At the sand village entrance…
After paying their respects to Chiyo, Naruto and rest of the guys prepared to leave and Gaara with sand siblings were present to see them off.
"See ya... umm… well this is the part where you shake hands" Naruto said and started scratching his cheek with index finger sheepishly "but I'm kinda bad at stuff like that so I'll just say-" before Naruto could finish, Gaara stretched out his hand for a hand shake.
Everyone was smiling while Naruto was just standing, staring at his hand and after few seconds Gaara's sand brought forward Naruto's hand in a hand shake using his sand.
Leaf village…
It was a hot noon in Konoha and Hokage was in her cabin, hearing the report of the sand mission.
"Lady Chiyo was the only casualty in the mission, sand's Kazekage has been safely returned to his village, team Guy and team Kakashi is scheduled to return to leaf village in 3 days" Shizune read out the report for Hokage.
"Very well" Tsunade sighed to herself in relief.
"My lady, if I may…?" Shizune asked with cheerless expression.
"Yeah… what is it?"
"Despite the fact that this mission was successful, I was wondering if it was right to send Naruto, a jinchuuriki, to face an enemy that we know, is hunting tailed beasts. Even with the former ANBU black ops captain, Kakashi, along with him to protect him, wasn't it an enormous risk sending Naruto on a mission like this"
"It's because Naruto is what he is that I sent him" Tsunade replied in serious tone shocking Shizune. She lifted her head and smiled at Shizune "the only one who can understand a jinchuuriki is another jinchuuriki. Besides, Naruto's got that mysterious power that makes everyone he meets bet on him"
With the team Kurenai…
'I have to stand up, I will not give up, I will never quit because it's my ninja way!' Hinata was lying in the forest all bruised up. She was desperately trying to get up.
"Still trying to fight? You are a stubborn one aren't you?" said a ninja that was wearing a red ninja outfit not very familiar with anyone from hidden leaf.
While trying to get up, Hinata again fell on her belly.
"Common, you can't hope to defeat me, I am a jouninfrom hidden Rock village, you don't stand a chance against me… just why don't you give up already?" said the guy kicking her down on the ground.
"I don't…*huff* give... up and… I… don't quit because that is-"
"Shut this nonsense already" he kicked her down and grabbed her by neck, and lifted her "what a pity, I thought being a Hyuuga, you would put up a great fight. Even a genin could fight better than you"
Team Kurenai was on an A-rank mission. Mission was to provide aid to Kira islandand to take down the ninjas that were threatening the peace of island. The Kira Island was located just beyond land of fire and was connected by a bridge. They completed the mission were on their way back to were attacked by a group of some ninjas on their way and in the process Hinata got separated from the others.
"Before killing you, I think I will just play with you a little bit Genjutsu!"
He tried read her mind using genjutsu but she was not allowing him, he only get to see the Naruto on her mind, it's because he was everywhere "you are a persistent one! Fine then I will show you something that you will never forget"
Hinata opened her eyes slowly. "Who is he..?" after taking a good look she saw Naruto tied down to post "what is this? And why is Naruto tied? Wait Naruto I will save you- what!" she noticed that she was also tied down. She saw the man heading towards Naruto with katana "w-wait! Stop! What are you doing?"
"Don't worry, I am just going to open him. Hahahha!" he laughed devilishly and she was witnessing it wide eyed.
"No don't… just stop!" Hinata shouted, horrified to see look on his face.
"Hinata save me! Please save me Hinata" Naruto shouted and started crying as the man reached him.
"Don't worry Naruto I will save you!" Hinata tried to break free from the post but couldn't "what? My chakra isn't working… but how?" she forced her chakra to pressure points to break free but the rope used for binding her didn't have any effect. "Wait stop!" Hinata too started crying.
'She lost it…? While ago she knew she was in a gejutsu and resisted too but now… I think this guy here is clouding her ability to perceive the situation… that's good then' "so you love this guy hn? Now witness his sufferings" he shouted at her and started cutting Naruto's fingers. He slashed his sword along Naruto's hand and made a deep cut, this made a lot of blood to flow. Hinata was in a horror and was feeling beyond despair.
"Hinata please save me! Hinata! It pains a lot – argh" shouted Naruto as the guy was torturing him.
He then went for a second arm of his "no please don't do it! I will do whatever you want me to do but just don't harm him please!" Hinata started begging for Naruto.
"I don't want anything from you. I just want you to suffer" said the man evilly.
"But why? Why would someone stranger like you want me to suffer?" asked Hinata still crying in pain.
He pierced Naruto'sother arm "hyaaaa!" Naruto screamed in pain "it's because I hate your leaf village and I want everyone from your village dead" he said in a serious tone that sent chills down her spine.
"But why? Why?" Hinata was broken and shattered down emotionally seeing Naruto in pain and being harmed in front of her. She cursed herself for being weak at that moment.
"It's because in 3rd ninja war my village suffered a great loss and my wife died at the hands of your 4thhokag. And this guy looks similar to the 4thhokage with exact same blonde hair." Said the man and drew his sword from Naruto's arm and shouted "I WILL KILL HIM AND EVERYONE OF YOU!"
Hinata was wide-eyed when she saw him draw his sword out of Naruto's hand and he was crying out of pain.
"Hinata please save me! Please Hinata!" she looked him in the eye and saw that he was terrified "I don't want to die Hinata! Please save me!" Hinata was also at her breaking point, her crying stopped and she was just in despair to see Naruto.
The Ninja slashed his sword through his chest and it wasn't enough for him, so he be headed Naruto and held his head in his one hand "hahahah now it's your turn" he laughed evilly and proceeded towards Hinata.
Seeing the sword pierce through Naruto's heart, Hinata was pulled into the darkness "N-Na-ru-to…" it seemed like a hell to her and this wasn't enough for him. After seeing Naruto being beheaded she was choked, her whole world went blank, it was beyond anybody could explain. She just witnessed the death of one person that was important to her, the one man she loved more than anything in this world, die in front of and she couldn't do a thing to protect him.
"How was it? How was it to witness someone you loved so much, to die in front of your own eyes?"
"N-na-ru-to…" she just stared at his lifeless body without head. She was totally blank, there was nothing on her mind other than Naruto. Then the image of Naruto's death crossed her mind that just happened a moment ago. "NARUTOOOOO… HYYYYYAAAAA" she screamed at the top of her voice.
She started emitting blue aura and it was growing stronger and stronger. At certain point the chakra disturbance became so strong that it broke the genjutsu.
Kurenai, Kiba, Akamaru and Shino defeated their enemy and were on their way to help Hinata.
"NARUTOOOOO… HYYYYYAAAAA""That was Hinata's scream…" Kiba stated "what is happening with her?"
"I don't know but we should better hurry" said Kurenai 'hang in there Hinata, we are coming…'
"I don't know what is going on with her but I have never heard her screaming this loud. Something's really bad" Shino said well knowing his teammate.
After breaking the genjutsu, Hinata was standing on the ground covered with blue aura and the Rock shinobi still holding her by neck.
"What the hell is this-" he was cut off by Hinata. She grabbed his wrist and crushed it. "aaarrrrgh"
She then kicked him in gut sending him crashing through some trees. 'how did she became this strong suddenly, not like it matters I will kill her' "Lucky shot! But this time I will kill you"
"I WILL KILL YOU!" Hinata shouted with such a tone that would even scare the shit out of nine tails. Her byakugan activated by itself without her doing it. She could see every small chakra points that even a jounin has difficulty in detecting. Man tried to punch her with his other hand but she caught his fist and curshed it. He pulled out his hand or rather what remains of it and started to run for his life 'how come she became this strong?' "I will kill you some other day". Hinata was just standing in her place, after seeing him run away, she disappeared from her place and reappeared in front of him.
"I won't let you! There will be no next time for you!" Hinata growled at him.
Meanwhile, rest of the team Kurenai showed up at the scene. They were several yards away from Hinata and the ninja, when Akamaru whimpered.
"What is it Akamaru?" Kiba asked "what is this chakra? It's so cold and what's with the environment, its like-"
"bhowbhow …" Akamaru barked and again whimpered.
"What is it Kiba?" Kurenai asked.
"Akamaru says that, itsHinata is doing all this!"
"Hinata is on a rampage, I can sense her enormous chakra" Shino said with as usual tone but he too was frightened from sensing that killer intent from Hinata.
They arrived where Hinata was. She was standing in front of the ninja and without saying a word she opened a gentle fist attacks on him.
"what happened to her?" asked Shino losing his calm.
"I have never seen her this angry!" Kiba and Akamaru just whimpered.
"me neither." Let out Kurenai with a shock, seeing her pupil make such fast movements with such a great strength. Everyone was in a horrific scene as Hinata killed the man.
She attacked him with her gentle fist style and one could see that, and it was not only the chakra points that were destroyed but also the fingers pierced his body all places that were hit. The rock shinobi was sent flying through forest and stopped across a tree.
Seeing his dead body,Hinata gave in and collapsed on the ground.
Kurenai took out her first aid kit and started treatingHinata. WhileKurenai was busy, Shino and Kiba went to man and observed him. After some time Kurenai also arrived at the location with Hinata in her arms.
"I have never seen her go on a rampage like this… not even on the verge of death" Kiba said while Akamaru was just trembling, seeing Hinata.
"Look at him" Shino said pointing at the dead body.
"Yeah! He is dead and is bleeding heavily" Kiba replied.
"That's not what I mean… look closely!"
"What!?" Kurenai was just shocked "I wondered why her fingers were fractured but seeing this …"
"It was no doubt…" Kiba started and then Shino continued "That it was her gentle fist attack but..?"
"But seeing this man's injuries,it doesn't seem like it was just the gentle fist!" Kurenai finished.
Shino kneeled in front of body andpreparing for a jutsu, he placed his hand on it. The bugs started coming out and went inside the body of the man. After some time they returned to Shino and he stood up.
"It was indeed the gentle fist attack, his all chakra points are destroyed, and muscles are also torn apart and the worst part is…" Shino stopped and took a look at Hinata for a while.
"What is it Shino?" Kiba asked
"Her attack was so strong that her fingers pierced in his bones. She didn't just used her gentle fist but also her brute strength, which made attack penetrate this deep!" Shino explained.
Kurenai looked at Hinata, who was in her arms "I have never seen any Hyuuga doing this much damage and she is the least person I'd expect from"
"I never knew that she possessed this much strength" Kiba admiredHinata in awe.
With Naruto and others…
Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Lee and Tenten were walking through the desert at normal pace and Guy was providing support to Kakashi, due to his inability to walk. The duo was little left behind cause of Kakashi.
"hyan..haan… aarrr" Guy was frustrated by walking at low pace and was making faces.
Kakashi sensed his anxiety but couldn't do anything in his present state.
"Can't you two go any faster?" asked Tenten turning behind and everyone stopped to take a look at the due.
"uunnghhaayy…"
"heheh sorry about this Guy, this new sharingan takes a lot out of me, takes me a while to get back up to speed" Kakashi said sheepishly.
"hurry up, will you!" Tenten shouted at her sensei and Kakashi.
"uuunnnnggrrrrr… un.. unngrrrrr.. uuuhhuu"
"uummm… Guy!?"Kakashi asked Guy worried.
"wwooooaaahh" Guy shouted and tossed Kakashi in air. This scared the shit out of Kakashi "hheeeyy-! Wha-!"
"What happened?" Neji turned around after hearing Kakashi shout. Everyone turned to see what happened.
What they saw was, Kakashi on the back of Guy, it's like giving Kakashi piggy back ride.
'That's too gross!' Naruto gave a poker face expression.
'Grown men playing piggy back. It's almost creepy!' Sakura said with the same expression.
'oh brother!' Tenten also had the same one and even Neji was the same.
"what the-… I get it, a training exercise!" Lee shouted in enthusiasm.
"hanhan ... so you wanna see faster, I'll show you faster" and with that Guy with Kakashi on his back, sprinted swiftly towards the group and overtook them "chan lee…wang lee… what's wrong slow bots? Cant keep up with me? Lets go! Hahahahaha…" and Guy was out of sight.
'it looks even weirder when they are inn motion!'
"Neji!?" Lee asked signalling him to do the same thing.
"Forget it!"
Somewhere in Konoha…
"I've made certain that you'll be assigned to team Kakashi. Not only are you close to NarutoUzumaki and each but you're stronger than anyone of your generation. Most important of all, your talents with the paint brush, they are incomparable." Said a man holding a stick in his left hand and his right eye covered with bandages. He pointed his cane to the boy who was kneeling in front of him "from today, until the day of completion of your mission, your name will be Sai!"
"Sai! Yes I understand!" said the boy who was kneeling in front of the old man. The boy was very fair in colour and had a shirt on, that covered only the part above his stomach. He gave a fake smile that anyone could see through.
"and wipe that fake smile of yours when you are with me!"
"forgive me! I've read that, in order to win someone over, one must smile. I've been practicing but creating facial expressions is very difficult for me!"
A days later…
Somewhere in a room…
*yawn* Shikamaru woke up just a sec before its 6 in the morning. Just at 6 alarm went off and started ringing.
'aahh great! Whats the point of setting the alarm if I'm going to wake up before it goes off. What a total waste! Now I've got to shut it off, but I don't feel like moving, but if don't shut it off, it'll just keep ringing and ringing! Aaahhh it makes me tire thinking about the whole thing! Some mornings are such a drag!'
At the Akimichi compound…
Chouji was feeding is belly at 6 in the morning with insane speed.
With team Kakashi and team Guy…
Everyone was sleeping in their respective tents but Naruto, he was up early and went for some fresh air.
'What's this feeling? It's like something's wrong with someone, but I don't know who! Sakura's right here with me and it's not like pervy sage to get a foe stronger than him! Akatsukiwon't attack him unless they want me and I'm here! But then again, I'm feeling this oddness from the moment we left the sand." While running through his thoughts, he came across a waterfall. "ohh… a waterfall! I'll take a shower then!"
Naruto jumped out of his clothes but boxers and proceeded down the water fall, and took a good nice bath. After cleaning himself he sat in meditating position under water fall and closed his eyes.
With team Kurenai…
They took shelter in a cave which was located somewhere in the forest, inside territory of land of Fire.
Everyone was ready to leave for Konoha, but Hinata was still out, unconscious. She was all wrapped up in the bandages, her index and middle fingers of both the hands were fractured, and, her forehead also had a dressing. Her both hands were covered in gauze and some other areas were also had a strap on them.
"She won't be up until a day or two!" Kurenai said looking at Hinata.
"Looks like we'll have to carry her" Kiba said replied.
"I still don't get it!?" Shino started, this made Kurenai and Kiba give him a questioning look. "what made her so angry that she pushed herself to this extent"
"Whatever did it, it was her emotional flood that brought her wrath on surface" Kurenai stated.
"Whatever it is! I don't wanna see her do it again!"Kiba spoke staring at Hinata. Akamaru whined, remembering the old and scary Hinata "Akamaru can sense the strength and darkness of a person. Just like the last time, during chunin exams when he sensed Gaara and was acting the same way as he is now"
"NARUTOOO!"Hinata had suddenly risen up from the sleep shouting Naruto's name and was breathing hard.
Seeing Hinata awake, Kurenai quickly went to her side, while frightened Akamaru jumped back on Kiba, only to crash into the boulder, which was present inside the cave.
"easyHinata! Calm down!Theres nothing to worry about"Kurenai consolidated Hinata.
After hearing to Kurenai sensei, Hinata's breathing became slow and steady, and she came back to normal state. "thank you sensei!" she spoke in her timid voice. She tried to stand up but a bolt of pain ran through her body "eeeekkkk".
"Take it easy hinata! Don't be hasty!" Kurenai advised her.
"how are you feeling now?" Shino asked in his normal tone.
"I'm fine now!" Hinata replied.
"well that's good to hear!" Kiba said standing back and Akamaru was still hiding behind Kiba, whimpering.
"what happened to him?" Hinata asked out of concern.
"you scared the shit out of him. Hahahah…" Kiba laughed at Akamaru's antiques.
"and what happened to you Hinata? What made you so angry during the battle?"
Hinata was then wide eyed and after she remembered the scene, she looked down in sadness. 'I thought I lost him!' tears started flowing through her eyes and she was crying.
"its alright Hinata! Everything's fine! Don't worry" Kurenai reassured her but her tears didn't seem to be stopping.
"Hinata are you ok!?" Kiba asked worried about her.
After a while, her sobbing decreased and she was at ease. "yeah I'm ok!" she replied and taking support of the ground, she tried to rise from her positon. Despite of intense pain that she was feeling, she stood up and without showing any signs of weakness, she said "lets get going! I want to go back to Konoha as soon as possible"
"whats the matter hinata?" asked kiba.
"its nothing Kiba. I'm just tired from the last fight, that's all!"Hinata didn't make any eye contact but started to move towards the exit of the cave.
2 days later, at the village gates…
"What is that" asked Kotetsu looking far beyond the gate, he could hear the sound of footsteps with high frequency of running.
"hyaaa we are there! The finish line is in sight and victory!" shouted Guy with Kakashi on his back who was kind of, umm… not well.
"hhyyaaa only second place!" Lee finished as well, he was carrying everyone's bags to compensate the Neji's absence.
"whatkinda race is that?" asked Izumo
"uuhhh… I don't know!" Kotetsu replied.
"its clear to me that you need more training lee!"
"you are right and next time I'll try to come in first !"
"well lee I hate to break it to you but I have a bad news for you!"
"uuhhh? What would that be sensei?" Lee asked
"just this, you did not come in second, you finished in 3rd place!" Guy said revolving and then pointing at lee. Lee was shocked to hear it. "you are forgetting that I had Kakashi on my back and technically he came second hahahha… did you hear that Kakashi? No need to thank me!"
"you have taught me another valuable lesson sensei!" lee started crying and the took notes of it.
"I will never get used to their ridicules level of intensity" Neji stated in frustration.
"still they got us back to the village pretty damn fast! Huh!" replied Tenten
"Next stop, Hokage's tower!" Guy announced.
"well umm… Guy sensei… Kakashi sensei is little…" Sakura said looking at the condition of Kakashi.
"ohh yeah right! First stop to hospital then we'll report in!" replied Guy.
Outside the Hokage office…
Sakura, Shizune and Tsunade were standing in the balcony, outside the Hokage's office.
"ten days at the Tenchi bridge" Tsunade repeated to confirm.
"its already been 4 days since then, we only have 6 days remaining" Sakura replied.
"Yes but can you trust your source?" Tsunade asked Sakura, as a matter of fact, it was Naruto that Akatsuki are after and would try anything to get him out.
"They were his last words. I doubt he was lying"
"what if it's a trap with Orochimaru as a bait and the akatsuki waiting there with full force for whoever is foolish enough to show up" Tsunade told the other possibility of the info provided by Sasori.
"well if it's a trap then we'll fight em" Sakura said with confidence in her voice.
"Yes but now Kakashi's out of commission for more than a week and with only 6 days to rendezvous, on top of that, team Kakashi is lacking a member ever since Sasuke left" said Tsunade
"Yes that's true"
"your only option is to find new members and assemble a new team"
"Lady Tsunade" Shizune interrupted them.
"what is it?"
"if that's the case, why not deploy a different team to investigate and even if you feel that you must send Sakura, Naruto mustn't go on the mission"
"Shizune, like you, Sakura is amongst few shinobi I trust implicitly that's why this mission has to involve the remaining members of team Kakashi"
"wouldn't my team serve just as well my lady, why not send us"
"it wouldn't be the same. Sakura and Naruto are driven by the desperate need to save their lost teammate. They've both pledged their lives to rescue him, that kind of desire to honour their pledge is why they will succeed. That's where you and Sakura are different"
"yes I understand" said shizune with her head down and then she insisted on one point "but I believe you still mustn't send Naruto-"
"Naruto was the one whom Sasori gave this info to. What do you think he will do if I don't dispatch his team for it" Tsunade questioned Shizune.
Shizune was about to speak but somebody interrupted her "Well I'd say we gotta find new team members, that's what!" with that being said naruto jumped from the roof and vanished out of vision saying "see ya!"