Hi again! So far, school is going okay, but I've gotten used to it taking a turn for the worse, so I'm ready for anything. I decided to do Hapkido as well…not nearly as tough as Muay Thai, but I am learning some interesting things (throwing is fun!). And that's about it. Now it's time for the third arc, and for those of you who hated the fact that the story lost focus on the main characters, this one should serve as a great and tasty medicine! So, enjoy!

Mrfipp: I'm glad you're happy. Unfortunately, they won't be fighting until the next arc. You're just getting a hint of things to come. I'm glad you liked my chunin exams better than the real ones, although that wasn't my intention. And how the hell does the fusion of Kakuzu and Hidan make Yaoi fans happy? If they really were a couple…poor Hidan has nothing left but masturbation! And Hidan is not some cross-personality with Kakuzu, so yes, he still has his temper. As for the Mist Swordsman, keep in mind that Raiga was from a filler arc, and I'm not counting any new swordsman beyond Zabusa and Kisame as canon in this fic. And you'll find out who will combine with Itachi…eventually.

Catsi563: I'm glad this story was to your liking. I should add that Jaa does not like to fight, but he will if he has to (think Ting from Ong-Bak). My intention was for Yuji to use his super-strength in a more innovative way to win than just a knockout. Besides, if you were kicking the shit out of somebody to the point of exhaustion, and suddenly he knocked down a building or preformed some feat of strength beyond your own abilities, I'd imagine you'd be inclined to think he was toying with you and then you'd decide to run away.

Spazzgirl: Um…that part was meant to be serious…maybe when I delve into Tobi's past…

Pirogeth: Sorry, I was just worried you were going the way of some of my other reviewers, who reviewed every chapter for a long time, then suddenly quit. You don't have to review every chapter if you feel you're too busy (though I would prefer it), but please drop me a line every now and then. And you're going to enjoy this chapter.

JDay: (Pulls out a knife) I HATE HAPPY DANCES!! Okay, I guess that was a bit psychopathic on my part.

Now enjoy!

Sakura emerged from the water, and wiped the wet hair off her forehead. Things had been quiet for a change; there was nothing serious going on in other countries that needed the Konoha ANBU. People were a bit healthier than usual, so she had no major work to do at the hospital. Many of the jonin were on missions though, a rather big one. Kakashi, Gai…just about all of their former senseis were out on a mission from a big client. Today was a rare day off. She spent much of the morning helping her mother out with some chores while her father was out, and they got it all done much faster.

By mid-afternoon, Sakura asked Naruto if he wanted to go for another swim out of the blue. Being predictable for once, he did not object in the slightest. And Sakura was reminded of that a second later. "Kage no Bushin Cannonball!!" About a dozen Narutos somersaulted into the water, together creating an enormous splash against Sakura.

"Naruto!" Sakura shrieked. She wasn't mad; it was just that the waves kept coming at her. When it stopped, she let her arm down and looked around for him. "Naruto?" Suddenly, the strong arms of her beau wrapped around her. She smiled, expecting a little kiss or something. But instead, she burst out laughing. Naruto was tickling her! "Hahaha….Naruto…Hahah...Stop!...Hahahohmygod!...NARUTO!!" She broke free and punched him across the lake, sending the jinchuriki moving through the water like a skipping stone. "Baka!! What the hell has gotten into you!?" Sakura stood up in the water with her hands placed on her hips, demanding a damn good excuse.

Naruto just scratched the back of his head, and looked to the side like he didn't have a care in the world. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I just wanted to have some fun, that's all."

Sakura turned her head and was about to go "Hmph!" when she noticed something: Her left strap had slipped! "That means…!" Sakura looked down, and sure enough, her left breast was exposed. Sakura turned red, and adjusted it immediately. Her first instinct was to kill Naruto, but…"If Naruto had seen her, wouldn't he have a major nose bleed, or a major- "

"Sakura-chan, are you okay?"

Sakura eeped, and looked behind her. Naruto just stood there, curious, maybe even concerned. Sakura sighed in relief. "Good…there's no way he'd act normal if he saw me exposed…I wonder how he would act if he saw me like that?" Sakura turned red again. "Ack! Badthoughtbadthoughtbadthought…"

"Sakura-chan?"

"I'M-" Sakura looked at him, and held her scream in. "Fine…"

Naruto smiled and said "Great! So, how about some ramen?"

Not the most romantic dinner in the world, but on a carefree day like this, it was a quick and easy way to fill up."Sure Naruto."

Naruto walked away, and let out a deep breath. "Oh, thank god! She would've killed me if she knew I saw her…" Then, something very common in men his age began to occur, and it took all of Naruto's willpower to stop it. "Ack! Sasuke and Sai making out on a cold day, Sasuke and Sai making out on a cold day….!"

"Here's your tea sir."

Shikamaru looked up from the table and at the waitress who was serving him. "Thank you." Shikamaru took the cup, and sipped. And then, he sighed. Chouji was on vacation with his family, Ino accompanied her family to look into expanding their flower business, and he already trained his genin team for the day. He was bored out of his mind. Sure, he could have stopped by and visited the other members of the rookie nine, but he wasn't as close to them as he was the team he trained with. Besides, Naruto was with Sakura, and there was no way in hell he would pay attention to him under those circumstances. Speaking of a date…he realized he was starting to feel lonely. His mom often chided him to get married already, and that there were plenty of women in the village that would be more than happy to be his wife if he would become more motivated. Shikamaru just said "Troublesome" as usual. Besides only one female ever held his attention…and she wasn't even from this village…

"Well, I knew you were lazy, but judging by the company you're keeping right now, I'd never guess you to be antisocial! Hmph."

Shikamaru's eyes slowly opened as wide as dinner plates. Even slower, he looked up, to see someone occupying the seat across from him. "T-Temari?"

Temari just smirked. She looked as stunning as ever, the only difference now was that she let her hair fall freely. "I see you haven't changed at all." she said, smiling.

Normally, Shikamaru would've taken the smile she gave as an insult. But it never made him feel that way. It made him feel…happy. He shouldn't have, but it did. "Temari!" Shikamaru nearly shouted. He collected himself, ignoring the fact that the sand kunoichi was chuckling. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Business with the Hokage?"

"More or less." Temari answered. "I'm actually a day or two early. But I had a mission right before that, and by the time I'd have gone back to Suna, I would have been late for my ambassador work here. So, this was more practical. And there's no need to find a room for me. I already got one."

Shikamaru nodded. "I see. So, what was the mission?"

"It was in Tea Country. You see, our daimyo was being threatened by the Tea Daimyo…"

"Hahaha…This is the best!!" The Tea Daimyo swung his sake wildly, clapping with the music at the same time. Today was his birthday, and all the servants had to give the very best gifts. Those who underperformed were never heard from again. "So far so good. But what good is a party without girls!? I hope you brought lots!!" His closest servant fumbled his fingers nervously.

"Um…well, Your Excellency…we've been running short this year in terms of girls."

The tea daimyo dropped his cup and grabbed a katana from the nearest samurai. He stood and waved it madly. Everyone backed away; skilled with a blade or not, they did not want to be on the receiving end.

"What!? You better have come up with something good, Fuku, because my patience is practically dissolving!!"

"W-we managed to find one girl, a beauty the likes of which you've never seen! She claims to be a geisha in training, and we think her looks alone will hold your attention!" Fuku bowed down to the floor, clearly fearing for his life. "Please, master! At least give her a look!!"

The daimyo shrugged. He preferred to have a whole group of girls…but…"Very well. Send her in. But I warn you…" The daimyo pressed his finger against his own neck and shot it across. Then, he turned his face to the center of the room, and his jaw dropped. This girl's beauty was beyond comparison! Her blond hair was set in intricate patterns, unusual but most certainly not unattractive. Her eyes were stunning as well. But what caught his attention was that her loose kimono revealed her voluptuous figure. The daimyo was stunned speechless, and his mouth began to salivate

The girl was barely an adult on top of that, but there was no law of consent in this country…"You must be Shinichiro-sama." The young woman said. She bowed down to the floor. "It is an honor to be of service to you, my lord."

The Tea Daimyo remained silent for a good minute. He looked at Fuku, and smiled. "Well…you surprise me!" He snapped his fingers. "Make sure the bedroom is spotlessly clean!" The servants went to work in there immediately. "Guards! Take her to the changing room and search her clothes! But don't touch her!"

The young lady was escorted to another room. In a minute, the samurai had her kimono in their hands, and inspected it. "She's clean! Return it!"

Soon, the young lady was brought back to the daimyo, with her kimono back on. The daimyo bowed in a gentlemen-like fashion, and gestured to his quarters. "Well, my fair maiden. May I ask that you accompany me for the evening?"

The lady lifted the lower part of her kimono slightly and bowed as well. "Why, of course! That's what I'm here for after all…" The young woman then thought "It's a good thing this guy doesn't know much about ninjas beyond his own village. Otherwise, he'd recognize me as Gaara's sister…"

The Daimyo was enjoying one of the best massages he was getting in his life! "This woman has a way with her hands…"

The lady then leaned her head next to his ear. "Is their anything else His Excellency requires of me?"

The daimyo shuddered. "This girl is perfectly willing…it shouldn't be a hassle at all." Consent or not, he could have taken her. But a completely unwilling girl was more trouble than it was worth. "Well, I was hoping we could move on to something more…pleasurable."

The woman walked in front of him and smiled seductively. "But of course. Shall I dance for you?"

Normally, he would've said no, but he knew there was something more to it. "So long as it is wonderful eye candy at the same time." He said, trying to sound as smooth as possible. The woman stepped backward, and let her loose fitting kimono fall. The daimyo was disappointed that at the very last second, she used fans to cover the essentials. But even partially exposed, she was something to die for. She began her dance. How she was able to cover up everything perfectly at the last second was beyond his understanding. Then again, he was not in thinking mode at the moment. And he never would be again.

She faced forward and preformed a horizontal slash. "It's a good thing those samurai did not count on steel fans."Temari whispered. Before the daimyo's head could hit the floor, she held it in place, and laid the body on the floor. She then put her clothes back on, and made her escape…

"And that's what happened. I knew Gaara wanted me to meet up with the Hokage in a few days, so I used a hawk to tell him the mission was a success, and that I would make my way up here early." Temari sipped her tea, and took a good look at Shikamaru. He seemed disturbed for some reason. "What?" Temari asked.

"I can't believe you did that." Shikamaru whispered, turning his head away like he was annoyed.

"That Daimyo was pure scum." Temari replied, annoyed at his behavior. "I never advocate killing anyone unless absolutely necessary, but I was glad to end his life."

"I'm talking about right before that." Shikamaru hissed.

Temari's eyes widened for one second, then she looked at him angrily. "So? It's not like I let him touch me. And not even for SS class payment would I let him. What does it matter to you?"

Shikamaru didn't know what to say. He was struggling internally. His rational mind told him she was just doing her job, and if he were a kunoichi, he would have used such methods himself, and that nothing platonically romantic or sexual happened. But some gut feeling told him he should hate her. Shikamaru never let his emotions get the better of him, and this was no exception, but even then, what he wanted to say didn't quite come out right. "I don't approve of you doing such things."

Temari looked at him incredulously. "Don't approve!? What is it to you what I do!? If I enjoyed that, I wouldn't have bothered coming here!!" Temari stood up hastily and picked up her fan. "Besides, it's not as if we're together or anything." she mumbled.

After she left, Shikamaru just gawked at her. Not together? Shikamaru looked back into his teacup. "It's true…isn't it?"

Konohamaru was bored out of his skull. He made chunin a little bit before Naruto became jonin. He liked the idea of being equals with the man he considered his older brother, but he couldn't help but feel happy for him. Besides, being a chunin wasn't all that great, he reminded himself. Teaching was a pain, he didn't know how Iruka-sensei put up with it. The missions he got were not all that exciting. Never mind guard-duty. And then there was the task he was doing right now: bringing paperwork over to the Hokage. "She is one of the Legendary Sanin, the Hokage, and the Head Medic-Nin at the same time!! And she doesn't have the ability to get her own paperwork!?"

"Hey, Konohamaru!"

The young Sarutobi turned around to face his long-time teammate, Moegi. "Oh, hey Moegi! It's been a while!" Konohamaru stayed close with his teammates, despite the fact that their missions often required them to separate for weeks at a time. He and Udon began to age both physically and mentally, with the latter becoming more noticeable. They had outgrown many of the things they used to do as kids, and found what they perceived to be boring adult activities quite fun. That was something they thought would never happen. Moegi hadn't really changed much…except she developed a few bumps here and there…

"So, what does Hokage-sama want this time?" Moegi asked, a bit curious.

Konohamaru turned red for a reason he couldn't explain. "Just some documents. I don't know why she can't handle it herself." He grumbled.

Moegi then showed a concerned look on her face. "Konohamaru…are you still mad? That she replaced your grandfather?"

Konohamaru replied "No. Maybe a bit miffed. But the village needed her then, and they do now. She was also Grandpa's student, and he would have probably nominated her anyway. Besides, if Naruto-nichan respects her…even if he does keep calling her 'Ba-chan'…then I should to!"

Moegi smiled at him. "He's gotten mature…both mentally…and…" Moegi blushed as she remembered an incident from a few months ago where she wanted to surprise Konohamaru. She snuck into his house…and caught him walking out of the shower. Fortunately, he had a towel on, but she could see quite clearly that he had been working out. Moegi then slapped her face. "Hey, Kono, I'll race you!!" Moegi laughed as she sprinted ahead of her teammate.

Konohamaru could only gawk. "Hey, no fair!! I'm carrying paperwork!!" Konohamaru ran as fast he could, but it was nothing more than a light jog. He remembered what happened the last time he lost documents…

Tsunade continued grumbling over her documents. What made the day worse was that there was more to come. But at least when discussing chunin promotions to the council, most of them agreed with her. Except for one…

"My grandson has all the necessary skills!!" Danzo yelled. "He is powerful, he can plan ahead, he is clever…"

"And he is too ruthless for now." Tsunade replied. "While that's arguably a good thing in the face of the enemy, with comrades that will be a liability."

Hiashi spoke up. "Indeed. To openly kill a leaf ninja who lost his will to fight is unsettling. It's a tactic someone the likes of Orochimaru would try." The council, even Danzo's allies, agreed with him. Danzo couldn't take anymore and abruptly left.

Tsunade rubbed her temples thinking of that. "Another bad day for the legendary sucker, eh?"

Tsunade turned around to face someone else that often annoyed her; not a political opponent, but one of her closest allies and friends. "Jiraya. To what do I owe the displeasure?"

Jiraya smirked, and got off the window sill. "Just the usual information report, as usual. I got the message you sent me, about the guard and the missing bodies." Jiraya took a seat and donned a more solemn look. "You know me, Naruto, and Kakashi too well. And Minato is dead. I had seen it myself."

Tsunade held her head down, thinking back to the event where she actually suspected either Naruto's betrayal, if not the other Rasengan users, or that the Yodaime had risen from the dead.

"I may have a theory, though." Jiraya answered. "It's a stretch, but at the moment it's the only thing I can think of."

"And that is?"

Jiraya stayed silent, trying to find the right words. "You remember…how Minato came to be my student, right?" Tsunade nodded…

"That was tough!" A young boy with a shaven head named Goro said.

The girl, who would one day become Uchiha Mikoto, just yelled back "All that trouble just for a B-rank mission! Jiraya-sensei, you jerk! You said real danger wouldn't happen until we were chunin!"

Jiraya just grumbled in response. "When I was your age, I craved for those kinds of missions!! Besides, all that's important is that we've made it out alive!!" Jiraya, though he loved his genin as if they were his children, was at times a bit disappointed. He was hoping for a team that was eager to delve into combat, and he would make sure they would live. But unfortunately for him they sought to avoid combat. Granted, in most situations that was ideal. But Jiraya owed a lot of his strengths to experience, something these two sorely needed. That's right: two. It was an odd year at the academy; not enough graduated to make 3-man teams. Jiraya got stuck with the one two-man cell.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Mitako yelled "Sensei! There's a boy down there!!"

Jiraya stopped, and looked down by the stream. Indeed, a young boy was lying right there, face first. Jiraya leapt down from the treetops and ran over to him. He turned him over to look at his features. Blond hair, blue eyes…he was an unusual looking kid. Jiraya put that out of mind at the moment and checked his vital signs. He was weak, but alive! "Come on kids! We've got to take him to the hospital now!!"

Five months have passed since the incident. Beyond the fact that the kid made a full recovery, Jiraya heard nothing of him again. However, that changed when he was one day summoned by the Hokage. "So you wanted to see me, old man?" Jiraya lazily took a seat, not stand like protocol demanded.

The old Sarutobi could only sigh at this. "Jiraya…remember the young boy you rescued? The one with blond hair?"

Jiraya blinked a bit. "Yeah…why?"

"After his recovery, we gave him room and board to study at the academy. And something remarkable happened."

"What?"

Sarutobi turned his head towards the one guard. He opened the door, and there stood the same child, wearing the Konoha band around his neck. He seemed a bit shy, nervous. Jiraya looked at him curiously, then at his former sensei. "Jiraya, meet your new apprentice: Namikaze Minato!"

Jiraya was a bit nervous about having a new apprentice, but soon he felt proud to be his teacher. Minato had already been well-versed in the Shinobi arts, and he was approaching chunin-level fast. They also had many things in common: they were quite laid-back, had huge dreams, and both were rampant perverts. Minato himself looked up to Jiraya like he was his father. Little did the toad sage know, he would become even prouder when he saw Minato holding out his hand, apparently struggling.

"Whatcha doing there?" the Sanin asked.

Minato stopped for a minute, and turned around. "You know how with every ninjutsu, we need to use hand signs?" Jiraya nodded. "I'm trying to use a technique that will not require any signs." The genin answered.

Jiraya laughed a little bit. "That sounds like a tall order there. You're a genius, I'll give you that, but you've still got A LOT to learn. Do you even know what you'll create?"

"Yes." Minato replied curtly. "I've seen HIM do it a thousand times, and I know how it works!"

"WHAT!?" Tsunade yelled as she slammed her desk. "Minato didn't invent the Rasengan…he copied it!?"

Jiraya looked away. "I've asked him about it several times. But he would never tell me. I always knew there was something about his past he did not want to bring up. Since nothing dire ever came up from it, I eventually stopped asking. Besides, I worried that if I forced him to tell me…we would loose the bond we had."

Tsunade folded her hands together. "So what you're saying…is that somehow Minato was linked to whoever it was that stole Kakuzu and Itachi?"

Jiraya nodded yes. "At the moment, that's all I can come up with. I've been using all my sources for information on Soragakure and Kizu. But so far, nothing."

Tsunade sighed and went back to work. "Very well. Dismissed." Jiraya was about to walk away, when Tsunade said "By the way…don't you think it's time? For Naruto to know the truth?"

Jiraya turned around, with a worried glance on his face. "I used to think now would be a proper time. But now I'm not so sure. I know Naruto puts on a smile no matter what…but I know for a fact that the way everyone treated him, how everyone treats him even now, eats away at him. I can only imagine it would get worse if he found out he was the son of the fourth. Besides…he'll be heartbroken if he finds out what happened to his mother."

Tsunade reluctantly nodded in agreement. It was bad enough Naruto did not get the kindness he truly deserved for being his father's son…and it would crush him when he would learn the truth about Kushina…

"By the way, where's Shizune?" Jiraya asked. "She's usually watching you like a hawk when you claim to be doing paperwork, right?"

Tsunade growled "Are you implying I can't do my job without her!?" She calmed down and took a deep breath. "She said she wasn't feeling well, so I gave her the day off."

Jiraya looked at her, like he suspected that something was off…but decided to let it go. "Well, have a good day." He said as he waved her goodbye without looking.

Sasuke stared off into space. He had always been a patient man. He suppressed any desire to go off against Itachi on his own when he was training under Orochimaru. He knew, when he faced off against Itachi that day, how powerful he needed to become. And he knew to be patient for his new goal. And he waited. And for his new goal, he would wait as long as it took. But with the village staring right at him, he felt his patience wearing thin. Besides, if he let the opportunity slip by, even he acknowledged how deep into madness he would delve. His head shot up as he heard a crow. He held out his arm, and the crow landed on it. The ninjas would grow suspicious of any foreign hawk that most villages used. But a crow was a perfect means of communicating undetected. They were everywhere, but they were hard to tame. Sasuke unwrapped the piece of paper on its leg. He then threw it away as it burned. "It's time." He said to the mist swordsman. "Remember your jobs." The three mumbled crankily. Then, they took off into the forest, towards Konoha.

Tsunade struggled with her paperwork, as usual. It was always unending. "Ugh. We're not at war. Our economy is just fine. Honestly, can't I get a break here!?" She then heard someone come in. Tsunade was on guard. She felt something sinister from the other end of the room. Then the figure revealed itself…Shizune! "Oh, Shizune!" Tsunade gasped. "I don't know why, but you managed to give me a heart-attack!"

Shizune bowed. "My apologies, Tsunade-sama. I don't know why, but I've been feeling a lot better lately. I should be able to return to work tomorrow!"

Tsunade smiled, and said "That's good to know." Tsunade then looked around. "But why am I feeling so ill at ease?" she wondered.

Shizune then brought her some tea. "It seems like you could relax some, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade sighed, hoping that she would bring her sake instead. But oh well, it was good for her nerves. She drank the whole thing in one gulp, and sat down. "Danzo has been a pain in the ass, even more than usual." She commented. "Now, he's been throwing temper tantrums that I won't promote his grandson. And he won't stop pestering me about Orochimaru."

Shizune asked "Regarding what?"

"That Orochimaru is on the move. He wanted to set a trap, but Orochimaru is too clever for that. Besides as of right now, he poses no threat to Konoha. Jiraya's spy network is very reliable, and while he did hear something about something unusual occurring, he doubts it has anything to do with him planning to attack us."

Out of Tsunade's sight, Shizune sneered "You have no idea…"

The guard posted fell asleep.

"It would have been so much more practical to kill him…"

"And alert the entire village to our presence." Sasuke scowled. "Quite a brain you have there, Shumokuzame." Shumokuzame growled, frustrated at how the brat insulted his intelligence, which he considered just fine by all means. "To the Hokage tower, immediately." The Uchiha commanded.

In the forest, a group of Jonin ran through the trees. Kakashi, Gai, and Kurenai, who left her son with a relative, were in the lead, with several other well known jonin behind them. The azure beast of Konoha had the same personality, but much to his dismay, his hair was turning gray. When someone pointed it out, he just said he was starting to rival Kakashi. Kurenai had become more withdrawn ever since Asuma's death, but she was still a sweet and loving mother despite her loss.

"We're almost there." Kakashi told the team.

"Don't you think it's strange?" Gai asked. "I know this lord is a big time client, but to meet us all the way out here?"

"He said it was a dire emergency." Kakashi replied. "The request looked authentic. The handwriting belonged to him, and there is no possibility of it being forged. Besides, he never had ulterior motives and has been a huge supporter of our village. We'll learn more once we get there."

The group soon came upon the castle. "Strange…" Gai said. "Isn't it further away?"

Kakashi walked forward and touched the walls. "Welcome!" The jonin turned around, and in front of them was one of their richest clients, Lord Taganaki. He wasn't a daimyo, but a wealthy business man. And as they say, the richer you are, the more enemies you have. He looked like a typical business man as well: Quite fat, little hair, and a moustache that looked like two spikes. But despite his stereotypical appearance, he was also quite the philanthropist. "I'm glad to see you all here! I'm terribly sorry to have summoned so many at once, but it is a dire emergency! Quickly, I'll explain everything!"

The jonin were rightfully suspicious, but until they got conclusive evidence, they could not act based on their intuition just yet.

Four figures surrounded the Hokage tower. And one of those four was Sasuke. "Begin." He commanded.

Everyone drew the seals on four corners they were instructed to. Then, they shouted "Kekkai no jutsu!! Kin'iro Kyuubikuru!!"

Tsunade shot her head up from her desk as she heard some rumbling. "What is that!?" Suddenly, Shizune pulled out a kunai and got her master in a headlock, and jumped through the roof with her hostage. Tsunade was at first stunned beyond words at what Shizune was doing. "Shizune!! What the hell as gotten into you!?" It took the Sanin a good ten seconds to look around her. The entire tower was surrounded by a golden barrier.

"My my, I bet you didn't see this coming, did you, Hokage-sama?" Shizune asked in an insane tone.

"Shizune!!" Tsunade screamed. "Why!? Why are you betraying your home!?"

Shizune faced her and smiled wickedly. "A few years ago, you were willing to do the same thing. Orochimaru promised the resurrection of your brother and Dan, provided you give him Jiraya and Naruto. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he planned to destroy Konoha. And yet, you actually considered it!!"

"Shizune, I was depressed!! I realized my mistake before I let it happen! You were part of the reason why I went to Orochimaru with the intention to kill him instead!!" Suddenly, some large slithering sound was heard. Huge snakes made their way across the village! "You…" Tsunade turned to Shizune with more fear than she showed before. "You're working for Orochimaru!?"

Shizune just nodded her head and said "Tsk tsk. You're still not getting it."

Naruto and Sakura leaned their heads against one another, simply admiring the night sky atop the buildings. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Sakura asked, probably at the most peace she had been for a while.

"Yeah. But not as beautiful as you." Naruto replied. Sakura giggled, and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. It wasn't enough to leave him keeling over on the floor, but it still stung. "Ow!! Sakura, you know I bruise easily!!"

Sakura just laughed some more. She didn't know why, but some feeling that she couldn't describe was taking over inside her. When she was near Naruto, it seemed like nothing else in the world mattered. She felt like she could do anything. She felt everything would be alright. Naruto made her feel perfect, no matter how many times she brushed it off. And it all came with a hint of lust. "What…" Sakura's eyes snapped open as she turned her attention from what was inside her to in front of her. "…THE HELL IS THAT!?"

Naruto looked forward and his eyes bulged in horror at the huge snake reeking havoc on the village. "Orochimaru!! Come on, Sakura!!" Though both were in their casuals, they knew of a technique that would change them to ninja gear. Once that was done, the leapt off, ready for battle.

"Don't go in that door!" Moegi screamed. Konohamaru and his teammates were watching a horror movie that night. Granted, not much would scare experienced ninjas. But that was something they lacked. "AIIEE!!" Moegi screamed, clutching onto Konohamaru.

The young Sarutobi turned red at that moment, while Udon was just fixated to the TV. Moegi stayed in her position, until they felt the house vibrate. They were into the movie, but not that much. "I'm not the only one who felt that, did I?" Konohamaru asked.

Both of his teammates looked around, wondering where that came from. Then the roof collapsed under the weight of a giant snake! The three chunin jumped out of the way as the reptile's body hit the floor. The snake turned around and spotted his prey. It hissed, and struck. Fortunately, the three were very agile and dodged it.

Udon threw a pen into its eye, but he only annoyed it a little. It turned and snapped its jaws once more, this time grabbing him by the leg.

"Udon!" Konohamaru shouted. He reached the area around his pants, but realized that he wasn't carrying his shuriken pouch! "Oh no! Where is it!?" Konohamaru looked around frantically. Knowing time was of the essence, he turned to Moegi. "Where's our shuriken!?" Moegi looked around in a panic, then pointed behind the snake. Right there were their shuriken pouches. Konohamaru took one look at Udon, who was feebly punching the snake on the nose…and ran right past him. The snake swung its tail, hoping to bat Konohamaru away, but he rolled under at the last possible second and knocked the pouches into his hands. He jumped when the tail came swinging at him again, and threw the standard throwing star. Unfortunately, they simply stuck to the creature's hide. When he landed, Moegi took them from him. Konohamaru was about to protest, but kept his mouth shut once he saw Moegi take out an explosive tag and wrapped it around a kunai. She threw it right into the creature's nostrils, and when it went off, the creature let go of their teammate. Konohamaru helped him to his feet as the creature roared in rage. "Come on!! We've got to join the others!!" Though Konohamaru and his friends were barely chunin, even they knew snakes this size meant only one thing…

"AAAHHHH!!" A leaf nin fell. There were too few jonin to stand up to these foes.

One of the mist swordsman cackled. "I warned you, Sarutobi! Look at what strength your kindness has brought to your village!!"

"Ah, the Ino Shika Chou trio will be quite a prize. No one will fuck with you when you take out three incredible ninja by yourself!!"

The third said nothing.

As a fire behind them burned, two figures landed in front of him. "Well well, if it isn't the last of the Mist Swordsman." Jiraya said. He then danced around and faced forward. "Now, you will face the awesomeness that is The Legendary Toad Sage Jiraya!!"

"Sorry, but my friends are out on business. I'm afraid I'm all you've got to play with." Shikamaru said lazily, although in actuality he was quite scared. This was his first time seeing a mist swordsman, let alone three of them, and facing the possibility of fighting them all at once.

One was old. He had wrinkled, blue skin. His head was bald, but he adorned a long, white beard that nearly touched the floor. He wore clothes similar to those worn by monks on another continent, "Shaolin" if Shikamaru remembered correctly. But he took note of his swords: Two blades that curved like hooks. The handles were not at the opposite end of the blades, but they stuck out from the side. Another foreign weapon: Hook swords. "Lei Gong." the old man said, showing no interest at the two leaf nin in front of him.

Shikamaru looked at the second one. He possessed orange hair that shot out like a star on its side. His skin was jet black, but his eyes were pure white, with bright red lips. The two sides of his head were unusually long, making his face almost beet-shaped. His outfit was arguably even more ill-fitting for a ninja's than Naruto's: It had patches of fluorescent yellow spots all over. His weapon was a pair serrated krabi. " Hoshiboshi Shumokuzame." He said. "It's nice to meet you. I presume you're part of the Ino Shika Chou trio?" He laughed in anticipation.

"Nara Shikamaru, yes. But I will make you find out that you would have never stood a chance against the three of us." Shikamaru replied curtly.

The third was the most shocking: He was simply a little kid! He was pure white, minus his intense yellow eyes, had no hair, and a simple shirt was all he wore. And his weapon made him appear even smaller: It was a nine-ringed Guandao!

"Ah." Shumokuzame said, looking at the kid. "That one doesn't talk. He's not really one of the legendary seven mist swordsman, but one of our late comrade's offspring. We simply call him Akkisebire. He's really good, and has the same skills as his father, so we decided he could be a swordsman!!"

Shikamaru and the Toad Sage got ready for battle. "Well, we have a slight advantage in numbers." Jiraya commented. "The old man has got experience on his side. And if they have a young kid with them, he must be that good. I'll take them both!"

"Right!" Shikamaru replied.

Lei Gong stepped forward and said "As regrettable as it is not to fight one of the legendary Sanin, I must decline. You see, I have a vow I must keep: To destroy all of Sarutobi's family!" The old swordsman disappeared.

Jiraya could sense which way he was going and cried "Wait!" However, he fell back as Akikisebire's Guandao slashed at him. Jiraya growled in response. "Shit…"

Yuji lined up with the chunin, escorting the civilians and academy students into the monument. He wasn't a chunin, though unknown to him he was going to be, but in emergencies, genin were expected to help out. For once, his mother didn't object as all he was doing was traffic control. Iori was there too. Shiguri was right next to him, but they haven't spoken a word to one another ever since the exams.

"I want to go in there and fight!!" Iori yelled. "What is it with them!? They don't trust us!?"

"Pretty much." Shiguri replied, even though he knew he wouldn't get an answer from either one of them.

"There's really nothing we can do anyway." Yuji noted. "Whoever has the guts to attack Konoha head on must be incredibly powerful!"

Naruto and Sakura leapt across the rooftops. They saw the tower had been surrounded by a strange barrier. "Sakura, do you think you can get beyond that barrier?"

Sakura replied "I'm not so sure. But if I can get a close look at it, I might be able to find a way around it!"

Naruto looked at Sakura admirably. Then, he sensed something, and turned his head forward. "Sakura-chan, look out!!" They leapt back as a giant snake emerged in front of them, ready to strike! But neither one was about to back down. Sakura charged and punched its torso, sending it keeling over. Naruto leaped behind her and hit it with a Rasengan in the exact same spot. The reptile coughed up blood, and its eyes sunk. Naruto and Sakura panted from the close encounter, but then their eyes widened when they heard something.

"A relief to know you're strong, Naruto. Perhaps you did have what it took to beat Itachi."

The two turned around slowly, and there he was, staring above them indifferently just like at Orochimaru's hideout: Sasuke! They didn't know what to say. They couldn't even mutter his name.

"Sakura…" Naruto said. "Get to the Hokage tower. Now." Sakura didn't argue when Naruto was completely serious. She took off, looking back at him sadly. She had given up on Sasuke, just like she said. But she knew what Sasuke was doing here. And Naruto would be heartbroken when he found out the truth…

"Yes, yes!" Shizune shouted, refusing to relent her hold on Tsunade. "It may not be under the circumstances I would have liked, but my dream is coming true! Konoha will burn!!"

"Shizune! What's gotten…" Tsunade then stopped, as the wheels in her head finally turned. "No…"

"Oh yes." Shizune replied, in a voice that was not her own as she smiled wickedly. She placed a hand on her face, and ripped it off. It its place was Orochimaru's…

The jonin Taganaki had summoned were escorted to his personal chambers. He took a seat at his desk, and motioned for the others to do the same. Kakashi and his comrades kneeled in the seiza position. "Thank you to coming to my castle on such short notice. It is my regret to inform you…there is no reason for you to be here!!"

A liquid sprayed out of nowhere and landed in the area where Kakashi's eye was! He already had it covered up, but it became a problem when the liquid hardened and prevented him from removing his headband! "What the-!?" The jonin looked in fear as the walls became distorted, closing in on them…

Here you go!! So please PLEASE review!! (sobs). Next chapter, the battle for Konoha's survival begins!

Kekkai no jutsu: Kin'iro Kyuubikuru-Art of Barriers: Golden Cubicle

Shumokuzame Hoshiboshi-Hammerhead Shark of the Stars

Akkisebire-Devil Fin

Lei Gong-Chinese God who uses thunder and lightning to punish mortals who use Taoism to harm others

Krabi-Thai swords

Guandao-A giant Chinese saber, used to cut the legs of an opponent's horse. The nine-rings would give a whistling sound, terrifying those who lived to tell about it from a previous encounter.