Author's Notes

It has been a while since I wrote any kind of fiction, so it will take me a while to get back into it. Been busy during the year and stuff and life took over. Hopefully I'll have more free time soon! Let's get right into the chapter!

"Human Speech"

'Human Thoughts'

"Otherworldly Being Speech/Bijuu Speech"

'Otherworldly Being Thoughts/Bijuu Thoughts'

Flashbacks/Transition

Jutsu/Techniques/Abilities/Powers

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Diablo, belonging to their respectful owners!

Act I – The Dying Wave

Chapter I – Will Of Fire

Transition

The Gods Are In All Things…

And Everywhere, I See Signs Of Change.

The Wind Bears An Unnatural Chill,

And The People Grow Uneasy.

I Must Carry Out The Will Of The Patriarchs.

When They Need To See, I Am Their Eyes.

Where They Wish To Strike, I Am Their Fist.

When They Would Ignite Their Light Of Truth, I Am Their Torch.

They Have Sent Me To The Pinnacle Of Depression.

My Mind Is Clear.

I Shall Rid The Shambling Corpses That Have Risen In The Curse's Wake.

Temple of the Ancients, Moonset

This is the earliest that Naruto had ever woken up; it is a good routinely habit that also helps him get to bed early by having a goal in mind for each day. He was in the innermost sanctum of the temple, sitting behind the desk of his office where the holy candles illuminated the hollow space with shelves filled to the brim with ancient books and text. Right this very moment, on the messy paper-filled table, the young nephalem was looking through scrolls that was given to him by the hokage; which once belonged to a now missing old man known as Deckard Cain. The only leads were his belongings that were left behind here in Konoha years ago where the leader and the scholar would share many stories. So far, there was nothing he could find; some writing uncompleted within. Something must be hidden between the lines; it is what shinobi were trained to uncover.

"Maybe you should take a break, you have a test coming up soon" A familiar voice's yawn echoed throughout the chamber, bringing forward breakfast that he put on the side with green tea as to not disturb the important documents of history.

"Kurama-nii, you don't understand… I am so close to finding the truth" Naruto said calmly to his brother, before sipping some of the delicious green liquid.

His big brother figure sighed in exasperation; Naruto is just as stubborn as his mother, though decided to support him either way "Maybe you're looking a little too hard".

Kurama then searched through the pile, before picking up one that might be what he was looking for all this time "How about this one right here? It looks like it could be useful to describe the recent happenings."

Naruto gently took hold of the documented history of sanctuary, before unrolling the scroll; revealing an image of a falling star, the blonde disconcertedly read through the text, before closing it and putting it in one of his pouches in the monk robes and finishing breakfast in the blink of an eye. Kurama widened his eyes at the insanity; though became narrowed at the rate he's going "Why are you so alarmed, Naruto-kun?"

"What you just found, is a prophecy foretelling the end of the world, one that is closest to being able to be believed then the others" Naruto said in distraught as he took the most important papers and scrolls, sealing them within a bigger storage scroll in the process.

"Are you sure, Naruto-kun? What if…" Kurama started, though stopped himself before remembering the training trip years ago.

"Exactly, and that's why I'm heading to the hokage tower right away" The alarmed blonde started speed walking, with his big brother on the tail.

"Though the old man is probably asleep still!" Kurama shouted in worry as they walked down the stairs into the main hall.

"I don't give a shit, because this is urgent matters" Naruto replied with a deadly look in his eyes.

'I have never seen him worried so much about something before… not like this. It's best to trust otouto's intuition and gut instinct' The great fox thought to himself with a frown marring his face.

"I understand your concerns, otouto, but you have to think before acting!" The fox in human form replied with earnest.

"I know you like to think logically about this, Kurama-nii, but the end signs are all around us" Naruto said as he walked up to one of the statues and pressed a button, before revealing a strange runed platform underneath as it moved out of the way, standing on it with his brother next to him. The fox hates to think about it; but his little brother was right; the air was ridden with unknown energy that doesn't belong to this world, and the moon was much brighter than it used to be. This night was stranger than ever, with his chakra reacting weirdly to the current events. Kurama can't put it into words, though it felt more… accursed then before, the night making his chakra erupt slightly in a panicked frenzy. Before he could think on anything else, they both vanished in an ocean blue hue.

At The Same Time, With Sasuke

He couldn't sleep. No, it was more than that. The Sharingan could not see it, but with his newfound powers of light, something was definitely adrift. The air felt colder, and something felt heavy, like the clouds were falling on top of the shoulders. Everything felt so depressing. What kind of sorcery was causing this? He couldn't put it into words, though it felt… dark. Really dark. For some reason, Sasuke was being led to the abandoned Uchiha compound, where the most evil permeated. Even if it was empty, he still shivered as memories from the back of his mind resurfaced… those that he put behind bars somehow escaped into his thoughts. Sasuke will not fall to the power of hatred again, not after what he has been told by his best friend, and also experienced first-hand. The last Uchiha's palm suddenly glowed an earie silvery light; unconsciously putting it up towards his forehead. His body was moving on its own. Once his palm stopped shining, he sighed in relief as the sudden weight on his shoulders was gone; vanished completely into the thin air. The light told him to purify the corruption, and so, his legs trudged towards the source of the voice in his mind; The old house where they used to live together as a family. That's what he wants the Uchiha to be; a one big family. Not some clan that's been tainted in darkness and only care about themselves.

At the entrance he stood; though the voice of an angel told him it would be okay. Trusting the mysterious voice's words, he slid open the door; taking off his shoes as customary before taking a deep breath "I'm home".

Nobody Answered.

Only a slight echo bounced his voice around the empty building.

"The room of your heritage, hero, find me" The kind voice whispered before he followed its direction.

He opened the sliding paper doors, revealing the main living room where they all sat down together to eat, once upon a time. Sasuke sucked it up and ignored all the past childhood memories that rushed to the surface of his mind, especially the massacre that always played in his nightmares long ago before Naruto got rid of the cause. He still needs to repay the debt to him for that time still. One day he will show his best friend that even if you are so strong, you'll still need to be protected; as even a kunai can kill a kage if they make the wrong move. A small smile tugged at his lips as he moved towards a certain door to the left; the room of his parents. He sighed deeply in regret "Sorry, mom, dad… I'm coming in".

As he slowly slid it open, he briefly saw their spirits; not realising that his eyes were Sharingan. His parents were both smiling, even the strict father. Even though they couldn't speak, Sasuke knew that they were proud of his achievements so far. Tears started running down his cheeks, threatening to open the damn of emotions that were closed off for the longest time. Wiping them off his face, he looked around to see they were gone; no trace of their existence left. He smiled, a true smile that he only showed his most trusted people for the longest time he could remember "Thank You".

Flashback, Seven Years Ago

"Mom, what are those things?" A young boy asked as he looked upon the two strange glowing weapons the woman was dual wielding.

His mother smiled kindly at him, freeing a hand to ruffle his hair, making the child pout "If you want to follow in my steps one day, maybe wait until you are a little older… how about, when you become a genin!"

"But that would take too long! I want to try those cool things out now!" The black-haired little boy crossed his arms, swivelling his head to the side, as if upset.

"Hmm, first of all, they are not 'things', they are called crossbows! And there are many things you can do with these; I guess I could show you" She smiled, then giggled at her son's face that was filled with awe. Oh, she knew he was going to definitely pick this career, once he was ready of course.

After showing him the tricks of the crossbows, the boy knew that he could possibly one day surpass his older brother with them. The little boy had so many ideas, it was so amazing they were so versatile!

"I'm back" Another younger voice said stoically.

The little boy suddenly slapped his cheeks as he became serious, rushing past his mother as she packed her weapons and belongings in a small box with a small grin on her face; even her dark cloak, before closing it and putting it underneath her bed in a secret compartment that her husband doesn't know about 'I can feel that he'll choose the right path… Sasuke-kun might even become a much better hunter than me, one day'.

"Nii-san! Please train me today!" Little Sasuke demanded.

"Sorry, I'm a bit tired after my latest mission… maybe next time" The older brother said apologetically as he lightly poked him in the forehead, making the little brother's eyes twitch.

"You always say that!" Sasuke said, slightly irritated.

Present Time, Uchiha Compound

He was on his mother's side of the bed, and could see the strange ethereal glow coming from the hidden drawer built in. As he knelt down; taking out a small key that he always kept as a reminder of his family. Sasuke sighed, before putting the key into the lock, before twisting it until he heard a click. What the last Uchiha saw stunned him; all the items were glowing a dim heavenly light even after all those years, like his mother's soul attached itself to the items themselves. This; he knew that this would give him the strength to carry on, and protect his precious people, and make sure that others don't have to experience his pain.

Groaning was heard outside. Sounded like a bunch of people moaning in pain and suffering. Why would they be outside at this depressing hour? Sasuke didn't have time to think about the past, though one lone tear slew down his cheek, as he felt a spiritual hand on his shoulder. Looking over once more; it was his mother, who nodded at him with the biggest grin she had ever sported "You're ready, my son… it's time to show the world what you are made of!" before she vanished, and the glow died down as the last Uchiha picked up the weapons and put them on his back.

He put on the dark cloak, the shadows of the hood hiding his facial features. Sasuke then put on the void-coloured pants with silver etchings on them, adjusting the red belt to his liking, before putting on the comfortable black silk shoes. The final gift was the leather onyx gloves that fit him just right; it seems that his mother prepared the right proportions to suit him before she died. As he picked up the quiver and picked up the pace; his footsteps as light as a feather, he opened the front door of his home revealing a scene he wished he hadn't witnessed; there were corpses dragging their feet across the fresh soil, seeing the holes they came out of. His eyes were riddled with righteous fury, before calming himself and announcing his presence to the dead "I am Uchiha Sasuke, whoever dares to step on my family's graves shall be punished for their transgressions… I will put you all to rest once and for all and hunt the accursed for as long as I live!"

For what seemed like a moment, everything went silent as the shambling corpses turned their heads unhurriedly towards the first ever living meal of the night. Sasuke revealed his eyes; however, once the sharingan was a bloody crimson filled with hatred, was now glowing in a purity that has never been seen before; a heavenly white. The last Uchiha did it, he conquered the curse of hatred that once plagued his clan and family. Everything went to chaos soon after as the bodies fell one by one after each shot of his mother's weapons.

A New Will of Fire was lit this day.

And A Demon Hunter was Born.

Hyuuga Clan Compound, At The Same Time With Hinata

Something was definitely off. She usually is a deep sleeper and closes her eyes as soon as she feels fatigue take over. Although, this time, she couldn't rest. The same nightmare kept waking her from a peaceful slumber. A nightmare that always ends up with her teammates dead even if she tried to save them one way or another, and she leaves to be the only survivor. Hinata couldn't stand it. The voices always angrily whispered it was her fault; and believed she did. The princess sat upright sweating, her breath in a pace that was usually after training. The looping nightmare afterwards always ended with her being branded with the caged bird seal.

Hinata vividly remembered her father's harsh words after the team meeting "So, you're on a team with the Uzumaki and Uchiha kid… make sure to not be a burden to everyone".

She sighed sadly; if only he could maybe lighten and approve of her… that's it, it's her time to confront her father about her treatment in the family. Everyone disapproves of the shy girl because of her kindness, in which how everyone should really be; kind. Hinata's goal is to change the ways of the Hyuuga, and she can't even stand up to those who would bully her for the power she comes from; looks like he was right about her not leading the clan… 'No, I won't give up… just like Sasuke and Naruto-kun!' she thought to herself as she took a deep breath before leaving her room.

When Hinata was allowed to enter her father's office, she almost panicked at his state; he looked dead, as pale as a zombie; stoically sitting there doing the paperwork without even saying a word, until the young princess spoke up "Tou-sama! What's wrong?! You look pale!"

Her father, Hiashi, just looked up for a moment, before looking back down at his duties "There's nothing wrong with me, Hinata. I'm just trying to finish my work. Now, is there anything you need at this hour?"

"I want to know why you have been treating me and my sister so poorly all these years!" She shouted bravely, her stutter all but gone.

Her father noticed this change, sighing as he cracked his neck before staring blankly at her; like his soul was not even there to begin with "I have told you before and I'll tell you again: you two must become the embodiment of the clan that the elders want you to be. And it seems that, your younger sister is showing more promise in that regard".

"You were trying to groom us into the perfect Hyuuga?! I will not allow this to continue!" Hinata was shocked that her father would sacrifice family for perfection and disregard his daughters as just mere tools. That's not her real father! Her tou-sama would never commit such a crime! He was a much gentler man then what he is showing now!

"And what can you do, my little princess? You do realise that you have no authority… right?" Hiashi's smile was outright creepy and out of personality for the daughter of the Hyuuga. She closed her eyes, and released a breath she didn't know was holding all this time, before standing from her sitting position and walking over to the left where there was a light switch on the wall. Before she could even touch it, it vanished completely in a haze like it was never there.

'Genjutsu?' She thought to herself before activating her eyes, seeing nothing wrong within the room itself. Hinata decided to test the wall, before her hand phased right through where the switch used to be.

"You know that light isn't my favourite element, my dear Hinata… how about we talk some more? And by the way, those eyes of yours will never see past the little room of ours, because this is not an illusion" He talked in a sweet and lavish tone, though saw her relax visibly. It was time.

"How about you take a seat, and we'll talk more about your problems?" His hand was offering the empty zabuton, seeing her head turn to consider the offer.

However, instead of expecting her to obey his orders and try to convince her, she frowned at him while turned around. Her Byakugan are active, staring at the pale man out of the corner of her eye; a seriousness that replaced her meekness, a completely changed girl which made the clan head shiver at the coldness, though didn't show it in the slightest. She said words that made him narrow his eyes at the young girl before him "Someone once said to me that there are demons that try to trick people in the forms of visions, and that you must have a strong will to overcome the urge of their offers of great power".

"What on earth are you saying, my darling?" The so-called Hiashi was stunned at the diversion of subject.

"With those papers… from what I can see, are many contracts signed by people you have come to in their dreams in the form of their loved ones, right?" Hinata asked rhetorically in disgust, as if trying to confirm a theory.

On the inside he was nervous, on the outside he was stoic "No, no sweetheart, this is just a pile of paperwork I've been trying to finish during the night".

"I knew it" She suddenly turned her body a full one-eighty to stare at the father, the visible spiderwebs of veins tightening around her eyes.

"Knew what, my daughter? Don't start prying into your family's private business" Hiashi lightly tried to chastise his daughter to lower her guard, though failed as she narrowed her eyes, now making him shiver in fear.

"That's something my father would never say, unless it's important. You made one fatal mistake…" She whispered out.

"What's that, dear…?" He was shaking in his boots now. The fake Hiashi regretted asking that now.

"I'm aware of that I'm dreaming… and became desperately greedy once you noticed the tricks you tried on me are not working" Her calmness was deadly as she raised a half-ram hand sign, which was glowing in an otherworldly light on instinct, without even realising.

The fake Hiashi's temper finally snapped, and his voice became distorted "I will NOT allow you to cast that measly little jutsu of yours! If I can't make you sign the contract for the eyes, I will have them myself! And once I do, the heavens will tremble before the might of hell!"

As she finished raising the hand sign up towards where the lamp once was, the once shy princess said the words, awakening a deep dormant power within "Shōmei (Illumination)!"

Out of her body released a pure heavenly explosion, with the fake Hiashi trying to find the darkest spot in the room, although failing miserably, screaming in pain as all the papers burned to ash; weakening him even further. As the blinding light receded back into her body, an aura of a brave warrior washed over her, a comforting feeling. Her pure Byakugan eyes were unharmed from the release of power, a sigh of relief escaping her lips, before staring seriously back at her enemy, her voice laced with venom "So you revealed your true purpose here, demon… I will not allow you to hurt my clan, nor my father and little sister further than you have already with nightmares!"

The husk of the clan leader vanished to reveal a creature in his place that Hinata would rather not encounter again; pale skin, crimson throbbing veins, hundreds of shark-like teeth. Dead eyes that feel like they are staring through you like a Byakugan. It's slender tall figure floated just above the wooden floor as the office-room transformed into a completely void canvas. The figure phased into the shadows, waiting for a chance to strike. Hinata just stood there bravely, her eyes covered three-hundred and sixty degrees of her surroundings, waiting patiently to exorcise her enemy.

It might've took several minutes, though the strange being finally broke out of the darkness to attack in a speed that might've been too fast for a normal jonin to see. However she was not a normal girl. She knew it for the longest time she could remember. Her glowing palms thrust out immediately striking to where she thought the creature's heart would be, making it freeze.

"A human child…" It managed to speak out in the clan head's voice.

"A human child defeated me… Great Xeshanri, The Lucid Nightmare Shade" The now known Xeshanri barely introduced in a strained voice from the increasing pain.

Hinata however turned her back on the demon as she spat "I don't need to know your name; continue suffering in hell where you belong!"

The demon barely managed an evil chuckle "We have our eyes on you, girl… don't think this was the last time you saw of us hell spawn" before it exploded into chunks of body parts that evaporated into golden ash.

From her sleep she awoke, sweating even more as the light around her calmed her nerves. Hinata then switched on her gears; turning on the artificial lights in the office, before rushing over to the near unconscious clan head "Father!" she shouted as she activated her Byakugan in the real world this time, checking his pulse and circulation; while noticing the pale… thing slowly taking over his body, before removing it completely with her newfound abilities.

Hyuuga Hiashi slowly opened his eyes to see his daughter beside him. He smiled gently as he saw her tears running down her face, before whispering sadly, resting his eyes from the strain of fighting in his own nightmare "I'm sorry… I tried to protect you two… but it seems I failed to even protect the clan from this threat. I failed as a leader".

Hinata shook her head in the negative "No, you saved us all, by taking the most potent curse on yourself, instead of making the clan suffer".

Hiashi coughed, and the daughter poured some water into a cup, helping him drink "I'm glad you think of me so positively still… for years I had to keep up the image of perfection to satisfy the elder council. You might seem to think I am strict, but I'm trying to protect you and little Hanabi from the Caged Bird Seal…" He coughed again.

"Don't stress yourself, father…" Hinata whispered silently as tears ran down her eyes as the light receded back within her.

"I see that you've changed, my sweetheart… and for the better too. You really are the embodiment of what the Hyuuga are supposed to be" Hiashi complimented with the kindest smile possible, before going into a deep slumber.

The young Hyuuga heiress cried tears of happiness, and sadness at the same time that she now knows all the reasons for her father's actions; Hinata's respect for him grew even deeper then before, and their father-daughter relationship blossomed into a beautiful flower.

The Battle of Wits Between a Demon and a Child of Light was Decided.

And Another Will of Fire bloomed this day…

Hokage's Office, Early Sunrise, Before The Genin Trial

And, at the end of days…

The first sign shall appear in the Heavens.

Justice shall fall upon the world of men.

The armies of Light and Shadow,

shall clash upon the fields of eternity.

"Naruto… this prophecy is" Hiruzen started as he looked through the portraits drawn with ink of a star piercing the clouds, angels and demons fighting on barren land filled with fire and snow. Some of the writing between the drawings was missing; only words such as Wisdom, Justice, Valour, Wrath, Hope, Despair, Death, and Fate remain recorded, the rest of the writing missing or have been eroded from the many years it has been stored away.

Naruto finished the sentence for him with a few words he thought the old hokage was thinking "Implausible? Unconvincing? Far-Fetched? My big brother thought the same thing when we were researching the horadric scriptures that you passed on to me after old man Cain went missing".

The aging hokage rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on "I can see where you are coming from, Naruto-kun. I am not as well versed in prophecies, though even people for the likes of me can sense that something is not quite right".

"The age of a great depression is upon us, Sarutobi-sama" Naruto said simply with a grim expression, with Hiruzen shocked at the use of his last name, a seriousness within him that was never seen before.

"Of course, it is my job to keep the powers of darkness at bay, and these heavy days away from Konoha and the land of fire itself. I promise to find the cause of all of it and rid it from these lands" The young nephalem declared as he started making his way towards the door, before being stopped by his grandfather figure.

"You shouldn't carry these burdens alone, Naruto, doing so could break you one day and I don't want to see my surrogate grandson in that state once the day comes" Hiruzen warned, although a gentle smile was on his face.

Naruto then replied while holding the handle of the door with a smile of his own "Funny, because my big brother said the same thing once upon a time", before disappearing into the hallways of the tower, the door creaking before closing.

The old hokage sighed in his comfortable chair, before puffing on his pipe. Hiruzen's eyes wondered towards a portrait of the late fourth, sighing in disbelief at the recent reports of the dead coming back to haunt the leaf once again "What would have you done in this situation? Our ancestors are being defiled and brought back to life in a mindless state attacking innocents" He mourned, deciding to look out at his beloved village, spotting a speck of blonde hair moving towards a training ground where he would be tested. Smiling, he sat back down to continue the dreaded paperwork, sighing at the recent events 'Maybe I am just overreacting, though I think it is time to bring back one of my students to the village after so long. I believe he could decipher this prophecy, since he has experience among this field'.

A promise was made to quell the evil that plagues the lands, his Will of Fire burning bright despite the situation at hand.

And the child of light has awakened his potential to the world; the powers of hope.

Training Ground Seven, Morning

The three genin finally met up, with the last of them being Naruto, who noticed Sasuke's new attire, the young Uchiha resting on a lone tree, and Hinata, who's attitude towards everything has changed entirely even if her meek personality still surfaces from time to time, leaning up against the same tree. The young blonde scanned the clearing while making his way towards them as a small smile graced his lips, breathing in the calm fresh air and enjoying the cool breeze. Sounds of the rustling leaves and a flowing river assaulted everyone's ears. It is nice to enjoy gifts of mother nature once in a while. However, the silence had to be broken by none other than the monk himself "Morning everyone, slept well?"

Their attention suddenly turned to him, first one to respond was the cloaked Uchiha, with the hood down and sounding like a sloth that recently woke up "No… couldn't ignore the heavy feeling at midnight, faced off a bunch of zombies at my clan compound".

"That's terrible news, I was right after all" Naruto whispered, though was heard as clear as day.

"What do you mean, Naruto? Do you know something about the recent events?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, and it's grim" The blonde said as he moved closer to his teammates and sat down with crossed legs.

Deciding to put the topic off for later, the blonde brought out a storage scroll, unsealing the contents within "Here, you guys probably didn't have the time to eat breakfast, we can't fight on an empty stomach after all" He informed while looking at three stumps planted into the ground, and a memorial stone overseeing the field.

"Thanks" Was all he heard from his teammates before chowing down on their meals.

"Thank my aniki, he's the one that cooks" Naruto chuckled.

He received two nods, before a poof of smoke was heard, signalling the arrival of their brand-new sensei.

"Yo" Was his casual greeting with a hand wave, sweat dropping slightly at the fact they were eating breakfast, when in fact were told not to. Of course Kakashi wanted to hear the grumble of three hungry stomachs like he's used to after all the teams he'd failed. However, it seems to be not this time. Even if the genin's attention were on him and eating at the same time, they seem to notice that his clothing was a bit ragged.

"I apologise for being late, though I had a run in with a ghost and was spooked enough to take a detour" He stated with his usual excuses, which seemed to be more believable this time around.

"We know, sensei" The three of them sighed in sync.

'They look like they've been through hell… though it seems that changed them, for better or worse. I guess I can't talk because I went through the same as them' He thought to himself as he mentally sighed, remembering his struggle against the reanimated corpses before help arrived while paying respect to his teammates at the local Cemetery. Everyone was disgusted at the sights of the mindless creatures, burning them in case they decided to try their hands at the living again. Some risen dead even still had their torn and ripped shinobi attire on, and deteriorated headbands. Was it the work of the pale snake? The thought of that made Kakashi slightly shiver and turn green before filing the thoughts away for later to let the hokage know of the recent happenings.

"Anyways, I told you lot not to eat before the mission? I warned once that you'll be sick" Kakashi clapped his hands while wearing his usual eye smile.

Sasuke then scoffed at that bluff as he finished his breakfast "Hah, you never even ordered us to in the first place, scarecrow".

'They're sharper then I thought… and what's with his new outfit?' The one-eyed man thought to himself with a raised eyebrow at the new development.

Hinata just meekly nodded in agreement, as she politely put the bento, she finished back onto the storage scroll before the blonde sealed his teammate's dirty boxes and rested it against the tree. Everyone was wondering why the princess was so quiet today, though something must have happened within her family. If so, then its best to not get involved with the Hyuuga clan at this moment in time.

Since he thought everyone was now ready and paying attention, Kakashi decided to explain the trial "In order for you guys to become official genin, you lot have to complete a simple task" he revealed the two bells that were jingling a small calming sound as they bounced off of each other "You must simply take these bells from me" The jonin finished his explanation as he hung them on his right hip.

"There are only two bells, and three of us…" Hinata started trailing off.

The three heard her, and Kakashi interrupted "Correct; two of you will become genin, while the last one will return back to the academy. Simple as that" the jonin shrugged at the end.

'Something feels off…' The about-to-be-genin thought to themselves in unison at the bell test with narrowed eyes.

The one-eyed jonin sensei decided to distract them from their thoughts about the test so they didn't figure out its main purpose "So, the clock is set to noon; if you can't get a bell by then, all of you will be sent back to the academy. No exceptions" his point flew across to them in a flash, making them glare at their sensei.

"I make the rules here" Kakashi said with an uncharacterised seriousness, which made them easily obedient to his demands.

"Yes sir" The three said in unison.

"Now then, before I start the timer, are there any questions?" The scarecrow shinobi looked at them all with a deadly eye.

Silence. Only determined stares.

"Good! If you want to take these bells from me, you must come at me with the intent to kill" He said casually.

Hinata wanted to respond, before thinking carefully of what she was going to say; Kakashi-sensei is a jonin, and a very powerful one at that. Of course he is stronger than them since they've only just graduated from the academy. So there is only one thing they could do in order to defeat him. She looked at her teammates, and saw that Naruto and Sasuke came to the same conclusion; work together as a team. Work together as one.

"We understand, sensei. Though don't go hurting yourself because of that declaration now" Naruto was the one to of course respond with a taunt, which made the mood much lighter then before.

"We'll see about that after the test, blondie" Kakashi shot back with a laxed attitude.

"Anyways… on your marks" He started off and saw the genin tense.

"Get set…" The one-eyed jonin continued as he held his finger over the button for dramatic effect, though saw the Uchiha grab something from the pouch on the back, getting ready for anything. Hinata took her juken stance, while Naruto stood calmly, not wavering at all. That worried the sensei slightly. What does he have in mind?

"Hajime!" He shouted as the button was pressed and a click was heard, and Kakashi widened his eyes as he was surrounded by a smoke screen, caught off guard and coughing while trying to rid it from his face. Once it was cleared, no trace of the genin was left behind.

'Hmm, smart… I can't sense them at all...' Kakashi thought to himself with a nod of approval of strategy being employed.

'However, I can still smell them nearby' A threatening thought it might be, though if a ninja really wanted to be stealthy, they need to remove all traces; footprints, clues, scent, and chakra presence. Team seven got three of four down. Secret training perhaps? Maybe. He'll assess their skills once they become an official team.

"Well, I guess I can read my favourite book while I search for them" He said to himself on purpose to be heard. Opening the page he left off from last time, the jonin giggled perversely.

With Team 7

They huddled together and quietly discussed strategies, as to not be overheard in case their soon-to-be sensei was nearby. In truth, and knew, that they were being hunted down right this very moment. Sasuke decided to speak his piece "There's no way we can defeat a jonin singlehandedly; I hate to say it, but we're weak against him if we went one on one".

"Sasuke-san is correct… he is trying to split us up by thinking only two teammates can become genin; and there has never been a squad of three before, every squad has at least four ninja" Hinata meekly suggested her theory, getting two nods from her friends, making her blush slightly in embarrassment from the attention.

"With that in mind, we must approach him as carefully as possible, as there is a possibility, he has a few plans and contingencies against our own plans. Like that" Naruto said as he threw a kunai into the trees behind him, hearing a puff of smoke erupt.

"The shadow clone technique was originally created for recon and information gathering, which says a lot about its ability to send memories of the clone back to the user; I should know since I use it myself" Naruto grimaced at the fact they were found, and started moving in the opposite direction of where they think their sensei is as quietly as possible, being cautious not to leave behind traces of their whereabouts.

Running was not going to get them anywhere, only causing them to lose more time in the test. And so, it was time to enact their strategy. Hiding themselves as much as possible, the genin stared out into the open fields, where Kakashi is just standing there and reading his favourite book. Naruto summoned a durable as possible shadow clone without the use of hand signs, which made the other two's eyes widen. Hinata's byakugan was active, making sure if there is a change in the man's chakra; either prepared for a jutsu or to switch out as soon as possible if things become troublesome, she would be their eyes. Sasuke had everything preset before the test even began, all he needed was a signal to activate it with his new energy that he recently discovered within him except for chakra; apparently called hatred and discipline if his mother's book was anything to go by. He didn't get much time to read up on it, though he can feel that he quelled the curse of hatred usually passed down amongst his clan and began transforming it into a weapon instead.

The plan they had was rough around the edges, though it was worth a shot.

Naruto's clone came out of the brush, making Kakashi perk up at the sudden appearance of the genin "About time one of you lost patience, and I never expected it to be the monk out of the group. I was starting to wonder when you guys would finish discussing your plans of attack".

"So, you've heard, huh?" A bit of sweat ran down Naruto's face.

"Although I'm not sure what kind of plan you have against me, know this; it won't work" Kakashi finalised confidently while holding his precious book in one hand menacingly.

"The shadow clone technique is a brilliant scouting tool, isn't it, Kakashi-sensei?" The blonde rhetorically asked.

"I admit, you're quite knowledgeable; though will that knowledge come in handy for defeating me?" The one-eyed jonin answered with an eye smile.

Naruto has returned it with his own beaming grin, although the slight sweating gave away a nervousness he has never felt before after rescuing Konohamaru from the shadow demon. Breathing out to calm himself, the blonde flowed into his fighting stance; Odoru Tora. They must pass this test.

"Oh? Fighting me alone? Not having your little friends help out? That's very bold of you" Kakashi stated with a bored look on his face, before widening his eyes at the disappearing act 'He's fast'.

An arm thrust came forward; forcing the teacher to drop his book in order to dodge. The experienced jonin's fists became articulated in the form of scissors, crossing over and intending to crush the blonde's head. Naruto ducked underneath, before aiming a rising kick towards Kakashi's abdomen while using his hands to hold balance on the ground, with the sensei using a downwards arm block in order to avoid a painful stomach-ache. The scarecrow jonin used this advantage in order to grapple his leg with both arms, before throwing him overhead and slamming Naruto into the ground causing him to cough up some spit from his mouth.

"Rule Number 1; Taijutsu. The strength of one's technique is one thing, though mastery is another story altogether. You are pretty good for a monk of Ivgorod, it is an achievement to make my hands tremble under the weight of your strikes. However, your mistake is your confidence, and that you didn't take consideration of my own power and size. Maybe being cautious isn't always a bad thing, ne?" Kakashi analysed with an eye-smile, before becoming suspicious at the grin he was wearing.

"Maybe you should take your own advice, Kakashi-sensei" Said Naruto as rays of light started to erupt from his body.

The scarecrow ninja covered his shocked expression with his hands in order to avoid being blinded. Alarm bells were ringing at the back of his head, as he heard through the ringing in his ears a technique he never heard of from his soon-to-be student "Hiden: Senkō-Kyōda Bakuhatsu (Flashbang Explosion)!"

As Kakashi prepared for a substitution to escape being stunned, an arrow came flying at him at the speed of sound 'No time!' was his thoughts as he had to move out of the way with back flips as volleys of them started to spawn out of nowhere. 'Where are they coming from?!' he shouted mentally, continuing to dodge as the blonde exploded in a massive light show which succeeded in blinding the jonin who now had to rely on his senses to fight for his life. One of the arrows actually managed to nip at the bells, making a jingle. His brow widened in shock, before doing a backflip in order to avoid whoever it was trying to get them.

Three presences suddenly entered his sensory field, his brows widening at the fact they figured out the true purpose of the test. It made him smile on the inside, though right now he had to focus on humbling a few brats and last until the afternoon.

The arrows finally stopped firing at their jonin opponent and watched him as his eyes recovered. Hinata appeared right in front of him, preparing to disable the jonin "You're within the range of divination!" Hinata thrust her palms towards Kakashi as fast as humanly possible, while the cloaked Uchiha held his crossbows, firing two imbued magic arrows almost at the same time. His bright white sharingan eyes glowing underneath his cover.

'What is he thinking?!' Kakashi panicked at the thought of friendly fire.

However, on the outside, his response was humorous "No I'm not!" and vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing a log as soon as her palms landed on his chakra points.

Hinata grabbed the log in defence as the arrows stuck themselves to the piece of wood, before their sensei appeared right behind the young princess, who decided to test their mental strength by taking her hostage. She struggled to get free as a kunai was at her neck "I would suggest you two stop what you're trying to achieve unless you guys want her to get hurt. No one wants that now, do we?"

Sasuke stopped on pulling the triggers on his crossbows, grimacing at the checkmate. He thought about what their sensei was trying to accomplish by taking their teammate hostage. The last Uchiha's brain was running at miles per hour, before coming to one of the possible conclusions; It's either the mission or their teammate. Sasuke expressed his dissatisfaction and annoyance with a small 'tsk' coming from his mouth, before smiling at the presence of the blonde coming out of hiding. Not that everyone can see his expressions anyways "I thought you might try something like this… Kakashi-sensei, but we saw it happening a mile away".

"What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun. Why are you so calm when your teammate is captured?" The one-eyed scarecrow asked with a narrowed eye.

"Because I believe in them" Was Sasuke's response, before the jonin's eyes widened as his legs were immobilised by hands coming from the ground.

'What… I knew he was coming, though my movements…' Kakashi realised a bit too late as he saw the hand signs being weaved for a jutsu 'But that's impossible! A mere genin shouldn't have enough chakra!'

'Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique)!' Sasuke shouted in his mind, as large flames spewed straight towards the captured Hinata and the immobilized Kakashi, where he saw a grinning face of the blonde as he jumped out to grab the bells. As the fireball entered the range of the group, it slowed down drastically to which it continued to increase the temperature in the air. Hinata managed to break free at their sensei's distracted look on his face by elbowing him hard in the stomach, before stripping the armed hand from its kunai and dodging out of the way before the fireball's movements increased in speed again.

This forced the jonin to snap back into reality, before substituting himself with a log just barely before he got burnt to a crisp, although still ended up getting stung by the flames, which would leave burn marks for later.

'That was too close' He thought to himself, before realising no jingle was being heard on his belt. It was the perfect moment for the timer to ring the signal for noon.

The three genin appeared before their teacher grinning, especially the blonde, who held a spectacular glint on his teeth as the ray's sun reflected off of his infectious one, while holding the bells between his index finger and thumb "So, do we pass, Kakashi-sensei?" was the blonde's hopeful question.

"Not yet" His teacher responded as they wondered over to the spot where the memorial stone sat.

"What do you mean? We got the bells" Hinata stuttered slightly, though on the inside was thinking how useless she was during the whole thing. It was mostly her friends who were doing most of the work, making her feel ashamed that she didn't get to contribute as much, the young princess feeling more of a burden than ever. A hand on her shoulder from Naruto, and his reassuring smile that she was not a burden to everyone reassured her love for the blonde even more.

"My point is; who are you willing to sacrifice back to the academy?" Was Kakashi's answer, making everyone pan their eyes to the blonde at the speed not humanly possible, who finally relaxed and receded his grin to a small smile.

Naruto strode with each step slowly towards Sasuke, passing the first bell over to him, then turning a one hundred and eighteen degrees before closing in towards Hinata which made her blush slightly. Of course, everyone noticed and internally grinned. The blonde held out her hand while placing the second bell into her palm, closing it before walking back to the spot where he stood.

Calling out in confidence, he points at Kakashi and resolutely states "I would sacrifice myself for the sake of my teammates and the completion of the mission!"

"But, Naruto! What about your dream…?" Hinata started, though the fierce look in the blonde's face startled her enough that she stopped doubting.

Naruto then reassured his teammates once more "I promise to even come back alive if an opportunity arises to escape the enemy's clutches".

Sasuke grins as he takes off his hood and turns off his light sharingan, with Hinata gently smiling, and the one-eyed jonin nodded in approval "Good answer, Naruto".

Everyone's attention was now on Kakashi, it was tense for a while.

Before his voice echoed and did his infamous eye-smile "You all pass!"

A celebration was in order for the three graduates.

'Although, I did not get to finish my lessons during the test' Kakashi sulked at the end in thought.

It was a well-earned victory from the hardworking children of light,

And it goes to show that the Will of Fire still burns in this generation of Shinobi.

End of Chapter

Thanks for reading! I don't have much to say, except that we're starting to get the ball rolling with this story. Don't worry, there won't be any kind of pet-catching missions like most fics do, though it will be something different which would also connect Sanctuary and the Elemental Nations slightly further.

Anyways, Ja Ne!