Naruto smiled as the gates to his home village were finally within sight. The mission to escort the old bat to talk with the Sand contingent was something he was eager to put behind him and not think about for a while.

Since the invasion two months ago Naruto has been active non-stop. He'd been training non stop in his free time, worrying about the old man, training with his team, then there was the Tanzuka Hills fiasco.

Then this mission. After all that, Naruto was ready for some rest and relaxation.

He could already taste the ramen calling his name!

"Naruto!" Shouted Tsunade with a ticking eyebrow.

Naruto blinked and turned to her, "Ah, sorry I wasn't listening." He admitted sheepishly.

The Hokage sighed, "I'm aware," She said slowly, "I was saying I want you to report to my office first thing in the morning."

"Aww c'mon!" He whined, "I can't have a single day off?!"

Tsunade had the audacity to smile, "No." She said before Body Flicking away.

Naruto, who's eyes could follow the movements, only felt even more irritated by the pleased smile she wore as she went her way. He then turned to Kakashi who was staring absently at a passing cloud.

"Thanks for the help, sensei!" He shouted in exasperation.

Kakashi turned to him slowly, "Oh, you missed when she told me that I was to report first thing as well." He responded happily, "Get used to being important! It's never as fun as it seems." He chirped before leaving as well.

Naruto entered the village and glared at the gate guards that had the gall to ask for his papers. Their response was to yelp and hide behind their desk as he made his way into the village.

He was getting his damn ramen.

"Ohhhhh, you're even more of a cutie!" Squealed Ayame as she rubbed her cheek on Naruto's. "It's been so long since you came by! I'd heard you changed but not this much." As soon as he walked in she giggled at his new look. Long blond hair no longer held up by his headband, and his bright otherworldly Six Eyes that seemingly help the sky within them. She'd found him 'adorable'.

Naruto, who was completely fine ignoring her actions as he put down his seventh bowl of ramen, hummed at her words. "Yeah, sorry. This is the last place I want to avoid, ya know."

"We know, kid!" Teuchi, Ramen Chef extraordinaire, said as he whipped up another five helpings of noodles. "Though I felt your absence in my wallet!" He said with a laugh.

Naruto snorted, "I'm sure you did. Keep them coming!" He cheered as he finished his bowl.

"So any fun missions you can tell us about?" Asked Ayame who'd finally finished hugging him.

Naruto frowned, "Well, fun isn't the word I'd use. More chaotic and wild. I did fight Orochimaru for a bit and Itachi Uchiha." He said with a shrug, not exactly the same kind of fun he had described some of his others with his team.

Ayame paled at the names, even a civilian like her knew of such infamous individuals. To think the small boy she considered a little brother was going against such monsters!

"Are you sure you're ok?" She asked with worry.

Naruto waved her off, "I'm fine." He said before looking at her, "I'm strong."

Neither Teuchi nor Ayame could really say anything about that. Both of them had heard the rumors, not to mention the heavy weight of Naruto's presence that even they could feel in the air. It was a stark change from the happy go lucky aura Naruto had before.

Naruto continued to eat ramen for a while. A few people came in to order food then would leave. By the time Naruto was on his ninth bowl a familiar trio entered the stall.

"Yoohoo!" Called Ino as she entered the stall with the rest of Team 10. "Look who it is! Naruto, we haven't seen you since the exams. What have you been doing?"

As normal Ino sought information that would satiate her curiosity without hesitation. Beside her Choji hurriedly ordered food while Shikamaru sighed at Ino's pushy nature.

Naruto didn't seem to mind, "I've been on missions. I likely have another one tomorrow." He said between slurps of noodles. "You?" he asked absentmindedly.

Ino perked up at the chance to talk, "Oh, you know. We've been working on border missions, or just escort missions around the Land of Fire. Team 10 has been in high demand lately."

"I bet, Shikamaru had a good showing." Naurto said around a mouthful of pork.

Shikamaru groaned, "You're not kidding, I thought losing would get people off my case."

"Everyone with sense knows you could have won the match. Especially the blond you fought." Naruto said with a snort.

Ino turned to glare at Shikamaru, "You could have won the match!?" She asked incredulously.

Naruto laughed, "Like I said."

Shikamaru smirked, "Well, it doesn't matter. I was promoted to Chunin anyway. Asuma-sensei has been running us ragged between missions. Apparently we're ready for 'real training'." He said with a roll of his eyes.

Naruto nodded, "Good, I don't want you three to stay so weak. It wouldn't be good. Also, you were promoted before me." he said with a hum, "I wonder if they're ever going to promote me?"

It wasn't something Naruto really cared about anymore. Between the mission to get Tsunade, then the escort mission and just his general worry about the old man before that he just didn't really think about his rank. He did what he wanted anyway.

Shikamaru turned to him in surprise. "You weren't promoted?"

Naruto shook his head, "No one said I was, not that I really care. I'm sure it's just a formality at this point."

"You're way too strong to be a genin." Choji added around a mouthful of ramen.

Again Naruto only shrugged, "Yeah, but the old lady may hold off just to annoy me."

"Anyway!" Ino said, getting attention back on her, "Are you going to talk about these new eyes of yours? My dad won't tell me anything and I'm too curious how you went from loser to…this."

Naruto glared her way, getting a flinch from everyone in that direction, "I wasn't a loser. After your showing in the exams I'm sure I would have kicked any of your asses without them. The Six-Eyes gives me perfect understanding and control of chakra."

Shikamaru wisely ignored the first half of Naruto's statement, it was irrelevant at this point. "That's very powerful, but isn't that similar to the Hyuga or Uchiha bloodlines? Perhaps you have a derivative of theirs?"

"Who knows. Though I can't copy things I see like Saskue and I can't see through walls or in a near 360 degree field of vision." Naruto said with a shrug, "But don't underestimate the power of chakra control."

Ino seemed unconvinced, "So that's really it? I mean if that's the case, Sasuke should be able to go even further since he can do what you said and more." She finished with a satisfied smile, "I was worried the world was really ending if your stock was higher than his!"

Naruto laughed, "Sasuke isn't surpassing me anytime soon! I mean I was kicking Itachi's ass on my last mission. Though…Sasuke isn't really using his full potential, too many hang ups in that head. I mean even now he could be a level or two higher if he just let go of all that crap." He was sure that Sasuke could give some weaker Jonin a run for their money if he let go of his baggage and just moved, but as it were…

"Interesting." An older male voice said from behind them.

Naruto turned to see Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi enter the stall. Kurenai was looking at him incredulously, likely having heard his statement and didn't fully believe him.

"You expect us to believe you took on Itachi Uchiha?" Kurenai asked with a raised eyebrow as she and Asuma took their seats at the stall.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "I don't care what you believe." He then thanked Teuchi for his eleventh bowl of ramen. He didn't expect so many people to show up at the stall while he was enjoying his ramen time. Now he had people asking him all these questions, he had like half a day off and it was stuck with people grilling him. Maybe Kakashi-sensei had a point hiding from everyone.

"Well, strong or not it's hard to believe that someone that graduated from the academy not even a year ago is at that level." Kurenai said with a shake of her head.

"It's that lack of imagination that'll keep you so weak." Naruto said offhandedly, "Honestly I'm shocked at the level of the Jonin in the village. Outside of Gai and Kakashi most of you are honestly far weaker than you should be."

Asuma narrowed his eyes at him while Team 10 watched wide eyed at the exchange, "Maybe you should take it easy. S-Class or not that doesn't make you invincible, remember you're still quite inexperienced."

Naruto shrugged as he finished wolfing down his last bowl of ramen, "Just calling it like I see it. Don't like it? Get stronger. It's not that complicated. See ya around!"

With a quick set of seals he warped back to his apartment leaving a stunned audience at Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto landed in his mess of a living room and smiled. His little anchor seal he placed on the floor.

…Little may have been an understatement, it covered the entire floor.

He'd put it up before his mission to get Tsunade as insurance in case he needed to rush them back. It was a sort of beacon for his warp that he should be able to lock onto from anywhere. Unlike his father's jutsu, the warp anchor couldn't really be miniaturized or sealed within itself like the Jutsu Shiki for the Flying Thunder God. Jiriaya said the actual seal was a square meter in size before his father and mother sealed it in on itself, something Jiraiya still didn't understand and he didn't bother trying to.

Hopefully soon he'll overcome his ability to only warp within eyesight. For now though, this was enough.

Naruto walked into Tsunade's office right on time for their meeting. Inside, much like he expected was his whole team, the old man, and Shikaku Nara. Everyone was standing around idly chatting about something.

"Well at least your tendencies haven't rubbed off on him too bad." Tsuande grumbled to a sheepish Kakashi. His team rolled their eyes at the comment. While Shikaku and The Third looked amused.

Naruto frowned, "I'm right on time grandma." He said flatly.

Tsunade glared at him, "A shinobi of your standing should arrive 10 minutes early!" She declared imperiously.

"Now you're just being ridiculous." Naruto said tiredly, "What's the mission, why am I here if you got Kakashi sensei going? Why can't I have a day off?" He was still a bit ticked off about the back to back to back missions, this better be something good.

"We're in trying times, Naruto." The Third said kindly, "Your abilities are going to be in very high demand until things settle."

"I don't get a day off so you don't either, brat!" Tsunade said right after with a smirk, "You and the old perv put me in this seat so that's the tax." Many in the room not used to working with her directly were shocked at their new Hokage's personality, it was far different than her reputation would lead you to believe.

"I hate it here, I want a vacation." Whined Naruto childishly. The Third chuckled at his response while Tsunade grinned, both enjoying this for different reasons.

Sasuke, Kakashi and Shikaku watched uncomfortably as Naruto acted like himself to the two highest authorities in the village. None of them had the balls to talk back to their superiors in such a way, even Sasuke who was the least formal of them was cringing a bit.

Sakura however-

"Oi!" Shouted Naruto as he rubbed his head, "The hell was that?"

"Act right!" Shouted Sakura after smacking the hell out of his head, "Lady Hokage specifically asked for Team 7! Let's show her that we are the team for the job. My apologies, Lord Third, Lady Hokage." She said with a bow.

"I don't need to prove anything to that old bat, I saved her life like two weeks ago!"

Naruto's shout was completely ignored as Tsunade beamed at Sakura, "Marvelous, Sakura, you might be in for a promotion if you keep a level head like that in the field on this mission. Kakashi, keep an eye on her, I want a report of her actions in detail." Kakashi's eyes smiled while Sakura blushed and looked away.

Naruto stepped forward towards Shikaku and Tsunade, "Speaking of, am I getting promoted any time soon. I just found out that Shikamaru was promoted."

"You were promoted," Answered Shikaku flatly.

Naruto blinked, "Was anyone planning to tell me that?" The rest of his team was equally as stumped by that.

"Of all the…" Muttered Tsunade, "Jiraiya was supposed to inform you of your promotion, it was when you were sent to bring me back. I have the records to show for it somewhere." She said while gesturing to three massive piles of paper off to the side of the room.

"Oh." Hummed Naruto, "He told me a lot of stuff about what's expected of someone that's an S-Class so it must have slipped his mind."

"Then I will inform you, you've been made Jonin. Effective, like a month ago." Tsunade said lamely.

Naruto sighed comically, "Ok, that wasn't as exciting as I was expecting…also Jonin?" he asked, surprised.

The Third nodded, "I do not believe we would be putting you in charge of any large operations any time soon. Not until you get some more experience leading teams on assignments. Shikaku and the elders believed that it was a formality to name you Jonin, we agreed when learning of their decision."

"Let's move on to why we're here." Tsunade said while gesturing to Shikaku, "Shikuku for those of you who don't know is the Jonin commander and chief strategy advisor to the Hokage." She introduced the scared Nara Clan head.

Shikaku stepped forward, "Nice to meet you Mr Uchiha, Ms Haruno. You both attended the academy with my son, I've heard quite a bit about you both." He said kindly.

"Now. The mission that Team 7 has been selected for is search and destroy. We are sending you four to back up Lord Jiraiya in routing Orochimaru and his forces root and stem. Kakashi is the foremost tracker we have that has a combat efficiency for this mission, as well as his black ops experience making him perfect to work in conjunction with Alpha Squad." Shikaku briefed while the man in question nodded.

"Naruto, you are one of the few we have that can take on Orochimaru. This will make it so the forces we have can cover more ground rather than Jiraiya being stretched thin in the Land of Sounds. Sasuke and Sakura are to provide combat assistance and back up."

Sakura hummed, "I take it, Lord Jiraiya will continue as is while we work as a team in another part of the Land of Sound? Kakashi Sensei can follow the trails and then we have Naruto if we run into Orochimaru."

Tsunade smiled, "Indeed, you will be kept in contact with Jiraiya by the use of summon messages. Jiraiya and Alpha squad have cleared approximately sixty percent of the country. Team seven will begin in the territory on the western corner. There you will follow any trail you find. Any updates on the location of Orochimaru will be relayed to you via Toads from Jiraiya."

Naruto nodded, "Got it, basically run around the land of sound until we find him. One question, what if he's already abandoned the country?" It seemed the obvious choice, why would the snake want to defend a country he didn't have much use for anymore. Clearly he only took control to build forces to invade the leaf.

"That is also something we're heavily considering." Shikaku said with a frown, "Your reports of Orochimaru joining, or rather re-join the Akatsuki, means that he has immensely dangerous allies and his ties to the country are even less so than before. Worst case we take any and all strength Orochimaru had within Sound Country so he can't return."

"Well then we should address the issue of this mission with that in mind." Naruto said seriously, getting everyone's attention. "Orochimaru was working with Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha. If we run into him then those two will likely be there."

Sasuke's Sharingan instinctively activated his brother's name. Kakashi's eyes hardened as well. The third and Shikaku grimaced while Tsunade took a deep breath.

"Naruto," Started Tsunade making sure to lock eyes with Naruto, "If you are to face off with Itachi Uchiha again can you win?"

Naruto hummed as he seriously thought about it, "If Itachi remained the same as before, yes. However I'll have to admit that he's not dumb. He'll likely have thought of new ways to come at me since we last fought. It'll be a bloody fight."

Sakura turned to him worriedly, "You think you'd lose?"

Naruto's Six Eyes flared and he grinned at everyone in the room.

"I'd win."

Far off in Sound Country a small group of individuals were meeting.

Orochimaru was smirking at his companion, Itachi Uchiha.

"So Itachi, what do you think of my ideas?" The Sanin asked happily.

Itachi glared at the man with his Mangekyo Sharingan, "If you spoil Sasuke before he's become useful for me I will turn that brain you cherish into mush. Your pathetic curse mark is nothing more than a drug that destroys the mind of those who wield it."

"I will be sure not to spoil him." Orochimaru said with a smile, "I just want to make sure that you understand that I will be taking his body and eyes as my own. I do so desire the eyes of the Uchiha."

"It is only Lord Pein's word that is keeping you alive, but even that will not stay my hand forever. Sasuke has a roll to full fill. Stay out of my way."

Orochimaru's poker face was good enough that he had no tells showing how nervous he was at having an opponent like Itachi against him once more. He'd never forgotten the trivial way that the Uchiha had handled him before.

"Are you two having fun?" A grinning Kisame asked as he entered the room. He was bandaged up but otherwise fine.

"Not yet, Kisame, but now that you are here we can begin." Orochimaru said with a smile. "As you both know my country is being attacked by my former teammate and a squad of ANBU Black Ops. Likely Ro or Alpha. I would greatly prefer to kill them and keep my hold over this land. With that in mind we should deal with them."

Kisame's grin turned feral, "I too would like to kill that old toad."

Itachi however had to be the voice of reason, "Jiraiya is a very powerful opponent. I do not believe, unless outnumbered, we can expect anything better than mutual destruction in a one on one confrontation. Even I have no real counter to his sage jutsu."

"Yes." Grimaced Orochimaru, "I will seek out Jiraiya with my summons, if we know where he is we can take out the ANBU without issue. Once he's alone, or at the very least without a regiment of ANBU backing him, we should be able to deal with him quite soundly."

"Just tell me where I need to go." Kisame said with a wave of his hand, "I'll let the two of you do all the strategizing. I don't care for it."

"And if Jiraiya gets back up?" Asked Itachi, not even bothering to voice the name of who he meant.

Orochimaru and Kisame grimaced, "Then we kill that little twerp. Remember what Leader Pein said." the shark man said with a frown.

"And that jutsu will work?" Asked Orochimaru to Itachi, "You've experienced his Infinity Jutsu, do you think that will work?"

Itachi took a deep breath, "The logic behind it is sound. However, knowing this, Naruto is far less experienced than us, yes, but he is very adaptable and highly capable of learning on the fly. We will not have many opportunities to take him off guard with this jutsu nullifying field."

Orochiamru smirked as he eyed the scroll containing jutsu notes and fuinjutsu formulas, "Ah, what a fascinating creation, Domain."

END CHAPTER

Naruto and the team have been sent out. Orochiamru and the others are waiting and ready. Now is the time for Domain and it's a Naruto twist and version. Funnily enough it's a creation of Pein. I will go into more detail on it during the action when Naruto is experiencing it with his eyes.

I know it's a shorter one but I wanted to get this out ASAP and to get past the normal bits so the next chapter can be the mission.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you liked and didn't like, also let me know your predictions on domains!

PS I've started the AU RWBY story, check it out on it's called RWBY: Son of Arcadia Daughter and of Silver. I'd appreciate some feedback on that story if you're into it.