(Hey, guys. Good to see you. I haven't updated this in awhile because of a glitch in the update alert system. But now that it's passed I can finally resume this. Hope you enjoy it.)

Out in the forest, Kakashi, Sakura, and the Bending girls were watching Naruto and Sasuke go at it. Naruto had his tailed beast chakra mode activated, while Sasuke had his Mangekyo Sharingan activated. The two shinobi were using their ace in the hole abilities to further see the extent of their power. Sasuke with his new Mangekyo felt his sight and vision was greater than before, while Naruto in his new tailed beast chakra mode felt faster and stronger himself.

The two shinobi were exchanging blows right from left with the other dodging their opponents move. Eventually the two ceased their sparing and sighed. Kakashi felt something up and spoke to his two top students, "Is everything all right, guys?"

"It's all right, sensei." Naruto answered.

"But this just doesn't feel enough." Sasuke admitted.

"What do you mean enough?" Sakura wondered.

"While it's good we're breaking our new abilities in, this is just playing with kid gloves." Naruto explained.

"He's right. These new abilities aren't made for using in spars." Sasuke agreed.

"Especially against each other." Naruto put in.

"Yeah. We notice both of you resisting the urge to go full throttle." Naomi noticed.

"But if you used your full power you'd level this whole area." Ming noted.

"And that won't sit well with the Hokage." Yami added.

"We know." Naruto sighed with Sasuke.

"Still even without using your full abilities you both are improving since you acquired them." Kakashi admitted.

"How are those new eyes treating you, Sasuke?" Yuzuru inquired.

"Couldn't be better. I have even better sight than I did before with my normal Sharingan." the Uchiha answered.

"Can you use the same abilities as Itachi yet?" Sakura wondered.

"Not so much just yet, but I'm slowly getting there."

"Well, good. We'll need attacks like that if we're going to be taking on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki." Naruto said, as everyone agreed.

Meanwhile outside Orochimaru's lair, the rogue ninja formed hand signs and rising up from the ground was a wooden casket, "This time I am taking the fight to Naruto and Sasuke as well," the coffin lid fell down and out stepped the reanimated Kuvira, "Kuvira, my dear. I have a job for you."

"Oh, joy." Kuvira rolled her eyes.

"You'll be going to the village of Konoha to destroy the Avatar and bring to me Sasuke Uchiha." Orochimaru instructed.

"And if I refuse?" Kuvira asked while standing tough.

Orochimaru frowned, "This is not optional for you. Lest we forget I control you now and you will do as I say."

Kuvira frowned back, "If I had control over my body I'd destroy you myself."

"Well, there's no chance of that happening. You have your orders. Now go." Orochimaru ordered, as Kuvira took off.

Kabuto who had been standing close by approached and spoke to his master, "You're sending Kuvira of all your resurrected benders after them?"

"I lost Amon to the Sword of Totsuka, I will not lose another more valuable pawn so easily."

"So out of all of the benders you find Kuvira more expendable than the rest?" Kabuto asked.

"Exactly." Orochimaru snickered.

Meanwhile Kuvira was racing across the ninja land on her way to Konoha with her objective set into her reanimated mind. She ran while thinking, 'I don't want to do this, but that freak is right. I cannot control my body. If this Naruto is as good an Avatar as Orochimaru makes himself out to be I really hope he can stop me.'

As Naruto and Sasuke were alone in the forest taking a break, Naruto suddenly gasped, as he felt something heading in their direction. Sasuke noticed a shift in his friend's mood, and spoke, "Naruto, what's up?"

"I can sense danger approaching, Sasuke." he answered.

"Danger as in what?"

"Spirit. As in one brought back from the dead."

Sasuke gasped knowing what that meant, "A reanimated corpse."

Naruto nodded before summoning a clone, "Find sensei, Sakura, and the girls. Hurry!" the clone took off, before the real Naruto turned to Sasuke, "Come on. If we meet up with it before it gets too close to the village we can avoid a panic."

"All right." Sasuke agreed, as the boys took off. They were unaware of someone watching them from the trees.

The two comrades ran through the forest outside the village before stopping in an open area surrounded by trees. Naruto stood still before going into sage mode, while Sasuke activated his Sharingan, "Be careful, they're close." Naruto instructed, as Sasuke was prepared to draw his swords.

Suddenly metal disks were flying right at them, but Sasuke used his swords to deflect them, while Naruto used his reflexes to dodge. The two stood back to back, as Kuvira dropped in from above, "Impressive. I heard you two were formidable, but your descriptions don't do you justice."

The two boys were in shock, as Sasuke spoke, "Naruto, that woman..."

"I know. Kuvira the Great Uniter, I presume?" Naruto inquired.

"You presume correctly, Avatar Naruto," Kuvira confirmed before turning to the Uchiha, "And you must be Sasuke Uchiha."

"I am." Sasuke nodded.

"So you're one of Orochimaru's victims?" Naruto asked.

"Unfortunately. But now he's brought me back with the aim of destroying you." the undead bender explained.

"Yeah. He's hellbent on that." the blonde replied.

"I personally have no reason to fight you. But I cannot control my body." Kuvira said, getting ready to attack.

"We're going to stop you." Sasuke promised, as he got ready.

"And then I'll set your spirit free." Naruto added.

And with that the three engaged in combat with Kuvira using her hand to hand combat skills against the was using his Sharingan to intercept her strikes much to the woman's surprise, "How can you keep up with me so quickly? Can you read the future?"

Sasuke smirked, "Yes, and your future is to lose."

Naruto sighed, "Trying to quote sensei, Sasuke? Really?"

Kuvira jumped back and Earthbended a fissure in the ground right towards the two. They jumped aside, as Naruto launched a gust of wind through Airbending at Kuvira. The Great Uniter dodged before launching metal strips from her uniform at Naruto trapping his wrists together.

"Good play, Kuvira. But you haven't won yet." Naruto concentrated and went into sage mode before using his strength to break the metal restraints off.

"Impossible." Kuvira gasped.

"Kuvira, you fought Avatar Korra and lost," Naruto began, "You should know after a defeat like that nothing is impossible to the Avatar."

Kuvira smiled, "Of course. How could I forget? Even with a giant mecha suit and spirit cannon I lost to the Avatar and her friends."

"And you'll lose to us as well." Sasuke declared, as he and Naruto continued to go at it.

As Kuvira and Naruto fought up close, the former Great Uniter spoke, "You certainly can fight. I'm sure Korra would be proud to see how strong you are."

"I already know that." Naruto replied, as he summoned a Rasengan and shoved it into her chest sending her backwards.

Kuvira crashed into a tree, and her body started reforming itself. Sasuke turned to Naruto, "Quickly, you need to use your Energybending to release her spirit from that corpse."

Before Naruto could do anything a trumpeting sound was heard. The three looked and saw the trees being knocked down as a giant reddish-orange colored elepahtine-like creature stormed onto the scene. All three were shocked, as Kuvira asked, "What the devil is that thing?"

"Not with us." Naruto answered.

"Hey, look who's riding it." Sasuke motioned upward.

They looked to see Danzo on top of the creature's head. The old man looked down seeing Kuvira regenerating, "I'm sorry, my dear. But I have business with these boys here." he took a deep breath and released a blast of wind from his mouth strong enough to send Kuvira flying. The reanimated bender screamed as she was sent flying across the land.

The boys watched seeing their opponent was blasted off, before turning their attention back to the old man. Naruto looked at him and recalled back to hearing about him, "Sasuke, I don't think we're out of the woods just yet."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"That man's Danzo Shimura, one of the members of the Konoha Elder council. And I don't trust him." Naruto frowned.

The creature lowered it's head to the ground allowing Danzo to step off it, before poofing away. The old man looked to the boys and spoke, "Naruto Uzumaki. Sasuke Uchiha. There are matters we have to discuss." he squinted his single eye at the two.

(What does Danzo have in store for the boys, and will Kuvira return to finish what she was sent out to do? Don't miss next time.)