Summary: The Namikaze Clan wasn't well known in the Shinobi world. This was until Naruto Namikaze showed up in the Shinobi world. The name Namikaze will spread like wildfire in the Shinobi world. "I couldn't see him! He was too fast!"
"Speech."
'Think.'
Jutsu/Technique
Flashback/Events of the Past
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Warning: English isn't my first language.
"Come on, Sensei!" Konohamaru called to his sensei while waving his arms. Konohamaru Sarutobi was the grandson of the late Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. Like his uncle and grandfather, he had great potential.
"I'm coming, Konohamaru!" Naruto chuckled a little when he saw his "student." Naruto wasn't Konohamaru's sensei, of course. He only helped Konohamaru once in the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, and since then, Konohamaru has always called him Sensei.
Naruto actually wanted to start his own training and find out what element he had himself. But before he even got to the training ground, he met Konohamaru, and as often, Konohamaru convinced him to train with him. Naruto didn't know exactly how Konohamaru always managed that.
Naruto had no siblings and felt Konohamaru was like a little brother he never had. He always wanted a little brother, and through Konohamaru, he got that feeling.
"OK, Sensei, what are we doing today?" Konohamaru was excited and had two kunai ready. Naruto had already figured out something useful for someone who fought with Shuriken and Kunai like himself.
"Ok watch Konohamaru." Naruto was now standing with Konohamaru in an open field at one of the many training grounds. On one side of the field was a small lake, and on the other, a forest.
"What do I have in my hand right now?" Naruto showed Konohamaru his hand and let him examine him closely.
Konohamaru couldn't see anything, so he looked confused at Naruto. "You have nothing in your hand, Sensei," said Konohamaru.
Naruto nodded with a smile. "You're right. Pay close attention." Naruto turned to one of the trees and held his arm like he was about to throw something. Konohamaru was confused. After all, Naruto wasn't holding anything at the moment, and it looked like Naruto was about to throw something.
Konohamaru could hear a strange noise, and as Naruto made a throwing motion, four kunai appeared between his fingers. He threw them at a tree and hit the tree with every kunai.
"WOW! Where do the kunai come from?" Konohamaru couldn't figure out how to do that. Naruto had nothing in his hand as he began the throwing motion. Out of nowhere, several kunai just appeared between his fingers!
"It's a little trick not many shinobi can do." Naruto looked at Konohamaru and took out a kunai from his pouch. "I'm going to show you how to do that today." Naruto held the kunai between his fingers and turned his hand towards his body. Konohamaru didn't see the kunai then, and when Naruto turned his hand back to Konohamaru, the kunai was gone.
"As you can see, you can't just spawn kunai." Naruto twisted his hand a few more times, revealing that his hand was empty. Naruto twisted his hand one last time, and out of nowhere, four kunai reappeared between his fingers. (A/N Reference to the scene of Shisui and Itachi, where Itachi was still in the academy and was learning from Shisui something in kunai/shuriken training)
Naruto threw the kunai at the tree and then looked at Konohamaru. He smiled when he saw Konohamaru's excited look. Spending time with Konohamaru was always fun, especially when he was so excited and happy.
"Ok! I'll learn this technique faster than you can see, Sensei!" Konohamaru raised a hand in the air and then pointed at Naruto. Naruto smirked slightly in response.
"Hmmm? So, you want to learn faster than me? Show me what you've got." Naruto and Konohamaru spent the next 2 hours together, and in that time, Konohamaru could understand the basic principle of this technique.
"You did well, Konohamaru. I'm proud of you." Naruto smiled, seeing how happy Konohamaru was.
"You are the best sensei! Thank you!" Naruto wanted to say something, but he was a bit surprised by Konohamaru. Naruto looked down and saw Konohamaru on his body. Konohamaru hugged him a little suddenly with a wide grin on his face.
Naruto smiled softly and placed both hands on Konohamaru's shoulders. "You know you can always come to me, Konohamaru."
Konohamaru pulled away and took a few steps back. Naruto smiled and looked at Konohamaru.
"So, remember Konohamaru to practice this trick repeatedly until you do it automatically." Out of nowhere, Naruto held two kunai in his hand, and then he just let them disappear again.
"Yes, Sensei!" Naruto waved to Konohamaru as Konohamaru made his way to his team. He still had to meet up with his team and Sensei Ebisu; after all, Team Konohamaru had a mission today.
Naruto raised a hand and made a tiger seal. A chakra pulse was emitted from his body, spreading in all directions. Naruto sensed all the animals in the forest as his chakra hit the animals. He couldn't feel his chakra hitting a human.
Naruto lowered his hand and looked at the tree. 'Did I just imagine that?' He felt he was being watched, but the feeling suddenly disappeared as he looked at the tree. He shook his head and took the chakra paper from its holster over his hip. He held it between his fingers and allowed the chakra to flow into the paper.
The paper split into two, and that's how Naruto knew he was a wind user like his father. He wouldn't complain about that element. Wind was an element that was very versatile for combat, and this was always a good thing. There were applications for long-range and short-range combat, so it was like a jackpot for Naruto.
He went to a tree and jumped up briefly. He grabbed a leaf and landed safely in a crouch. He got up and looked at the leaf. 'I must split the leaf in half with my chakra in the first stage.' Naruto nodded and held the leaf between both hands.
Naruto sat down at a table a few hours later and raised his arm. He had made some progress in the last few hours, but it would still take a few weeks for him to complete the first stage. He was happy that his control over his chakra was so good. Otherwise, it would have taken much longer. Since he didn't have the chakra reserves of a Uzumaki or a Senju, he couldn't train all the time. He often had to take a little break and rest a bit.
"They wish?" The waitress stood next to Naruto's table and smiled at him. Naruto was already known here. This was the restaurant where he always goes to eat.
"I'd like some dangos and a bottle of sake with that." Naruto smiled and placed his order. Naruto only drank sake when relaxing, as he did after hard training. He wouldn't drink sake if he were on a mission or something. He started drinking sake this year when he was offered a bottle of sake as a thank-you after a mission.
"One moment, the order will come as fast as possible." The waitress bowed slightly and then walked away from Naruto's table. Naruto opened a small black book from his pouch on his hip. He started to read, and after a few minutes, the food and the bottle of sake were also brought.
Naruto quietly enjoyed his food and drank some sake while reading the black book. He spent a whole hour in the little restaurant, and after that, he paid and walked down the street.
He looked at the people who passed him. He had to smile slightly when he felt this peaceful atmosphere. All the children laughed without a care in the world, and the parents all smiled.
Naruto was happy that he was born in Konoha and could live here. He couldn't think of a better village than Konoha. Everything was so peaceful and so harmonious. Of course, Naruto also knew about some shadows in the village, but that's part of a shinobi village. These shadows had nothing to do with the normal villagers, and with Shinobi, there would always be individual ninjas who were not what they claimed to be.
Naruto only thought about Sasuke Uchiha. He didn't know him personally, but he heard much from him. He was in Team 7, which consisted of Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. Team 7 was unique in the sense that they only had three members in total since there was no other genin who could join the team.
Sasuke became a rogue ninja shortly after becoming a Chunin. Three years ago, he left the village to go to Orochimaru. He was now listed as an A-rank shinobi in the bingo books. He ambushed some Kumogakure shinobi, killing everyone but one. The shinobi was able to escape and report back to the Raikage.
Naruto didn't understand how Sasuke Uchiha could leave the village where he had all the support he could get. After all, he was kind of a noble in the village since he was the last Uchiha to live here after his older brother killed everyone in the past.
Naruto went to his house and relaxed there. He would do his first mission with his team tomorrow and must be fit. Since the sun was already falling, Naruto decided not to do anything today except read something and sleep.
"You will not accompany us, Sensei Kakashi?" Sakura asked, a bit confused. They'd just met so everyone could head out on the first mission together, but it looked like Kakashi wouldn't be there.
"Yes. You can handle anything together. Take care of yourselves." Kakashi smiled again and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Sakura looked at Naruto, and Naruto had a similar look. Neither of them knew exactly what to think of it. Today, Team Kakashi was supposed to do the first mission, but it looks like Kakashi already got another mission from Tsunade.
"I would say that we go to Hokage-sama, and maybe she will give us details on the matter," said Naruto.
Sakura nodded. "That sounds good. There will be a reason why Kakashi is sent on a mission alone." Both walked off and made their way to Tsunade. The day starts differently than the two thought.
Naruto had a few thoughts. There were enough skilled Jonin in this village to be sent on a single mission. It must be serious when someone like Kakashi was specifically separated from his team for this mission.
The sun was still rising, so most streets were still pretty empty. Naruto was used to getting up early, and so was Sakura. The two of them chatted a little while walking down the streets normally.
"You started the training of your element?" asked Sakura.
"Yes. I have the wind element. It will take a few weeks, but in 1-2 months, I should be able to use wind jutsu without problems," Naruto said.
"Training the element always takes a little longer. I can still remember how Sensei Asuma explained how difficult it is to master an element," said Sakura.
"Yes. I have the advantage of having good control over my chakra, so it doesn't take me that long. Someone with more chakra and poor control would take longer unless the person has enough chakra to take advantage of the Shadow Clones." said Naruto.
"You're right." She smiled slightly and looked at the Hokage faces on the huge cliff behind Konoha.
A few minutes later, the two were standing in Tsunade's office. "Thank you for coming." Tsunade took a scroll and gave it to Shizune. Shizune took the scroll and walked over to Naruto and Sakura.
"This scroll must be taken to Sunagakure. The scroll contains important information for the Kazekage. It is important that no one gets their hands on this scroll or reads its content except for the Kazekage himself." Tsunade waited until Sakura took the scroll from Shizune and held it securely in her hands.
"You both have five days to bring the scroll to Sunagakure. In the last two weeks, a few rogue ninjas have been seen in the land of fire and wind. It could well be that you will be attacked," explained Tsunade.
"May I ask a question, Hokage-sama?" Naruto spoke up, and when Tsunade nodded at him, he continued. "This mission seems very important. Wouldn't it be better if an Anbu team took on this mission?" asked Naruto.
Sakura understood what Naruto meant and looked at her teacher. She was convinced that she could complete this mission with Naruto. With his speed and strength, the two made a very good team. Since they also have five days, the two could take a break often enough and thus always be recovered for a possible fight against enemy ninjas. Still, this scroll would be more logical to take a team from Anbu to Sunagakure.
"I understand your approach, Naruto, but I can't send anyone but you two right now. You are the two most skilled ninjas in the village at the moment, and all the other ninjas are otherwise busy," explained Tsunade.
Naruto and Sakura both disappeared and appeared right in front of a shinobi. Sakura's fist pierced the shinobi's body, and immediately after that, the shinobi flew away with a broken chest. A small shock wave was released when Sakura's fist hit the rogue ninja's body.
The shinobi spat out blood, and his eyes rolled back. His motionless body flew through the forest and crashed through several trees, and finally, the body landed on the forest floor and just lay there. Some ribs have penetrated the Shinobi's lungs and other organs.
Naruto threw a kunai while doing some hand signs. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The single kunai disappeared briefly; immediately after that, at least 40 kunai flew through the air.
The kunai hit other projectiles, creating countless yellow sparks. A few seconds earlier, Naruto had used all his kunai to fend off the threatening shuriken and kunai flying toward him and Sakura.
He and Sakura met a group of rogue ninjas on the border of the land of wind. The group attacked them directly, and the two were briefly separated. But Naruto came right back to Sakura's side. It quickly became clear that Naruto could always return to Sakura, so it was impossible to separate the two.
With his Body Flicker, keeping him away from a person was almost impossible. It's almost like Naruto kept teleporting to someone. At least, that's how it looked for the rogue ninjas.
Naruto stood with his back to Sakura and held a kunai. They were both standing on a branch surrounded by seven shinobi. It used to be ten enemies, but Naruto had already taken out two, and due to Sakura's punch, there were only seven shinobi left. So far, the two have not been injured.
The two harmonize well. Naruto's speed and Sakura's raw strength were a deadly combination. Naruto's blue eyes looked around intently. He watched every little movement of the four shinobi he had in his field of vision. Sakura kept an eye on the other three shinobi.
All the shinobi picked up a kunai with a paper bomb attached. Naruto took his free hand and touched Sakura on her shoulder. He stood ready to get himself and her out of harm's way. Sakura felt Naruto's hand on her shoulder and concentrated.
Naruto has transported Sakura several times with the Body Flicker, but she's still not completely free of post-transport disorientation. The speed of Naruto's Body Flicker was just too fast for her. She wasn't used to moving that fast, and even as a medicine ninja, she was not entirely devoid of such effects.
All the shinobi threw the kunai, and the letter bombs started crackling. When the kunai landed on Naruto and Sakura's position, all the letter bombs exploded, creating several small explosions. First, small black clouds of smoke formed until a large one formed. Pieces of wood fell from the cloud of smoke to the ground, but there was no sign of Naruto and Sakura.
Naruto appeared out of nowhere behind one of the seven shinobi with a Rasengan (Spiral Sphere) over his palm. He thrust his hand forward, and in doing so, he hit the shinobi's back with his Rasengan. The shinobi gasped, his pupils getting as small as they could go. The Rasengan burrowed into the shinobi's back, causing the shinobi to spit blood. His body started spinning in one direction, and immediately, he flew away in a spiral. He left a few air rings with it.
Out of nowhere, Naruto had a kunai in his hand and deflected a katana from one of the shinobi. The katana and his kunai rubbed together a bit before he pushed the katana away and did a spin kick. The shinobi crossed his arms and deflected the kick. He slid a little over the tree trunk, and in doing so, he blocked three shuriken that Naruto had thrown with his katana.
The forest floor started to tremble briefly, and immediately afterward, a cloud of dust appeared at one point in the forest, covering the floor. Sakura had camouflaged herself with a Genjutsu and got behind a shinobi with it. With her absurd strength, she had rammed the shinobi into the ground, destroying the forest floor.
The shinobi's katana was enveloped in blue lightning bolts, and immediately afterward, the shinobi charged at Naruto. He jumped up into the air, raising his katana. Naruto held out his palm and created a Rasengan over his hand. He braced himself and narrowed his eyes.
The shinobi narrowed his eyes when he saw the Rasengan. He swung his katana, and in response, Naruto thrust his hand forward, ramming his Rasengan into the shinobi's lightning blade. The two attacks rubbed against each other, and as the Rasengan slowly moved forward, the shinobi's eyes widened.
The Rasengan shredded the blade and then pierced the shinobi's body. The shinobi was allowed to experience the same fate as his comrade. The Rasengan completely shredded his internal organs, and before the shinobi could even scream, he spiraled away. The lifeless body left behind some air rings and crashed through several trees in the process.
A katana hit Sakura, and her green eyes widened. The shinobi smirked, but before he could draw any blood from the wound, Sakura dissolved into countless cherry blossoms and was nowhere to be seen after that.
The shinobi had to cover his eyes with one arm briefly, and when all the cherry blossoms had disappeared, he looked around. He had his katana ready, and he was trying to find Sakura. His eyes widened as a tree grew out of nowhere behind him, and he was caught by it. Sakura appeared out of nowhere in front of him and punched him, hitting him squarely in the chest.
Sakura had not only learned a lot from Tsunade. She also learned from Kurenai Yuhi, who was a Genjutsu specialist. Sakura was, of course, primarily a medicine ninja, and she learned most of it from Tsunade, but she was also very skilled at Genjutsu.
She had first used a Genjutsu, where it looked like she was going to get hit, and in the process, she dissolved into cherry blossoms. Kurenai also used this Genjutsu whenever she was in danger. After that, Sakura used a Genjutsu, allowing her to sneak behind the opponent and paralyze him. That was the moment when the tree tied up the opponent. Sakura then just walked around the opponent and gave him a fatal punch. A Genjutsu always camouflaged her, so she only became visible when she appeared before the shinobi and punched him.
Naruto lunged at his opponent, holding a kunai in his right hand. He swung his kunai and hit his opponent's katana. He suddenly disappeared and appeared right behind the opponent. He kicked the opponent in the back, and immediately afterward, he threw some shuriken after the shinobi. All the shuriken hit the shinobi in the back.
Naruto flickered away, dodging a lightning bolt. He appeared next to Sakura and looked at the last three shinobi. One of the three shinobi had several shurikens in his back and could no longer fight.
"Come on, Shinra! We have to get out of here. This guy is way too fast!"
The person with a katana on his back looked at Naruto. He couldn't believe that he and his comrades were being crushed by two shinobi. He knew every Jonin from Konoha; the two shinobi before him were not Jonin. This meant that 2 Chunin finished off him and his comrades.
He gritted his teeth and clenched a fist. He was angry, but his comrade was right. He couldn't follow Naruto's movements. It was like Naruto was teleporting, and partly in mid-air.
"You're right, Lee; let's go." Shinra made some hand signs and then clapped his hands together. Lee took the injured comrade on his back and stood by.
Naruto and Sakura prepared themselves. A very bright light emanated from Shinra out of nowhere, blinding the two of them. Both held their hands before their eyes, and when the bright light disappeared, the three rogue ninjas were no longer there.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked. She went to Naruto and looked at his arm. During the fight, he received a cut on his arm from the lightning blade when he fended it off with his Rasengan.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. The blade didn't hit me properly, so I only have a small cut." Naruto saw Sakura raise both hands and place them before the wound. Green chakra enveloped her hands, and Naruto could immediately feel the pleasant sensation that everyone feels when being treated with a Medical Jutsu.
The small wound healed quickly; Sakura backed away from Naruto when that happened. "Thanks, Sakura," Naruto said with a slight smile.
Sakura shook her head. "I should say thank you. You protected me several times during the fight, and it's only because of you that I'm not injured," she said with a smile. She knew this beforehand but could trust Naruto 100% after this fight. He had risked his life several times so that nothing would happen to her—especially the first contact with the enemies. At the start, the two Shinobi almost got her if Naruto hadn't reacted and pulled her out of harm's way.
His speed was truly out of this world. She would even claim that Naruto was one of the fastest shinobi in Konoha. She didn't know anyone as fast as Naruto. His speed through the Body Flicker was downright absurd. She only really got it when he had killed the first two shinobi.
There, she saw what Naruto could do. He didn't give it his all in the fight against Kakashi because it was just a test. In this fight against the ten rogue Shinobi, he had given everything, and here, Sakura could see what it meant to master the Body Flicker on a level like no one else.
Naruto moved so fast that no one could see him. He almost simultaneously appeared behind the first two shinobi, killing both shinobi. She was really happy to have him as a team member.
"Please," said Naruto. "I would say we travel a bit further before we take a break. I feel that this group of rogue shinobi is not the only group, and it would be better to avoid another fight."
Sakura nodded. "You're right." She thinks the same. There might be more groups, and they might be stronger than the last group of rogue shinobi. This time, both came through the fight relatively unscathed, but that may not be the case in the next fight.
"Let's go before we bump into the next group," said Sakura. Naruto nodded, and they both jumped and approached Sunagakure again.
A few minutes after the two jumped off, Naruto's eyes widened. He had unleashed a chakra pulse occasionally and used it to check whether anyone was still nearby.
He could feel his chakra bouncing against two people. "Sakura, watch out!" Naruto used a Body Flicker, appeared before her, and grabbed her. He disappeared again with Sakura in a flicker before a dragon made of lightning destroyed the entire tree.
Naruto and Sakura appeared from behind a tree, and Naruto released her. "Is everything OK?" asked Naruto. Sakura blinked three times and then nodded with a straight face.
"Everything OK," said Sakura. She looked past Naruto to where the dragon of lightning struck. The entire tree and the earth were gone. The ground had even turned a little black from the heat from the lightning.
"You are very fast," said a male voice. Naruto and Sakura looked up at the trees and saw one shinobi there. Naruto could only guess that the other person was hiding in the shadows.
Naruto recognized the face. It was a B-rank shinobi from Kumogakure. This shinobi was called Kansai Matsuda. Like most of Kumogakure, he had dark skin. He also had straight shoulder-length white hair and black eyes. He wore the normal Kumogakure shinobi uniform and carried a katana in a red sheath.
This person was one of the faster shinobi from Kumogakure. He was said to be able to master a weaker version of the lightning armor, which made the Raikage so fast. This increased his reflexes; his speed and his attacks were stronger. He could withstand more than a normal shinobi.
Naruto narrows his eyes. "What does a Kumogakure Shinobi do in the land of Rivers?" asks Naruto.
"I could ask that of a Shinobi from Konohagakure, too. You guys are a long way from home," said Kansai. He had one hand already on the hilt of his katana, and some blue lightning started dancing around him. That was the only sign Naruto needed. He touched Sakura and disappeared with her before Kansai appeared and hit the ground with his lightning-encased katana.
A cloud of dust rose slightly as his katana dug into the forest floor, leaving a scar. Kansai looked at the direction in which Naruto appeared and narrowed his eyes. 'This guy is fast. He foresaw my action and was able to react in time. He also got his comrade to safety.'
Kansai pulled his katana out of the ground and straightened up. He swung the katana slightly once, and the cloud of smoke just disappeared. A small gust of wind swirled around him and quickly disappeared.
Naruto had seen and analyzed everything. 'So, he can use lightning and wind techniques. He uses lightning to strengthen his sword and make himself faster.'
He appeared in a flicker and now stood a few meters away from Kansai. "I didn't think another shinobi could master this jutsu like Shisui Uchiha," said Kansai. He had heard rumors of a shinobi but didn't think they were true.
There have been rumors about shinobi accomplishing something, and 99% of them were always wrong. But there was something to the rumor that another shinobi from Konoha was said to have mastered the Body Flicker Technique.
Kansai had fought Shisui Uchiha before and barely escaped with his life. He knew exactly what it looked like when someone had mastered the Body Flicker at the same level as Shisui Uchiha.
"Eventually, there is always someone who creates something. You are the best example, Kansai Matsuda. You created a weaker version of the lightning armor without help, and in doing so, you have become one of the fastest shinobi in Kumogakure." said Naruto.
Kansai gripped his katana in both hands and narrowed his eyes. His body was encased in blue lightning armor, which was only visible. The lightning armor from the Raikage was visible, much broader, and more intense than the armor from Kansai.
Out of nowhere, Naruto grabbed a kunai and went into a basic stance. His blue eyes looked straight into Kansai's eyes, and he braced himself. Both just stood opposite each other with their respective weapons in hand.
A strong wind blew through the forest and blew some leaves from the trees. The leaves surrounded Naruto and Kansai, and when a leaf hit the ground, they both charged and attacked each other with their weapons.
Kansai's katana and Naruto's kunai met each other and then again right after. A wild fight started, with the kunai hitting the katana repeatedly. Kansai couldn't quite believe Naruto could keep up with him.
Even while using his Raiton armor, Naruto can keep up with him. With the lightning armor, all his movements become faster, unlike the Body Flicker, where you move quickly in one direction. Naruto was at least as fast as Kansai despite wearing his lightning armor.
Kansai focused his lightning chakra into his katana, and right after that, his katana was engulfed in blue lightning. He waved his katana and grinned slightly when he saw Naruto's wide eyes. His katana sliced through Naruto's kunai like butter and kept moving towards him.
Kansai's katana made a deep wound on his right shoulder. Naruto's face was filled with pain until his body dissolved as if he was just an illusion. Kansai's eyes widened when he felt someone come up behind him. He quickly turned and swung his katana again, attacking Naruto with it.
But just like that, Naruto disintegrated after being hit by Kansai. Kansai looked around and could see several Naruto around him. They were all holding a kunai and glaring at him menacingly.
'So, he can Afterimage Clones too. He mastered the Body Flicker like Shisui Uchiha.' Kansai frowned as he remembered the fight with Shisui. Shisui had also used this technique against him back then, and at that time, Kansai couldn't do anything against the Afterimage Clones.
He sped away, leaving only a few blue bolts on the ground. Kansai sheathed his katana and was about to start making hand signals while jumping from tree to tree. He wanted to use a lightning Jutsu to remove all those clones. With his katana alone, he couldn't take out the clones Naruto was using.
But before he could start making hand signs, he had to hold his arm before him and fend off a strong punch from Naruto, who had just appeared before him and attacked him directly.
Naruto knew well that he wouldn't stand a chance in long-distance combat. This would be something else if he knew one wind jutsu. But it would be better if Kansai didn't get to use a jutsu for removal.
Kansai did a right spin kick, and Naruto just deflected the kick. Sakura watched from a distance, concentrating on her surroundings. She had heard from Naruto that someone else must be around. But so far, she hadn't found or noticed the other ninja.
Naruto just disappeared before Kansai could kick him and appeared beside him. Kansai's eyes widened, and before he could react, he felt Naruto's foot on his side. He gasped briefly before flying away slightly.
Naruto leaped after Kansai, creating a Rasengan above his palm. Kansai saw the action and quickly drew his katana, bathing it in blue lightning. Kansai briefly landed on the ground and then jumped towards Naruto.
Naruto thrust his arm forward and rammed his Rasengan into Kansai's lightning blade. He felt the difference right away. The rogue Shinobi's Lightning Blade was nowhere near as strong as Kansai's. His Rasengan was still rubbing against the blade, and so far, he hadn't managed to destroy the blade.
Kansai gritted his teeth as he felt the tremendous power from the Rasengan. He could hardly resist. Out of nowhere, Naruto grabbed a kunai in his free hand and attacked Kansai with it. Kansai's eyes widened as the kunai inched closer to his face.
He concentrated, used a Substitution at the last moment, and switched places with a log. Naruto unraveled his Rasengan when he saw the plume of smoke and then the tree trunk. He had cut the tree trunk straight in two with his kunai.
He landed on the forest floor and raised a hand. He made a hand signal and unleashed another chakra pulse. He focused on his chakra, and he could feel his chakra hitting Kansai.
He flickered away and appeared right in front of Kansai. He dodged a katana slash and then kicked Kansai away. Naruto placed his foot on the forest floor again and looked at Kansai.
'I shouldn't be using the Rasengan much anymore. I only have half of my chakra left, and if the fight goes on for a long time, I have a problem. The other person is still somewhere, and I hope Sakura stays out of the fray.' Naruto held several shuriken in both hands and threw them at Kansai.
Kansai blocked every single shuriken with his katana and escaped unharmed. He charged forward and swung his katana again. Naruto deflected the katana with his kunai and attempted to punch Kansai with his free fist.
Kansai cocked his head to the side, dodging the fist. He jumped back a bit, and when he landed, he charged again. Naruto charged, too, and ducked under Kansai's katana slash. He did a deep kick and missed as Kansai jumped over the kick.
Naruto rolled sideways and seemed to push himself forward. He just disappeared and appeared out of nowhere over Kansai. A Rasengan over each palm. Naruto thrust both arms downwards and rammed Kansai into the ground. This time, Kansai reacted too late, hit by the full force of the two rasengans, and rammed into the ground. He spat up blood, and on his back, the Rasengan burrowed into his flesh, leaving a spiral wound. He would have suffered worse injuries if Kansai had not worn his lightning armor.
There was an explosion, and Kansai spat blood as he felt his body being unnaturally pressed into the ground. His entire body was sending signals to his brain that he was in severe pain. Even the adrenaline produced couldn't hold back the pain. He had taken a strong attack before, but getting 2 Rasengan was a different story altogether.
The explosion ripped the ground open, and a spiral crater formed, with the surrounding trees uprooted. Dust rose all around Naruto and Kansai. Naruto gasped and staggered slightly. This last action was very risky of him. If Kansai had reacted in time, Naruto could have been severely injured by now.
He was just glad that he had finally defeated the guy. He raised his eyes and looked around. The other person was still somewhere. He was about to raise a hand and make a tiger sign but had to jump away.
A fire dragon flew towards Naruto and attacked him. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he saw someone approach Kansai and pick him up. The person was a woman with long blond hair and black eyes.
He was lucky to fight Kansai and not the woman. This woman was none other than the Jinchūriki (Power of Human Sacrifice) from the Two Tails. He may be very fast, but fighting a Jinchūriki in his current state would be deadly.
The woman looked at Naruto briefly before disappearing into a cloud of smoke with Kansai. Naruto landed on a branch and disappeared straight away. The fire dragon hit the tree and destroyed it in the process.
Naruto appeared near Sakura and then got on one leg. He was panting heavily and had sweat all over his body. When the woman looked at him briefly, Naruto could feel this massive chakra from the Two Tails. It was overwhelming. He had felt many things before, but never such a massive, dark chakra. A Tailed Beast was truly incredible.
He must become stronger to defend himself against a Jinchūriki in a confrontation. He's fast enough but still needs more stamina and better Jutsus. Of course, if he finds a way to suppress a Jinchūriki, that would be a bonus. But his element would be first up when he gets back to Konoha.
"Naruto!" Sakura landed right next to Naruto and knelt in front of him. She held both hands in front of his chest, and immediately after that, both hands were encased in green chakra. Naruto sighed and smiled slightly with relief. Having Sakura by his side was truly a blessing.
"Thanks, Sakura," said Naruto while Sakura healed him. Sakura smiled at him and just nodded. After that, her face became focused again. After a few minutes, Sakura stopped, and they both stood up.
Naruto was better again, and Sakura was unharmed as well. "I would say that we are looking for a suitable place for a camp," said Naruto.
"You're right," said Sakura. Both jumped off and looked for a suitable place for the night where they were safe. Certainly, the action was over. All the rogue ninjas will have sensed the chakra of the Two Tails Jinchūriki and made a long detour around the location.
The moon shone over the land, illuminating the landscape with mysterious light. Whether it's the forest or the desert nearby. Everything seemed a little nicer with the shimmer of the moonlight.
Naruto's blue eyes mirrored the moon as he gazed up at the sky from a tree trunk. A few hours have passed since the fight against Kansai. He's recovered now, and when the sun comes up, he and Sakura will make their way to Sunagakure.
Sakura was sleeping at a tree. Naruto sat directly above her on the branch, keeping watch. He had already had his sleep, and now he was waiting for him and Sakura to move on.
Naruto raised a hand and made a tiger sign with it. A chakra pulse was emitted from his body, and as usual, he closed his eyes. He could feel his chakra hitting the trees, the stones, the animals, and other obstacles.
He was about to open his eyes when he finally felt his chakra hit four people at the end of the distance. Naruto widened his eyes and fell to his side. He spun in the air and landed in a crouch. He narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction where he sensed the four people.
"Sakura," Naruto said in a low voice. He was sure that these four people knew his position. He must wake up Sakura immediately. Otherwise, they could be in trouble.
Sakura's eyes twitched briefly and then opened. She looked at Naruto and saw him crouching in front of her with a serious expression. She woke up straight away and squatted down next to Naruto.
"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sakura asked quietly.
"4 people are nearby. Unknown if enemy or friend." Naruto said quietly.
Naruto glanced at Sakura and pointed his fingers in the other direction. He then made a few hand signals and communicated with her. Sakura nodded, and they both turned around. Naruto touched Sakura, and immediately after that, they both disappeared.
Sakura and Naruto reappeared some distance away and started jumping from tree to tree. Luckily, Sakura managed not to lose her bearings when she came out of the Body Flicker mid-air with Naruto. She landed safely on a log and was able to push off directly.
Naruto made a tiger seal and sent out another chakra pulse. He pushed off the nearest tree trunk and closed his eyes. He felt exactly how the four shinobi were chasing him and Sakura.
He opened his eyes and focused on the area in front of him. The forest ended any moment, and after that, the two would be in the desert. Luckily, Naruto had been to Sunagakure before and, therefore, knew the way through the desert.
"We are being followed," said Naruto. Out of nowhere, he held two kunai in his hand. He threw them at two tree trunks and just kept jumping. Sakura could see a thin wire stretched between the two kunai.
Naruto and Sakura landed on the ground outside the forest and started running. After a few meters, both of them were running across the sand from the land of the wind. Naruto looked over his shoulder, trying to spot the pursuers. But the four shinobi weren't as fast as Naruto and Sakura. Maybe they didn't intend to go into the desert either.
Being surrounded by desert offers the village hidden in the sand a natural deterrent against invasion, as few foreign powers would be willing to endure the sandstorms and water scarcity common to Suna. Sunagakure itself lay in a fortified valley behind cliffs of rock, with passage in and out of the village restricted to a single cleft between two cliff faces, making the area very hard to attack from the ground. The buildings inside seem to be made of clay or stucco, which would help to keep the buildings cool.
Naruto and Sakura were standing right in front of the passage that leads into the village. On the cliffs stood several Anbu of Sunagakure. Naruto and Sakura had no more problems on the way through the desert. The four pursuers didn't appear to be chasing them across the desert.
They were waiting for someone to take them to the Kazekage. Naruto knew a certain person in Sunagakure who was close to the Kazekage. He was curious whether it would be exactly this one person.
"Who do we have here? Naruto Namikaze himself," said a female voice. Naruto twitched and started to smile slightly. As it turned out, it was that one person.
He turned and bowed briefly. "Hello, Temari." Sakura stood next to Naruto and also gave a short bow. She knew Temari and wondered how she knew Naruto.
Temari knew him well. She seemed quite easygoing and relaxed. Sakura thought that Temari didn't even know her team member yet. She seems to have been wrong about that. It wasn't that long ago that she last saw Temari.
"It's been a while since you came to Sunagakure, Naruto. So, you finally joined a Team again, and this time, you seem to remain in the team."
Naruto chuckled a bit and scratched the side of his head with a finger. Temari recognized his reaction and giggled slightly when she thought about a lazy genius who often did the same thing. "What can I say? It's been a while, and I like my new team."
Sakura smiled at Naruto when she heard his declaration. Temari nodded and became a bit serious. "Alright. I would say we go and see Gaara. He is already waiting for your arrival."
Naruto and Sakura nodded, and all three began to walk into Sunagakure. Neither Naruto nor Sakura knew what they stumbled into when they arrived today. Their arrival could change the outcome of a great disaster that would occur not too far in the future.