You guys are completely awesome! Over one thousand follows and over five-hundred reviews! To mark such an occasion, as you are reading this chapter I am working on the next, rather than take a few days break like I normally do.
I want to take the time to sincerely apologize for the lack of proof-reading last chapter. I took an extra day and went over this chapter, hopefully eliminating most, if not all, of the spelling errors. I'll be going back over my old chapters and correcting the spelling mistakes on those too.
I will explain more about the reasoning behind one of the fights at the bottom to avoid spoilers. In addition, it was brought to my attention that how I wrote the Sharingan made it a bit more over powered then it was before. I corrected the sentences that had the confusing explanations. To clarify, a normal Sharingan can "read" hand-signs, but it can't "read" techniques that don't have hand-signs. More specifically, I changed the Five Element Seal so that it included hand signs. Don't worry, this isn't going to be a case of everyone learning an easy way to defeat Naruto.
To explain my reasoning behind why fights tend to be on the shorter side is two reasons. The first is due to the fact that almost everyone is a trained killer, and as such fights don't tend to last very long. Secondly, I want to avoid bogging do my chapters with long drawn-out fight scenes. That being said, certain fights will be quite long, given how powerful certain characters will be.
AU differences: While I'm not going to spoil it, there is a rather massive departure from cannon this chapter, and I'm sure everyone will be able to spot it.
And without any more delay, here is the next chapter. Chapter 23: Stop My Heart
There was an almost somber silence from the crowd as they watched Ino's unconscious body being moved by the worried medic nins. While the crowd had expected flashy fights and exciting hand-to-hand combat, they had never expected something like this. To see a young girl - she seemed so young and helpless laying on that stretcher - so brutally taken out like that was almost horrifying. The Yamanaka kunoichi's screams seemed to echo in their ears.
Sakura clenched her fists as she glared at a seemingly smug Sasuke. "I can't believe I ever liked him!" The pink-haired girl inwardly fumed, "He didn't have to take her out like that. He had dozens of other ways he could have won."
Hinata glanced at Ino's motionless body, feeling slightly bad about how she had viewed Ino before. Hinata had greatly disliked the blonde Yamanaka, viewing her boldness and willingness to pursue Naruto-Kun as a threat. However, watching her defeated form being carried off on a stretcher, those thoughts rang hollow. Movement in the arena below brought her attention back to the present.
Minoru walked towards the quieter crowd. "The next match will be between Hinata Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan and Samui of Kumo. Would they please come down to the arena?"
Hinata approached the center of the arena, every movement effortless grace. She watched her opponent walk calmly to the center as well. Such calmness would have given any Genin pause, but Hinata wasn't just any Genin. She was Hinata Hyuga of Team Eight. And she could not afford to lose. More than just her own promotion rested on this and future matches. Naruto-Kun would face many enemies, both now and in the future. But all of the enemies wouldn't be on the battlefield. Some would be in the political arena. And while Naruto was practically a prodigy in battle, he wasn't prepared to deal with the subtleties of politics, not yet. Hinata was teaching him, but he wasn't ready. He couldn't stand alone.
And Hinata would make sure that he never had to stand alone. She would battle Sakura, ensuring that the strongest would stand beside him, supporting him in all things. Hinata knew that the fight would be tough, given that her best friend could only have only gotten stronger during her tutelage under Anko-San. She was grateful for her training in keeping an emotionless mask when she thought of being with Naruto-Kun in all things; becoming his wife and all the carnal pleasure that would happen between them. Hinata wasn't sure if she loved her Naruto-Kun, given that she was still young, but she was sure that if she did love him, it would feel exactly like this. The blue-haired kunoichi shook her head, clearing it of those very distracting thoughts. First she had to defeat Samui...
Samui couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive as she stood across from Hinata of Team Eight. It was well known that her opponent had added lightning chakra to her clan's fighting style. And if rumors were true, Hinata's chakra levels were much higher than the average Hyuga. Given that her opponent had increased reserves, Samui knew that she couldn't rely solely on her lightning chakra to win the day. Not to mention that accidentally killing the Hyuga heiress would bring potentially dire consequences, from both the Hyuga clan and from the Bloodline Faction within Kumo itself.
The Bloodline Faction was a rogue faction that was hidden within Kumo. The members sought to kidnap female bloodline users so they could create more bloodline members loyal to Kumo. Ay, the Fourth Raikage, had declared the Bloodline Faction illegal and had officially disbanded the faction after the failed attempt to kidnap Hinata Hyuga all those years ago. Ay, in his own words, said that "Kumo was a village built on strength. We do not violate others." But while many members of the Bloodline Faction had obeyed the word of their leader, the most fanatic members chose to secretly continue. It was a stain on Kumo's honor, and Ay had charged Samui and her team to make sure that the Bloodline Faction did not succeed in taking anyone during the Chunin exams. Samui blinked, calmly putting her secondary mission to the side for the moment. She couldn't afford distractions in the fight that was about to happen.
"Hinata Hyuga of Clan Hyuga, are you ready?"
Hinata nodded slightly as she flowed into her clan's Gentle Fist stance. Her eyes opened to show her clan's fabled bloodline. "Yes, Proctor, I am ready."
Minoru turned to Samui. "Samui of Kumo, are you ready?"
Samui also nodded, her rather substantial bust shifting as she reached her right hand back to grasp her tanto blade. "I am ready as well."
"Hajime!"
Samui leapt back from her opponent, knowing that she couldn't match Hinata's close range style. The blonde kunoichi's short hair bobbed as she raced through the hand signs for broad range lightning jutsu. Stretching her arms wide, she sent a weak lightning pulse towards Hinata, the jutsu designed to overload nerves then deal any real damage. The clam Kumo ninja's hands then blurred though a much more direct damage technique, knowing that once Hinata was hit with the wide-band jutsu, she would be unable to dodge the lightning attack.
It was a solid strategy, and one that had won Samui many victories in sparring matches. However, Hinata was not her normal opponent. Hinata was part of Team Eight, the team who had forged themselves and each other into something greater than the average ninja. For they fought for something more than a simple location on the map; they fought for each other.
Hinata's Byakugan proved it value as it instantly enabled Hinata to assess the wave of lightning-natured chakra heading towards her. Locating a weak point near the right side of the jutsu, Hinata pushed chakra into her hand before converting it to lightning chakra. Her eyes did not blink as the jutsu neared her. Spotting the wavelengths of the technique, Hinata prepared herself. If she succeeded, she would have spent minimal chakra to counter a jutsu that, while not particularly draining to Samui, did drain the Kumo kunoichi's chakra reserves to some degree.
Hinata's hand blurred forward, her hand becoming a spear. There was a crackle and a harsh buzz as the two lightning techniques fought for dominance for the briefest of moments before, with a snapping pop and a flash of light, Samui's wide-band lightning technique dispersed. Gracefully turning her body to the side to avoid Samui's second jutsu, Hinata retaliated with her own lightning technique, using her already gathered lightning chakra to send a crackling bolt at Samui!
Dodging to the side, Samui's hands blurred in another jutsu, this one designed to create an opening for her melee attacks. It was one of the few jutsus Samui had been taught by Killer B during the month long break between the matches. It was one that Kumo developed shortly after that Hyuga debacle. The lightning jutsu had but one purpose, to blind the Byakugan. The blonde-haired kunoichi from Kumo hit the final seal and held it, feeling chakra sizzle up and down her wrists. When it had reached almost critical mass, Samui's hands blurred towards the ground. The moment her outstretched fingers touched the ground, the world seemed to flash in blinding light.
Hinata snapped her arm over her burning eyes by reflex, but it was too late. The combined flash of light and chakra had blinded her. It felt so wrong, so strange to open her eyes and see nothing but blackness. Had she been anyone else, Samui would have won the match with that move alone. But Hinata wasn't about to give up, not when she had others counting on her; not when she had dreams; not when she had desires. It would not end here.
Fighting the almost instinctive reaction to keep her eyes open, Hinata closed her eyes and listened. The cheering of the crowd faded into muted noise. The stirred up dust was ignored. The blue-haired kunoichi from Team Eight focused on only two things, her desire to win and Samui's footsteps. A slight burning sensation began to faintly grow under her closed eyelids. The Kumo kunoichi's footsteps rushed in her direction, only twenty feet away. Ten. Hinata tensed her muscles. Five. She readied herself. Zero. The burn behind her eyes increased, almost becoming painful. Hearing the whistling of the tanto, Hinata twisted out of the way of the sword thrust, snapping her hand forward. Samui had no time to react as the Hyuga's chakra coated hand slammed into her side.
The blow was stronger than Samui ever could have imagined from the shorter girl, knocking the Kumo kunoichi completely off her feet. Samui rolled to bleed off the force of the blow and then continued the roll to her feet. "How had she sensed me?" Samui tilted her head to the side, considering for a moment. "Of course. She heard me." Flipping her tanto to a reverse grip, Samui crouched and prepared to run silently at the blind Hyuga.
The burning in her eyes stopped. Successfully ignoring the urge to rub them, Hinata snapped her eyes open. Samui was only a scant five feet from her, tanto already drawn back. The blonde's eyes widened as she beheld Hinata's open, slightly pink eyes. Then the Hyuga from Team Eight met the Kumo ninja's charge. Several pin-point blows struck the blonde kunoichi by the time her sword swept back. Two more and the tanto clattered to the ground. Four more and her other arm stopped working. Six more and her legs gave out. One last blow brought darkness.
Minoru walked to the center. "Samui of Kumo has been rendered unconscious. Hinata Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan is the winner of this match!"
The crowd went wild, happy for a match that they could cheer about, eager to put the previous match out of mind.
Hinata walked with all of the grace afforded to her. Her gaze was focused on only one thing. Sakura nodded in her direction before smirking a rather Anko-like smirk before latching onto Naruto's arm. The oblivious boy grinned in the pink-haired girl's direction. "So that's how you want to play it, Sakura-Chan?" Hinata lengthened her stride as she approached the Genin section. "Challenge accepted."
Gaara turned to look over at Naruto Uzumaki, the one who made Mother cautious. And for the first time in his life, things weren't simple. Prior to coming to Konoha, life was simple for the red-head. He killed those who attacked him, he killed those who Mother asked him to, and he protected Temari. But now, looking at Naruto who was just finishing hugging the Hyuga, a thought struck him. Why did the Hyuga and Haruno stay close to the Uzumaki? He was, after all, powerful enough to make Mother cautious. Shouldn't they fear him? After all, they weren't his sister. They weren't Temari.
"Naruto Uzumaki." Gaara's flat, vaguely threatening tone stunned most of the Genin present as he approached. "Why does Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuga stand close to you? Should they not run away? You make Mother cautious."
Sakura's and Hinata's eyes narrowed as they prepared to lash out at the person who insulted their Naruto-Kun. However, before they could reply, Naruto smiled slightly at the confused Suna nin. "It's simple really." Naruto shrugged. "For whatever reason they accept me for who I am, the good and the bad." Naruto grinned at the suddenly flushing girls with fond affection. "And I'll keep trying to be the person they give me the strength to become."
"I see." Gaara didn't really see. He didn't understand. How could someone be powerful and not feared by everyone? He slowly made his way back to his spot, still trying to understand the complex person that Naruto Uzumaki was.
Minoru took to the area floor once again. "The next match is between Rock Lee of Konoha and Gaara Sabaku of Suna. Would they please come to the arena?"
Gaara disappeared from his spot to reappear out of a swirling mass of sand in a specialized Shunshin. An apathetic look stained the red-head's face.
In contrast, his opponent bounced lightly on his feet. Rock Lee grinned happily to himself. Now was the chance to show everyone how brightly Youth could shine! He pounded his wrapped fists together.
Minoru glanced between the two polar opposite fighters. "Gaara Sabaku of Suna, are you ready?"
Gaara didn't even blink or move. "Yes."
Lee grinned widely as the proctor turned to face him. "Rock Lee of Konoha, are you ready?"
"I will show him the power of Youth!"
Minoru blinked for a moment before shrugging. It was probably as close to a 'yes' as he was going to get from the eager green jumpsuit wearing Genin.
"Hajime!"
Lee leapt towards his opponent with surprising speed, his foot already cocked back. Gaara stared apathetically at the rapidly approaching attack as he continued to ponder Naruto Uzumaki and his strange effect on those around the Uzumaki. With the ease born of a thousand training sessions, Lee's foot snapped forward with enough strength to crush stone. It never reached Gaara. As soon as his foot neared the Suna nin's face, a wall of sand shot up to intercept the blow. Gaara turned his head to stare at the shocked and surprised Konoha nin.
To his credit, Lee swiftly retreated to assess his enemy. Perhaps he needed to go faster? His fists, after all, were much faster than his kicks...Lee clenched his fists. He would show them that you didn't need to be part of a special clan to be a great ninja; you didn't have to know great and powerful justus or even jutsus at all; all you needed was a drive, a drive to become someone greater then yourself, pushing yourself past your limit again and again. Lee felt confidence build within him. He would show them that a genius of hard work could win just as easily as any other ninja! "YOUTH!" Lee roared as he charged.
Motes of sand exploded off of the shields made of sand that rose to block Lee's blindingly fast attacks. After several minutes of fruitless attacks, both Gaara and Mother had enough. Gaara raised his arm, chakra building. His bloodlust began to rise at the thought of the annoying Konoha ninja's blood soaking the sand. "Enough." He opened his hand. The ground rumbled. Sand began to pour from the large gourd on his back. Sensing danger, Lee leapt back. The sand followed. Lee spun, ducked, and dodged as he avoided the sand. But it was all for naught. All it took was one misstep, one stumble. Lee staggered back, his muscles already tightening to halt his fall. But it was too late.
Like some terrible constricting snake the sand stuck, covering Lee's limbs and body in mere seconds. Gaara began to grin a terrible bloodthirsty grin. Mother urged him to crush the boy, to feel his bones crumble into dust, to feel the blood soak the sand. Gaara's hand began to slowly close, the sand constricting as his hand moved. Lee stifled a cry as he felt his leg bones begin to crack. The Jinchuuriki of Suna's hand tightened a little more. Lee screamed as his legs snapped. Gaara's demented grin widened.
Slight movement out the corner of his eye prompted the red-head to glance over at the Genin stands. Temari looked back before glancing at Lee's pain filled face. She looked at her youngest brother and gave him a sad smile, assuring him that she still loved him; still accepted him, no matter how much of a monster he was. She then glanced away, her face resigned in the knowledge that she would soon hear the sounds of pain filled agony would surely erupt from the captured Konoha Genin's lips.
The bloodlust clouding Gaara's mind was washed away by a sudden terrible realization. Had he been hurting Temari this entire time? Had he forced her to watch all these years? And if so, why did she still care about him? The sand crumpled into harmless particles as Gaara ceased caring about the fight. He headed towards the Genin stands wanting, needing, to know why Temari chose to stay near him despite how much pain he must have caused her. He paid no mind to the proctor declaring him the winner, nor did he care about the medic ninja who swarmed the broken Genin behind him.
"Temari." Gaara felt something, some strange emotion, as he continued, "Why do you stand beside me? Why do you continue to stay close to me if I have caused you pain?"
Temari smiled a loving smile at her younger brother, understanding what he had really meant with his question, even if he didn't know how to ask it himself. "Because you are my brother. Who I love." Stepping close to pull her obviously distraught brother into a firm hug, Temari poured every ounce of sisterly love she had into her embrace.
"W-What is this feeling?" Gaara wondered to himself, more confused than ever in his life. "It's warm. Safe. I-I-is this...love? Is this family?" A feeling of warmth spread throughout his body and mind. Mother's voice grew distant.
Jiraiya strode onto the small balcony where Hiruzen and Rasa, the Kazekage of Suna, sat. "Third Hokage," Jiraiya kept his voice brisk and professional, "Since there is a brief break between matches, may I speak with you privately?"
Rasa stood up along with his masked body guard. "We will wait outside."
Jiraiya waited until the door shut before turning to Hiruzen. "So...my old sensei..." Jiraiya paced towards one of the walls, placing his hand on the wall. A flex of his chakra bound the sound barrier to it, creating a barrier that no sound could escape through, "...Tell me this: Why did you not tell me of Naruto's..." Jiraiya grappled for a political word, "...problems he had when he was young?"
Hiruzen froze, his grandfatherly aura faltering. "I-I have no idea what you mean, Jiraiya."
"Oh really." Jiraiya stalked towards his former teacher, his angered chakra threatening to break free. "I suppose you never knew about the emotional torture they put him through." He stepped closer to Hiruzen. "I suppose you never knew about the beatings." Another step. "Or all the times they denied him food?" Jiraiya stopped suddenly as he had an epiphany. "No. You didn't know did you? You didn't know because you made sure that you didn't know. You blinded yourself on purpose." His angry eyes speared Hiruzen's tired old eyes. "It's all for the village wasn't it?" The Third did not reply, his head lowered in shame.
"Just tell me this," Jiraiya asked his former teacher, hoping that he had a good reason, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Hiruzen sighed, looking older then even his advanced years suggested. "What do you want me to say Jiraiya?" He shook his head sadly. "That I had an inkling that Naruto's life was bad and I chose to delude myself into thinking it wasn't so bad? That keeping you away and spying was more valuable than one boy's happiness?" Hiruzen swallowed, his throat painfully tight. "That I forgot that while Naruto was just a boy, he was a very special boy? That I shouldn't have thought of him as just another orphan?" The Third sighed again, slumping against the wall. "I'm tired Jiraiya. So very tired. What would you ask of this old man?"
Jiraiya chuckled, using his anger as armor against Hiruzen's sad speech. "Good for you." The white-haired ninja's voice was condescending. "You're tired." His eyes narrowed. "I'm sure Naruto was tired too when he didn't have a place to stay or food to eat." He took another step forward. "What you are going to do is simple: You're going to tell Naruto everything. No lies. No half-truths. Just the truth."
Hiruzen's eyes caught fire, his previous sadness washed away by indignant anger. "I am the Third Hokage! I will not be ordered!"
Jiraiya laughed hollowly. "Where is 'the tired old man'?" The Toad Sannin shook his head. "Want to know what I think?" He glanced at the still closed door. "I think some part of you died with your wife on the night that Naruto was born all those years ago." He glanced back at Hiruzen who had frozen, shock painted across his face, "I think some part of you blamed Naruto for your wife's death. And you still do, even until this day."
"I-I..." Hiruzen wanted to deny Jiraiya's words, but...there was a strange sort of terrible truth to them. Realization crashed on him. "What have I done?"
"You made a very terrible mistake." Came Jiraiya's blunt reply, his armor made of outrage keeping him safe. "And if it wasn't for three very caring ladies, we would all be paying the price for your...inaction."
Hiruzen's tired but resolute eyes met Jiraiya's. "How can I make this right? How can I ever make up for what I allowed to happen?"
"The only thing you can do. Become someone worthy to be called Naruto's friend."
Hiruzen nodded, feeling fire reignite within his soul, some part of him that he thought had died awakening. "I will begin as soon as the Chunin exams are over."
Rasa waited calmly outside the door to the Kage section. Idly he wondered what Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin, was so intent on speaking to the Third about. The auburn-haired Kazekage shrugged internally to himself. His plans were still private, so in the end what the two discussed didn't matter. Rapidly approaching movement prompted him to glance down the hall, only to see Baki hurrying in his direction.
"Kazekage-Sama," Baki bowed deeply, "I have the most disturbing of news." The masked Jonin glanced around, checking for eavesdroppers. Spotting none, he leaned close to his leader. "I saw Gaara-San being hugged by Temari-San." Rasa blinked, his face impassive. Baki shook his head. "You don't understand. His sand wasn't moving. It was...at peace."
Rasa's dark eyes widened. Oh. This was bad. Very bad for his plans. "Baki, we are accelerating our plans. next time Gaara takes to the arena we will execute the plan."
"Timing?" The loyal Jonin inquired, his mind already racing for an idea for how long it would take to contact the others.
Rasa glanced at his masked bodyguard. "Gaara will be in the first match." Yellow eyes glinted behind the mask. "I can promise that."
After the two hour long break, the crowd reseated themselves, chattering happily as they felt refreshed by the food they had bought from the concession stands outside the arena. Friends, both old and new, swapped stories and ideas for the upcoming matches. Minoru strode out onto the arena floor, the crowd hushing in anticipation of the next match.
"The next match will be between Sasuke Uchiha of the Uchiha Clan and Gaara Sabaku of Suna. Would they please come down to the area?"
Sasuke paced down to the arena, anticipation building within him. While the Suna ninja wasn't a replacement for Naruto Uzumaki, but he was...adequate for now. The Sabaku's power over sand would be an interesting test compared to his own strength.
Gaara grunted, annoyed at the fact that he had to stop standing close to Temari, basking in the warm, nameless emotion she freely gave to him. He would crush the Konoha nin and head back to Temari. This...feeling, family?, was something he...enjoyed.
Minoru eyed the two Genin with slight caution. Both of the ninja had defeated their opponents with brutality. This was going to be an interesting match. "Gaara Sabaku of Suna, are you ready?"
"Yes."
"Sasuke Uchiha of Clan Uchiha, are you ready?"
"I am always ready."
"Hajime!"
Sasuke leapt back and assessed the situation. Given how easily the no-clan Rock Lee was taken down, the Last Uchiha knew he was in for a tough fight. Watching the sand stir like it was alive, Sasuke shoved chakra into his eyes, activating his Sharingan.
Rasa closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together. "I would ask you to forgive me Karuna, but I know that you never will forgive me for what I have already done to our family. But the village must come first." He focused his chakra on a very specific seal. And then...he released it.
Sasuke jolted back when Gaara began screaming inside his protective walls made of hardened sand. A moment later the sickening presence of bloodlust began to permeate the air. "Heh. Heh. Heh." Gaara's laughter had an insane edge to it. Suddenly it halted, the bloodlust decreasing slightly. "No! Temari can't see me! Not like this!" A blur of sand and red hair crashed into the arena wall, easily smashing though it. Before the crowd could react, white feathers began to fall. Scores of people began to fall asleep in a moment as the Genjutsu took hold. Outside, laying in wait, the combined armies of Suna and Sound felt the signal. The invasion had begun. They rushed the walls of a unsuspecting Konoha.
Hanzuro Hyuga swung his head from side to side, attempting to keep himself awake. He had lost rather badly in the last several games of chance he and the other Chunin played on lunch break. Needless to say, he was two-thirds through his double-shift. Only an half-hour more until lunch break. The sudden glint of dulled metal caused him to squint. What was that? He leaned closer, attempting to see if he should activate his bloodline. Suddenly he realized the truth; enemy ninja were attacking! Hanzuro clasped his hands together, preparing to spike his chakra in the predetermined pattern to signal an attack. A sudden pressure and pain in his chest prompted him to slowly look down.
A thin blade jutted out from his chest. Blinking his heavy eyelids that rapidly grew heavier, he looked back at his attacker. Jiturtu, his fellow guard, sadly shook his head. "You should have taken the earlier lunch break." Jiturtu told his partner, taking no pleasure as he twisted the blade, ending his partner's life before he could warn the village. The double-agent opened the gates. The army of trained killers raced into the streets.
Hiruzen reacted almost instantly to the Genjutsu. Old instincts allowed him to instantly draw a kunai and hurl it at one of the now revealed sound ninja that had started attacking the moment the genjutsu took hold. The sound ninja died before he was even aware that he was being attacked. Hiruzen rushed forward, intent on commanding his ninja from the front line. It was only his reflexes, born though hundreds of battles, that saved him when a purple barrier shot up in front of him. Pumping chakra into his feet, the Third Hokage halted himself a mere few inches from the barrier. Corrosive heat blasted his face. Staggering back in surprise, he turned to see Jiraiya was in a similar position.
"Jiraiya!" The Third commanded, slipping back into the voice who had commanded entire armies of ninja during the Third Shinobi War, "See if you can determine a way to bypass the barrier! I will see who is behind this!" Smoke poured into the into the enclosed area as the barrier grew upwards, easily melting through the ceiling. Open sky greeted the God of the Shinobi for the briefest of seconds before the barrier closed in, trapping Jiraiya and Hiruzen inside. "Rasa!" Hiruzen's eyes darted around, "Are you trapped in here as well?"
"I wouldn't say we are trapped..." Hiruzen and Jiraiya froze in shock, easily recognizing the voice. The smoke was blow away by a light wind jutsu. "...it's more like you are trapped in here..." Orochimaru discarded his bodyguard's mask, his yellow eyes glinting with malicious intent. "...with us." Rasa stepped up beside the Snake Sannin.
"Rasa!" The Third Hokage demanded, "What is the meaning of this?" The Hokage dropped into his favorite unarmed attack, his limbs limber and ready to strike. "Why have you done this?"
Rasa slowly raised his hand to directly point at Jiraiya. "I do this for my village." Chakra spiked. Golden dust hardened into spears that shot at the Toad Sannin. Jiraiya dodged out of the way, a Rasengan forming in the spy master's hand in an instant.
"Jiraiya!" Hiruzen hastened to assist his former student. Before he could make five steps however, a long sharp blade threatened to decapitate him. Ducking back, Hiruzen couldn't help but scowl at the sight of his other former student as he retracted the abnormally long blade of Kusanagi.
Orochimaru grinned as he retracted his sword. "What's the matter...Sensei?" His grinned widened, exposing his snake-like fangs. "Leaving so soon?"
Several Sound and Suna ninja leapt up to the balcony where the Genin were, most of the Genin having fallen prey to the seductively peaceful genjutsu. They slept were they had once stood, slumped over peacefully. Only a select few still stood, and each of those for their own reasons. Hinata stood, for her bloodline allowed her to see the chakra that made up the genjutsu, negating it's effects. Sakura had detected the attack as soon as it tried to take hold of her chakra system. She had spiked her chakra, breaking its hold on her. Shino's bugs had recognized the chakra overlaying his own, and had counteracted it. As for Naruto, it was simple, he simply had too much chakra to be taken down by anything less than a powerful A-Rank Genjutsu.
"Well well..." The Suna shinobi grinned nastily. "Looks like we got a few kids who want to be heroes..." He chuckled again, not knowing the danger he was now in. Naruto stepped forward, his arms reaching up to grasp the hilts of the swords he had strapped to his back. One more step and the metallic rasp of the blades sounded out as they slowly were drawn. Suddenly the Last Uzumaki blurred and the swords of The Crimson Fire tasted blood once again.
Kiba grunted as he slowly awakened, his eyes still feeling heavy. "What happened? The last thing I remember is..." The memory of Gaara's strange transformed state followed by those comforting floating white feathers. The Inuzuka hurled himself to a sitting position, his slightly slitted pupils glancing around wildly. The rich iron smell of blood was strong. Movement off to his left had him scrambling to his feet, dropping into a low crouch. He blinked as he watch Hinata poke one of the Chunin that was with them, breaking the Genjutsu over them.
The Genin and Chunin's milled around the area, clutching weapons and glancing fearfully towards the fighting. "We were not trained for this!" Was the general thought. Genin banded together, and the squads of Chunin formed tight defensive groups. There was no cohesion, no strength shared between groups. It was individuals fearing to fight an army. Naruto swept his gaze across the gathered ninja in his area, from the several Chunin poised by the door, to the few Genin who were still staring at the bloody corpses of the Suna and Sound shinobi that Team Eight had taken out together. He looked for someone, anyone who would take charge; someone who was trained to lead. But no one spoke up, no one became the leader. And so Naruto stepped up.
"All right!" Naruto's voice held something that compelled everyone to listen. It wasn't something that they could readily name, but it was something about the very presence of Naruto that made them want to listen. He directed his gaze to the entire group, many of them apprehensive. "We don't have the luxury of taking chances, of holding back. Those ninjas out there," He indicated the attacking force with a sharp jerk of his chin, "Are threatening our precious people; our families; our friends." Glowing blue eyes held them all spellbound. "I'm not going to let them do that anymore. I won't let them be taken from me. I will protect." He met each of their eyes. "Who's with me?"
Kiba stepped forward, any apprehension burned away by the fires of defiance. "I will protect!"
Sakura and Hinata stepped forward a second later, their voices flowing together, "I will protect."
Shino pushed off the wall, his bugs starting to buzz lowly with the determination that was reflected in his voice. "I will protect."
Shikamaru felt his pulse quicken. This was one of those moments his father had told him about, when you stand on the edge of a momentous moment. "I will protect."
Choji stood, casting off the feeling of failure that had plagued him since he had lost his match in the preliminaries. "I will protect."
The Chunin snapped to attention. "We will protect."
Looking over at the assembled members of those arrayed in front of him, Naruto began directing those present. "We need to go. Kiba and Shino," He turned to the remaining members of Team Seven, "It looks like we need some heavy hitters and support over at the east section of the arena. Find Sasuke and have him join you if you can." The members of Team Seven nodded, planning on how to use their talents to defend those they cared about.
He turned to one of the squads of Chunin. "You four, go find a Jonin and see how to reinforce the east gates. It sounds like they were opened, not broken down." They nodded, ready to fight for those they wished to protect.
Naruto of Team Eight directed the rest of the Chunin squads. "The West Gate needs back-up. Head over there and assist." Their eyes hardened as they thought of those they cared about being hurt or killed if they failed. They would not fail.
Turning to Shikamaru and Choji, he considered for a moment before giving out the orders. "Go to the hospital and keep it safe. Choji's strength and your plans should allow you to fight efficiently in close quarters." Team Ten nodded. They would protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
Naruto turned to Sakura and Hinata. "Sakura-Chan. Hinata-Chan. I need you two to find Haku-Chan. Once you do so, clear a path to the Hyuga Compound. It's one of the most secure places within the village." They nodded, expecting Naruto to join them.
"What are you going to do?" Sakura almost reached out to bring Naruto back to her. Naruto glanced back at his precious people. "I'm going to stop Gaara. I'm one of the only ones who can." A feeling of inevitability fell over the members of Team Eight.
Sakura shook her head, denying what her knowledge of past conflicts stated. "I-I'm not going to say good-bye. B-Because this isn't good-bye."
Hinata smiled bravely, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. This was different from other missions. Normally missions were full of heat and instincts. They never had to face something like this, splitting up to complete separate tasks, being unable to watch Naruto-Kun's back. "I-I trust you Naruto-Kun to come back safe."
Naruto smiled one of his special smiles, assuring them that it would be alright. "I believe in you Sakura-Chan and Hinata-Chan. I will be back." His smile lifted their spirits and reignited their fire. Naruto had given his word, and he never went back on his word. He would return.
The groups scattered, defiant fire burning in each of their souls. They would protect.
And this is how the world changes.
Kakashi grunted as he blocked an attack from a rather muscular Suna nin. A quick twist and slash opened the attacking ninja's throat. "Kakashi!" A rather loud and boisterous voice boomed, "How are you doing on this most UNyouthful day?" A single punch embedded an attacking Sound ninja into the wall, revealing a rather strangely dressed man with gleaming teeth. The green jump suit clashed with the bowl cut that the man was sporting.
"Did you say something?" Kakashi casually inquired as he took down another enemy ninja with a kunai slash.
Might Guy slammed a fist into a Suna shinobi's face with enough force to snap the ninja's neck. "Curse you and your hip ways!" The taijutsu master raised his fist into the air, his massive eyebrows raising with it. "I will defend the village better then you! If I cannot do that, I will race around the village ten times on my hands! If I cannot do that, I will do ten thousand pushups!" He took a deep breath, preparing to continue. A glance at Kakashi's serious face had him faltering before growing serious.
"Guy," Kakashi spoke, using the same tone he used while commanding the ANBU all those years ago, "We need to protect the civilians and the Genin. None of them are ready for this kind of fight." Guy nodded.
"And the council members?"
Kakashi's lone visible eye hardened. "I'll watch over them."
Guy nodded once before his exuberance burst out again. "You can count on me my youthful rival! I will see them protected!" The green jumpsuit wearing Jonin rushed off at speeds even an ANBU would be hard pressed to match, let alone beat.
Kakashi's lone eye spotted twenty enemies headed his way. "I refuse to let anyone else I care about get hurt! Never again!" Kakashi slid the slanted of his forehead upwards exposing his Sharingan. "You will not hurt them." His mask hid his grim expression as he began to wave his hands through a long series of hand seals. Slamming his hand on the ground, a great wall of stone grew out of the ground, blocking off the exit behind him. "You shall not pass!" The feared eye of Sharingan no Kakashi began to spin.
"Why are you doing this?" Hiruzen asked his former student, desperately trying to figure out how Orochimaru had so quickly invaded the village.
"Why?" The Snake Sannin mocked, sounding amused, "Why not." His yellow eyes glinted. "Why don't you as the question you really want to ask?"
"How are you doing this?"
"Ah..." Orochimaru smiled, having been asked the question he was waiting to answer. "How did I do this? It's quite simple." His voice took on a more lecturing tone. "I had my spies and double agents in the village for years, feeding me information and dividing the village." He smirked. "Ironically, the thing that brought them together was Naruto-Kun." Another terrible, superior smirk. "Would you to know why he doesn't like you? Why he never calls you Jiiji?"
Hiruzen's eyes hardened as he demanded, "How do you know of that?"
Orochimaru ignored the outburst. "You see, when the mobs first attacked Naruto-Kun, he called out for his grandfather to save him. But as the beatings continued, he began to slowly realize the truth: You would never come to save him."
"B-But I never knew about the attacks!" Hiruzen defended himself, fighting to maintain his mental balance after the Snake Sannin's mental strike. "What are you planning with Naruto?"
"Planning?" Orochimaru chuckled condescendingly, "You miss understand. I made plans regarding Naruto. My ninja know not to touch Sakura Haruno or Hinata Hyuga." He shook his head, seemingly amused at something. "Unlike this rather stupid village, I'm not about to fight a pissed off Jinchuriki of the Kyubi if I can help it." He chuckled again, clearly feeling accomplished, "However, Suna was not given any such instructions..."
Hiruzen had heard enough. Slamming his hand onto the ground he summoned a large metal staff. It was a imposing thing, a large black staff with golden end caps. Orochimaru recognized it. It was the transformed staff form of the summon named Monkey King Enma. It had won Hiruzen many battles, allowing him to crush bone and pulverize enemies. The Snake Sannin flexed his long white fingers around the hilt of Kusanagi, his personal sword. Orochimaru knew that Hiruzen had been training for the last few months, but it would not matter. After all, did not the student become the master?
Ten Sound ninja pursued a lone unarmed mercenary into an alley way. It was a dead end. The lead Sound ninja stalked closer, his blood pumping in his veins. Suddenly the mercenary began to laugh.
"Heh. Heh. Heh." Anaguma chuckled as he turned to face his pursuers. "You know, the papers I signed said I can defend myself if no Konoha ninjas respond to my calls." His grin became wider.
"Help. Help." His dark eyes bored the now slightly nervous Sound nin as he forced his voice into a high-pitched tone. "I'm being attacked."
Anaguma paused for a moment before letting out a slightly maddened dark laugh. Bloodlust, cunning, and madness began to bleed into his eyes. With a flex of his hand, a sword was unsealed. "It looks like no one is coming." He chuckled again, uneasiness sweeping across the group before him. "I'll just have to...defend myself..." With a cackle of mad laughter he hurled himself at the shocked Sound Nin.
"Rasengan!" Jiraiya roared as he slammed the rotating ball of swirling chakra into the oncoming wave of gold dust. The spinning, grinding force of the legendary chakra attack allowed the Toad Sannin to force his way through the wave of golden dust. Bursting out on the other side, the white-haired ninja snapped two seal-covered kunai with blinding speed towards the location he had seen Rasa standing before the wave of golden dust had blocked his vision. The kunai sunk into the floor without resistance, their intended target not even close to their location. Jiraiya snapped his head to the side, looking for the traitorous Kazekage. It was only his battle forged reflexes that saved the Toad Sannin from being skewered by the golden spears that erupted from beneath the floor directly underneath him. Hurling himself to the side, Jiraiya located the source of the spears and sent four deadly wind blades slashing in Kasa's direction.
The Kazekage of Suna flicked his hand upwards, a flat wall of golden sand raising upwards at the motion of his hand. The wind blades slammed harmlessly into the dense, gold-laced sand. "Why?" Jiraiya demanded, both to find out information as well as to stall for time to figure out a way to slip away to meditate so he could activate his Toad Sage abilities.
"You of all people should know." Kasa's voice lacked the heat that Jiraiya expected. The Kazekage's voice was instead filled with resigned determination, as if all he was tired beyond measure. "As Konoha's Spy Master, I know you are aware of all of the financial troubles Suna has fallen into. Most of our clients have taken their business to other villages, especially Konoha."
"But we were going to set up an alliance!" Jiraiya protested, not understanding what would prompt Suna to attack them. "We would have shared the profits."
Kasa gave a short humorless snort. "Do you really believe that?" He raised a dark colored eyebrow. "Can you honestly tell me that this village would willingly give up any of it's money to any other village? After all," He shook his head, "You know what they did to the Uzumaki's clan holdings..."
Jiraiya scowled, but he couldn't refute Kasa's claim. While he didn't know what the Kazekage was talking about in regards to the Uzumaki's holdings - though he would make sure he found it out - he knew that Konoha's council would never give freely to another village. So instead, He tried a different angle. "You know that you will be crucified by any political council for attacking another village without a declaration of war."
Kasa halted, one of the most heartbreaking looks Jiraiya had ever seen crossing his face. "I am the Kazekage of Suna." He said simply, terrible resignation tinged with bitterness coloring his tone. "When I became Kazekage, I had to become what the village needed; sacrifice what it needed me to sacrifice." He glanced down, regret etched in every part of his continence. "I have done terrible things to those around me for the good of the village."
"You did what you had to do." Jiraiya almost comforted, attempting to gain a rapport with the Kazekage.
The Kazekage shook his head. "You don't understand. I knowingly sealed a tailed beast within my own unborn son. When he did not show enough promise, I sent assassins after him. In time, such attempts proved useful, causing Gaara to develop his powerful sand techniques. I ignored my family in favor of the village." Seeing Jiraiya's look, Kasa allowed a bitter smile to cross his lips. "And when my daughter Temari refused to follow my plans to invade, do you know what I told her?"
Jiraiya shook his head, instinctively knowing that he would not like Kasa's answer.
"I told her that I would kill her and tell Gaara that Konoha did it."
Jiraiya almost staggered back in shock. "How could anyone do something so terrible to their own children?" Before he could lambast the Kazekage with what he thought of Kasa's actions, the Kazekage gave one final humorless chuckle.
"But do you know what the most damning thing of all is?" A tortured but resolute look shined through his eyes. "I would do it all again for the sake of my village." Another bitter chuckle. "I know the fires of Hell are waiting for me when I die. I look forward to it."
Kasa shook his head, clearing it of all his regrets. "But that matters little now. For Gaara will destroy the village, and you will die." The Kazekage of Suna, wielder of the famed Golden Dust, raised his cold and uncompromising hand towards Jiraiya. "I know that it takes time to gather the Nature Chakra necessary to assume the powerful form of the Toad Sage. Orochimaru told me all I needed to know. You will not have time to meditate, much less activate those abilities." Gold dust swirled around his open palm before hardening into lethal looking spears. "You will die here."
With a sharp, ringing clang the Adamantine Staff of Enma the Monkey King clashed once again with Kusanagi. Orochimaru's grin had long since left his face, a scowl replacing it. He had known that Hiruzen had been training, but he had never expected him to be this strong still! "Fine!" The Snake Sannin spat as he leapt back, "If I can't beat you with skill, I'll defeat you with cunning!" Blitzing though several dozen hand seals in a moment, he slammed his hands on the ground. Spirals of black seals webbed out from his hands, moving outwards to separate into four different circles. A scroll appeared in each circle.
"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensi!"
With a puff of smoke a coffin raised out of each scroll. Each coffin had a number on it, starting with 'One'. The last coffin in the line had that number 'Four'. Hiruzen, recognizing the jutsu from Tobirama Senju's diary, instantly realized what the numbers represented. Given Orochimaru's secret - or not so secret as the case may be - love of theatrics, each of the coffins must hold the reincarnated bodies of the dead Hokages' of Konoha! Hiruzen thought he might be able to take on The First and Second Hokages' but he knew that he would not be a match for Minato. Making his choice, he hurled his last kunai directly into the sealing matrix of the fourth coffin. It fell back into the scroll. The other three coffins opened, the vertical lids slamming into the ground with an ominous thud. Hiruzen prepared himself for the greatest fight of his long life.
Hashirama Senju stepped out of his coffin, his red armor looking old and worn, but still sturdy as it was when he was alive. The First Hokage glanced around, seemingly confused to his location.
Tobirama Senju paced out of his coffin, his red eyes blank as he stood just outside his coffin, seemingly puzzled as his brother.
Then the person who inhabited the coffin marked 'Three' stepped into the light. Hiruzen's tight grip on his staff went slack as he beheld the reincarnated person before him.
"Hello Husband." Biwako Sarutobi spoke tenderly, her eyes on her husband. "I have missed you."
So what did you think?
I know this chapter was a bit on the shorter side, but I wanted to roll it out for two reasons. First, I didn't want to just throw in filler sections to meet the word limit. Secondly, I wanted that cliffhanger.
As for Lee's fight with Gaara, the main reason Lee lost so badly was he never had the chance to take off his weights. But don't worry, just because Lee lost doesn't mean that I don't have a future awesome plan for Lee.
As you are reading this, I'm working hard on Chapter 24: Titans Among Men.
To those who asked direct questions:
Thornsword: While I completely agree that it was super crappy, to put it mildly, that Konoha took Naruto's inheritance, it was done legally, or at least it was legal at the time. What that means is that currently Hinata and, by proxy, Naruto, will try the legal route first. If that doesn't work, well, Konoha may just find itself wondering what is more important...
dzk87: You are correct. Just because a character meets a member of the opposite sex and they aren't instantly repulsed by them doesn't mean that they would become a pair. That said, I'm doing my best to let things develop naturally, and thus how the current relationships are developing.
Ace of Spies: I'm not planning on bashing Kakashi by any means.