kunai off Sakura and stood behind her and took a long stand of hair and sliced straight through of it until it was a good half an inch above her shoulder. Sakura stayed silent through the whole thing and when Naruto was finished he had perfectly cut her hair so it was even and was still held back by her headband.

"There you go" he said softly, Sakura looked at the pink hair on the floor and then hugged Naruto tightly and let a few tears leak out of her eyes. It felt that by losing her hair she was letting go of her past self completely and that scared the kunochi. "Naruto thank you"

Night fell and Naruto sat on the railing that surrounding the balcony when he began to play his pipe happily. He was now perfectly healed and felt like he was on top of the world. Sasuke had woken up earlier and when he had seen Sakura with her short hair he had just stared for a while and couldn't look the pink haired girl in the eyes. For a while Naruto had just sat in the room and finished his new book before he got bored and went for a walk and ended up here. After reading the whole Make out Paradise book, Kakashi had given him the first volume of Make out Violence which he read with fascination.

"Hey Naruto" the blonde ninja stopped playing and then turned to see Kiba minus Akamaru standing on the balcony. Naruto put his pipe away and waved the canine user forward. Kiba grinned and jumped onto the balcony railing next to him and they just stared at the sky together.

When a loud roar echoed through the forest Kiba shivered in fear and then looked over at Naruto who didn't even have the slightest bit of fear in his body language. "Aren't you scared?" he asked, Naruto smiled softly and then shook his head making Kiba laugh a little "I don't get you, sometimes I think your just like all of us but then you go and tell me you don't get scared of big scary forests" he said shaking his head.

Naruto shrugged and then tried to stretch but found that the bandages on his back and shoulders were prohibiting movement. Clicking his tongue Naruto jumped off the railing and walked into the training arena where Lee was practising before the blonde ripped his jacket and shirt off and got one of his kunai and slashed the bandages off. When he turned around he froze when he heard several gasps. When he turned back around he saw Kiba and Lee just staring at him with wide eyes, why Neji who had been sitting nearby watching his teammate was looking at him with fury in his eyes.

"Naruto your back" Kiba said gulping as he took a step towards him "what is that?"

Naruto looked down and then sighed before looking up at him "It's a tattoo of the nine tailed fox" he said simply.

"But why would you get such a strange tattoo" lee asked grabbing his rival by the shoulders and stared him in the eyes.

Naruto looked at the ceiling "did any of you know my birthday is the same day as the Kyuubi invasion?" Kiba and lee shook their heads and Naruto nodded "When I first found that out I immediately felt a bond between not just the fourth and myself but the demon and myself, it's not a good thing to say but I feel connected to the demon somehow and I got this tattoo to always remind me of what happened on my birthday" Neji watched as Naruto pulled on his shirt and left the room with suspicious eyes, something about the blonde didn't sit right with the Hyuga