Chapter 7
It was another beautiful morning in the atmosphere of Konoha and Naruto was heading towards his apartment after an intense training session with his clones. The elemental training with his clones had gone according to his plans. Today will be his last day in Konoha. He doesn't know for how long he will be going to stay in his new home.
Relax was a bad word to describe his situation while he could be seen walking outside of the training ground. Elemental training was hard and Naruto was expecting it to be easy as he was using clones for training but he was wrong. The experience and memories of the clones were sometimes too much for his mind. Dispelling all of them at the same time was a bad thing to do and Naruto did just that not too long ago.
Pulling his long red strands of hair behind his ear and rubbing his forehead to ease a headache. Naruto came to halt when he saw a kid surrounded by some bullies. It was not the first time he saw that girl bullied and taunted by other kids. The girl had never defended herself even after getting bullied so many times. Maybe she had lost hope or she just didn't care.
Naruto stood there at the side looking at her strangely as if he was deciding to help her or not.
"You came again here huh. Haven't we told you to not to come here? This is our territory." One of the kids spoke and kicked her. The girl just sat there covering her face with her arms.
"Hey! Are you listening?" Another kid yelled and grabbed her by her hair and pulled her head upward, forcing her to look at them.
Then Naruto saw her face. Green eyes filled with tears, a large forehead covered with strands of pink hair. Naruto stared into her eyes and she stared at him with a sad expression. Naruto doesn't know what moved him from there, maybe it was the look she was giving him. A look filled with sadness and acceptance, that she had accepted this behavior long ago.
Naruto moved without taking his eyes from her and she just stared at him, and just as she was about to be punched by the kid with light blonde hair...Naruto stopped that punch and grabbed his arm and twisted around.
"What do you think you are doing kid?" Naruto addressed the kid and looked down at him with cold eyes. He smashed the boy's arm on his face and pushed him backward. He radiated some killing intent and addressed the three boys in front of him.
"You should better leave. If I ever saw you hurting her again..." Naruto disappeared and the next second, the three of them were on the ground moaning in pain.
"Get out of here." The strong voice of Naruto brought them upward and they left without even looking back. Naruto turned around and sat down in front of the girl.
She stared back at him strangely without blinking.
"You should thank me for saving you from those bullies." She frowned and blinked twice before responding.
"I never asked you to save me."
"Well, I saw you getting bullied by them and thought that you might need help."
"As you see every day me getting bullied by them...why you saved me? Why you never came before? Why now?"
Naruto shook his head and looked around before looking at her again.
"I don't know why. What is your name?"
"Sakura..." The girl responded.
"Sakura...I'm Naruto. You have beautiful hair." He commented. Naruto just wanted to see how she would react if he'd comment on her hair.
"And have a large forehead." She replied while shielding her face from his view.
"I don't think you have a large forehead. I think you look pretty." Naruto said and managed to smile when he saw her looking at him with surprise. Although the smile was different and forceful it was smiling nonetheless.
"Sakura, I just want to know why you never defended yourself when you were being bullied," Naruto questioned kindly.
"And how I had defended myself? They bullied me because I was weak and they know it...even in the orphanage children taunt me and bully me because I'd no power."
"You are not alone Sakura. You are not weak, you are strong. You are here still talking and sharing your experience with me is the proof that you are not weak. You have friends; you just have to look at the right direction to find them. Don't accept defeat so soon. If you do, then people will crush you with their feats and bury you in the ground...Do you understand what am I saying Sakura?" Naruto said and took her hand in his and stood up.
She stood up and wiped her tears away from her eyes with her other hand and looked at Naruto.
"I'm an orphan too but I'd worked hard and gained power and friends. I'll ask you to do the same." She nodded her head and looked at Naruto with determination.
"If you need anything then you can tell me. I'll help you. Okay." She nodded again and hugged him.
"Thank you, Naruto, Nii-chan." Naruto smiled and ruffled her hair and saw her running towards the village.
When she disappeared from view Nawaki and Sasuke dropped from the tree in front of him.
"You know, I never thought you'd help someone."
"He is not that bad Sasuke," Nawaki responded while looking at Naruto who had turned around heading towards his apartment.
"Naruto, I know whatever you do you do because of some purpose. Why you saved that girl? What is so special about her?" Naruto glanced at Nawaki who was walking at his right side.
"Nawaki, Sasuke you know that I'll be going and don't know when I'll come...will you do something for me in my absence?" Sasuke and Nawaki looked at each other surprised. They had never expected Naruto to say something like this. Help, he had never asked someone to help him in anything ever in his life. But why now though, was it because he will be going to another village or...
"Naruto is everything alright?" Sasuke questioned cautiously.
"Everything is alright. Just do what I'd asked you to do." Naruto said before disappearing from view.
"When did he learned the sunshine?"
"I don't know Sasuke. Let's go."
The next day Naruto entered the Hokage's office wearing black shinobi pants and dark blue full sleeve shirt with a brown jacket on top of it with black shinobi boots.
"Ah Naruto..." Minato greeted Naruto with a smile.
"Hokage-sama..." Naruto bowed before standing straight in front of his kage.
"So, are you prepared for your journey?" Minato questioned by leaning forward and looking at Naruto with the same smile.
"Yes of course."
"When am I going to leave?"
"As expected from you...you are as blunt as ever Naruto." Naruto just looked at Hokage with an indifferent expression.
Sighing Minato leaned back in his chair and spoke with a different tone.
"Well as you might already know you are going to Mist for a purpose, an objective, a mission whatever you like to say it. You are the best candidate for this Naruto. They asked for you. We are going to face two allied villages in the coming war; I don't want Mist to join in this war. The Mizukage will surely take the side of our enemies and it will be bad very bad for Konoha.
The objective of this mission is to stop the current Mizukage before he joins our enemies in the coming war. Do you understand what am I saying Naruto?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"At least we will be safe from their side." Naruto nodded his head and opened the file in front of him.
"Hokage-sama, do you really think I'll be able to succeed in this type of mission?" It was his first mission after all.
"Yes, Naruto as I told you before you are the best candidate for this mission."
"But I'm not strong enough for this." He
"Then get strong. Remember you are the only one who can do this. You have time." Naruto nodded his head again and closed the file before putting it into storage seal.
"Now you can go. I'll send anbu..." Naruto understood and stood up before leaving the office.
"Kukukukuku, you know I was expecting you to come to me crawling early my dear old friend."
"But I'm here in front of you alive and well. Such a disappointment isn't it Orochimaru?"
"Kukukukuku..."
"And before you say something else...the snakes are the ones who crawl not humans."
"Hmm, and snakes are the ones who strikes in a way human can't."
"Is that a threat Orochimaru?" The lone eye of the crippled man narrowed and looked at the man sitting in front of him on a throne surrounded by darkness.
"If you think this is a threat then think otherwise." He replied in his carefree manner.
"The Akatsuki, they are looking for you." Danzo was disappointed when Orochimaru remained passive.
"And I'd heard that you had joined them...are you here to arrest me, old man." Orochimaru mocked and grinned when he saw how the man in front of him gritted his teeth.
"You know what I want and in return, I'll give you the blood sample of Uchiha Sasuke."
"The price is too low..."
"What about the information on Uzumaki Naruto?" Orochimaru narrowed him slightly before straightening. Uzumaki Naruto wasn't an interesting subject for Orochimaru to say the least. But Danzo looked interested in said name. It was as if that name had got a great deal of attention from Danzo.
"What do you know about him Danzo?" Now he'd his interest. Danzo didn't wanted to reveal this information to anyone but it seems he don't have any choice.
"Very much Orochimaru, operate me and I'll give information about him. You will be shocked."
"Very well Danzo I'll look forward to this information." He ridiculed.
Naruto was in the apartment and had just finished a letter for certain someone when an anbu appeared outside of his apartment and knocked. Getting up and looking around for the last time he exited his home and left with an anbu. When he appeared, he saw everyone he knew there standing looking at him with sad smiles on their faces.
Surprised! Yes, he was. He had never expected this to happen. Kushina, the Uchiha family, and even the Hokage were standing there with his wife to say goodbye to him.
"I cannot stop you, can I?" Kushina said while dropping on one knee and looking at Naruto with a small smile.
"No, you can't," Naruto replied and embraced her strongly. He will miss her dearly. He will do anything for her, the love she'd shown him in the short amount of time, he will never forget the moments that he spent with her.
"Take care of yourself," Kushina whispered in his ear and kissed him on his cheek.
"I will." He blushed slightly and then turned towards the Uchiha family and shook their hands while Mikoto hugged him.
He then turned towards the Hokage bowed. Minato stepped forward and placed both of his hand on Naruto's shoulders and looked into his eyes.
"Make Konoha proud. This is the only way to conquer it." Naruto nodded his head and turned towards Nawaki and Sasuke.
"I don't know when I'll see you guys again but whenever I see you I don't want to see you guys so weak." They both nodded their heads.
"Don't worry about us Naruto. You'll not be able to beat me when we will meet again." Nawaki grinned.
Naruto took out a letter out of his jacket and handed it to Sasuke.
"You know where you'll find her. Give it to her. I've already talked to Hokage-sama about her. She will join you guys. Take care of her. She will become great one day." Sasuke understood and pocketed the letter.
"So, this is goodbye then," Naruto said while looking at everyone with a tiny smile. Two anbu flashed beside him.
"Goodbye Naruto and take care." Everyone said their good buys and saw him disappearing into the forest.
Everyone turned and started walking towards the village to their own business. Nawaki and Sasuke were walking towards the training ground where they knew they will find Sakura. When they reached there they saw her sitting under the same tree.
"Hey, your name is Sakura, right?" The girl looked at them and then nodded her head before standing up.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Senju Nawaki and this is Uchiha brooding Sasuke." She giggled slightly while Nawaki ducked a punch from Sasuke.
"We are friends of Naruto. He had left the village not too long ago. He asked us to give you this." Sasuke handed her the letter and looked into her green eyes with curiosity.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sakura said with a small blush on her cheeks.
"Oh, I-it's nothing, it's just your eyes."
"Ahem..." Nawaki cleared his throat getting their attention.
"Naruto told us that you wanted to become a kunoichi." Sakura frowned. She had never told Naruto about this. He had left the village without even telling her. She felt alone again now that she knew that he will not be coming back soon. But why would Naruto tell about her to his friends and how come he knew that she wanted to become a kunoichi.
"I don't think I told Naruto that I want to become a kunoichi." She lied. Sasuke and Nawaki looked at each other and chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"Typical Naruto...it's nothing really. It's something you would expect from him."
"So, what are you waiting for, open the letter." Sakura nodded her head. She opened the letter.
Sakura
When you will read this letter, I'll be long gone from this village. You will find out why I left this village one day. It was important and I was the only one suited for this job. I don't know when I'll come back. Consider it a long-term mission.
When I helped you at that day I don't know why I helped you...but there was something that I felt extraordinary in you. You want to become a kunoichi. And I'll help you become one. But to do this you have to do what I'll tell you.
Sasuke and Nawaki are my friends. They will be your friends as well. Ask Nawaki to take you to Hokage-sama in his free time. Don't worry about anything, if you like it then accept it but if you don't then reject it.
I lived in an apartment. It's not much but it will be enough for you. Sasuke and Nawaki will take you there. It is secured with security seals (Don't tell this to anyone). Everything is there. You just have to look for it.
There is another letter addressed to them. Give it to them.
Take care of yourself.
Your big brother,
Naruto...
Sakura pocketed the letter and took a deep breath to control her tears. She will cry but not in front of these two. Wiping her eyes slightly she gave the next page of the letter to them.
When Nawaki and Sasuke finished, they looked at each other and then at Sakura.
"Come with us," Sasuke said before they led her to Naruto's apartment.
"He is coming to Mei-sama."
"Hmm..." A tall slender woman in her thirties with long auburn hair and green eyes wearing a long sleeved dark blue dress that falls just below the knees sitting in a chair behind a desk sipping tea looked up from her tea cup with a confused expression.
"Who is coming?" She questioned while looking at the man standing in front of her. A middle-aged man with blue hair, his left eye was blue while his right was covered by an eye patch under which he concealed the Byakugan that he obtained from a Hyuuga he defeated. He wore a talisman in each ear with kanji for a humble form of 'to hear' written on them twice on each side. He also wore the standard striped, gray suit, with a green haori that had white trimmings that stop halfway down, over them.
"Uzumaki Naruto." He answered. The woman in front of him stopped drinking tea and placed the cup on the desk without making any noise.
"When he will reach here?" She questioned.
"Tomorrow morning."
"He will be alone right?"
"The Hokage had given me information about this. Yes, the anbu that are escorting him will leave him on the border of the Mist. He will have to come here by himself."
"He will come either by boat or through mountains. But I think he will choose boat because the mountain area is under Kumo's watch. If he is smart, then he will choose boat...take some anbu and proceed with the plan."
"Hai Mei-sama." The man in front of her bowed before exiting the tent.
'Welcome Uzumaki Naruto.' A sly smile graced her lips.
"What news do you have for me Kabuto?" Orochimaru questioned in his snake like voice while looking at his right-hand man and the most dangerous spy in the elemental nations.
"Orochimaru-sama, I just came from Konoha. It is becoming difficult to infiltrate Konoha day by day. But the news that I had got from there is strange and thinkable." Orochimaru waited for Kabuto to tell him about this thinkable news with patience. This was a habit of Kabuto every time he will do this. Beating around the bush was in his bones.
"Uzumaki Naruto had left Konoha yesterday with two anbus. They are heading towards Mist."
A sly smile graced Orochimaru's face, his yellow eyes staring at Kabuto making him uncomfortable.
"Tell me Kabuto were you able to get into Danzo's office in root bases?"
"Yes, I found a blank file there and nothing else."
"Where is this file?" Kabuto handed the file to the snake sannin who opened it and examined it.
"Well, well, well, Danzo. I think you have to give me something else as a payment." Orochimaru stood up from his throne and motioned Kabuto to come with him.
"All we need is a blood sample of Danzo to open this file. And ironically Danzo is here. It will be very amusing to see his face when I'll show him this." A sickly laugh filled the dark underground halls that sent shivers down Kabuto's spine.
They arrived into another room where Danzo was lying on the stretcher unconscious. Orochimaru took a blood vial from the cabinet and poured the blood on the seal that was on the file. Soon enough the blood disappeared as well as the seal on it and words appeared. Orochimaru opened the file and started reading it.
"I can't believe it." He whispered. Orochimaru was known as a calm and collective shinobi in every situation. But reading this file and what it contained was shocked him so much that he was looking at Kabuto with his mouth open, gaping.
"Orochimaru-sama, are you alright?" Kabuto concerned and fearful voice reached his ears.
"K-Kabuto...I can't believe it." He repeated the sentence and shook his head as if he was confirming that he was not hallucinating.
"Read this," Orochimaru said when he was in his throne room and planning about what to do next.
"This..." Kabuto's reaction was not unpredictable.
"I'll have to confirm this information about Naruto Uzumaki and Danzo was the only one who can give me this information. He is the only one who knows about his true lineage...you will bring him here when he will wake up." Kabuto nodded his head before disappearing.
'Uzumaki Naruto, do you know who you really are?'
Nawaki, Sasuke, and Sakura appeared outside of Naruto's apartment. The door was locked and the key was in the lock. They opened the door and went inside. It was the first time Nawaki and Sasuke would be going to see their friend's apartment. Naruto was very secretive and despite being friends with them he had never invited them into his apartment.
Everything was clean and was in its place. The book shelve was filled with books related to chakra and human body and such. There was a table with four chairs in the kitchen. All in all, the apartment was filled with everything that was necessary.
"Well it's not much but it is better than most apartments," Nawaki said while looking around.
"Oh, come on Nawaki, stop comparing your compound with this tiny apartment." Sakura stood there looking at them and observing their behavior with each other.
'I'll not fail your big brother.' She thought determination filling her eyes.
"Well, Sakura what you think about this, huh, I mean you are the one who will be going to live in here." Sasuke turned towards here with a questioning gaze.
She nodded her head and spoke in her innocent voice." Yes, it is good very good. I don't know why Naruto would do something like this for me. But nevertheless, I'm grateful for everything he'd done for me." Nawaki smiled at Sakura. In his eyes, Naruto was a noble person who looked after those who cannot look after themselves, a boy with a kind heart with serious expression who would do anything for his loved ones.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was looking at Sakura as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. He knew that Naruto had never mentioned Sakura in their meetings before and now all of a sudden, he was looking after her and giving her his place to live. Why Sakura though? There were other orphans too, if he wanted to he could have chosen someone better than Sakura.
In Sasuke's eyes, Naruto was a person who does everything with a purpose. He does everything with a plan, a plan that involved people around him. He knew that there was a motive hidden behind all of this. All he has to do was to find out about it.
Sasuke knew that Naruto was a kind person to those who would show kindness to him. But there was another Naruto hidden behind that kind Naruto, his inner self. A Naruto that no one knows about and this Naruto will be dangerous when it would come out. How much dangerous? Only time would tell.
They had been running nonstop ever since they had left the village. The anbu in dog mask thought it would be better to take some rest before resuming.
"I think it would be better to take some rest." He said before jumping from the tree branch and landing on the ground.
"Cat, why don't you go and bring some water? While I go and search for some food and Naruto why don't you collect some woods for fire?" Everyone nodded and disappeared to complete their tasks. Naruto was the first to arrive with dry woods. The fire was in front of him burning. The sun had fallen taking all of its warmth and light with it.
"So, tell us about yourself Naruto-san," Cat spoke. Naruto looked up staring at the woman in front of him. She had long purple hair and warm brown eyes and a shade of red lipstick.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Naruto eyes focused on hers. He doesn't know for how long he was staring at her but he had been caught staring.
"You anbu know more about me than anyone else I think," Naruto answered her first question. She frowned and shook her head.
"What I mean is that what are your likes, your dislikes, and your goals." Dog who was drinking water stopped and turned his attention towards Naruto.
"I think you also want to know as well?" Naruto said while looking at dog masked anbu who nodded his head.
"My likes are training, ramen and searching for new jutsus. My dislikes are...I don't think I have any dislikes in particular." Naruto lied with the straight face.
"And what are your goals in life?" Dog questioned.
"I never thought about it but the only think that I want in my life is to become stronger and win every battle in my life."
"Tell about yourself," Naruto said looking at cat. He just wanted to take the conversation away from him. He doesn't wanted to reveal information that he wanted to keep from them.
"Well, I like watching moon, swords, and kenjutsu. I dislike traitors. My goal is to become a best master in kenjutsu art." She finished in one breath.
"That's pretty boring except watching the moon." Naruto said innocently and prepared himself for a rant that never came. She just smiled at him.
'Strange woman...'
Unknown to them, there were several pairs of eyes that were watching them not too far away.
They news of Naruto leaving Konoha spread like a wildfire and at the end of the day the entire Konoha populace knew that Naruto had been taken away. There were rumors flying around about Naruto. Some were saying that he had run away from the village, some were saying that the Hokage had kicked him out of the village because he was trying to steal classified information for Kumo.
Really it was ridiculous; of course, these rumors were only in the civilian populace. The shinobi knew better and some were even parsing Naruto, in their eyes, Naruto had given up everything just to obey Hokage's orders and in shinobi's eyes, the only thing that mattered was to obey their leader's orders and complete their mission successfully.
Minato was in his office drinking tea with Fugaku sitting in front of him, they were talking about this and that, just relaxing after completing their day's work. Their eyes turned towards the window when they saw fireworks lighting the sky. First Minato thought that they had been attacked but when he looked closely he saw people standing at the top of the Hokage monument shouting and jumping and releasing fireworks into the sky.
"What the hell!" Minato looked towards Fugaku who was looking outside.
"Anbu, go and find out why the hell they are doing this."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Fugaku, did something happen this day that we are forgetting about?" Minato turned his blue eyes towards the Uchiha who shook his head.
"I don't think so."
"Hmm strange, then why they are celebrating?"
"Maybe they are celebrating someone's birthday?" Fugaku suggested.
"That could be possible. Knowing civilians, they do some strange things anyway."
The anbu came and bowed before speaking.
"Hokage-sama, I asked one of the civilians about this and he said and I quote, 'Today the demon brat left this village. Finally, the village is free from his curse and now people will live freely and happily.'" Minato stood there gaping. He can't believe their audacity.
"Fugaku I can't believe this." Minato shook his head, his staring at the anbu making him uncomfortable.
"I'm telling the truth Hokage-sama." Minato turned his gaze towards Fugaku who was looking at him to say something or order something.
"Take some anbu with you and stop them. I don't want this madness to continue. Warn them and order them to not to do anything like this again and if they do then they will be thrown into jail."
"That's the work of the police force. They will take care of it, you don't have to go." Fugaku said to the anbu who nodded and looked towards the Hokage who nodded his head as well.
"I'll take care of it." He said stood up and left.
Sighing, Minato dropped in his seat with a thud and rubbed his temple. 'Another headache coming my way, Naruto what would you have done if you had seen this with your own eyes, I'm disappointed really.' His eyes filled with sadness were looking towards the Hokage monument.
The next day Sakura woke up in her new home. She stretched, drank water, changed into her training outfit and disappeared from the apartment.
She looked around her eyes waiting for Naruto to show up and say something to her. But she knew that he will not come back, for how long she doesn't know. She closed her eyes and suppressed the memories that she had shared with him in this place.
Her brother in all but blood, the one who had given her everything and anything that she had asked him, Naruto was everything to her and will be until...
It had been a year or more than a year since she met him outside of this training ground. She was crying her clothes were dirty and torn from many places. She was hungry and weak. She saw Naruto first time; she saw a boy in front of her with cold attitude but with kind heart. It was her first thought when he helped her and had given her food. She started coming here every day to thank him for food but there was another reason why she had started coming here every day.
She wanted to become his friend.
At first, Naruto tried to push her away saying that she should become friends with someone else. He doesn't need her and such. But she knew better, she had seen people around the village looking at him and their behavior towards him.
But the thing that amazed her the most was his prowess. She had seen him training with so many clones of his. Of course, she hadn't known anything about the shinobi world at that time. Her parents had died during the Kyuubi attack leaving her orphan, they were civilians.
Sakura had asked Naruto to train her. She wanted to become strong to protect herself. Naruto had denied her again. But Sakura was stubborn, giving up wasn't an option. But eventually, Naruto had agreed. She was delighted and happy for the first time in her life. Finally, there was someone in her life who will be going to help her to become strong.
During her training, she saw another Naruto, a ruthless Naruto. She thought that training would be easy and she would enjoy it but it was everything but easy. Naruto had made her life hell at that time. She doesn't how many times he'd broken her ribs and other bones in her body only for him to heal them. But in the end, it was worth it. Naruto had concentrated on her chakra and taijutsu. As a civilian, she was born with very low chakra, that's why it was easy for her to control it but difficult to increase it. Now she had low chunin level chakra and her taijutsu needed some work.
Naruto had taught her basic of shinobi arts. It was up to her to build a foundation now.
Here in the forest of death, Naruto had trained her until it was time for him to leave this village. Everything they had done was a secret. Outside of this ground, they didn't even know each other.
It was all an act. Getting bullied and meeting with Naruto for the first time yesterday in the park. Naruto had asked her to do it and she had done it flawlessly. She doesn't know why Naruto had asked her to do it maybe it was because he wanted to reveal their friendship to Sasuke and Nawaki. He had asked her to keep an eye on them. She knew what he meant by that...
For the next couple of hours, Sakura trained until she was out of breath and couldn't stand anymore. She had to go back to her apartment quickly. Nawaki and Sasuke will be coming to fetch her.
They had not expected this to happen. They had just crossed the fire nation when they were attacked by masked shinobis who were wearing a headband resembling a musical note. Where had they come from and from which village they belong to? Kakashi had no answer to these questions. But he knew that they belonged to a smaller village. But why attack Konoha? Maybe they have an alliance with their enemies.
"Don't worry about anything Naruto just focus, we will protect you."
"Well I'm delighted to hear that but I think I'll help you guys defeating these bad guys," Naruto said innocently and fell into a stance with his kunai in a reverse grip. The dog masked anbu (Kakashi) was standing in front of him and the cat masked anbu (Yugao) was standing behind him, covering his back.
They had just crossed the fire nation and entered into the land of sea when they were attacked by these shinobi who were five in number.
"Give us a boy and we will let you leave alive." One of them, the leader of the group spoke and stepped forward. All of them wearing Jounin uniforms and headbands around their forehead, their face covered with black cloth.
Kakashi snorted and responded. "As if we will let you take the boy away...Who are you and why are you after the boy?"
"Do you really think we will answer your question, you Konoha scum?" The leader rushed forward and attacked Kakashi, while the other four disappeared, attacking Naruto and Yugao in process.
Naruto turned towards left and block the kunai strike with his own.
"What do you want from me?" Naruto hissed.
"It's simple really kid, we want your blood to give it to our master." The man jumped backward and threw bunch of kunais at Naruto and rushed at him. Naruto deflected all the kunais before shifting left thus avoiding punch aimed for his face. Naruto seeing an opportunity aimed his left leg for the masked man's mid-section. The shinobi jumped backward avoiding Naruto's kick barely.
"I must say I never thought you would be this skilled in shinobi arts." The man rushed at Naruto again but this time faster than before. When he was near he jumped in the air and aimed his right leg at Naruto's face. Naruto grabbed the shinobi's right foot with his right hand before turning left and then threw a left punch at the shinobi's midsection, at the same time Naruto released his right foot.
"You are predictable," Naruto commented. He knew there were others too as well waiting for an opportunity to kill him. Kakashi and Yugao were fighting two shinobi at the same time.
Without giving a second thought and giving a chance for his enemy to get up again, Naruto went through some hand seals before.
"Futon: Kamikaze (wind style: Divine Wind)." Naruto released several guts of winds that formed several tornados. At the same time, a clone of Naruto released a fireball towards the opponent. The wind and fire combined and formed a large tornado of fire that headed towards the shinobi at great speed.
Seeing a large tornado of fire heading towards his way, he stand up while still massaging his stomach where Naruto's punch had connected and jumped backward to avoid the fire tornado but he was not fast enough. While he was able to protect himself from fire but he got several burns on his skins. His clothes tattered and burned from several places.
"I'll kill you, you damn brat." He yelled in outrage while hissing in pain.
"Sound release: sound palm." He yelled and directed his palm towards Naruto. It connected with Naruto's body and powerful sound wave released. The shinobi looked pleased because he knew that this attack was strong enough to break ribs. He waited for his target to fell on the ground coughing blood but it didn't happen. Instead, the Naruto in front of him 'puffed'.
'A clone...' He thought. Then he felt a cold kunai on his neck.
"It's over," Naruto whispered in a cold voice before slashing his opponent's neck. Then man fell on the ground blood pouring from his neck.
"What you want from me?" Naruto questioned the shinobi while looking at him in his eyes. The scene didn't disturbed him in the slightest. His cold violet eyes stared at the man with indifference. The man was wearing a Jounin uniform but his strength was of chunin level. No wonder he was able to beat him easily.
"Screw you." He coughed blood.
"Katon: Kibaku Enjin (Fire Style: Exploding Flame Formation)." The shinobi whispered. The stream of exploding tags headed towards Naruto with great speed. Naruto jumped backward but was not fast enough to avoid all the tags. Some of them burst to cause Naruto to drop on the ground with a thud. He could see several burns on his feet and around his ankles.
'My Sharingan was able to see that attack coming but my body was not fast enough to respond.' Naruto winced.
"Naruto! Are you all right?" Kakashi shouted from where he was fighting.
"Y-yeah, yeah I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Kakashi knew that he has to deal with his opponents quickly. He glanced at Naruto who was fighting a single opponent. He doesn't have to worry about Yugao because he knew that she would be fine.
"As much as I love to fight with you guys and play I don't think I'd be able to. I've to finish this quickly."
"As if you can finish us quickly you Konoha shit." The leader yelled before attacking Kakashi blindly. When he was near Kakashi, he flipped his headband upward revealing his Sharingan and trapping his opponent in a genjutsu. At the same time, a clone of Kakashi threw several kunais towards the leader. It took Kakashi two minutes to kill his one opponent.
"Onton: Onpa (Sound Release: sound wave)." Kakashi turned towards his second opponent who released an invincible sound attack towards him. He jumped back but his clone remained standing there. Kakashi eyes widened slightly when saw that not only his clone but everything in the jutsus path crushed.
'Impressive technique...' He sunshined from the Jutsu's path, Kakashi threw several kunais towards his opponent but it deflected back because of the sound waves.
Then he heard the explosion and saw Naruto blown away and dropped on the ground with a thud.
"I must do this quickly." Kakashi went through hand signs before...
"Chidori (One thousand birds)." After finishing his second opponent Kakashi headed towards Naruto who was on the ground, his feet and ankles burned from the exploding tags. Kakashi seeing Naruto alright turned towards Yugao who was fighting her second opponent.
"Cat, leave that one alive."
"Hai, senpai..."
Kakashi when tried to investigate the last enemy he took a kunai and stabbed himself in his gut, ending his own life.
"What the hell." Naruto shockingly looked at Kakashi who shrugged.
"I suppose he was afraid of torture."
"Well, by the way, good job Naruto. You fought well."
"Yeah Naruto-kun you were very good, who taught you to fight?" Yugao questioned.
"I taught myself, who else." Naruto shrugged. Yugao patched Naruto's wounds.
"Well, I think we are not far away from the sea. We should go now."
Sakura took a shower before cooking her breakfast. She was about to sit down and eat when she felt Nawaki and Sasuke approaching.
"Coming..." She said when she heard the knocking.
"Hi, Sakura..." Sakura opened the door turned around and headed towards the kitchen. Surprisingly it was Sasuke who greeted her first.
"Having a breakfast, I see," Nawaki said before taking seat in the kitchen.
"Is there any problem?" Sakura raised an eyebrow at Nawaki.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Sasuke questioned before Nawaki said something stupid to a girl who was having a breakfast.
"Well, I don't have anything to do besides going to library."
"Well, I was wondering if you could come to my place. You know today Sasuke's parents will be coming to us. I thought it will be good to introduce you to mine as well as Sasuke's parents. What do you think?" Nawaki said when he felt that neither Sasuke nor Sakura was in a mood for jokes.
"Well, okay its fine with me. It would be an honor to meet your parents." Sasuke and Nawaki grinned at each other before standing up.
"Well, we'll pick you up after three hours from now." Sasuke stood up and dragged Nawaki out.
"Where are you guys going?"
"We're going for a sparring match as well as some training." Sakura nodded her head.
"Make sure to shut the door." She shouted.
"I can't believe it. She didn't even ask us to have a breakfast with us." Nawaki whined. That breakfast looked delicious. His stomach protested as well.
"What were you trying to eat, her or her breakfast." Sasuke said annoyingly.
"Shut it Sasuke you git," Nawaki yelled before pushing Sasuke away. An annoyed expression on his face, while Sasuke smirked haughtily at him.
"Dobe!"